SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — A3
LOCAL
KEATING
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Instead, Keating staff —
Principal Amanda Wilde,
teacher Toni Myers and para-
professional Debbie Radle
— shrunk the event to just
the school, and involved every
student in the preparation of
the traditional feast.
“We decided, why not just
do it with the kids?” Wilde
said.
But “shrunk” doesn’t mean
“small” — the turkey, donated
by a neighbor, weighed 30
pounds and had to be split
between two roasters.
“We have such an invested
community,” Wilde said.
The meal preparation was
divided between grades:
• Kindergarten: corn
• First: rolls
• Second: gravy
• Third: pumpkin pie
• Fifth: stuffi ng
• Sixth: mashed potatoes
(The school doesn’t have
any fourth graders this year.)
Everyone, regardless of
grade, was involved with the
clean up.
“It’s part of cooking,” Myers
said with a smile.
The kitchen is located in
the school’s basement, and
Myers worked with each
group as lunch — and feast
time — neared.
“They’ve been so excited all
morning,” Myers said as she
pulled pots and pans from the
cupboards, and the scent of
Nathan Cook and Paisley Churchfi eld, both second
graders at Keating Elementary, work together to
make gravy.
Grades 3 and 6 were in charge of setting the table for Keating’s Thanksgiving feast.
Bailey Myers, on the left side of the table, adds napkins after Asher Blair, in blue, and
Levi Whitley set out the handmade placemats.
One space, for favorite
food, was fi lled with “pizza”
on many designs.
— Amanda Wilde, principal, Keating Elementary School
Except Clara’s, which
declared elk steak as her
roasted turkey fi lled the room. fi rst try, cranking the opening favorite meal.
“I love to hunt,” she said.
Two kindergartners tack- while Myers held it steady.
The students in grades
“Go muscles!” Myers said
led the task of opening cans of
3 and 6 prepared the long
corn — the vegetable of choice as Tim concentrated on his
table after a lesson on a
job.
based on a school vote.
This made Wren pipe up: “I proper table setting.
“I’ve never gotten to open
On top of each homemade
a can before,” Wren Lyon said have muscles, too!”
As students took turns in placemat — made with
as Myers hooked an opener on
the kitchen, the others worked woven strips of construction
the lid of the can.
paper — was a name card,
on their “thankful” posters.
Tim Merchant took the
“We’re so thankful for you. We’re your teachers, but
you teach us something new every day.”
a plate, a napkin, a cup, a
fork on the left and a knife
on the right. Each place also
got a baby food jar full of
fresh, homemade butter.
Then it was time to eat.
Each grade took a turn
through the line, saying
“yes, please” or “no, thank
you” for each item, served
by Myers and the sixth
graders.
When everyone’s plate
was heaped with food, Wilde
and Myers said a few words
before the students dug in to
their meal.
“I’m so proud of you guys
— we haven’t gotten to do this
for a while,” Wilde said. “We’re
so thankful for you. We’re
your teachers, but you teach
us something new every day.”
Then it was Myers’ turn.
“You mean so much to us,”
she said. “Thank you for being
so amazing.”
Photos by Lisa Britton
Baker City Herald
Paisley Churchfi eld colors her “thankful” poster while
awaiting her turn to help prepare Thanksgiving dinner
at Keating Elementary on Monday, Nov. 22.
Kindergartners Tim Merchant and Wren Lyon help
Keating fi rst graders took turns adding butter to the
teacher Toni Myers open cans of corn — the side dish of fresh-baked rolls. The students are, from left, Ava
choice by popular vote.
Mason, Freya Gifft and Nino Gifft.
CHARGES
tered, with items taken from
inside. The value of the items
is approximately $1,950,
according to an affi davit fi led
as part of the case by Baker
City Police offi cer Johnathan
Parsons.
Smith was identifi ed
as a suspect through video
surveillance at the business,
Duby said.
On Nov. 8, police again
talked to Smith after he
parked in a lot on East
Campbell Street, Duby said.
They found more stolen
items. Police arrested Smith
and this time he was lodged
in the Baker County Jail.
Duby said Smith told
police that he drives around
the city, taking packages
from porches and other items
outside homes.
Duby said Smith also said
that he goes through parking
lots at local motels, looking
for unlocked vehicles and
stealing items from those
vehicles.
Duby said Smith has
“addiction issues.” He said he
believes Smith owns the Mer-
cedes, although he doesn’t
have insurance on the car.
Police said after arresting
Smith Nov. 8 that the inves-
tigation was continuing and
that additional charges could
be fi led.
can be released by posting
10% of that amount.
