A2 BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022
Local
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
May 26, 1972
Not to be outdone by the Oregon Education
Association, the school board of District 5-J has
requested its own investigation of conditions
within the school district. This investigation will be
conducted by staffers of the State Board of Education,
Superintendent Dr. James Evans announced today.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
May 26, 1997
HAINES — Veteran memorial fl ags are on display at
the Haines Cemetery.
Seven veterans are being honored by their families
this Memorial Day weekend. The families loaned their
casket fl ags (fl ags that were draped on the casket
during the funeral, folded and presented to the
families) to the cemetery.
Members of the Haines community also volunteered
to place the 75 small veterans fl ags at the grave sites.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
May 25, 2012
HAINES — The Haines Elementary student body
has come together to create its own short fi lm to be
premiered on the big screen Thursday, May 31.
The fi lm will be premiering at the Eltrym Theater in
Baker City.
This event is a Parent-Teacher-Community
Organization fundraiser. The cost is $6 for adults, $4
for students and seniors.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
May 27, 2021
When meat prices rose in response to the COVID-19
pandemic, Ken Olson wanted to help local consumers
purchase products from local producers.
Olson is the CEO of Old West Federal Credit Union,
which has branches across Eastern Oregon including
John Day, Baker City, La Grande, Prairie City, Union,
Pendleton, Hermiston and Burns.
“He has a big heart for our communities and rural
areas,” Bob Kavanaugh, vice president of business
development and member experience at Old West, said
of Olson.
The USDA reports that, in 2020, supply of meat
products was affected by temporary closures of
meatpacking plants due to COVID-19. The low supply in
turn drove up prices in the grocery store.
Kavanaugh said Olson challenged an Old West team
to brainstorm a solution that would make local beef
more accessible — especially when money is tight.
“Food insecurity is a real thing,” Kavanaugh
said. “We came up with a strategy to help our local
communities purchase meat in bulk.”
The program is called the Farm to Table Loan.
Loan amounts are available from $500 to $4,000.
When someone inquires about the loan, Kavanaugh
said they meet with an Old West staff to discuss the
loan amount and pay-back details.
Storing meat can be a challenge for some families,
too, so a freezer can be fi nanced into the loan as well.
The 12-month loans are interest-free.
Kavanaugh said Old West introduced the program
several months ago, and will relaunch it around June 1.
To initially promote the program, Old West held a
raffl e for “Get a Freezer, Give a Freezer Full of Beef.”
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SENIOR MENUS
FRIDAY (May 27): Clam chowder, Caesar salad, rolls, peach
crisp
MONDAY (May 30): Closed for Memorial Day
TUESDAY (May 31): Pork tips over noodles, peas, rolls,
ambrosia, sherbet
WEDNESDAY (June 1): Burger steak with onions, baked beans,
mixed vegetables, rolls, fruit cup, brownies
THURSDAY (June 2): Chili cheese dogs, tater tots, corn,
coleslaw, lemon squares
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
2005 Washington Ave., Suite 101
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: 541-523-3673
ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
Publisher
Karrine Brogoitti
kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver.com
Jayson Jacoby, editor
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
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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.
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
Two stranded boats return safely
to Hewitt Park near Richland
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Four people in two separate
boats made it safely back to
Hewitt Park, on the Powder
River arm of Brownlee Reser-
voir near Richland, after both
vessels had fuel problems on
Monday afternoon, May 23.
The incident started
around 1:17 p.m. when Baker
County Dispatch received a
cellphone call from a boater,
said Ashley McClay, public
information officer for the
Baker County Sheriff ’s Of-
fice.
The caller said the 21-foot
boat had run out of gas and
lacked oars. It was in the mid-
dle of the river near Brownlee
Dam.
(McClay said there is no re-
port on the incident and she
hadn’t confirmed the names
of any of the four people in-
volved.)
There were two people and
one dog aboard, McClay said.
While Marine Deputy
The caller said another
boat was towing them back
toward Holcomb Park.
The dispatcher asked the
caller to describe the people
on the second boat, and it be-
came clear that the rescuers
were the father and son from
La Grande, McClay said.
But the problems weren’t
over.
While the La Grande fa-
ther and son were towing the
other boat, their own boat, a
1978 Marlin Sidewinder, also
S. John Collins / Baker City Herald file photo stopped running.
When Paxton and Harvey
Holcomb Park is on the north shore of the Powder River arm of Brown-
arrived later in the afternoon,
lee Reservoir about three miles east of Richland. Baker County owns
they poured fuel into the first
and operates the park along with its neighbor, Hewitt Park.
boat, which started.
Wayne Paxton and Deputy
in the same area of the reser-
The issue with the second
Brian Harvey were en route
voir, would not start.
boat was that it hadn’t au-
to the scene in a patrol boat,
The woman told a dispatcher tomatically switched from
the Dispatch Center received that the call ended and she
the empty tank to a tank
a second call.
couldn’t reach her husband and that still had fuel. The boat
A woman from La Grande son again.
owner fixed that issue and all
said she had spoken by cell-
Then Dispatch received
three boats, with the Sher-
phone with her husband and a third call, this one from
iff ’s Office vessel in the rear,
son about 12:58 p.m., and
one of the people on the first returned to Hewitt Park, Mc-
that the motor in their boat,
stranded boat.
Clay said.
School district hopes to give bonuses to
workers who stayed through pandemic
BY IAN CRAWFORD
icrawford@bakercityherald.com
Baker School District teachers and
other employees who have worked
throughout the pandemic could receive
a bonus payment of $860 if they stay on
through the 2022-23 school year.
Employees who worked for one year
during the pandemic and stay for next
year could get $430.
The money would be from a state
Teacher
Continued from Page A1
“I bet my mom and dad
won’t guess,” he said with a
grin. “I’m only giving them
one clue!”
