Page 8A East Oregonian MARIJUANA: Voter WXUQRXWZLOOOLNHO\EHKLJKHU during presidential election Continued from 1A voted against legalizing UHFUHDWLRQDO PDULMXDQD Kirwan said turnout will OLNHO\ EH KLJKHU GXULQJ D presidential election and ZKHQ WKHUH LV D ORFDO PDUL- juana issue on the ballot. 0D\RU'DYLG'URW]PDQQ TXHVWLRQHG ZK\ WKH FLW\ even needed a vote when the council had already voted last year to prohibit any ODQGXVHWKDWGRHVQ¶WFRPSO\ with federal law. But city PDQDJHU %\URQ 6PLWK VDLG VWDIIIHOWWKDWDVPRUHVWDWHV OHJDOL]H PDULMXDQD XVH WKH IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW FRXOG decide to legalize the drug, which would open the door for dispensaries. “This is a second layer of protection,” he said. The council voted unan- LPRXVO\ IRU VWDII WR VWDUW GUDIWLQJ D EDQ RQ PDULMXD- na-related businesses. Later in the process, after the city KDV WDNHQ LQSXW WKURXJK public hearings, the council will vote whether to approve WKH RUGLQDQFH WKHPVHOYHV or put it before the voters. If the voters are allowed to GHFLGH LQ 1RYHPEHU no dispensaries will be able to set up shop before the vote. ²²² Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. GOLDEN: &DSSVZLOOZRUN WRLPSURYH2UHJRQ¶VDE\VPDO high school graduation rate Continued from 1A VRQ¶VFRQFHUWLQ(XJHQH +H SUDLVHG *ROGHQ IRU stabilizing a position that ZDV VKDNHQ E\ WKH VXGGHQ departure of her predecessor, 5XG\&UHZZKROHIWDPLGVW accusations of excessive travel. “She has the ability WR FRPPDQG D URRP LQ D non-threatening way,” he said. The Legislature created WKHFKLHIHGXFDWLRQRI¿FHUMRE four years ago at then-Gov. -RKQ .LW]KDEHU¶V UHTXHVW WR VWUHDPOLQH WKH HGXFDWLRQ V\VWHP IURP SUHVFKRRO WKURXJKFROOHJHDQGLPSURYH VWXGHQWDFKLHYHPHQW As her successor, &DSSV ZLOO EH WDVNHG ZLWK continuing the focus on LPSURYLQJ HGXFDWLRQ IURP “cradle to career,” including 2UHJRQ¶V DE\VPDO KLJK school graduation rate. While his tenure was still hours old, state Republicans sent out a press release refer- ULQJ WR &DSSV DV ³D IRUPHU WHDFKHUV¶ XQLRQ OHDGHU DQG ORQJWLPH OREE\LVW DQG bureaucrat.” ³2UHJRQ¶V HGXFDWLRQ V\VWHPLVLQWURXEOH)RUWRR ORQJ WKH VDPH HQWUHQFKHG interests and individuals KDYH HPEUDFHG WKH VWDWXV TXR DQG IDLOHG WR KHOS Oregon students reach their SRWHQWLDO´ +RXVH 5HSXE- OLFDQ/HDGHU0LNH0F/DQH R-Powell Butte, said in a VWDWHPHQW &RQYHUVHO\ %URZQ¶V VWDWHPHQW SUDLVHG &DSSV who also previously served DV*ROGHQ¶VFKLHIRIVWDII “Lindsey has been an integral part of developing our education strategy PRYLQJ IRUZDUG DQG ZLOO SOD\ D NH\ UROH LQ LPSOH- PHQWLQJ LQYHVWPHQWV PDGH in the 2015 session that support excellent teaching DQG OHDUQLQJ DQG LPSURYH high school and college graduation rates,” Brown said. :KLOH WKH JRYHUQRU¶V SHUPDQHQW DSSRLQWPHQW IRU WKHSRVLWLRQLVQRW\HWNQRZQ 0XOYLKLOO VDLG *ROGHQ¶V ORQJWHUP VXFFHVVRU VKRXOG H[SDQGVWXGHQWV¶H[SHULHQFHV beyond standardized testing and better integrate activities