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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION (DVW2UHJRQLDQ 7KXUVGD\-XO\ OTHER VIEWS Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher JENNINE PERKINSON Advertising Director DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Pendleton council looking for a way out of the woods VRUU\VWDWHRIFLW\LQIUDVWUXFWXUH 'RQ¶WNQRZKRZWR¿[ They know it costs money and they Pendleton? Well, you’re not alone. Pendleton know council has been kicking the city councilors can’t agree on how to PDLQWHQDQFHFDQGRZQWKHURDGIRU years. do it either. Voters are divided then, too. Tuesday’s council meeting was Unhappy with city government, yet meant to get members on the same page, but when the gavel came down VLFNDQGWLUHGRIWKHFLW\¶VVLFNDQG tired roads. to call the meeting to a close, they It would be hard, intensive work were as divided as ever. 7KHUHLVVRPHDJUHHPHQWRQDIHZ to garner support and convince voters to back a gas tax. And a issues at least. Adding a $5 utility KDUULHGFRXQFLOKDVIHZHUWKDQ¿YH IHHWRHYHU\KRPHDQGEXVLQHVVLQ PRQWKVEHIRUH WKHFLW\IRURQH ballots are in the /RRNIRUWKDWWREH Voters are KDQGVRIYRWHUV ¿QDOL]HGDQGWDFNHG Jane Hill, the onto your bill soon. divided too. EHVWRUJDQL]HUDQG %XWDVIRU everything else — a Unhappy with community leader council, said big question mark. city government, on rushing the tax onto The city needs the November ballot WRVTXHH]HDORW yet sick and is not something she RIPRQH\IURPD tired of the city’s can support. Other population that has EHHQVWDJQDQWIRU don’t see sick and tired councilors decades, has just DVKRUWWHUPIDLOXUH roads. recently shrugged DVDORQJWHUP RIIWKHODVWYHVWLJHV setback, and note RIWKHUHFHVVLRQDQG the needs are too LVVXIIHULQJWKURXJKDGLVDVWURXV great to wait any longer. In this mess growing season. RIPL[HGPHVVDJHVWKHJDVWD[ZLOO That is a tough environment in PRYHIRUZDUGLQ1RYHPEHU which to rally taxpayers, especially And that’s not all. The city is voters who have grown more and trying to cobble together consensus PRUHVXVSLFLRXVRIFRXQFLODFWLRQ WRPRYHIRUZDUGRQPRUHYRWHU The last gas tax — which initiatives, including a new was used to construct Barnhart PXOWLPLOOLRQGROODU¿UHVWDWLRQDQG 5RDGDQGFDPHRIIWKHERRNVLQ PLOOLRQVPRUHIRUGHIHUUHGIDFLOLW\ ²UHPDLQVDQXQGHUVWDQGDEO\ maintenance. sour subject. And the latest suspect $OORIWKHVHGHFLVLRQVDUHGLI¿FXOW VZLQJIRUWKHIHQFHV²UHQRYDWLQJ and it is a good sign that there is WKHORQJQHJOHFWHG(DVWHUQ2UHJRQ robust debate each time one comes $LUSRUWLQWRDGURQHWHVWLQJIDFLOLW\ EHIRUHFLW\FRXQFLO%XWHYHQWXDOO\ ²PRYHVIRUZDUGDWDJODFLDOSDFH GHEDWHPXVWPDNHZD\IRUFRQVHQVXV that has yet to bring economic DQGDGLVWLQFWSODQ<HWLW¶VSDLQIXOO\ EHQH¿WGHVSLWHVLJQL¿FDQWFLW\ clear that the city has not yet arrived investment. there, even as they ready to stick out But at the same time, Pendleton WKHLUKDQGDQGDVNIRURXUKDUG UHVLGHQWVDUHDFXWHO\DZDUHRIWKH earned dollars. