LOCAL: Eagle Valley Days and the Hells
Canyon Junior Rodeo held . PAGE 12
The
COMING NEXT WEEK: A profile of the late,
legendary local bluesman, Jimmy Lloyd Rea.
Baker County Press
TheBakerCountyPress.com
75¢
All local. All relevant. Every Friday.
Friday, July 3, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 27
2A rally turns
racially charged
• LOCALS, SHERIFF
JOE ARPAIO FACE
OFF AGAINST PAID
PROTESTERS
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Five Baker County
residents, all members of
the Baker County Repub-
lican Central Committee
(BCRCC), traveled to
Salem last weekend to at-
tend a rally to support the
Second Amendment. The
rally was organized by the
Oregon Republican Party
(ORP).
What followed wasn’t
quite what the 2A support-
ers had anticipated.
“The hatred—it was pal-
pable,” said BCRCC Chair,
Suzan Ellis Jones.
Jones, along with Carole
Dyke, Wayne Dyke, Kody
Justus and Heidi Justus of
Baker City, were gath-
ered on the steps of the
Capitol Building in Salem
where Sheriff Joe Arpaio
of Arizona, invited by the
ORP, was scheduled as the
keynote speaker.
The pro-2A crowd, about
500 in total, was listening
to State Representative
Greg Barreto of Cove,
ORP Chair Bill Currier,
Rep. Sal Esquival, Rep.
Mike Nearman, and Sen.
Kim Thatcher speak,
when a smaller crowd—an
estimated 200—began to
gather across the street.
Submitted by Heidi Justus.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio at left, was walked to his car by guards and supporters,
including Suzan Ellis Jones (at right) of the Baker County Republicans.
“We’d heard ahead of
time that the Oregon Dem-
ocratic Party and ACLU
had planned to round up
a counter-presence,” said
Jones.
That presence ended up
having nothing to do with
the heart of the rally itself,
but instead focused on rac-
ism and demands for am-
nesty by a large group of
illegal immigrants within
the crowd of protesters.
SEE 2A RALLY PAGE 5
‘Surviving
America’
films here
Submitted by The Depot Inn
Submitted Photo.
Baker County’s Trevor Dunn (left) poses with Gene Simmons from Kiss.
• ACTORS AND CREW STAY IN SUMPTER,
SPEND TWO DAYS FILMING IN COUNTY
KISS tribute band to
perform at Barley Brown’s
• BAND PHANTOM KISS WILL KICK OFF
HELLS CANYON MOTORCYCLE RALLY
BY BRIAN ADDISON
Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com
“You wanted the best you got the best, the hottest band
in the world … Kiss.” Those words, taken from the 1977
Kiss “Alive II” comprise possibly the most famous intro-
duction in rock and roll history. Baker City fans will have
the chance to relive childhood memories when Kiss trib-
ute band Phantom Kiss takes the stage Friday night, July
10, during the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally. Phantom
Kiss will set up and take the stage in front of concert host
Barley Brown’s Brew Pub.
Lyle Hall, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, fronts the band as
the Starchild made famous by Paul Stanley. Hall not only
looks the part but possesses a striking vocal similarity to
Stanley.
Lead guitarist Mike Dunn takes the stage as the Space-
man aka Ace Frehley.
Mike’s father Trevor Dunn, complete with blood and
signature ax bass, plays Gene Simmons’ Demon charac-
ter.
Both Dunns, father Trevor and son Mike are 10-year
Friday
Sunny and hot. Highs around 97. Lows at night
in the high 50s.
Saturday
Sunny and hot. Highs around 95. Lows at night
in the high 50s.
Sunday
Sunny and hot. Highs a few degrees cooler
around 93. Lows at night in the high 50s.
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Baker County residents.
And, laying down the beat, from Twin Falls, Idaho, Joe
Otero assumes the form of the Catman made famous by
original Kiss drummer Peter Criss.
Phantom Kiss members don exact replica costumes and
play the same make and model instruments as the original
Kiss.
“We’ve invested thousands of dollars into the costumes,
the instruments, and the stacks of Marshal amps,” said
Trevor Dunn during a recent interview from his home in
Sumpter. “We do this to pay tribute to the Kiss fans. Our
whole goal was that when you close your eyes you hear
Kiss and when you open your eyes you see Kiss.”
Phantom Kiss band mates Dunn and Hall both have
had direct contact with members of the original Kiss
members. Paul Stanley released an autobiography in
2014 and Dunn informed him of Phantom Kiss during a
book-signing in Portland. It is tradition for Kiss to throw
guitar picks out to the audience during concerts and Phan-
tom Kiss upholds that tradition. During the book signing,
Dunn handed Stanley a Phantom Kiss guitar pick.
About a month after the book-signing, Dunn and his
wife attended a 40th anniversary Kiss concert. After the
concert, the Dunns attended an acoustic concert per-
formed backstage by the band.
SEE PHANTOM KISS PAGE 8
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
‘Surviving America’s’ Dave Canterbury (left) poses
with Weldon Reedy of The Depot Inn.
The Sumpter area will again be featured on a reality
television show airing on a major network this fall. The
town played host last week to a group fi lming a new show
called Surviving America. The cast and crew lodged at
the Depot Inn in Sumpter.
SEE SURVIVING AMERICA PAGE 11
Cattlemen talk
water supply
• ROCK CREEK DRAINAGE AREA CRITICAL
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Livestock Association (BCLA)
hosted a meeting on Wednesday, June 24, at the Best
Western Sunridge Inn, the focus of which was a presenta-
tion by Baker County Soil and Water Districts (SWCD)
District Manager Whitney Collins, regarding the critical
water supply situation in the Rock Creek drainage area,
west of Haines.
SEE WATER SUPPLY PAGE 3
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Haggen’s community meeting
Travel Mgmt./Access Committee
Cycling Classic’s Sumpter route
Woman injured in pitbull attack
County’s sage-grouse protest letter
DEQ fi nes Huntington
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
3
7
8
8
9
11