Baker City Herald paper 2-13-15

Page 1

•g •

4R

I •

~

) / ~ J'

-J

w x r -

In OREGON, 5A

Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityheratd.com

February 13, 2015

iN mis aomoN: L ocal • Health@Fitness • Outdoors • TV $ < QUICIC HITS

First SkillsUSACludCompetition at BaKerHighSchool

Good Day Wish To A Subscriber

rea 'vi

A special good day to Herald subscriber Rod Mehl of Baker City.

NO SCHOOL MONDAY There will be no school Monday, Feb. 16, in celebration of Presidents Day. Baker School District students instead will attend classes Tuesday through Friday to fill out their four-day-week schedule. Most government offices will also be closed Monday.

• More than 100 high students show OA'welding, engineering skills

By Pat Caldwell

Local, 2A

For the Baker City Herald

Haggen, the Washington grocery chain that has bought the Baker City Albertsons store, will convert the business to a Haggen store in late May or early June, a spokesperson saidThursday. The store will be closed no more than a few days for the transition.

Oregon District 60 Rep. Cliff Bentz, ROntario, said Wednesday night that he did not believe Gov. John Kitzhaber will resign from his post. Yet in a rapidly shifting politi calsaga,key members of Kitzhaber's own Democratic party today urged him to step (lown. Senate President Peter Courtney and House MajorBentz ity Leader Tina Kotek, both Democrats, met with the governor earlier today and recommended he resign, according to published reports (seemore on Page 5A). Meanwhile, Bentz, who represents Baker County, said while the scandal involving the governor and his fiancee, Cylvia Hayes, is relevant, a lotofdetailsm ust bebrought to light before any kind of final decision is made by anyone. 'There's a lot more work to be done," Bentz said."The facts that are involved in this have not been fully investigated." Bentz said a rush to judgment would be contrary to American ideals. "I think iKitzhaberl deserves what everyone else deserves, and that's the opportunity to havethefactssorted out,"Bentzsaid.

State, 3A SALEM — Three Republican lawmakers want to give counties the ability to allow hunting of cougars with dogs, if residents decide that's what they want. Oregonians in 1994 passed a measure that banned using dogs and bait to hunt black bears and cougars. The ban has been a perennial target in Salem among Republicans, and some rural Democrats, who want counties to have the option of tracking and treeing cougars with hounds. The bill is also a perennial long shot in part because it needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

BRIEFING

City planners to meet Feb. 18 The Baker City Planning Commission will meet Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 1655 First St. Planners will consider conditional-use permit requests for the construction of a bandstand at Geiser-Pollman Park, as well as the city's request to develop a trailhead at 945 Resort St. for the Leo Adler Memorial Parkway.

WEATHER

Today

53/32 Mostly sunny

Saturday

58 /24 Mostly sunny

Sunday

Medical pot fans to protest

at Ci Hall S. John Collins/ Baker City Herald

High school team members weld their magic and let the sparks fly behind curtains.

By Chris Collins ccollins©bakercityherald.com

More than 100 students fiom Baker, Vale, Elgin and PineEagle high schools tested their skills in the Baker Technical Institute's first-ever Skills USA Club competition Monday. Those schools are part of a consortium that was awarded a

Career and Technical Education Grant last year to expand their training programs. Baker High School hosted the Skills USA event, which tested students in the areas of welding, engineering, construction and automotive technology. Community residents judged the events. "It was an absolute hubbub of

activity the whole day," said BTI Director Jerry Peacock. "I think it's fair to say that the advisers,whoare alsothe instructors, learned as much fiom the event as the kids did," he said of the inaugural competition.

A group of medical marijuana proponents plans a peaceful protest Monday and Tuesday at Baker City Hall to urge city councilors to letvotersdecidewhether to ban commercial sales of marijuana here. Rod Shaw, who has lived in Baker City for almosteight years,isorganizing the protests, which are slated to start about 10 a.m. both

days.

SeeSkillslPage 8A

SeeProtestlPage 8A

FundraiserForVMCAPreschoolProgram

ISSC OO SISCIeII S l11088IC IIllS SI' ISCSS By Lisa Britton

the students. Other collaborative works include a The perfect piece,theperfectpiece,m ust wooden flag, watercolors and paintings. find the perfect piece ... The large pieces — five to six total — will Preschoolers in the 4- and 5-year-old class be sold by live auction during the annual "Eat Your Art Out" fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. at the Baker YMCA sifted through pieces of polished glass and stones on Monday to Thursday, March 12. The event will be at the Baker Commucreatetheirown mosaic masterpieces. They also worked on a larger piece, a nity Event Center, 2600 Grove St. mosaic with tree branches and birds. Local artist Andrea Stone worked with SeePreschool I Page 2A For the Baker City Herald

TO D A T Issue 118, 22 pages

Full forecast on the back of the B section.

By Jayson Jacoby llacoby©bakercityherald.com

54/24 Mostly sunny

Adefiant ICitzhaber

Photo by Lisa Britton for the Baker City Herald

Working together, from left, are Conner Anders, Henry Gaslin and Liam Jobes. These three boys are in the morning YMCA preschool class for ages 4 and 5.

Calendar....................2A C o m m u nity News ....3A He a lth ...............5C & 6C O b i t uaries..................2A Sp o r ts ........................6A Classified............. 1B-BB C r o ssword........za & 3B Ja y s on Jacoby..........4A Opi n i on......................4A T e l e vision .........3C & 4C Comics... ....................7B DearAbby.................SB News of Record... .....2A Outdoors..........1C & 2C Weather.....................SB

I s 8

•000

•000

51153 00102

•000

o


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.