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4 CapitalPress.com August 25, 2017 Developer says all Idaho farmers should be concerned about petition effort By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press BOISE — All farmers in Idaho should be concerned about a petition that seeks to ask voters to overturn a Feb- ruary decision by Ada County commissioners that paves the way for a $80 million subdivi- sion north of Boise, the devel- oper says. A group opposed to the 1,800-home development has submitted a petition to the Ada County clerk that would prompt a special election where voters would be asked to overturn a Feb. 21 amend- ment to the project approved by the Ada County Board of Commissioners. Elected officials such as county commissioners and city council members are charged under Idaho law with making binding land-use de- cisions and this effort is an end run around that process that amounts to ballot-box zoning, said Jim Hunter, own- er of Boise Hunter Homes. Sean Ellis/Capital Press Some of the farm land in this May 19 photo would be included in a planned $100 million subdivision in the Dry Creek Valley north of Boise. The developer says all Idaho farmers should be concerned about a petition effort to overturn a county decision that paves the way for the development because it would threaten property rights. BHH plans to build the Dry Creek Ranch develop- ment in the Dry Creek Valley just north of Boise. The project, which BHH says will have a farm-to-ta- ble theme and include com- munity farming plots, would eliminate about 350 acres of irrigated farmland and 1,050 acres of grazing land. BHH purchased the prop- erty from a family that had farmed it for 100 years. “Other farmers, land- owners, anybody that has an investment they wish to maximize for their fami- ly’s benefit, should be con- cerned about any attempted ballot-box zoning that will strip them of their property rights,” Hunter said. Members of the Dry Creek Valley Coalition, which in- cludes some farmers, hope to prompt a special election on the issue using a section of Idaho Code that allows people who gather a certain number of signatures to put a county legislative decision to a public vote. BHH believes that mech- anism doesn’t apply in this case and the issue is being argued in district court. Stephanie Rael, a local farm hand who is leading the petition effort, said coalition members believe their voice has not been heard during the process and see the petition as a way to accomplish that. “It sounds like (project supporters) believe the peo- ple who live in the area and would be most affected by the development can’t make these types of decisions,” she said. “I believe exactly the oppo- site. I think our land-use de- cisions could be much better if the community had a say in them.” If the petition effort is successful, this mechanism could be used to challenge any land-use decision made by elected officials and that would threaten private prop- erty rights, said Hethe Clark, a BHH attorney. “You don’t just get to re- zone your neighbor’s prop- erty through the ballot box, which is essentially what they’re trying to do,” Hethe said. Rael said the coalition has no intention of stopping its effort. “We are pursuing our legal rights as citizens and we intend to keep making our voices heard, respectfully and zealously.” Hunter said BHH has spent millions of dollars on the proj- ect based on the commission- ers’ Feb. 21 decision and is in it for the long haul. “We’ll be building this project.” Onion rail transload facility plan off to good start By SEAN ELLIS Governor to sign transportation bill in Ontario Capital Press PUBLIC LIEN SALE U-STORE SELF STORAGE Salem, Oregon Sun., September 10, 2017 10AM 1501 Hawthorne Ave NE Keyla Almestica Looney, 2C54; Jose Anaya, 1H06; Perla Anaid Cabello-Herrera, 1G16; Jillian Kay Collins, 2B21: Danielle Debusk, 2B31; Carmen Rocio Duran Ramirez, RJ14; Steven Fernandez, 2B09; Juan Flores, 2C03; Stacy Ford, 2A10; Cecelia Fuqua, 2C46; Kristina Gonzalez, 2B08; SheaAnn Greaves, 2A50; Austin Greene, 1C40; Cali Guthrie, Y223; Charles D Harris, 1G09; Randall Jordan, 2A77; Vernita M Knell, 2B69; Dustin Leja, Y1-7; Christina Leskowsky, 2A71; Maria de Martinez Hernandez, 1E21; Andrew Meyer, RC07; Nichole Morris, 1F35; Kimberly Munz, Y217; Siplus Ruba, 1G03; Barry A Sindlinger, 2D06; Linda Snook, 2C31; legal-34-3-1/T1D Capital Press Sean Ellis/Capital Press A planned transload facility would allow the bulb onions grown in the Treasure Valley of Oregon and Idaho to be placed on rail cars heading to major markets on the East Coast. and needs to be designed with as much foresight as possible. “I think this is critically important as to whether or not the onion industry exists 20 years from now in this area,” he said. “It’s that big a deal.” Paul Skeen, president of the Malheur County Onion Growers Association, said the facility can’t come quick enough. “Our transportation has just become a real bottle- neck,” he said. “This is a game-changer.” The region’s onion in- dustry faces chronic trans- portation issues, said Kay Riley, manager of Snake River