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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2016)
Thursday, February 18, 2016 OFF PAGE ONE ECONOMY: Tribes employ 1,652 people SPEED: 400 speed limit signs must creates a chain effect that vocal about a minimum Continued from 1A boosts other calculations. wage increase, saying it be replaced at cost of $1,700 each leton and Hermiston. According to Whelan’s would hurt impoverished Page 8A East Oregonian The average house costs $138,000 in Pendleton as opposed to $180,00 in Hermiston. Perhaps the biggest economic boon to the region is the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reserva- tion. Between the Wildhorse Casino & Resort, Arrow- head Travel Plaza, Cayuse Technologies and the tribal government, economic consultant Robert Whelan said the tribes employ 1,652 people. Whelan said the success and growth of the tribes calculations, the tribes were directly or indirectly respon- sible for 11 percent of the jobs in Umatilla County. Whelan also downplayed the negative economic effects of gambling addic- tion, saying only 0.5 percent of gamblers are considered problem gamblers, 59 percent of whom do their gambling outside casinos. During the question and answer session, many attendees asked the econ- omists about the effect of a potential minimum wage hike. Whelan was the most Oregonians by forcing them to pay more taxes and reducing their earned income tax credit. Whelan scoffed at the notion that a higher minimum wage would stimulate local economies, saying people spent only 17 percent of their money locally. Whelan said a better way to improve the working poor’s economic prospects is to cut income taxes for those who earn under $30,000. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. FIRE: Tax would generate about $900,000 a year the Oregon law that limits property tax rates. ,Q WKH ¿UH GLVWULFWV The tax would generate merged administrations and about $900,000 a year, most Stanton became chief of of which would go toward both. DGGLWLRQDO VWDI¿QJ DQG WKH The next step was asking rest toward capital improve- the voters to approve a new ments. Stanton said the new district. Stanton said that district would provide 24/7 failure led to getting addi- VWDI¿QJDW+HUPLVWRQ¶VPDLQ tional input and dropping the station and at station No. 2, amount of the tax to $1.75 as well as day shifts at station per $1,000. 1RDQGLQ6WDQ¿HOG That would be a 31 cent And the new district GHFUHDVH LQ 6WDQ¿HOG¶V UDWH would have enough money but a rate increase of 55 cents to cover equipment costs, for rural areas around Herm- he said, and not have to ask iston, which works out to voters to pass future bonds. paying about an extra $9.17 a :LWKRXW WKH QHZ ¿UH month on a $200,000 home. district, Stanton told Property owners inside the commissioners back at Hermiston city limits may WKH ¿UVW SXEOLF KHDULQJ LQ not see an actual increase January, Hermiston and because of compression, 6WDQ¿HOG PD\ KDYH WR SXW Continued from 1A off equipment upgrades and cut staff. He also said at that time the new district would tie Redmond as the cheapest in the state for its size. Most districts of this size, he said, have a rate exceeding $2. Stanton was the only person to speak for the proposal, and no one spoke against it, just like at the January hearing. County board chairman George Murdock of Pend- leton said Wednesday while the board does not take positions on elections, he supported the district and would promote it. Commis- sioners Larry Givens of Umapine and Bill Elfering of Hermiston said they would give their individual support as well. LOVE’S: Will hire about 50 employees in Boardman Continued from 1A — once in 2010, and again in 2015. Both times, Devin Oil raised objections to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals and the state Court of Appeals. A representative for Devin Oil did not return calls for comment on Wednesday. In one appeal, Devin Oil argued it would be adversely affected by Love’s due to “aggressive marketing and pricing practices.” The company also argued whether a travel center should be allowed at the I-84 and Tower Road interchange based on the county’s own zoning rules. Each time, the courts ruled in favor of the county. LUBA issued its most recent decision in April, which ZDV DI¿UPHG E\ WKH &RXUW of Appeals in December. The Oregon Supreme Court declined to hear the case in 2012. Morrow County Planning Director Carla McLane said the deadline for further appeals passed earlier this month, and she is happy to VHHWKHSURFHVV¿QLVKHG “It’s nice to be done,” McLane said. “Its been a real large time-consumer.” Dorian said it generally costs about $10 million to build a new travel center. They will hire about 50 employees in Boardman, and start accepting applications next month. “Most of those will be from the area,” Dorian said. As part of its grand opening, Dorian said Love’s will donate $2,000 to a local VFKRRORUQRQSUR¿WRUJDQL]D- tion. The business sets aside $450 every year to invest in the community. “We really try to do a good job of coming in and being good stewards to the community,” Dorian said. For more information about Love’s donations, contact Dorian at 405-302- 6730 or kealey.dorian@ loves.com. