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-( Reg OFial Serving Baker County since 1870 • bakercityheratd.com
March 11, 2015
iN mis aonioN: Local • B usiness @AgLife • Go! magazine $ < QUICIC HITS
Good Day Wish To A Subscriber A special good day to Herald subscriber Irene Meng of Baker City.
Bill In OreoonleoislatureWouldTransfer FederallandToTheState
BAIt',ER CITY COUNCIL
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BRIEFING
Free vision screening for
• Bill faces long odds in a Legislature controlled by Democrats
kids March 17 Free vision screenings for children ages 3-7 will be offered on Tuesday, March 17, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the library, 2400 Resort St. No pre-registration is necessary.
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Localathletes competing in Special Olympics
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Six Special Olympics athletes from Baker City will be competing in the 2015 Special Olympics Oregon Winter Games at Mount Bachelor in Bend on March 14-15. Participating athletes are Molly Hirsh, Jamie McClaughry, Jennifer Glerup, Janet Stout, Emily Moe andTessie Smith. They will be competing in alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowboarding.
• Councilors drop business licenseplan and optinstead for a ban on medical and recreati onalma rijuana stores
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By Joshua Dillen ldillen©bakercityherald.com
Marijuana stores might not have a bright future in Baker City. After city councilors on Tuesday abandoned one possible way to prevent the commercial sale of marijuana in town, they moved forward with another. Councilors decided to drop aproposed business license ordinance that would require businesses to comply with all local, state and federal laws — which would have effectively banned the sale of marijuana in the city, since the drug remains a controlled substance under federal law. Councilors had passed the first reading of a business license ordinance on Feb. 24. But on Tuesday councilors instead approved the first and second readings of Ordinance No. 3336, which has nothing to do with business licenses. SeePot SalesIPageGA
Season kickoff spaghetti feed at golf course Quail Ridge Golf Course will have its season kickoff spaghetti feed on Saturday, March 28, at the golf course, 2801 Indiana Ave. The social hour begins at 6 p.m., with dinner at 7. A live auction follows dinner. The price of $15 includes your social membership and dinner served with wine. The City Golf Club, also known as the social board, sponsors this event, and all proceeds go to the improvement of the golf course and buildings as well as the enhancement of the golf experience for the community of Baker City. Reservations are required and must be made by calling Jen Godwin at 541-519-2060 or Cheryl Eddy at 541523-5335.
St. Patrick's Day brunch March 21 at Elks Lodge The Lady Elks will have their St. Patrick's Day brunch on Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Baker Elks Lodge, 1896 Second St. Elks and their guests are invited. Cost is $15 and includes an array of dishes. All proceeds help pay for scholarships for local kids to attend the Missoula Children's Theater.
WEATHER
Today
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POSSIBLE WOLF PREDATION
S. John Collins/Baker City Herald file photo
Autumn color accents a forested view from Black Mountain, southwest of Baker City.
nificant effectin Baker County. About half of the county's 2 million acres is managed by Legislation to compel the federalgovernment to transfer eitheroftwofederalagencies,the Forest Service and the BLM. contmloflarge swaths ofpublic land to the state was intmduced The concept, which would in the Oregon House of Repreoverturn more than a century of management of public land, sentatives recently. House Bill 3444would require is not as unusual as it might the United States to"e~ sh appear. title to public lands and transfer Utah,forexample,appmved title to public lands to state on or legislation in 2012 — dubbed beforeDec.13,2018."The billis the Utah Transfer of Public sponsoredby Rep.Jim Weidner,a LandsAct— to obligethefederal Republican fmm Yamhill County. government to give a bulk of the The legislation secured a first land it manages back to the state reading March 2 and on Monday after 2014. was assigned to the Committee Nevada lawmakers reon Rural Communities, Land cently tackled a resolution that Use and Water. requested Congress to transfer The bill, though it faces long a large chunk of federal landmore than 5 million acres — to odds in a Legislature contmlled by Democrats, would have a sig- state jurisdiction, and Montana By Pat Caldwell
For the Baker City Herald
legislators are also grappling with the federal-to-state land transfer concept. Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz, ROntario, said he is familiar with Weidner's bill. "It's a common idea and it's been amund a while," said Bentz, who represents Baker County at the Legislature. Bentz said Utah probably m usters a betterlegalargument thanOregon regarding a massive land swap. Bentz said while he supports anyinitiative designed to create more local political contml, he admitted thereare some valid questions regardinga transferofpublic lands f'mm the federal government to state contml.
Ranchers seek $40,000 after above-average cattle losses By Katy Nesbitt VVesCom News Servlce
Baker County ranchers suffered above normal livestock losses in wolf country last summer and they're looking to the state for nearly $40,000 in compensation. Roger Gulick of Halfway is one of three ranchers seeking reimbursement for cattle that didn't return from their Wallowa Mountain summer range last year. Gulick said he turns out his cattle June 15 and has a permit for 90 cows. When they came out Oct. 1 he was nine calves and seven cows short. "I have no visual proof iof wolf predation); they just didn't come home," Gulick said."I waited a couple, three weeks to make sure they weren't floating around in someone's bunch."
SeeTransfer/Bge 8A
See Cattle/Page GA
chool districtdeginsleadershiytransition By Chris Collins ccollins©bakercityherald.com
Betty Palmer joined the Baker School Board at the table Tuesday night while retiring Superintendent Walt Wegener and Mark Witty, incoming superintendent,
both sat among the audience. The board approved a con-
tractpaying Palmer $8,715.67 per month 4ased on a salary of
$104,588peryear)asthedistrict's interim superintendent while Witty finishes his job at Grant
School District in John Day. Witty has served as superintendent there for the past five years. Palmer, South Baker School principal forthepastsix years, began serving in the interim post Monday and will continue
in that role through June 30. As
principal, she earned $90,088 on a 225-day contract. The interim superintendent' scontractisbased on a 260-day contract. SeeSchoolslPage5A
Pa lmer
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Business... ........1B & 2B Comics.......................3B DearAbby..... ............SB News of Record... .....2A Senior Menus...........2A Calendar....................2A C o m m u nity News ....3A Hor o scope........5B & 6B Ob i t uaries..................2A Sp o r ts ........................7A Classified............. 4B7B Cr o s sword................. 6B L o t t ery Results.......... 4A O p i n ion......................4A We a t her ..................... SB
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
BAKER COUNTY CALENDAR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 • Lower Powder River Irrigation District Board:6 p.m. at the Sunridge. THURSDAY, MARCH 12 • EatYour Art Out:Baker YMCAPreschool fundraiser, 5:30 p.m., Baker County Event Center, 2600 East St.; all-you-caneat chili and baked potato feed, live auction of artwork and silent auction with desserts paired with books; $5, free for youth 12 and younger. • Never Miss A Chance to Dance:The Powder River Dance Club meets, 6:30 to 8 p.m.,Veterans of Foreign Wars Club, 2005Valley Ave.; 541-524-9306. FRIDAY, MARCH 13 • Lone Pine Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution:11:30 a.m. at the Sunridge. • Live music:Ragtime pianist KeithTaylor, 5 p.m., Veterans Center, 1901 Main St. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 • Baker Heritage Museum:Opens for the season; the museum at 2480 Grove St. will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
TURNING BACK THE PAGES 50 YEARS AGO from the Democrat-Herald March 11, 1965 Management of the Anthony Lakes Ski area fell under the critical fire of A.C. Lighthall, 1964 president of the Baker County Chamber of Commerce, during his retiringspeech atthe annualChamber banquetWednesday evening. Labeling the area as "grossly mismanaged," Lighthall went on to say that originally the stock was sold on the premise that the investment would attract outside dollars into the community thereby increasing the volume of business. 25 YEARS AGO from the Democrat-Herald March 12, 1990 Just seven years ago the Baker County Council on Alcohol and Drug Problems had a staff of a dozen people and a $200,000 budget. Under the direction of Batt Murray, Baker House, as clients call it, has grown to a staff of 60 with a budget of $1.5 million. 10 YEARS AGO from the Baker City Herald March 11, 2005 Baker City officials are preparing to dismantle the century-old, city-owned Sample Room, a wooden building some local residents consider a historic treasure that could be renovated and incorporated into a public park the city might build on the property where the building stands. City Councilor Lori McNeil said she will consider asking Mayor Charles Hofmann to add the issue to the agenda for a future council meeting. ONE YEAR AGO from the Baker City Herald March 12, 2014 Baker City's temporary UV water treatment reactor is in place and will soon be on line, but City Manager Mike Kee said he isn't ready to heave a sigh of relief or consider the specter of last summer's cryptosporidium crisis to be exiled. At least not yet. The City Council made a leap forward regarding a final solution to the crypto threatTuesday when it approved a Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendment with the James W. Fowler Co., for the construction of a permanent UV facility. The decision effectively puts the wheels in motion for the firm to begin the $3.1 million venture.
OREGON LOTTERY MEGABUCKS, March 9
2 — 6 — 17—37 —42 —4B Next jackpot: $12.4 million
plcK 4, March 10 • 1 p.m.:5 — 1 — 4 — 3 • 4 p.m.: 1 — 5 — 2 — 9 • 7 p.m.: 8 — 2 — 5 — 1 • 10 p.m.: 8 — 5 — 5 — 7
LUGKY LINEs, March 10 1-5-9-13-17-21-26-30 Next jackpot: $14,000
OBITUARIES Sharon Chubb Former Baker City resident, 1942-2014
Sharon Leah Wood Chubb, 72,ofBeaverton,a form er Baker City resident, died Dec. 29, 2014, at St. Vincent Hospital in Beaverton. She was with many family and fiiends when she passed to the other side. Her memorial service was Jan. 3 for family and fiiends who lived on the west side of the state. There will be a memorial service Saturday, June 27, at Union Creek Campground. Afterward her ashes will be spreadabove herfamily'sred mining cabin on California Gulch ofFHighway 7. Sharon was born on June 17, 1942, at Baker City to Harold and Olive Wood. She grew up with three older brothers, Jack, Sylvester and James, and two younger brothers, Douglas and Barton. The Wood family lived on Seventh Street in south Baker. Sharon attended Tiedemann, Central Junior High and Baker High School, graduating in 1960. The Baker High newspaper'The Log" honored Sharon as the'True Person" recipientin 1960for her unselfish time and energy for other students, her beaming smile and squeaky little laugh. The Woodfamilyand Sharon were well-known for hosting taffy pulls and sledding, hayrideand slumber parties. Sharon married Gerald Hendrickson of Pendleton, on Sept. 1, 1961. They had three sons: Stanley, Clifford and Alan. In 1979, Sharon married Marcus Vilsmeyer of Brogan.
