Although as of this writing, on May 30, the shell of Baker City’s historic Central Building still stands.

But the future of the 108-year-old structure, which was Baker High School from 1917-52 and was closed, as part of the Baker Middle School campus, in 2009, likely is short due to damage from a May 22 fire of still-undetermined origin.

Baker School District officials, and a deputy state fire marshal, agree that the structural damage is so severe that the building will have to be torn down. This could happen relatively soon.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/school-district-officials-expect-central-building-will-be-torn-down/article_5901cb48-1e96-11ef-82e5-436ad2d4d2f4.html

The Bureau of Land Management’s Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, about 5 miles east of Baker City, reopened on May 24 after being closed for more than three and a half years, initially due to the pandemic and then for a major renovation to make the building more energy efficient. Several hundred people turned out for the reopening of the Center, which has hosted almost 2.5 million visitors since its original opening in May 1992.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/oregon-trail-interpretive-center-reopens-after-more-than-3-year-closure/article_8d8eb74a-1c25-11ef-8dea-2bf0667851b7.html

A campaign to restock Baker City’s Backpack Program with peanut butter brought in more than 1,350 jars for the program, which distributes food to Baker City students during the weekend.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/peanut-butter-drive-collects-1-315-jars/article_7eca437c-1dd9-11ef-8526-83cc49d028c7.html

Graduates in the Class of 2024 earned more than $900,000 in scholarships, including about $330,000 from local scholarships.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/baker-graduates-bring-in-more-than-900-000-in-scholarships/article_700fa9a0-1dc3-11ef-9491-d7f7bc8c396f.html