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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 2015)
REGION Friday, August 28, 2015 Weather, low prices hamper PGG turnaround &RRSDGPLWVFKDOOHQJHV not in danger of closing By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Pendleton Grain Growers has “been through a real challenge” in recent years but is not in danger of going out of business, the company’s general manager said. Rick Jacobson, responding to community murmurs that bubbled up following what was a poor wheat harvest for some growers, said the co-op is “way ahead of where we were last year,” when PGG lost nearly $8 million. The co-op sold or closed several divisions, laid off employees, reduced excess inventory, restructured its debts into a new loan package and obtained a $20 million line of credit in response to WKH ¿QDQFLDO SUREOHPV -DFREVRQ VDLG in June that PGG was positioned to PDNHDSUR¿WLQ But a lack of moisture and intense heat early in the season “pinched” dryland wheat crops for some PGG growers, resulting in yield reductions of 25 to 30 percent and protein levels higher than exporters prefer. Mean- while, the price dropped and Gavilon, a grain handling company owned by WKH -DSDQHVH ¿UP 0DUXEHQL &RUS opened a truck transfer station in Union &RXQW\JLYLQJJURZHUVDQRWKHURSWLRQ for selling wheat. Jacobson acknowledged the combination has complicated PGG’s comeback. He is not sure the co-op will EHSUR¿WDEOHWKLV\HDU “It’s not helpful to have an off crop and it’s not helpful to have another Eric Mortenson/Capital Press Extreme heat and a lack of moisture at a critical time reduced yields and quality for some dryland wheat growers in Eastern Oregon, and hampered Pendleton Grain Growers’ economic comeback. grain company in our backyard, but that’s the life and times of a business,” Jacobson said. “We’re not going to fold, that’s not going to happen,” he said. Jacobson said the soft white wheat price is in the range of $5.75 per bushel this year, compared to $7 last year. “Most businesses can’t take those kinds of hits,” he said. “When yields are off and the price it low, it puts a lot of pressure on the grower.” %XW -DFREVRQ D IRUPHU 1253$& executive recruited out of retirement in 2012 to stabilize PGG, said the co-op LV LQ WKH EHVW FDVK ÀRZ SRVLWLRQ LW¶V been in for a long time. The company recently signed an agreement with 0F&R\ *UDLQ 7HUPLQDO WR GR VRPH wheat marketing for PGG, he said. An industry insider who spoke on background said PGG and neighboring FRRS0RUURZ&RXQW\*UDLQ*URZHUV face increased competition from grain handlers with deeper pockets and that are looking to expand their territory. In tight years, companies that offer 10 cents more per bushel may attract growers even if those companies don’t offer other services such as fuel and fertilizer, the insider said. +HDVNHGQRWWREHLGHQWL¿HGEHFDXVH he works with growers and co-ops. Pendleton Grain Growers “didn’t attend to business as well as they should have” in the past but appears to have made progress, he said. “I don’t think they’re in danger of going under, they’re better off now,” he said. MILTON-FREEWATER Strawberry Lake, Crash sends Weston campgrounds within man to Portland hospital WKUHHPLOHVRI¿UHOLQHV Smart remained in critical condition. State Police Sgt. Mark A Weston man is in critical condition after he Banks investigated the and his motorcycle crashed crash. He said the Toyota’s driver, Leona Brown, 72, into a car Monday. Oregon State Police of the Milton-Freewater reported Leslie Smart, area, was not driving 48, was riding his Honda impaired. “She just pulled out motorcycle north on Highway 11 near milepost LQWR WUDI¿F LQ IURQW RI WKH 33, north of Milton-Free- motorcycle,” Banks said. He also said he cited water, at about 4:20 p.m. when a Toyota Tercel Brown for making a turned left onto the highway dangerous left turn. She in front of the motorcycle. suffered only minor inju- The two vehicles collided, ries in the wreck. The Oregon Depart- state police reported, and Smart suffered “substan- ment of Transportation issued statements at the tive injuries.” Milton-Freewater Rural end of July to encourage Ambulance rushed Smart motorists to be aware of to Providence St. Mary motorcyclists. Motorcycle 0HGLFDO &HQWHU :DOOD crashes in Oregon claimed Walla, and then an emer- 32 lives from Jan. 1 JHQF\ ÀLJKW WUDQVIHUUHG through July 23, according him to Oregon Health to preliminary data from & Science University, Oregon Department of Portland. OHSU spokes- Transportation, an increase woman Amanda Gibbs of 18.5 percent from the said Thursday afternoon same period in 2014. East Oregonian By TIM TRAINOR East Oregonian 7KH &DQ\RQ &UHHN &RPSOH[ ¿UH LV OHVV WKDQ three miles from the Strawberry Lake basin, but Oregon National Guard troops are working to keep it away from an iconic piece of Eastern Oregon’s wilder- ness. Stefanie Gatchell, a SXEOLF LQIRUPDWLRQ RI¿FHU for the U.S. Forest Service, said Thursday afternoon that WKH¿UHLVWRWKUHHPLOHV southeast of Strawberry Lake, its nearby waterfalls and the normally heavily used Strawberry Lake &DPSJURXQG Gatchell said guard troops, deployed by Oregon *RYHUQRU .DWH %URZQ DUH stationed on the south and VRXWKHDVWHGJHRIWKH¿UH ³'H¿QLWHO\ RQH RI WKH goals is