She helped run their country store business at Brogan until his death in 1998. In 1999, she married a Baker High School classmate, Richard Chubb. They lived at Brogan running the country store until it and their residence was sold. In January 2014 they moved to Beaverton to be closer to family. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Olive Wood; and brothers, Sylvester and Douglas. Survivors include her husband, Richard Chubb; three sons, Stanley, and his wife, Jan, of Vlore, Albania, Clifford and his wife, Lora, ofPendleton, and Alan and his wife, Irene, of Beaverton; two stepsons, Troy and Terry Chubb and their wives of Bend; 17 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Rene Fuge Former Baker City resident, 1954-2015
Almetta Rene Fuge, 60, of Canby, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 26, 2015, of cancer at home surrounded by her family. There will be a celebration ofher life Saturday at the Clackamas County Rene Fai r g rounds in Fuge Can b y. Rene was born on June 4, 1954, at Prairie City. She was a 1972 Baker High School graduate. She worked various jobs, including in sales at Powers Shoe Shop during and after high school. She attended nursing school in 1978 and after graduating, she worked
for Dr. Steven Delashmutt and Dr. Charles Hofinann. She married her high school sweetheart, Lee Fuge. Their son, Nicholas, was born in BakerCity.They moved to the Portland area where their son, Brian, was born and Rene worked for the Willamette Women's Group for 20 years. Survivors include her husband, Lee, son, Nicholas, and his wife, Keasha, son, Brian, and grandsons, Joey and Logan Fuge, all of Canby; her parents, Fay and Gordon Paustian of Baker City; sisters, Carrol Titus of Prairie City and Tammy Zemmer of Baker City; brothers, David Paustian of Kentucky and Gary Paustian of Nampa, Idaho; her mother-in-law, Colleen Anderson of Baker City; sister-in-law, Gina Valentine of Richland; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and great-nieces and greatnephews; and her lifelong fiiend, Cathy Pointer of Hermiston. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
then graduating from high school there as well. After high school, Gerry attended and later graduated after a four-year internship with Tacoma General Hospital,asa registered nurse. She met John"Jack" Brooks in Trona, California, where they both worked at an industrial plant. Gerry was the industrial plant nurse there for 30 years. Gerry enjoyed her time at the ocean, and spring salmon fishing. She loved helping anyone and everyone in need — her fiiends, neighbors — and did so willingly with kindness and never for any monetary gain. Gerry alsoenjoyed getting outside to garden or being indoors, cannlng. Jack expressed thanks to all of the fiiends for coming by thehouse to visit,because every time they I'youl did, it put a smile on Gerry's face. She died peacefully at the home she loved and was able to dosowith the lovingcareof daughter, Debra. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her brother, Welcon Thompson. Geraldine Brooks Survivors include her Richland, 1934-2015 husband of 39 years, Jack; Geraldine Ann"Gerry" daughter, Leslie Walker; son, Brooks, 80, died March 7, Wade Greist; stepdaughter, 2015, at her home in RichDebra Leo; and seven grandland. children. Gerrywas Memorial contributions born on Nov. 26, m ay be made tothe Eagle 1934, at Tacoma, ValleyAmbulance through ~Z ~ Washington, Tami's Pine Valley Funeral to Charles and Home and Cremation SerEthel Meader vices, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, Gerry Tho m pson. She OR 97834. Online condoBrooks wa s raised at lences may be made at www. Tacoma, attend- tamispinevalleyfuneralhome. ing elementary schools and com
NEWS OF RECORD DEATHS Ruth "Norma" Weber: 90, a former longtime Baker City resident, died March 8, 2015, at her daughter's home in Fairview. Visitations will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Gray's West Br Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Her graveside service will
be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Brad Phillips of the Harvest Church will officiate. Martha Rose Simonson: 72, of Granite, died March 10, 2015, at her home. No service is planned at this time. Gray's West Br Co. is in charge of arrange-
ments.
FUNERALS PENDNG Daryl Ross: Celebration of life, 4 p.m., Saturday, March 21, at the Burns Elks Lodge; there will be a dinner afterward. Memorial contributions may be made to the Valley Golf Club Grounds Improvement Fund or the ALS Association, through LaFollette's Chapel,332W. Monroe St., Burns, OR 97720.
BIRTHS Lahey: Xysis and Lonnie Opstrup of Baker City, 3:54 p.m. Feb. 12, 2015, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center, Baker City; a boy, Xysis Silk Duane Lahey II, 8
Guns, Immo, ReloadingSupplies New 8 Used
ggmilgtol. RUGER
pounds, 9 ounces; grandparents areAshlee Lahey, Marion Madsen and Silk Duane Lahey.
POLICE LOG Baker City Police Crime reports THEFT I: Baker City Police received a report at 6:37 p.m. Saturday of a theft in the 3300 block of K Street; police said a computer belonging to John Barnett, 70, was taken. BURGLARY: At the Country Cottage Cafe, 2915 10th St.; police said the business was entered between Sunday night and Monday morning; unknown if anything was taken.
Volunteerssoughtforworkforcedoard
SmithEiVQmon
Monday-Friday 11 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. Saturday 1 — 6 p.m. 2800 Broadway, Baker City 541-523-9397 or 541-519-7842
Baker County ls looking for two volunteers from the business community to serveon theLocalWorkfor ce Initiative Board. Board members will serve in an advisory capacity to determine how
money will be spent on workforce training. Volunteers need to fill out a form before March 18. The form is available at www.bakercounty.orgr' commissioners/pdfs/ApplicationForm.pdf.
WIN FOR LIFE, March 9 20 — 23 — 60 — 73
SENIOR MENUS • THURSDAY:Chicken Broccoli Alfredo over fettuccine, baby carrots, three-bean salad, garlic bread sticks, brownie • FRIDAY:Barbecue ribs, au gratin potatoes, tomato green beans, broccoli-bacon salad, roll, fruit ambrosia
, gelp Ia N<e The Baker Community
Public luncheon atthe Senior Center,2810 Cedar St., 11:30 a.m.to 12:30 p.m.; $3.50 donation (60 and older), $5.75 for thoseunder 60.
NEEDED
1915 First St. Open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Wrapped Candy • New Stuffed Toys • Cash For Prize Eggs • Donations To Buy Eggs, Toys k. Candy Annual free event for toddlers to age 11
Kari Borgen, publisher kborgen@bakercityherald.com Jayson Jacoby, editor jjacoby@bakercityherald.com Advertising email ads@bakercityherald.com
Classified email classified@bakercityherald.com Circulation email circ@bakercityherald.com
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10AM, Saturday April 4 at Geiser-Pollman Park. Line up at 9:45AM.
CONTACT THE HERALD
Telephone: 541-523-3673 Fax: 541-523-6426
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Easter Egg Hunt will be held at
copynght © 2015
®ukl.t Cffg%eralb
Make checks payable to Baker City Events Mail to or drop off at Baker City Herald PO Box 807, 1915 First Street, Baker Cihj For information, call 541-523-3673 Ask for event coordinator, Lynette Perry
ISS N-8756-6419 Serving Baker County since 1870 PublishedMondays,Wednesdays and FndaysexceptChnstmas Day by the Baker publishing Co., a part of Western communica0ons Inc., at 1915 erst st. (PO. Box 807k Baker City, OR 97814. Subscnpson rates per month are: by carner $775; by rural route $8.75; by mail $12.50. stopped account balances less than $1 will be refunded on request. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Baker City Herald, pO. Box807, Baker City, OR 97814. Rriodicals Postage Paid at Baker City, Oregon 97814
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
oast uar smanwit a erties e ssrescueseaturt es romnet The Daily Astonan
A Coast Guard rescue swimmer who grew up in Pendleton and whose grandparents live in Baker County helped rescue a pair of sea turtles &om a fishing net in the Pacific Ocean last month. Seaman Brandon Groshens is a crew member on the Alert, a Coast Guard cutter based at Astoria. Groshens' grandparents are Vic and Wanda Groshens of Baker City and Nancy and Leland MyersofSumpter. The Alert encountered the struggling turtles while on patrol Feb. 10 in the eastern Pacific. The cutter's bridge watch team flagged plastic containers used as buoys floating in the water and then saw the two entangled turtles. "Jumping into the ocean to
&ee acoupleofsea turtlesis not something you wake up in the morning expecting to do" Groshen said. "It was a really great feeling as they swam away, knowing that we just saved their lives." Commander Brian Anderson, the Alert's commanding offrcer, said he was "especially proud of my diligent watch standers and how the crew quickly came together in performingtheirgood deed for the day."
BakerCounty GOP banquet March 21 The Baker County Republican Party will have its annual banquet on Saturday, March 21 at the Baker Elks
Lodge, 1896 Second St. Congressman Greg Walden, R-Hood River, will be the keynote speaker. Otherguestsinclude staterepresentatives Greg Barreto and Cliff Bentz, state senator Ted Ferrioli, Bill Currier, newly elected Oregon Republican Party iORPl state chairman, and Chris Barreto, ORP Secretary. Oregon's National Committeeman, Solomon Yue, will also attend. Theremight be some specialsurpriseguests ...aswell, organizerssaid in a pressrelease. Besides the banquet there will be a silent auction, an oral auction with Walden serving as auctioneer, door prizes and a presidential straw poll. Tickets are on sale now for the prime rib dinner at $35 each. Tickets are on sale at Dunn & Associates at the corner of Main and Broadway, call Suzan Ellis Jones at 541-519-5035, or contact a Republican Party precinct committee member. Deadline to buy tickets is March 18.
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Free workshop discusses federal contracting
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U.S. Coast Guard photo
The Coast Guard cutter Alert's rescue diver, Seaman Brandon Groshens, cuts away the netting to free a sea turtle.
