Roy Lennberg
Lakeview, 1921-2013
Roy Lennberg, 92, a former Baker City resident, died March 26, 2013, at Lakeview.
A memorial gathering will be scheduled later this summer.
Roy was born on Feb. 9, 1921, at St. Paul, Minn. He grew up at Akeley, Minn., and married Mabel Nielsen, his sweetheart of 69 years.
Roy served his country with honor and valor as a second lieutenant, leading 240 men across Northern Europe, from their landing at Normandy into some of the most violent combat of that war, which ended with the fall of the Nazi machine in April of 1945.
He lost 200 men dead and wounded on that march and was wounded himself. He was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Purple Heart and carried enemy shrapnel the rest of his life.
After returning home to his beloved Mabel, the couple had two daughters: Betty and Vikki. It was a sweet interlude until the Korean War, and Roy was again pressed into service.
After his wartime experiences, Roy and his family moved to Citrus Heights, Calif., where he lived until his retirement in 1984. He was a woodworker by profession and a successful Western artist by pleasure.
Later they moved to Ukiah, Calif., and then to Baker City, to be near their daughters. In 2011, Roy and Mabel moved to Lakeview.
Survivors include his wife, Mabel; daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Mike Moore of Ukiah, Calif., and daughter, Vikki Wyatt of Lakeview; grandchildren, Leigh Ann and James Evans of Lakeview, Wells Wyatt of Hazelton, Idaho, Heather and David Atherton of Rocklin, Calif., and Sean and Hailey Moore of Oakland, Calif.; five great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives.![]()
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Obituary for April 3, 2013
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Baker City Hall clock restoration continues
By Terri Harber
tharber@bakercityherald.com
Only plywood is visible in the face holes of the clock tower atop Baker City Hall.
The clock faces have been blank for a few weeks. Several pieces of the clock were sent two weeks ago to a company that specializes in repairing and restoring tower and street clocks.
Essence of Time, in Lockport, N.Y., fully restored the tower clock on the Baker County Courthouse in 2009.
The company has been in business for about 30 years and is known for restoring the nation’s oldest tower clock, circa 1750, at the Old Hillsborough Courthouse in Hillsborough, N.C.![]()
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Fire burns 28.5 acres near Phillips Lake
By Chris Collins
ccollins@bakercityherald.com
Winds Tuesday afternoon fanned the remains of a day-old fire set to burn a ditch bank along private property, spreading flames into about 28 1/2 acres of brush and grass on Forest Service ground near Phillips Lake.
Glen Marshall had burned Monday and thought the fire was out, bit it revived Tuesday afternoon, said Fire Chief Wes Morgan of the Powder River Rural Fire Protection District.
“It sat overnight and then the warm temperatures hit and it took off,” Morgan said.
The fire burned grass and a few willow trees in bottom ground between Hudspeth Lane and Phillips Lake, about 20 miles southwest of Baker City.![]()
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BHS BASEBALL: Bucks top Bulldogs
PENDLETON — Pendleton jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning then held Baker off for a 7-3 nonleague baseball win Monday at Bob White Field.
The Bucks scored all four runs with two outs.
“It was kind of like we weren’t really ready to play,” said Baker coach Dan Blankenship.“But, the kids battled back. Take away that first inning and it was a good game.”
Baker cut the deficit to 4-1 in the third inning. Dan Stinson doubled and scored on a double by Mason Cline.
Then, down 7-1, the Bulldogs tallied twice in the sixth.
Dillon Blankenship walked and advanced on Kody Younger’s single. Both scored on a double by Chace Dixon.
Younger was Baker’s starting pitcher, taking the loss.
The Bulldogs travel to Burns for a single game this afternoon.
Baker 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 — 3
Pendleton 4 0 0 3 0 0 x — 7
Younger, Custer (3), Cline (5) and Mespelt. LP — Younger.
Baker hits — Cline, Blankenship, Younger, Custer, Dixon 2, Stinson. Baker RBI — Cline, Dixon 2.