to protect that basin and that campground,” said Gatchell. “We know what that means to people.” She said guard troops KDYH FXW D ¿UH OLQH DQG DUH monitoring the area. )LUH¿JKWLQJ RQ WKH ground in wilderness areas is heavily restricted. So while skies are relatively clear, crews are doing most of the proactive work from above, Gatchell said. She said there “Definitely one of the goals is to protect that basin and that camp- ground. We know what that means to people.” — Stefanie Gatchell, public information officer for the U.S. Forest Service ZDV RQH VPDOO ÀDUH XS LQ WKH EDVLQ EXW WKDW ¿UH ZDV attacked and put out. *UDQW &RXQW\ 6KHULII *OHQQ3DOPHUFRQ¿UPHGWKDW VL[VWUXFWXUHV²FDELQVWKDW weren’t full-time residences ²ZHUHGHVWUR\HG 6WLOO D UHG ÀDJ ZDUQLQJ LVLQHIIHFWLQ*UDQW&RXQW\ High winds and warm WHPSHUDWXUHVPHDQWKDW¿UHV can start to “create their own weather,” said Gatchell, so crews remain on guard. Winds were blowing south and southeast on Thursday afternoon, a lucky break for now for the often-visited piece of wilderness they are trying to protect. The campground, which has no permanent buildings except for a pit toilet, is FORVHGEHFDXVHRIWKH¿UH SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS Submit information to: community@eastoregonian.com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at 333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-966-0818 with questions. Music on the Lawn FRIDAY, AUG. 28 Whisky Barrel Rocker SATURDAY, AUG. 29 Tyler Brooks 6:00-9:00 PM H AMLEY S TEAK H ouse & S aloon COURT & MAIN, PENDLETON • 541.278.1100 East Oregonian Page 3A BRIEFLY 2I¿FHUKHDGLQJWR police academy 3,/2752&.²3LORW 5RFN¶VQHZSROLFHRI¿FHU is headed to Oregon’s basic police training in September instead of early next year thanks to some help. The city hired Daniel Badal, 23, near the end of July and he started Aug 1. But Badal does not yet have KLVEDVLFSROLFHFHUWL¿FDWLRQ from the Oregon Depart- ment of Public Safety Standards and Training. Without that, there is not much he can do on his own. 7KHGHSDUWPHQW¿OOHG its basic police courses this year at the public safety academy in Salem, leaving Badal waiting until January. But city recorder Teri Porter told the city council Tuesday night a FDOOIURP8PDWLOOD&RXQW\ Sheriff Terry Rowan to the public safety department landed Badal a seat in the September class. The basic police academy is 16 weeks of intensive course work and WUDLQLQJ2QFHRI¿FHUV complete the course they usually still must work VHYHUDOZHHNVZLWKD¿HOG WUDLQLQJRI¿FHUEHIRUHJRLQJ solo. Porter also told the council there has been some headway in the selection of a new police chief, who would oversee WKHFLW\¶VWZRRI¿FHUV She said Pendleton Police &KLHI6WXDUW5REHUWVLV making his way through an application packet from one chief candidate, and another candidate should have his packet to the city this week. Gravel will be used temporarily in the crossing until a contractor is able complete asphalting in late September or early October, said Stevens. Veterans advisory committee meeting planned +(50,6721²7KH $GYLVRU\&RPPLWWHHWR the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs will host its quarterly meeting from 9:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 2 at the +HUPLVWRQ&RQIHUHQFH &HQWHU6+LJKZD\ 395. The public is invited to attend and participate. The nine-member committee is comprised of veterans appointed by the governor to provide counsel to the director of the ODVA. Registration is encouraged at surveymonkey.com/r/ &:1.6%4XHVWLRQV for the committee can be emailed to vaac@ odva.state.or.us. For more information about the committee and its members, visit oregon.gov/ odva/pages/advisory.aspx. EOU wins grant for low-income students /$*5$1'(² Eastern Oregon University will provide more support to low-income and ¿UVWJHQHUDWLRQFROOHJH students over the next ¿YH\HDUVWKDQNVWRD million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant is for administration of a Student Services program that is Expect delays to serve about 160 Sept. 2 at Bingham expected students a year by helping railroad crossing guide them through the *,%%21²7KH8QLRQ college process and get 3DFL¿F5DLOURDGLVSODQQLQJ through their program in four years. to work on the Bingham Xavier Romano, vice Road crossing on Sept. 2, president for Student between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Services at EOU, said an Delays of up to one hour award of that size will be can be expected, but Union “truly transformative” for 3DFL¿FKDVPDGHSURYLVLRQV the university. for emergency response “This funding will vehicles if such services allow us to better serve and need to pass through. support our increasingly Flagmen will be by diverse community,” WKHWUDFNVDVZRUNHUV¿W The grant cycle begins concrete crossing pads Sept. 1, 2015, and expires and raise the tracks to Aug. 31, 2020. EOU will be more level with the then have the opportunity to road, according to Lee request additional funding 6WHYHQV8QLRQ3DFL¿F based on student outcomes track supervisor. The associated with the project. work should provide a More than 450 students less bumpy ride over the from Umatilla and Morrow crossing at Bingham, where counties attend Eastern the tracks now dip slightly Oregon University. below the roadway.
