A2 BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
Local
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
February 24, 1972
High on the list of alternatives that the District 5-J
school board faces in providing room for overcrowded
conditions in the city schools is adding space to the senior
high school.
The preliminary plan calls for relocation of the 9th
grade into an addition which will be built at the high school
plant.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
February 24, 1997
Tiny amounts of water are seeping from Baker
City’s 4.5-million-gallon reservoir, and city offi cials are
considering spending about $50,000 to fi x the problem.
The loss of water is inconsequential; more water
escapes the reservoir from evaporation than is seeping
out, said Randy Jones, the city’s public works director.
But he’s concerned that the chlorinated water, over
decades, could corrode the steel that reinforces the
reservoir’s concrete walls, and shorten the structure’s life.
The capacity of the reservoir, which is on a hill at the
city’s southwest corner, was expanded from 3 million
gallons in 1992.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
February 24, 2012
Gas prices in Baker City have risen over the past two
weeks, but they remain well below the statewide and
national averages.
The average price here for a gallon of regular unleaded
was $3.30 on Thursday.
The average price is $3.828 in Oregon and $3.647
nationally. The highest gas prices are along coastal
regions, including the Gulf Coast, while drivers tooling
around the Midwest and Rockies are paying the lowest
prices, according to AAA.
Some local businesses were selling regular unleaded
near $3.25 a gallon Friday morning.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
February 25, 2021
A move by the Baker School Board to eliminate the
5J District’s pay-to-participate activity fees, which have
been in place for the past 10 years, is expected to open
opportunities for students who might have been excluded
from participation by the expense in the past.
The Board voted unanimously to rescind the
requirement at its Feb. 18 meeting.
“This is a win-win decision,” Superintendent Mark
Witty stated in a press release. “Studies demonstrate
a strong connection between student participation in
extracurricular activities and improved graduation rates.”
Under the prior system, each student was charged
$75 per sport or activity up to a maximum of $150 per
year, said Buell Gonzales Jr., the District athletic director.
Families with more than one child paid a maximum of
$250 per year.
The fees were charged for students in Grades 7-12.
Full scholarships were available to students unable
to pay the charge, to be repaid by working in concession
stands during an off season or during the annual district
and state 1A basketball tournaments that have been
scheduled annually for years at Baker High School in the
spring prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But some families, for whatever reason, haven’t taken
advantage of that option, Gonzales said.
Studies he’s seen state that between 15% and 35% of
students who might otherwise participate in extracurricular
activities don’t get the opportunity because of the fees,
Gonzales said.
“This is defi nitely a move by the District to be more
inclusive,” he said.
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SENIOR MENUS
FRIDAY (Feb. 25): Spaghetti, garlic bread, broccoli, green
salad, cookies
MONDAY (Feb. 28): Baked ham, candied yams, mixed
vegetables, rolls, green salad, brownies
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.
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Telephone: 541-523-3673
ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
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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.
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Postmaster: Send address changes to
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City, OR 97814.
Periodicals Postage Paid
at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Copyright © 2022
HB 4087 would change news
coverage of Oregon wildfires
BY ALEX WITTWER
EO Media Group
Oregon wildfire coverage in
the news might look a lot dif-
ferent next fire season.
House Bill 4087, which
would allow news media pro-
fessionals to enter the scene of
wildfires and natural disasters,
passed 48-4 on Thursday, Feb.
17, marking a turning point
in wildfire coverage that will
allow Oregon journalists to
document wildfires similar to
the way California journalists
have for years.
“My aye vote was represen-
tative of transparency,” said
Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner.
“I think we need to make sure
the media has access to those
types of generational situa-
tions, both for informing the
public as to what’s going on in
their state, and also to capture
history. For me, it’s a pretty
simple aye vote.”
Previously, news and media
organizations often have had
to rely on press releases and
submitted photos from govern-
ment agencies. Often, cover-
age would come in the form of
photos of road closures, barri-
cades, or a distant glow from a
wildfire. A prior bill that would
have changed the laws regard-
ing wildfire access died in com-
mittee during the 2021 session.
The language of the bill gives
incident commanders the fi-
nal discretion to bar news me-
“On that fire, I had an es-
cort, and we went in their vehi-
cle, and they took us to all the
areas of the fire that they deem
safe to have us in,” Lonergan
said. “And we ran into some is-
sues with that. We never made
it to any spot where there was
active firefighting. The only
access we’re given was to the
peripherals. They drove us
around and we never saw a
crew on a fire line over there.
