BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 A5
LOCAL & STATE
Local Briefing
County commission
candidates debate
April 23
All five candidates for the
Baker County Board of Com-
missioners have confirmed
they will participate in a de-
bate on Saturday, April 23, at
6 p.m. at the Sunridge Inn, 1
Sunridge Lane. The public is
invited to attend the event,
which is sponsored by Baker
County United. The primary
election is May 17.
Candidates will be re-
sponding to questions sub-
mitted in advance, and also
taking questions from the
audience.
Three candidates are vy-
ing to replace Bill Harvey as
commission chairman, the
only full-time position —
Shane Alderson, Dan Gar-
rick and Joe Johnson. There
are two candidates for com-
mission position 2, a part-
time position held by Mark
Bennett — Kody Justus and
Christina Witham. Neither
Resolution
Continued from Page A1
Alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
Gerald Hopkins, president of the Elgin Historical Society, pauses for
a moment under a lantern Saturday, May, 1, 2021, within the former
Elgin Jail at the Elgin Museum. A retired educator, Hopkins is also the
author of two volumes of “Humor in the Class, or Why Christopher Co-
lumbus Sailed Away from His Wife.”
New book includes
priceless gems
from children
BY DICK MASON
The Observer
ISLAND CITY — Gerald
Hopkins retired as an educa-
tor about five years ago, but
he has not stopped sharing
the joy he experienced while
serving as a teacher and a
principal for 33 years.
Book two of his series “Hu-
mor in the Class, or Why
Christopher Columbus Sailed
Away from His Wife,” is proof.
Volume 2, like volume 1, is
filled with quotes from chil-
dren in the schools where
Hopkins worked, which are as
humorous as they are heart-
warming and enlightening.
Volume 2 features many
gems teachers at Hopkins’
schools passed on, such as
the answer a teacher received
from a child asked to name
the four seasons: “Salt, pep-
per, mustard and vinegar.”
Participating in such ex-
changes or hearing them
brought delight to Hopkins’
career.
“Trying to see and hear the
world through the eyes of a
child adds zest and enjoyment
and keeps all of us feeling
young at heart. Seeing these
special individuals share their
lives and humor often brought
a tear of happiness to my own
life,” Hopkins wrote in the in-
troduction of his new book.
Hopkins wrote down com-
ments from students as soon
as he heard them. He would
grab anything available to re-
cord them.
“Sometimes I would even
write on napkins,” Hopkins
said.
He said that such steps were
critical because memories can
be fleeting.
Kids say the
darndest things
Some of Gerald Hopkins’ fa-
vorite quotes from children
in the new second volume
of his “Humor in the Class,
or Why Christopher Colum-
bus Sailed Away from His
Wife”:
Teacher: How can you delay
milk turning sour?
Student: Keep it in the cow.
Teacher: What does vari-
cose mean?
Student: Nearby.
Teacher: What is a seizure?
Student: A Roman emperor.
Teacher: Why don’t ants
get sick?
Student: They have anti-
bodies.
“Often I would hear my
fellow educators laugh and
share what one of their stu-
dents might have said, and
remark that they would never
forget that special moment,”
Hopkins said.
But, he noted, “Time takes
its toll, so I have attempted to
record another collection of
these comments in my sec-
ond book.”
Most of the student com-
ments in Hopkins’ new book
are ones he heard personally,
but there are others that were
shared with him, including
by his wife, Mary, also a re-
tired educator.
Hopkins gathered the com-
ments in his books during
his time serving as principal
of Huntington Elementary
School and North Powder El-
ementary School.
Commission Chairman Bill
Harvey and Commissioner
Mark Bennett voted in favor
of the resolution.
Commissioner Bruce Nich-
ols, who said he agrees with
most of the sentiments in the
resolution, voted no because
he disagrees with the way
Baker County United ini-
tially presented its version to
commissioners in December
2021.
“I agree with the Second
Amendment, I agree with not
having vaccine mandates and
almost everything else (in
the resolution),” Nichols said.
“The way this was portrayed
initially to me was the main
reason that I will not sign this
resolution.
“I felt you were trying to
force this on this commission,
and that’s what makes me get
angry about it,” Nichols said.
Harvey said he thinks the
resolution is beneficial to
county residents.
“I believe this is a good
position and stance for the
county and to strengthen our
position as far as saying to the
public that we will not come
after you for something that
you believe is unconstitu-
tional,” Harvey said.
Harvey said that as a gov-
erning body, the commis-
sioners are “here not to en-
force anything that offsets
the Constitution.”
