50 YEARS AGO

from the Democrat-Herald

July 31, 1971

HUNTINGTON — This city was buffeted by a short but vicious storm Tuesday afternoon. We were drenched with .48 inches of rain in 15 minutes along with a tornado-like wind. The temperature dropped from 99 degrees to 75 degrees in about 25 minutes and returned to the 99 degrees very shortly after the storm, making it very steamy and uncomfortable.

25 YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 31, 1996

Lightning-filled thunderstorms sparked 20 new forest fires on the south half of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Tuesday and pelted Baker County with rain, hail and gale-force winds.

None of the new fires was larger than a half-acre this morning, said Angelica Johnson, an information assistant for the Wallowa-Whitman’s Burnt-Powder Fire Zone.

10 YEARS AGO

from the Baker City Herald

August 1, 2011

The lightning storm that treated Baker County residents to a dazzling light show Sunday night might also have ignited a lackluster wildfire season.

Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry crews went looking for a couple of reported blazes after dark Sunday, but neither found a fire.

But Renae Crippen expects that situation will change later today.

“I imagine by mid-day we’ll definitely see something,” said Crippen, who’s the manager at the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center at the La Grande Airport.

ONE YEAR AGO

from the Baker City Herald

July 30, 2020

Baker County Sheriff’s officers believe a 14-year-old boy who waded into the water on the banks of Oxbow Reservoir at the eastern edge of the county stepped into a steep drop-off and drowned Monday morning.

In an attempt to save the boy, his adult fishing partner also fell into the deep water and drowned, a press release stated.

The bodies of 14-year-old Wyatt James Smith, and Matthew Titus Kellogg, 41, both of Hood River, were found in about 10 feet of water below Brownlee Dam, Ashley McClay, Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Oxbow Reservoir is the middle of the three reservoirs on the Snake River forming the border between Oregon and Idaho.

Brownlee Reservoir is upriver from Oxbow, and Hells Canyon Reservoir is downriver.

Oxbow Reservoir is about 75 miles east of Baker City.

The Baker County Sheriff’s Department was called about 10:53 a.m. Monday by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Weiser, Idaho, reporting that two people had gone underwater while fishing from the Oregon side at Oxbow Reservoir below Brownlee Dam. Shaun Jason Moore, 41, Wyatt’s father, reported the incident, McClay said.

Moore told police that his son and Kellogg had been walking in the water while fishing. McClay said the boy got too far from shore and began having difficulty and when Kellogg tried to help him he also began having difficulty in the water.

Moore told police he saw his son and Kellogg go under. They were not wearing life jackets.

Moore tried to go in the water, but he was unable to reach the pair and they did not resurface, McClay said.

In addition to Oxbow resident deputy Brian Harvey, Baker County Sheriff’s marine deputies responded along with officers from Washington County, Idaho, and Adams County, Idaho, at Council. They launched two boats and a jet ski to search for Smith and Kellogg, McClay said.

The two were found in about 10 feet of water in an eddy below Brownlee Dam.