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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2015)
Page 10A OFF PAGE ONE East Oregonian Saturday, August 1, 2015 POT: Utility fee WATERMELON: ‘This is what good neighbors do’ use on the table Continued from 1A Continued from 1A Since 63 percent of Umatilla County voters rejected the measure that legalized recreational marijuana, the Pendleton City Council could vote to opt out of marijuana sales as long as members decide to opt out within 180 days of June 30, 2015. The council could also refer the issue to voters at the next general election in 2016, imposing a moratorium on marijuana retailers until the election. Banning any category of marijuana sales could have a downside — the city would be prohibited from imposing a local tax on marijuana sales, which has a limit of 3 percent. If the city decided to allow recreational mari- juana sales, the market would be subject to a host of new regulations, including mandatory permit for retail employees that handle marijuana and a seed-to-sale tracking system. The council changed the city’s zoning laws to allow medical marijuana dispensaries but hit a road block when members of the council couldn’t agree to amend the business license rules, which currently prohibits businesses that operate in violation of federal law. The council will also return to another oft discussed topic in local politics — street main- tenance. Besides considering bids for a crack seal SURMHFWDQGQHZRYHUOD\VDW1:&DUGHQ$YHQXH DQG 6: 6HFRQG 6WUHHW FLW\ VWDII ZLOO DSSURDFK the council to allocate the $481,000 raised from a transportation utility fee to city streets. In a report written by city engineer Tim 6LPRQV DVVRFLDWH HQJLQHHU :D\QH *UHHQ DQG public works superintendent Jeff Brown, the staff members explain the methods the city uses to determine which streets to focus on. The city uses a computer program called Street Saver to prioritize street maintenance. Factoring the city’s $300,000 budget, the program’s algorithm usually recommends preserving roads that are considered “satisfac- tory” or “good” because it gives more “bang for the buck.” This means most street maintenance funds go toward the city’s busiest streets at the expense of neighborhood roads. “In summary, we will never get ahead of the curve, and there will continue to be an increase in streets that need reconstruction.,” the report states. “The only way the computer program ZRXOG SLFN VRPH WKH ORZHU FODVVL¿HG VWUHHWV that are in the poor condition to be rehabilitated would be if there was excess dollars or unlimited funding.” City staff previously recommended instituting a utility fee, which can be passed by the city council without voter approval. The meeting will be held at the council cham- EHUVLQFLW\KDOO6:'RULRQ$YHQXHDWSP ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastore- gonian.com or 541-966-0836. Umatilla County ranks second in the state, behind Marion County, with about $500 million in annual gross farm and ranch sales. The region is best known for Hermiston watermelons, but grows a wide variety of irrigated vegetables as well. ³:H SURYLGH WKH IUXLW DQG vegetables you pick up in the grocery store every day,” Drot- zmann said. In his remarks to the crowd at Pioneer Square, Drotzmann said the eastern side of the state gladly extends its hand to Portland. ³:H NQRZ ZKHQ 3RUWODQG is successful, all of Oregon is successful,” he said. The watermelon delivery and accompanying melon seed spitting contest began in 1991 with a friendship between longtime Hermiston mayor and councilor Frank Harken- rider and colorful Portland 0D\RU %XG &ODUN 7KDW ¿UVW Harkenrider piled a load of watermelons into the back of a pickup truck one summer day and went to challenge Portland mayor Bud Clark to a seed-spit- ting contest. 