REGION
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Who is Putin?
— Scott McEwen, Author of “American Sniper”
A sniper’s story
Heppner native’s true-life tale of America’s deadliest
sharpshooter coming to big screen next week
Russia’s president: wise leader or antihero?
East Oregonian
Scott McEwen
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
“American Sniper” co-au-
thor Scott McEwen might not
be where he is today without
his Heppner roots.
His current world is far re-
moved from his simple East-
ern Oregon childhood: he
writes New York Times best-
sellers, makes guest appear-
ances on “Fox and Friends”
and it stayed on the New York
Times bestseller list for 37
weeks.
On Friday the movie ver-
sion of Kyle’s autobiography,
directed by Clint Eastwood
and starring Bradley Cooper,
will hit theaters in the U.S.
Tragically McEwen, who
served as a consultant on the
-
ie without his friend. Kyle
was killed in 2013 by a fel-
low ex-Marine at a shooting
range in Texas.
McEwen said he is striv-
ing to help Kyle’s message
AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Keith Bernstein
In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Bradley Cooper appears in a scene
from “American Sniper.”
live on without him.
“I got to know him really
well personally, and I could
see how much trouble on a
personal level he was hav-
ing,” McEwen said, noting
how heavily Kyle’s deploy-
ments weighed on him. “I
could really feel it. People
shopping at the mall didn’t
realize people were dying
every day, and that bothered
Chris.”
He said Eastwood’s mov-
ie adaptation of the book cap-
tured that, as well as the sac-
and the families they leave
behind. Even the trailer for
the movie, which alternates
between a suspense-building
-
backs of Kyle’s family life,
captures his story.
“If they gave Academy
Awards for trailers, that one
would get one,” McEwen
said.
Eastwood and his team
had input from a number of
people who were close to
Kyle before his death, includ-
ing Kevin “Dauber” Lacz,
a fellow Navy SEAL who
plays himself in the movie.
McEwen said he would like
to say his own input was
highly valuable to the movie,
but he doubted that was the
case.
“Clint Eastwood is such a
consummate professional as
far as movies are concerned,
it would be quite arrogant to
think I brought much to the
table,” McEwen said. “It was
just an honor to work with
him.”
Since
co-authoring
“American Sniper,” McE-
wen has written a number
called “Sniper Elite.” He said
a deal is in the works to turn
that series into a major studio
McEwen never served in
the military himself, but said
he grew up with a healthy
respect for the armed forces
thanks to his father, a deco-
rated World War II pilot. That
respect increased even more
when he met Chris Kyle.
“I really became a patri-
ot,” he said.
McEwen said he re-
turns to Heppner from time
to time, where he still has
friends and family (McEwen
High School in Athena was
named for his grandparents).
He is hoping to make it home
this year to do a book signing
at Heppner’s big St. Patrick’s
Day celebration. After all, he
still has fond feelings for the
community that helped shape
who he is today.
“Because it was such a
country, ranch(ing), smaller
community, everyone really
had a lot of respect for your
word being your bond,” he
said. “And I’ve never forgot-
ten that.”
———
Contact Jade McDowell
at jmcdowell@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4536.
HERMISTON
New councilor, but no road vacation on agenda
East Oregonian
Hermiston will get a new
city councilor on Monday
night.
Doug Smith will be sworn
meeting of the new year
along, with Clara Beas Fitz-
gerald, who will be sworn in
for a second time as she takes
term.
More notable is what
Monday’s agenda lacks —
an ordinance vacating a
portion of West Ridgeway
Avenue along Highway
395. Instead, the agenda
notes an executive session
“to consult with counsel ...
with regard to current liti-
gation or litigation likely to
The proposal to add the
south 15 feet of the 60-foot
road to the property to the
south has stirred up con-
troversy, including a threat
by northern property owner
Rhonda Sallee to sue if the
city moves forward. At its
Dec. 22 meeting the coun-
cil directed staff to draw
up an ordinance that would
vacate the section of road
anyway.
The agenda does contain
a few new items, including
an ordinance authorizing the
city to accept a $2 million
Community Development
Block Grant to construct a
new senior center.
The council will also
be asked to authorize the
city manager to enter into
an agreement with Simplot
regarding changes to the
regional water system, and
authorizing him to sign an
agreement with the Ore-
gon Department of Correc-
tions for use of inmate work
crews.
BRIEFLY
Grange to hold
fundraiser dinner
PENDLETON — White
Eagle Grange is adding a
monthly fundraiser dinner
to its twice-monthly all-you-
dinner will be Saturday from
5:30-7:30 p.m. at the grange
hall, located on South High-
way 395 between Pendleton
and Pilot Rock. Subsequent
monthly offerings will be on
the second Saturday of each
month.
Featured this month is
chili with sides, including
baked potato, cornbread,
dinner roll, dessert and bev-
erage. Cost to attend is $7
per person, $4 for ages 5-7
and free for kids under 4.
All proceeds from the
monthly breakfasts and
dinners support White Eagle
Grange’s community projects.
