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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 2022)
BAKER CITY HERALD • SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022 A3 LOCAL Campaign Pipeline Continued from A1 Continued from A1 McQuisten said she’s talked with many people, including in Democrat-dominated Port- land, who are incensed by vio- lence, including the widespread rioting in Portland during the summer of 2020, and a record number of murders — 90 — in the state’s largest city in 2021. “People don’t feel safe,” she said. Oregonians are angry not only about the level of violence, McQuisten believes, but also by what some consider a milque- toast response by prosecutors. And although criminal prosecution typically is han- dled at the county level, by district attorneys, McQuis- ten contends that Brown has failed to show leadership in the midst of the violence. McQuisten points out that state law allows the state, through its Department of Justice, to prosecute cases that district attorneys decline to take on. The problem of homeless residents camping on public property is no longer confined to larger cities, McQuisten said, citing another issue she believes Brown has not ad- dressed forcefully enough. “I talked to people about homeless camps in the forests around La Pine,” McQuisten said, talking about the town in Deschutes County about 30 miles south of Bend. “People don’t feel safe going for a walk in the woods.” Installation will start in late April or May, depending on the snowpack and how quickly the ground begins to dry. The pipeline is laid be- neath the appropriately named pipeline road, which marks the eastern boundary of the watershed. Crews use machinery to crush the existing, leak- prone concrete pipeline, cre- ating a bed in which the new, PVC pipe, is laid. The PVC pipe comes in longer sections and has fewer joints where leaks can start. The pipeline originated as an open ditch built in the 1860s to supply mines near Auburn. After the city ac- quired the ditch and its wa- ter rights from miners, the city installed concrete pipe. But the pipe sections are just Where there’s smoke — everywhere Wildfires are a frequent topic of discussion — and complaints — during her campaign events, McQuisten said. “That affects every single area of the state,” she said. Although McQuisten ac- knowledges that wildfires fre- quently burn on public land managed not by the state but by federal agencies — espe- cially east of the Cascades — she believes Brown has failed to advocate for work that could reduce the fire risk and prevent most of the state from being cloaked in smoke for weeks. McQuisten contends that Brown’s reaction to wildfires, including the devastating blazes that affected several parts of Southern and Western Oregon over Labor Day weekend in 2020, has been misguided. The governor, McQuisten believes, has blamed climate change rather than calling for logging to reduce the amount of fuel in forests. “She can get in there and advocate on federal issues — but she doesn’t,” McQuisten said of Brown. McQuisten said she also has met many parents who are cha- grined about some aspects of public education in Oregon. “There’s an overall feeling that it’s become more of a fo- cus on indoctrination than it should be,” said McQuisten, whose daughter is in a homes- chool group. McQuisten said she believes public schools should be a “neutral learning environment” that eschew both political and religious topics in favor of teaching reading, writing, math and science. Oregon’s political divide As a native of Eastern Ore- gon, McQuisten is familiar with the complaint that this side of the state is isolated from, and ignored by, the political power structure in the Willamette Val- ley, where most of the state’s residents live. But during her campaign she said she’s come to understand that the divide is not “east-west,” but rather “urban-rural.” McQuisten said she hears “exactly the same thing” — that the Legislature and the governor are dismissive of the concerns of rural residents — in every part of Oregon, including in the rural areas of Western Oregon counties where most of the residents live in one or two cities. This general dissatisfaction is galvanized by certain specific topics, she said, including the aforementioned management of public lands and public edu- cation, as well as the protection of Second Amendment rights. Contributed Photo Kerry McQuisten, a Republican candidate for Oregon governor, speaks to the Lake Oswego Republican Women on Jan. 18, 2022. In a