A2 BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
Local
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
February 3, 1972
CORVALLIS — A Baker man, Fred Cockram, was
elected to the board of directors at the Oregon Dairymen’s
Association annual meeting.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
February 3, 1997
An eight-member committee will meet tonight to review
possible sites for a proposed new Oregon Army National
Guard armory in Baker City.
In previous meetings, the committee reviewed 20
potential sites and narrowed the list to four.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
February 3, 2012
As February dawned, the weather in Baker County
looked pretty much as it did a month ago.
Uneventful, in a word, with no signifi cant storms in the
forecast.
The area snowpack, by contrast, scarcely resembles its
former self.
Which is a good thing, if you happen to appreciate
water.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
February 4, 2021
Baker County Commissioner Mark Bennett and other
county offi cials are trying to ensure that the county’s
signifi cant decline in new COVID-19 cases over the past
two weeks results in an easing of restrictions on local
businesses and other activities.
Bennett said he’s concerned, though, that an apparent
discrepancy in the county’s positive test totals for the
virus could offset, at least partially, the benefi ts of the
downward trend in recorded infections.
“None of us can explain it,” said Bennett, who has
headed the county’s response to the pandemic since
March 2020.
The number of positive tests attributed to the county
is vital because the rate of positive tests is one of two
measures that determine the county’s risk level and
resulting state-imposed restrictions.
The other measure is the number of new COVID-19
cases over a two-week period. Based on the new case
count for the current period — Jan. 24-Feb. 6 — the county
is on pace to drop from the extreme-risk category, which
has the most severe restrictions, including a ban on
indoor restaurant dining, to lower risk, which has the least
stringent restrictions.
However, the county’s current test positivity rate of
about 7.9% would put the county in the moderate-risk
category.
Baker County has been in the extreme-risk category for
all but two weeks since the state started the current four-
level system (lower, moderate, high and extreme) on Dec.
3. The county was in the high-risk category from Jan. 1-14.
The state is slated to reassess risk levels early next
week, with any changes to take effect Feb. 12.
Bennett said he and other members of the county’s
leadership team, including Dr. Eric Lamb, the county’s
public health offi cer, Nancy Staten, director of the
Baker County Health Department, and Jason Yencopal,
emergency management director, had a Zoom meeting
on Monday, Feb. 1, with offi cials from the Oregon
Health Authority (OHA) and Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state
epidemiologist.
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SENIOR MENUS
FRIDAY (Feb. 4): Meatloaf, baked beans, corn, rolls, broccoli-
bacon salad, apple crisp
MONDAY (Feb. 7): Chicken strips, mashed potatoes with
gravy, mixed vegetables, biscuits, green salad, pudding
TUESDAY (Feb. 8): Ground beef steak with onions, red
potatoes, rolls, broccoli-and-bacon salad, brownies
WEDNESDAY (Feb. 9): Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes
with gravy, rolls, green beans, ambrosia, cookies
THURSDAY (Feb. 10): Sweet and sour chicken, rice, mixed
vegetables, rolls, green salad, tapioca
Public luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., from
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $5 donation (60 and older), $7.50
for those under 60.
CONTACT THE HERALD
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Open Monday through Friday
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Telephone: 541-523-3673
Fax: 541-833-6414
Publisher
Karrine Brogoitti
kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver.com
Jayson Jacoby, editor
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Advertising email
ads@bakercityherald.com
Classifi ed email
classifi ed@bakercityherald.com
Circulation email
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ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays except Christmas Day by the
Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media
Group, at 2005 Washington Ave., Suite 101
(P.O. Box 807), Baker City, OR 97814.
Subscription rates per month are $10.75
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Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker
City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Copyright © 2022
Oregon lawmakers kick off
a 35-day legislative session
BY SARA CLINE
Associated Press/Report for America
SALEM — Oregon lawmak-
ers donning masks returned to
the state Capitol in Salem on
Tuesday, Feb. 1, to kick off the
2022 Legislative Session, while
outside dozens of protesters
rallied against mask rules and
other coronavirus-related re-
strictions.
