A2 BAKER CITY HERALD • TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2022
Local
TURNING BACK THE PAGES
50 YEARS AGO
from the Democrat-Herald
June 6, 1972
For the second time in two weeks, someone “turned
off” the city of Baker’s water supply and Vern Jacobson,
city manager, is a little upset.
The stoppage didn’t affect city residents, however,
since the turn off valve is located between the reservoir
and the city’s watershed in the Elkhorn Mountains but the
reservoir pool dropped six feet during the halt, and “that’s
bad,” according to Jacobson.
“Another six feet and we’d be running short of water,”
he said yesterday.
25 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
June 6, 1997
A state committee has begun a process that could end
with the State Historic Preservation Offi ce removing the
Baker Hotel from a property tax relief program.
The three-member Historic Assessment Review
Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to
determine whether the owners of the 10-story building
are still eligible to participate in the state’s special
assessment program.
Under that voluntary program, which is open to
buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
the property’s assessed value is frozen, for purposes of
local property taxes, for 15 years. The state added the
Baker Hotel to the program in 1993. Last year its owners,
Jim Olson of Bend and Tom Donnell of Scottsdale, Ariz.,
saved $1,391 in property taxes because of the program.
10 YEARS AGO
from the Baker City Herald
June 6, 2012
Early June downpours aren’t exactly rare in Baker
County.
But Monday’s was.
The torrents that sluiced down starting around mid-
afternoon and continued well past nightfall added up to a
rainfall total than more than doubled the previous record
for June 4.
By midnight, 1.03 inches of rain had splashed into the
gauge at the Baker City Municipal Airport.
ONE YEAR AGO
from the Baker City Herald
June 8, 2021
Grey skies, sprinkles of rain and chilly winds had
no effect on the cheers that erupted at Baker Bulldog
Memorial Stadium Sunday afternoon, June 6.
Baker High School’s class of 2021 was joined by
friends and family to celebrate what they achieved despite
having their fi nal two years of high school greatly affected
by the pandemic.
Commencement speaker Nicole (Butler) Sullivan, a
science teacher at BHS, recalled how she taught many
of the graduates when they were fi rst-graders, then later
while teaching at Baker Middle School and to her current
position.
“I’m so thrilled I get to see your faces without masks on
one last time before you guys go out there,” Sullivan said.
She offered the graduates several points of advice,
including the importance of traveling. She encouraged
students to go places, learn, and experience new things,
and to be excited in the moment during “these precious
times.”
“If you can’t travel, experience culture from people
that you come across from other walks of life, states,
countries,” Sullivan said.
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OTEC to build solar farm in La Grande
BY ANDREW CUTLER
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Oregon
Trail Electric Cooperative’s
already mostly carbon-free
power supply is about to get a
little greener.
The Baker City-based co-
operative will begin work this
fall on a 500-panel community
solar project near the cooper-
ative’s Gekeler Lane substation
outside La Grande. Construc-
tion on the project is expected
to take just one month to com-
plete and put into service, ac-
cording to the cooperative,
which serves about 23,000 cus-
tomers in four Eastern Oregon
counties.
“Our highest priority is to
serve our membership so we
put together this project,” said
Charlie Tracy, the coopera-
tive’s director of engineering.
“It’s on property here in Union
County. It’s in La Grande. So
we’re excited about it. That’s
also the district where we’ve
seen the most interest, so we’re
excited to be able to have it be
local and have a member be
able to drive by the place that
they know that their power is
coming from.”
This is the utility’s first solar
project.
“You can’t really say you’re
an expert in solar farms un-
til you build one, right? So a
big part of it is to gain exper-
tise and become experts in the
changing landscape,” Tracy
said. “In another year, we’ll
really know quite a lot about
it. This is part of that learning
process.”
Oregon Trail members will
have the option of helping fi-
nance the project by buying
County District Attorney Greg
Baxter said.
He said the charges, which
Five Baker City residents
were filed last week, are based
have been cited on misde-
on video from a surveillance
meanor charges from a fight
that started when one of them camera at Baker Vision Clinic,
just west of Club 41, which is at
threw a beer bottle, nearly
hitting another person in the 2129 Second St.
According to a probable
parking lot of Club 41 on
cause affidavit Baxter filed,
April 29.