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of Publisher Kathryn Brown, Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, and Opinion Page Editor Tim Trainor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. OTHER VIEWS Now that it’s here, let’s make legal marijuana work The (Ontario) Argus Observer It’s a green new world in Oregon. Recreational marijuana has been OHJDOVWDWHZLGHIRUDZHHN The Argus covered various DVSHFWVRIWKHQHZODZWKURXJKRXW the week. We outlined legal and illegal DFWLYLW\H[SORUHGIHDUVWKDW OHJDOL]LQJPDULMXDQDFRXOGPDNH LWHDVLHUIRUNLGVDQGWHHQVWRJHW their hands on the drug, and looked DWKRZGLIIHUHQWZRUNSODFHVDUH KDQGOLQJSRWUHODWHGSROLF\:H¶YH covered action in the Legislature regarding marijuana and talked to SHRSOHZKRFRQVLGHULWVOHJDOL]DWLRQ in Oregon as historic as Woodstock or the moon landing. There are more stories to tell — and there are some things too early to tell. /RFDOODZHQIRUFHPHQWRI¿FHUVRQ ERWKVLGHVRIWKHVWDWHOLQHKDYHEHHQ EUDFLQJIRUPDULMXDQD¶VOHJDOL]DWLRQ ever since voters approved Measure 91 in November. They’ve predicted DULVHLQFULPHDQGFKDOOHQJHVIRU VWDIIVWKDWDUHDOUHDG\VWUHWFKHGWKLQ Whether that will prove to be the FDVHKDV\HWWREHVHHQ&HUWDLQO\RXU ERUGHUFRPPXQLW\FRXOGIDFHXQLTXH challenges other cities throughout the state won’t have to deal with. &HUWDLQO\WKHUHZLOOEHSHRSOHZKR abuse marijuana, just as there are people who abuse other legal drugs, including prescription medication DQGDOFRKRO:H¶UHKRSHIXO however, that by and large, those who do choose to use the drug will do so responsibly. We’re also hoping that GHFULPLQDOL]LQJUHFUHDWLRQDO marijuana could have a positive LPSDFWRQODZHQIRUFHPHQW,W FRXOGDFWXDOO\IUHHXSRI¿FHUVZKR might otherwise be tied up arresting VRPHRQHIRUSRWSRVVHVVLRQWRDVVLVW on other calls. Police or deputies ZKRPLJKWSUHYLRXVO\KDYHIDFHGD dangerous situation alone could have more backup available. Now that it’s legal, access to marijuana has become an issue RISHUVRQDOOLEHUW\:HPD\QRW SHUVRQDOO\ZDQWWROLJKWXSDMRLQWRI our own, but by golly, we support \RXUULJKWWRGRVR²RXWRIVLJKW RQSULYDWHSURSHUW\LI\RX¶UHROGHU WKDQRIFRXUVH)UHHGRPRIDQ\ kind always goes hand in hand with responsibility. :HNQRZLIJLYHQWKHFKRLFH 0DOKHXU&RXQW\ZRXOGQ¶WKDYH DSSURYHG0HDVXUH6L[W\QLQH SHUFHQWRIWKRVHRIXVZKRYRWHG on the issue in November opposed OHJDOL]LQJSRW%XWLW¶VKHUHQRZDQG it’s up to us to make sure this new road travels as smoothly as possible. LETTERS POLICY The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published. Send letters to Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. Seattle on the Mediterranean O h, the ceaseless Seattle sun. June Take away the snow and change just set another record — the happens quickly. Salmon need cold hottest ever recorded in this city, ZDWHU&KHUULHVDSSOHVSHDFKHVZLQH FORVLQJRXWWKHZDUPHVW¿UVWKDOIRID JUDSHV²DOORIZKLFKWKH1RUWKZHVW year. grows in abundance — need that 6HDWWOHLVIDUWKHUQRUWKWKDQ0DLQH VQRZPHOWDVZHOO,QPLG0D\D and Montreal, and yet, over the past statewide drought emergency was month or so, it has been hotter here GHFODUHGDIWHUWKHVQRZSDFNLQWKH than in Athens, Rome or Los Angeles Timothy &DVFDGHVZDVPHDVXUHGDWLWVORZHVW on many days. We had eight days at 85 level in 64 years. Egan degrees or higher in June. On Sunday, $KHDGZHFRXOGIDFHPDMRU Comment HDVWRIWKH&DVFDGH0RXQWDLQVLWKLW ZLOG¿UHVLQSODFHVZKHUH\HDUROG 113 degrees in Walla Walla. WUHHVDUHGUDSHGZLWKWHQGULOVRIJUHHQ London and Paris, two cities with a climate 6DOPRQVSDZQLQJULYHUVFRXOGEHVKDOORZDQG