REGION
Saturday, October 24, 2015
East Oregonian
Page 3A
Elder abuse investigations rise, Electric co-op
fewer allegations substantiated
lands $43M
federal loan
HERMISTON
By SEAN HART
East Oregonian
Investigations of elder
abuse are increasing as
the population of senior
citizens continues to rise,
but substantiated allegations
have gone down locally.
From 2012 to 2014, the
number of investigations
of abuse and exploitation
of older adults and people
with physical disabilities
increased statewide from
12,538 to 16,045, and the
substantiated
allegations
increased
from
3,229
to 4,181, according to
annual reports from the
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Abuse Prevention and
Investigations.
In Umatilla and Morrow
counties over the same
period,
investigations
increased from 271 to 395,
but the number of substan-
tiated allegations decreased
from 69 to 62.
Dave Brehaut, Umatilla
and Morrow county district
manager of the state Aging
and People with Disabilities
agency, said the increase in
investigations was likely
“By 2020, about 20 percent of the
population is supposed to be 65 years
and older. I think the growth in our
calls is going to continue.”
— Dave Brehaut,
Umatilla and Morrow county district manager of
the state Aging and People with Disabilities agency
due to outreach that encour-
ages more people to report
possible abuse, as well as
an increase in the elderly
population.
“We’re hoping that it’s
because more people are
reporting abuse, not just
more abuse is occurring,”
he said. “We would rather
have somebody call with
something that is not abuse
than not call at all.”
Brehaut said the local
agency received about 342
calls reporting possible
abuse in 2009. That number
is projected to be 875 this
year. After the calls are
screened, he said, about
60 percent warrant an
investigation.
As members of the
Baby Boomer generation
become senior citizens,
he said he expected the
number of investigations to
continue to rise. From 2010
to 2014, the percentage of
Umatilla County residents
65 and older increased
from 12.7 percent to 14.1
percent,
according
to
U.S. census data, while
the statewide percentage
increased from 13.9 percent
to 16 percent.
“Locally, our aging
population is on par with
nationwide (trends),” he
said. “By 2020, about 20
percent of the population
is supposed to be 65 years
and older. I think the growth
in our calls is going to
continue.”
Financial
exploitation
was the most common abuse
allegation substantiated at
the state level, and Brehaut
said it is also one of the least
reported. He said, based on
national estimates, only one
in six of all abuse cases are
reported. Further, he said,
many of the perpetrators
are family members of the
victim.
“I just hope that people
will take the time to report
if they see something or if
they’re suspicious about a
vulnerable adult possibly
being abused,” he said. “It’s
our goal in DHS and APD
to protect these individuals.
If we don’t hear about it, we
can’t protect them.”
To report abuse to the
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541-278-4161. For the
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also covers Morrow County,
call 541-567-2274. To
report any type of abuse or
neglect of adults or children,
call the Oregon Department
of Human Services toll-free
SAFE line, 1-855-503-
SAFE (7233).
———
Contact Sean Hart at
smhart@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4534.
HERMISTON
EOTEC to share plans with city council
hall at 5:30 p.m. for a tour
city council meeting Mayor
instead of being decided
welcome to ride along.
In September the EOTEC
board acknowledged being
at least $2.3 million short
of what was needed to
complete the project and
recommended the Umatilla
County Fair and Farm-City
Pro Rodeo postpone moving
to the new fair and rodeo
grounds until 2017.
Authority board member
Dan Dorran told stake-
holders there was a “very
aggressive” plan in place
for raising the extra $2.3
million before 2017. That
plan has not been made
public, but at the Sept. 28
discuss with the EOTEC
authority the possibility of
the city contributing addi-
tional money to the project.
After the work session
the council will convene
at 7 p.m. at city hall for its
regular business meeting,
where it will hold a public
hearing on an amendment
to the zoning ordinance
banning all commercial
marijuana activity in the
city.
The ordinance before
the council on Monday
would refer the decision on
marijuana to voters in the
November 2016 election,
will also discuss developing
a public art plan for Herm-
iston.