Produce, an onion LEGAL CHERRY AVENUE STORAGE 2680 Cherry Ave. NE Salem, OR 97301 (503) 399-7454 AUCTION SAT., SEPT. 2 ND • 10 A.M. • Unit AS-34 - Kyle Blackman • Unit AS-83 - Felix Vega Unit AS-85 - Devin Sullivan • Unit 3 - Lacy Robinson • Unit 15 - Crystal Rodriguez • Unit 45 - Eric Proctor • Unit 55 - Art Espinoza • Unit 194 - Steve Esses • Unit 195 - Melissa Govro Cherry Avenue Storage reserves the right to refuse any and all bids shipper in Nyssa. “This should help resolve that,” he said. Not having to send onions to Wallula first will be one of the facility’s major benefits, Riley said. “We should have a geo- graphic advantage over Wash- ington, which we’ve kind of lost,” he said. “This should help re-establish that.” Bentz said possible obsta- cles to building the facility in- clude talks with Union Pacific breaking down or the com- munity disagreeing on where it should be located or how it should be managed. There are several possible sites in or near Ontario and Nyssa. Bentz said conversations with UP are going well and “so far, we’ve been able to avoid those types of disagree- ments” over location and management. ONTARIO, Ore. — Gov. Kate Brown will trav- el to Ontario Aug. 28 to hold a ceremonial signing of the state’s $5.3 billion transportation bill, which provides funding for a ma- jor rail transload facility in Malheur County. The bill provides $26 million for the transload facility, which onion indus- try leaders say could be a game-changer for farmers because it will allow on- ions and other commodi- ties to be loaded directly onto rail cars, reducing transportation costs and possibly opening new mar- kets. The governor plans to meet with producers in On- tario before signing House Bill 2017. This will be Brown’s second visit to Ontario this year. Before that, farmers can’t remember the last time a governor visited the area in an official capacity. Local onion industry leaders are encouraging as many farmers as possible to show up for the Aug. 28 signing and thank Brown for her role in helping en- sure inclusion of the fund- ing for the transload fa- cility in the transportation package. “We’re telling people, be sure and thank her and express our gratitude,” said Grant Kitamura, gener- al manager of Murakami Produce, an onion shipping company. “This facility will be a great help to the onion industry and other commodities.” Dozens of onion stor- age and packing sheds col- lapsed under the weight of snow and ice this winter and Brown toured the re- gion in February to see the damage first-hand. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-On- tario, vice co-chairman of the committee that crafted the transportation package, said Brown is following up on what she said she would do when she visited the Associated Press File Oregon Gov. Kate Brown will visit Ontario, Ore., Aug. 28. Ag industry leaders are encouraging farmers to show up to thank her for her support of a transportation package that includes $26 million for a major rail trans- load facility near Ontario. region in February: help the local economy recover from the damage. The governor’s visit to the area is “extremely sig- nificant and I think it’s a re- flection of how supportive she is of this investment in our area,” he said. Bentz said the trans- load facility “is a great, big deal to this community and I think she understands that and wants to share in the hope this brings to this community.” Bentz said ag industry leaders will be notified once specific times and places for Brown’s visit are set. He said it’s also import- ant for locals to thank the governor for her support of House Bill 2012, which created a special econom- ic development region in Malheur County with the goal of helping farmers and other businesses compete on a more level playing field with their Idaho coun- terparts. Nyssa farmer Paul Skeen, who helped escort Brown during her February visit, said her interest in and support for the area is refreshing because Eastern Oregon residents have long felt forgotten by the rest of the state. LEGAL LEGAL LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87 Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 9/1/2017. The sale will be held at 10:00am by Copart of Washington Inc. 2885 National Way Woodburn, OR 2015 Nissan Murano UT VIN = 5N1AZ2MH7FN235024 Amount due on lien $1455.00 Reputed owner(s) Car Guys NW LLC PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87 Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 9/1/2017. The sale will be held at 10:00am by Copart of Washington Inc. 2885 National Way Woodburn, OR 2016 Toyota Corolla 4DR VIN = 2T1BURHE6GC728505 Amount due on lien $1455.00 Reputed owner(s) Jesus Ascension Hernandez Juarez Toyota Motor Credit Corp. PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 98 Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 9/5/17. The sale will be held at 10:00am by PARKING ENFORCEMENT SERVICES 1768 13TH ST SE SALEM, OR 2006 Mercedes ML350 VIN = 4JGBB86EX6A080667 Legal-34-2-3/#4 Legal-34-2-3/#4 Amount due on lien $2,883.00 Reputed owner(s) CINSY ZIEBELL EQUITABLE FINANCE COMPANY Legal-34-2-3/#4 LEGAL By