50 YEARS AGO

from the Democrat-Herald

July 29, 1971

William H. Taylor, 32, newly appointed controller at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, is nearly all settled in his new job. He came to Baker from Nampa, Idaho, where he worked as assistant controller at Mercy Medical Center.

25 YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 29, 1996

About 250 firefighters, with help from cooler temperatures and a few rain showers Sunday, slowed a lightning-caused forest fire that burned 370 acres about seven air miles southwest of Baker City.

The Elkhorn Ridge fire, which started Friday about 9 p.m., burned within about three-quarters of a mile of Baker City’s watershed, said Judy Wing, a spokeswoman for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.

Crews were concentrating today on ensuring the fire doesn’t move any closer to the watershed, Wing said.

U.S. Forest Service and Baker City officials have warned for several years that a fire could quickly engulf much of the 10,000-acre watershed, which supplies most of the drinking water for Baker City’s 9,730 residents.

10 YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 27, 2011

Baker City’s overhauled residential burn ordinance made it through its final reading Tuesday and will take effect in 30 days.

The City Council voted 6-0 to approve the third reading of Ordinance 3302.

The new ordinance spells out a variety of rules for residents who want to use burn barrels or conduct open burns. These includes times of day when burning can go on, what can and can’t be set on fire in a burn barrel, and rules for ceremonial and religious fires.

ONE YEAR AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 28, 2020

Baker County’s COVID-19 cases continue to show up in little clusters, which is obviously better, Nancy Staten said, than big clusters.

But although Baker County’s total of 24 cases is lower than in 28 of Oregon’s 35 other counties, Staten, administrator for the county’s health department, discourages residents from relaxing their diligence in wearing face masks, social distancing and washing their hands frequently.

“We’re not immune,” Staten said on Monday afternoon. “I don’t want people in our community to think we are.”

Of Baker County’s 24 cases, 23 have been reported since June 30. The most cases announced in a single day has been three, the total for July 7 and July 25. No one has died from the virus in the county.