10 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016
Local
Pine-Eagle 8th grade
BCPD gets new ride
courtesy of drug dealer graduation held
Carmelita Holland / The Baker County Press
Submitted Photo.
Casey Poe and Vanessa Fregoso of Oregon Sign Company help trick out the
Baker City Police Department’s Charger.
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
“This car was seized
from a local drug dealer,”
reads the back of the
Baker City Police Depart-
ment’s newest car, a Dodge
Charger.
According to Lt. Dustin
Newman, “The vehicle
was seized as part of a
drug investigation. The
suspect in that case was
Larry Edison. The plan for
the vehicle is to use it for
our SRO (School Resource
Officer Lance Woodward)
so he does not take a patrol
vehicle out of the rota-
tion.”
Newman said, “Opera-
tional costs such as gas and
maintenance are paid for
out of our budget. The cost
associated with getting the
vehicle set up are all paid
for by monies that have
also been seized so there is
no cost to the public.”
Oregon Sign Company
owner Christina Witham
said, “Our graphic design-
er, Steve Marlatt, did the
design. Chief Lohner and
Dustin Newman from
the BCPD wanted a cool
look—didn’t have to match
the current police cars. The
car had the small stripe
on the top of the front
fenders so we expanded on
that, using the same matte
black vinyl on white going
for the head-turn factor.
Vanessa Fregoso, Casey
Poe and I did the install.
There are no straight lines
on the car so it took a bit
longer to complete, cutting
the graphics as we went
to ensure we had the sizes
correct. Everything was
made in-house, start to fin-
ish. The hood was the most
difficult to scale and that
graphic went on last as our
finishing touch.”
Chief Wyn Lohner said
the car was scheduled next
to have the lights put into
place in Boise.
The idea of civil forfei-
ture has been controversial
in some circles.
According to District
Attorney Matt Shirtcliff,
“Civil forfeiture is based
on a statute the legislature
passed many years ago
allowing the state to seize
assets and ultimately sell
them and used them to
investigate and prosecute
drug crimes.
“The state, in filing a
civil forfeiture case has
to show that the asset
being seized was used in
the commission of a drug
offense or is ‘proceeds’
derived from illegal drug
activity.
“It works like any civil
case in that the burden of
proof is a preponderance of
the evidence (51%) and not
beyond a reasonable doubt
like in a criminal case.
“If the state is successful
in getting an asset forfeited
not all of the asset’s worth
or the money etc. goes to
the seizing agency. Instead
5% goes to a drug cleanup
fund, 2.5% goes to an
Asset Forfeiture Over-
sight account, 20% to the
Oregon Criminal Justice
Commission account and
10% to an Early Learning
Division fund. The re-
mainder goes to the seizing
agency minus legal fees.
“In the case of the Char-
ger, the City paid these
other entities through other
forfeiture funds to allow
them to keep the charger.
Most often, the type of
asset we are dealing with
is cash or vehicles that we
can demonstrate were used
in drug activity.”
City Council position open
The City of Baker City
is looking to fill one open
position on the City Coun-
cil. The City will accept
applications through the
office of City Recorder
beginning June 16th until
July 7th at 12:00 p.m.
The individual who is
appointed by a majority
vote of the City Coun-
cil will serve a partial
term on the City Council
through December of
2016. An applicant must
be a registered voter in the
State of Oregon and have
resided within the City of
Baker City for 12 months
immediately preceding the
appointment.
To apply go to www.
bakercity.com to down-
load and complete the
City Councilor application
located on the City’s home
page and submit a letter of
interest to Julie Smith at
City Hall.
Applications can be
returned to:
Attn: Julie Smith
1655 1st Street
Baker City OR, 97814
Fax: 541-524-2024
Phone: 541-524-2033
Email: juliesmith@
bakercity.com.
L-R: Miranda Hood, Elizabeth Cantrell, Jessica Raven, Savannah Simpson,
Jazmine Marshall, Madison Morgan, Adam Scheck, Roger Denig.
BY CARMELITA HOLLAND
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The 2016 Eighth Grade
Recognition of the Pine
Eagle Charter School Stu-
dents was held June 2 at
the local Lions Club Hall
in Halfway.
There were eight
students honored in this
celebration.
The night started at 6
o’clock on Thursday night
with all of the eighth grade
students walking in the
main room to sit in their
designated seats that where
neatly placed in the front
of the room with the song
“It’s time” by Imagine
Dragons playing in the
background.
Following the grand
entrance their teacher,
Mrs. Morgan Gover, gave
a warm welcome to all of
the attending family and
friends.
Next was guest speaker
Mrs. Barbie Morgan.
Then each of the 8th
grade students gave their
own speeches based on
their favorite middle
school memory and what
they were looking forward
to most in high school.
A slideshow was then
presented by Mrs. Morgan
showing each student at
different times in their
childhood.
In closing, Superinten-
dent Mrs. Cammie deCas-
tro presented each student
a certificate of completion
and a pin.
After all of the ceremo-
nies the guests had treats
and for the students danc-
ing followed.