NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
A5
Baker schools lock down after threat
By JAYSON JACOBY
Baker City Herald
BAKER CITY — Baker
High School freshman Sofie
Kaaen was having a normal
lunch at a nearby restau-
rant, until a classmate got
a phone call from a parent
with the news that someone
had made a threat about a
shooting at the school.
Nobody was thinking
much about their meal at
Paizano’s Pizza, just a cou-
ple blocks west of the BHS
campus, after that call just
after noon on Thursday,
May 26.
“Everybody started call-
ing their parents and leav-
ing,” Kaaen said. “It was
really chaotic.”
She didn’t think then
about the shooting two days
earlier at Robb Elementary
School in Uvalde, Texas, in
which 19 students and two
teachers died, and 17 other
people were wounded.
But Kaaen thought a lot
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald
A Baker City police offi cer
stands outside South Baker In-
termediate School early Thurs-
day afternoon, May 26, 2022.
of about that tragedy later,
after the initial shock had
receded.
“Afterwards I realized
that was a weird coinci-
dence,” she said. “I feel like
what happened (Thursday)
really put the Texas shoot-
ing into perspective, and
having that fear for the peo-
ple still at our school made
me reflect on how serious
school shootings really are.”
There was no active
threat at Baker High School.
But the threat, which
police said was posted on
social media, prompted
Baker City Police to respond
and the Baker School Dis-
trict to institute “a lockout”
as a precaution.
During a lockout, all out-
side doors are locked, and
students and staff remain
inside the school. Classes and
other indoor activities con-
tinue as usual.
A lockdown is a diff erent
procedure, intended for an
active threat. In a lockdown,
students are told to stay out
of sight and be quiet, and
interior doors are locked and
lights turned off .
During the incident, which
lasted about an hour, police
offi cers were posted outside
the entrance to each school.
At about 1 p.m., the
school district sent auto-
mated notices to parents stat-
ing that the lockout had ended.
BHS students describe
their experiences
Anthony Christopher, a
junior, said he usually leaves
campus during lunch, but on
Thursday he “didn’t feel like
driving.”
When the lockout was
announced, and students who
were eating lunch outside told
to return to the school, Chris-
topher said “in the moment
it was kind of scary, but they
handled it really well.”
He said the Texas shooting
“probably went through my
head like twice.”
Freshman Jayden Whitford
said she was also thinking
about what happened in Texas
when the lockout started.
“I was outside at lunch
with a bunch of my friends
when we saw cop cars and
police enter and (Skye) Fla-
nagan (BHS principal) told
everyone to go inside,” Whit-
ford said. “Then we just were
told to stay in our next class
until further notice and we
weren’t allowed to leave the
Offi ce and Oregon State Police
all responded to schools.
Initially it appeared that
the postings from Baker Mid-
dle School referred to a new
threat.
But “after some investi-
gation offi cers were able to
determine that postings by
middle school students ref-
erenced the fi rst incident that
had already been handled and
found to be unsubstantiated,”
according to Duby.
Another separate threat
came in later regarding a
shooting threat at the mid-
dle school. Baker City Police
identifi ed a 12-year-old BMS
student as the source of the
threat. The student was cited
for fi rst-degree disorderly
conduct.
“I want to publicly thank
the Baker 5J School District,
the Baker County Sheriff ’s
Offi ce, and the Oregon State
Police for acting quickly and
working in coordination to
resolve the incident,” Duby
said.
class. It was scary since I
didn’t know what was going
on. I made sure I told my
loved ones about it cause I
was just scared. I did think
it was a real threat but I tried
not thinking about it cause it
would probably freak me out
even more.”
In a press release, Baker
City Police Chief Ty Duby
said the department on
Wednesday, May 25, received
a potential threat of a shoot-
ing at Baker High School
involving a BHS student.
Police investigated that
report Thursday morning and
found it to be unsubstantiated.
Students from Baker Mid-
dle School posted and shared
messages on social media
regarding a school shooting
in the works, according to the
press release.
That prompted the school
district to start the lockout,
which is standard protocol in
such situations.