2B — Cline, Dixon, Stinson.![]()
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BHS SOFTBALL: Pendleton shuts out Baker
PENDLETON — Pendleton extended Baker’s losing streak to seven games Monday with a 10-0 nonleague softball win at Pendleton.
Baker managed just one hit, a first-inning single by Abi Smith.
The Bulldogs had just one other baserunner during the afternoon, when Taylor Ellis walked in the fourth inning.
Baker opens Greater Oregon League play Friday by hosting Ontario in a doubleheader at the Baker Sports Complex. The first game begins at 3 p.m.
Baker 0 0 0 0 0 — 0
Pendleton 3 0 5 1 1 — 10
Howerton, Shankle (5) and Ellis. LP — Howerton.
Baker hits — Smith. Baker RBI — none.![]()
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BHS GOLF: Baker girls 4th, boys 7th at Wildhorse
MISSION — Baker’s boys and girls golf teams competed at a tournament at Wildhorse Monday.
The Baker boys placed seventh, and the girls fourth.
Charlie Clarke was low scorer for the boys with a score of 79. Brandon Ellwanger had an 80, Riley Carter 90, Jake Brown 93 and Evan Simonski-Davis 94.
Madi Elms led the Baker girls with a score of 100. Kelsie Geddes shot 111, Kylie Skidgel 115, and Mckenzie Rosenboragh 135.
Both teams travel to Mac-Hi Friday.![]()
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Final weekend of season at Anthony Lakes
Anthony Lakes ski area opens Thursday morning at 9 o'clock for its final weekend of the season. Lift tickets are half price on Thursday.
The resort, in the Elkhorn Mountains about 35 miles northwest of Baker City, will be open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
There will be a big air competition in the meadow on Saturday and Sunday.
The Nordic spring fling, with homemade ice cream, is set for Saturday, the final day of the season for the Nordic Lodge (in the Forest Service's historic guard station on the north shore of Anthony Lake).
Tyler Brooks will perform Saturday night in the Starbottle.
On Sunday, the final downhill day, there will be an outdoor barbecue and bash, with Bitterroot playing live music.
Snow conditions are available online at www.anthonylakes.com, or by calling 541-856-3277.![]()
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Rugby match won't happen
A college rugby match that had been tentatively scheduled for April 13 at the Baker Sports Complex has been canceled, Baker High School athletic director Brad Dunten said Wednesday.
Dunten said the University of Utah, which had been slated to play Oregon State University, decided not to participate.
The two schools had discussed playing a match that had been postponed earlier.
Officials were looking for a neutral site roughly midway between Corvallis and Salt Lake City. Baker City was picked as a possible site because several Baker High School graduates played rugby at Oregon State, and some of the alumni have contacts with Oregon State coaches.![]()
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Two classic films to be shown Friday
A special showing of two classic films is scheduled Friday night at the Iron Gate Theatre upstairs in the Basche-Sage Mall, 2101 Main St.
The event will begin with “McLintock,” a 1963 Western starring John Wayne.
Next will be the 1940 film, “His Girl Friday” starring Cary Grant and Roasalind Russell.
The $8 tickets, which include a $3 discount on snacks and drinks at Charlie’s Ice Cream Parlor, may be purchased at the door. Seating is limited to 40 people.![]()
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Bulldogs hammer Burns
By Gerry Steele
gsteele@bakercityherald.com
Baker tuned up for today’s Greater Oregon League baseball doubleheader against Ontario by dismantling Burns 16-2 in a nonleague game at Burns Wednesday.![]()
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Police mugshots are public records
Depending as we do on access to public information, we tend to bristle when anyone tries to restrict such access.
And so we oppose a bill, pending in the Oregon Legislature, which would make it more difficult for the public — and, potentially, the media — to get mugshots of criminal defendants from county jails.
House Bill 3467, which is sponsored by two Democratic representatives from Portland, Mitch Greenlick and Jennifer Williamson, has one strike against it from the start.
It wasn’t written by either of those lawmakers, but rather by Ryan Anfuso, a criminal defense attorney from Portland. We’ve nothing against defense lawyers, but in defending their clients they’re often more inclined to conceal information from the public rather than make it readily available.
