BAKER CITY HERALD • SATuRDAY, MARCH 12, 2022 A3
LOCAL & STATE
Two wolves confirmed in West Murderers
Creek, ODFW counts at least six in the area
BY STEVEN MITCHELL
Blue Mountain Eagle
MURDERERS CREEK —
The Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife has identi-
fied a new area of known wolf
activity in the West Murderers
Creek Wildlife Unit.
While the state agency
has not completed its offi-
cial annual wolf count, Ryan
Torland, an ODFW district
wildlife biologist, said in a
Tuesday, March 1, interview
that it is believed that there is
a combined total of six wolves
in the East and West Units of
Murderers Creek.
Torland said the agency is
still gathering information, but
he is “fairly certain” that is the
minimum number of wolves
in the area.
He said there are at least
two in West Murderers Creek
and probably four in East
Murderers Creek. The current
wolf activity is concentrated
south of Canyon City on ei-
ther side of Highway 395,
which separates the two wild-
life units.
While there have not been
any confirmed depredations in
the area recently, a wolf did bite
a calf in Grant County in 2018.
An investigator from
ODFW was unable to deter-
mine whether a pair of wolves
seen feeding on a dead cow
Suspect
Continued from Page A1
Gonyer, who lived on Stices
Gulch Road about 12 miles
south of Baker City, was ini-
tially arrested on Dec. 28, 2019,
in Ada County, Idaho, where he
was receiving medical care. He
was extradited to Baker County
in early January 2020 and was
held at the Baker County Jail
until December 2020, when
Judge Thomas B. Powers
granted a motion from Yervasi
to grant Gonyer a conditional
release so he could get medical
treatment at the Boise VA Hos-
pital and other facilities.
Gonyer lived in a motel in
Baker City during 2021, but he
was required to wear an ankle
monitor that allows police to
monitor his movements.
Gonyer is still required to
wear that ankle monitor, Bax-
ter said.
Baker City Herald
Baker City Police identi-
fied two teenage boys, and
two accomplices, as being
responsible for throwing
three smoke bombs into the
Baker County Public Library
on March 3, causing an esti-
mated $1,000 in damage to
the carpet and a desk.
Perry Stokes, director of
the Baker County Library
District, said the four teens
will be banned from the li-
brary from a year unless
they’re directly supervised by
an adult.
Stokes said last week that
Contributed Photo
A wolf photographed by a remote camera in Baker County in 2021. State wildlife officials have identified a
group of wolves in Grant County.
in a pasture near Izee on Feb.
3 caused that cow’s death, ac-
cording to the agency’s investi-
gative summary.
Torland said the notification
is primarily to let livestock
producers know that there is
evidence of recent wolf activ-
ity via confirmed pictures and
tracks taken from various sites
in the two wildlife units.
The confirmation of two
additional wolves in the area
comes on the heels of a federal
judge’s decision to renew en-
dangered species protections
for some gray wolves.
The ruling does not cover
wolves in Eastern Oregon,
where most of the state’s
wolves live. Therefore, state
wildlife officials will continue
to manage wolves east of high-
ways 395, 78 and 95.
What that means for ranch-
ers west of 395, where the two
Gonyer originally was in-
dicted on several crimes re-
lated to the sexual assault of a
girl younger than 14 who was
known to him:
• Five counts of first-degree
sexual abuse, a Class B felony.
• Two counts of second-de-
gree sexual abuse, a Class C
felony.
• Six counts of third-degree
sexual abuse, a Class A misde-
meanor.
• Two counts of second-de-
gree unlawful sexual penetra-
tion, a Class B felony.
• Two counts of contributing
to the sexual abuse of a minor,
a Class A misdemeanor.
• One count of first-degree
rape, a Class A felony.
• One count of second-de-
gree rape, a Class B felony.
• One count of third-degree
rape, a Class C felony.
• One count of luring a mi-
nor, a Class C felony.
• One count of using a child
in a display of sexually explicit
conduct, a Class A felony.
