SPORTS A5
OUTDOORS B1
THE WEST A6
Baker girls hoops
routs Homedale
Weather models and
the ‘big miss’
Update on missing
Fruitland boy
IN THIS EDITION: LOCAL • OUTDOORS & REC • SPORTS
QUICK HITS
—————
Good Day Wish
To A Subscriber
A special good day to Herald
subscriber Bobby Copley of
Baker City.
LOCAL A2
The Oregon Public Utility
Commission is hosting a virtual
meeting on Monday, Dec. 5 for
the public to comment on Idaho
Power’s application for a certifi -
cate of public convenience and
necessity.
Idaho Power’s request is part
of its proposed construction of
a transmission line that would
connect the Hemingway substa-
tion in Idaho with a substation
near Boardman, Oregon. The
transmission line is known as
the Boardman to Hemingway or
B2H project.
Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 • $1.50
2011 BAKER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE
Brown off to fast start at National Finals Rodeo
Steer wrestler placed
second in the first go-
round, wins $22,851
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Jesse Brown revels in the
glaring spotlight that is Las
Vegas.
But not in the casinos lining
The Strip.
Brown, 30, of Baker City, is
a world class steer wrestler, and
for the second straight year he
started the biggest event in ro-
deo with one of his best perfor-
mances.
Brown brought down his
steer in 4.0 seconds in the first
go-round at the National Finals
Rodeo Thursday, Dec. 1 at the
Thomas & Mack Center.
Brown, who posted the
second-fastest time, earned
$22,851.
“I feel really good about
where I’m at,” Brown said in
a phone interview on Friday
morning, Dec. 2. “Stuff can
change every night, but I think
I’m in a good position.”
Nick Guy, from Sparta, Wis-
consin, was first, at 3.8 seconds,
to win $28,914.
At the 2021 National Finals
Rodeo, Brown tied for fifth
place in the first round to win
$5,661.
That was Brown’s second
year competing in the NFR,
but the first in Las Vegas, the
event’s traditional home.
The 2020 event took place
in Texas due to the pandemic.
Brown had a fast start there, as
well, with a first-place tie in the
first round.
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Jesse Brown of Baker City wrestles his steer on Thursday, Sept. 15,
2022, at the Pendleton Round-Up.
“I’ve been glad to start off
pretty good all three years,”
Brown said.
His second-place run Thurs-
day moved him up to sixth in
the world standings for 2022,
with total earnings of $125,564.
The National Finals Rodeo
runs for 10 straight nights,
through Dec. 10.
That schedule, so unlike
most rodeos that last one or
New
chamber
director
busy from
the start
BRIEFING
—————
Pet supply drive
through Dec. 16
Bisnett Insurance is hosting a
pet supply drive for Best Friends
of Baker through Dec. 16. You
can drop off donations at Bis-
nett, at 2001 Main St. (corner
of Washington Avenue and
Main Street). Needs include
kitten and adult cat food (dry or
wet), dog food (large and small
breeds), kitten milk replace-
ment powder, and monetary
donations for medical needs
will be accepted as well.
WEATHER
—————
Today
31/17
Mostly sunny
Sunday
34/19
Afternoon snow
Monday
30/18
Morning snow
Full forecast on the back
of the B section.
The space below is for a postage label
for issues that are mailed.
A century of
change
Ralph Ward’s new book
chronicles his family’s
history raising crops and
cattle in Baker County
Devon Colton, a Baker High School
graduate, started 2 days before
Twilight Christmas Parade
Lori Rowland/Contributed Photo
An historic barn, surrounded by a wheat field, on the Ward Ranches’ property in Baker City in 2022.
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
In a year when the word “infla-
tion” has been ubiquitous, Oregon
Trail Electric Cooperative is bucking
the trend of escalating costs.
TODAY
Issue 87
12 pages
See Director / A3
Contributed Photo
Charlie Ward, Ralph’s uncle, bringing in the Ward family’s second potato harvest
in Baker Valley in 1916.
“I supplied some of the stories.
I left a few out.”
— Ralph Ward, 95, talking about
his new book chronicling is family’s
history in Baker County
“The first combine with a cab.”
GPS technology is another new
tool.
