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East Oregonian
MARIJUANA: Opting out of Measure 91 would be a step backward
Continued from 1A
those four commercial oper-
ations.
Winkles said that vote
would not affect medical
marijuana
dispensaries,
which fall under House Bill
3460 from the 2013 Legisla-
ture, nor could such a ban in-
fringe on the right to possess
marijuana.
Pendleton police Chief
Stuart Roberts disagrees,
however, and said an opt out
would do just that.
Under Oregon law now,
Roberts said, possession of
less than an ounce of mari-
juana is a violation, akin to a
“You don’t go to jail for a
ticket,” he said.
But a cop can arrest you
if you have an ounce or more
of pot in your possession.
Roberts said that’s the level
the law looks at for delivery
purposes. The circumstances
of the arrest and the prosecu-
tor can determine if the crime
is a felony, misdemeanor or a
violation.
Pendleton Mayor Phillip
Houk said he sees the opt
out as a means to prohibit
all retail sales of pot and pot
products in the city. He said
there are growers in town
who could provide the drug
for medical marijuana card
holders, but he saw no rea-
son for a pot shop or dispen-
sary on Main Street.
Pendleton attorney Will
Perkinson sits on the Uma-
tilla County committee that
is studying how to regulate
sales of marijuana. Prohibit-
ing it, he said, only keeps the
status quo, and that means
allowing the black market to
operate unchecked and giv-
ing minors easy access to the
drug.
“I think ... preventing
adolescents and teens from
having access to marijuana
is a good social value,” he
said.
Opting out of Measure
91 would mean a step back-
ward, he said, and while a
dispensary system would not
be foolproof, it would estab-
lish barriers to help keep the
drug away from youth.
Rick Jackson, director of
the BENT narcotics enforce-
ment team, said it is current-
ly much easier for Pendleton
High School students to get
marijuana than alcohol.
Perkinson also said the
social stigma around pot
will continue, particularly in
Eastern Oregon, and legal-
izing it may not be that big
of a deal on a local level. He
said the deeper issue is how
easy the stuff is to get now,
in spite of any law.
Winkles said all the opt
out talk could be for naught.
Marijuana bills are already
piling up for the 2015 Legis-
lature that starts in February.
And the timeline for opting
out seems to favor the law.
Measure 91 goes into effect
July 1, but the Oregon Li-
quor Control Commission
in January 2016 will review
licenses for marijuana retail
shops and deliver regulations
for their operation. If voters
get a local opt-out initiative
they can vote is November
2016.
“There is a lot to talk
about, a lot to discuss,” Win-
kles said. “But from the city
perspective, the one thing we
want to impress is that most
of the burden of implemen-
tation of 91 will fall on local
government.”
That is something Rob-
erts also has stressed. And
it may be much of what the
state liquor commission
hears about during its public
listening session Thursday at
7 p.m. at the Pendleton Con-
vention Center.
———
Contact Phil Wright at
pwright@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0833.
DOWNTOWN: District received return of $62,100 from Jump Start loans
Continued from 1A
Before moving to Pend-
leton, Denight worked at
Portland and Honolulu and
worked with clients like the
Hawaii Visitors and Conven-
tion Bureau and the precur-
sor to Travel Oregon.
Wood said Denight’s ex-
tensive marketing resumé
made him the most attractive
candidate.
“He’s used to working
-
ers who could be coming to
town,” Wood said.
Even though his day job
for the past 13 years required
he work outside city limits,
over recent urban renewal
projects.
As the chairman of the
Pendleton Chamber of Com-
merce’s tourism marketing
committee, Denight helped
coordinate the development
and installation of a series
of signs around town that
direct visitors to Pendleton
attractions. In addition to the
chamber, Denight has also
volunteered with the Pend-
leton Farmers’ Market, the
Pendleton Arts Commission
and Pendleton Friends of the
Library.
Although no stranger to
downtown
development,
Denight has a fresh set of
challenges in growing the
district.
After investing more than
$1.3 million in the Façade
Restoration Program from
2006 to 2013, the commis-
sion only dispersed a meager
$2,703 last year.
Anticipating a slow
stream of applications for
the façade grant over the sec-
the commission reallocated
$10,000 of its budget to fund
a new grant to reimburse
businesses for city permit
fees.
Denight said that since
many of the façades have
already been improved, the
next step for the district is
businesses.
He pointed toward the
district’s Jump Start loan
program — which provides
funding for new or expand-
ing businesses — as an area
that could receive more fo-
cus. The district received a
return of $62,100 last year
from Jump Start loans after
investing $122,688 in 2013.
While Main Street’s
growth has been strong over
the past few years, the de-
cline of the surrounding area
front area is prime real estate
for housing and commercial
businesses, the land has yet
to see any major develop-
ments.
Denight said the work
ahead of him is made a lot
easier by the connections and
planning the commission has
already done.
