LOCAL: New digital signs on 1-84 through
Baker County. PAGE 5
OUTDOORS: Two bull elk poached. $500
reward offered. PAGE 7
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Friday, November 18, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 47
Sunridge sale draws closer
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
A recent court-approved
sale of the Best Western
Sunridge Inn of Baker City
to Nampa-based Deepak
Prashar, for $6.3 million,
brings to a close the previ-
ously unresolved fi nancial
issues associated with the
property.
Manager Lisa Wilson
said Wednesday that while
the court documents show
no precise closing date, all
of the involved parties be-
lieve and hope the sale will
conclude by year’s end.
On October 19, 2016, the
District of Oregon United
States Bankruptcy Court
approved the sale of the
property, “... free and clear
of all liens...” to Prashar.
Deepak and Kalpana
Prashar own the Super
8 in Baker City, through
DK Hotel Management,
LLC, and lease the Motel
6 in Baker City, through
another company, Gurmaa,
LLC.
In mid-April 2016,
Wisconsin-based Bayview
Loan Servicing, LLC,
holder of the Promis-
sory Note and the Deed
of Trust for a $4.9 mil-
lion loan on the property,
sued Townridge, Inc., and
Carshetown, LLC, claim-
ing that loan payments of
approximately $35,000
had not been made since
February 1, 2015, result-
ing in a default of over
$521,000, which included
payments, interest, fees,
and costs up to the date of
the complaint. Bayview
demanded the rest of the
principle and interest, and
sought foreclosure of the
property.
In June 2016, Townridge,
Inc. (formerly Carshetown,
LLC), dba Best West-
ern Sunridge Inn, fi led
for bankruptcy, retain-
ing Boise, Idaho-based
D. Blair Clark. Since
that time, there had been
numerous fi lings and hear-
ings in Bankruptcy Court,
with various claims and
issues discussed, as well as
County involvement in the
local process.
During the May 4, May
11, and May 18, 2016
Baker County Board of
Commissioners sessions,
delinquent Transient Lodg-
ing Tax (TLT) penalties
were discussed with Wil-
son, and these penalties,
which totaled $16,362.67,
were ultimately forgiven
by the Board during the
May 18 session.
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
The Best Western Sunridge Inn is about to change
owners it seems.
SEE SUNRIDGE PAGE 3
BCPD one step closer
to body cams
Write-ins to
be official
November 23
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Todd Arriola/ The Baker County Press
According to Baker County Clerk Cindy Carpenter, the
offi cial results of the Sumpter Mayoral race will not be
made offi cial until November 23, when they are certifi ed.
LeAnne Woolf was on the ballot, receiving 25 votes, and
others were written in—a total of 90 votes at last count.
Carpenter said Sumpter City Recorder Julie McKinney
has the unoffi cial results at present.
Carpenter said the large number of write-ins for Baker
County Commissioner and Baker City Council was not
large enough to merit breaking that number into separate
names or gathering an offi cial tally.
Said Carpenter, “We do not need to count the write-ins
for Commissioner or Baker City Council as ORS 254.500
(a) states we only have to count write-ins if the total num-
ber of write-in votes equals or succeeds the number of
votes for the candidate(s). This was not the case in either
of these offi ces.”
506 unoffi cial write-in votes were received for Baker
City Council. 476 unoffi cial write-in votes were cast for
County Commissioner.
In addition, measure 1-74, changing Baker County
Commission seats to nonpartisan remains up in the air
with a margin of 92 votes tipping the balance to the yes
side. About 150 ballots remain uncounted due to chal-
lenges and other circumstances. If a voter has received a
call or notice from the County regarding their ballot, they
are encouraged to contact the Baker County Clerk’s Of-
fi ce before November 22.
Sgt. Wayne Chastain demonstrates one of the cameras, which attaches to a shoulder mount.
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Anticipating future needs and requirements, the Baker
City Police Department purchased 21 new RS2-X2L body
video cameras from UK-based Reveal Media, which may
be fully operational by mid-December, said Sergeant
Wayne Chastain, during an interview recently.
Chastain, who spearheaded the project a year ago, said
that several different types of body cameras were tested
over a two-month period, and Reveal Media had the clear
winner based on a combination of factors.
The price tag for the cameras and a server-connected
charging station was about $22,000, Chastain said.
One notable advantage of the Reveal camera, he said,
is the adjustable, articulating camera head, which covers
a 305-degree horizontal arc, and a 173.5-degree vertical
arc.
The camera also has a wide fi eld of view, at 100 de-
grees horizontally, and 55 degrees vertically.
Chastain demonstrated this feature with one of the
cameras, as he attached it to a shoulder mount, which is a
location he prefers.
Another option is a chest mount, but he said that the
camera’s weight, listed as 5.1 ounces, and the potential
Friday
Mostly sunny and chilly, highs in the lower 40s.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows near 30.
Saturday
Partly sunny with a few showers possible, no
accumulations expected. Highs in the mid 40s,.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with a slight
chance of snow and rain showers.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with a few rain showers. Highs in
the mid 40s. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with a few rain
showers. Lows near freezing.
for a raised fi rearm to cause an obstruction in that posi-
tion, make the shoulder location more practical for him.
Plus, he said that, in the shoulder position, the unit can
act as an in-car camera, with a view above the dashboard.
An offi cer wearing the camera, as Chastain demonstrat-
ed, can record high defi nition video and audio to internal
storage (capacity is up to 32 gigabytes, and the battery ca-
pacity is up to eight hours depending on video defi nition),
by sliding a large, red button on the side, to the Record
position.
As the video and audio are being recorded, anyone
facing an offi cer while in the frame of the video can see
what is being recorded live, via a two-inch LCD (liquid
crystal display) screen.
Chastain demonstrated Stealth Mode, which makes the
camera appear that it isn’t on (there are no visible lights,
and the screen isn’t active), but it is, in fact, recording.
This is a mode preferable at night, because he said the
camera would normally shine brightly, creating an obvi-
ous target.
The camera, with Play/Pause, Forward and Rewind but-
tons, gives an offi cer the ability to review video using the
camera even while out in the fi eld.
SEE BODY CAMERAS 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.
Funds still
needed for
SWAT robot
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Northeast Oregon Special Weapons and Tactics
Team, which includes Baker County, continues to raise
funds for a specialized robot, proven to save both the
lives of law enforcement offi cers, suspects and hostages
alike during standoff and other critical situations. The full
story was reported previously in The Baker County Press.
$25K of the original $29K is still needed. Robots of this
type can be sent into a crisis situation for surveillance or
to assist in communication, keeping offi cers out of harm.
Donations can be mailed to the Baker City Police De-
partment SWAT Fund, 1768 Auburn Avenue, Baker City
Oregon 97814, and are tax-deductible.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Peanut butter food drive
“So I was Thinking” column
County Commissioners coverage
Man convicted in hunting violation
Brooklyn School holds tech night
Thanksgiving advertisements
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