7KH HYHQW UDQ IRU \HDUV then faded, but was renewed this year by civic leaders and %HOOLQJHU)DUPVDQG%XG5LFK Potato Inc., disappeared in about 20 minutes as a long line of pleased Portlanders took advantage. The growers said they were happy to help resurrect a tradition that helped spread a fondness for Hermiston water- melons around the state. “It’s a little bit of nostalgia for me,” Jack Bellinger said. Bellinger Farms was a participant in the giveaway back in the Harkenrider days and Bellinger said his mother Photo contributed by Mark Morgan Hermiston Mayor Drotzmann, former Hermiston Mayor went on some of the early trips Harkenrider, former Portland Mayor Bud Clark, Portland to Portland. For the record, Hermiston Mayor Charlie Hales. swept the seed spitting contest. the Hermiston Chamber of Drotzmann told the Herm- City Councilor Doug Primmer Commerce. Harkenrider and iston City Council earlier in the WRRN ¿UVW DQG 'URW]PDQQ ZDV Clark attended Friday’s renewal, week that he saw the giveaway VHFRQG %RWK VHQW VHHGV À\LQJ and Harkenrider admitted the as a valuable way to build rela- more than 300 inches. Hales city slicker bested him at seed tionships with politicians from showed he was no slouch with spitting. “He got me all the the west side of the state. a 296-inch launch, and Port- time,” he said with a laugh. “It’s an opportunity for the land City Commissioner Dan Portland Mayor Charlie east side and west side to meet Saltzman managed to spit one Hales said the exchange “was and discuss what we have in 126 inches. a good idea then and is a good common,” he said Primmer indicated the city idea now.” Hales presented Drotzmann boys didn’t have a chance “This is what good neigh- with a tie embossed with a against people who grew up in bors do for each other,” Hales depiction of Portland’s new watermelon country. said, “they share their bounty.” Tilikum Crossing bridge, which “You live in Hermiston, “I think it’s kind of a cool opens in September and will you get into competition when thing for the biggest city in the carry light-rail trains and bikes you’ve got brothers,” he said. state to have a relationship with RYHU WKH :LOODPHWWH 5LYHU EXW ——— one of the smaller cities,” City not cars and trucks. Contact Jade McDowell at Manager Byron Smith said. The melons and potatoes, jmcdowell@eastoregonian. “It’s a way to build goodwill.” GRQDWHG E\ :DOFKOL )DUPV com or 541-564-4536. FATAL: 0RWRUF\FOHV¶QDUURZSUR¿OHPDNHWKHPKDUGWRVSRW Continued from 1A tough to pin down. The state road department shows a slight increase in driving on state highways, but Strandberg said that is not enough to account for the steep rise in deadly crashes. Distraction is a constant in crashes, and Strandberg said drivers today have more distractions than ever. Visibility also plays a key role in motor- F\FOHFUDVKHV7KHLUQDUURZSUR¿OHVPDNHV it easy for them to disappear behind bushes or structures or to hide in a car’s blind spot. $QGWKHLUVPDOOHUVL]HFDQPDNHLWGLI¿FXOW for drivers to judge their speed. Victor Gutierrez has experienced his share of close calls on a motorcycle. He is the patrol corporal for Hermiston police, and for the last four years he has been the department’s motorcycle cop. He said offensive driving is a key to motorcycle safety. “I don’t assume people see me, I stay out of the blind spot, and I make sure I make eye contact with the driver,” he said. “People just don’t look out for motorcycle riders, just to be honest with you.” 7KH¿UVW\HDURQWKHELNHKHWUDFNHG near misses. “I stopped counting,” he said. “I started to worry too much.” A Hermiston video cam caught one of those near misses. Gutierrez was south- bound on Highway 395 near the Panda Inn when he said he saw a Chevrolet Camaro speeding ahead. He started to chase when a SDVVHQJHUFDU]LSSHGLQWRWUDI¿FIURP:HVW Jennie Avenue. Gutierrez said he saw the car in a glance and hit the brakes. The car missed by inches. Gutierrez turned on the lights, ÀLSSHGDXWXUQDQGVWRSSHGWKHGULYHUIRU a ticket. “I couldn’t write her name I was so shaky,” he said. Drivers behind the wheel often tell him they did not see him, he said, and some are in tears, upset they almost ran over him. “Look once, look twice, then look again,” Strandberg said, is the mantra ODOT recommends for all motorists, especially before changing lanes or turning. Taking that extra moment to check can make a difference. Gutierrez’s work is to reduce crashes, not EHLQRQH+HUPLVWRQWUDI¿FSDWUROIRFXVHV on four areas: hazards, most of which are drivers talking on their cellphones; seatbelt XVHIDLOXUHWRREH\WUDI¿FFRQWUROGHYLFHV and speeding. Gutierrez estimated he writes WUDI¿F WLFNHWV D PRQWK RQ WKRVH four areas. That might seem heavy-handed for a city the size of Hermiston, but two state highways carry plenty of drivers through the city. To accomplish the work, though, he said he takes all the precautions he as he can. At the end of the day, he said, he wants to go home safe. NOW OPEN ON SUNDAY! 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