Through the commis-
sion’s various programs and
committees, Denight has
easy access to bankers, con-
tractors and business owners.
While the business en-
vironment is important,
Denight said other factors
like infrastructure, education
one of Denight’s top priori-
ties.
“That’s how I’ll measure
my success,” he said.
Another area of interest
for the commission could be
development of the land sur-
rounding the Umatilla River.
Although multiple city
-
in convincing businesses to
move to Pendleton.
“There’s a saying in mar-
keting,” he said. “‘More
goods are bought with the
heart than with the head.’”
———
Contact Antonio Sierra at
asierra@eastoregonian.com
or 541-966-0836.
SPILL: 3,278 carloads of crude oil shipped through Oregon in 2013
Continued from 1A
a lot of help, but we are the
technical specialists on this
team.”
What they don’t have
available is a large stockpile
of foam and personal protec-
tive gear on hand to account
for the dramatic rise of oil-
by-rail coming through Or-
egon. That’s something the
to see change.
A survey conducted by
conjunction with the Ore-
gon Fire Chiefs Association,
-
wide and found 81 percent
did not have the necessary
equipment to respond to a
crude oil incident. Of those
who took the online survey,
88 percent said the most ef-
fective solution would be for
the hazmat teams to create
their own regional caches of
material.
A committee of hazmat
team members recommend-
ed they locate six foam trail-
ers and personal protective
gear throughout the state.
Along with training, per-
sonnel and support, their
proposal would cost a little
more than $2.7 million. And
that’s just for the start-up ex-
penses; further maintenance
costs would likely require
a bigger budget for future
years.
A funding source has yet
to be determined. The re-
port was submitted to Gov.
John Kitzhaber as part of his
statewide review of rail safe-
ty ordered last year.
It is not certain whether
one of the trailers also would
be located in Hermiston, but
Phillips said having more
equipment would clear-
responders.
“From my standpoint,
doing everything it can to
make sure our teams have
everything they need to re-
spond to any incident,” he
said.
3,278 carloads of crude oil
through Oregon in 2013. Oil
moved along both primary
routes through the state, in-
cluding the Interstate 5 cor-
ridor through Portland and
along the Columbia River
Gorge where lines meet at
Hinkle Yard near Hermiston.
Cancer-causing agent detected in
water after Montana pipeline spill
GLENDIVE, Mont. (AP) — Eastern Montana resi-
dents rushed to stock up on bottled water Tuesday after
authorities detected a cancer-causing component of oil in
public water supplies downstream of a Yellowstone River
pipeline spill.
Elevated levels of benzene were found in water samples
from a treatment plant that serves about 6,000 people in the
agricultural community of Glendive, near North Dakota.
Scientists from the federal Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention said the benzene levels were above those
recommended for long-term consumption, but did not
pose a short-term health hazard. Residents were warned
not to drink or cook with water from their taps.
Some criticized the timing of Monday’s advisory,
which came more than two days after 50,000 gallons of
oil spilled from the 12-inch Poplar pipeline owned by
Wyoming-based Bridger Pipeline Co.
Adding to the frustrations was uncertainty over how
long the water warning would last. Also, company and
effective way to recover the crude, most of which appears
to be trapped beneath the ice-covered Yellowstone River.
A mechanical inspection of the damaged line Tuesday
revealed the breach occurred directly beneath the river,
about 50 feet from the south shore, Bridger Pipeline
spokesman Bill Salvin said.
The cause remained undetermined.
By Tuesday, oil sheens were reported as far away as
The company claims to
-
provided training for more
Phillips said the railroad has
been good to work with, and
has provided information on
basic tank car recognition,
planning and damage assess-
ment.
“Whatever information
they can pump out to us and
whatever we can learn about
this, the better off we’ll be,”
he said.
Pendleton Fire Chief
Jason Walker said he is
training and ability to work
together to keep communi-
ties safe. Four hazmat tech-
nicians work in Pendleton,
hours every month working
on hazmat response.
The primary areas of con-
cern are downtown Pendle-
ton and the Umatilla River,
Walker said, where an oil
spill could cause the most
damage to people and the
environment. When disaster
strikes, you always wish for
more resources, he said. But
they are “absolutely” ready
to handle an incident.
-
“I believe we have a very
professional crew that takes
this task very seriously,”
Walker said. “The whole
idea is to prepare for the
worst that could happen.”
Oil train derailments can
come with devastating con-
sequences. In 2013, a crash
and explosion outside of
Lac-Mégantic in Quebec,
Canada, killed 47 people
and caused more than $400
million in damage. Another
derailment last year in West
Virginia spilled up to 25,000
gallons into the James River.
Umatilla County Emer-
gency Manager Jack Re-
millard said Pendleton and
Hermiston can call for mutu-
al aid from across the county
if they are overwhelmed in
their initial response. In the
case of the 2013 bus crash
on Deadman Pass that killed
nine people and injured 39
others, he said they also got
help from as far as Walla
Walla and Union County.