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. ENERGY: Brown still considering whether to support the bill Continued from 1A The governor did not respond on Wednesday morning to questions about whether the cost of the bill mattered, and if she would sign the bill without cost vetting by state regulators. ³7KH *RYHUQRU¶V 2I¿FH has encouraged the (Public Utility Commission) to evaluate the bill and actively engage in the public process, which the (Public Utility Commission) pursued by providing testimony, crafting amendments, and holding its own public hearing,” Brown’s press secretary Chris Pair wrote in an email Wednesday morning. “We generally do not comment publicly on the Governor’s position on a bill in advance of its passing both houses or her legal counsel’s review IRU OHJDO VXI¿FLHQF\ DQG constitutionality that every bill receives. That said, the Governor is committed to policies that increase the availability of renewable energy and address issues around Oregonians’ invest- ment in electricity produced by coal and believes HB 4036 may be one way to make a meaningful impact.” Michael Dougherty, FKLHIRSHUDWLQJRI¿FHURIWKH Public Utility Commission of Oregon, said earlier this week the Public Utility Commission had not received enough information IURP 3DFL¿&RUS DQG 3RUW- land General Electric, the two investor owned utilities that helped craft the bill, to vet the utilities’ cost projec- tions. Dougherty wrote in an email that Portland General Electric had provided only “piecemeal” information and 3DFL¿&RUSKDGQRWSURYLGHG any of the information the Public Utility Commission requested. “Unfortunately, we have not received (what we consider) adequate data from the utilities to substantiate or refute the projections (annual 1 percent to 1.5 percent increase in rates) provided to the committee by the utilities,” Dougherty wrote in an email Tuesday morning. By Wednesday morning, Dougherty said the commission had received more information from Port- land General Electric but he had not yet ascertained what it was or how useful it might be. Ry Schwark, a spokesman IRU3DFL¿&RUSGLVDJUHHGDQG said much of the information the Public Utility Commis- sion requested was available in public reports. “My under- standing is we’ve given them everything they’ve asked for,” Schwark said. Steve Corson, a spokesman for Portland General Electric, said the XWLOLW\¶V ¿UVW SULRULW\ ZDV to prepare for a presenta- tion to the Public Utility Commission on the bill in late January. “And then turned to the data request,” Corson said. “The other thing I would observe just in general is data requests are not simple things.” Public utility commissioners raised concerns privately and at the meeting in late January, in particular that the bill would be expensive for consumers but do little to reduce carbon emissions. The Oregon House already voted 39-20 on Monday to pass House Bill 4036, and it is currently scheduled for a public hearing Wednesday afternoon at the Senate Committee on Business and Transporta- tion. The committee could vote as soon as Monday on whether to send the bill to WKH IXOO 6HQDWH IRU D ÀRRU vote. Gov. Kate Brown has said publicly that she is still considering whether to support the bill, but emails released by the state showed her administration worked behind the scenes to help the bill pass in the Legislature, The Oregonian reported on Wednesday. House Bill 4036 would UHTXLUH 3DFL¿&RUS DQG Portland General Electric to use renewable power sources such as wind and solar to serve at least 50 percent of their customers’ energy demand in Oregon by 2040. The current state mandate is for 25 percent renewable energy by 2025. The bill would also require the investor-owned utilities to stop using coal to serve Oregon customers, but there are questions about how much the bill would actually do to impact the phase-out of coal power in Oregon. State Sen. Lee Beyer, '6SULQJ¿HOG RULJLQDOO\ requested the Public Utility Commission review House Bill 4036. Beyer did not respond to a question this week about whether he expects the commission to ¿QLVK YHWWLQJ WKH OHJLVODWLRQ before it receives a vote in the Senate. It also remains to be seen whether the Senate will ask the Public Utility Commission to provide its perspective on the bill, something lawmakers in the House did not do. “At the House Energy and Environment Committee, we were not requested to provide testimony,” Dougherty wrote in an email. A representative was on hand, however, to answer questions ——— The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. Hillary Borrud can be reached at 503-364-4431 or hborrud@ eomediagroup.com. “We’re not sure why it’s as high as it is,” he said. Safety Council indicated that 7KHUHDUHVRPHFRQÀLFWLQJ 2UHJRQ¶V WUDI¿F IDWDOLWLHV studies on whether increased increased dramatically in speed limits lead to more 2015, with 27 percent more crashes and more fatalities, fatal crashes than the year but a majority have found before. Nationally, fatalities a link. One of the most increased by 8 percent. expansive studies, published According to the report, in 2001, showed that roughly 2UHJRQKDGWUDI¿FIDWDO- half the time speed limits ities in 2015, compared to were increased on highways 350 in 2014 and 314 in 2013. between 1986 and 1998, it The 27 percent increase from ZDV IROORZHG E\ D VLJQL¿- 2014 to 2015 was the biggest cant increase in fatalities the percentage change of any following year. state in the nation. One tool for combating Strandberg said one WUDI¿FGHDWKV6WUDQGEHUJVDLG possible explanation for ODOT is working to build the nationwide increase is a partnership with phone a combination of lower gas companies, schools and other prices and lower