The claimed purpose of HB 3467 isn’t so terrible. Anfuso said his goal is to thwart websites which use software to automatically search the Internet for mugshots, then post the photos online and, in some cases, charge people a fee if they want to have the mugshot removed.
That’s not an especially compelling use of public information.
But that’s also not the point.
Mugshots are public records, and the government should be striving to make such records more readily available, not less.
Which is where HB 3467 fails miserably.
The bill not only would prohibit police agencies from posting mugshots online, it would require that anyone who wants a copy of a mugshot to go to the agency, submit a written request, and then pay a fee (no amount is listed in the bill).
This is an awfully heavy-handed way to deal with those predatory websites that Anfuso is worried about.
And although Williamson said she is open to changing the proposed bill to make exceptions for the news media, that wouldn’t alleviate our concerns.
Mugshots are public records. That a handful of website operators take advantage of that in no way justifies punishing the vast majority of the public that merely wants access to information to which each of us is legally entitled.![]()
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The difference between driving past, or through
Baker County has never been what you’d call a bustling place, but today it’s a trifle lonelier than usual, even though there are no fewer people about.
The recent closure of the only gas station in Durkee seems to me a minor milestone in a transition that started more than 40 years ago, when the freeway began to replace old Highway 30.
The major change, of course, happened as soon as the comparatively straight, four-lane swath of I-84 (originally, I-80) supplanted the ostensibly outdated two-lane.
Baker County became a place to drive past rather than a place to drive through, which are altogether different propositions.![]()
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Letters to the Editor for April 5, 2013
Dalton’s experience makes him ideal for OTEC board
I endorse Doug Dalton for the vacancy on the OTEC board of directors. We are very fortunate to have an electrical cooperative in Union, Baker, Grant and Harney counties, keeping resources created in Oregon administered by citizens of Oregon, and not some multi-state or multi-national company. Our cooperative is a success in large part because of the determination, hard work and knowledge of the board of directors.
OTEC board members must be knowledgeable, experienced and competent. Add to that integrity and hard work and you have Doug Dalton. He has previous experience as chief financial officer, controller in the utility industry. That experience cannot be understated. His understanding and experience with utility companies gives him an edge as it eliminates the learning curve of any new board member. It is that type of experience that an OTEC director needs to be effective from the beginning.
I have worked with Doug in his role as chief financial officer of the Baker 5J School District. He was a sound money manager. When Doug told us what we could expect fiscally, we as a board were able to plan effectively because he was always so accurate in his predictions. When faced with a drastic and sudden shortfall in district revenues attributed to the recession, Doug led a fiscal restructuring of the district that had minimal impact on student learning time and class size. He will bring that financial knowledge along with his experience in the utility industry to the OTEC board to benefit all the members.
Doug has always exhibited the utmost integrity, honesty and directness. I trusted his advice completely. As the former school board chairman my experience with Doug was that he was never one to “beat around the bush.” He had the enviable ability to see through multiple scenarios and provide appropriate analysis. In doing so he was direct, gave us the facts, laid out our options and gave his recommendation — which always seemed to be the best choice.
I urge all OTEC members to vote for Doug Dalton for the Baker County board seat.
Damien Yervasi
Baker City
Government wants more power over citizens
In a letter a while back I wrote about the difference between being a citizen or a subject. It’s even closer today both physically and spiritually. The government wants more power over us and the atheists want to take God from us. Oops! I almost forgot, according to them there is no God. Explain to me then why are they in fear of any symbol of Him? Thank God there’s more now waking up to this danger. God’s real, folks, and He’s not going away.
Let me tell you my story, my testimony, my witness to a true and real God. But first I want to give acknowledgement to six men who give up their time to us ex-G.I.’s to drive us from Baker to Boise five days a week in all kinds of weather to our VA appointment. I rode with them 40 times in a row and still go from time to time. These men are unsung heroes but should be noted and thanked for their service. Thank you, Bob, Karl, Alan and Alan, Phil and John.