“Overall, I feel fairly
comfortable with our situa-
tion here,” Remillard said.
“If we have trouble, we’re
going to get some help, I’m
sure.”
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4547.
STUDENT
OF THE
WEEK
Tony Papol
P ENDLETON H IGH S CHOOL
Tony is an outstanding citizen and student leader
at PHS. He is currently our ASB president, actively
involved in student leadership, National Honor
Society and ASTRA. Tony has achieved a 4.38
accumulative Weighted GPA while taking the
most difficult courses PHS and BMCC have to
offer. Tony will graduate high school with 68
college credits. He also participates in varsity
football and baseball. Upon graduation Tony
plans to attend an Ivy league school and major in
physics. The school is yet to be determined.
Proudly Sponsored by
2801 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton, OR • 541-276-5121
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
HANSELL: Senator
but won’t be the last
Continued from 1A
grants to apply for driver’s
cards. The ad, paid for by
Capitol Watch PAC, also
roasts Hansell’s support of
Cover Oregon, the Colum-
bia River Crossing project
and a bill to release certain
criminal offenders early
as a strategy to save state
money.
Hansell said, via email,
that the attack blindsided
him.
“To my knowledge I
have never had one vis-
it from Jeff Kropf or
Hansell wrote.
Kropf, who was elect-
ed in 1999 to the Oregon
House for District 17,
founded the PAC. Kropf
dropped out of his re-elec-
tion race in 2006 after
learning the radio station
where he had a conserva-
tive radio show would be
required to give equal time
to his Democratic chal-
lenger, Dan Thackaberry,
a Democrat from Lebanon.
The seat is now held by Re-
publican Sherrie Springer
from Scio.
Kropf now operates a
small grass seed farm in
Sublimity, about 15 miles
east of Salem, with his
wife. He is executive di-
rector of the Oregon Cap-
itol Watch Foundation, a
watchdog group that gives
the annual Petunia’s Porker
Award to people or public
entities the organization
deems wasteful.
“The PAC’s purpose is
to make sure the voters and
constituents of legislators
know how the legislators
are voting,” Kropf said.
“Especially, if we see that
they are out of sync with
the constituency.”
Hansell, Kropf said, is
he won’t be the last.
“We’re going to keep it
up,” he said. “We are work-
ing on a couple of other
legislators right now.”
Kropf wouldn’t say
who, nor would he divulge
ad campaign. A look at the
Oregon Secretary of State
website shows that the PAC
formed last month and has
reported no contributions
or expenditures yet. The
group must declare contri-
butions within 30 days.
Hansell refuted the
PAC’s accusation that he
doesn’t care about opinions
of people in District 29. Re-
garding the driver’s card,
Hansell said he talked ex-
tensively with constituents,
receiving encouragement
from the Umatilla County
Board of Commissioners,
the agriculture community,
a Milton-Freewater judge,
Hispanic leaders and even
tea party leader Larry Nye
in Milton-Freewater.
“There was strong sup-
port across the spectrum
for the need of such a
card,” Hansell said.
The bill was passed by
both houses and signed
by Gov. John Kitzhaber in
spring 2013, but sent back
to the voters in a referen-
dum and shot down in the
November election. In the
Senate, six Republican
senators voted for driver’s
cards, while seven voted
against. In the House, 15
Republican representatives
supported the cards, while
seven voted no.
Hansell wrote an op-ed
for the East Oregonian af-
ter passage explaining his
vote, noting he “did not
receive a single negative
comment or phone call.”
“Having been elected
to represent the needs of
my constituents, it is im-
perative that I seek their
opinions prior to a vote,”
he said.
Kropf also jabbed
Hansell about rubbing
shoulders with Democrats.
“It’s become painful-
ly obvious that on some
of our core issues, Sen.
Hansell is voting with the
Democrats,” Kropt said.
“We formed the PAC to in-
form him.”
Hansell doesn’t apolo-
gize about working with
Democrats. He said he ex-
pects a major water bill that
Oregon to pass with bipar-
tisan support during the up-
coming legislative session.
“I think it is very im-
portant when possible
to collaborate across the
aisle,” he said. “The fact
of the matter is that the
Republicans are in a super
minority in both houses.
There is not a single bill
of importance to the good
people of District 29 that
can pass without support of
members from across the
aisle.”
Kropf, a tea party lead-
er and former director of
Americans for Prosperity,
isn’t a fan of collaboration
that goes against what he
calls the party’s core val-
ues. He remains unim-
pressed with Hansell on
this front.
“We’re watching him,”
Kropf said. “We’re watch-
ing him very closely.”
———
Contact Kathy Aney at
kaney@eastoregonian.com
or call 541-966-0810.