Ratterman is quick to smile
at the antics of the preschool-
ers, but these last few weeks
of her career are a bit sad.
“It’s bittersweet. I love this
job,” she said.
She’s retiring as direc-
tor and head teacher of the
YMCA preschool.
Although she’ll miss the
daily interactions with the
children, she says retiring
will allow more time with
her own grandchildren. She
also wants to direct more
plays for Eastern Oregon Re-
gional Theatre, and volunteer
to spend time with memory
care patients.
She’ll also help the new
grant program designed to reward
school employees who stayed during the
pandemic and encourage them to con-
tinue in their jobs.
The Baker School Board voted on May
19 to apply for $242,000 from the state
program.
The district filed the grant “in an ef-
fort to retain our contracted teachers,
classified, and confidential staff on our
payroll who worked during the pan-
Y preschool teacher transi-
tion into the role, and plans
to substitute at the preschool
when needed.
Perfect for preschool
Ratterman’s teaching career
started in Wyoming.
“I started out teaching art,
then they added PE and then
science,” she said.
Then they asked if she
would teach preschool.
“I said no,” she said with a
laugh. “But they said ‘you can
do it.’ So I tried it.”
She didn’t regret her choice.
“I loved it,” she said. “I
loved teaching preschool. The
kids are amazing. They make
you laugh every day.”
She taught preschool for
five years, then moved to
Baker City where she worked
at Eastern Oregon Medical
Associates.
But she didn’t forget those
preschoolers.
demic and will continue with us,” said
Lindsey McDowell, the district’s public
information and communications coor-
dinator.
“To my knowledge, there was no sig-
nificant staff exodus during the pan-
demic, even when the vaccination man-
date went into place,” McDowell said.
“Although we won’t know probably until
August, I am told that we do expect most
staff to return next year.”
“She kept talking about
opening a preschool,” said
Diny Michel, who worked
with Ratterman at EOMA and
is now retiring from her role
as a Y preschool aide.
For a year, after leaving
EOMA, Ratterman had her
own day care and preschool.
“Then the Y wanted to start
a preschool,” she said.
The first class was in 2011.
With only Ratterman teach-
ing, the first class numbered
14.
The next two years she ex-
panded to two classes — 30
kids total — and then a sec-
ond teacher was added in
2014. Since then, every year
has seen 60 students.
“And a lot on the waiting
list,” Ratterman said.
The “littles” (ages 3 and 4)
attend Tuesdays and Thurs-
days, and the “bigs” (ages 4 to
5) have school on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays.
In addition to classroom
activities and outdoor time
on the playground Ratterman
helped design, the Y provides
swimming lessons and also
introduces the young stu-
dents to skiing at Anthony
Lakes.
“Everything is still a won-
der to them,” Ratterman said.
“It’s magical.”
Megan Davis, who has
taught at the preschool for
several years, will take over as
director and head teacher.
“She’s going to be amazing,”
Ratterman said.
Over the years, she’s taught
multiple sets of siblings, and
gotten to know quite a few
families in Baker City.
“They’re family friends
now — they’re like family,”
she said.
For information about the
YMCA preschool, visit www.
bakerymca.org/preschool-at-
the-y or call 541-523-9622.
News of Record
DEATHS
Bonnie Kimry: 82, a former longtime
Baker City resident, died May 22,
2022, at her son’s home in Turner. A
celebration of her life, for family and
friends, will take place later at Pilcher
Creek Reservoir.
Abel Coronado: 68, of Baker City,
died May 21, 2022, at Saint Alphonsus
Medical Center-Baker City. To light
a candle in Abel’s honor, or to offer
online condolences to his family, go to
www.grayswestco.com.
condolence for the family, go to www.
grayswestco.com.
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker County
Circuit Court warrant): Aaron La Varr
Daniels, 43, Baker City, 10:41 p.m.
Tuesday, May 24, at Valley and Court
avenues; cited and released.
PROBATION VIOLATION: Juan Pablo
Burgos, 60, Baker City, 1:56 p.m.
Monday, May 23, at the Baker County
Jail, where he was in custody on other
charges.
Oregon State Police
Arrests, citations
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF
INTOXICANTS: Andrew Sean Hoffman,
24, Baker City, 6:33 p.m. Monday, May
23, at 12th and Campbell streets.
MAY 27-JUNE 2
TOP GUN
MAVERICK
Friday
Sat & Sun
Monday
Tues-Thurs
(PG-13)
4:00, 7:00
1:00, 4:00, 7:00
4:00, 7:00
7:00
DOWNTON ABBEY
A NEW ERA
FUNERALS PENDING
Gloria Wilson: Memorial service and
celebration of her life will take place
Friday, May 27 at 2 p.m. at the Pine
Baptist Church in Halfway. Online
condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
John Crow: Memorial service with
military honors will take place
Saturday, May 28 at 10 a.m. at the
Lions Community Hall in Halfway.
Online condolences can be shared at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.
com.
Marge Harris: Memorial service
will take place Saturday, May
28 at 2 p.m. at the Pine Valley
Presbyterian Church in Halfway. Online
condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Ivan Harry Bork: A celebration of
his life and potluck will take place
Saturday, May 28, from 11 a.m. to
3 p.m. in the ballroom at the Baker
Heritage Museum, 2480 Grove St.
For those who would like to make
a donation in honor of Ivan, the
family suggests Hunt of a Lifetime
through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral
Home & Cremation Services, P.O.
Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online
condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Georgia and Larry Wells: Graveside
memorial service will take place
May 31 at 11 a.m. at Mount Hope
Cemetery. Memorial contributions can
be made to Community Connection
through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer
Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker
City, OR 97814. To leave an online
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