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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016
2016: Bundy brothers, five co-defendants were acquitted
Continued from Page 1A
Here are this year’s top 10
stories:
1: RANCHING STAND-
OFF — Ammon Bundy,
joined by his brother Ryan
and a small band of followers,
took a “hard stand” against
federal control of Western
lands and the imprisonment
of two ranchers. They seized
a wildlife refuge in Harney
County and spent weeks in
a slow-motion standoff with
authorities.
The Bundys were eventu-
ally arrested in a Jan. 26 traf-
fic stop that included the fatal
shooting by police of occu-
pation spokesman Robert
“LaVoy” Finicum. Four hold-
outs remained at the refuge
until Feb. 11.
Eleven men pleaded guilty
ahead of a fall trial that ended
with the surprise acquittals of
the Bundy brothers and five
co-defendants. In an explo-
sive ending, a team of fed-
eral marshals tackled defense
lawyer Marcus Mumford as
he yelled at the judge. Paper-
work flew as Ammon Bun-
dy’s attorney writhed on the
ground, screaming.
The year closed with some
defendants trying to withdraw
their guilty pleas and gov-
ernment prosecutors press-
ing ahead with a February
2017 trial for seven remaining
defendants.
2: MEASURE 97 — Con-
cerned about paying higher
prices, voters rejected a mea-
sure that would have required
corporations with at least $25
million in Oregon sales to
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
KGW-TV via AP
Ryan Bundy walks through the Malheur National Wildlife
Refuge near Burns in January. The armed takeover of Mal-
heur National Wildlife Refuge and its aftermath was over-
whelmingly selected Oregon’s story of the year for 2016.
Smoke billows from a Union Pacific train that derailed
near Mosier in the scenic Columbia River Gorge. The de-
railment that released 42,000 gallons of oil and sparked a
massive fire is one of Oregon’s top stories for 2016.
pay more in tax to help fund
education and other services.
Opponents and supporters of
Measure 97 battled bitterly
during the campaign. More
than $43 million was spent,
making it the most expensive
ballot measure fight in Oregon
history.
3: TRAIN DERAIL-
MENT — A Union Pacific
train moving crude oil derailed
June 3 while traveling through
the Columbia River Gorge.
The derailment in Mosier
released 42,000 gallons of oil
and sparked a massive fire that
burned for 14 hours. Protest-
ers and some government offi-
cials said the crash showed
that transporting oil by train
is dangerous, unnecessary and
should be prohibited.
4. HIGHER MINI-
MUM WAGE — Lawmak-
ers boosted the minimum
wage, agreeing to a tiered,
geographical system that
gained national attention. On
July 1, Oregon’s minimum
wage increased to $9.50 in
rural counties and $9.75 in
urban counties. It was the first
of several increases sched-
uled to take effect every July
through 2022. In that final
year, Portland’s minimum will
be set at $14.75, smaller cit-
ies at $13.50 and rural areas at
$12.50.
5.
MARIJUANA
LEGALIZATION — The
decision by Oregon voters to
approve recreational mari-
juana was the No. 1 story of
2014 and putting it into prac-
tice ranked No. 3 last year. It
hit the Top 5 again in 2016 as
communities grappled with
ordinances to regulate the
hours of operation and the
locations of producers, pro-
cessors, wholesalers, as well
as retailers and medical mar-
ijuana grow sites. Scores of
communities approved local
sales taxes on recreational
marijuana sales. Some places
that had opted out of allowing
marijuana businesses reversed
course.
6. GOP VICTORY —
Dennis Richardson became
the first Republican to win
a statewide race in 14 years
with his victory over Demo-
crat Brad Avakian in the race
for secretary of state. The last
Republican secretary of state
was Norma Paulus, who held
the position in the 1980s.
7.
ORACLE
SET-
TLEMENT — The state’s
long-running legal bat-
tle against Oracle over the
failed Cover Oregon health
exchange reached a quiet con-
clusion. Oregon said the com-
pany defrauded the state by
charging $240 million for a
health insurance website that
didn’t work. After seeking $6
billion in damages, the state
settled for $25 million in cash
“ IT HELPS TO HAVE YOUR
FAMILY AROUND YOU.”
SARAH WOOD, BRAIN CANCER SURVIVOR
Sarah Wood of Eagle Point was rehearsing her high school play when her doctor
called. Tests revealed aggressive brain cancer. The Woods immediately packed the
car and drove five hours to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland.
Now, after many months of treatment, doctors call Sarah’s recovery a miracle.
Having her family with her at all times was crucial, Sarah says.
That’s why we’re building the Gary & Christine Rood Family Pavilion, a new five-story
guest house on Portland’s South Waterfront. Where children and adults, facing serious
health crises, can rest, heal and support each other – even when they’re far from home.
The new guest house will help thousands of patients and families every year.
Please make a gift today. Help OHSU build a new home for healing.
OnwardOHSU.org/HomeForHealing
ONWARD // THE CAMPAIGN FOR OHSU
“ The new OHSU guest house will
help people through the toughest
times of their lives.”
– SARAH WOOD
plus software licensing agree-
ments and technical support.
Oracle also agreed to contrib-
ute $10 million to a state tech-
nology education program.
8. NO COAL — In a vic-
tory for environmentalists,
Oregon lawmakers approved
a bill to eliminate coal from
the state’s energy supply by
2030 and provide half of cus-
tomers’ power with renew-
able sources by 2040. The
legislation made Oregon the
first state to eliminate coal
by legislative action, and
placed it among a handful of
other states with renewable
energy standards 50 percent
or higher.
9. TRUMP PROTESTS
— Progressives in Portland
were in the vanguard of pro-
tests following the presiden-
tial election that sent Don-
ald Trump to the White
House. Though most march-
ers remained peaceful, some
blocked traffic, vandalized
storefronts, sprayed graffiti
and smashed car windows.
More than 100 people were
arrested during two weeks of
demonstrations.
10. DUCK DYNASTY
COLLAPSES — In January
2015, Oregon played in the
first College Football Playoff
national championship game.
This year, the Ducks won
just two Pac-12 Conference
games, capping their worst
season since 1991 with a
10-point loss to, gulp, Oregon
State. The swift collapse of a
team known for its high-oc-
tane offenses and ever-chang-
ing uniforms led to the firing
of coach Mark Helfrich.