recent straw poll from Oregon Catalyst — one Mc- Quisten herself on her Face- book page notes has a “huge” margin of error — she polled second with 27.9%. The front- runner was Stan Pulliam, the mayor of Sandy, east of Port- land, with 41.3%. Pulliam has a significant ad- vantage in fundraising, as well. According to campaign fi- nance reports as of Jan. 12, Pulliam’s campaign had a cash balance of $264,258, compared with McQuisten’s $60,493. Two Republicans topped Pulliam’s balance — Christine Drazan, House Minority Leader who is resigning from the Or- egon Legislature Jan. 31, with $702,138, and Bridget Barton, a political consultant from West Linn, with $345,208. But McQuisten said she’s confident that her grassroots campaign, relying on traveling across the state and meeting as many people, and voters, as possible, can overcome both her financial disadvantage and her lack of name recognition, at least compared with Drazan, a longtime legislative leader. McQuisten believes 2022, with the unprecedented effects of the pandemic, is different, and that a Republican running her kind of campaign can beat what she calls “establishment” Republicans such as Drazan. McQuisten noted that the field of Republican candidates, which once numbered 16, has dwindled to 12. And one of those who have dropped out — Jim Huggins — has endorsed McQuisten. “I consider that an honor,” she said. As for the general election, the usual Democrat vs. Re- publican race — a contest the Democrats have dominated since the Reagan adminis- tration — is shaping up to be quite a different matter this summer and fall. That’s because Betsy John- son, a longtime Democratic state legislator, intends to run as a nonaffiliated candidate in the general election. Johnson has almost $3 million for her campaign. McQuisten said that al- though Johnson, who is a mod- erate Democrat, will siphon some Republican votes, she be- lieves Johnson will take more from the Democratic candidate in the general election. The Johnson effect could carve a path for a landmark Re- publican win in November, so long as the GOP voter turnout is high, McQuisten said. “The numbers are there,” she said. Experience of a lifetime McQuisten is a first-time gu- bernatorial candidate, but she’s hardly a political novice. Her mother, Suzan El- lis Jones, who lives in Baker County, has worked on many campaigns, including for pres- ident Ronald Reagan and con- gressman Greg Walden. McQuisten worked on Kevin Mannix’s gubernato- rial campaign in 2002, and on Dennis Richardson’s run for governor in 2014. McQuisten said she expected that running for governor would be a unique endeavor, and it has been. “It’s a life-changing experi- ence,” she said. “There’s also a spiritual aspect of this for me. I wonder, will God allow me to come in and be the person to change things, or will we have more of the same in Oregon. “I don’t know,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like I’m driv- ing at night on a dark road with the headlights on. I go on as far as I can see, and then go on Pondering the primary and from there.” McQuisten said she knew general elections McQuisten, of course, won’t that running a consistent state- have a chance to try to break wide campaign would be de- the Democratic Party’s 40- manding, “mentally, emotion- year run of victories in the ally and spiritually.” general election unless she But she said she wasn’t quite wins the Republican nomina- prepared for the purely phys- tion in the May 22 primary. ical challenge of spending so She’s optimistic about her many hours on the road, away position. from home. “Physically it does take its toll,” she said. “It’s taxing.” But the exhaustion is bal- anced with rewards, some of which she neither expected nor has been able, thus far, to become accustomed to. It first happened not long ago during a trip to Salem, and McQuisten tells the story with the rueful smile of a per- son who still can’t quite believe what transpired. She had parked her car and was walking on a sidewalk. Someone passed, did a dou- ble-take and called her by name. “I was recognized,” McQuis- ten said. “It was surreal.” Since then a few other peo- ple have hailed her, asking if they could pose with her for a photo, asking for an auto- graph, saying they support her candidacy. McQuisten said those epi- sodes felt strange because she is a “very grounded” person who sees her campaign as a form of public service, not a boost to her ego. But she was also grateful to the people who recognized her. “It tells me that we have new traction across