Firefightingelort thissummerwill focusonyrotectingsagegrouse By Keith Ridler Associated Press
BOISE — U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has released the initial plan for a new wildfire-fighting strategy to protect a wide swath of intermountain West sagebrush country that supports cattle ranching and is home to a struggling bird species. The 27-page report releasedTuesday callsforprioritiz ing and protecting areas most at risk by using veteran crews, rural fire departments and fir eprotection associations made up of ranchers who can respond quickly. The previousstrategy didn'tcall forspecifi ceffortsto protect the habitat. The plan heading into the 2015 wildfire season also calls for accelerating efforts to restore burned rangelands by developing a strategy for storing and distributing locally adapted seeds to try to keep invasive species such as cheatgrass fiom returning. "Cheatgrass and other invasive species have contributedtomakingrangeland fi re one of thegreatestthreats to the Great Basin — not only to sagebrush habitat, but to wildlife, ranching and
LOCAL BRIEFING
A free workshop is planned for April 14 in Baker City forpeople interested in trying to securework contracts with public land managing agencies. The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the David J. Wheeler Federal Building, 1550 Dewey Ave. Topics include: • Who the agencies are and what they do • Policy that dictates work be set aside for small business • Why you are important as a contractor to agency work completion • Sourcesofassistancetosm allbusinesses • Acquisition process • Are you equipped to do business with the federal government • Marketing to agencies Registration is required. To register, call Sue LaCroix at 541-786-7344oremail to slacroix@gcap.org.
Lions Club collecting glasses, hearing aids The Baker City Lions Club collected 677 eye glasses and 14 hearing aids last week. Lions collection boxes can be found at the following local businesses: Baker Vision Clinic, Clothes Outlet, Ryder Brothers, TEC Copiers, St. Luke's EOMA Clinic, St. Alphonsus Medical Center, Settlers Park, Eagle Optical, Elks Club, City Hall, Community Bank, Sunridge, Community Connection, and Baker
High School.
BHS seeks donations of caps and gowns
S. John Collins/Baker City Herald file photo-July 2014
The RadioTower fire burned in sagebrush southeast of Baker City in July 2014. other economic activities that depend on a healthy landscape," Jewell said in a statement."As we head into the 2015 fire season, the actions recommended in this report will help ensure that our preparedness, response and recoverystrategiesbetter align with the threats facing the West." The Boise-based National Interagency Fire Center, which assigns resources
throughout the nation during wildfire season, is already adopting new strategies. One of them is a plan to preposition fire crews in the Great Basin ahead of fire season. 'That's the key thing that we will be doing differently," said Randy Eardley, a Fire Center spokesman. Previously, he said, fire crews only responded — sometimes fiom greatdistances — once wildfireshad started and spread.
"If we have more crews available in the area, then yes, itcould bevery effective," he said. The plan requires making a priority theprotection of sage-steppe ecosystems where sage grouse live. Wildfire managers are still working out the specifics ofhow some aspects of the plan will be put in place, Eardley said. SeeFireslPage GA
The Baker High School Guidance 0$ce is asking for donations of caps and gowns for this year's graduating seniors. Past graduates who would like to offer their purple gowns bearing gold stripes down the &ont and purple mortarboards may take the items to Baker High School at 2500 E St. More information is available by calling the Guidance 0$ce at 541-524-2601.
D.A.R. to meet March 13 in Baker City The Lone Pine Tree chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution will meet Friday, March 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Sunridge restaurant. The regular meeting will start at noon. The program, by Nancy Wilson, is "CopperfieldBaker County's Infamous Town of the Early 1900s." For more information call Meschelle Cookson at 541-523-4248, Joan Smithat541-963-4861, orRoberta Morin at541-4463385. Visitors are always welcome.
Thursday, March 19, 2015 Maag Angus Ranch Headquarters • Vale, Oregon •
Coun searching for parole violator Steven Michael McBride, 33, has absconded from the supervision of the Baker County Parole and Probation Department on a conviction for coercion. The Department is asking the public for help in finding McBride. Baker Countyresidents should not
MCBride
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attempt to apprehend him, however, said Will Benson, Parole and Probation supervisor. McBride has blond hair and blue eyes. He is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 190 pounds. Anyone with information about McBride is asked to call Parole
and Probation at 541-523-8217; the nearestpolicedepartment;or the Baker County Consolidated Dispatch Center's business number, 541-523-6415; orsend theinformation via email to parole@bakercounty.org.
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One of the west's largest selections of 2 year old and long yearling bulls For information call: Deanne
541.473.2IOS
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You're Invited Capture the Moment at Baker City Young Life's
Rnnua
A representative from Costco will be in Baker at the Best Western Sunridge Inn, in the Sunridge Room
Tuesday, March 17 • 10 AM - 5 PM to answer any questions that you might have
about costco Membership. Please join them for discounts, treats and price comparisons.
You started out
as friends And your love for each other has grown into much more. Here's to forever rnore, with your very best friend.
J.TABOR
essert Ruction
Friday- M a rch 13, 2015 6 pm Silent auction begins • 7 pm Program B aker High School Common s
Questions? 541-523-0661 or 541-519-5524 or sandefur®q.com 4
Can't make the event, but want to contribute to Young Life mission: Baker City Young Life,
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P.O. Box 635 Baker City, OR 97814
J E yrr E L E R S
Questions prior, please call (208) 465-3818
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1913 Main Street
B a L er City
524-1999 M o n Jay — Satur Jay 9:30 — 5:30 o
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015 Baker City, Oregon
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Serving Baker County since 1870
Write a letter news@bakercityherald.com
EDITORIAL
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The government's campaign against woodstoves continues. But the latest missive might have the unusual eA'ect of uniting people in Portland with their counterparts in Baker County and other rural sections of Oregon. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says Oregon, on a per-capita basis, produces more fine particle pollution &om woodstove smoke than all but six other states. Neither the EPA, not the state government, is proposing to do anything about this. Not immediately, anyway. But we don't trust either the feds or the state to resist the temptation to meddle with how Oregonians heat their homes. In 2009, for instance, the Oregon Legislature passed a law that prohibits people from selling a home that contains a woodstove that isn't EPAcertified. Non-certified stoves had to be removed and destroyed. Yet four years later Oregon joined six other states in suing the EPA because, according to the plaintifs, the federal agency wasn't doing enough to limit air pollution caused by woodstoves. As for the Portland-rural relationship we mentioned earlier, a 2014 survey conducted by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ) had an interesting result: About 32 percent of households surveyed in the Portland metro area said they burn wood for heat. That's a higher percentage than we would have expected. One caveat, though — just 5 percent of households burn wood as their primary source of heat. Still and all, the DEQ study gives us reason to be optimistic that if either the state or the feds were to propose major restrictions on woodstoves, we in rural Oregon wouldn't be alone in mounting a political
challenge. Certainly we hope that's not necessary. We see no compelling reason why it should be. Aker all, just two Oregon cities don't meet federal air quality standards — Klamath Falls and
Oakridge. In Baker City, where woodstoves are common and so are temperature inversions, which can concentrate wood smoke, the air quality in 2013, the most recent year with statistics, was in the"good" category on 302 days, and in the "moderate" category on the other 63 days. Moreover, pollution from woodstoves almost certainly will shrink rather than grow in the future. The reason is that woodstoves don't last forever. And when homeowners replace a stove, or install one ina new home, they're likely to buy a new,EPAcertified stove. Those not only produce much less pollution than older stoves, but they burn considerably less wood to generate an equivalent amount ofheat. In other words, the "problem" of woodstoves is one that will solve itself without any intervention &om politicians or unelected bureaucrats.
CONTACTYOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. office: 313 Hart Senate Office Building, U.S. Senate,Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland office: One WorldTrade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland,OR 97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-3262900. Pendleton office: 310 S.E. Second St. Suite 105, Pendleton 97801;541-278-1129; merkley.senate.gov. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. office: 221 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244; fax 202-228-2717. La Grande office: 105 Fir St., No. 210, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885; wyden.senate.gov. U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (2nd District): D.C. office: 2182 Rayburn Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515, 202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. La Grande office: 1211 Washington Ave.,La Grande, OR 97850; 541-624-2400, fax, 541-624-2402; wa I den. h o u se.g ov.
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GUEST EDITORIALS
Lobbyists keeping secrets7 No way Editorial from The (Bend) Bulletin: Search your memory. Is there a worse time in Salem for lobbyists to want less disclosure of their activities? But that's indeed what they are pushing for with House Bill 2058. It would make permanent the exemption from reporting to the state ethics commission when one lobbyist lobbies another
spending $26 million on lobbyists
lack thereof. It's really helpful to Oregonians, though, only if it gives them a $92,000 on the people they lobbied." good picture of how the money is sloshThere is something — or several ingaround in Salem and around the somethings — missing. state. Rulesforlobbying atthe federal The fact is,lobbyistscurrently report levelattempt to capture lobbying effort spending only on lawmakers and other more broadly than Oregon's laws would if HB 2058 were passed. people who fall under the category oflegislative and executive officials. W e don't know what was goingon lobbyist. They did not believe they had to report with the influence and lobbying that Your first question might well be: lobbyist-to-lobbyist lobbying until 2013, was coming out of former Gov. John Kitzhaber's office and trom his fiancee, What are lobbyists doing lobbying other when the Oregon Government Ethics lobbyists? Commission issued an advisory opinion, Cylvia Hayes. But it doesn't give the They apparently do that sort of thing The Oregon Capital Insider reported. impression that Oregonians should Lobbyists gotatemporary break trom know less. to build coalitions behind legislation and reporting in 2013. That exemption is to Ron Bersin, the executive director of policy matters. And they also might do expire this year. That's why House Bill the Oregon Government Ethics Comquite a bit of it. The Oregon Capital Insider reported mission, says lawmakers should vote no 2058 was introduced. that in 2014, "companies, interest Reporting on the spending oflobbyists on this bill. And so do we. is a tremendous improvement on the groupsand other entitiesreported but lobbyists only reported spending
Keeping track of medical marijuana Editorial from The Oregonian: The Oregon Liquor Control Commission last week told the Legislature what it needed in order to craft regulationsfor an accountable retail recreational marijuana market. The list is huge and includes requests as mundane as requiring sales clerks at marijuana shops to carry permits, much as any bartender would. But one request is key and poses complication: The OLCC wants lawmakers to decide whether Oregon's flourishing but unregulated medical marijuana program will be tracked trom seed to sale so that all pot moving through the retail system is accounted for and priced competitively. Estimates by the OLCC call for recreational pot to initially capture just 20 percent of marijuana sales in Oregon. In a letter to lawmakers, OLCC Chairman Rob Patridge states:"The recreational system will have to prove its superiority in terms of security, quality, convenience and price to overcome the illegal market ... and a medical system largelyfree ofregulations and associatedcoststhatwillbe present in the recreational system." More challenging still: "Federal guideline compliance will be diminished if Oregon Medical Marijuana Program licensees or growers areallowed toproduce or sellproduct through the recreational system." Most challenging of all: "Because plants and product are not tracked in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, the program cannot provide assurance there is no diversion to the black market." Patridge's comments are significant in that they are a blunt claim by a top official that medical marijuana needs reining in if a recreational market is to flourish and achieve Measure 91's aim of decriminalizing the drug by driving out the black market. Put another way, the OLCC, in following federal guidelines to implement a regulated recreational market, would run a fool's errand to implement Measure 91 if the medical marijuana program were to continue untethered and place some ofits products alongside thosein the
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highly regulated recreational market. Medical marijuana could continue in its own orbit, of course, however weird and unfair. It is true that many medical marijuana growers have built solid, creditable relationships with their clients, whose sometimes highly specific needs are met. But medical marijuana could not, in the absence of tracking technology that should begin at all marijuana grow sites and extend to all retail cash registers, rationally find itselfunder the same roof asrecreational marijuana. And that's where legal marijuana belongs in an open market in Oregon: under one roof. It's high time that leakage of socalled excess marijuana from some medical marijuana producers be contained. Practical considerations associated with implementation of a recreational market creep in. Oregon communities must soon find the room within their zoning maps to site new pot sales shops, which will face location limits and, minimally, the requirement to be situateda still-debated distance from schools. Portland, for example, already has dozensofmedical dispensaries. Where, then, is the room for recreational-only pot shops? In Kirkland, Washington, voters robustly supported a statewidemeasure to legalizerecreational marijuana but still struggle to site two stores as a not-in-my-backyard drama plays out. Patridge is right: The Legislature should require that Oregon's medical marijuana program, under the aegis of the Oregon Health Authority, embrace
Letters to the editor We welcome letters on any issue of public interest. Letters are limited to 350 words. Writers are limited to one letter every15 days. Writers must sign their letter and include an address and phone number (for verification only). Email letters to news@bakercityherald.com.