For more information,
contact Gail Wilson at 541-
276-3778 or email g.Wil-
son@q.com
Chorale rehearsal
moved to Sunday
PENDLETON — The
Oregon East Symphony
Chorale rehearsal originally
scheduled for Monday at
7 p.m. has been moved to
Sunday at 4 p.m. at the First
Presbyterian Church, 201
S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton.
For more information,
541-276-0320 or visit www.
oregoneastsymphony.org
The family of
D AVID R USSELL
would like to thank the
Pilot Rock ambulance
crew, the Pendleton
ambulance crew &
the Life Flight crew that
came to our house on
December 27, 2014.
We really appreciate all
your efforts.
The Russell Family
Page 3A
PENDLETON
“People shopping at the mall didn’t realize people
were dying every day, and that bothered Chris.”
with Clint Eastwood.
But it was his small-town,
-
ground that cemented his
friendship with Chris Kyle,
the Navy SEAL who is con-
sidered the most lethal sniper
in U.S. military history.
“We grew up in the same
world, with the same values,”
McEwen said. “Even though
his was in Texas and mine
was in Eastern Oregon.”
The two friends bonded
over their shared rural back-
ground and interests, and the
more stories McEwen heard
from his drinking buddy,
the more he was convinced
that Kyle’s story needed to
be told to the wider world.
Eventually McEwen teamed
up with Kyle and author Jim
DeFelice to write “American
Sniper,” published in 2012.
East Oregonian
Local residents invited to comment on
deactivation of OR 11 pedestrian crossing
near old hospital site
The Oregon Department of Transportation plans to
remove the traffic signal controlled pedestrian crossing
along OR 11 (SE Court Avenue), located adjacent to the
old hospital site between 16th Street and 17th Street.
The signalized crossing that was installed primarily for
hospital access is no longer needed, now that the facility
has relocated across town and the old building is being
demolished. ODOT has been working with the City of
Pendleton and the property owner who are in agreement
with the crossing removal, as there are no current plans
for development of the site. The push buttons to activate
the red traffic lights have been disconnected and
covered up since December 6. The signal was also
changed on that date to constantly flash a yellow light.
Prior to complete removal of the signal controls and mid-
block crosswalk, ODOT will hold a two-week public
comment period beginning January 12. Local residents
and community members are encouraged to contact
ODOT Public Information Officer Tom Strandberg at
541-963-1330
or
by
email
at
Thomas.m.strandberg@odot.state.or.us with concerns
or questions about the planned permanent removal of
this signalized pedestrian crossing. Comments will be
collected through January 26. ODOT will make a final
determination on this pedestrian signal after that date.
To prevent the traffic control device from becoming
damaged during building demolition work in the area,
the signal and signal arms extending over the roadway
may be removed next week. ODOT will postpone
complete removal of the signal bases and controls until
after the two week public comment period has ended.
Pedestrian Safety
Pedestrians who need to cross the highway in this area
are encouraged to cross at street intersections, but will
need to wait for all traffic to clear the area or make sure
that all vehicles have come to a complete stop before
crossing at non-signal controlled locations. ODOT also
recomends pedestrians and bicyclist wear highly visible
clothing when traveling on or adjacent to the roadway.
Russian history professor Brigit Farley will attempt to
decode Russian leader Vladimir Putin during Tuesday’s
Eastern Oregon Forum at Blue Mountain Community Col-
lege.
Farley teaches Russian and European history at Univer-
sity of Washington’s Tri-Cities campus and is a long-time
observer of the Kremlin. At the forum,
she will present “Deconstructing A
Dictator: Who is Vladimir Putin and
What Does He Want?”
Farley’s interest in all things So-
viet began at Pendleton High School
where she learned to speak Russian.
She later spent a semester at Leningrad
State University (1981) and served as
a guide in Moscow, Kiev, Rostov-on-
Don and Tbilisi (1987-1988) with the Farley
United States Information Agency’s
traveling exhibit “Information USA.”
Farley returned to Russia annually in the late 1990s and
2000s to research a book she is writing about a historic
cathedral on Red Square. Her experiences, which include
a frightening encounter with militant Putin supporters in
Red Square, has informed her opinion of Putin and his of-
ten-turbulent government.
“He is an antihero of our time, an angry reactionary
operating with great skill and popular support in a cool,
ultramodern, digital world,” Farley said.
Admission to the forum is $6 at the door or is free for
students. The event will be at 7 p.m. in Room 200 of the
college’s Science and Technology Building at 2411 N.W.
Carden Ave.
The Eastern Oregon Forum is a collaborative effort
among leaders of BMCC, the InterMountain Education
Service District, the East Oregonian, the American As-
sociation of University Women and former United States
Ambassador Harriet Isom.
———
Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@eastoregonian.com or
call 541-966-0810.
Comments sought on removal
of crossing near old hospital
PENDLETON
—
The Oregon Department
of Transportation plans
to remove a pedestrian
on Southeast Court Avenue
between 16th and 17th
streets, adjacent to the
old St. Anthony Hospital
building.
Spokesman
Tom
Strandberg
said
the
crossing, which runs in
the middle of the block,
was installed primarily for
hospital access and is no
longer needed now that St.
