LOCAL: County Commissioners hear
department updates. PAGE 8.
BUSINESS: Step Forward Executive Director
Gene Button retires. PAGE 3
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Baker County Press
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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.
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