the discipline of accountability if it is to find so-called "co-location" with recreational pot sales. It's high time that leakageofso-called excess marijuana from some medical marijuana producers be contained. While Measure 91 applies only to recreational pot, its goal of making the drug recreationally available and cheap enough to work against the black market cannot be achieved unless regulation extends to all forms of the drug. Separately, lawmakers last week considered legislation that would change the terms of Measure 91. Senate Bill 542 would allow towns and cities tochoose whether tocollectretail sales taxes on recreational marijuana. Members of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Implementing Measure 91 heard Association of Oregon Counties attorney Rob Bovett deride limits upon cities and counties whose likely court challenges could snag the attention of the federal governmentwhich, he noted, still prohibits marijuana. "Our entire licensing scheme is at risk," Bovett told committee members, adding, "this would be a high-stakes game of legal chicken." It was unclear whether Bovett found traction from committee members, but his legal arguments will be reviewed by legislative counsel. Still, the larger issue demands debate soon by lawmakers: More than 70 cities, towns and counties in Oregon have stakeda claim to tax retailrecreational marijuana at the point of sale — this beyond Measure 91's stipulation that they should not and that a simplestate tax atthe producers'level would suSce. It may or may not, yet the claims by cities of how onerous Measure 91's implementation would be are at this point speculative. Unknown is what the revenues will be once recreational weed is available, and hence the tax yield from it. Better that the Legislature at this point insist upon parallel regulation of medical marijuana and allow, at least in the first few years, a single state tax upon the sale of recreational marijuana to work.
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A
OREGON LEGISLATURE INSESSION
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By Jonathan J. Cooper
president, dies at 74
Associated Press
SALEM — Democratic lawmakers are promoting legislation that would automatically enroll thousands of Oregon workers in retirement savings accounts, a move that proponents said Monday would help ensure nobody is forced to work until they die or to spend their retirement years in poverty. House and Senate bills w ouldcreate a state-run retirement plan. Workers who don't have access to a retirement account kom their employer would automatically be enrolled, unless they opt out,and a percentage oftheir earnings would be withheld
SCHOOLS Continued from Page1A Palmer, 58, has moved into the superintendent's office and can be reached by calling 541-524-2262. The Baker School District will pay the Grant School District for the time Witty provides "consulting and professional services"to the Baker School District during the transition. That agreement has not been finalized, Dalton said today. Wegener, in the meantime, will move between space at the District Office and Baker High School, serving as a consultantforthedistrict through June 30. Palmer's role at South Baker will be filled during the mornings by Anthony Johnson, the district's curriculum director and principal of Haines and Keating schools. Johnson plans to retire at year's end. Sonny Gulick, who teaches fourth grade at South Baker, w ill serve asthe school'shead teacher in the afternoons through the end of the year.
kom each paycheck. barrier tosavings isnota Legislative committees in lack of plans," John Mangan, the House and Senate heard regionalvicepresident ofthe public testimony on the bills American Council of Life Inin recent days, but neither surers, told a House commithas advanced out of committee Friday."It's debt. It's job tee. insecurity, slow wage growth. "I'm proud to sponsor these ... Very few young people even bills with my colleagues behave an emergency fund to cause thegl give Oregonians fix their car if it breaks, much the means and the opportulessthe kindofdiscretionary nity to take control of their income to put into a plan." retirement and the chance to A 2011 study by the retire comfortably and with Oregon State Treasury dignity," said Rep. Tobias found that about 45 percent Read, D-Beaverton. of workers in Oregon do not Critics include business have access to an employerinterests concerned about sponsored plan. higher costs. They object to Proponents envision a savmaking it mandatory for ing program similar to the businesses to participate. existing 529 college savings ''What we found is the true plan. Money saved kom a
worker's paycheck deduction would be pooled with other people's savings, invested and professionally managed. Unlikedefi ned-benefitpension plans that have become decreasingly common, the investments would have no guaranteed returns. The account would be portable so workers can continue contributing to the same account as they move
Tay Mohr, a retired former fourth-gradeteacher forthe district, will fill in for Gulick until year's end during the afternoon hours. Upon Johnson's retirement and when Witty assumes the superintendency, Palmer will transition kom her interim roleintothejob ofassistant superintendent and director of curriculum and instruction. Her salary for that job has not yet been set. Palmer said after Tuesday's meeting that though she had hoped to be named superintendent herself, she believes Witty'sexperience in the neighboring Grant County schools, will serve him well. The two districts have faced many of the same challenges over the years, including staffing cuts, building consolidations and changing to a four-day-week schedule. The move to the District Office is bittersweet for Palmer as she steps into the new leadership role. "I love South Baker," she said."ButI've loved every place I've served. I love the stafF and I love the kids." Palmer said she will be
support to the transitional plan. "Baker has a hard time with change," Knight said. "I ask everyone to be open about this whole process." Knight said he is in full support of naming Palmer to the interim position and added his appreciation for the work completed by Wegener during his tenure in the district, that despite fiiction between the two men during Knight's early service on that board. ''Walt has done things for this school district that would have taken years to complete," Knight said."I think Betty is going to take that torch on to June and I'm completely confident Mark will be able to take that torch on as well."
working with Doug Dalton, the district's chief financial officer and business manager, along with the board, Wegener and Witty to make decisions for the coming year. Board members expressed appreciation toWe gener for announcing his intentions to retire last fall, allowing the district time to transition to new leadership. Directors emphasized that no new position has been
added. "These are warm handoffs that are happening," said Director Rich McKim."I hope the community understands thatthisisa controlled transition and we have not added a position." Director Kyle Knight, who w ill resign from the board at the end of March, added his
Bendmanshotby '" intruder in home
kom job to job. Proponents said they'd like to have an option for employers to offer a match, but it wasn't immediately clearwhether that' spossible under complex federal tax laws governing retirement savings.
IH
ByTim Fought and Jeff Bamard Associated Press
PORTLAND — Dave Frohnmayer, a widelyrespected leaderin Oregon politicsand academics,hasdied at74. A statement kom the family said Frohnmayer died Monday night after"a quiet battle" for five years against prostate cancer. Frohnmayer, a Republican,wa saformer attorney general, president of the University of Oregon and candidate for governor. He served in the Legislature beforehewa selected attorney general in 1980, a job he held through three terms. He ran for governor in 1990 but lostin a three-way race to DemocratBarbara Roberts. Frohnmayer represented an old-school strain of Republican politics in Oregon, marked by moderation and liberalism in figures such as Tom McCall and Mark Hatfield that has beeneclipsed in an eraofsharperpartisan differences. "A giant has fallen," said longtime kiend and law partner Bill Gray."And Oregon and her citizens have lost a champion and we're all diminished by that." After his career in elective office, he went to the University of Oregon, where he served as dean of the law school and then, for 15 years, as president of the school. During that time he fought to restore dwindling state funding, enlisted the universityin efforts to battle climate change, supported American Indian students building a longhouse on campus, and adopted the"0" logo made famous by the football team for the entire university. He also lost a feud with Nike founder and Duck mega-booster Phil Knightovertheathleticapparelcompany's laborpractices. As state attorney general in the 1980s, Frohnmayer prosecuted followers of Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh as they tried to establish a political power base on a commune outside the tiny high desert community ofAntelope. At the time, authorities said his efforts earned him a spot on the group's hit list. Tributes came kom both sides of the political aisle as well as kom the academic world. Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, called him"my wonderful and brilliant fiiend." She said state flags would be at halfstafFwhen a memorial service is held. House Republican Leader Mike McLane cited Frohnmayer's"vast contributions to the state of Oregon" and said he would have a"legacy as a faithful public servant and advocate for the state and its people."
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BEND iAPl — The Deschutes County sherifFs office saysa 40-year-old resident of the Bend area reports he was shot and wounded by an intruder he found in his house Monday afternoon. Lt. Chad Davis says Todd Dickerson called 911 to say he arrived home, went inside the house and found the man, who was wearing a black ski mask. Davis says the intruder reportedly fled beforedeputies arrived.A search involving Oregon State Police, Bend police and a sherifFs K-9 failed to find the man.
KTVZ reports that sherifl"s Capt. Erik Utter says medics took Dickerson to a hospital, where he was treated for a single non-life-threatening gunshot wound. A gun was found at the scene. The sheri6"s office is investigating.
