LOCAL: Sumpter hosts wildfire awareness
meeting. PAGE 10
BUSINESS: Baker City’s new Haggen store to
close in November . PAGE 3
The
Baker County Press
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Friday, October 2, 2015 • Volume 2, Issue 40
Documentary: Cornet / Windy
Ridge aftermath filmed
• LOCAL FIRES ARE
THE FOCUS OF
VIDEOGRAPHER
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
This Monday, Tues-
day and Wednesday, Jon
Scott Hart of Sound Im-
age Productions, fi lmed
three days of footage and
interviewed Baker County
residents who are still deal-
ing with the aftermath of
the 103,000-acre Cornet/
Windy Ridge Fire that
consumed much of Burnt
River Canyon, most of
Dooley Mountain and
beyond, and the other fi res
that affected Baker County.
According to Haines’
Lorrie Harvey, who helped
coordinate a portion of the
fi lming, “We want to relay
that ‘This is Not Working’
and will happen over and
over again until something
changes.”
Bill Harvey, Baker
County Commission Chair,
was interviewed by Hart in
Baker City, while Com-
missioner Mark Bennett
appeared on camera from
Bridgeport where Baker
County Republican Party
Chair Suzan Ellis Jones
helped set up that sched-
ule.
Bennett said, “As I have
traveled through the fi ve
fi res that struck the county,
it occurred to me that our
forests are truly a national
treasure and we collective-
ly are not caring for them.”
Hart also interviewed
local forestry expert Arvid
Andersen and Bridgeport
rancher Dennis Kiely
while interviewing Ben-
nett, then on another day
captured Baker Rural Fire
Chief Dan Weitz, President
of Forest Access for All
Tork Ballard, a number of
local miners, ranchers Dan
Morris, Lance Cosby and
Kody Justus, and a variety
of landowners who were
affected by the fi res.
“It’s important to get
these stories captured on
fi lm,” said Jones. “There
are so many of them.”
Submitted Photo.
Jon Scott Hart fi lms Bridgeport rancher Dennis Kiely
at the site of his burned haystack.
SEE DOCUMENTARY
PAGE 5
County
passes
NRAC
plan
Fuji TV in Baker City
Kerry McQuisten/ The Baker County Press
Production assistant Kenji Nakajima quietly pointed out one tiny camera mounted on the television set on
the far wall of the Geiser Grand’s most famous suite.
Gina K. Swartz/ The Baker County Press
L-R: John Creighton speaks with Sheriff Travis Ash
following a brief altercation with local resident Gary
Dielman during the Commissioners’ session.
• JAPAN’S BIGGEST TELEVISION
NETWORK FILMS NEW PRIME TIME
SHOW AT THE GEISER GRAND
• DIELMAN BRINGS UP PRAYER ISSUE
AGAIN, BRIEF ALTERCATION IN
AUDIENCE ENSUES DURING MEETING
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
This week wasn’t the fi rst time Japan’s biggest national
television network, Fuji Television, has fi lmed in Baker
City—but it just may be the most exciting.
For the second time, the Geiser Grand and owner
Barbara Sidway will appear on the network, garnering
millions of viewers in Japan and across Asia.
“We’re big in Japan,” Sidway jokes.
The Geiser Grand will serve as the feature location for
Fuji’s newest “golden hour” or prime time series, which
translates most accurately as “Mysteries of the World.”
On Tuesday, a seven-person crew checked into the
hotel, fresh off a fl ight from Tokyo, and began staging
the fi lming areas prior to the arrival of the segment’s star,
actor Shun Yatabe.
“Tsukareta,” said camera assistant Takumi Fuda as she
tore off a strip of tape and quickly left the room. Tired.
Production assistant Kenji Nakajima said a surprise is
planned for Yatabe. “He thinks he’s coming for a three-
day beer festival in Baker City,” Nakajima said.
SEE FUJI TELEVISION PAGE 5
Friday
Mostly sunny with highs in the lowers 70s.
Mostly clear and cool at night, with lows in the
upper 30s.
Saturday
Partly cloudy skies with a chance for rain show-
ers after noon. Highs in the mid 60s, chance of
precipitation is 30%. Lows near 40.
Sunday
Chance of rain showers before 11 AM, other-
wise mostly sunny with a high near 70. Chance
of precipitation is 20%. Lows near 40.
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Kerry McQuisten/ The Baker County Press
Cameras, mics, wires and tape were spread across
the room as it was being prepped for the actor-
comedian who would be the star of the show.
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
Last Thursday, the Baker County Board of Commis-
sioners met to vote on approval of the County’s Natural
Resources Plan, sent to them for the second time by the
Natural Resources Advisory Committee (NRAC). Com-
missioners looked out on a packed room as the meeting
began with disagreement.
Emily Braswell, a member of the NRAC, addressed
the Commissioners, advising them that the copy of the
Weeds printout was one “the NRAC Committee has not
seen yet.”
Commission Chair Bill Harvey replied to Braswell
stating, “It was sent. This is the copy that we voted on.
It was discussed, and they were asked if they wanted to
wait and vote on it at the next meeting and they chose not
to. They voted on it at that time.”
Braswell disagreed, stating, “We did not vote on it to
be brought to the Commissioners, though.”
SEE NRAC PAGE 5
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
County meets with USFS
Vandals damage shrubs—again
Family history event held
Disaster assistance offered
City-County planning: ODOT overlay
Free smoke detector giveaway
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