“You can tell things are GPS now
— the rows are a lot straighter,”
Ralph said with a chuckle.
The book, priced at $35, is avail-
able at Betty’s Books in Baker City.
See History / A3
OTEC keeps its rates steady,
returning $3M in capital credits
OTEC hasn’t raised
rates since 2019
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Devon Colton didn’t exactly
ease into her new job as execu-
tive director of the Baker County
Chamber of Commerce.
Her third day was Saturday,
Dec. 3, which brought one of
the chamber’s signature events,
the Christmas Twilight Parade
Colton
and lighting of the community
Christmas tree downtown.
“I’m really excited about it,” Colton, 27, said on
Wednesday, Nov. 30, the day before she started the
job.
BY LISA BRITTON
lbritton@bakercityherald.com
Ralph Ward wanted to tell the
story about his family’s long history
of farming and ranching in Baker
Valley.
But maybe not the whole story.
“I supplied some of the stories. I
left a few out,” Ward, 95, said with a
smile during a recent interview.
The idea to publish a book started
a year ago during a conversation
with family.
The project, he said, is 90% due
to his daughter, Kathy Ward, who
lives in California and visited her
dad at least once a month from Jan-
uary through August of this year
to collect stories and organize the
book.
And now it’s ready — 244 pages
full of stories and photos about the
Ward family and the role of agricul-
ture in Baker Valley.
And especially the changes over
more than a century.
“No one has lived through as
much history as the last 100 years,”
Ralph said.
And he’s quick to name his favor-
ite advancement during his many
years of farming:
two days, requires a different
sort of preparation, Brown said.
“It’s sort of like Groundhog
Day in Vegas,” he said. “There’s
a lot going on, with signings
and interviews. You just have to
find your own routine. It’s un-
like anything else.”
Brown said it’s always a relief
to finish the first round — es-
pecially with a second-place
run.
“On that first run everyone’s
got some jitters,” he said. “It’s
nice to get it out of the way.”
Brown said he didn’t feel
quite as nervous this year com-
pared with 2021 when he made
his debut in the NFR’s usual
venue at the Thomas & Mack
Center.
“It’s always a great atmo-
sphere,” he said. “It gets your
blood flowing.”
OTEC, the member-owned co-
operative that serves parts of Baker,
Union, Grant and Harney counties,
is keeping its power rates steady for
the third straight year.
OTEC typically makes any
changes to its rates in the fall, with
new rates in effect for the next year.
“We are fortunate to say we have
not raised rates since 2019 and will
not be raising rates this winter,” said
Classified ....................B2-B4
Comics ..............................B5
Community News.............A2
Crossword ...............B2 & B3
Dear Abby .........................B6
Horoscope ..............B2 & B3
Les Penning, the cooperative’s CEO.
“OTEC has seen increases in our
costs, as many businesses have, but
will continue to work to hold the
line on keeping our members’ rates
competitive.”
Those increasing costs include
fuel and other supplies, said Joe Ha-
thaway, OTEC’s communications
manager.
See OTEC / A3
Jayson Jacoby ..................A4
Lottery Results .................A2
News of Record ................A2
Updated vote
totals from
Nov. 8 released
No change in the order for
Baker City Council race
Baker City Herald
Baker County Clerk Stefanie Kirby released
updated results from the Nov. 8 election on
Wednesday, Nov. 30, and there was no change in
the Baker City Council election.
The closest race was for the fourth and final
candidate elected to the council.
Based on preliminary results from Nov. 8, Bev-
erly Calder was in fourth place, with 1,830 votes,
51 more votes than Katie LaFavor.
Calder retained her lead after postmarked
mail-in ballots were added to the tally on
Wednesday. Calder had 1,853 votes, and LaFavor
1,800.
Calder will serve a two-year term, starting in
January.
There was no change in the order of the top
three candidates, all of whom will serve four-year
terms.
Matt Diaz received the most votes, with 2,388,
incumbent Dean Guyer was second with 2,100,
and incumbent Johnny Waggoner Sr. was third
with 1,913.
Opinion .............................A4
Outdoors .................B1 & B6
Senior Menus ...................A2
Sports ...............................A5
Turning Backs ..................A2
Weather ............................B6