Baker City Police responded Daniel Isaac Stone, 44, his wife,
Marianne Hope Stone, 43, and
to the incident that evening,
sons, Gavin Rea Stone, 18, and
but the people involved gave
Graison Stone, were walking to
conflicting accounts, Baker
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
DEATHS
Donna Pohl: 80, of Baker City, died June
5, 2022, at Settler’s Park Assisted Living
in Baker City. Arrangements are under
the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral
Home & Cremation Services. Online
condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Merrilyn Seal: 74, of Halfway, died June
4, 2022, at her home, surrounded by
her family. A celebration of Merrilyn’s
life will take place on Friday, July 1 at
10 a.m. at Richard and Merrilyn Seal’s
residence. For those who would like to
make a donation in Merrilyn’s memory,
the family suggests the Halfway/Oxbow
Ambulance 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.
FUNERALS PENDING
WEDNESDAY (June 8): Chicken cordon bleu with
hollandaise, rice pilaf, green beans, Jell-O with fruit, cake
THURSDAY (June 9): Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes with
gravy, mixed vegetables, rolls, three-bean salad, pudding
FRIDAY (June 10): Clam chowder, Caesar salad, rolls, apple
crisp
MONDAY (June 13): Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes
with gravy, mixed vegetables, rolls, green salad, pudding
TUESDAY (June 14): Roasted turkey with gravy, stuffi ng,
carrots, rolls, macaroni salad, cookies
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.
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
circ@bakercityherald.com
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
for print only. Digital-only rates are $8.25.
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
More Information
For more information on
the Oregon Trail Electric
Cooperative’s solar farm, visit
the cooperative’s website at
otec.coop.
Power Administration is car-
bon-free, with about 85% of it
being from hydroelectric.
“We’ve got a phenomenal,
enviable power supply, as good
or better than anywhere in the
world in terms of its low envi-
ronmental impact and climate
change carbon impact,” Tracy
said. “So we feel really good
about that and really positive
about it. But beyond that, we’re
working on this project to sup-
ply an even more local and
even more renewable power
supply that a lot of our mem-
bers have asked for.”
Hathaway said the solar
project came from some of the
surveying the cooperative has
done over the years.
“I think the last survey we
saw, it was around 20% said
that they would like to have
that solar option,” he said.
dinner at a nearby restaurant
on the evening of April 29.
Jeremy Michael Bender, 31,
who works at Club 41, threw
a beer bottle that “narrowly
misses” Graison Stone’s head,
according to the May 27 affida-
vit Baxter wrote describing the
incident and listing the charges.
Baxter said Bender claimed
someone from the group had
kicked a Club 41 sign, but
Baxter said the video didn’t
show that.
After Bender threw the bot-
tle — Baxter said he didn’t
know how much liquid it con-
tained — Daniel, Marianne and
Gavin Stone “and several other
individuals quickly aggressively
approach Jeremy Bender.”
In the ensuing altercation,
Daniel and Gavin Stone were
seen on video punching, kick-
ing or pushing Bender, accord-
ing to Baxter’s affidavit.
through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer
Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City,
OR 97814. To light a candle in Robert’s
memory, or to offer online condolences
to his family, go to www.grayswestco.
com.
Bob Pollock: A celebration of Bob’s
life will take place Saturday, June 11 at
11 a.m. at the Pine Valley Fairgrounds in
Halfway. Please come and join us as we
share good food and stories. For those
who would like to make a donation in
memory of Bob, they may do so a charity
of their choice through Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation Services, P.O.
Box 543, Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online
condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
William Jackson: A celebration of
William’s life will take place Saturday,
June 11 at 2 p.m. at the Halfway
Lions Hall. Donations to Community
Connection in his honor would be
greatly appreciated, and can be made
hrough Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral
Home & Cremation Services, P.O. Box
543, Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online
condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Samuel F. Orr: Celebration of life, June
18 at 1 p.m. at the Haines city park.
David G. Cherry: Graveside service
will be Friday, June 17 at 2 p.m. at
Mount Hope Cemetery. Bill Rompa will
officiate the service. To leave an online
condolence for David’s family, go to
www.grayswestco.com.
See, Club/Page A3
Graveside service, Thursday, June 9 at
1 p.m. at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in
Richland. A reception will follow the
service at the Eagle Valley Grange. In
lieu of flowers, donations may be made
to Best Friends of Baker or Eagle Valley
Grange 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.
