LOCAL: 4Hers gather for livestock judging
contest. PAGE 9
The
BUSINESS: New baseball-themed mural goes
in at Lefty’s; Charley’s new owners. PAGE 3
Baker County Press
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Friday, June 19, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 25
Baker County volunteers attend
search and rescue training
• EIGHT BRUSH UP
ON SAR SKILLS
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Eight Baker County
Search and Rescue volun-
teers participated in this
month’s Eastern Oregon
Search and Rescue (EO-
SAR) Region 5 training,
which was held June 5-7 at
Bully Creek Park, just over
the county line in Malheur
County.
Region 5 includes
Baker Sheriff’s Offi ce/
Baker Search and Rescue,
and the Sheriff’s Depart-
ments of Union, Umatilla,
Grant, Wallowa, Harney,
Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam,
and Malheur Counties.
Sheriff Brian Wolfe of
Malheur County said about
100 people attended, with
representatives from each
member county. He said
he was impressed with
everyone who came and
all did a great job learning
as much as they possibly
could.
Wolfe said you can’t
talk about a training event
without looking at the
dedication of the Search
and Rescue volunteers who
give so much time and
talent. He said he believe
there are people in his own
county who would not be
alive today were it not for
the effort of Search and
Rescue.
Instructors for the
event were also drawn
from local counties. Train-
ing included Aircraft Spot-
ter training in which partic-
ipants practiced going up
in an aircraft and looking
for clues to spot several
subjects on the ground.
Wolfe said it’s not like
a neon sign, but there is
science behind spotting the
clues that lead to fi nding
someone from the air.
Diving training was
also offered. A car was
sunk into the reservoir—
Wolfe assured that all oil/
gas and such chemicals
were removed fi rst. Un-
derwater camera and side-
scan sonar were used to
locate the vehicle and then
a dive team was deployed
to recover evidence/bodies
from the car.
SEE EOSAR PAGE 11
Photo courtesy of Aleasha Hackman.
Volunteers from Baker County were among those at
the recent EOSAR training near Vale.
Sumpter
faces
lawsuit
• HEARING FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
HELD WEDNESDAY, JUDGE TO DECIDE FATE
OF CASE’S 10 MOTIONS
BY BRIAN ADDISON
Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Photo Courtesy of Cold Bore Ops
Members of the Baker Rural Fire Department mix with Team Ireland (in tan). L-R: Larry Solisz, John Taylor,
Dave McCoy, Graham Murry, Sean Lee and Michael Ward.
Oregon Sniper Challenge
SEE SUMPTER LAWSUIT PAGE 8
Electric
car station
nearly open
• BAKER CITY MEN COMPETE AMONG 50
OF THE WORLD’S TOP MARKSMEN
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Last weekend blue skies and sun greeted an elite event
unlike any this area has seen in the past.
Under a spray of brass and the smell of gunpowder,
The Oregon Sniper Challenge, a marksmanship event
featuring competitors from all around the globe, came to
Baker County.
Among the 50 competitors invited was Baker City’s
own Mike Regan, a sergeant with the Baker City Police
Department, and Micah Huyett, a local shooting instruc-
tor. Huyett placed third and Regan 30th.
Hosted by the Powder River Sportsmen and held at
that Club’s Virtue Flats range, about 15 vendors for the
competition began to set up Friday morning, the only part
of the event open to the public.
“We have about 10 volunteers here with us,” said Steve
Huisman of Portland’s Cold Bore Ops, “And something
like 10-15 vendors.”
Huisman, with Baker City roots—his parents live
here—is the mastermind and driving force behind this
competition, which started in 2009.
Huisman said some vendors came from as far as Mon-
tana, others from the East Coast, showing off weapons,
ammo, optics, suppressors, tactical gear, night vision
Friday
Sunny and warm with a high around 76. Clear at
night with a low of 42.
Saturday
Sunny and warm again with highs reaching 78.
Cool and clear at night with a low of 47.
Sunday
Warmest day of the weekend with highs reach-
ing the mid-80s. Lows at night staying in the
high 40s.
Tensions have been simmering in Sumpter for several
years and a group of individuals has brought a lawsuit
against defendants City of Sumpter and individuals John
Young, Marlene Bork, LeAnne Woolf, and Myrna Clark.
The plaintiffs through their attorney Martin Leuenberg-
er, on Tuesday, June 16, requested Oregon Circuit Court
of Baker County Judge Gregory Baxter to decide whether
a list of 10 allegations (motions) against the defendants
have legal merit and should proceed to civil trial, in legal-
ese referred to as a Motion for Summary Judgment.
Filing the lawsuit against City of Sumpter and the four
individuals are plaintiffs Myron Woodley, Pat Lindrose,
Karen Peters, Verne Hollopeter, and Connie and Ed
Marshal.
• TESLA BUILDS CHARGERS ALONG
SUNRIDGE INN PARKING LOT
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Micah Huyett of Baker City accepts his 3rd place
prize from event organizer Steve Huisman (right).
equipment and more.
As Huisman spoke, competitors could be seen raising
a dust in the distance as vehicles started up the long, dry
dirt road from the highway below.
SEE SNIPER PAGE 5
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
The Best Western Sunridge Inn of Baker City recently
gained an addition, still in the construction stage, in the
eastern end of its parking lot. This location will be the
home to California-based Tesla Motors, Inc’s Supercharg-
ers, in the company’s bid to construct the largest contigu-
ous electric vehicle charging system in the world.
Construction on the Superchargers began in late
May by ADK (Alan D. Kangas) Electric of Vancouver,
Washington, a company licensed for commercial work in
Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California.
SEE TESLA PAGE 10
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Intense fi re season expected
Self-pumped gas bill passes
County adopts $25.7 million budget
CASA’s daddy-daughter dance
Sumpter RR seeks volunteers
Brooklyn gets new bus zone
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