SEAN ELLIS legal-33-2-3/#4 ONTARIO, Ore. — The effort to build a major rail transload facility in Malheur County that many people say could be a game-changer for the area’s onion industry is reportedly off to a good start. The facility would allow the bulb onions grown in the Treasure Valley of Oregon and Idaho to be placed on rail cars heading to major markets on the East Coast, instead of being trucked 216 miles West to Wallula, Wash., before making that journey east. That would reduce trans- portation costs and speed up delivery times for onions headed to the East Coast, according to onion industry leaders. “I think it will be great for our industry. The sooner, the better,” said Eddie Rodri- guez, co-owner of Partners Produce, an onion shipper in Payette, Idaho. A $5.3 billion transporta- tion bill passed by the Oregon Legislature this year includes $26 million for the facility, which will focus on the onion industry but could benefit oth- er commodities as well. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-On- tario, co-vice chairman of the committee that crafted the transportation bill, said sup- porters of the transload facil- ity have been told by Oregon Department of Transportation officials “to move forward with as much alacrity as pos- sible.” “We are not concerned about having the money. We have the money,” he said. “I think it’s going exactly as planned.” The Malheur County Court has appointed a sev- en-member board that will oversee plans for the facility and have authority to enter into contracts necessary for such things as construction, land acquisition and facility leases. Four of the board members are from the onion industry. Shay Myers, general man- ager of Owyhee Produce, an onion shipper in Nyssa, Ore., said the facility is a major deal for the region’s onion industry Cranberry growers to seek volume control USDA said ‘no’ to last request By DON JENKINS Capital Press The U.S. cranberry indus- try will ask the USDA to order farmers and processors to cut production for the 2017 and 2018 harvests, forcing grow- ers to take a short-term hit, but with the hope that prices will rebound in the long run. The Cranberry Marketing Committee, made up of grow- ers, voted unanimously this month to seek volume reduc- tions of 15 percent this year and 25 percent next year. “We’ve got to do something because we just keep adding and adding (to the surplus) and it gets worse and worse,” said Malcolm McPhail, a cranber- ry grower on the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington. “It’s just impossible to grow demand as fast as the fruit is coming.” Record-busting crops in the U.S. and the emergence of a cranberry industry in Quebec, Canada, over the past decade have built up a cranberry in- ventory that now slightly ex- ceeds one year’s demand. Even if Canada continues to produce cranberries, vol- ume controls in the U.S. could be effective in halting the slide of prices, said Tom Lochner, executive director of the Wis- consin State Cranberry Grow- ers Association. “At the end of the day, it’s going to get fruit out of the in- ventory,” Lochner said. “It’s a pretty powerful tool to manage supply.” Lochner said volume re- ductions will provide only short-term relief. In the long run, the industry will need to sell more cranberries to such countries as China, India, South Korea and Australia, he said. A USDA spokesman said Aug. 14 he couldn’t speculate on whether the agency can re- spond to the request before this fall’s harvest. The cranberry industry last used volume controls to reduce a surplus in 2000. The market- ing committee again requested volume controls in 2014, but the USDA declined, saying it suspected the U.S. cranberry industry was conspiring with growers in Quebec to control the supply. Ocean Spray, a cooperative with more than 700 members, said it supported volume re- duction. “With record crops in re- cent years, the cranberry in- dustry’s oversupply continues to grow and the scope of the oversupply is now at a point that the industry needed to take action,” according to an Ocean Spray statement. Farmers received an aver- age of 30.6 cents per pound for cranberries in 2016, according to the USDA. The price has been decreasing since peaking at 58.1 cents a pound in 2008. The cranberry surplus was already high before U.S. farm- ers produced a record 962 million pounds in 2016. The USDA predicted last week the 2017 crop will be down 6 percent to 905 million pounds, primarily because of an ex- pected decrease in Wisconsin, which accounts for two-thirds of U.S. cranberries. The USDA forecast last year underestimated the U.S. crop by 100 million pounds. Lochner said he expected Wis- consin’s crop to be similar to last year’s. Oregon cranberry produc- tion is expected to rebound from a subpar 2016. USDA predicts a 48 million-pound crop, up 16 percent from last year. LEGAL PUBLIC LIEN SALE U-STORE SELF STORAGE Albany, Oregon Sun, September 10, 2017 1PM 1668 Industrial Way SW Barry Hovelsrud, J039; Jennifer James, H022; James Kimble, F008; Allyson, E014; Harold Miller, J042; Elizabeh Meyers, J031; Alan Price, H015 legal-34-3-1/T1D