• Six counts of felon in pos-
session of a firearm, a Class C
felony.
In February 2021 several
other charges were added, in-
cluding four counts of first-de-
gree encouraging child sexual
abuse and four counts of sec-
ond-degree encouraging child
sexual abuse. Those charges are
related to child pornography
discovered on Gonyer’s com-
puter during the course of the
investigation, Baxter said.
The pornography doesn’t in-
volve the child who is Gonyer’s
alleged victim in the other in-
cidents, which police said hap-
pened between May 1, 2019,
and Dec. 20, 2019.
Gonyer is accused of 15 sep-
arate crimes that carry man-
datory minimum sentences
upon conviction in Oregon. A
first-degree sexual abuse con-
viction, of which Gonyer faces
Street Plan
the loss of any crop land means a loss of
its potential revenue from there on out.
Continued from Page A1
“So, I want to know how you would
compensate Mr. Ingram for the long-
Michelle Owen, the city’s public works term loss of that income,” Dixon asked
director, said that when the final design Patterson.
is made the amount of acreage that In-
Patterson said when ODOT appraises
gram could lose would be available.
property, it pays the present value and
Ken Patterson, ODOT’s area man-
any improvements needed.
ager for Eastern Oregon, said the agency
“But one thing that we’re not allowed
hopes by mid spring or early summer to to do is pay for ongoing concerns or fu-
have enough details to lay out sidewalks ture crops,” Patterson said
and intersections.
Councilor Dean Guyer said he has
At that point, they will speak with
heard from numerous residents who
property owners and show them exactly want a traffic signal at the 10th and Poca-
what the plans are.
hontas intersection.
Mayor Kerry McQuisten expressed
He said locals might understand that
concerns about the City Council signing north-south traffic doesn’t stop, but visi-
off on the North Baker plan and then fig- tors might not.
uring out the details, including effects on
“Something has to be done that’s more
private property owners, later.
appropriate, that will accommodate the
“That is a very uncomfortable place
individuals that are speaking up,” Guyer
to be because I don’t want to see his (In- said.
gram’s) land taken,” McQuisten said.
Patterson said the project team plans
“I think there are other ways around
to hire a contractor to install a camera at
that too. And what if we get down the
the intersection to record turns and near-
road on this and this is way more than
misses.
any of us is wanting to go? How do we
“We are not ignoring the issue. We’re
stop this? What are our options at that
going to be contracting to get that done,”
point?”
Patterson said.
Patterson said the plan is a high level
McQuisten said councilors are being
plan. He said they are going to be work- asked to approve a plan that has multiple
ing with the city and the county and this parts, including potential construction
is not a one and one decision.
of sidewalks on sections of 10th Street, as
Dixon, who owns land in Kansas, said well as on Cedar Street.
Prison
Four Baker City
teens identified in
library vandalism
uled to enter a plea on the
charges for his Nov. 8 arrest.
Continued from Page A1
He remained in the Baker
County Jail until Wednesday,
Brendon Michael Smith, 27, March 9, when he was trans-
pleaded guilty on March 2 to
ferred to the custody of the Or-
unauthorized use of a vehicle, egon Department of Correc-
identity theft and second-de-
tions to serve his prison term.
gree burglary, all Class C fel-
During Smith’s arrest on
onies.
Nov. 8, police found multi-
Smith’s total prison sentence ple items that had been taken
is 56 months. None of the
from outside homes and from
convictions carries a manda-
unlocked vehicles, according
tory minimum sentence, so he to a press release from Baker
would potentially be eligible
City Police.
for early release.
Police Chief Ty Duby said
Baker City Police arrested
the police department had
Smith on Nov. 8 while he was received multiple calls about
in the 2003 Mercedes sedan
Smith in October, from resi-
where police said he lived.
dents who said they had seen
He was released from the
the black Mercedes parked in
Baker County Jail on Nov.
their neighborhoods.
