Baker City Herald paper 01-22-16

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Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com

January 22, 2016

iN mis aonioN: L ocal • Health@Fitness • Outdoors • TV $ <

New monthly magazine debuts inside today's issue

QUICIC HITS

la s arney,

A special good day to Herald subscriber Clarane Sundin of Baker City.

Local, 2A A Baker City Police officer was among those from agencies around the state who traveled to Burns this week to help Harney County law enforcement agencies maintain order during the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner said the officer traveled to Burns on Sunday.

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By Joshua Dillen ldillen©bakercityherald.com

Local, 3A The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) recently captured seven Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep nearthe Snake River in Baker County and movedthe animals to the Tucannon unit in Southeastern Washington state. The transplant was part of the Hells Canyon Initiative, a joint effort by state and federal agencies, and sporting groups, to restore bighorn sheep throughout Hells Canyon. Two other bighorns from Oregon were moved to Washington last year, ODFW spokeswoman Michell e Dennehy said.

Oregon, 6A Speed limits will increase March1 on sections of several Oregon highways — including Interstate 84 through Eastern Oregon. Find out which ones, and what the new limits will be, including a map.

WEATHER

Today

38I31 Rain or snow

Saturday

40I 25 Rain or snow

Sunday

36I 23 Partly sunny Full forecast on the back of the B section.

Correction: A story in Wednesday's issue regarding the May 17 primary election for a Baker County Commission position contained an error. Candidates for the Independent Party of Oregon do not have to gather 500 signatures to qualify as candidates. They can either pay a $50 filing fee or gather signatures, the same choice as for Democrat or Republican candidates.

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ThomasAngus RanchUsesHigh-TechMethodsToBoostCalfProduction

Good Day Wish To A Subscriber

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S. John Collins /BakerCity Herald

A Venezuelan veterinarian, Willian Garcia, collects the oocytes in the test tube with his right hand. His job puts him behind a cow in the holding chute. The yellow "Ibex" lid is the back side of the ultrasound screen he watches intently as he aspirates (removes) the oocytes (egg cells) from ovaries of pregnant cows. The test tube will be taken to a lab on the premises.

For the Baker City Herald

With the use of an ultrasound machine and other high-tech tools, veterinarians from South America are helping the Thomas Angus Ranch greatly increaseproduction oftheirpurebred cattle. The procedure is called in vitro fertilization (IVF), a process that doesn't require hormones and keeps cows in production. "It's easier on the cow," said Rob Thomas, owner of the ranch just outside Baker City."Animal welfare is always the most important to us. We're very fond of our cows." Thomas said the newer IVF process is an"emerging technology" that originated in South America. Right now, Willian Garcia and his wife, Gabriela Goncalves — both veterinarians from Venezuelaare working on the ranch. "Theyhave much more training,much more experience," Thomas said of the vets from South America."They are the best in the world." In this procedure, oocytes (egg cells) are aspirated (removed) from the ovaries of a pregnant cow using a needle and ultrasound machine. These oocytes are then fertilized and placed in a recipient cow through IVF. Oocytes can be collected every two weeks for the first 100 days of pregnancy. After that, the cow goes on to have her one calf, w hile surrogate mothers gestate the othercalves that grew from the fertilized eggs. On average, Thomas said, one ofhis cows can produce five to 10 calves each year through this process, as opposed to one calf. "It's incredible," he said. The ranch now has four calving seasons so the IVF process can be done year-round. By controlling the source of the embryos and semen, Thomas said the ranch can produce more "highly productive, genetically superior animals." sWe're using the best bulls in the country," Thomas said.

See CountyIPage2A

Teachers question Friday workplan By Chris Collins ccollins©bakercityherald.com

S. John Collins /BakerCity Herald

Veterinarian Gabriela Goncalves works in sterile surroundings where she uses a microscope and other biological equipment to isolate and collect each cow's oocytes (egg cells). After birth and weaning, the"embryo calves" are sent to a leased ranch in Wyoming. See Test TubesIFbge 6A

raSSSee SOWnon urne area By Joshua Dillen

a $500,000grantfrom the

ldillen©bakercityherald.com

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Baker Valley Soil and Water Conservation Districts

TO D A T Issue 110, 42 pages

(SWCD), Baker County Commissioners learned during their meeting Wednes-

day.

$6,000 per year for those services. Hedid notprovide an amount paid by the BLM, but that agency paid a substantial amount to the county for the purchase of safety and rescue equipment last year.

By Lisa Britton

Recoveryeffortsforthe 104,000-acreWindy Ridge/ Cornet Fire are underway in Baker County. About 6,000 acres of private land are being seeded with grass through

Wednesday's Baker County Commission meeting included a discussion about the militia group that is occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, and how the situation relates to Baker County. The discussion started with Dave McQuisten asking commissioners about the county's cooperative law enforcement agreements with federal agencies. He asked if the county is still operating under these agreements with the BLM and Forest Service. Commission Chairman Bill Harvey said the agreements wtth those agenctes stipulate that the Sherifl"s 0$ce patrol federallandsin Baker County. He said the Forest Service pays about

Jason Yencopal, the county's emergency services director, said the county is focusing on seeding burned areastoreduce the risk of floods and landslides, as well as working on community planning to address wildfire threats in the future.

Commission Chairman Bill Harvey confirmed with Yencopal that the county is working on helping ranchers with what Harvey called "desperately needed" fence replacement as well.

For the second time this school year an overflow audience filled the Baker School Board's meeting room tolodgecomplaints about administrativ eplans forthe future. The first time, the concern was about the district's new math curriculum plans. Thursday night, a select group of teachers expressed concerns about extending the Friday schedule for students who now attend classes Monday through Thursday. About 50 teachers sat in the audience to lend support and applauseastheirrepresentativesaddressed the board for about a half-hour. Earlier this month, Superintendent Mark Witty announced plans to change the 2016-17 school calendar by addingmore opportunities for students to work with teachers on Fridays. The schedule also would include timeforprofessionaldevelopment and collaboration.

See SeedingIFbge 8A

See FridayslPage 2A

Carendar....................2A C o m m u nity News....3A He a l th ...............5C & 6C O p i n ion......................4A Sp o r t s ........................5A Classified.............1B4B Cr o s sword........2B & 3B Ja y son Jacoby..........4A Ou t d o ors..........1C & 2C T e l evision .........3C & 4C Comics... ....................5B Dear Abby .. ...............6B News of Record ........2A Senior Menus ...........2A Weather .....................6B

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