There’s not enough space to explain my full testimony so I may write more than one letter on it. Grew up in California, went from building hot rods to motorcycle groups. Not knowing then but knowing now, God already had His hand on me. He kept me from many things that would lead to prison or worse. Then He put me into the service for the next four years. Still not listening, ended up in the USAF hospital for three months in terrible pain, about to lose my right leg. Walk out three months later, I know now because of God’s power, right leg healed. Back in California, married with kids, back into motorcycles when a fellow I knew came all the way from Colorado, walks into my house, sticks his finger in my face, tells me God has sent him to me God wants. I know this may, and thought maybe I should pay attention. Will fill in blanks next.
Richard Fox
Baker City
Double standard on school district budget issues
Although I saw Mr. Munn’s letter to the editor from last week as a bit offensive, I have to say that it nonetheless provided me with some comic relief. Here’s why:
It appears that Mr. Munn attempted to submit a complaint anonymously, assuming that the victim of his complaint would never know who filed it. Unbeknownst to him, the response is cc’d to the petitioner, and then Mrs. McQuisten obviously was able to see who had done it. When Mrs. McQuisten’s letter to the editor named him, it must of have been embarrassing for him.
Secondly, Mr. Munn asserts that the $10,000 paid for the recall effort was an unjust victimization of our children, but let’s put things into perspective. The district has a multi-million dollar budget. I find it ironic that they are able to budget tens of thousands of dollars for administrative raises to salaries that are already over $100,000 annually, but somehow rationalize that the $10,000 to pay for the recall effort was somehow unfair. In fact, they even threatened to support a recall effort against Director Knight if he did not either rescind his remarks or resign. So essentially, what Mr. Munn is saying is that it is okay for the district to support a recall effort against Mr. Knight and victimize our children (by way of $10,000), but a citizen who believes the board overstepped its bounds is not allowed to do the same. It seems to be a huge double standard. I’m curious as to whether Mr. Munn would have filed a complaint against the board majority if they would have followed through with their threat.
Mr. Munn’s letter came across to me as angry, and quite frankly, desperate of saving face. I’ve honestly heard better rhetoric coming from the “Dear Leader” in Pyongyang recently. My advice to him would be simple: just own it. You got caught!
Jason Smith
Baker City![]()
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Dry March elevates fire danger
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Fire creeping through the winter-browned grass along an irrigation ditch or a fence is a symbol of spring as reliable around here as the buttercup and the wobbly calf.
The fire engine spewing water on the flames, not so much.
But this year, the combination of an abnormally dry March and temperatures rising into the 60s and low 70s during the past week has created burning conditions more typical of early June than early April.
“It is dry,” said Jason Simmons, fire management officer for the BLM’s Vale District. “We’ve seen a trend over the past few years in Malheur County and even in southern Baker County."![]()
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Wyden calls for more background checks on gun sales
By Terri Harber
tharber@bakercityherald.com
Up to 250 people attended U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden’s Town Hall meeting on Wednesday.
The event was held at Baker High School and many of those who attended were students — primarily juniors and seniors in government, economics and social studies classes. “We were taking advantage of the moment,” said Gwen O’Neal, the vice principal at BHS.
At least one teacher worked with students on formulating questions to pose to Wyden, a Democrat from Portland.![]()
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DNA tests confirm attacking animal was a dog, not a wolf
By Jayson Jacoby
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
The animal that attacked a family’s dog last month in Baker Valley was a large dog, not a wild gray wolf.
DNA testing from the University of Idaho confirmed that the attacker was a dog, said Brian Ratliff, district wildlife biologist at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Baker City office.
Officials at the University of Idaho tested DNA from samples of feces and hair that Ratliff collected on March 24 near the home of Jay and Genie Ogg. The couple, who have three children, live on Spring Creek Loop, which branches off Pine Creek Lane about 10 miles west of Baker City near the base of the Elkhorn Mountains.![]()
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Misguided in Salem
Certain Oregon lawmakers seem more concerned about the health of state workers than the state’s economy, which isn’t exactly in marathon-ready shape these days.
It’s not that we don’t want public workers to be in fine fettle.
But we’re confident that they know what’s good for them and what’s not.
