NATION/WORLD
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
East Oregonian
Page 7A
Greek banks reopen but cash limits remain and taxes soar
ATHENS, Greece (AP)
— Greek banks reopened
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three weeks, but strict limits
on cash withdrawals and
higher taxes on everything
from coffee to diapers meant
the economic outlook for the
recession-battered country
was far from back to normal.
There were hopeful
developments: The cash-
strapped nation got a short-
term loan from European
creditors to pay more
than 6 billion euros ($6.5
billion) owed to the Inter-
national Monetary Fund
and the European Central
Bank. Non-payment of
either would have derailed
Greece’s latest bailout
request.
But for most Greeks,
already buffeted by six years
of recession, Monday was
all about rising prices as tax
hikes demanded by creditors
took effect.
Dimitris Chronis, who
has run a small kebab shop
in central Athens for 20
years, said the higher tax
rates could push his business
over the edge.
“I can’t put up my
prices because I’ll have no
customers at all,” lamented
Chronis, who said sales
have already slid by around
80 percent since banking
restrictions were imposed
on June 29.
There are few parts of
the Greek economy left
untouched by the steep
increase in the sales tax from
13 to 23 percent. The new
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near Walla Walla
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Walla Walla has burned as
much as 3,000 acres and
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The cause of the Blue
Creek Fire that started just
before 1 p.m. Monday is
unknown, Renae Crippen
of the Blue Mountain Inter-
agency Fire Center said. Fire
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9 miles east of Walla Walla
near Blue Creek and Klicker
Mountain has burned more
than 2 square miles.
No injuries have been
reported, but more structures
may be threatened, and evac-
uations were issued for Tracy,
Blacksnake and Biscuit Ridge
roads earlier in the afternoon.
Fire crews are attacking
the blaze from the air with
multiple air tankers and heli-
copters. One helicopter pilot
walked away from a crash
landing Monday.
Heather Lee of Walla
Walla County Emergency
Management
told
the
Union-Bulletin the helicopter
suffered a mechanical failure.
The Washington State
Patrol also closed Interstate
90 in Grant County, east of
the Columbia River, because
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The Grant County sher-
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full of hay has burned on the
road next to the interstate. No
injuries have been reported,
and 200 people are on scene
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The residents of 50 homes
have been told to prepare to
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evacuated Monday afternoon.
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U.S. Highway 2 in both
directions near Monroe late
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was detoured around the
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blocked for about an hour, the
Washington Department of
Transportation said.
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just west of State Route 9 and
about 25 miles northeast of
Seattle.
WORLD BRIEFLY
Grievances linger
as Cuba, U.S. mark
start of new era
WASHINGTON (AP)
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sun Monday as the U.S.
and Cuba formally ended
more than a half-century
of estrangement, formally
re-establishing relations
severed at the height of the
Cold War. But the symbolism
of an embassy ceremony
could not conceal deep,
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the nations.
In the sweltering July heat
and humidity of America’s
capital, Cuban Foreign
Minister Bruno Rodriguez
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ceremony just hours after
an agreement to restore
diplomatic ties broken in
1961 took effect at the stroke
of midnight. He later met
with Secretary of State John
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Cuban foreign minister to set
foot in the State Department
since 1958.
Kerry announced that he
would make a reciprocal visit
to Cuba to dedicate the U.S.
Embassy in Havana on Aug.
14. He spoke of a need to
move beyond the enmity that
was spawned as President
John F. Kennedy grappled
with Fidel Castro’s revolution
and Soviet expansionism and
that hardened over the 54
years that followed.
Despite pledges of
goodwill and mutual respect,
ghosts of past animosity hung
over the events.
At the reopening of the
Cuban embassy and again at
a joint news conference with
Kerry, Rodriguez repeated
demands for the U.S. to
end its 53-year embargo,
return the U.S. naval base at
Guantanamo Bay, stop efforts
to change or reform Cuba’s
communist government
and pay compensation for
damage done to the island
and its people over the past
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UN endorses nuclear
deal between Iran
and 6 world powers
UNITED NATIONS (AP)
— The U.N. Security Council
on Monday unanimously
endorsed the landmark deal
to rein in Iran’s nuclear
program and authorized
measures leading to the end
of U.N. sanctions, but also
approved a provision that
would automatically reinstate
the harsh measures if Tehran
reneges on its promises.
European Union foreign
ministers meeting in Brussels
immediately followed suit,
endorsing the agreement
between Iran and six major
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step to lift EU sanctions.
President Barack Obama
told reporters he hopes the
Republican-controlled U.S.
Congress, where there is
strong opposition to the deal,
will pay attention to the broad
international consensus,
stressing that the deal is “by
far our strongest approach to
ensuring that Iran does not
get a nuclear weapon.”
AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis
A security employee asks pensioners to calm as they
enter a branch at National Bank of Greece headquar-
ters in Athens, Monday.
rates have been imposed on
basic goods, from cooking
oil to condoms, as well as
to popular services, such
as taxi rides, eating out at
restaurants and ferry trans-
port to the Greek islands.
The tax hikes are part
of a package of austerity
measures that also include
pension cuts and other
reforms that the Greek
government had to introduce
for negotiations to begin on
a crucial third bailout.
In response to last week’s
parliamentary vote backing
the austerity measures, the
ECB raised the amount of
liquidity assistance on offer
to Greek banks, paving the
way for them to reopen
Monday. But strict controls
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ban on check-cashing and
payments abroad as well as
limits on cash withdrawals,
remained in effect.
The European Union
also sent a three-month
loan to Athens, enabling the
government to repay a 4.2
billion euro debt to the ECB
on Monday and to clear its
arrears of about 2 billion
euros with the IMF.
Both
institutions
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repaid.
IMF spokesman Gerry
Rice said the Fund “stands
ready to continue assisting
Greece in its efforts to return
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growth.”
The IMF is not directly
involved in Greece’s request
for a third bailout as its
previous rescue runs until
early next year. But it has
expressed doubts over the
austerity measures that
Greece’s European creditors
are demanding unless they
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relief.
MACK: Had a hip replacement 12 years ago
he recovered.
“A few pains have shown
up,
but when I get going,
“They’d gone out there
those aches and pains melt
pretty good,” Temple said.
away — not just for the day,
“I caught sight of them and
but for the season.” In the
thought, ‘I’m going to catch
winter, he takes a spin class.
up with them.”
To explain his drive,
He did. Temple got into
Temple said he simply
the pace line and together
loves the feeling of physical
they navigated the rolling
¿WQHVV+HFDQKLNHZLWKKLV
hills of Despain Gulch.
grandchildren. He knows
7KH\ FUXLVHG XQWLO WKH ¿UVW
he can get himself out of
scheduled break at a park
trouble if it comes along.
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“I love to push myself,”
A few years ago on
he
said. “It’s not that I’m
Mack’s birthday ride, cyclist
trying to prove to anyone
Evan MacKenzie, planner
that I’m faster, better or
Contributed photo
for the city of Pendleton,
Mack Temple, 80, pedals Saturday morning during stronger. It’s for my own
remembers a conversation “Mack’s Birthday Ride.” He was joined by members
well-being.”
with Temple as they pedaled of the Pendleton On Wheels bike club.
Dave O’Neill rode the
along.
“I think I’m slowing Caterpillar dealer in Arizona clunky compared with his birthday ride on Saturday as
in his twenties, however, he FXUUHQW 7UHN FDUERQ ¿EHU a tribute to Temple.
down,” Temple admitted.
“He is an amazing indi-
bicycle tricked out with
“You know, Mack,” said lost his drive.
“I got pretty soft and high-end components. He vidual and an astonishing
MacKenzie, who was 45 at
Temple remembers feeling humbled cyclist,” O’Neill said. “He’s
the time. “Most people half overweight,”
recalled.
“It
was
too
hot to GXULQJ KLV ¿UVW RUJDQL]HG VWURQJRQWKHÀDWDQGVWURQJ
your age — no, most people
on the hills — he doesn’t
ride near Walla Walla.
half my age — couldn’t do do anything outside.”
After he returned to
“All of a sudden, the have any holes in his game.”
this ride.”
O’Neill said the ride
This year, Temple slowed Pendleton to start farming other cyclists were just dots
started
at 7 a.m. to beat
his pace for the last 50 miles wheat, he began running in in the distance,” Temple
the
heat,
but the mercury
the
mornings.
He
competed
said.
“They
left
me
in
the
on Saturday, bonking a bit
crept up past 90. He has no
in organized races, including dust.”
after going out so fast.
But Temple kept at it. regrets, though, for all that
The veteran cyclist has a number of half marathons,
and
participated
in
the
Hood-
He
competed in duathlons sweating.
always loved athletics.
“How many times do you
(running and biking) and
He played on Coach Don to-Coast run three times.
get
to participate in an 80th
When Temple was in his medaled in numerous
5HTXD¶V ¿UVW IRRWEDOO WHDP
at Pendleton High School mid-thirties, his friend Ron cycling events. He has birthday ride?” O’Neill said.
———
as a halfback and defensive Esselstyn called him and ridden Cycle Oregon three
Contact
Kathy Aney at
said,
“Let’s
get
bikes
and
times.
He
had
a
hip
replace-
safety. On the track team, he
do some cycling.” Temple ment 12 years ago, but kaney@eastoregonian.com
ran hurdles.
While working for a bought a touring bike, started cycling again after or call 541-966-0810.
Continued from 1A