“We already have never
enforced anything on a citi-
zen that is against their con-
science, based on the Consti-
tution of the United States,”
Harvey said. “This is just
reaffirming our position as
a county government that
Baker County will not go
marching into the stores and
say, that person is not wear-
ing a mask, we’ll put them
down, shove a mask on their
face just to enforce a law or
whatever it might be. That’s
not our role nor is it our au-
thority.”
When Baker County
United submitted its pro-
posed resolution to commis-
sioners in December, an exec-
utive order issued by Oregon
Gov. Kate Brown requiring
people to wear masks in most
indoor public settings was
still in place. That require-
ment ended March 12.
pay at the door. Cost is $10
per person.
David Cowan, an OSU Ex-
tension master gardener since
2005, will conduct the work-
shop. Topics include the role
turf can play in a sustainable
landscape, tips for proper in-
stallation and revitalization,
sound cultural practices for
maintaining a lawn, minimiz-
ing the risk of pests, and sug-
gestions for selecting useful
turf care tools.
Hells Canyon Clean Up
set for April 30
Jake Brown of Halfway,
“Changing that from the
a member of Baker County
13th amendment to the
United, said he was disap-
14th, gives it the opposite
pointed by the deletions and effect of what we intended,”
other changes that commis-
Brown said.
sioners made to the original
The 13th amendment, rati-
proposal.
fied in 1865, abolished slavery
Brown said he and others
in the United States and pro-
who brought the
vides that “Neither
original resolution
slavery nor involun-
to commissioners do
tary servitude, ex-
not support the ver-
cept as a punishment
sion commissioners
for crime whereof
passed, and do not
the party shall have
want their names as-
been duly convicted,
sociated with it.
shall exist within the
Harvey
“It was our hope
United States, or any
that we could have
place subject to their
a local government
jurisdiction.”
that would stand up
The 14th amend-
and ally with us,”
ment, adopted in
Brown said.
1868, has five sec-
Both resolutions
tions, one of which
have a list of activ-
granted citizenship
ities that are “not
and equal civil and
Nichols
allowed or toler-
legal rights to Afri-
ated within Baker
can Americans and
County.”
enslaved people who
Baker County
had been eman-
United’s proposal
cipated after the
has 12 such items,
American Civil War.
whereas the ver-
That section of
sion commissioners
the amendment
approved has 10.
states: “All persons
Bennett
The latter version
born or naturalized
combines two parts
in the United States,
from the former into one sec- and subject to the jurisdic-
tion, both of which deal with tion thereof, are citizens of the
gun rights.
United States and of the state
The combined section in
wherein they reside. No state
the resolution commissioners shall make or enforce any law
approved reads: “Expanding which shall abridge the privi-
requirements regarding reg- leges or immunities of citizens
istration of personal firearms, of the United States; nor shall
contrary to 2nd Amendment any state deprive any person
protections, nor the confis-
of life, liberty, or property,
cation of firearms without
without due process of law;
probable cause, due process, nor deny to any person within
and Constitutionally compli- its jurisdiction the equal pro-
ant warrants issued by an au- tection of the laws.”
thorized jurisdiction.”
County counsel Kim
There’s also a difference in Mosier explained why she
the wording preceding the list changed the reference from
of prohibited activities. Baker the 14th amendment to
County United’s version re-
the 13th.
fers to these as “abuses,” while
“That medical treatment
the county’s version calls
piece, I did some research
them “acts.”
on that, and in the original it
Brown said each section in references the 13th amend-
Baker County United’s (BCU) ment,” Mosier said. “I did find
original resolution was
some case law regarding the
closely linked to an amend-
13th amendment and coer-
ment in the U.S. Constitution. cive medical treatment and
He objected to the coun-
the cases that I see that relate
ty’s version dealing with the
use of “Force, threaten, co-
erce or deceive, a citizen to
receive any medical treatment
against their will.”
The county’s version says
this is guaranteed in the 14th
amendment, while BCU’s
cites the 13th amendment.
to the 13th amendment are
Supreme Court cases that say
that you can’t require medical
providers to treat and that is a
violation of the 13th amend-
ment.
“The 14th amendment,
there is a 1905 case that says
the government cannot force,
threaten, coerce, or deceive
a citizen into receiving med-
ical treatment against their
will. So, that is counter to the
Constitution under the 14th
amendment,” Mosier said.
BCU’s original resolution
included a clause stating that
“Baker County Commission-
ers proudly join the Constitu-
tional Sheriffs and Police Of-
ficers Association and that the
undersigned commissioners
do hereby denounce any acts
or agencies that promote the
aforementioned practices.”
