Wednesday, January 11, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Lawyer pleads not guilty
By Steven Dubois
Associated Press
PORTLAND (AP) —
The attorney for a leader
of the armed occupation at
an Oregon wildlife refuge
pleaded not guilty Friday to
charges he faced after fed-
eral marshals tackled him
for refusing to stop argu-
ing with the judge when
his client was acquitted last
fall.
Marcus Mumford had
won the case in October
but demanded U.S. District
Judge Anna Brown release
Ammon Bundy, who helped
take over Malheur National
Wildlife Refuge last winter
to oppose federal land policy.
The judge said Bundy had
to stay behind bars because
he faced charges in Nevada
stemming from a 2014 armed
standoff with federal authori-
ties at his father’s ranch.
Marshals providing court-
room security surrounded the
agitated lawyer before tack-
ling him to the carpet. They
pressed a stun gun against
his body as he writhed and
screamed.
Mumford was charged
with two misdemeanors for
failing to comply with fed-
eral officers and impeding
their work. The maximum
penalty for each offense is 30
days in jail and a $5,000 fine.
A trial has been scheduled
for April 17.
Mumford did not make a
statement Friday. His attor-
ney, Michael Levine, entered
the not-guilty plea on his
behalf.
Several defense attor-
neys from the standoff case
went to the federal court-
house in Portland to show
their support for Mumford.
Oregon’s federal public
defender, Lisa Hay, wore
a pin saying, “Free Marcus
Mumford.”
He helped get seven
defendants acquitted of con-
spiracy to impede federal
employees from doing their
jobs during the 41-day stand-
off in Oregon.
Matthew Schindler, who
represented Bundy co-defen-
dant Kenneth Medenbach,
said officers’ allegation that
Mumford adopted a boxer’s
stance during the confronta-
tion is a lie.
“Wouldn’t it just be ter-
rific after we got all those
people acquitted of imped-
ing federal employees, that
Marcus would get convicted
of it,” Schindler joked. “It’s
just too perfect.”
Biomass
testing
delayed at
coal plant
PENDLETON (AP) —
Portland General Electric
says it’ll determine whether
Oregon’s last remaining coal-
fired power plant can run
entirely on biomass in the
next couple of months.
The East Oregonian
reports PGE had planned
to conduct a test burn at
the Boardman plant using
woody debris by the end of
December. But the test has
been delayed due to the util-
ity having to keep up with an
increased electricity demand
brought on by winter weather.
PGE spokesman Steve
Corson says the full-day bio-
mass test burn will now be
held sometime in the first
quarter of the year.
The utility has been look-
ing into whether the coal
plant can run on an alterna-
tive source of fuel, instead
of installing costly emissions
upgrades.
The facility faces closure if
PGE can’t decide on an alter-
native fuel source by 2020.
23
Sisters students shine in Honor Band...
PHOTO PROVIDED
Five Sisters students participated in the Central Oregon Honor
Band where middle and high school musicians rehearsed for
only two days before performing a program at Bend Senior
High School which included “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
and “Scarborough Fair.” Pictured are Jack Ogan (tuba), Sisters
Director of Bands Tyler Cranor, Shea Robertson (flute), David
Novotny (flute), Dalton Gonzales (trumpet) and Max Springer
(kneeling with trumpet).
Classifieds are online at
NuggetNews.com
Share Your
Love…
There are many ways to love
Help the people of Sisters shop local and
show their love by advertising your gifts
& services in the Valentine’s Day Special
section of The Nugget.
$245 (50% off regular ad rates)
Full-color ad (3”x 3.31”) runs February 1 & 8
Mini story about your business (1 week)
FREE DESIGN
Call Karen at 541-549-9941…She’ll help you
with your ad. (Space is limited, and it will sell out)