OLNHDUWDQGRXWGRRUVFKRRO 7KLV LV WKH VHFRQG PDMRU VKDNHXSDWDWRSOHYHOVWDWH- wide education position. )RUPHU VWDWH GHSXW\ superintendent Rob Saxton UHVLJQHG LQ $SULO WR WDNH D job as the superintendent Northwest Regional Educa- tion Service District. Brown DSSRLQWHG +LJKHU (GXFDWLRQ &RRUGLQDWLQJ &RPPLVVLRQ DGPLQLVWUDWRU6DODP1RRUWR UHSODFHKLP Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. FORESTS: &DQ\RQ&UHHN ¿UHLVSHUFHQWFRQWDLQHG Continued from 1A FL¿F SURMHFWV WR ZDWHUVKHG health, such as planting new trees, and repairing infra- structure including bridges and culverts. Forest Supervisor Steve Beverlin said the planning is done in conjunction with Grant County and local property owners. The BAER WHDP KDV DOUHDG\ VWDUWHG discussing what projects ZLOOORRNOLNHDORQJ&DQ\RQ &UHHNWRPLQLPL]HWKH¿UH¶V LPSDFW “It outlines the actions ZH¶UH JRLQJ WR GR DQG ZKHUHDQGZKHQDQGZKR¶V JRLQJWRGRWKHP´%HYHUOLQ said. The Forest Service expects to have the Canyon &UHHN%$(5¿QLVKHGZLWKLQ GD\V RI ZKHQ WKH EOD]H is fully contained. As of 0RQGD\ WKH &DQ\RQ &UHHN &RPSOH[LVDFUHVDQG SHUFHQWFRQWDLQHG Once foresters are able to DFFHVVWKH¿UHDUHD%HYHUOLQ VDLGWKH\H[SHFWWR¿QGOLWWOH vegetation left on the steep KLOOVLGHV WR VRDN XS VSULQJ UDLQ VQRZPHOW :LWKRXW WKDW QDWXUDO FRYHU ZDWHU ÀRZV GRZQ LQWR WKH FUHHN DV LI LW¶V FRPLQJ RII FRQFUHWH washing dirt and ash into the VWUHDPDQGFUHDWLQJÀRRGLQJ FRQFHUQVDURXQGKRPHV :DWHU TXDOLW\ LV DQ LPSRUWDQW LVVXH VLQFH WKH FUHHNLVSULPHKDELWDWIRUEXOO trout and steelhead, Beverlin said. ³:H¶OO KDYH WR GR D ORW of upland soil stabilization ZRUN´KHVDLG³,W¶VRXUMRE to slow down and intercept the precipitation we get so LW GRHVQ¶W DOO FRPH UXQQLQJ down at once.” In addition, Beverlin said WKHUHVKRXOGEHVRPHRSSRU- tunities to salvage burned ORJV([DFWO\KRZPXFKZLOO GHSHQG RQ WKH ¿UH¶V ¿QDO footprint. The forest does not allow salvage logging in the wilderness areas or ZLWKLQ IHHW RI VWUHDPV 7KH %$(5 WHDP PXVW DOVR GLVFXVVZLWKWKHORFDOPLOOLQ -RKQ'D\0DOKHXU/XPEHU about their capacity for new logs, Beverlin said. “We are exploring oppor- tunities for salvage, and WKHUH DSSHDUV WR EH VRPH´ KH VDLG ³:H¶UH MXVW WU\LQJ WRGHWHUPLQHWKHDSSURSULDWH places, and the appropriate DPRXQW´ 6RPH VSHFLHV RI DQLPDOV are able to carve out habitat IURP EXUQHG XS WUHH VQDJV Beverlin added. In partic- ular, the Malheur National )RUHVW KDV RQH RI WKH PRVW diverse groups of wood- SHFNHU VSHFLHV DQ\ZKHUH LQ the country, which feed on LQVHFWV IRXQG LQ WKH GHFRP- posing wood. Beverlin said the forest ZRXOG OLNH WR JHW VWDUWHG with rehabilitation before the ¿UVW PDMRU VQRZ RI ZLQWHU and so far they are ahead RI WKH JDPH *UDQW &RXQW\ KDV DOUHDG\ LGHQWL¿HG 'RXJ Ferguson as a liaison for the group, and conversations are underway with the Blue Mountain Forest Partners collaborative group. ³, WKLQN ZH¶UH EHLQJ proactive,” Beverlin said. “We really need to get on UHKDELOLWDWLRQ LQ D WLPHO\ PDQQHU´ ²²² Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. Tuesday, August 25, 2015 OFF PAGE ONE EARLY: 3URMHFWFDPHLQ.XQGHUEXGJHW Continued from 1A /LQFROQ 3ULPDU\ 6FKRRO was excited that all the furniture and white boards were closer to the ground, PDNLQJLWHDVLHUIRU\RXQJHU children to navigate the FODVVURRP Shellie Wyss, a veteran NLQGHUJDUWHQ WHDFKHU ZKR SUHYLRXVO\ ZRUNHG IRU WKH 3LORW 5RFN 6FKRRO 'LVWULFW observed the playground ZDV DOVR EXLOW IRU VPDOOHU FKLOGUHQ PHDQLQJ WHDFKHUV GRQ¶W KDYH WR UHVWULFW SOD\- JURXQG HTXLSPHQW WKDW¶V above age level. :KLOH WKHUH¶V PDQ\ GLVSDUDWH HOHPHQWV WR WKH OHDUQLQJ FHQWHU WKH\¶UH all held together by the FRPPRQVZKLFKDOVRVHUYHV DVWKHVFKRRO¶VFDIHWHULD In addition to being a central hub for all of the OHDUQLQJ FHQWHU¶V WHQDQWV WKH FRPPRQV DOVR SURYLGH DFFHVV WR WKH J\PQDVLXP and the library. Learning Center Prin- FLSDO/RUL+DOHVDLGWKHJ\P will be used for physical education as well as a venue IRUFRPPXQLW\HYHQWV Although the library/ PHGLD FHQWHU FRQWDLQV WKH VDPH VHQVH RI QHZQHVV WKH rest of the learning center exudes, it also subtly nods WRWKHHDUO\OHDUQLQJFHQWHU¶V past, containing original OLJKW ¿[WXUHV DQG ZLQGRZV IURP ROG +DZWKRUQH building. :LWK PXOWLSOH URRPV throughout the facility without distinct purposes, +DOH LV OHIW ZLWK D SUREOHP RWKHU VFKRRO DGPLQLVWUDWRUV ZRXOGORYHWRKDYH²H[WUD space. The learning center has WZR VSDUH NLQGHUJDUWHQ URRPV RQH RI ZKLFK KDV been designated the “Little %XFNV 5RRP´ QDPHG DIWHU WKH OHDUQLQJ¶V FHQWHU¶V QHZ PDVFRW 7KH /LWWOH %XFNV 5RRP has been designated for ³GUDPDWLF SOD\´ ZKLFK LQYROYHV LPDJLQDWLRQ RU Staff photo by Jonathan Bach Daniel Garcia, of A Sharp Painter, LLC, sits on the phone in one of the Pendleton Early Learning Center’s main halls Monday. Teachers and remodelers mixed in the building as they prepared for the center to open next week. “We’re not (students) first teachers. The parents are their first teachers.” — Rachele Johnson, kindergarten teacher Staff photo by Jonathan Bach Kindergarten teacher Shellie Wyss enters dates into her calendar in her new classroom. School person- nel continued to move into the new Pendleton Early Learning Center on Monday. acting. The learning center is also unprecedented in its internal decor. Large windows let in ODUJH DPRXQWV RI QDWXUDO light and bright colors are splashed across the walls, VRPHWLPHV FRQWDLQLQJ LQVSLUDWLRQDO TXRWHV IURP OXPLQDULHV OLNH %HQMDPLQ )UDQNOLQ 0U 5RJHUV DQG Dr. Seuss. Johnson said the ZHOFRPLQJ GHFRUDWLRQV ZLOO not only help young children PDNHWKHWUDQVLWLRQWRIRUPDO HGXFDWLRQLWDOVRZHOFRPHV in parents, who play a vital role in early childhood education. ³:H¶UH QRW WKHLU ¿UVW teachers,” she said of students. “The parents are WKHLU¿UVWWHDFKHUV´ The renovated schools QRWRQO\PDNHVLWHDVLHUIRU WHDFKHUVEXWIRUWKHGLVWULFW¶V FHQWUDORI¿FHDVZHOO Fishel said the school was designed to drive down PDLQWHQDQFH DQG RSHUDWLRQ costs, including a