16, after posting 10% of the
On Oct. 27 a resident on In-
$40,000 bail.
diana Avenue called police and
Police arrested Smith again, reported that a man was sitting
on additional charges related
in a black Mercedes outside
to an investigation, on Nov. 23 the caller’s home.
at the Baker County Court-
Police found Smith in the
house where Smith was sched- car with multiple items that
additional wolves are located,
is that ranchers can no longer
take lethal action in defense of
livestock, Torland said.
Torland encouraged live-
stock producers to sign up to
receive email updates regard-
ing areas of known wolf activ-
ity, livestock depredations, and
any other wolf-related hap-
penings, by going to: dfw.state.
or.us/wolves/wolf_livestock_
updates.asp
five counts, carries a manda-
tory minimum 75-month (6
years, 3 months) sentence; sec-
ond-degree unlawful sexual
penetration (two counts), 75
months; first-degree rape (one
count), 100 months (8 years,
4 months); second-degree
rape (one count), 75 months;
first-degree sodomy (one
count), 100 months; second-de-
gree sodomy (one count), 75
months; and using a child in
display of sexually explicit con-
duct, one count, 75 months.
Gonyer is a registered sex
offender. He was convicted
of the felony crime of sexual
abuse in Clackamas County
in 1999. Gonyer, who was liv-
ing at Gladstone at the time,
was sentenced to 75 months
in prison after pleading guilty
to one count of first-degree
sexual abuse involving a girl
younger than 14, court docu-
ments state. That crime took
place in February 1998.
“We’re all having serious issues with
the details of that plan,” McQuisten said.
“How could we pass this in good con-
science and start reading this ordinance
when we’re not in agreement with a lot
in there. Once we pass that, what are our
chances of undoing or preventing some
of these things we don’t like? Not much.”
Councilor Johnny Waggoner Sr. said
he won’t support the project if Ingram’s
property could be used “without giving
him a fair price for it.”
Waggoner said he’s also concerned
about the level of traffic at the 10th and
Pocahontas intersection from the Baker
Sports Complex and two churches along
Hughes Lane.
“Until you get me some people up
here that can answer some real ques-
tions, point blank, yes, no, or whatever,
don’t look for a yes for me. And I’m just
going to say it,” Waggoner said.
Denzil Robbins, who owns Robbins
Farm Equipment on the east side of 10th
Street near the Pocahontas intersec-
tion, voiced opposition about a proposal
to extend curbs, reducing parking and
slowing down street cleaning and snow
removal.
“I’m not opposed to this transporta-
tion plan. I think we need to do some-
thing in Baker, we need to do some im-
provements, but we need to make sure
that what we do, we do correctly,” Rob-
bins said.
had been stolen, according to
the press release. Smith had
other items that police believe
were stolen, but they couldn’t
find the theft victims.
Smith was cited and released
on Oct. 27, Duby said.
On Nov. 5, owners of Hills
Auto Parts and Repair at 800
Campbell St. reported that sev-
eral vehicles, some belonging
to customers and some to the
business, had been entered,
with items taken from inside.
The value of the items is ap-
proximately $1,950, according
to an affidavit filed as part of
the case by Baker City Police
officer Johnathan Parsons.
Smith was identified as a
suspect through video surveil-
lance 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 ar-
rested Smith and this time
he was lodged in the Baker
County Jail.
Duby said Smith told po-
lice that he drives around the
city, taking packages from
porches and other items out-
side 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.
According to court records,
when he was arrested Nov.
8, Smith had the personal
identification of a Baker City
resident, as well as personal
checks from that person’s ac-
count.
Duby said Smith has “ad-
diction issues.” He said he
believes Smith owns the Mer-
cedes, although he doesn’t
have insurance on the car.
In addition to the prison
term, Smith was ordered by
Judge Matt Shirtcliff to pay a
total of $1,448.25 in restitution
to three theft victims.
security camera video clearly
showed multiple juveniles
during the vandalism.
Three smoke bomb fire-
works were tossed into or
dropped in the library be-
tween about 5 p.m. and
5:45 p.m. on March 3.