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6A — BAKER CITY HERALD
llillarv Clintondefendsuseof srivate email accountINhile Sec.of State By Ken Thomas and Juiie Pace Associated Press
UNITED NATIONSTrying to get the rollout of her presidential campaign back on track, Hillary Rodham Clinton says she should have used a government email address while working as the nation's top diplomat — an admission that sought to quell a political furor some Democratic allies say she could no longer avoid. The focus on Clinton's emails has jumbled what had been expected to be a smooth glide toward the kickoff ofher presidential campaign next month. The former secretary of state had planned to spend
March promotthing voters will care about ing her work come Election Day 2016, her on women's silence — aside from a lateequality, a signight tweet sent last weeknature issue for had ledseveralofher former colleagues in the Senate to someone who couldbecome c l inton urgehertotellhersideofthe the nation's first story. femalepresident. During a news conference Instead, questions about Tuesday at the United NaClinton's email habits have tions, after she had delivered dominated her activities a previously scheduled speech in the past week, following on women's rights, Clinton revelations that she used a pledged that all her workpersonal email account at the related email would be made State Department and did so public"for everyone to see." via a private serverkeptat But she also acknowledged her home in suburban New thatshedeleted messages York. relatedto personal matters. While Democrats have She refused calls from Repubdismissed the notion that licans to turn over the email Clinton's emails are someserver she kept at her home
POT SALES Continued ~om Page1A Rather, the ordinance would simply ban medical or recreational marijuana dispensaries within the city limits. The ordinance is similar to one that Police Chief Wyn Lohner proposed earlier this year. The Council passed both readings by a 5-1 vote, with Jim Thomas casting the dissenting votes iCouncilor Ben Merrill was absent). If the Council approves a third reading, which could happen at the next meeting, March 24, the ordinance banning pot sales would take effect immediately. Opponents have vowed to legally challenge any decision by the Council to ban commercial marijuana sales. Ordinance 3336, besides banning pot stores, would prohibit the cultivation, processing or consumption of marijuana irecreational or medical) in public places or within public view. Councilor Mack Augenfeld recommended that the Council not pursue the business license ordinance and return totheordinance,originallyproposed by Lohner, that simply bans marijuana stores. "It's been pretty clear that the iU.S.l Justice Department is leaving enforcement up to the states. I think that this approach 4usiness license ordinance) is entirely wrong,"Augenfeld said. Councilor Richard Langrell agreed. 'There is no reason to drag every
CATTLE Continued from Page1A Gulick said his average yearlylossis 1or2 percentof his herd. 'Twenty to 30 percent doesn't work out well," he sald. The state wolfdepredation compensation fund is managed by each county enrolled in the program. In Baker and Wallowa counties this is the first year ranchers have asked to be reimbursed for above normal losses. All told, Baker County ranchers
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
LOCAL STATE 8 NATION
business into this and create a business license that can cause problems down theroad,"Langrellsaid. Councilor Rosemary Abell said she has talked to several business owners recently who oppose the licensing ordinance. "All of them are against a business license for a number of reasons," she said. Mayor Kim Mosier replied to Abell's comment. "I've also gotten input from local businesses and not all of them are against a business license," she said. Mosier pointed out that Senate Bill 542, if approved by the Oregon Legislature, would allow cities to implement "every tool" to regulate marijuana. "If the business license iordinancel doesn't have support fiom this council, then we need to talk in short order about how to do it iregulate marijuana in Baker City)," Mosier said."It did have support two weeks ago." She said the Council has had several weeks to make a decision. The city's current moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries — the only kind allowed in Oregon now — continues through the end of April. Recreational marijuana use by people 21 and older becomes legal on July 1, but the state won'tissuelicensesforrecreational marijuana stores until January 2016 at the earliest. However, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which will issue the licenses, said in a recentpressrelease that it doesn't expect any recreational
applied for $39,801forcows that didn't come home. What the state doesn't compensatearefor calves that don't gain as much weight as they normally do, a condition some assume occursfrom the stressofwolves harassing livestock. Gulick saidthisyearhiscalvesare 50 pounds lighter than aver-
age. Information gathered by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife from a collared wolf's GPS unit indicated wolves were camped near Gulick's herd during the
to an independent reviewer. "The server contains personal communications from my husbandand me, and I believe I have met all of my responsibilities, and the server will remain private," Clinton told reporters who crammed into a hallway to ask questions at her first news conference in more than two years. Some Democrats fretted that she had yet to put the issue to rest. "This is something that is going to be discussed until the State Department releases the emails," said Boyd Brown, a Democratic National Committee member from South Carolina.
marijuana stores to open until "late 2016." "At this point, if we come up with a new ordinance that requires an outright ban, we'll look at time lines and find out how far out that puts us," Mosier said. In other business Tuesday, Fire Chief Mark John notified the council about the implementation of a Fire Prevention/ Inspection Program. He said only 2 percent ofbusinesses in Baker City had fire safety inspections last year. "In an effort to be thorough and recognize the significance of fire danger in a community like ours — particularly in the downtown area — it is my intention to begin a fire prevention program where we will go out and inspect as many business as possible," John said. "The goalofthisisto provideeducation and create a safer environment for business owners and citizens." John said media will be notified about the details of the inspections in the very near future. The Council also: • Heard a report from YMCA CEO Heidi Dalton about Sam-0 Swim Center. • Heard from Kee about how a $12,000 Certified Local Government Grant was allocated. Local businesses were awarded half of the grant for improvements to historic buildings, and the otherhalfwillbeused topay forpartof the cost of window replacement at City Hall. • Appointed Kayla Young to the Historic Design Review Commission.
summer. He said that in August and September, GPS data indicated the Imnaha pack was in the vicinity ofhis cattle. "Where our cows congregated the most they ithe wolves) never left; they were in one of two locations every day, in one spot or the other," Gulick said. He said the Pine Valley Ranch grazes its cattle in a nearby allotment. 'They still lost 12, but better than the 25 they lost the year before," Gulick said. Baker County asked the statefor$1,470for arancher
who had one confirmed"probable" loss to wolves. For nonlethal deterrents,
the county asked for $18,000. Most of that money will go to pay fortw orange riders who will look for wolves in summer grazingland June through October. That sum will also buy an antenna, a GPS unit and a receiver. The application said the range riders will focus their efforts in the Fish Lake area northeast of Halfway, where the majorit y ofdepredation and missing livestock occurred.
Baker County considers changes to nuisance ordinance The Baker County Board of Commissioners will be hearing proposed revisions to the county's Public Nuisance ordinance in April. Based on feedback from the public, the Baker County Planning Commission has recommended the Board of Commissioners adopt revisions to the nuisance ordinance. These recommended revisions are in draft form, and can be read on the Baker County Planning Department website wwwbakercountyorg. The Nuisance Ordinance was adopted in 2006. Errors and ambiguities have been identified by citizens and staff since its adoption, prompting the Planning Department to work with the District Attorney's office and the Planning Commission to resolve these issues. The proposed revisions include: • Clerical corrections to definitions and criteria within the ordinance. • Clarification of exemptions for hobby or collectible vehicles. • Additions and clarifications to Section D, pertaining to buildings designated as dangerous or a public nuisance. iThese additions have been adapted from the Baker City Property Maintenance Code.) • New sections clarifying enforcement procedures relating to declared nuisances, including how notice of abatementwillbeprovided,theopportunity for appealof a nuisance decision, and the process for abatement of a nuisance. The nuisance ordinance does not apply to every property maintenance issue, but only to those that rise to the level of a public nuisance. Action by the County on nuisance violations is driven by complaints, and revisions to the ordinance will not change that policy. Those who have questions or who would like to share their thoughts on the proposed amendments, are asked to call the Planning Department at 541-523-8219, send an email to planning@bakercountyorg, or send a letter to 1995 Third Street, Suite 131, Baker City, OR 97814. The Board of Commissioners has tentatively scheduled a hearing on the proposed revisions on April 1 at 10 a.m. at the Courthouse, 1995 Third St.
FIRE
a conference last fall in Boise that brought together scientists and land managers to find collaborative ways to protect Great Basin rangelands from the plague of increasinglyintense wildfires. John Freemuth, a Boise StateUniversity professor and public lands expert who took part in that conference, on Tuesday analyzed the resulting plan. 'This is a reordering becauseofthepossiblesage grouse listing," he said. "Nobody wants a listing because so much key habitat burns that ia listing) just gets out of everyone's control." Besides sage grouse habitat, the gigantic wildfires have destroyed rangeland that ranchers rely on to graze cattle. "I appreciate the direction of Secretary Jewell's management plan," said Idaho Republican Gov.C.L. "Butch" Otter in a statement on Tuesday."In fact, many of the points echo the strategies that have been fundamental to my sagegrouseprotection plan for some time now."
Continued ~om Page 3A In thelastdecade, rangeland fires have been especially destructive in the Great Basin region of Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and California. Jewell in October toured southern Idaho and saw firsthand the giant swaths scorched by wildfires. In January she issued an order seeking a "science-based" approach to find a way to stop wildfire and other threats while also protecting habitat for greater sage grouse. The wide-ranging bird is under consideration for federalprotections,and just the potential listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has already put on hold development of wind farms and oil and gas drilling plans in some areas. Experts say an endangeredspecies listing could damage Western states' economies. The football-sized bird once numbered in the millions, but current estimates put the population between
200,000 and 500,000. The plan released Tuesday stems in part from
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
BAKER CITY HERALD —7A
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Little League tryouts planned Saturday
• Seattle swaps starting center Max Unger for New Orleans Saints' Jimmy Graham By Tim Booth
his position. Obviously a top be an offseason priority. But rather than goinginto &ee two or three tight end in the RENTON, Wash.— It league." agency, the Seahawks went The Seahawks and New afterone ofthe top passcatchbegan with a cursory phone call and ended with the twoOrleans Saints agreed to a ersintheleague regardlessof time NFC champion Seattle trade Tuesday sending Graposition, and a perennial Pro Bowl tight end. Seahawks landing one of the ham to Seattle in exchange top tight ends in the NFL. for veteran center Max Unger, Seattle also signed corJimmy Graham is taking pending a physical. The trade nerback Cary Williams to a his touchdowns and goalpost also includes Seattle sendthree-year deal, filling a need dunks to the Pacific Northing its first-round pick this in the secondary after injuries and the departure of Byron west. year to the Saints and the 'This is an offensive Seahawks receiving New Or- Maxwell to Philadelphia. leans' fourth-round selection. That signing was secondweapon that we're adding," Adding pass-catching opSeattle general manager John ary to the deal for Graham, Schneider said."A guy that is tionsforSeattle quarterback theformer college basketball a big-time difference maker at Russell Wilson appeared to player who played one year AP Sports Wnter
of college football at Miami before the Saints drafted him in 2010. He became the favorit e targetofDrew Brees in only his second season with 99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns, which led the Saints in all three categories. Graham has yet to match his 2011 numbers since, but still led New Orleans last season with 85 receptions and 10 touchdown catches despite playing through an injured shoulder. His 889 yards receiving were third on the club last season.
