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Friday, July 15, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 29
Best Western Sunridge
sued, files for bankruptcy
HCMR a
success, say
organizers—in
spite of rain
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Drug dog Capa with handler Sgt. Wayne Chastain
as the rally winds down on Main Street in front of
the historic Geiser Grand Hotel.
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
The Best Western / Sunridge Inn under Townridge, Inc., fi led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the
end of June.
• DEBT OWED TO
CREDITORS
REACHES THE
MILLIONS. $4.7
MILLION LAWSUIT
FILED BY BANK.
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Late last month, Town-
ridge, Inc., dba (doing
business as) Best Western
Sunridge Inn, of Baker
City, fi led for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection,
in the District of Oregon
U.S. Bankruptcy Court in
Portland, citing fi nancial
issues, pending litigation,
and the need to restructure
debts.
In mid-April, Wisconsin-
based Bayview Loan Ser-
vicing, LLC, in possession
of the associated Promis-
sory Note, and the Deed of
Trust for an original loan
of $4.9 million, for the
collective property at One
Sunridge Lane, fi led a law-
suit against Carshetown,
LLC, and Townridge, Inc.,
in Baker County Circuit
Court, seeking more than
$4.7 million in damages.
The property, owned by
Carshetown, LLC, and
assessed at a value of
$4,721,450, includes 9,706
square feet of restaurant
space, and 9.12 acres of
land, according to County
records.
Bayview Loan Servicing,
LLC, the plaintiff, claims
that the defendants failed
to make monthly loan pay-
ments of roughly $35,000,
since February 1, 2015,
totaling over $521,000 in
default, including pay-
ments, interest, fees, and
costs, as of the date of the
complaint, prompting the
plaintiff to demand the
remainder of the principal
and interest, and to seek
foreclosure, and sale of the
property.
The list of defendants in-
cludes Carshetown, LLC;
Townridge, Inc., dba Best
Western Sunridge Inn, dba
The Sunridge, dba Sonny’s
Bar & Grill; Carl Allen
Town; and Sheila Dawn
Town, aka Sheila Town
Westcott.
On June 1, 2016, Carl
Town—the Manag-
ing Member of Town
Properties, LLC (for-
merly Carshetown, LLC, a
combination of Carl’s and
Sheila’s fi rst names and
last name at the time, the
couple having divorced in
2009), and President and
Director of Townridge,
Inc.—consented to a Reso-
lution, adopted by the sev-
eral named entities, to seek
bankruptcy protection.
The Resolution included
the recruitment of attorney
D. Blair Clark, of Idaho-
based D.B. Clark Law, to
represent the entities, with
the possibility of seeking
assistance from David
Coughlin and David Aux-
ier, of Baker City-based
Coughlin & Leuenberger,
because of their knowl-
edge of the related assets
and issues. In addition,
Best Western/Sunridge
Inn General Manager Lisa
Wilson was appointed to
continue in that role. Bay-
view Loan Servicing, LLC
is represented by attorney
Benjamin D. Petiprin,
of Portland-based Zieve,
Brodnax & Steele, LLP.
SEE SUNRIDGE PAGE 3
5J to stick to 4-day week
BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
July 11, the Baker School 5J School District board
members met to discuss calendar options for the 2016-17
school year.
District Superintendant Mark Witty constructed,
with help, a calendar for consideration that refl ects the
language within the contract until negotiated and was
adopted from last spring. A unanimous vote approved the
proposed calendar as an interim calendar.
Witty also constructed a presentation that illustrated the
purpose, goals, and proposals for the 2016-17 academic
year.
There are two calendar options under the current
contract. As explained by Witty, the fi rst is the fi ve-day
student week the school had been under six years ago.
Friday
Sunny and mild, highs in the low 80s. Mostly
clear and cool at night, lows in the mid 40s.
Saturday
Continued sunny skies will high in the upper
70s. Mostly clear and cool at night with lows in
the mid 40s.
Sunday
Sunny with continued mild. Highs in the low
80s. Mostly clear and cool at night, lows in the
upper 40s.
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
SEE HCMR PAGE 7
Sen. Ferrioli
takes
tour of
Huntington
BY EILEEN DRIVER
Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com
This option is a 191 day contract with students released
early on Fridays at 1:15 p.m. for elementary and 1:30
p.m. for secondary. There are two and a half hours a week
without students and three Fridays per months for staff
development and collaboration per contract and teachers
who choose not to attend will not be adversely affected,
as per contract.
The second, according to Witty, is the four-day stu-
dent week. This option is a 174 day contract with longer
student days from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for elementary
and 7:50 a.m. to 3:32 p.m. for secondary. There are nine
contract Fridays and non-contract Fridays may be used
for voluntary professional development. After school and/
or Friday school tutoring is offered through a combina-
tion of classifi ed and certifi ed staff. Student participation
and extent of program varies school to school.
SEE SCHOOL BOARD PAGE 5
Last weekend, downtown Baker City was host to the
17th annual Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally, which
brought in around 5,000 people to the region from all
across the U.S. and Canada.
Spearheading the organization of the rally were Kurt
Miller, owner of Baker Truck Corral in Baker City, and
Steve Folkestad, owner of Electronic Management Cor-
poration (EMCO), of Portland. Pivotal in the volunteer
effort were members of the Christian Motorcyclists As-
sociation (CMA), a group attending the rally yearly, and
assisting with traffi c control and numerous other details,
Miller said.
Miller said, “You know, the rain was what it was, but
other than that, it went very well. Everyone we talked
to was very happy. It’s a riders rally; that’s what they
always focus on. That’s what they really like. It’s not a
party rally... There were no issues (save for four DUIIs,
not associated with motorcyclists attending the rally), and
there haven’t been for 17 years ...”
Senator Ted Ferrioli, the Senate Republican Minority
Leader from John Day who represents District 30, which
includes Baker County, took an informal tour of Hunting-
ton on Wednesday, July 6.
Starting at 11:30 a.m. Ferrioli met with Huntington
Mayor Chuck Guerri and several citizens who dropped
by the VFW Hall to meet him and give their opinions on
whatever current event that was on their mind. Topics
ranged from the need for more jobs to how to draw in
more tourists—to the effects of the new medical mari-
juana businesses on the town.
Ferrioli spoke with Ron and Sandra Vaughn, who run
the Huntington Senior and Youth Association’s Senior
meals program and talked with several senior residents
who were there for lunch—after they fi nished eating.
SEE FERRIOLI PAGE 5
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Public Arts: Master Plan
Sumpter: Oakley quits
One applicant for Baker City Council
The Outdoor Column
Unclaimed Personal Property list
Word search / crossword puzzle
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