50YEARS AGO

from the Democrat-Herald

February 26, 1968

LeRoy Merrick, treasurer and second lieutenant for the Baker County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse, became new secretary-treasurer for the Eastern Oregon Sheriff’s Posse following election here Saturday.

He succeeds Paul Fleming, Malheur County, who moved up to vice president. George Gibbs of Grant County succeeded Art Keller, Baker County posse, in the post of president.

25YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

February 26, 1993

The Oregon Transportation Commission has approved almost $110,000 for two Baker County projects.

The Sumpter Valley Railroad right-of-way in Sumpter Valley received a $36,060 state grant to rebuild Dredge Loop Road near the dredge depot. The total cost of the project is $40,189.

10YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

February 26, 2008

Cliff Bentz described his first three weeks in the Oregon Legislature as “a cram course in state government,” a time he was “very happy to learn things and to make a modest difference.”

ONEYEAR AGO

from the Baker City Herald

February 27, 2017

Baker City Fire Chief Tom Wills hopes his department will receive a $240,000 federal grant this June that would help the city hire three firefighters and ease a chronic staffing shortage that makes it difficult for the department to deal with multiple fire or ambulance calls simultaneously.

Wills believes the 13-member department is understaffed and underfunded. He said the department does not comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, which require four personnel to man a fire engine when it goes out on calls.

Baker City’s department can’t always meet that minimum when crews are responding to more than one fire or ambulance call at the same time, Wills said.