While Democrats have pro-
posed an ambitious and pro-
gressive agenda, the question
remains whether Republicans
will again use tactics to slow
or halt the short session in or-
der to block bills they oppose.
However both political parties
say they are cautiously opti-
mistic of a constructive work-
ing relationship as new leaders
take center stage in the Capitol.
The 35-day session began
with the House electing a
new speaker: Rep. Dan Ray-
field. The Democrat replaced
longtime House Speaker Tina
Kotek, who stepped down
last month in order to focus
on her campaign for Oregon
governor.
“As speaker, I want to un-
derstand what motivates
each of us so that I can help
us work together to serve
the entire state of Oregon
— when we agree and, most
importantly, when we don’t
agree,” Rayfield said to his
colleagues after being sworn
in Tuesday morning.
The session comes in the
midst of Oregon’s omicron
surge. With thousands of new
COVID-19 cases reported in
Oregon each day, lawmakers
are keeping close watch on
how it may impact the ses-
sion. Quorum rules say at
least 20 senators and at least
40 representatives must be
present for their respective
chambers to vote.
There are COVID-19
safety measures in place in
the Capitol, including a mask
requirement, which some
Republican lawmakers have
routinely criticized and re-
fused to follow.
Those gathered outside
the Capitol on Tuesday were
protesting Oregon’s state-
wide indoor mask mandate,
COVID-19 vaccinations and
other pandemic-related re-
strictions. The Statesman
Journal reported that the pro-
testers marched around the
Capitol, eventually attempting
to enter without face cover-
ings in violation of the mask
mandate. At one entrance,
they were rebuffed by Oregon
Andrew Selsky/Associated Press
Oregon Chief Justice Martha Walters, top left, swears in new House Speaker Dan Rayfield on Tuesday,
Feb. 1, 2022, in Salem minutes after the Democrat was elected by House lawmakers to replace former
Speaker Tina Kotek, who has stepped down to run for governor. Tuesday was the opening day of the 2022
legislative session.
State Police officers manning
a security checkpoint.
Protesters who put on masks
were allowed inside, though
many removed them once
they were through the security
checkpoint. The standoff eased
after police allowed other pro-
testers who claimed religious
or medical exemptions to enter
without masks.
Over the past few years the
Legislature has faced a growing
divide between Democrats and
Republicans — marked by a
broken deal to share redistrict-
ing power, accusations of ger-
rymandering and Republican
walkouts. But this session both
parties have new leadership.
In addition to Rayfield,
Democratic Rep. Julie Fahey is
the new House majority leader,
Republican Rep. Vikki Bre-
ese-Iverson is the new House
minority leader and Sen. Tim
Knopp is the new Republi-
can leader for the Senate. This
also marks the final session for
Senate President Peter Court-
ney, a Salem Democrat, who
is the Oregon’s longest-serving
state lawmaker with 38 years.
“We are at a critical point
in our recovery from the pan-
demic. During the next five
weeks we will have the op-
portunity to support the peo-
ple and the communities that
were impacted the most the
last couple of years,” Rayfield
said. “But we may have dif-
ferent perspectives on how to
do that.”
Disagreements about this
year’s legislative session began
even before lawmakers walked
through the Capitol doors.
During the annual Associ-
ated Press Legislative Preview
in late-January, Republicans
said traditionally the short 35-
day session is used to address
budget fixes and technical is-
sues from the previous year’s
long session. However, Dem-
ocrats remained adamant that
some larger challenges needed
to be addressed immediately
— including the pandemic,
historic wildfires, affordable
housing, access to health care
and workforce disparities.
“I believe this is the most
important short session we’ve
ever had,” Rayfield said.
“This is why short sessions
were created, to respond to
crises like the ones we are
facing right now.”
Breese-Iverson, the House
minority leader, said “tools”
are on the table if Democrats
continue to move forward
with “big issues,” like legis-
lation requiring agricultural
employers to pay overtime.
In the past, these tools have
included walkouts.