Offi cers from Baker City,
the Baker County Sheriff ’s
COPS AND COURTS
Circuit Court
May 25
Daniel Antonio Lopez, 35,
pleaded guilty to unauthorized use
of a vehicle, felon in possession of
a fi rearm and second-degree theft
in connection with an incident that
happened on Feb. 15. Two addi-
tional charges, possession of a sto-
len vehicle and unlawful posses-
sion of a fi rearm, were dismissed.
Lopez was sentenced to 18 months
in prison with credit for time served.
He was also ordered to submit to one
year of post-prison supervision. In
two separate cases, Lopez pleaded
guilty to third-degree theft in con-
nection with a Feb. 16 incident and
failure to appear for a March 16
court date. An additional charge of
second-degree failure to appear was
dismissed. In each of those cases he
was sentenced to 30 days in jail with
credit for time served. All the sen-
tences are to be served concurrently.
Oregon State Police
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff ’s
Offi ce reported the following for the
week ending May 25:
Concealed handgun licenses: 10
Average inmates: 9
Bookings: 7
Releases: 4
Arrests: 3
Citations: 2
Fingerprints: 3
Civil papers: 15
Warrants processed: 0
Assist/welfare check: 2
Search and rescue: 1
Justice Court
The Grant County Justice Court
reported the following activity for
the week ending May 25:
Traffi c citations fi led: 8
Misdemeanors fi led: 2
Small claims fi led: 1
Cases on probation: 42
Hearings held: 5
Driver’s license suspensions: 7
Violation of the basic rule: Dan-
iel Glynn Pouch, 22, Portland, April
29, 85/55 zone, fi ned $265.
Violating the speed limit: Kyle
Schlagenhauf, 53, Arcata, Califor-
nia, 85/65 zone, fi ned $265.
Driving while suspended or
revoked: Sherry Lee Ann Nye, 42,
Payette, Idaho, March 15, fi ned
$440; Thomas Harry Stephens, 60,
Canyon City, May 1, fi ned $440;
Joseph Michael Warren, 38, Canyon
City, May 1, fi ned $440; Thomas
Edward Pfeifer, 52, Prairie City,
March 13, fi ned $440.
No operator’s license: Douglas
Delando Reece, 43, Spring, Texas,
April 12, fi ned $265.
Driving uninsured: Thomas
Harry Stephens, 60, Canyon City,
May 1, fi ned $265; Joseph Michael
Warren, 38, Canyon City, May
1, fi ned $265; Douglas Delando
Reece, 43, Spring, Texas, April 12,
fi ned $265.
Dispatch
Grant County dispatch worked
150 calls during the week ending
May 25, including:
• Oregon State Police
May 20
3:34 p.m.: Advised of a driv-
ing complaint on Highway 26 near
milepost 157.
May 21
8:11 p.m.: Advised of cows on
Highway 26 near milepost 147.
May 24
7:32 p.m.: Advised of a driv-
ing complaint on Highway 26 near
milepost 160.
8:45 p.m.: Advised of a riv-
ing complaint on Highway 26 near
milepost 159.
May 25
10:48 a.m.: Advised of garbage
coming out of a truck on Highway
26 near milepost 157.
• Grant County Sheriff
May 18
8:22 a.m.: Responded to Grant
Union High School for a public
assist.
11:53 a.m.: Responded to Dairy
Queen, John Day, for a report of
animal abuse.
5:01 p.m.: Responded to Grant
County Fairgrounds, John Day, for
a suspicious person.
9:46 p.m.: Received a report of
a stolen vehicle from South Canyon
Boulevard, John Day.
May 19
12:20 a.m.: Received a report
of shots fi red on Southwest Brent
Street, John Day.
9:06 a.m.: Responded to High-
way 26 near milepost 156 with
Oregon State Police and Oregon
Department of Transportation for a
fallen tree on the highway.
9:16 a.m.: Responded to Prairie
City School for a public assist.
12:55 p.m.: Responded to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park, John
Day, for a welfare check.
1:34 p.m.: Received a report of
possible elder abuse.
2:12 p.m.: Responded to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park, John
Day, with John Day Ambulance
for s 79-year-old male with mem-
ory issues.
4:35 p.m.: Responded to West
Main Street, John Day, for a report
of a domestic assault.