Smith is scheduled to en-
Continued from A1
ter a plea on all the charges
Dec. 16 at 1:30 p.m. in Circuit
According to the indict-
ment, Smith had the personal Court.
During Smith’s arrest on
identifi cation of a Baker
Nov. 8, police found multiple
City resident, and also stole
personal checks belonging to items that had been taken
from outside homes and from
that resident.
The crimes occurred on or unlocked vehicles, according
to a press release from Baker
about Nov. 8, the same day
City Police.
Baker City Police arrested
Police Chief Ty Duby said
Smith in his 2003 Mercedes
the police department had
sedan parked in lot on East
received multiple calls about
Campbell Street.
Police said Smith lives in Smith in October, from resi-
dents who said they had seen
the vehicle.
Smith was arraigned Nov. the black Mercedes parked in
their neighborhoods.
9 in Baker County Circuit
On Oct. 27 a resident on
Court on charges of second-
Indiana Avenue called police
degree burglary, second-de-
gree theft, third-degree theft and reported that a man was
and three counts of unlawful sitting in a black Mercedes
outside the caller’s home.
entry into a motor vehicle.
Police found Smith in the
He was lodged in the
Baker County Jail on $40,000 car with multiple items that
bail. He was released on Nov. had been stolen, according
16 by posting 10% of the bail. to the press release. Smith
had other items that police
Baker City Police offi cer
believe were stolen, but they
Jared Wood arrested Smith
at 1:27 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. couldn’t fi nd the theft victims.
Smith was cited and re-
23 at the Courthouse, where
leased on Oct. 27, Duby said.
he was scheduled to enter a
On Nov. 5, owners of Hills
plea on the charges from his
Auto Parts and Repair at 800
Nov. 8 arrest.
Campbell St. reported that
Smith remained in the
Baker County Jail on Friday several vehicles, some belong-
ing to customers and some
morning, Nov. 26. His bail
to the business, had been en-
was set at $35,000, and he
THEFT
Cavan used $29,500 of the
$150,000 deposit for materi-
als and labors, which con-
Continued from A1
sisted of building the founda-
tion for the Skillicorns’ home.
The couple has not had
Cavan has not refunded the
any contact with Cavan for
several months, Baxter said. remaining $120,500.
Jeff Skillicorn wrote in an
The indictment on crimi-
Oct. 4 court fi ling that around
nal charges follows a civil
July 20, Cavan told him
lawsuit that the Skillicorns
he had lost his contractor’s
fi led on Aug. 13 in Baker
license and could not fi nish
County Circuit Court.
the home.
The suit names as de-
“Defendants have ac-
fendants James and Felicia
knowledged their obligation
Cavan, doing business as
to reimburse Plaintiffs and
Dreams to Reality.
have expressed that they do
The lawsuit includes a
copy of the construction con- not have readily available
tract agreement between the funds to reimburse Plaintiffs,”
Skillicorns and James Cavan, the lawsuit states. “For that
reason, Defendants offered to
dated May 26, 2021.
reimburse Plaintiffs using the
The agreement calls for
the Skillicorns to pay Cavan proceeds from the sale of De-
fendants’ house and principal
a total of $457,700, includ-
place of business.”
ing a $150,000 deposit at
On Sept. 27 a default
the time the agreement was
order was approved in Baker
signed.
According to the civil suit, County Circuit Court and
Cavan was ordered to pay
the balance of the Skillicorns’
deposit, $120,500.
On Oct. 21, Judge Matt
Shirtcliff signed a supple-
mental judgment ordering
Cavan to pay an additional
$12,521.65 in attorney’s fees
and other costs.
According to the Oregon
Construction Contractors
Board, a contractor’s license
was issued to James and
Felicia Cavan on June 24,
2016. That license has been
suspended and is not active,
according to the agency.
Disciplinary records from
the Construction Contractors
Board show that the Cavans
were fi ned $1,000 in March
2021 for doing work without
being certifi ed as a lead-based
paint renovation contractor.
Their license was sus-
pended on July 22, 2021. The
records don’t list a specifi c
reason for the suspension.
Becky from troop 50042 is trying to earn her GS Silver award
by collecting donations from our caring community
Please place your donations in the barrel. Anything would be appreciated. Barrels are
located at Safeway, Grocery Outlet and Albertson’s
Donations needed: Dog food wet and dry • Cat food wet and dry • Cat litter
• Bedding for cats and dogs • Dog and cat toys • Collars and Leashes, etc.
Help Becky earn her Girl Scout Silver Award! Please donate today! The barrels will be here 11/11/21 through 12/27/21