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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 25, 2015)
Page 8A OFF PAGE ONE East Oregonian WOLF: &RQ¿UPHGGHSUHGDWLRQV of 150 investigations since 2011 Continued from 1A or “other.” Rimbach said inves- tigations have remained consistent over the years. If D OLYHVWRFN SURGXFHU ¿QGV D dead or injured animal and suspects wolves, they can call their local ODFW district RI¿FHDQGDZLOGOLIHELRORJLVW arrives, usually within 24 hours. “We have no option to do anything other than investi- gate,” Rimbach said. ODFW has investigated 10 incidents so far in 2015. Of those, only the two in the SDVW ZHHN ZHUH FRQ¿UPHG ZROIDWWDFNV²WKH¿UVWVLQFH September 2014. 7KH ¿UVW FDPH RQ Saturday along the Rock Creek drainage in Wallowa County. A local rancher UHSRUWHG ¿QGLQJ RQH RI KLV calves partially eaten, and investigators found wolf tracks near the carcass as well as bite marks consistent ZLWK WKH SUHGDWRUV *36 coordinates also showed a member of the Sled Springs SDLU ZLWKLQ ¿YH PLOHV RI WKH carcass the previous day. Two days later, wolves from the Mount Emily pack killed three sheep and a guard dog on public land near Ruckel Junction in Umatilla County. Evidence once again included fresh tracks, bite PDUNVDQG*36FRRUGLQDWHV Rimbach, who also works as an assistant wildlife biolo- gist for ODFW in Pendleton, said he has conducted 57 investigations personally. Most take about two hours RI ZRUN LQ WKH ¿HOG IURP securing the scene to taking numerous photographs and measurements. “We are not trying to FRQ¿UP ZKHQ ZH JHW RXW there if it’s a wolf (attack) or not,” he said. “What we’re WU\LQJWRFRQ¿UPLVZK\WKLV animal is dead or injured. All the evidence we gather leads us down the right path.” Todd Nash, a Wallowa County rancher and chairman of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association wolf committee, said producers still feel 2'):LVUHOXFWDQWWRFRQ¿UP a wolf kill on their livestock. Since 2011, the agency KDV FRQ¿UPHG GHSUHGD- Wolf-livestock investigation breakdown Since 2011, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife has investi- gated 150 reports of wolves killing or injuring livestock. Less than one-third have been confirmed wolf attacks. The rest are categorized as “probable,” “possible/ unknown” or “other.” 2015 (through June 24): 10 investigations Confirmed: 2 Probable: 1 Possible/unknown: 2 Other: 5 tions out of 150 investiga- tions, or 28 percent. Another 10 were ruled probable, and 59 possible or unknown. Nash pointed to one partic- ular case earlier this year in Wallowa County. Evidence overwhelmingly indicated a wolf attack on a calf, he said, but since a coyote had also fed on the carcass it was ruled “probable.” ODFW recently moved to Phase II of the Wolf Conservation and Manage- ment Plan, which allows the DJHQF\ JUHDWHU ÀH[LELOLW\ to kill problem wolves if ELRORJLVWV FRQ¿UP WZR ZROI predations in the area, as opposed to four incidents within a six-month period. Ranchers must satisfy addi- tional criteria that include non-lethal deterrents and removing attractants. Nash has joked it would be easier to get O.J. Simpson convicted of murder than it is WRJHWDFRQ¿UPHGZROINLOO “There’s a level of frus- tration that’s as high as it’s been,” Nash said. “If we are going to have wolves in the state of Oregon, we need to be able to get rid of wolves that are depredators of livestock. That needs to be addressed.” Rob Klavins, northeast 2UHJRQ ¿HOG FRRUGLQDWRU IRU the group Oregon Wild, said nobody — including conser- vationists — want to see livestock killed and praised ODFW for being the most transparent and least biased 2014: 34 investigations Confirmed: 11 Probable: 2 Possible/unknown: 9 Other: 12 2013: 41 investigations Confirmed: 13 Probable: 2 Possible/unknown: 13 Other: 13 2012: 33 investigations Confirmed: 8 Probable: 4 Possible/unknown: 4 Other: 17 2011: 32 investigations Confirmed: 8 Probable: 1 Possible/unknown: 18 Other: 5 of the investigating agencies. Though