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Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityherald.com
February 18, 2015
DISTRICT HOOPS TOURNAMENT SECTION INSIDE
iN mis aomoN:Local • Business @AgLife • Go! magazine 0< QUICIC HITS
GOV. JOHN ICITZHABER RESIGNS TODAY
BaKerCityCouncilIliscussesPossidleBanOnMarijuana Sales
Good Day Wish To A Subscriber
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A special good day to Herald subscriber Ronald Bloom of Baker City.
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Local, 3A The Baker County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDj has pledged to sponsor two local high school students to attend the High Desertyouth Range Camp June 17-20 at the Northern Great Basin Experimental Station near Burns. The districts are asking interested students to submit an essay explaining why they would like to attend the camp, and what their future education and career plans include. Students will be selected for sponsorship based on their essay.
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By Pat Caldwell For the Baker City Herald
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Oregon's elected state leaders will confront a new paradigm today after Kate Brown is sworn in as governor, even as the shadow of an ethics scandal hovers over her predecessor, John Kitzhaber. Kitzhaber announced his resignation last weektotake effect today at 10 Bent z a.m.— after momentum regarding an ethics controversy swirling around him and his fiancee, Cylvia Hayes reachedcriticalm ass. Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, said Tuesday he was surprised by Kitzhaber's announcement and said he is still troubled by the circumstances. "I think it is safe to say I was saddened. It is unfortunate that someone could be forced out of office before anything is proven," Bentz said.
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Oregon, 5A SALEM — Incoming Oregon Gov. Kate Brown faces a monumental challenge as she takes the reins of a state government mired in scandal on less than a week's notice and with a special election already looming. America's first bisexual governor was sworn in this morning, becoming Oregon's 38th leader after fellow Democrat John Kitzhaber resigned amid ethics questions.
BRIEFING
Running clinic starts March 2 Baker Valley Physical Therapy in Baker City is offering a running clinic from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays from March 2 to April 6. The cost is $125 for a video analysis and six training sessions. Or $75 for the video analysis only. This is for runners of all skill levels, from beginning to advanced. The clinic will include instruction on running form, injury prevention, education on running efficiency and running shoes. The instructors are Blake Marlia, DPT, and Caleb Mcllmoil, DPT. To sign up and schedule a video analysis, call BVPT at 541-523-8888.
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f S. John Collins/ Baker City Herald
Rod Shaw, right, Carol Free, seated, rally with others Monday outside Baker City Hall to protest a proposed ordinance that would ban commercial sales of marijuana in the city, whether for medicinal or recreational use. allbusinesses to obtain a business license. The Baker City Council last night Councilor Jim Thomas said he continued discussing its options thinks a business license ordinance regardinga possibleban on comis a great idea. mercial marijuana sales. He had reservations, though, Councilors didn't take any action, about the potential new wording. "I'm a little bit hesitant to tie but they focused on a proposal to this into federal law, knowing what adopt abusiness license ordinance some folks in Washington do," he that would require businesses to comply with all local, state and sard. federal laws. Councilor Mike Downing had It's the latter — federal lawsconcerns that the license ordinance that would affect marijuana dispen- could be used as an excessive revsaries. Although the drug is legal for enue source. "Everybody I've talked to likes medicinal use in Oregon now, and forrecreational usefor people 21 the idea ofa business license as and older starting July 1, it remains long as it's not a revenue source," a controlle d substance under federal he said."And they like the idea of law. our businesses complying with the Baker City's current ordinance law." requires only selected types of Councilor Mack Augenfeld businesses to be licensed. The word agreed with Thomas. "It's questionable whether this is "select" would beremoved from the ordinance if the changes are correct — in my mind anyway," he adopted in the future, requiring sard. By Joshua Dillen
ldillen©bakercityherald.com
Mayor Kim Mosier asked how business license applications would be reviewed. City Manager Mike Kee explained his vision ofhow that could
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happen. "On the application form, we'll ask if the business which they've conducted complies with all laws," he said. "We'll have to take Kee somebody'sword forit." Mosier had concerns about enforcing the business license ordinance. Kee said it would be possible for people to lie on the application and be issueda business license. "It won't be long until somebody in Baker City calls the city manager or calls the police chief and asks questions," he said.
By Pat Caldwell For the Baker City Herald
Thursday
See Guard/Fbge 6A Business.......10B & 11B C alendar....................2A Classified............. 4B-9B
C o m i cs.......................sa De a r Abby...............12B L e t t ers........................4A Op i n i on..... C o m m u nity News ....3A Fi n a ncial Planning....1B Ne w s of Record........2A Sp o r t s C r o ssword........7B & SB H o r o scope........7B & SB O b i t uaries..................zA We a t her....
56/30 Mostly sunny
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OregonNational GuardPreparesForCrucial TrainingMission
An M1A2 SEP Abrams main battle tank assigned to Eastern Oregon's 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment fires on a gunnery range south of Boise in this 2013 photo. The 3rd Battalion is gearing up for a three-week training exercise at the NationalTraining Center at Fort lrwin, California, in August.
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This summer's deployment of Eastern Oregon's largest Army Guard unit to the National Training Center in California is more than just another training exercise, top leaders of the citizen-soldier outfit said last week. The stakes, in terms of future relevance, funding and recognition for the 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, are higher than at any time since the global war onterrorstarted almost 14 yearsago. The 3rd Battalion, which consist of Guard units from across Eastern Oregon and the Willamette Valley, will join its sister citizen-soldier units from Montana and Idaho for a three-week, high-tempo training exercise on the Mohave Desert at Fort Irwin, California, in August.
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T ODAY Issue 120, 40 pages
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Pst Caldwell /For the Baker City Herald
The Baker School Board will interview the three finalists for Baker School District 5J superintendent this Friday. Longtime Baker School District administrator Betty Palmer ts one of the finahsts seeking to replace Walt Wegener, who will retire June 30. Palmer has served as South Baker Intermediate School principal forthe pastsix years, and she was principal and a teacher at Haines School before that. The two other candidates are Mark Witty, a longtime employee of Grant School District No. 3 at John Day, and Robert Vian, superintendent of Joint School District 171 at Orofino, Idaho, for the past two years. Friday will begin with the three finalists touring schools during the morning. The school board will interview each finalist separately during the afternoon. A public "meet and greet" with the finalists is set for 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Baker High School commons, 2500 E St.
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Full forecast on the back of the B section. 8
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