the state,” she said. “That’s what a cam- paign boils down to — how many people you can get in front of and get your mes- sage to.” Wolves Continued from A1 morning, Jan. 28, that the rancher who owns the calf has done “everything right” to avoid attracting wolves to the property, and has also been instrumental in the past in encouraging other ranch- ers to bury carcasses and take other steps to thwart wolves. Ratliff said that in the most recent confirmed wolf attack in the Keating Valley — a herding dog killed on a ranch on Friday, Jan. 14 — six unburied cow carcasses attracted wolves. Although the area where the calf was killed is within the known range of the Keating Pack, none of the four wolves from the pack fitted with track- ing collars had been in the area the night the calf was killed. Ratliff said he has flown over the area in a helicopter three times this week, most recently on Thursday, Jan. 27, but didn’t see any wolves on those flights. 3 feet long, which means there are thousands of joints, which can leak. A test done in the early 2000s showed that when the pipe is at ca- pacity as much as 22% of the water can be lost to leaks. The project started back in 2009, and is expected to run through 2026. With an average cost of $750,000 a year, the total cost will likely end up coming out to around $12 million. The city raised water rates to pay for the project. ADA-accessible ramps to be installed in town The pipeline project doesn’t affect city residents directly while it’s happening — the work is in the water- shed, which is closed to the public. But Owen said a different project, this one within the city, will be much more visi- ble, and have the potential to affect travel. He said it’s possible that un- collared wolves from the Keat- ing pack killed the calf. It’s also possible that wolves that aren’t part of any pack have moved into the area and have not been identified. “We don’t know at this point,” Ratliff said. He said late January and early February is a common time for young adult wolves to disperse from packs. The Keating pack consists of at least 10 wolves. With calving season un- derway on some ranches and starting soon on others, Rat- liff said he understands the anxiety resulting from the two recent wolf attacks in Keating Valley. “Everybody’s really on high alert because calving season is just starting,” he said. Ratliff said ranchers in the Keating area have set up a text message group that al- lows them to spread informa- tion — such as the attack on the calf this week — rapidly. The Oregon Department of Transportation will be installing ADA-accessible ramps at several intersec- tions on Campbell, Elm, Main and Broadway streets, as well as Dewey Avenue and Highway 30. “So, while it’s not city work, it’s definitely go- ing to be a busy construc- tion season around here,” Owen said. She said that ramp work is slated to begin as soon as May and continue through October. “So, that to me is going to be, I would say, potentially a frustrating thing for people just because there’s going to be activity at a lot of corners. But it’s a great investment in our community,” Owen said. ODOT also plans to build ramps on 10th Street, but that won’t happen until the North Baker Transportation Improvement Project starts, possibly in 2024. “It’s a good way to quckly tell a bunch of people, your neighbors,” Ratliff said. Depredation report The carcass of the calf found on Tuesday, Jan. 25, was mostly intact but the organs and most of the hide and mus- cle tissue from the calf’s hind- quarters had been eaten, ac- cording to the ODFW report. ODFW biologists who ex- amined the carcass said the calf had died the preceding night. They found a struggle scene in the snow about 20 yards in diameter, with fresh calf and wolf tracks, and blood. Biologists shaved and skinned the carcass. They found multiple premortem tooth scrapes on the remain- ing hide on the left rear leg above the hock, as well as pre- mortem tooth scraps on the calf’s throat and back. The size and location of the tooth scrapes are consistent with wolf attacks on calves, the biologists concluded. Patricia Heym April 15, 1932 - January 16, 2022 In loving memory of Patri- cia Ann Heym, 89, who passed away in Grays Harbor Hospital in Aberdeen, Washington, on January 16, 2022. She was a longtime resident of Westport, Washington. Growing up in Baker City, Oregon, in her early years was a challenge and adven- ture while living in the “Hill House” and walking a mile to the James School. She graduated from Baker High School and later