zero PDLQWHQDQFH ORQJODVWLQJ IDoDGH ÀRRUV WKDW GRQ¶W UHTXLUH ZD[LQJ DQG HQHUJ\ HI¿FLHQW OLJKWLQJ DQG DLU conditioning. Although the early OHDUQLQJ FHQWHU LV DOPRVW GRQHWKHZKROH+DZWKRUQH UHQRYDWLRQ SURMHFW ZRQ¶W VHH FRPSOHWLRQ XQWLO ODWHU in the bond process, when FRQWUDFWRUV ZLOO GHPROLVK WKH ROG GLVWULFW RI¿FHV DQG FUHDWHDJUDVV\SDUNDUHDIRU WKHFRPPXQLW\ Fishel said the project FDPH LQ WR XQGHU EXGJHW which the district can use for other capital projects. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0836. RESPONSE: QHZ¿UHVVSRWWHGRQ0DOKHXU1DWLRQDO)RUHVW Continued from 1A resources battling the blaze, to the point where RQH ¿UH¿JKWHU VXFFXPEHG to heat exhaustion. Over the next three days, the FRPSOH[ ZRXOG VZHOO WR tens of thousands of acres DQG FRQVXPH KRPHV LQ its path. On Monday, the Malheur National Forest released a play-by-play retelling of its response between Wednesday, Aug. 12 and Friday, Aug. 14 in an effort to describe how exactly the ¿UHV EXFNHG FRQWDLQPHQW and grew into such a powerful, destructive force. Forest Supervisor Steve %HYHUOLQ VDLG WKH FRPPX- QLW\ KDG PDQ\ TXHVWLRQV about what happened GXULQJ WKRVH ¿UVW VHYHUDO days, and the Forest Service ZDQWHGWRRIIHUDVHTXHQFH of the events leading up to ZKHQWKH¿UHH[SORGHGRXW of control. “People just wonder KRZGRHVLWJRIURPKHUHWR there,” Beverlin said. “We WKLQNLW¶VLPSRUWDQWIRUORFDO IRONV LQ WKH FRPPXQLW\ WR XQGHUVWDQGWKHLQLWLDODWWDFN we did.” 7KH &DQ\RQ &UHHN &RPSOH[ VWDUWHG DV WZR VPDOOHU ¿UHV EXUQLQJ LQ GUDPDWLFDOO\ GLIIHUHQW terrain: the Mason Springs ¿UH HDVW RI +LJKZD\ LQ UHODWLYHO\ ÀDW JURXQG DQG WKH %HUU\ &UHHN ¿UH LQDVWHHSURFN\SRUWLRQRI the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. %RWK ¿UHV VWDUWHG $XJ 12 following a three-day OLJKWQLQJ VWRUP WKDW VZHSW RYHU PXFK RI (DVWHUQ Oregon. A total of 12 new ¿UHV ZHUH VSRWWHG RQ WKH Malheur National Forest IURP VRXWK RI 6HQHFD WR north and east of the Indian 5RFNDUHD The Forest Service deployed one heavy air WDQNHU WKUHH VLQJOHHQJLQH DLU WDQNHUV WZR KHOLFRS- WHUV VPRNHMXPSHUV DQG UDSSHOHUVWKUHH¿UHHQJLQHV a 20-person hand crew, one bulldozer and two water WHQGHUV WR ¿JKW WKH %HUU\ &UHHN DQG 0DVRQ 6SULQJV ¿UHV %HYHUOLQ VLJQHG RII on an order granting special SHUPLVVLRQ WR XVH FKDLQ- VDZVIRU¿UHVXSSUHVVLRQLQ the wilderness area. By Wednesday after- noon, crews had surrounded WKH 0DVRQ 6SULQJV ¿UH with dozer and retardant OLQH DQG IHOW FRQ¿GHQW enough to reassign one of their helicopters to Berry &UHHN ZKHUH ¿UH DFWLYLW\ ZDV EHFRPLQJ LQFUHDV- ingly aggressive. One ¿UH¿JKWHU KDG WR EH WDNHQ to the hospital with heat exhaustion, but has since recovered and rejoined the line, Beverlin said. 7KH %HUU\ &UHHN ¿UH JUHZ WR DFUHV E\ 7KXUVGD\ $XJ DQG burning actively to the ZHVW 7ZR PRUH VWUXFWXUH protection engines, one GR]HU DQG D ¿YHSHUVRQ KDQG FUHZ DUULYHG IURP WKH 2UHJRQ 'HSDUWPHQW of Forestry to get a better handle on the blaze. Meanwhile, the 