Carol Bouchard: Graveside military
service will be Friday, June 10 at 3 p.m.
at the North Powder Cemetery. A
celebration Carol’s life will follow at
4 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Grange in North
Powder. For those who would like to
make a donation in memory of Carol,
they may do so a charity of their choice
through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral
Home & Cremation Services, P.O. Box
543, Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online
condolences can be shared at www.
tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com.
Robert Isaac Watson: Graveside service
Monday, June 20 at 11 a.m. at Mount
Hope Cemetery. Pastor Jesse Whitford
of the Baker City Christian Church will
officiate. Memorial contributions can be
made to the Wounded Warrior Project
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker County
Circuit Court warrant): Larry Merl Barker,
41, Baker City, 8:48 p.m. Sunday, June 5
at Indiana Avenue and Highway 7; cited
and released.
UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY INTO A MOTOR
VEHICLE, THIRD-DEGREE THEFT: Coty
Daniel Hanson, 26, Baker City, 8:39 p.m.
Sunday, June 5 in the 200 block of
Foothill Drive; cited and released.
PROBATION VIOLATION: Sammy Garcia
Jr., 37, Baker City, 7:51 p.m. Sunday, June
5 in the 2200 block of 10th Street; jailed.
PAROLE VIOLATION: Robert John Wagner,
33, Portland, 9:36 p.m. Friday, June 3 at D
and Main streets; jailed.
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CONTACT THE HERALD
ISSN-8756-6419
Serving Baker County since 1870
munity solar project brings to
people is the ability to buy into
it at smaller increments —
$250 per portion.”
The 500 panels will generate
approximately 200 kilowatts of
electricity that will be distrib-
uted along OTEC’s system.
“We’re hoping that if shares
sell quickly that we can ex-
pand it,” Tracy said. “Ulti-
mately, we’d like to have one in
each of our service territories.”
The subscription will be
good for 20 years and can be
moved around within the co-
operative’s service territory or
can be gifted to someone.
“Let’s say you move out of
territory, you can gift it to your
friend, neighbor or kids,” said
Joseph Hathaway, the cooper-
ative’s communications man-
ager. “That share will still con-
tinue up until 20 years.”
Tracy said members will see
no increase in their monthly
bill to pay for the cost of the so-
lar farm, because the costs are
covered by the members who
purchase subscriptions.
More than 94% of the power
Oregon Trail Electric Cooper-
ative receives from Bonneville
News of Record
Charles Richard ‘Dick’ Kirby:
Celebration of life will take place
Wednesday, June 8 at 1 p.m. at the Baker
City Christian Church, 675 Highway 7,
with a reception following. Pastor Jesse
Whitford will officiate. A private family
urn burial will follow the reception
at Mount Hope Cemetery. Memorial
contributions can be made to the
Shriner’s Hospital for Children through
Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500
Dewey Ave. To light a candle in Dick’s
honor, or to offer online condolences to
his family, go to www.grayswestco.com.
Donna Jean Jackson Forsea Terrell:
Telephone: 541-523-3673
subscriptions. When the so-
lar project begins generating
clean energy, members will
start receiving a credit on their
utility bill for their portion of
the electricity generated.
“We meter it just like we
would a house or a load, and
then we divide the output, so
the energy that’s generated
within a given month, we di-
vide it up into portions,” Tracy
said. “Those portions are sold
to a member as a subscription.
So essentially, they pre-pur-
chase the output of the array
and that output is then applied
to their bill to subtract off, es-
sentially, their usage.”
Subscriptions, which are
on a first-come, first-served
basis, will cost $250 per share
and are available to anyone
living or doing business in the
OTEC service area, which in-
cludes Baker, Union, Grant
and Harney counties.
“We broke it up into what
we think are affordable, small
portions because one of the
things we’ve heard from mem-
bers is roof-top solar has an
extremely high upfront cost,”
Tracy said. “What the com-
Five cited after fight outside Club 41
SENIOR MENUS
2005 Washington Ave., Suite 101
Open Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Joseph Hathaway/Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative
This field along U.S. Highway 30 outside La Grande will be home to Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative’s
500-panel community solar project. The project is slated to be operational by fall 2022.
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