50 YEARS AGO

from the Democrat-Herald

July 17, 1971

The woods at the end of Pine Creek Road are humming with activity this week as 55 Baker County youngsters, ages 6 to 12, participate in the first expanded Food and Nutrition Education Day Camp, sponsored by the Baker County Extension Service.

As in other camps, these youngsters are playing games, singing songs, and learning crafts, but the day camp has special purpose. Through activities such as cooking over an open fire and singing songs like “Drink, Drink, Drink Your Milk,” to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” the youngsters are learning the basic facts about nutritional needs and the proper foods to fulfill them.

25 YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 17, 1996

The Baker City Golf Board is considering four options for managing the city-owned golf course, including leasing the nine-hole course to a private contractor or to a yet-to-be-formed nonprofit group composed of local golfers.

The board appointed a seven-person committee to study ways to manage the public golf course.

Board members discussed the committee’s four options for the first time Tuesday night. The board will choose one, perhaps by late August or early September, and present its recommendation to the City Council, which has final authority, board chairman Troy Phillips said this morning.

10 YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 18, 2011

A hailstorm on Saturday afternoon damaged crops in Baker Valley, but the extent hasn’t been measured.

Jan Kerns, who with her husband, Tim, grows potatoes on their Rainbow Ranch west of Haines, said they haven’t surveyed the damage to their crop.

“We had a potato field that got hit pretty hard,” she said.

The storm hit around 4 p.m. on Saturday, Kerns said.

At this point in the potato’s life cycle, hail can strip leaves from the plants and break the stems. While the actual potato is safe underground, it needs the leaves and stems to stay healthy to reach full size.

ONE YEAR AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 18, 2020

With Little League baseball and softball and many other sports being canceled, and schools closed for the spring term, kids have been left without access to the normal activities and social interactions during the pandemic.

The Baker County YMCA is trying to address the situation.

“Recognizing the shortage of healthy and engaging activities for youth during the COVID-19 emergency, the Baker County YMCA is working to fill that gap while continuing to provide safe environments and conditions,” the YMCA said in a press release.

The YMCA is offering a volleyball camp for kids ages 8 to 11 the week of July 20-24, a basketball camp in August, and fitness classes for ages 10 and up (yoga, tai chi, Zumba and cycling).

The YMCA is also opening exercise machines and free weight stations for ages 15 and up at its Fitness Center.

The YMCA was also giving group swim lessons for youth, but the spots filled.