Baker City’s 108-year-old Central Building, gutted by fire on May 22, is gone, but its legacy will linger in many places around town.

Several dozen people hauled trailers to a vacant lot near the Baker Sports Complex on Aug. 20 and 21 to collect up to five free chunks of the Pleasant Valley tuffstone that was salvaged from the demolished structure.

People said they planned to use the stones for a variety of purposes, including as decorative benches and in retaining walls.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/residents-line-up-to-collect-remnants-from-central-building/article_7f69162c-5f39-11ef-876f-6304f342440b.html

Baker County is preparing to launch its “deflection program” Sept. 1, as allowed under a state law the legislature passed in February. The law replaces the voter-approved Measure 110 from 2020, which decriminalized the possession of small amounts of drugs, including fentanyl. Under the new law, people cited for possession can be referred to the deflection program, which allows them to avoid criminal charges if they complete an addiction treatment program.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/baker-county-ready-to-launch-deflection-program-as-drug-possession-is-recriminalized/article_2eb64c4e-60bb-11ef-912e-c3c2231b244f.html

Baker City’s annual Memory Cruise classic car show brought nearly 200 vehicles to Geiser-Pollman Park on Aug. 17.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/relishing-the-rare-classic-cars-gather-for-baker-citys-memory-cruise/article_288cde80-5e74-11ef-ae1c-9b6463bf863b.html

It’s still August, but the high school fall sports season is nearly ready to start. Practices began Aug. 19, and the first contests are set for Aug. 29.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/sports/high-school-sports-fall-season-starts-next-week/article_d7daa09c-615e-11ef-bac9-9fe619e99bbb.html