WWII plane takes fl ight BMCC BRINGS HOME FIRST NATIONAL TITLE WOMEN’S RODEO/1B NORTHWEST/2A 87/55 TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 139th Year, No. 178 WINNER OF THE 2013 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD One dollar PENDLETON Demolition in the works as bill awaits signature Cost is $1.2 million to destroy BMRC, training center East Oregonian Despite not yet having Gov. Kate Brown’s signature on a bill transferring the land from the state to Pendleton, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services is moving ahead with demolition plans for the Blue Mountain Recovery Center and the Eastern Oregon Training Center. Spokesman Matt Shelby said DAS has already selected a demolition company, which will start abating the properties on June 29. Abatement will run through the following six to seven weeks followed by salvaging and demolition, with the property ready to turn over to the city by the end of October. The project was awarded to 3 Kings Envi- ronmental of Battle Ground, Washington, for more than $1.2 million, which is slightly above the $1 million the Legislature appropriated for the project. “That’s just something we’re going to have to manage within the DAS budget,” Shelby said. Passage of the land transfer bill has long been considered a formality, allowing DAS to start planning for the demolitions months ago. /RFDO RI¿FLDOV EHOLHYH WKDW WKH QHZO\ available land could attract new businesses and housing developments and create as many as 80 jobs. The BMRC is near the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution on the south side of Westgate and the training center land is on the north side of the road. The land will be handed over to the city on Jan. 1, 2016. Air Nuestel Staff photo by Kathy Aney Taylor Neustel, 17, catches air Sunday at the Rudy Rada Skatepark in Pendle- ton. Neustel landed rubber-side down. Democrats propose tax hikes Estimated to raise nearly $50 million in new revenue over the next two-years By JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press orate. Despite the turmoil, however, she dreamed of completing college. To Sacco, the diploma she received this month from Blue Mountain Community College is more than paper, ink and a faux leather cover — it is evidence the human spirit can WKULYH LQ GLI¿FXOW FLUFXPVWDQFHV ZKHQ offered compassion and a hand up. SALEM — Democrats in the state House on Monday proposed raising a variety of taxes — on premium cigars, certain businesses and some individual taxpayers — and using the money to extend expiring tax credits that help people with low incomes. The chairman of the House Revenue Committee said the committee should take up the bill on Tuesday and “If this is decide whether to forward it to constitutional, the full House. M o s t that part of the Oregon tax constitution has credits are set to no meaning.” expire every six years, giving l a w m a k e r s — Rep. John Davis, a chance to R-Wilsonville, serves on the revenue panel decide period- ically whether WKH\ VKRXOG EH FRQWLQXHG PRGL¿HG RU dropped. The Democratic bill would continue a variety of credits, most of them aimed at helping working families, children and people with disabilities. The Earned-Income Tax Credit, a popular option for people who work for low wages, would be expanded so more people qualify. “We’re trying to do good policy, with See GRADUATE/8A See TAXES/8A Staff photo by E.J. Harris Carlin Sacoo, 26, camped in this grove of trees during her fi rst months of attending Blue Mountain Community College. Sacco overcame homelessness and other challenges to earn a two-year transfer degree. Homeless, not hopeless Student earns degree at BMCC while living in tent near campus By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian While most college students drove home after class, Carlin Sacco stowed her books in a locker and hiked to a tent hidden in a grove of trees. After graduating from Blue Moun- tain Community College this month, Sacco stood near the bank of the 8PDWLOOD5LYHUDQGUHÀHFWHGRQKRPH lessness early in her college experience. She camped on the woodsy patch of ground near the college, sleeping under the arched branches of a maple tree and listened to the sounds of cars roaring down Interstate 84. Sometimes she awoke in a puddle of rain that had seeped through rips in the tent. The 26-year-old admits that her path to homeless was partly due to poor life choices on which she isn’t eager to elab- PENDLETON Neighbors pitch in to VDYHKRXVHIURP¿UH One home destroyed on Ponderosa Lane East Oregonian Photo contributed by Chelsea Pace Matthew Raz sprays water on a fi re behind his neighbors’ house Satur- day before the Pendleton Fire Department arrived. 7ZR¿UHVLQWKH3HQGOHWRQDUHD NHSW ¿UH¿JKWHUV EXV\ 6DWXUGD\ afternoon. 7ULEDO¿UHRI¿FLDOVDUHVWLOOLQYHV tigating the cause of the two-story KRXVH ¿UH RQ WKH 8PDWLOOD ,QGLDQ Reservation. Tribal Fire Chief Rob %XUQVLGHVDLGWKH¿UHHQJXOIHGWKH house at 69818 Ponderosa Lane in the Poverty Flats area at 1:44 p.m. Although the house was a total loss, the homeowner got out safely DQGWKH¿UHZDVVHOIFRQWDLQHG 7KH WULEDO ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW received mutual aid from Pend- leton Fire and Emergency Services, Pilot Rock Rural Fire Protection District, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Oregon Department of Transportation. About an hour earlier and 18 miles away, neighbors pitched LQ WR VWRS D ZRRG SLOH ¿UH IURP spreading to a nearby house on Broadlane Avenue in Pendleton. 7KH ¿UH VWDUWHG VKRUWO\ DIWHU See FIRE/3A