5:58 p.m.: Responded to Sec-
ond Street, Prairie City. Ronald
James Salazar, 34, was arrested
on charges related to domestic
violence.
6:57 p.m.: Responded to the
Elks Club, John Day, for a suspi-
cious person.
7:33 p.m.: Advised of a theft of
cans from the can return at Ches-
ter’s Market, John Day.
May 20
12:20 a.m.: Tiff any Rose
Tkachenko, aka Tiff any Rose Sand-
ers, 36, of Redmond turned herself
in at the Grant County Jail and was
arrested on a Grant County warrant.
7:42 a.m.: Traffi c stop, High-
way 26 near milepost 153. Kas-
sidy Williams, 21, of John Day was
cited for violating the basic rule
(84/55 zone).
10:07 a.m.: Responded to
Highway 395 South near mile-
post 4C for a single-vehicle crash.
Grant Union Classes of
1957 & 1958
(All surrounding classes please join us!)
We are having a get-together
June 11th 1pm
East end of Holliday State Park
No luncheon planned
Bring your Snacks and Chairs.
John Day Fire, John Day Ambu-
lance and Oregon State Police also
responded.
4:02 p.m.: Traffi c stop, High-
way 26 near milepost 145. Stanley
Lochrie, 71, of West Linn was cited
for violating the basic rule (80/55
zone).
May 21
12:49 a.m.: Responded to Front
Street, Prairie City, for a trespass-
ing complaint.
2:13 p.m.: Traffi c stop, High-
way 395 South near milepost 9C.
Driver warned for violating the
basic rule.
3:32: Advised of a fraud report
from Williams Street, Prairie City.
5:09 p.m.: Responded to OK
garage in Long Creek for a harass-
ment complaint.
5:28 p.m.: Responded to Can-
yon City. Leland Turner, 88, of
Canyon City was cited for hit and
run.
6:26 p.m.: Traffi c stop, High-
way 26 near milepost 158. Driver
warned for violating the basic rule.
8:32 p.m.: Responded to South-
west First Street, John Day, for a
welfare check.
9:09 p.m.:
Responded
to
Oxbow Restaurant, Prairie City, for
a report of trespassing and criminal
mischief.
9:19 p.m.: Responded to High-
way 26 near Johnson Avenue to
assist a motorist.
10:10 p.m.: Responded to Can-
yon Creek Lane, Canyon City, to
remove a hazard cow from the
road.
May 22
10 a.m.: Responded to Clyde
Holliday State Park, Mt. Vernon, for
a driving complaint.
May 24
12:01 a.m.: Advised of a
reported burglary on Northwest
Third Street, John Day.
7:27 a.m.: Responded to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park, John
Day, for a report of custodial
interference.
5:42 p.m.: Responded to Mead-
owbrook Apartments, John Day, for
a verbal domestic dispute.
6:52 p.m.: Grant County Search
and Rescue Team responded to
Highway 395 and Forest Road 3900
for a missing person report.
May 25
1:04 p.m.: Responded with Ore-
gon State Police to Lower Yard
Road, John Day, for a report of shots
fi red. Christopher Hoppe, 39, of
John Day was arrested on multiple
charges, No injuries were reported.
4:29 p.m.: Took a report from
Mt. Vernon of an assault on a child.
6 p.m.: Responded with Ore-
gon State Police to Len’s Pharmacy,
John Day. Michael Shane Griffi n,
45, of John Day was cited for hit
and run.
9:19 p.m.: Responded to West
Main Street, John Day, for a domes-
tic dispute. Jessica Anne Thomas,
38, of John Day was arrested on an
assault charge.
• John Day Ambulance
May 18
4:13 p.m.: Dispatched to Jenkins
Road, Mt. Vernon, for an elderly
female with a medical issue.
8:54 p.m.: Dispatched to River-
side Mobile Home Park for a medi-
cal welfare check. No transport.
May 19
12:30 a.m.: Dispatched to Cot-
tonwood Street, Mt. Vernon, for a
person with mental health issues.
Grant County Sheriff ’s Offi ce also
responded.
9:09 a.m.: Dispatched to Valley
View Assisted Living for a 74-year-
old female with shortness of breath.
7:36 p.m.: Patient transport to
St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center.