“If we see highly parti-
san and complex bills being
rushed through the Legisla-
ture in February, Republicans
are prepared to use the tools
necessary to protect Orego-
nians from even more nega-
tive consequences from the
majority’s short-sighted pol-
icies and failed leadership,”
Breese-Iverson said.
This legislative session
marks the first time the pub-
lic is allowed to attend in-per-
son since March 2020. Ev-
eryone entering the Capitol
is expected to walk through a
scanner and have their bags
X-rayed. The security comes in
response to a 2020 incident in
which a Republican lawmaker
allowed armed demonstrators
into the locked building. A bill
passed last year bans all fire-
arms in the Capitol.
How much money will be
spent during this five-week
session remains to be seen
as lawmakers await a reve-
nue forecast scheduled for
the second week of the ses-
sion. However Democratic
lawmakers have already esti-
mated they could spend up to
$2 billion dollars in the up-
coming five weeks.
Gov. Kate Brown presented
a list of spending packages
during the legislative pre-
view — which has already
garnered support from Dem-
ocrats — including $500 mil-
lion set aside for the next bi-
ennium in case state revenues
weaken, $200 million to bol-
ster the state’s workforce and
help historically underserved
Oregonians find career paths
and $400 million to preserve
and create affordable housing.
This session will be the last for
the governor, who cannot run
again due to term limits.
Rise in water use traced to broken pipe
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
soconner@bakercityherald.com
A mysterious uptick in
Baker City’s water usage led
to the discovery of a burst
water pipe last week at a va-
cant commercial building on
Campbell Street.
City officials had been
tracking a rise in daily water
use for about three weeks,
but no major leak had been
found or reported, said Mi-
chelle Owen, public works
director.
But then, on Jan. 26, Baker
City Police received a call
about a water leak at the for-
mer site of the USA Gas sta-
tion, convenience store and
car wash on the north side
of Campbell Street near Alb-
ertsons.
Public works employees
found that a pipe had frozen
and burst. Most of the water
News of
Record
DEATHS
Terrance ‘Terry’ Watson: 83, of North
Powder, died on Jan. 29, 2022, at Saint
Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in
Baker City. Arrangements are under the
direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral
Home & Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be made at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
OUT-OF-COUNTY WARRANT: Kayla Lee
Cristy, 33, Baker City, 11:05 a.m. Monday,
Jan. 31, in the 2400 block of Balm Street;
cited and released.
flowed into a floor drain in
the car wash area, which lim-
ited damage to the building,
Owen said.
“Sometimes it takes a while
for those to show up,” she said.
Owen said it’s not clear why,
or who, turned on water ser-
vice to the building, which has
been empty for a few years.
Showing Movies Since 1940!
1809 1st Street • Baker City
February 4-10
MOONFALL
(PG-13)
The world stands on the brink of annihilation when a mys-
terious force knocks the moon from its orbit and sends it
hurtling toward a collision course with Earth.
Friday
Sat & Sun
Mon-Thurs
4:00, 7:00
1:00, 4:00, 7:00
7:00
REDEEMING LOVE
(PG-13)
Angel, who was sold into prostitution as a child, has sur-
vived through hatred and self-loathing in 1850s California.
When she meets Michael Hosea, she discovers there is no
brokenness that love can’t heal.
Friday
Sat & Sun
Mon-Thurs
4:10, 7:10
1:10, 4:10, 7:10
7:10
**SHOWTIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT
OUR WEBSITE OR CALL AHEAD TO VERIFY**
www.eltrym.com
(541) 523-2522
She estimated that more
than 4.5 million gallons of
water had leaked through the
broken pipe.
During winter the city typ-
ically goes through about 1.5
million gallons per day.
City workers turned off the
water, ending the leak.
Greg Sackos, who owns the
Baker Towne Square develop-
ment that includes the former
gas station, said the property
is under lease to Albertsons.
Sackos said on Wednesday,
Feb. 2, that he hadn’t heard
about the leak.
He said there had been re-
ports of people trespassing on
the property recently.
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