Brown said earlier this year
that BCU deleted that clause
from its proposed resolution.
Nichols, responding to pre-
vious questions from BCU
members who asked commis-
sioners to reaffirm their oath
of office, said he believes he
does that every time he recites
the Pledge of Allegiance at the
start of a meeting.
Nichols also asked sup-
porters of the original BCU
resolution to recognize that
although many people sup-
port that document, other
county residents have differ-
ent opinions.
“We’re supposed to be rep-
resenting all of the people,”
Nichols said. “Whatever we
do, there is always somebody
that disagrees with us. I don’t
care what it is, there’s always
somebody that disagrees.”
Bennett pointed out that
although the resolution states
that “no agency established by
the U.S. Congress can develop
its own policies or regulations
which supersede the Bill of
Rights or the Constitution,”
county commissions do not
determine whether or not an
action is constitutional.
That task, Bennett said, is
delegated in the Constitution
to the judicial branch of gov-
ernment.
Bennett nor Harvey is seek-
ing reelection.
In both commission races,
if one candidate receives more
than half the voters, that per-
son would be elected. If no
candidate receives at least half
of the voters, the top two can-
didates in both races would
advance to a runoff in the
Nov. 8 general election.
The Knights of Columbus,
a Catholic fraternal service
organization with an active
chapter in Baker County, is
supporting efforts to help
Ukrainian refugees. To learn
more, go to kofc.org/Ukraine.
Workshop on lawn
care set for April 23
A three-hour workshop on
growing and maintaining a
lawn is set for April 23 from
9 a.m. to noon at the Baker
County Community Events
Center, 2600 East St.
Participants can register
by calling the OSU Extension
Service at 541-523-6418 and
OXBOW — Idaho Power
Company is looking for vol-
unteers to help with its an-
nual Hells Canyon Clean Up
event on Saturday, April 30.
Volunteers will meet at the
Oxbow School before 9 a.m.
PDT, rain or shine. They
will then head out to pick up
trash along the Snake River,
roads and campsites. Vol-
unteers should wear sturdy
BHS baseball ‘Pink
walking shoes and bring
gloves, sunscreen and water.
Night’ for breast
A free barbecue for volun-
cancer awareness
teers will take place at Idaho
The Baker High School
Power’s Copperfield Park fol-
baseball team will have its Pink lowing the clean up, which
Night, to raise awareness about commemorates Earth Day.
breast cancer and honor those
“Conditions are great for
camping in the canyon right
affected by it, on Monday,
now,” said Jared Farrens, a
April 25, when the Bulldogs
play Heppner/Ione at 5 p.m. at resource professional for
Idaho Power. “To reserve a
the Baker Sports Complex.
Baker players will wear pink spot, visit idahpower.com/
uniforms and hats. Everyone recreation, and then join us
is invited to attend and to also for the clean up Saturday
morning.”
don pink clothing.
Your guide to arts and
entertainment around
Eastern Oregon
Read more at
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Reelect David Baum
Oregon Trail Electric Board, Position 8
2022
I
Northeast Oregon
PHOTO
CONTEST
Visit bakercityherald.com and enter today!
STATEMENT TO VOTERS: The electric utility industry is seeing significant changes due to increased demand, new
technologies, government mandates, high prices of natural gas and oil, and weather renewables (solar and wind).
Weather renewables work only when the Sun is shining and the Wind is blowing.
Currently OTEC purchases 100% of its electrical power from Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and some of the
lowest electrical rates in the country. But BPA is being challenged with increasing costs, reduced revenue, and threat
of the removal of the four lower Snake River dams. As the board member involved with the Wildfire Mitigation Plan, we
have aggressively pushed forward with the drafting and finalization of a Wildfire Plan.
As we negotiate a new contract with Bonneville (BPA), my legal experience is a valuable evaluation tool. My focus will be to
continue to work diligently in areas of Power Supply, Transmission and Distribution. I will strive to keep your electrical rates
low.
Our CEO, Les Penning and staff with board support will not be raising your electrical rates for 2022.
It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to serve as your representative on the board of Directors. I have grained a signifi-
cant knowledge and experience about cooperatives during this time. I will continue to work hard at keeping electric
rates low while providing safe and reliable electricity to our members along with excellent customer service. I have
knowledge, experience, energy and time to serve.
I ask for YOUR VOTE and look forward to our future challenges.
Paid For By David Baum / The Committee to Reelect David Baum