Yet Rep. Jim Thompson, a Republican from Dallas, has introduced a bill (HB 2767) calling for the state’s Public Employees Benefits Board to buy at least 10 desks which are equipped with a treadmill. The idea is that workers can get a cardio workout while they’re dealing with their paperwork. The bill also would require the state to study, over two years, whether the employees who have treadmill desks are healthier.
Meanwhile, Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer, a Democrat from Portland, is sponsoring House Bill 3403, which would restrict the items in vending machines in public buildings based on such factors as total calories and percentage of calories from fat.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with either idea.
Nothing, that is, except that neither has anything to do with what should be the Legislature’s main concern, which is making sure the state can pay its bills.![]()
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Obituaries for April 8, 2013
Jane Carpenter
Baker City, 1939-2013
Jane Marie Carpenter, 74 of Baker City, died April 3, 2013, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center.
Private viewing was Friday at Gray’s West and Company Pioneer Chapel. There was a private memorial service Saturday at the Pleasant Valley Fellowship with private burial at Auburn.
Jane was born on Feb. 9, 1939, at Baker City to Samuel and Sarah Droke Patterson. She married Carl Carpenter on Sept. 11, 1955, at Weiser, Idaho. They spent most of their adult lives in Baker City raising eight children.
She enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting, fishing and camping. She also was an avid gardener and canned all the foods she grew in her garden.
Survivors include her husband of 57 years, Carl of Baker City; two sisters, Iris Stuber and Naomi Stevenson; eight children, Sam Carpenter of Baker City, Sarah Hanson of Clarkston, Wash., Dawna Carpenter of Baker City, Kathy Smith of Baker City, Casey Carpenter of Elko, Nev., Carl Carpenter Jr. of Baker City, Jasen Carpenter of Marysville, Calif., and Chanc Carpenter of Baker City; 34 grandchildren; and 48 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Anna Miller and Pearl Hainey; and three brothers, William Patterson, Franklin Patterson and Samuel Patterson.
Memorial contributions may be made to any children’s charity through Gray’s west and Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.‘R.C.’ Shirley
Baker City, 1943-2013
Richard “R.C.” Shirley, 69, of Baker City, died April 4, 2013, at his home.
There will be a private family celebration of R.C.’s life later this summer.
Richard was born on Oct. 7, 1943, at Baker City to Curtis and Julia Richards Shirley. He was raised at Baker City and Tigard, graduating from Tigard High School in 1962. R.C. joined the U.S. Marines in 1964. On Thursday, March 28, 2013, he was honored for his service and received a pin and a plaque.
R.C. married Glady Sosa at Lake Tahoe. He enjoyed working construction in the United States and abroad. R.C. loved being outside, working in the yard, the orchard and the gardens. He had a great sense of humor and a smile that lit up a room.
Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Glady; three children; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heart ‘n’ Home Hospice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.
Randy Simonis
Hermison, 1955-2013
Randy Keith Simonis, 57, died April 5, 2013, at Hermiston.
He was born on Nov. 12, 1955, at La Grande. He was raised at North Powder where he attended school.
Friends and family are invited to sign the condolence book and view the full obituary at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements.![]()
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Resort Street project under way
By Terri Harber
tharber@bakercityherald.com
Sidewalk demolition and digging into the road to move utility lines underground is occurring on Resort Street.
The section of Resort that runs parallel to Main Street in Baker City’s downtown area is being reconstructed and beautified.
The project area runs along Resort from Campbell Street to Auburn Avenue.![]()
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State, ODOT sued over deadly bus crash on I-84
The Associated Press
PORTLAND — Lawyers representing a survivor and the estates of three people killed in an Oregon tour bus crash last December are suing the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The lawsuit says the department was negligent for failing to warn drivers of unsafe conditions and not adequately plowing and sanding snow. The lawsuit also faults the department for not requiring commercial vehicles to take another route and for failing to equip that stretch of the interstate with barriers strong enough to prevent a bus from leaving the roadway.
ODOT spokesman Patrick Cooney told The Oregonian (http://bit.ly/ZL4aYH ) that it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
A total of nine people were killed and 38 injured in the crash on I-84 near Pendleton.![]()
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