similar to Seattle’s, both set heat records this ZDUPLQHDUO\IDOO²OHWKDOWRWKLVUHJLRQ¶V week — 98, the hottest July day in British iconic symbol. KLVWRU\DQGLQWKH&LW\RI/LJKW +HUHDWOHDVWLW¶V¿VKDQGWUHHVWKDWDUH As a native Seattleite, I’ve always VWUHVVHG(OVHZKHUHLW¶VSHRSOH0RUHWKDQ wondered what it would be like to live in a 1,000 people died in Pakistan last month in place where it’s sunny every day. Now that RQHRIWKHGHDGOLHVWKHDWZDYHVLQKLVWRU\ I’m experiencing something $OORIWKLVKDVPDGHPH FORVHWRWKDW,IHHORXWRI FXUVH6HQ-DPHV,QKRIH sorts in a strange land. 52NODZKRFDOOVWKH :LOG¿UHVEXUQWRGD\LQWKH JOREDOVFLHQWL¿FFRQVHQVXV 2O\PSLF0RXQWDLQVZHVWRI on climate change “the 6HDWWOHDIRUHVW]RQHWKDWLV greatest hoax.” And sadly, W\SLFDOO\RQHRIWKHUDLQLHVW it matters what he says, places on earth. EHFDXVH,QKRIHFKDLUVWKH Sure, my backyard Senate committee in charge grapes, my tomatoes, my RIGRLQJVRPHWKLQJDERXW Meyer lemons and my climate change. As such, rosemary plants love it. This he’s determined to prevent is Sicily in Seattle, with the world’s second biggest QHDUO\KRXUVRIGD\OLJKW SURGXFHURIFDUERQGLR[LGH -XQHNQRZQIRULWVFORXG\ ²WKH8QLWHG6WDWHV²IURP gloom, was “probably the sunniest month doing anything. LQ1RUWKZHVWKLVWRU\´ZURWH8QLYHUVLW\RI ,QKRIHLVIDPRXVIRUEULQJLQJDVQRZEDOO :DVKLQJWRQDWPRVSKHULFVFLHQWLVW&OLII0DVV WRWKHÀRRURIWKH6HQDWHWRSURYHKLVSRLQW on his weather blog. What he proved is that there are Labradors The experts, Mass among them, do not with more common sense than a senator with a WKLQNWKHEURLOLQJRIWKH3DFL¿F1RUWKZHVWFDQ SHDQXWIRUDEUDLQ be attributed to climate change. $WWKHRWKHUHQGRIWKHVSHFWUXPLV3RSH 5DWKHUWKH\FUHGLWDKXJHGRPHRI Francis. In his recent encyclical on climate high pressure to the west and warm ocean change, he made a plea to our better angels, a temperatures. But they say that what we’ve SOHDWRWDNH³FDUHRIRXUFRPPRQKRPH´,W¶V experienced over the past 16 months is an DQLFHVHQWLPHQWEXWZLWKSHRSOHOLNH,QKRIH LQGLFDWLRQRIZKDWWKLVSDUWRIWKHZRUOGZLOO guiding U.S. policy, altruism alone will never EHOLNHDIWHUWKH(DUWKKDVZDUPHGE\VHYHUDO work. degrees. :HQHHGWRDFWRXWRIVHOILQWHUHVWDVZHOO So, what’s not to like? ,ORYHP\OLWWOHSDWFKRIWKHSODQHW/RYHWKH )RUVWDUWHUVEURZQGRHVQRW¿WDQHPHUDOG JODFLHUVLQ$XJXVWWKHULYHUVDWIXOOÀXVK city. Not just every homeowner’s lawn, FDUSHWVRIHYHUJUHHQWUHHVDQGDSUHGRPLQDQW QRZWKHFRORURIDEDNHGSRWDWREXWDOSLQH EUHH]HIURP3XJHW6RXQGWKDWSURYLGHVQDWXUDO PHDGRZV¿HOGVDQGGHFLGXRXVWUHHVWKDWKDYH DLUFRQGLWLRQLQJIRUPRUHWKDQPLOOLRQSHRSOH JLYHQXSIRUWKH\HDUVKHGGLQJSRWDWRFKLS in the Seattle area. FULVSOHDYHVDVLILWZHUH2FWREHU We may lose this. The current heat is a $VDQ\RQHLQ&DOLIRUQLDFRXOGVD\JHW precursor, an early peek at a scary tomorrow. XVHGWRLW2UJHWDIDNHODZQ2UJURZFDFWXV ,QKRIH¶VLJQRUDQFHFRXOGKDYHDGLUHFWHIIHFW plants. Summers in the Northwest are usually on the place we leave our grandchildren. GU\PLOGDQGKXPLGLW\IUHH²WKLVLVMXVWDQ %HIRUHJLYLQJLQWRDIXWXUHLQZKLFKWKH extreme version. Stop complaining. 