became an LPN nurse. She had a heart of “gold” always willing to help others. Her hobbies were arts and crafts, especially ceramics. She was preceded in death by her parents, Unnar and Cleora Stevens, brother Robert Stevens, previous husbands William Olp and Dale Heym, and daughter Marlene Elaine Olp. Surviving family members are sons, Stanley and Robert Olp, and many grandchildren, great-grandchil- dren, nieces and nephews, beloved sisters Joan Wilder and Sharon Jalewalia, and devoted longtime companion Raymond Burns. Patricia had an amazing ability to find happiness in her daily activities and found great joy in her travels meeting family and spending time at the Pacific Ocean. We will always cherish the times we enjoyed togeth- er and will carry her memory in our hearts forever. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Washington. Jacquelin Lee Emele August 12, 1942 - January 14, 2022 Jacquelin Lee Emele, 79, of Baker City, passed away Jan- uary 14, 2022, at her home in Baker City, OR. A celebration of life will be held at a later date; time and place to be an- nounced. Jackie was born August 12, 1942, to Bill and Marion Hank in Portland, OR. They moved to Halfway, OR at a young age. She went to school in Halfway until the 12th grade. Jackie buckaroo’d 20 years for Wilson Cattle Com- pany and many other ranches in the area. She loved the outdoors, fishing, and horseback riding and her animals. From a previous marriage Jackie had 7 stepkids. She later married Elmer Emele and gained 2 more stepkids. Jackie shared that she lived the best life she could and would want to be remembered most for her honesty. Jackie was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Emele; her parents; brother Bob Hank; stepdaughters Joanne Salsby and Wilma Shankle. Jackie is survived by several stepchildren, Lavelle (Larry) Raley, Judy (Gary) MacKay, William “Bill” Pierce, Larry (Jan) Pierce, Tom (Kathy) Pierce, Shirley Robinson and Bill (Margaret) Emele; several grand- kids, nieces and nephews. For those who would like to make a memorial do- nation in honor of Jackie, the family suggests Baker County Livestock Producer Foundation or Best Friends of Baker through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispine- valleyfuneralhome.com Celebration of Life Mary Jean Henry October 30, 1936 - January 1, 2022 Quail Ridge Golf Course, Baker City OR Sunday, January 30, 2022 ~ 12:00 p.m. Please join us to share memories, stories and lunch. Nadine (Dee) Johnson July 6, 1943 - January 10, 2022 AURORA, COLORADO - Nadine Rae Johnson, 78, of Aurora, Colorado, died of complications of a stroke the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, at her home alongside her children. Nadine was born July 6, 1943, in Baker City, Oregon, the first daugh- ter of Robert Andrew Denton and Violette Golden (Simrell) Wright. Nadine attended Baker City schools and then worked at Baker’s A&W and Geiser Grand Hotel. She met her husband-to-be, Mark DeWayne Johnson, while he was serving in the Air Force, and the couple married in November of 1964. They moved to Iowa Falls, Iowa, where they resided for 54 years. The couple moved to Colorado in April of 2019 following Mark’s cancer di- agnosis, where Nadine would be close to her family. As a child of Depression-era parents who each moved west for a better life, Nadine identified with the persistence and practicality of the pioneers. She enjoyed simple things - sharing a home-cooked meal, crocheting and quilting, an honest day’s work, a good book, a tidy home, a thrifty budget, the quiet before sun- rise, and most of all, time with family and close friends. She marveled at how much changed during her lifetime, yet somehow had not changed enough. An 1853 quote from Agnes Stewart Warner, an Oregon Trail pioneer, adorned Nadine’s home: “I am weary of this journey, weary of myself and all around me. I long for the quiet of home where I can be at peace once more.” Nadine was preceded in death by her mother and father; her stepfather, Roy Wright; and her husband, Mark. She is survived by her daughter, Dulcey Johnson, and grandson, Huston Johnson, both of Aurora, Colora- do; and her son, Raymond Johnson, of Broomfield, Col- orado. She is also survived by her four siblings: Vernon Fisher, of Nampa, Idaho; Dallas Denton, of The Dalles, Oregon; Shelley Abell, of La Grande; and Todd Denton, of Pendleton. The family appreciates all the support and well-wish- es from family and friends and ask that condolences be sent to Dulcey Johnson at 1117 Quentin St., Aurora, CO, 80011.
