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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2016)
LOCAL: County Commissioners hear department updates. PAGE 8. BUSINESS: Step Forward Executive Director Gene Button retires. PAGE 3 The Baker County Press TheBakerCountyPress.com 75¢ All local. All relevant. Every Friday. Friday, December 9, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 50 Huge expansion ahead for the Sumpter Nugget • THREE SUITES PLANNED FOR THE BUILDING BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com Justin and Jenny Long of Baker City recently purchased the long-closed Sumpter Nugget restau- rant and are currently remodeling the building to house three suites—a café, recreational marijuana store, and Justin Long’s construction business. The Longs also own Long’s Water Works in Baker City. Jenny Long said they had been looking into the marijuana industry a little bit, researching options and possibilities. They decided it made a lot of sense to try and start such a business in Sumpter. Long said they have talked to many people locally, and though there are a handful of citizens vocally against marijuana, many are in favor of the industry. The Longs also plan to sell essential oils, colloidal silver, and other natural health remedies—these will be available in the front room of the mari- juana store. A door off this room will lead to the marijuana sales fl oor. Long explained her mother has a business in Meridian selling Youngev- ity products. Long uses them herself and she is excited to have an area to offer these alter- native health products. Long said she grew up in the area and would like to see Sumpter revived. Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press SEE SUMPTER NUGGET PAGE 3 New owner Jenny Long stands in front of the Sumpter Nugget. USFS and County hold coordination meeting Toy store reopens for holidays BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press Marvin and Pamela Sundean have reopened their well-known store, Tumbleweed Toys, after a nine-year hiatus. BY SAMANTHA O’CONNER Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com On Monday, December 5, Tumbleweed Toys and Tales has opened temporarily in the Basche-Sage Mall. The store is owned by Pam and Marvin Sundean, who bought Tumbleweed Toys and Tales after it had been open for a year and a half, and have owned it for 17 and a half years. They were fi rst located on Main Street for sixteen years, then moved onto Washington Street, and moved once more before the owners decided in 2007 to close it and store the rest of their inventory. Nine years later, the Sundeans found the chance to reopen their store in the Basche-Sage Mall to sell their remaining inventory over the winter holidays. They have not fi nalized any plans beyond selling their current inventory. They have hobby supplies they will be selling in January, such as trains, model rockets, paint for the models, and stamp and scrapbooking supplies and other such hobby activities. They will also be selling puzzles and games with the hobby activities. Marvin Sundean explained that they do not carry licensed toys and carry traditional and classic children’s toys. “I taught elementary school for years before I bought the toy store and my wife and I have worked exten- sively with kids ever since we’ve been married for 36 years,” explained Marvin Sundean. “And because of that, our philosophy of toys is a little different than a lot of people’s and that is; toys need be something that engages Friday Periods of snow and clouds, chance of precipi- tation is 60%. Highs in the upper 30s, little to no accumulation expected. Lows near 20. Saturday Some snow otherwise mostly cloudy, chance of precipitation is 30%. Highs in the mid 30s. Little to no accumulation expected. Lows in the teens. the child’s mind and creativity rather than something you just plug in or stick a bunch of batteries in and sit back and watch the toy do your playing.” The Sundeans both have worked with youth groups, kids clubs, and vacation Bible schools. Pam Sundean did volunteer work in Marvin Sundean’s classroom, adding to their background in working with kids. Marvin Sundean is also currently doing substitute paraprofessional work for the 5J District in Baker. “I’m still working with kids of all age levels,” said Marvin Sundean. “And as far as I’m concerned, what I’m discovering is that kids who spend an overabundance of time playing computer games, they get very narrow in their focus. They do not have a lot of interest outside of that gaming world; they’re becoming socially inept, dat- ing is social media now. They’re not learning life skills but they’re obsessed with computers and the gaming world. We’re fi nding that kids who start out playing with more traditional toys tend to be better readers. They tend to understand math better, they tend to be more social be- cause they’re playing with toys with other kids, and they may start out being a little selfi sh, like ‘I had that fi rst’ kind of a concept. But as they continue working through pre-school, kindergarten, et cetera, where they’re interact- ing with other kids and playing with actual toys, they do learn earlier on how to share their toys and how to work with other children.” SEE TOY STORE REOPENS PAGE 3 The Baker County Board of Commissioners held another U.S. Forest Service (USFS) agency-to-agency coordination meeting, on Monday, December 5, 2016, 2 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Baker County Courthouse, to discuss the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision. The well-attended meeting included some strong comments and disagreements, but it was, as usual, civil. Present from the Board were Commission Chair Bill Harvey, Commissioner Mark Bennett, and Executive Assistant Heidi Martin. Commissioner Tim Kerns was absent. USFS representation included Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Supervisor Tom Montoya, and Blue Mountains Forest Revision Plan Public Affairs Offi cer Peter Fargo. Attendance also included Chuck Chase, Alan Chase, Ken Anderson, Eric Wuntz, Craig and Doni Bruland, Cookie Wise, Tork and Wanda Ballard, Bruce Nichols, Brian Addison, Bobbie Danser, Marty Stroy, John Phil- lips, and Larry Page. Harvey welcomed the crowd, introduced Montoya and Fargo, and explained that the meeting format would allow for questions and comments from both the Board and the public attendees. SEE USFS PAGE 8 Suspect flees police on foot BY KERRY McQUISTEN News@TheBakerCountyPress.com During the lunch hour of November 29, the Baker City Police Department received a complaint of an assault in which suspect Jamie Grove allegedly had rammed his bicycle tire into the leg of the reporting party in the area near 5th and Baker Street. SEE GROVE PAGE 5 Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County. Our forecast made possible by this generous sponsor: Some snow otherwise mostly cloudy, chance of precipitation is 30%. Highs in the mid 30s. Little to no accumulation expected. Lows near 20. OTEC”s Buehler to retire, honored “So I was thinking...” by Jimmy Ingram “Homemade Goodness” by Eileen Driver Offi cial weather provider for The Baker County Press. Jamie Grove. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Sumpter holds emergency meeting Sunday Photo courtesy of the BCSO. “The Outdoor Column” by Todd Arriola Senior menu, puzzles, etc. Page Page Page Page Page Page 2 4 5 5 8 9