NBA
Iames,Cavaliersrollnast Mavericks By Stephen Hawkins AP Sports Wnter
DALLAS — Even without his trademark headband, LeBron James was easy to recognize. He was still wearing the No. 23 jersey and dominating with
his play. James had 27 points and took over solepossession ofthe Cavaliers'career assists record asCleveland beat the Dallas Mavericks 127-94 on Tuesday night. 'The best thing about tonight is we played a complete 48 minutes," James
said."I just liked the way we approached the game. We shared the ball, and everyone fell into a rhythm." After starting a game without a headband for the first time since the 2003 preseasonas arookie,James clearly preferred talking about how the team played instead of the absence of what usually covers his hairline. James first took offhis headband in the second quarter of Cleveland's home game Saturdayand never put itback on against Phoenix, saying afterward, "It just happened."
Not even coach David Blatt knew if it was a conscious decision by King James to go without the headband the entire night against Dallas. "But I'm liking it," Blatt said."He played a great game." James, who finished 10-of-14 shooting with seven rebounds and eight assists in 29 minutes, was one of four players with more than 20 points for the Central Division-leading Cavs. They have won 12 of theirlast13games againstWest ern Conference opponents and broke a 14-game losing streak in Texas.
SCOREBOARD WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct GB
NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE East Division W L Pct. GB 38 26 .594 26 36 .419 25 37 .403 14 49 .222 12 51 .190 Southeast Division W L Pct x -Atlanta 50 13 .794 w ashington 36 28 .563 c harlotte 28 34 .452 M iami 28 35 .444 Orlando 21 44 .323 Central Division W L Pct c leveland 4 1 25 .621 Chicago 39 26 .600 Milwaukee 3 3 30 .524 Indiana 29 34 .460 Detroit 23 40 .36 5
Memphis 45 18 .714 Houston 43 20 .683 san Antonio 40 23 .635 Dallas 41 25 .621 New orleans 36 29 .554 Northwest Division W L Pct Portland 41 20 .672
Toronto Boston Brooklyn philadelphia NewYork
14'/~ 21'/p
22 30
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. 5 56 7
oklahomacityss 2 8
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Utah 27 36 .429 Denver 23 41 .359 Minnesota 1 4 48 .226 Paafic Division W L Pct Golden state 50 12 .806 L.A. Clippers 41 23 .641 Phoenix 33 32 .508 Sacramento 21 41 .339 L.A. Lakers 17 46 .270
15 1P/~ 27'/~
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x-clinched playoff spot
Monday's Games washington ss, charlotte 69 Atlanta 130, sacramento 105 Boston 100, Miami 90 Memphis 101, Chicago 91 New Orleans 114, Milwaukee 103
Denver 106, NewYork78 Golden state 98, phoenix 80 L.A. Clippers 89, Minnesota 76 Tuesday's Games Indiana 118, orlando 86 New Orleans 111, Brooklyn 91 cleveland 12z Dallas 94 san Antonio 117Toronto 107 Utah 87, NewYork 82 L.A. Lakers 93, Detroit 85 Today's Games Alllimes PDT Chicago at Philadelphia, 4 p.m. Sacramento at Charlotte, 4 p.m. Brooklyn at Miami, 4:30 p.m. Memphis atBoston, 4:30 p.m. LA. clippers at oklahoma city, 5 p.m. orlando at Milwaukee, 5 p.m. Atlanta at Denver, 6 p.m.
Minnesota at Phoenix, 7 p.m. Detroit at Golden State, 7:30 p.m. Houston at Portland, 7:30 p.m. Thursday's Games Memphis atWashington, 4 p.m. Milwaukee at lndiana, 4 p.m. Houston at Utah, 6 p.m. cleveland at sanAntonio, 6:30 p.m. NewYork at LA. Lakers, 730 pm.
Baker Little League baseball tryouts are scheduled Saturday, March 14 at the Baker Sports Complex hitting facility. Times are: 10-year-oldsat8 a.m.; 9-year-oldsat9 a.m .; 8-year-olds at10 a.m.;and 11-and 12-year-oldsat10:30 a.m. Players who have not registered also may do so during tryouts. More information is available at www. eteamz:bakerlittleleague or at the Baker Little League Facebook site.
Ducks duo wins Pac-12 hoopshonors SAN FRANCISCO iAPl — Oregon's Joseph Young has been named the Pac-12 player of the year and Ducks coach Dana Altman has been named coach of the year. Arizona's Stanley Johnson was the freshman of the year, Oregon State's Gary Payton II the defensive player and Washington State's Josh Hawkinson was the most improved player. Arizona, which won the Pac-12 regular-season title, was the only team with more than one player on the Pac-12 first team, with Johnson, point guard T.J. McConnell and forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson earning honors. Young and Payton also were named to the first team, with Washington State's DaVonte Lacy, UCLA's Norman Powell, Stanford's Chasson Randle, California's Tyrone Wallace and Utah's Delon Wright.
Eaglessign Thurmond, re-sign Sanchez PHILADELPHIA iAPl — The Philadelphia Eagles have agreed on a one-year contract with free-agent cornerback Walter Thurmond III and re-signed quarterback Mark Sanchez to a two-year deal. Thurmond is the latest former Oregon player to join the Eagles since coach Chip Kelly left the Ducks two years ago. He spent his first four seasons with Seattle and played two games for the New York Giants last year beforea torn pectoral ended hisseason. The 27-year-old Thurmond has started nine games in his five-year career. He joins a secondary that's replacing three of its four starters. Cornerback Byron Maxwell already was signed away from the Seahawks. Sanchez agreed to a contract on Sunday. Sanchez set a franchiserecord with a 64.1completion percentage and threw for 2.418 yards with 14 TDs and 11 interceptions, going 4-4 as a starter in his first season in
Philadelphia. The moveswere announced Wednesday, a day after quarterback Nick Foles was traded to St. Louis for Sam Bradford.
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SA — BAKER CITY HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
LOCAL
TRANSFER
federal law will go away," he sald. Bentz also said he isn't sure how far the Oregon land transfer bill will go in a Legislature already in a struggle to find a viable solution to the state's transportation inlrastmcture woes. "I doubt many urban representatives would support the
lars — to help it in a potential legal battle with the federal Continued ~om Page1A government over the 2012 law. "Isupportthe concept," Ivory said federal land use Bentz said."But who will pay policies — what he decried as "one-size fits all mantra"to manage all of this land? ' snpp" have hurt states across the Because it doesn't manage West. itseK We will have to find a "Insteadofaproductiverebunch of money and fm not source you have an unproducsure where we will get it." Another key point, Bentz tive resource that is a liability," he said. said, revolvesaround existing bill," he said. federal mandates — such as Baker County Commission S. Jahn Collins/Baker City Herald file photo While mismanagement is a the Endangered Species Act Chairman Bill Harvey said A bill in the Oregon Legislature would require the federal critical pillar for critics of the — that will remain in place the Oregon bill is an example broaderland management government to transfer title to public land it manages, regardless of which entity of abroader situation across including much of the Elkhorn Mountains, to the state. template, money also plays a controls public land. role. Land transfer activists theWest. "Simply because we change "Each state is approaching of the land. Utah will rely on assert federal control of public that show the states manage ownership doesn't mean the the land more effectively," he four keyinitiatives to execute lands truncates the states' the same issue differently," he the law according to the ability to secure revenue sald. Harvey said Weidner's bill architect of the 2012 legislathrough taxes on the properly. makes sense. Public land held by the federal tion, Ken Ivory, a Republican 'To me it is a good thing lawmaker in the Utah House government is exempt kom and it should be done," he said. ofRepresentatives.Ivory said taxation. Other questions linger The entire issue pivots the state will utilize education, regarding not only the Oregon legislation, negotiation and, if around interpretations of necessary, litigation to reach several Constitutional edicts, proposedbillbuttheim pact of similar legislation passed in its goal. including the Properly ''We will use all of our Clause. places like Utah. There, despite the passage options, allthearrows in our Proponents of the law ofthe law in 2012,thefederal quiver," Ivory said. assert that their justification Ivory said education is a rests on the Utah Enabling government has taken no action toward transferring title criti calcomponent to theover- Act — the legal model utilized ofproperly to thestate. all land transfer blueprint. to grant statehood — where The state can'trealistically He conceded that the state federal control of public lands will probably end up in court, was to be temporary and, at take back the land. The Utah though, before any land is some point, the property was law, for example, does not dem and a return ofproperly but transferred. to be handed, or disposed, instead outlines a plan for the Yet Utah has stashed away back to the state. federalgovernment todispose money — several million dolAt least one study, by The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy studies, ENO showed therearevalid legal claims to be made in support Free Kasasa checking refunds your ATM FEMNL NNINII NNON fees, nationwide. So even if you use one of www.oldwestfctt.org of the Utah law. the bigbanks'ATMs, we'llpay you back. Harvey said a legal showNo more searching for a "free" ATM. down in Utah could have Askfor long-term implications for the rest of the country. "To qualify do thefollowing activltles: 1) have at least12 debit card purchasedpost andsetlle, 2) have a direct deposit, ACH credit or ACHdebit, and 3) be enrolled in e-statemenls.Account transactlonsandacbvities maytake one or more days topost andsemeto theaccount andall musl do soduring the "If one county or state wins, Monlhly QualitlcabonCyde inordcr to qualify for theaccount's rewards. Thefollowing acivibes donot count toward carningaccount rewards: ATMprocessed hansacf ions,tansfersbetweenaccounts,debitcardpurchasesprocessedbymerchantsandreceivedbyOldW estFCU asAT)dtransacgonsandpurchases we all win," he said. made wiih non-OtdWest FCUissued debit cards, "Monthly Quatigcalon Cyde' means a periodbeginning on thelast business day of lhe previous month through one(1) dayprior to thelast businessdayof thecurrent month. Harvey said sometimes When accountqualIcations are metyouwill receive reimbursemeniafor natlonwldeATMfees incurred during theMonthly QuattficafionCyde inwhichyou qualiged. WhenaccountqualIcations are not met, ATMfees are not reimbursed.ATMfee reimburaemenis siill be credited to your Kasasaaccount on the litigation is the only alterlast day of the statementcyde. Account approval, condifions, qualificagons, limits, firneframes,enrollments, log-ons and otherrequirements mayapply. Mo minimumdeposit isrequired toopenihe account Limltone accountperprimary accountholder sodal security nurnberThereare norecumng monthly service native for a state or local charges or fees to openor dose this account. Contact an OldWestPCUservice representative for additlonal informagon,details, restrldions, processing limitaions andenrottmentinstrucgons.Federagyinsured byNCUA government. 'You only do it when you FederallyInsuredbyNC4lA ' Kssass is atmdemsrk ofBsncWe, Ltd., registered intheUSA. e g I e e I I e 'I absolutely have to. But we have no recourse. Our own 650 W. Main St 162 W. Front 2036 Broadway 301 S. Main St. 1739 N. First St. government is becoming our John Day Prairie City Baker City Pendleton Hermiston 541-57542t'A 541-8204601 541-523-5535 541-278-6800 541-564-0264 own worst enemy. We have to 541-820-4725 1-888-575-0264 1-888-677-5581 Fax 541-523-3471 Fax 541-564-0262 litigate, we have no option left Fax 51-575-2538 Fax 541-S23-3471 and thatisthe m ostfrustrats. John Collins/BakerCity Herald ing thing about it. We need to fight for our rights or we will lose them," he said. sald. Harvey said the Oregon bill, and similar blueprints pondered in other states, is the natural outcome ofyears of federal mismanagement of public lands and subsequent economic blockades that strangle rural areas such as Baker County. 'The states have to do something to fiee up the landforproductivity ortax receipts," he said. Harvey said states can manage large swaths of public landbetterthan thefederal government. 'There are many studies
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015 The Observer & Baker City Herald
HEALTH CARE
BRAIN FOOD
HAPPENINGS
ICEN ICELLER
Sorbenots Coffee planning expansion of facility
What's
BAKER CITY — Sorbenots Coffee Co. is planning to expand its coffee-roasting facility at 2219 11th St. in Baker City. Ifthe company's proposalis approved by the city's planning department, Sorbenots will add more than 2,000 square feet to the facility thatprocesses coffee beans and produces the baked goods the company sells at its retail stores. eWe've outgrown our facility. It gives us more room and the capacity for future growth," said CEO and part-owner Philip Stone. Stone said if all goes as planned, construction should be completed by early summer. Besides Baker City, the company has locations in La Grande, Pendleton, Hermiston and Ontario.