In one case, they drove us to
where some hot shots were
Inciweb/Contributed Photo, File staging, but they had already
A silhouette of a firefighter against the backdrop of the Bootleg Fire
left, so the access we were
given was very restricted.”
in 2021.
Still, the bill would go a long
“My aye vote was representative of transparency. way toward fostering good will
between media organizations
I think we need to make sure the media has access and emergency services, and
it is done safely.
to those types of generational situations, both for ensuring
Media personnel would be
informing the public as to what’s going on in their required to provide their own
personal protective equipment,
state, and also to capture history. For me, it’s a
such as fireproof clothing and
breathing equipment, and
pretty simple aye vote.”
would be expected to complete
— Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner
the same basic wildfire fight-
ing training that firefighters go
dia from access to wildfires or nalist and visuals editor Ben
through. The law would only
natural disasters, as well as the Lonergan knows from first-
apply to public land.
ability to deny access to fires
hand experience how public
“I’m shocked that we had
without an escort. If granted
information officers can err
limitations,” Smith said. “I just
access, it is at their own risk
on the side of caution and
assumed those opportunities
and without promise of rescue. prevent those front-line sto-
did exist, and so it feels like
That media escort, at times, ries from being told. In the
we’re correcting a wrong here.”
can prove a hindrance to get-
summer of 2021, Lonergan
The bill will go on to the
ting the stories from the front
was on assignment to get pho- Senate for consideration.
lines of the fire.
tos of the Elbow Creek Fire in A hearing has been set for
East Oregonian photojour- Wallowa County.
3:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24.
Grant
Wolf found shot near Cove
Police believe
County
was killed
woman hurt wolf
the morning of
Feb. 15
in crash
near Unity
Baker City Herald
Baker City Herald
A Grant County woman
was seriously hurt in a one-
vehicle rollover crash near
Unity on Sunday, Feb. 20.
Kacy Miranda Pogue, 25, of
Kimberly, was driving a Ford
pickup truck. There were no
passengers.
Pogue crashed at the junc-
tion of Highways 26 and 245,
about 2 miles north of Unity,
according to a report from Or-
egon State Police.
Pogue was taken by ambu-
lance to Saint Alphonsus Med-
ical Center in Baker City, and
later transferred to Saint Al-
phonsus in Boise.
Pogue was in serious con-
dition in the Boise hospital
on Wednesday morning, Feb.
23, hospital spokesman Mark
Snider said.
News of
Record
FUNERALS PENDING
Rhonda Culley: A celebration of her
life will take place on Saturday, Feb. 26,
at 1 p.m. at the Community Connection
Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., in Baker
City. For those who would like to make a
memorial donation in honor of Rhonda,
the family suggests Heart ’N Home
Hospice through Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation Services,
P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
Online condolences can be shared at
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
James Bacon: Memorial service
with military honors will take place
Saturday, March 12, at 11 a.m. at
the Harvest Church, 3720 Birch St.
in Baker City. Memorial donations
in Jim’s name can be made to the
Powder River Sportsmen’s Club rifle
range, through Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation Services,
P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
Online condolences can be shared at
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
A dead wolf found in a
field south of Cove on Feb.
15 had been shot, Oregon
State Police said.
On that day, employees
from the Oregon Depart-
ment of Fish and Wildlife
(ODFW) reported to OSP
fish and wildlife officers that
the wolf, which was fitted
with a tracking collar, was at
the end of Haggerty Lane off
High Valley Road about 3.5
miles south of Cove.
The black wolf, a female
designated OR 109, proba-
bly was shot the morning of
Feb. 15, according to OSP.
Anyone with information
regarding this case is urged
to contact OSP through the
Turn in Poachers (TIP) line
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Oregon State Police/Contributed Photo
The carcass of this female wolf was found on Feb. 15, 2022, in a
field about 3.5 miles south of Cove. Oregon State Police said the
wolf had been shot.
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POLICE LOG
Baker County Sheriff’s Office
Arrests, citations
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker County
Justice Court warrant): Gage Michael
Niehaus, 22, Baker City, 4:46 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 21, on Highway 30; cited
and released.
Oregon State Police
Arrests, citations
FAILURE TO APPEAR (Baker County
Justice Court warrant): Levi James
Logsdon, 30, Baker City, 1:55 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 19, at 10th and D streets;
cited and released.
FAILURE TO COMPLETE ANNUAL SEX
OFFENDER REGISTRATION: Juan Pablo
Burgos, 60, Baker City, 9:26 a.m. Friday,
Feb. 18, at the Baker County Jail, where
he was in custody on other charges.
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