the wolf popu- lation is rising, Klavins said the fact they are seeing IHZHU FRQ¿UPHG DWWDFNV RQ livestock is something to celebrate. “I like to think, with the rules of the wolf plan, people are honoring the spirit and letter of those rules and focusing on non-lethal measures,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re seeing what everybody says they want, which is wolf recovery DQGUHGXFHGFRQÀLFW´ The conversation comes against the backdrop of whether or not the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commis- sion will decide this year to remove wolves from the state (QGDQJHUHG6SHFLHV/LVWHDVW of highways 395, 78 and 95. ODFW recommended delisting in April. Rimbach said their wolf-livestock investigations have nothing to do with whether the state will delist or not. “We treat these investiga- tions just like if somebody was shot in town,” he said. “We’re getting better at it. The more frequently we’re out there, the more we learn.” ODFW posts all of its depredation investigation reports online at www.dfw. state.or.us/Wolves. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-564-4547. DISPATCH: Emergency services want the sheriff’s RI¿FHWRFKDUJHWKHPSHULQFLGHQWUDWKHUWKDQSRSXODWLRQ than population. Rowan said that is not a bad idea also asked for input on what a because about 10 percent of dispatch advisory committee the dispatch duties are for should look like. KDQGOLQJ¿UHDQGDPEXODQFH Pendleton Police Chief calls, and the rest is for police Stuart Roberts said he was services. on that questionnaire list But there is a lot to and has seen no action consider, Rowan said, such from the county since. He as who pays during a big also said several people did ¿UH RU GLVDVWHU ,Q WKDW FDVH respond and copied the rest it may be best to bill each of the email recipients. Those agency, he said, and maybe responses, he said, “reiterated the same goes if one agency what people stated in the asked the dispatch center to meeting” about dispatch send a second to assist. concerns. “You are still dispatching One of those came from both agencies, we’re still ¿UH DQG HPHUJHQF\ VHUYLFHV toning them out and we’re agencies that want the sher- VWLOODQVZHULQJUDGLRWUDI¿F´ LII¶VRI¿FHWRORRNDWFKDUJLQJ Rowan said, “... to me it them per incident rather would seem fair to charge Continued from 1A both agencies ... “ Rowan said every agency is looking at how to save money, and the dispatch costs have plenty of folks taking close looks at the bottom line. Roberts said dispatch is imperative to delivering emergency services, and ¿JXULQJ RXW ZKR VKRXOG pay what is the simpler issue. But the real cruxes are drilling down to policies for managing the center and mechanisms of sustaining the center, particularly if smaller cities cannot pay. Whether the advisory committee answers those questions, Roberts and everyone else will have to wait and see. Thursday, June 25, 2015 SHULMAN: Worked as battalion chief for 9 years Continued from 1A The Californian wasn’t a novice, having already EURNHQ EDUULHUV DV WKH ¿UVW woman on an elite hotshot ¿UH¿JKWLQJ FUHZ EXW VKH braced for smokejumper school. “I was going to give my all,” she recalled. “If I didn’t make it, I wouldn’t make it, but I wanted to try.” Training at the McCall Smokejumper Base in Idaho proved grueling. The rookies took a barrage of physical tests and were required to carry 115 pounds over three-and-one-half miles cross-country in less than three-and-one-half hours. Jumpers also had to demonstrate the ability to detach their parachutes and rappel to the ground after landing in a tree. Shulman admitted a fear of heights that reared XS GXULQJ WKH ¿UVW RI HLJKW training jumps. Her eyes, she said, “were as big as plates.” The toughest challenge was the pack-out, which WKHURRNLHIDLOHGRQKHU¿UVW attempt and had to repeat with about half the other rookies. She prevailed the second time, though blisters covered her feet. “It was a sweet victory,” she recalled. When she passed, a Spokesman