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Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
December 25, 2015
iN mis aonioN: L ocal • Health@Fitness • Outdoors • TV $ < QUICIC HITS
BaKerCountyCoupleTaKes'Trip OfAlifetime'
Good Day Wish To A Subscriber
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A special good day to Herald subscriber Patricia Huey of Baker City.
Oregon, 5A PORTLAND (AP)The state of Oregon has agreed to pay $15 million to settle a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of nine children abused by a Salem foster parent. The payout is a record for wrongdoing by an Oregon agency. Attorney Steven Rizzo filed the suit against the Oregon Department of Human Services on behalf of infants and toddlers ranging in age from 2 days to 3 years, reportedThe Oregonian (http://goo.gl/iqjkPU ). It claims department employees ignored signs of abuse by former foster parent 31-year-old James Earl Mooney, who is serving a 50-year prison sentence.
x er i e nce
• Visit to Bethlehem changed Denise Ransom's feelings at Christmas
By Chris Collins ccollins©bakercityherald.com
Baker County's Cribs for Kids program is gaining momentum as cash donations to help support the program come rolling in. Once establ ished,theprogram willprovide free Pack 'n Play safe sleeping systems to families who can't afford to buy a crib for their new babies. The campaign to ensure that new babies have safe beds to go home to once they leave the hospital was prompted by concern in the medical and law enforcement communities raisedby two baby deaths earlierthisyear attributed to co-sleeping. SeeCribs/Page GA
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BRIEFING
Driver flees police, crashes
Bentz plans meeting on minimum wage Rep. Cliff Bentz, ROntario, has scheduled a public meeting in Baker City next month to listen to constituents' comments about proposals to increase Oregon's minimum wage to $13.50 or $15.00 from the current $9.25 The meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 5, from 6:30p.m.to8:30 p.m. at the Sunridge Inn.
A Coloradoman stopped forspeeding Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 84 fled from police and crashed into two cars on Pocahontas Road near 10th Street, temporarily closing one of the city's busier intersections. No serious injuries were reported. Anthony Joseph Yattaw, 26, of Castle Rock, Colorado, was arrested afterthecrash. SeeCrash/Page 2A
GAS PRICESCONTINUE DROPPING
Open swims at Sam-0 Center BAKER CITY — Sam0 Swim Center, 580 Baker St. in Baker City, will have special open swim times during the holiday break. The pool will be open from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 26, then will have two open swim sessions per day Dec. 28-30 — from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will also be a session Jan. 2 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost per session is $3 for those younger than 18.
Baker Heritage Museum has holiday hours Baker Heritage Museum will be open special holiday hours, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 26 through Jan. 2. The museum is at 2480 Grove St. in Baker City. Admission is $6 adults, $5 seniors and youth age 13-17, and free for 12 and younger.
WEATHER
Today
29/14
oe
Photo courtesy of Denise Ransom
A Christmas gift for drivers
This painting adorns the wall of a church in Bethlehem.
By Jayson Jacoby
"It was wonderful to be
llacoby©bakercityherald.com
When dusk falls on this holiest of nights on the Christian calendar, Denise Ransom's memories will carry her haifway across the world from her Baker County home. She will remember the day this past April when she and her husband, Cal, stood where the story of Christmas truly began. They were outside Bethlehem. They looked across the fields where shepherds tended their flocks on the night a baby was born in a stable, and was laid in a manger by his mother, Mary. The visit to Bethlehem was among many highlights of the 10-day trip the Ransoms, who live near Richland, made to the Holy Land. "It was wonderful to be able to walk where Jesus walked," Denise said on Tuesday."It was the trip of a lifetime." Every Christmas will be
able to walk where Jesus
walked. It was the trip fo a lifetime."
Santa might want to augment his eight reindeer with a V-8 engine. The jolly old elfs fuel bill — at least for the American segment ofhis overnight runwould be a bargain. Gasoline prices in the U.S. haven't been this low during the Christmas season since
— Denise Ransom
different, she said, now that she has visited Jesus' birthplace. 'That gave me a thrill," she said."It was a special time." The Ransoms will give a PowerPoint presentation of their trip on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. at the Keating Fire Hall, 26488 Keating Grange Lane. Refreshments will be provided. Donations will be accepted and will help Keating Cub Scouts attend day camp. The Ransoms' memorable tripactually started ata wedding they attended more than two years ago in Montana. The couple got to talking with a woman who is a friend of the bride.
Photo courtesy of Denise Ransom
Denise and Cal Ransom.
2008. The conversation veered into travel, and the woman told the Ransoms that she arranges two tourseach year to Israel. The Ransoms were intrigued. But they couldn't schedule the trip until this past April. Denise said they traveled with about 10 other people, most of them from Montana and all of whom, like the Ransoms, are Christians. The group started its tour in Tel Aviv, Israel.
SeeGas Prices/Page 3A
Christmas GasPrices YEAR 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008
SeeHoly Land/Page 8A
U.S. Avg.
Ore. Avg.
$2.00 $2.33 $3.26 $3.25 $3.23 $3.03 $2.59 $1.65
$2.32 $2.59 $3.30 $3.31 $3.38 $3.07 $2.70 $1.74
'Mysteries attheMuseum'visits Saker ity • Episode from Baker Heritage Museum airs Friday on Travel Channel
By Lisa Britton For the Baker City Herald
Travel Channel's "Mysteries at the Museum" searches for obscure artifacts to highlight, especially items that relate to modernlife. At the Baker Heritage Museum, that
object is a small, gold-tinted compact that once held Odo-ro-no, the first antiperspirant. This item and the story behind it will be featured on"Mysteries at the Museum" at 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 25, on the Travel Channel.
The segment, which includes footage of downtown Baker City as well as museum displays, was filmed about a year ago, said Don Wildman, host of the show. SeeMuseum/Page 8A
Snow showers
Friday
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27/8
Issue 98, 20 pages
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