Stokes referred questions
about other punishments for
the four teenagers to Lance
Woodward, the school re-
source officer for the Baker
City Police Department.
Woodward could not
be reached before the
press deadline on Friday,
March 11.
Employees laid
off at Hermiston
plant that burned
HERMISTON (AP) —
Two weeks after a fire se-
verely damaged a plant that
produced chips and salty
snacks in Northeastern Ore-
gon the company says it will
lay off all of the site’s em-
ployees.
The Shearer’s Foods
plant in Hermiston caught
fire after a propane boiler
exploded on Feb. 22. Six
people were injured, KN-
DU-TV reported.
Shearer’s CEO Bill Nick-
takis announced in a news
release Tuesday, March 8,
that the company decided to
lay off the employees, The
Tri-City Herald reported.
The East Oregonian re-
ported that the plant cur-
rently employs 230 people.
The Umatilla County
Sheriff ’s Office said the
cause of the fire appeared
to be a portable natural
gas-powered boiler that ex-
ploded.
Nicktakis estimated that it
would take more than a year
to rebuild and resume pro-
duction.
“After assessing the dam-
age, it’s clear that the de-
struction is too great to
quickly rebuild and be-
gin production in the near
term,” Nicktakis wrote.
He said the company is
exploring opportunities to
relocate employees inter-
ested in working at other
plants. According to the
company’s website, the
Hermiston location was
their only facility on the
West Coast.
Nicktakis also said the
company will provide a sev-
erance package and contin-
uation of benefits and will
work to plan events such as
job fairs.
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Andrew Myers
November 14, 1977 - February 5, 2022
Andrew Myers, 44 , died on
February 15, 2022, in Baker City.
A celebration of Andy’s life will be
held in the future, when it is warmer
(date/place/time to be announced).
Andy was born on November
14, 1977, in Baker City to Carl
Ben and Sharon Kay (Edison)
Myers. He was their firstborn son.
He attended schools in Baker City,
Oregon. He was a son, a brother, grandson, nephew,
cousin, an uncle, and really a great friend to many
people.
At the age of 8, Andy had to undergo a brain tumor
surgery. Following this news from doctors, as a family
they went to the Oregon Coast, Redwood forests, Grand
Canyon, and Zion National Park before he had surgery.
The surgery was a success, but he lost much of his
eyesight. He wasn’t dealt the best cards, but he surely
played them with a great poker face and played them
like he had a full deck. Andy made sure that he never
let his disabilities get in the way of good times with his
family and friends.
Andy surely loved his loud music! He loved listening
to 70s, 80s, and 90s music. Usually singing along with
the music and at times would cause irritability amongst
anyone trying to get his attention, or simply try to talk.
His neighbors so flustered they would complain about
his music being too loud. But that was Andy, he just
loved music. He also enjoyed watching movies. One
of his favorites as a youngster was, “The Cat from
Outer Space”and Chevy Chase’s “National Lampoon’s
Vacation” movies.
He lived like a rock star! He never had a license to
drive so he was usually subjected to being a passenger
on long drives with his Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister, and
friends. He enjoyed the drives, while talking about old
memories or just chit chatting about life.
Andy had a great memory and could remember
things from his past that most people may had forgotten
about.
He was preceded in death by his loving Mother,
Sharon K. Myers and his loving Grandmother, Betty J
Myers.
Andy is survived by his grandfather, Carl D. Myers;
father, Carl “Ben” Myers (Shane), sister Desiree Myers-
Nullusamy (Gunasekaran Nallusamy), brother Brian
Myers (Monique), niece Ellie J. Nguyen, nephews,
Colby T. Nguyen, Brayden A. Myers and Boyd A.
Myers; and many Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, and many
friends.
He will forever be loved and missed. May Andy rest
in peace and our memories of him never be forgotten.
We are truly heartbroken, a life lost too soon.
Those who would like to make a memorial donation
in memory of Andy, may do so to help defray his
service expenses through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral
Home & Cremation Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway,
Oregon 97834. Online condolences may be shared at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com