3DFL¿F1RUWKZHVWEDNHVEXUQVDQGVKULYHOV In the withering heat, I can still look south ZHKDYHWRGHIHQGWKHQDWXUDOZRUOG²SODFH DQGVHHWKHJODFLHUVRI0RXQW5DLQLHUKROGLQJ by place. WKHIUR]HQOHJDF\RIZLQWHUVORQJSDVW:DWHU Ŷ as snow or ice, is not just the master architect Timothy Egan worked for 18 years as a RIWKH1RUWKZHVWEXWWKHPDLQUHDVRQWKH writer for The 1ew <ork Times ¿rst as the LVODQGVWKHPRXQWDLQVWKHIRUHVWVRIWKLVSODFH 3aFi¿F 1orthwest ForresSondent then as a DUHVREHDXWLIXO nationaO enterSrise reSorter The experts do not think the broiling of the Pacific Northwest can be attributed to climate change. YOUR VIEWS Christians should have right to be politically incorrect Forest Service not responding to information requests ,VLWULJKWIRU&KULVWLDQVWRSUD\DQGGRRU say nothing else? I think not. So I am saying WKLV,¶PYHU\WURXEOHGUHJDUGLQJWKH&KULVWLDQ couple in Oregon who have been run out RIEXVLQHVVE\DMXGJHZKRLVVXHGWKHPDQ H[RUELWDQW¿QHWKHQSLOHGRQDJDJRUGHURQ WKHVHWZRLQGLYLGXDOVVLPSO\IRUQRWEDNLQJD cake. He does not exhibit any respect ZKDWVRHYHUIRUWKH)LUVW$PHQGPHQW:KDW happened to that universal sign that used to be displayed in nearly every business: “I reserve WKHULJKWWRUHIXVHVHUYLFHWRDQ\RQH´7KLV couple has a right to believe what they want to believe. By the same token, the gay couple have a ULJKWWRWKHLUEHOLHIVEXWWKHLUEHOLHIVVKRXOG not bring punishment to other people who EHOLHYHGLIIHUHQWO\,KDYHQHYHUEHOLHYHGLQ JD\EDVKLQJ,UHPHPEHUDIHZ\HDUVEDFN some gays were beaten to death because they were gay. My heart was sick when I read about that. I am a landlord and I have rented WRJD\FRXSOHV7KH\DUHVRPHRIWKHEHVW tenants I ever had. When I was in the working ZRUOGRQHRIP\EHVWIULHQGVZDVDOHVELDQ 6KHUHVSHFWHGP\EHOLHIVDQG,KHUV,GRQRW MXGJHJD\VDQ\PRUHWKDQ,MXGJH&KULVWLDQV Judging is God’s job. What troubles me about this story is the SROLWLFDOFRUUHFWLVP,EHOLHYHWKDW3&LVPLV DSHUQLFLRXVVRFLHWDOGLVHDVHGHVLJQHGIRUWKH H[SUHVVSXUSRVHRIVKXWWLQJSHRSOHXSZLWK whom one does not agree. And I believe this DEHUUDQWMXGJHLVWKHHPERGLPHQWRI3&LVP run amok. For several years it was a shell game. Throw out enough varying plans, subparts DQGPHHWLQJVZLWKGLIIHUHQWFDWFKSKUDVHVIRU what equated to closing roads and restricting RYHUDOOPRWRUL]HGDFFHVVDQGWKH)RUHVW 6HUYLFHKRSHGWRHLWKHUGLVHQIUDQFKLVHHQRXJK RIWKHSXEOLFRUDJJUDYDWHHQRXJKWRPDNH WKHPTXLW8QIRUWXQDWHO\,DQGWKHSHRSOHRI (DVWHUQ2UHJRQKDYHQRWZDYHUHGXQGHUWKDW approach and have actually became more SUR¿FLHQWLQIROORZLQJWKHSHDDQGNHHSLQJ tabs on what the USFS is doing. 1RZZHUHWXUQWRWKHWDFWLFVRI0RQLFD 6FKZDOEDFKWKHLQLWLDWRURIWKH¿UVW5HFRUGRI 'HFLVLRQWRUHVWULFWPRWRUL]HGDFFHVVRQRXU IRUHVW1RPRUHSULPHDQH[DPSOHH[LVWVRI that than my dealings over the last month with WKHFXUUHQWIRUHVWVXSHUYLVRU7RP0RQWR\D For the last month I have requested LQIRUPDWLRQDVWRZKRPDNHVXSKLV LQWHUGLVFLSOLQDU\WHDPIRUWKHGHYHORSPHQWRI WKH6XESDUW$UHSRUWRIWUDYHOPDQDJHPHQWRQ WKH:DOORZD:KLWPDQ1DWLRQDO)RUHVW0\ LQLWLDOUHTXHVWZDV-XQH$VRI-XO\0U Montoya has not answered my email. I believe ZHVKRXOGNQRZZKRLVSODQQLQJRXUIXWXUH access to the Blues. ,DJDLQUHTXHVWIURP6XSHUYLVRU0RQWR\D DOLVWRIZKRPDNHVXSWKH,'WHDPIRUWKH GHYHORSPHQWRIWKH6XESDUW$UHSRUWDQGZKDW tools, models and best available science they are using to plan the minimum roads needed IRUWKH:DOORZD:KLWPDQ1DWLRQDO)RUHVW 0D\EHLQDPRUHSXEOLFIRUP0U0RQWR\D ZLOODQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQEXWWKXVIDUQRVXFK LQIRUPDWLRQKDVEHHQJLYHQ Sharolyn K. Gemmell Pendleton John George Bates