the ROI on time invested7 t
Eastern Oregon Telecom taps Huaweito launch network HERMISTON — Global information and communications technology services provider Huawei has announced that Eastern Oregon Telecom, a local area providerofvoice,broadband Internet and fi bre transport services,hasselected Huawei to bring a gigabit broadband network to rural homes and businesses in Hermiston. Huawei will provide its Gigabit Passive Optical Network offerings throughout EOTs network footprint in Eastern Oregon,extending broadband service to over 8,000 homes and businesses in Hermiston and thesurrounding area.Thefibre broadband rollout by EOT and Huawei will also providenew services,includingVoiceover IP,broadband and Internet Protocoltelevision to the community. EOT expects to complete initial deployment of its gigabit network in the second half of the year, with underground fibre deployment occurringin 2016. The new network deployment will include the commercial corridor in the cities of Umatilla, Irrigon and Boardman, as well as Hermiston.
Forest Service, BLM announce 2015 grazing fee WASHINGTON — The 2015 federal grazing fee, which is determined annually through a Congressionally-mandated formula, increased by $0.34/head month March 1. The fee applies to more than 8,000 permits administered by the U.S. ForestServiceand nearly 18,000 grazing permits and leases administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The 2015 fee will be $1.69 per head month for lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and per animal unit month for the Bureau of LandManagement.A head month or animal unit month, which are treated as equivalent measures for fee purposes, is the occupancy and use of public lands to include but not limited to one cow and her calf, one horse,orfivesheep orgoatsfor a month. The figure is calculated according tothreemain factors— the average annual change in beef prices, leasing rates for grazing on private land in 11 western states, and the costoflivestock production. The formula was established by Congress in the 1978 Public Rangelands Improvement Act and has continued under a presidential Executive Order issued in 1986. Under that order, the grazing fee cannot fall below $1.35 per animal unit month, and any increase or decrease cannot exceed 25 percent of the previous year's level. The formula is based on a 1966 basevalueof$1.23per month for livestock grazing on public lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in western states and data collected annually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statisti calService.
About thiscolumn Small Business Happenings covers Northeast Oregon's small-business community. The column carries news about business events, staltupsand owners and employees who earn awards and recognition or make significant gains in their careers. There is no charge for inclusion in the column, which is editorial in nature and is not ad space or a marketing tool. Products and services will be discussed only in general terms. Email items to biz@lagrandeobserver.com or call them in to 541-963-3161. Baker County residents can submit items to news@bakercityherald.com or call them in to 541-523-3673.
•000
TheAssociated Press file photo
An overweight man eats fast food, as a panel of scientists considers ways to help Americans trim down. Unpublished research shows medical expenses linked to being extremely overweight have skyrocketed.
• Costsfortheobeseraisedhealth carecostsby$815.8 billion in 2010 ByVictoria Stilwell Bloomberg News
WASHINGTON — Obesity is weighing heavily on the U.S. economy. As apanelofscientistsconsiders ways to help Americans trim down, unpublished research shows medical expenses linked to being extremely overweight have skyrocketed. Experts say the damage isaugmented by reduced productivity, wider gender and income inequality and even higher transportationcosts. While the biggest consequence is still on an individual's wellbeing, "there are some significant economic costs associated with obesity," said Ross Hammond, a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington."Unfortunately, it's not an outcome that's rare anymore." Some 35.7 percent of Americans 20 to 74 years old were obeseintheperiod from 2009 to 2012, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. That's up from 31.1 percent a decade earlier and 13.3 percent in 1960-1962. The CDC considers adults obese when their body mass index, which takes into account weight and height, is 30 or higher. As a result, there is growing urgency to come up with plans to check the trend. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee,the panel ofscientiststhat counsels government agencies,
Obesity rate inchesup The percentage of U.S. adults who are obese continued to trend upwardin 2014, reaching 27.7%. Thisis up more than two percentage points since 2008.
Weight category asdetermined byBodyMass index (BMI) • No r mal weight (BMI 18.5 to <25) R Ove r w eight (BMI 25 to <30) • Ob ese (BMI 30 or above)
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last month recommended that sugary drinks and foods be taxed to reduce their consumption. The report, released Feb. 19, went on to advise that the revenue generatedcouldbeused to promote healthier behavior or subsidize thecostoffruitsand vegetables. "This really is a situation that's beyond business as usual," said W alter Willett,a professor and chairman of the department of nutrition at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.cWehave to think about serious interventions that go beyond the norm." Unaddressed, the costs could continue to mount, with health care expenses being the most direct economic consequence. W idespread obesity raised
m edical carecostsby $315.8 billion in 2010, according to John
Cawley, an economics professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. That amounted to about
$3,508 a year for each obese person, the latest available data showed. The expenses, which include doctors' appointments, hospitalstays,prescription drugs and home health care, were up 48 percentfrom 2005's$213 billion after adjusting for inflation, the researchers found. The findings, to be published later this year in the journal PharmacoEconomics, represent the combined work of fellow researchers Chad Meyerhoefer, Adam Biener, Mette Hammer and Neil Wintfeld. Chronic illnesses linked to obesity, such asdiabetesand heartdisease,aswellasstroke and cancer, are expensive to treat, SeeObesity / Page 2B
've often been asked by top executives Where should I invest my time?" and my answer is that it should be dividedbetween the tactical and thestrategic. In my mind, this means time spent somewhat equally between the present and the future. While it is fun and exciting to design a grand future for the company, if the current business is ignored, there might not be a future. Spending too much time dreaming and hoping things will be better next month or next year won't happen unless the leader deals effectively with the here and now. A good example of this takes place in the movie "Titanic." The owner of the shipping line suggests to the ship's captain that if the ship goes faster, they will arrive in New York in the late evening. If they reach the dock before the deadlines of the next day's morning papers, Titanic will make the front page, proudly proclaiming that the shiphas beaten allprevious speed records crossing the Atlantic. All the while the captain has in his pockets warning messages of icebergs ahead. In thatcase,thestrategic "carrot" won out over the tactical, with disastrous results. There are two areas that straddle the strategic and tactical, and both are worthy areasto spend time and energy. The first area of focus is on costcontrol.Reducing costs has an immediate impact on both profitabrhty and cash flow. It also sends a strong message to employees that penniesadd up to dollars. But cost reductions have strategic implications as well, allowing the company to have a"war chest" for tough times but more critically, freeing up money to invest in the future of the organization. Reducing costs is not a bad thing, but often employees feel that they are somehow being punished for past mistakes made by management and that they have to pay for it by having to live with the cost cutting measures. This belief system is perpetuated when no one takes SeeKeller / Page 2B
WillstayinghealthyreducehealthcarecostsP edicaland long-term care costs represent a substantial risk for most people. In fact, m edical debt isone ofthetop causes ofbankruptcy in America. Purchasing health insurance is a common-sense decision and a key component of financial planning. Itshould be a top priority foreveryone. But the healthier you are, the less you will have to spend on health care. Right? Yes and no. The short-term answer is yes, but longer term it may not be so simple. A briefby the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, "Does Staying Healthy Reduce Your Lifetime Health Care Costs?"