May 20
4:41 p.m.: Dispatched to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park for a
58-year-old female with diffi culty
breathing.
May 21
5:31 p.m.: Dispatched to Dug-
out Lane for a 92-year-old male hav-
ing a stroke.
May 22
6:23 a.m.: Dispatched to Val-
ley View Memory Care for a n
86-year-old female with low oxygen
saturation.
8:58 a.m.: Patient transport from
Valley View.
10:50 a.m.: Dispatched to
Thomason Lane for an 89-year-old
man with a fall injury.
May 23
12:06 p.m.: Dispatched to Front
Street, Prairie City, for a male hav-
ing a seizure.
May 24
2:11 a.m.: Dispatched to Canyon
Creek Apartments for a 35-year-old
male vomiting.
2:55 a.m.: Dispatched to Dayton
Street for a 28-year-old female who
had just given birth.
11:27 a.m.: Dispatched to
Southwest First Avenue for a male
subject with dizziness. Patient
refused transport.
May 25
11:09 a.m.: Responded to North-
east Elm Street. Female transported
to hospital.
11:40 a.m.: Dispatched to
Aldrich View Place for a female
who fell down the stairs. Patient
transported to hospital.
• Seneca Ambulance
May 19
3:30 p.m.: Dispatched to A Ave-
nue for a 65-year-old female with
pain and swelling in her feet. John
Day Ambulance also responded.
4:39 p.m.: Dispatched to Park
Avenue for a 52-year-old male hav-
ing convulsions. John Day Ambu-
lance also responded.
• Monument Ambulance
May 23
3:10 p.m.:
Dispatched
to
Third Street for a male with neck
pain. John Day Ambulance also
responded, transported subject to
hospital.
A MAN
WAKES
UP in the
morning
after sleeping on...
an advertised bed, in advertised
pajamas.
He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR,
have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an
ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his
ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an
ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person
hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his
non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE.
Then it’s too late.
AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK?
DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE
Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it!
Blue Mountain Eagle
MyEagleNews.com
S286526-1
Arrests and citations in the Blue
Mountain Eagle are taken from the
logs of law enforcement agencies.
Every eff ort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest cases.
Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710
S. John Collins / Baker City Herald, File
Holcomb Park is on the north shore of the Powder River arm of
Brownlee Reservoir about three miles east of Richland. Baker
County owns and operates the park along with its neighbor,
Hewitt Park.
Stranded boats
return safely
By JAYSON JACOBY
Baker City herald
RICHLAND — Four peo-
ple in two separate boats made
it safely back to Hewitt Park,
on the Powder River arm
of Brownlee Reservoir near
Richland, after both vessels
had fuel problems on Mon-
day 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
offi cer for the Baker County
Sheriff ’s Offi ce.
The caller said the
21-foot boat had run out of
gas and lacked oars. It was
in the middle of the river
near Brownlee Dam.
(McClay said there is no
report on the incident and
she hadn’t confi rmed the
names of any of the four
people involved.)
There were two people
and one dog aboard, McClay
said.
While Marine Deputy
Wayne Paxton and Deputy
Brian Harvey were en route
to the scene in a patrol boat,
the Dispatch Center received
a second call.
A woman from La Grande
said she had spoken by cell-
phone with her husband and
son about 12:58 p.m., and
that the motor in their boat,
in the same area of the reser-
voir, would not start.
The woman told a dis-
patcher that the call ended
and she couldn’t reach her
husband and son again.
Then Dispatch received
a third call, this one from
one of the people on the fi rst
stranded boat.
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
became clear that the rescu-
ers were the father and son
from La Grande, McClay
said.
But the problems weren’t
over.
While the La Grande
father and son were tow-
ing the other boat, their
own boat, a 1978 Marlin
Sidewinder, also stopped
running.
When Paxton and Har-
vey arrived later in the after-
noon, they poured fuel into
the fi rst boat, which started.
The issue with the sec-
ond boat was that it hadn’t
automatically
switched
from the empty tank to
a tank that still had fuel.
The boat owner fixed that
issue and all three boats,
with the Sheriff’s Office
vessel in the rear, returned
to Hewitt Park, McClay
said.
Burnt River School District
Now enrolling students
for Fall 2022!