unemploy- entities to design and launch ment means more people are a statewide campaign against driving more miles every distracted driving. day. He said ODOT has not He said the department is had time to dig into the data, preparing to replace 400 new however, so he couldn’t say speed limit signs on March GH¿QLWLYHO\ ZK\ 2UHJRQ¶V 1. The signs on I-84 should crashes increased more than be up that day, he said, with other states. work on the highway signs Continued from 1A completed another day or two after that. Each sign costs about $1,700 to replace. New poles for some of the signs have already been installed. Strandberg said some of the current poles are not strong enough to support the bigger, heavier new speed limit signs while other poles needed to be moved in order to meet current safety standards about where signs should be in relation to the road. The department is also making some adjustments to other signs, including curve warnings. The department has also been repainting stripes on the affected highways, creating shorter passing ]RQHVWRUHÀHFWWKDWFDUVPD\ be approaching from the opposite direction. —— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. Study finds testosterone is no fountain of youth CHICAGO (AP) — A landmark study suggests that testosterone treatment is no IRXQWDLQ RI \RXWK ¿QGLQJ mostly modest improvement in the sex lives, walking strength and mood of a select group of older men. The long-awaited results from a rigorous, govern- ment-funded study are WKH ¿UVW VROLG HYLGHQFH RI whether these hugely popular supplements can help treat low sex drive, lack of energy and other symptoms some- times blamed on aging. The researchers empha- VL]HGWKDWWKH¿QGLQJVSHUWDLQ only to use of testosterone gel by men 65 and older with low hormone levels and related symptoms; whether VLPLODUEHQH¿WVZRXOGRFFXU in younger men or with testosterone pills, patches or shots is unknown. Also, the research was not extensive enough to deter- mine whether long-term use raises the risk of heart attacks and prostate cancer, as some studies have suggested. Lead author Dr. Peter Snyder, a University of Pennsylvania hormone specialist, said it would be premature to recommend the treatment even for men like those studied. The study involved almost 800 men 65 and older at 12 centers nationwide. All had low blood levels of testosterone, the main male sex hormone. They were randomly assigned to use testosterone gel or fake gel without hormones, rubbed daily on the skin for a year. 7KH\KDGWR¿OORXWTXHVWLRQ- naires and take a six-minute walking test. The study design is considered the most rigorous, gold-standard type of research. Improvement in sex lives was modest among the testosterone group, and the AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar Dave Bostick and wife Carol share a laugh in the kitchen of their home in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Bostick, 71, a retired vocational rehab counselor, said his low mood and energy level improved “a little bit” during a testosterone treatment study but suddenly worsened afterward. EHQH¿WV LQ HUHFWLOH IXQFWLRQ were less that what has been seen with Viagra and similar drugs. The men on testos- terone had slightly greater improvement in mood and walking strength than the other men, but there was no difference in energy boost between the two groups. The research is among seven testosterone studies the National Institute on Aging launched in 2009 to examine WKH ULVNV DQG EHQH¿WV RI testosterone supplements widely marketed on televi- sion to men with “low T.” Testosterone levels typically decline with age. Supplements are approved only for treating testosterone GH¿FLHQF\FDXVHGE\FHUWDLQ medical conditions, such as problems with the testes, but they have become a multibil- lion-dollar industry, feeding on aging men’s desire to remain youthful. The men in the study did not have any of WKRVHVSHFL¿HGFRQGLWLRQV The new research combines results from three of the government-funded studies. Results are expected later from the four other studies, which tested the hormone’s effects on mental function, bone density, heart function and anemia. 7KH¿QGLQJV³EULQJVRPH real rigor” to questions surrounding testosterone use and suggest that the treatment is “not a panacea” for age-re- lated ills, said Dr. Eric Orwoll, a physician-researcher at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. On average, the testosterone increased men’s hormone levels to what would be normal for someone 19 to 40 years old. About 20 percent of testos- terone men reported much improved sexual desire, and 30 percent reported a slight improvement, but almost half reported no change. Less than one-third of the fake-gel men reported any improve- ment in sexual desire. On the walking test, testosterone and placebo men showed similar improve- ments when the comparison was only among men who started out with low scores. When the comparison was expanded to include other study men, about 21 percent of testosterone men achieved the walking goal versus about 13 percent of those on a placebo. LENT February 19 from 5 to 7:00 p.m. @ the St. Anthony Hospital Blue Mountain Cafe Cedar Plank Salmon - $7.50/Adults - $7.00/Children & Seniors with Rice Pilaf & Buttered Green Beans Baked Potato Bar - $4.00/with toppings All you can eat. Salmon/Potato Bar Combo - $11.50 Clam Chowder Bread Bowl - $4.25 Single Cup $1.25 2801 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton, OR 97801