M
INVEST-IVISION MARCY HAINES shows that current health care costsofhealthy retireesare lower than those of the unhealthy; the healthy actually face higher totalhealth care costsovertheir remaining lifetime. Why is this? The researchers citethree reasons:First,people in good health can live a lot longer. At age 80, people in healthy households have a remaining life expectancy that is 29 percent longer than people in unhealthy households. Statistics tell us the
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healthyare therefore atgreater risk of incurring health costs over more years. It makes sense when you think aboutit. Second, your health can change at any time. And third, people in healthy households actually face a higher lifetime risk of requiring extensive help with daily living activitiesas theirageadvances. A 65-year-old couple with one or both having one or more chronic conditions can be
expected to pay about $220,000 in lifetime health care expenses. The expenses include Medicare premiums, supplemental insurance, copayments for covered
doctorvisitsand medicat ions, along with payments for what is not covered by Medicare, such as dentalcare,vision care and the biggest risk, long-term care. How does this compare to a couple with no chronic conditions? The data tell us their
tab will be $40,000 more, or $260,000. These numbers are averages,soactualresultscan vary quite a bit. The big variable is the possible needforlong-term care because neither Medicare, nor Medicare supplementalcoverage,also known as Medigap insurance, nor standard health insurance SeeHaines / Page 2B
•000
2B — THE OBSERVER a BAKER CITY HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
BUSINESS 8 AG LIFE
Baker music store
changing locations By Joshua Dillen
ing all that inventory to the new store — mostly with a BAKER CITY — Marilyn's carpet-lined wheelbarrow Music Plus in Baker City has — he officially re-opened on Friday. m oved across thestreet. Main Street, specifically. Rose hopes to have a grand Formerlylocated at1821 opening in early April. Main St., on the west side Until then, he plans to ofthestreet,thebusinessis liquidate the excessive invennow located on the east side, tory from the old location. "I'm basically going to park at 1832 Main St. Owner Damon Rose is that wheelbarrow in the happy with the new location. storeand startthrowing stufF "I just fell in love with the in it," Rose said."It's going to building," he said.'The iorigi- be a wicked 'bargain barrow' nallspace acrossthe street sale." Besides limited amp repair was just way too big." Rose and his wife, Mandie, and guitar repair, the busitook over the music store in ness will have a recording 2012 from Marilyn Shollenstudioand offer screen printberger. ing services. Damon Rose said the move Rose said the previous was financially beneficial. business at the location was He said the plumbing and an audiologist. That was one of the many reasons that electrical at the new — and much smaller — location is m ade the move attractive. "All of the rooms are more modern and will trim his operating costs. soundproofed," he said."That The amountofinventory makes it perfect to put in a recording studio." that wasn't selling at the old In the future, Rose said location was a problem as well. ''We had way too much in- the business will offer studio time for musicians and ventory over there," he said. ''We had too many brands of bands to produce albums. He will also offer live recording guitar strings when there is only a few that people buy." productionforbands atarea After a few weeks of movvenues. WesCom News Service
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A new Food and Drug Administration study showed little evidence of drug contamination after surveying almost 2,000 dairy farms. In response to concerns, the agency in 2012 took samples of raw milk from the farms and tested them for 31 drugs, almost all of them antibiotics. Results released by the agencyThursday show that less than 1 percent of the totalsamples showed illegal drug residue.
n si e vi enceo an i o By Mary Clare Jalonick The Associated Press
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the drug contamination even more. Public health groups are concerned about the levels of animal antibiotics that make itinto food because consuming the drugs could potentially be harmful to humans. Repeated exposure to antibiotics canleadgerms to become resistantto the drugssothatthey arenolongereffective. Drugresidues can also be harmful if they promptallergiesorotherreactions. The industry does regular testing for some of the drugs the FDA tested, but publichealth advocates had expressed particular concern about milk that had come from dairy farms that had repeatedly tried to sell older cows for slaughter with illegal levels of antibiotic residue in their tissue. So the FDA study focused on those farms with previous violations, with about half of the samples coming from them and half from a control group. FDA said 11 of the samples from the group with previous violations showed illegal levels of drug residue and four from the control group showed illegal residue. Flynn said the illegal drug
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residues found in the study were from unapproved drugs, so any level is il-
legal.
ees, no matter how few or how many are on the payroll, Continued from Page 1B are both the current business and the future of the business. the time or effort to explain why this is being done. EmThink of all the resources ployees are essentially being thatgo intoattracting given an ultimatum. prospects. The investment is far more than money; a lot of Itwould be farbetterif leadership explained the time, effort and energy goes into marketing and sales. situation to the employees It is being done for one and asked for their input on how and where costs could be reason only: so that your company has a better reduced. Ihave heard from my future. clients that when this request Every interaction an emis made,thepositiveresponse ployee has today determines ifthe prospect or current and actual savings has far client comes back tomorrow. exceeded what the owner thoughttheywould save. Yet, these "moments of The shame is that emtruth" are rarely discussed ployeesareseldom asked for with employees. input on how to reduce costs. The second area of focus Ken Keller can becontacted at should be on people. EmployKenKeller0SBCglobal.net.
WASHINGTON — In an encouraging development for consumers worried about antibiotics in their milk, a new Food and Drug Administration studyshowed littleevidence ofdrug contamination after surveying almost 2,000 dairy farms. Inresponse to concerns, the agency in 2012 took samples of raw milk from thefarms and tested them for31drugs, almost all of them antibiotics. Results released by the agency Thursday show thatlessthan 1percentofthe total samples showed illegal drugresidue. Antibiotics and other drugs can end up in milk when they are used on dairy cows to keep them healthy. Small levels of some drugs are allowed in milk, but residues that go beyond certain thresholds are illegal. "Overall this is very encouraging and reinforces the idea that the milk supply is safe," said the FDA's William Flynn, who led the study. He said the agency will use the findings to try to reduce
OBESITY
Connecticut in Hartford. That costs the nation
Continued from Page 1B
about $8.65 billion a year,
DronecomSanyfirst tof forOregon
Cawley said. Moreover, the costs are usually paid by private and public health insurance, meaning that leaner people are subsidizing those with less healthy diets, he said."All of us are paying these costs." While such spending doesn't directly reduce economic growth, it does represent a shift in priorities toward health care and away from things such as business investment in other industriesthat could boostoutput down the road. Obesity alsoposesproblems in less direct ways. Excessive fatiscorrelated with an increase in absenteeism from work because of health issues, said Tatiana Andreyeva, director of economic initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of
Andreyeva found with fellow researchers Joerg Luedicke and Y. Claire Wang. Obese employees miss an extra 1.1 to 1.7 days of work a year compared to their normalweight counterparts. "The employee is most likely getting paid for it, but there was no work done on it, and there was a cost to the employer,"Andreyeva said. Diminished productivity is a major source of drag on the economy as it leads to higher productioncostsand a less competitive workforce, she sald. That could worsen a recent slowing in efficiency as the 18- month economic slump that ended in June 2009 promptedcompanies to curb spending on more sophisticated machinery and time-saving devices such as faster computers that help boostproductivity.
HAINES
As the FederalAviation Administration is attempting SPOKANE, Wash.— Rob- to craft new rules and reguertBlairdirectsa point-and- lations for the commercial shoot Canon toward a ficus use of drones,Blairispartof tree in the DoubleTree by the first company to receive Hilton hallway. He waits for regulatory approval to use a stream of cowboy hats and unmanned aircraft above the Carhartt jackets heading nation's farms and fields. into the Ag Expo exhibit hall Empire Unmanned LLC is apartnership between to passby beforeconsulting Blair, two drone specialists the camera's screen. It shows the green-andand a Hayden, Idaho, aviabrown tree as blue. tion company that received ''Well, you can tell that's a an exemption Jan. 15 from fake tree. If it were real, you the FAA's ban on commercould see how light reflected cial drone use. off it and see if it's healthy," Only weeks after granting Blair said. the exemption to Empire Since 2007, Blair has been Unmanned, the FAA on Feb. 18 proposed rules that evaluating the health ofhis crops using cameras like would govern widespread the one in his hand, which use of commercial droneshe inserts into the belly of but mostcompanies are still a drone and flies over his afew years away from being 1,300-acre farm in Kendable to fly. So industry leaders are keeping a close eye rick, Idaho, where he grows legumes and wheat. on the corner of the country By Molly Harbarger
The Oregonian
tells us the earlier you buy a policy the less expensive it is. As a general rule the Continued from Page 1B best age to buy long-term care insurance is age 60, because you are less covers long-term care. And it can be very likely to file a claim before that age. expensive. Statisti cally,90 percent oflong-term The Center for Retirement Research's careclaims arefiled forpeopleover age conclusion: 70 and 67 percent of all LTC benefits ''When deciding how much to save arepaidforcare received by women. for retirement, and how rapidly to draw Long-termcareis an issueofspecial importance to women for two reasons: down their wealth during retirement, • Women tend to live longer. households need to consider what risk theyareprepared to acceptofhaving • Woman are often the primary care their assets substantially depleted by providerfora spouseand ultimately health care, whether they are above or recipients of care. Health care costs,and particularly below the average risk of incurring exceptionally high costs, and whether they long-term carecosts,are m ajorsources should insure against health care costs of worry for many, both men and womby purchasing long-term care insurance." en.Insurance can provide a lotofpeace The long-term care iLTCl industry of mind in addition to being a sound
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financial decision. Often when people think oflong-term care, they think of a nursing home. Policies provide many options on receiving care in addition to nursing homes including assisted living and your own home. Most people tell me theirtwo top prioritiesare notbeing a burden to their families and the desire to stay in their own home. Long-term care insurance isn't for everyoneand itisnota decision to be made lightly. If you can pay for long-term care without significantly impacting your assets, you may not need LTC insurance. On the other hand, if your only source of income is Social Security income, you probably shouldn't purchase LTC insurance.Ifyou have assetsto protectand itisa priority to preserve those assets, consider it.
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The agency said the study was blind, so noviolations would be reported. The milk industry balked when the FDA first announced the study in 2010, expressing concerns that the broad testing would disrupt the milk supply. After negotiations, the testing began in 2012 and the agency spent the next two years analyzing the results. The industry praised the study as it was released. "Theseresultsare great,butwe still areaiming for zeropositivesin the future," said Jim Mulhern, CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. David Plunkett of the Center for Science in the Public Interest says the study shows that drug residues are "a small problem" but that there should be expandedtesting to bring thelevels down even further. "The fact that it is a small problem indicatesit's aproblem we should be able to resolve," Plunkett said.
where Oregon, Idaho and Washington meet to see how the ag-drone startup fares. Even after the FAA exemption, Blair and his business partners remain tied up in bureaucracy. While they sortout thedetails,they are at agriculture conventions across the country pitching potential customers.
Expo that drones are going to beascommon as tractors in the future. "I justwish I was 40years younger to take advantage of what's availabletoday," Durfey said after his address to the Future Farmers of America."Information is power." Beyond agriculture, the future is also in real estate, natural resource mining and fighting wildfires. Film andphotography companies dominate the current 42 exemptions to the FAA ban. They use unmanned aircraft systems totake aerialshotsthat even heli copters orplanes can't get. Other exemptions allow rooforbridgeinspections, ensure the flare stacks of natural-gas companies are operating safely and survey real estate.
Industry needs investment to grow Unmanned aircraft systemsare attheforefront of precision agriculture, a movement to use better technology to prevent crop disease, decrease pesticide use and generally make smarterdecisions. James Durfey, a professor at Washington State University's crop and soil sciences department, told alecture hall of about 100 high school students at the Spokane Ag
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