10-acre 0DVRQ 6SULQJV ¿UH DOVR MXPSHG LWV FRQWDLQPHQW line Thursday after high ZLQGV LJQLWHG D VSRW ¿UH about 400 feet away. It was DWWKDWWLPHZKHQD7\SH PDQDJHPHQWWHDPDVVXPHG FRQWURO RI ERWK ¿UHV ZLWK WKH PRVW GLI¿FXOW FRQGL- WLRQV\HWWRFRPH “I believe we did every- thing we could with the resources we had available WRSXWWKRVHWZR¿UHVRXW´ %HYHUOLQ VDLG ³6RPHWLPHV Mother Nature has other SODQV DQG WKDW¶V ZKDW happened.” By Friday, Aug. 14 the Mason Springs had grown GUDPDWLFDOO\ WR DFUHV and crossed the highway WRZDUG &DQ\RQ &UHHN :LQGJXVWVSLFNHGXSWR PSK VSUHDGLQJ ÀDPHV DV TXLFNO\ DV VKHULII¶V GHSX- WLHVFRXOGVFUDPEOHWRLVVXH evacuation notices. :LWK ERWK ¿UHV EXUQLQJ DFWLYHO\ WKH PDLQ IRFXV EHFDPH SURWHFWLQJ KRPHV )LUH GHSDUWPHQWV IURP Canyon City, John Day, Dayville, Mount Vernon, 3UDLULH&LW\0RQXPHQWDQG /RQJ &UHHN DOO UHVSRQGHG while the incident FRPPDQGHU RQ WKH 0DVRQ 6SULQJV ¿UH ZRUNHG WR GHWHUPLQHZKLFKVWUXFWXUHV QHHGHG LPPHGLDWH SURWHF- tion. 0RXQW 9HUQRQ ¿UH- ¿JKWHUV ZHUH DVVLJQHG WR JXDUG KRPHV XS &RUUDO Gulch and the J-Bar-L 5DQFK $QRWKHU VSRW ¿UH HUXSWHG DW (DJOH 3HDN further adding to the juggling act of assigning resources. Between noon and 6 SP WKH ¿UHV KDG EHFRPH WRR PXFK DQG KRPHV burned to the ground. ³,W¶V GLI¿FXOW´ %HYHUOLQ said. “We live here, too. :KHQ WKLQJV OLNH WKDW happen to our neighbors DQG RXU FRPPXQLW\ LW¶V D loss that everybody feels.” Later that evening, local UHVRXUFHV ZHUH VHQW KRPH DQG D 7\SH PDQDJHPHQW WHDP ² WKH PRVW WUDLQHG DQG KLJKHVW VWDIIHG WHDP DYDLODEOH²ZDVDVVLJQHGWR &DQ\RQ&UHHN)LUH¿JKWLQJ UHVRXUFHV UHPDLQ VWUHWFKHG thin across the Northwest DVDQXPEHURIODUJHEOD]HV continue to burn in Oregon and Washington. 'DYH +DQQLEDO -RKQ 'D\ EDVH PDQDJHU IRU *UD\EDFN)RUHVWU\DZLOG- ¿UHDQGHPHUJHQF\VHUYLFHV FRQWUDFWRUVDLGLWZRXOGQ¶W KDYH PDWWHUHG KRZ PDQ\ ¿UH¿JKWHUV WKH\ KDG DYDLO- DEOH JLYHQ WKH H[WUHPHO\ GLI¿FXOWFRQGLWLRQV ³,IZH¶GKDGH[WUD ¿UH¿JKWHUVZH¶GKDYHRQO\ EHHQ PRUH OLNHO\ WR KDYH VRPH VHULRXV LQMXULHV RU ZRUVH´ +DQQLEDO VDLG ³7KH ¿UH VWLOO ZRXOG KDYH FODLPHG ZKDW LW GLG 2XU hearts go out to all who lost WKHLUKRPHVLQWKLV¿UH´ Beverlin said the Forest 6HUYLFH ZLOO ZRUN RQ D plan to rehabilitate the landscape burned by the &DQ\RQ &UHHN &RPSOH[ DQG KH LV WKDQNIXO IRU DOO WKHVXSSRUWIURPYROXQWHHUV and the Red Cross. ²²² Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. “Summer Days & Country Ways” August 19-23, 2015 FAIR: www.morrowcountyoregon.com/fair RODEO: www.morrowcountyoregon.com/fair/rodeo Thank you Morrow County for a great 2015 fair! To our all of our sponsors and to all the volunteers who put in countless hours to help put on a great fair for all! Thank you Nancy Gorham, Angie Hanson, Rhonda Hamby, Rod Taylor, Pat Tolar, Zack Lantis and Barry Munkers and Ashley Jones, and to Macy Gibbs and all the 4-H Ambassadors for your hard work and help! www.facebook.com/oregontrailprorodeo • www.facebook.com/morrowcountyfairheppneroregon