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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2015)
98/64 Fifth-wheel burns near Pilot Rock 3A U.S. CELEBRATES WORLD CUP VICTORY SOCCER/1B TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2015 139th Year, No. 188 Turbulent session in the books By PETER WONG Capital Bureau SALEM — Despite a Democratic governor and larger Democratic majorities in both chambers, Oregon’s 2015 legislative session proved to be more turbulent than expected at its start months ago. The session ended at 6:05 p.m. Monday, its 155th day, a few days short of the legal deadline Saturday. Among the ¿ nal-day bills was more than $1 billion in state bonds for a variety of projects, including $300 million for school construction. For one, the governor who started the session did not end up ¿ nishing the session. Democrat John Kitzhaber took the oath for an unprec- edented fourth term on Jan. 12. But just weeks later, he resigned amid inÀ uence-ped- dling allegations involving him and his ¿ ancpe, Cylvia Hayes, and was succeeded on Feb. 18 by Secretary of State Kate Brown. As a result of the 2014 election, Democrats gained two seats for an 18-12 majority over Republicans in the Senate, and one seat for a 35-25 majority in the House. Just 23 days into her tenure as governor, Brown signed an extension of a standard requiring a 10 percent reduc- tion in the carbon content of fuels over the next decade. Democrats, who failed to renew it two years earlier on a tie vote in the Senate, prevailed over Republican opposition. But critics said the stan- dard would raise the price of gasoline, and Republicans had warned they would walk away from negotiations over a funding plan for transportation projects — including a gas tax increase — if Democrats pressed them. A tax increase requires at least one Republican to join the 35 Democrats in the House. Although negotiators from both parties and both chambers reassembled in Brown’s of¿ ce weeks later, they ultimately were unable to put together a plan linking funding with alternatives to the low-carbon fuel standard. A Senate committee conducted a hearing on the plan, only for leaders to abandon it after a majority of House Democrats said publicly they would reject a deal tied See LEGISLATURE/10A WINNER OF THE 2013 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD UNITED BY THE DRUMBEAT One dollar PENDLETON Staff photo by E.J. Harris The marquee on the outside of the Pendleton Cinema announces that they have closed their doors for business. Cinema fades to black Goodwill buys property, DG Gifts to relocate By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian Staff photo by Kathy Aney A young dancer participates in an intertribal exhibition Friday during the start of the 21st an- nual Wildhorse Pow Wow. Tribes from across the U.S. and Canada came to participate in the event this weekend. For more, see Page 10A. Absent its usual line-up of summer blockbusters, the Pendleton Cinema marquee now depicts a short obituary. “That’s all folks. 1981-2015.” Although the curtain is closing on the cinema, Goodwill’s purchase of the property ensures the show’s not over for the Southwest First Street property. The theater’s closure was con¿ rmed by owner Bruce Humphrey, who also owns and operates the cinemas in Hermiston and The Dalles. After eight years on the market, Humphrey said the Pendleton property was sold Thursday and screened its last ¿ lm the same day. Humphrey not only sold the theater, but the whole city block where Pendleton Cinemas is located. According to the Of¿ ce of Umatilla County Records, Goodwill Industries of the Columbia purchased the property from Humphrey for $600,000. Gordon Comfort, Goodwill Industries of the Columbia’s executive director, did not respond to an interview request as of press time Monday. The sale will necessitate the relocation of Pendleton Cinema neighbor DG Gifts & Screen Printing. Owner Dave Gutterud said DG Gifts will complete the move to 3535 Westgate in September, the property having been previously occupied by West’s Rentals & Sales. Although he’s sad to leave the down- town area, Gutterud said the September move will give him the chance to own his store’s property instead of leasing it. Humphrey is also bittersweet about his decision. See CINEMA/10A Property owners sweat out Sugarloaf Fire Lightning-sparked blaze burns nearly 5,000 acres around homes By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian It all started with a few low rumbles, followed by one loud boom. Tom Buce was in the hangar at Lands Inn, where his family operates a bed-and-breakfast and small airport, when he heard the crash of lighting that started the Sugarloaf Fire on June 27 near Dayville. Within an hour, the blaze would consume 100 acres just a half-mile from Lands Inn. Then the wind shifted, pushing a 30-foot wall of À ames directly toward Buce’s home. “You basically go from ¿ re plan to panic,” Buce said of the inferno that ran over his land. “I just did what I could do and the rest was in God’s hands.” The Sugarloaf Fire ultimately ripped through 5,000 acres and marked an explosive beginning to wild¿ re season in Eastern Oregon and Grant County — which has also seen the 27,000-acre Corner Creek Fire continue to burn out of control approximately 11 miles south of Dayville. See FIRE/10A Photo contributed by Chris Larson The Sugarloaf Fire, which started June 27, burned around the Lands Inn, a bed and break- fast near Kimberly in Grant County. Firefi ghters were able to save the structures.