According to a memo
from city staff, an appli-
cation for an Arts Build
Communities grant has
already been sent to the
state, with a plan for the
state to contribute $4,500
and the city to match that
amount for soliciting public
feedback and developing a
plan to install more public
art around Hermiston.
———
Contact Jade McDowell
at jmcdowell@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4536.
Pot regulations, public RIWKH(27(&VLWH¿UVWDQG David Drotzmann expressed directly by the council.
On Monday the council
members of the public are a desire for a meeting to
art also on agenda
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Marijuana, public art
and the Eastern Oregon
Trade and Event Center are
all on the agenda for the
Hermiston City Council on
Monday.
The council’s regular
meeting will be preceded
by a joint work session
between the council and the
EOTEC authority board to
discuss the progress of the
EOTEC project and plans
for completion.
A bus will leave from city
Money to go
toward system
upgrades
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The Umatilla Electric
Cooperative plans to use a
$43 million federal loan to
rebuild aging power lines
and substations, some of
which are now more than
40 years old.
UEC was one of 77 util-
ities and co-ops in 31 states
to receive funding from
the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Rural Devel-
opment Electric Program,
which has awarded $34
billion in low interest loans
since 2009.
Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack made the
announcement Thursday,
saying the program helps
provide
reliable
and
affordable electricity to
rural customers.
Steve Meyers, UEC
spokesman,
said
the
loan will pay for system
improvements in 2016
and 2017. It is the co-op’s
primary source of funding
long-range construction
projects.
“UEC is in its most
intensive
period
of
building and upgrading
since the 1970s,” Meyers
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that.”
In recent years, UEC has
rebuilt six miles of power
lines on Weston Mountain
and completely rebuilt its
Coyote Springs Substation
east of Boardman. The
Juniper Canyon Substation
was also refurbished in
2014.
Meyers said there is still
work to be done around
Hermiston and Irrigon.
Meanwhile, the co-op
“Our demand
for energy is
increasing
across every
customer class.”
— Steve Eldrige,
UEC manager
recently broke ground on
its 30th substation, named
Tumbleweed, at the Port
of Morrow. It also plans to
build a 1-megawatt solar
array east of Umatilla.
Much of UEC’s existing
infrastructure was built
in the mid-1970s with the
rapid expansion of irri-
gated agriculture in north-
east Oregon. The co-op
built eight substations just
in 1974.
Though the equipment
is built to last, it does
eventually wear out. In
a recent column, UEC
manager Steve Eldrige
said upgrading equipment
now will leave customers
better off than dealing with
the consequences of an
outdated system.
“Our demand for energy
is increasing across every
customer class,” Eldrige
said. “We’re building for
20-30 years into the future,
a careful, planned series of
investments to retain the
reliability our members
deserve and expect.”
UEC serves roughly
10,000
customers
in
Umatilla and Morrow
counties, and operates
2,200 miles of power lines.
Demand typically peaks
around 250 megawatts
during the summertime
irrigation season.
———
Contact George Plaven
at
gplaven@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-966-
0825.
BRIEFLY
7raf¿c delineators to Ee placed
at 395 and Elm on Monday
HERMISTON — The Oregon Department of
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intersection of Highway 395 and Elm Avenue in Hermiston
on Monday, after the project was delayed from an earlier
start date of Oct. 14.
7KHGHOLQHDWRUV²ÀH[LEOHSRVWVWKDWZLOOEHUHSODFHG
by permanent cement barriers next year — will restrict cars
from turning left onto Highway 395 from nearby driveways,
including McDonald’s and Starbucks.
According to an ODOT press release, the change is
designed to improve safety after a steady rise in rear-end
crashes at the intersection.
The installation work is expected “minimal disruptions”
WRWUDI¿FGXULQJWKHGD\RQ0RQGD\
WW.Friends connects widows, widowers
PENDLETON — All area widows and widowers are
invited to a WW.Friends event.
The gathering features a baked potato bar dinner. It
is Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at 3008 N.E. Riverside Ave.,
Pendleton.
The group meets monthly for friendship and to share
positive experiences. For more information, call 541-276-
2790 or 541-276-3303.
———
Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press
releases. Email press releases to news@eastoregonian.com
The Boys are back for two nights!
Don’t miss this great
Portland area band!
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