Anthony has relocated and
the old building is being
demolished.
Push buttons to activate
been disconnected since
Dec. 6, and the signal
changed to a continuous
ODOT has not received
any complaints since the
signal was deactivated,
Strandberg said.
Prior to removal, the
agency will hold a two-week
public comment period
beginning Monday, Jan. 12
to consider any concerns
from residents. Community
members can submit their
comments to Strandberg
by calling 541-963-1330 or
email thomas.m.strandberg@
odot.state.or.us.
To prevent the device
from becoming damaged
due to demolition work,
the signal and signal
arms extending over the
roadway may be removed
next week. But ODOT will
wait to remove the bases
and controls until after the
comment period closes,
Strandberg said.
Phone and Internet Discounts
Available to CenturyLink Customers
The Oregon Public Utility Commission designated
CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within
its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s
basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $12.48-
$16.55 per month and business services are $20.31-$27.25 per
PRQWK6SHFL¿FUDWHVZLOOEHSURYLGHGXSRQUHTXHVW
&HQWXU\/LQN SDUWLFLSDWHV LQ D JRYHUQPHQW EHQH¿W SURJUDP
(Lifeline) to make residential telephone service more affordable
to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible
FXVWRPHUVDUHWKRVHWKDWPHHWHOLJLELOLW\VWDQGDUGVDVGH¿QHG
by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on
IHGHUDOO\UHFRJQL]HG7ULEDO/DQGVPD\TXDOLI\IRUDGGLWLRQDO
7ULEDOEHQH¿WVLIWKH\SDUWLFLSDWHLQFHUWDLQDGGLWLRQDOIHGHUDO
eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only
one telephone per household, which can be either a wireline or
ZLUHOHVVWHOHSKRQH$KRXVHKROGLVGH¿QHGIRUWKHSXUSRVHVRI
the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals
who live together at the same address and share income
and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only
eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers
who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline
WHOHSKRQHVHUYLFHFDQEHSXQLVKHGE\¿QHRULPSULVRQPHQWDQG
can be barred from the program.
/LIHOLQHHOLJLEOHVXEVFULEHUVPD\DOVRTXDOLI\IRUUHOLDEOHKRPH
high-speed Internet service up to 1.5Mbps for $9.95* per month
IRUWKH¿UVWPRQWKVRIVHUYLFH3OHDVHFDOO
or visit centurylink.com/internetbasics for more information.
If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-855-
RUYLVLWFHQWXU\OLQNFRPOLIHOLQHZLWKTXHVWLRQVRUWR
UHTXHVWDQDSSOLFDWLRQIRUWKH/LIHOLQHSURJUDP
*CenturyLink Internet Basics Program – Residential customers only
ZKR TXDOLI\ EDVHG RQ PHHWLQJ LQFRPH OHYHO RU SURJUDP SDUWLFLSDWLRQ
HOLJLELOLW\ UHTXLUHPHQWV DQG UHTXLUHV UHPDLQLQJ HOLJLEOH IRU WKH HQWLUH
RIIHU SHULRG )LUVW ELOO ZLOO LQFOXGH FKDUJHV IRU WKH ?¿UVW IXOO PRQWK RI
service billed in advance, prorated charges for service from the date of
installation to bill date, and one-time charges and fees described above.
Qualifying customers may keep this program for a maximum of 60 months
DIWHUVHUYLFHDFWLYDWLRQSURYLGHGFXVWRPHUVWLOOTXDOL¿HVGXULQJWKDWWLPH
/LVWHG+LJK6SHHG,QWHUQHWUDWHRIPRDSSOLHVIRU¿UVWPRQWKVRI
service (after which the rate reverts to $14.95/mo. for the next 48 months
RIVHUYLFHDQGUHTXLUHVDPRQWKWHUPDJUHHPHQW&XVWRPHUPXVWHLWKHU
lease a modem/router from CenturyLink for an additional monthly charge
or independently purchase a modem/router, and a one-time High-Speed
Internet activation fee applies. A one-time professional installation charge
(if selected by customer) and a one-time shipping and handling fee applies
to customer’s modem/router. General – Services not available everywhere.
Have not have subscribed to CenturyLink Internet service within the last 90
days and are not a current CenturyLink customer. CenturyLink may change
or cancel services or substitute similar services at its sole discretion without
notice. Offer, plans, and stated rates are subject to change and may vary by
VHUYLFHDUHD'HSRVLWPD\EHUHTXLUHG$GGLWLRQDOUHVWULFWLRQVDSSO\Terms
and Conditions – All products and services listed are governed by tariffs,
terms of service, or terms and conditions posted at centurylink.com. Taxes,
Fees, and Surcharges – Applicable taxes, fees, and surcharges include a
carrier Universal Service charge, carrier cost recovery surcharges, state and
local fees that vary by area and certain in-state surcharges. Cost recovery
IHHVDUHQRWWD[HVRUJRYHUQPHQWUHTXLUHGFKDUJHVIRUXVH7D[HVIHHVDQG
surcharges apply based on standard monthly, not promotional, rates.