Review head- line declared, “SHE’S a smokejumper.” The article quoted Payette National Forest )LUH 6WDII 2I¿FHU *HQH Benedict saying, “There were no special favors, but there were no roadblocks either.” The reporter asked Shulman whether she thought she’d be accepted by the other smokejumpers. “I don’t know whether there’ll be resentment,” she told the reporter. “I don’t try and look for negative WKLQJV:KHQ,¶PRQD¿UH I don’t think about being a woman. People remind me by looking at me or saying, ‘Oh, look at the girl.’” This week in Pendleton, she admitted that some of her fellow smokejumpers showed support while others ignored her or expressed undisguised antipathy. “When I showed up at McCall, some were openly supportive and receptive,” she said. “Others withheld judgment until they could see how I did. Some would not talk to me the whole ¿YH\HDUV,ZDVWKHUH´ Shulman tried to ignore her detractors and focus on her job. “I was not there to be a woman smokejumper. I was there to be a smoke- jumper,” she said. “Some people were not going to like me and that was OK.” She continued with the Forest Service after smoke jumping, working as a MARIJUANA: House Bill 3400 passed on a 52-4 vote Continued from 1A marijuana cardholders could also continue growing marijuana for themselves or other patients whom they supply directly. The strong support for the bill on Wednesday was notable because the House- Senate committee that produced the bill more than once appeared to be at an impasse over disagreements on medical marijuana regu- lation and local pot bans. A compromise on the bans was worked out earlier this month after Senate Minority /HDGHU 6HQ 7HG )HUULROL R-John Day, said he would not support the bill unless it allowed city councils and county commissions to prohibit medical and recre- ational retailers. 5HS $QQ /LQLQJHU '/DNH 2VZHJR DFNQRZO- edged the tensions that arose as the House-Senate committee. “You know it hasn’t always been smooth VDLOLQJ´VDLG/LQLQJHUZKR is co-chair of the committee. +RZHYHU /LQLQJHU VDLG lawmakers on the committee shared the goal of making Oregon’s legal pot system successful and she hoped the full House would do the same. House Bill 3400 passed on a 52-4 vote Wednesday, with four representatives excused. Rep. Brent Barton, D-Oregon City; Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth; Rep. Cedric Hayden, R-Rose- burg; and Rep. Julie Parrish, 5:HVW /LQQ YRWHG DJDLQVW the bill. /DZPDNHUV ZRUNLQJ on marijuana issues this session repeatedly said Oregon already grows more marijuana than residents consume, and they want to make sure medical growers cannot divert cannabis into the black market here and in other states. The bill requires the 2UHJRQ /LTXRU &RQWURO Commission to establish a seed-to-sale tracking system for recreational cannabis, and instructs the Oregon Health Authority to set up a parallel system for the medical pot industry that lawmakers have described as “tracking light.” Medical cannabis growers and other businesses would be required to report their supplies to the state on a monthly basis. /DZPDNHUV KRSH WKH bill will discourage a current practice known as card stacking, in which medical marijuana growers accumulate growing rights gas stations, fuel distributors and other fuel sellers. Sen. Chris Edwards, a Eugene Democrat who chairs the committee created specif- ically to review the proposal, said he’s still trying to get to the bottom of claims about carbon reduction. Even if the plan clears the Senate, it faces a frosty reception in the House, where 19 Democrats signed onto D OHWWHU WR *RY .DWH %URZQ saying they wouldn’t support a repeal of the low-carbon fuel mandate. “Today’s hearing made it clear that the Senate proposal does not live up to the Clean Fuels Program in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and growing Oregon’s clean economy,” VDLG /LQGVH\ 2¶%ULHQ D spokeswoman for House Speaker Tina Kotek, a Port- land Democrat. Originally adopted in 2009 but never implemented, the low-carbon fuel standard was set to expire at the end RI WKH \HDU /HJLVODWLYH Democrats gave it a reprieve over vocal opposition from Republicans. The fuel standard aims to reduce greenhouse gas emis- sions from cars and trucks by 10 percent over 10 years by forcing oil companies to reduce the carbon content of their fuels or provide money for cleaner-burning alter- natives. Its supporters said it would guarantee revenue for alternative fuels, giving investors the necessary FRQ¿GHQFHWRVSHQGPLOOLRQV of dollars researching and developing them. But it also would raise gas prices — between 4 cents and 19 cents after 10 years, according to the Department of Environmental Quality. JUNE 27, 2015 Jam packed with fun things to do for the whole family! Kid's games, vendors, entertainment, fireworks, boat tours of old ferry route, Museum tours AND MORE! ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: 10:30am Parade Spaghetti Feed & Raffle Fundraiser for Doug Marquardt Sunday, June 28 th 4:00 - 7:00 pm Eagles Lodge $8.00 for adults, $5.00 for children 12 & under Family $25.00 Need volunteers to help with dinner and donations for the Raffle or food items. Contact Stacey Beaver 541-969-7110 for dozens of medical card- holders in order to justify huge cannabis gardens. The legislation would cap the size of gardens regis- tered with the state before January at 24 plants in city residential zones and 96 plants at all other areas, both rural and urban. The limits would be lower for new medical cannabis gardens. House Bill 3400 would also retroactively reduce the FODVVL¿FDWLRQV IRU FULPHV related to the manufacture, delivery and possession of marijuana in Oregon. 5HS /HZ )UHGHULFN D-Portland, said the bill is an important step toward ending the war on drugs that has disproportionately impacted communities of color and lower-income people. Frederick said he attended college in the 1970s in a mostly white community. “Pot was commonplace,” Frederick said, but it was less common for law enforcement to go after students who used the drug. Studies have found poor people and minorities were charged with marijuana crimes at disproportionate rates, Frederick said, “while others have toked up in safety for decades.” JOIN US AT THE UMATILLA MARINA PARK TRANSPORTATION: Fuel standard aims to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 10 percent over 10 years Continued from 1A battalion chief in Southern California for nine years. She ran up against another glass ceiling in 1994 when she applied for a job as a GLVWULFW ¿UH PDQDJHPHQW RI¿FHU RQ WKH /RV 3DGUHV National Forest. When she lost the job to a less quali- ¿HGPDOHVKH¿OHGDQRWKHU EEO complaint, which was eventually settled on her terms. During the almost three years before the decision was made, she took short- term assignments with the agency’s International Forestry Programs division. “My career was tempo- rarily derailed,” she said. “It was a wrenching expe- rience.” International Forestry Programs, which brings U.S. expertise on forest management and conser- vation overseas, proved a JRRG¿W(YHQDIWHUZLQQLQJ her complaint, she stayed there until her retirement in 2011. /RRNLQJ EDFN RQ KHU career, Shulman said she had a grand journey with a few really bad speed bumps. All told, she wouldn’t have changed much. “I was so proud to be associated with the Forest Service,” she told the current employees. “This was the right place for me.” ——— Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@eastoregonian.com or call 541-966-0810. Lineup at 9:30am at Nugent Park Title Sponsor: 11am till Dark at Umatilla Marina Park: entertainment, food court & vendors BLUE TATTOO Starts at 6pm until fireworks start! 10:00pm Fireworks GOLD: Umatilla County; PacifiCorp; ZipLocal; Hermiston Herald/East Oregonian SILVER: Banner Bank; Umatilla Electric Cooperative; RDO Equipment; Hermiston Generating BRONZE: Shelco Electric Landing Days Is Now On Facebook! Like Us! $3 Parking Available At The Marina
