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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2016)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian Page 2A HERMISTON Portland leaders criticize state pollution response By FEDOR ZARKHIN The Oregonian PORTLAND — Oregon health RI¿FLDOV KDYH FDXWLRQHG UHVLGHQWV within a half mile of two Portland glass factories not to eat backyard vegetables, even as authorities moved to quell public concern over elevated levels of carcino- genic metals found in the area. 7KHVWDWHVDLGIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH it would pay for urine screenings of Portland residents who couldn’t afford to test for the presence of metals such as cadmium, which turned up in tree moss samples near Uroboros glass in North Portland and Bullseye Glass in Southeast. 0HDQZKLOH 2UHJRQ RI¿FLDOV announced that an initial study of cancer data for the neighborhood around Bullseye Glass found no heightened incidence of the illness. Oregon’s top environmental UHJXODWRUDOVRPDGHKLV¿UVWSXEOLF remarks since his agency revealed Feb. 3 that it had detected levels of airborne toxic metals that raised people’s cancer risks many times above state benchmarks. “We as an agency are not doing enough to prevent — to reduce or prevent — emissions from these kinds of industrial facilities,” said Dick Pedersen, director of the Department of Environmental Quality. “We need to do more.” The director promised to start working in March on changing state rules that made the pollution possible, while U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was eyeing tighter rules for glass makers. Yet even as state and federal RI¿FLDOV ZRUNHG WR GHPRQVWUDWH they were working on solutions, local leaders indicated that they are close to taking matters into their own hands. In a letter to Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday slamming Pedersen’s agency, Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury said they intend to explore an autonomous air pollution agency for Portland that would supplant the Department of Environmental Quality. “We believe, strongly, that your leadership will force long overdue accountability and action” for the state environmental quality department, the letter said. The series of pronouncements E\VWDWHDQGIHGHUDORI¿FLDOVFDPH Strong winds knock out power ahead of a community meeting for North Portland neighbors of one of the glass companies, Uroboros. The atmosphere contrasted starkly with the muted response that fueled outrage at a commu- nity meeting Feb. 9. 7KH ¿UVW PHHWLQJ GUHZ people from the area around Bull- seye. Pedersen sat in the second row and did not speak. At Thursday’s gathering at Harriet Tubman Middle School, Pedersen sat with more than a GR]HQ RWKHU HQYLURQPHQWDO DQG KHDOWK RI¿FLDOV WKLV WLPH IDFLQJ the audience. The public applauded after Pedersen acknowledged problems in regulations. But he continued to take criticism — and respond to it — on behalf of his agency in a question-and-answer session IROORZLQJ RWKHU RI¿FLDOV¶ SUHVHQ- tations. The Oregon Public Health Division said vegetables grown close to Bullseye Glass and Urob- oros Glass could contain harmful levels of chromium, arsenic and cadmium. The warning, coming in wintertime, carried more reso- nance than any immediate impact on eating. It marked a public DFNQRZOHGJPHQWRIVSHFL¿FZD\V in which the health risks of toxic metal emissions could be tangible. Some families are having urine tests done to check for harmful levels of the metals. Any test above a safe level will be sent to the Oregon Public Health Divi- sion, said Dr. Paul Cieslak, the state’s director of communicable disease. He announced at the meeting that the state will pay for the tests for any families who need it, but asked that residents have the testing done by their physicians if they can. The tests cost about $35 to $50 each, Cieslak said. Regulators have known for years that Portland has high levels of the heavy metal cadmium in the air, but didn’t know until 2015 what the likely sources were. They got their answer in May, when U.S. Forest Service researchers gave the department data from a UHVHDUFK SURMHFW DQDO\]LQJ PHWDO concentrations in moss. The department’s own air monitoring found arsenic levels were 159 times higher than the state’s safety goal in Southeast Portland and cadmium levels were 49 times higher. The department got the results Jan. 20 and told the public Feb. 3. East Oregonian Strong wind gusts caused havoc in Hermiston on Friday afternoon, including a widespread power failure and property damage. The windstorm, with speeds above 50 mph, knocked out power on a 115 kilovolt line transmission line serving Umatilla Electric Cooperative and Hermiston Energy Services at 2:08 p.m., temporarily disabling seven substations affecting 9,935 customers in Hermiston, Echo and Umatilla. By 2:41 p.m. Umatilla Electric Cooperative reported that power was “partially restored” and crews were continuing to work on the problem. By 4:30 p.m. spokesman Steve Myers said power was restored to all but 739 Herm- iston customers, who were affected by a separate incident where a tree tore down wires near the Hermiston Butte. Those customers regained power shortly before 5 p.m. According to the National Weather Service in Pendleton, wind speeds at the Hermiston Airport reached 53 mph at the front of the squall line. Several people reported seeing a tornado, but Mary Wister, WKH VFLHQFH DQG RSHUDWLRQV RI¿FHU for the NWS, said none had been FRQ¿UPHG At Hermiston Cinema on Theater Lane, a wind gust blew the building’s HVAC system off the roof, dropping it on the gravel parking area on the north side of the building. Hermiston Fire & Emer- To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255 or go online to www.eastoregonian.com and click on ‘Subscribe’ (DVW2UHJRQLDQ(USPS 164-980)LVSXEOLVKHGGDLO\H[FHSW6XQGD\0RQGD\ DQG'HFE\WKH(20HGLD*URXS6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25 3HULRGLFDOVSRVWDJHSDLGDW3HQGOHWRQ25Postmaster:VHQGDGGUHVVFKDQJHVWR (DVW2UHJRQLDQ6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25 Spotty showers in the afternoon 50° 31° 50° 32° Partly sunny TUESDAY Mostly cloudy Sunshine mixing with some clouds 50° 27° 51° 28° 49° 29° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 51° 29° PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH Yesterday Normals Records LOW 54° 48° 68° (1930) 39° 30° 8° (2006) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date 0.03" 0.81" 0.78" 2.32" 1.49" 2.16" HERMISTON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH Yesterday Normals Records LOW 58° 49° 66° (1995) 40° 29° 9° (1936) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date 0.04" 0.34" 0.65" 1.44" 1.05" 1.93" SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today Full Last Feb 22 Mar 1 53° 26° 52° 27° 51° 28° Seattle 51/39 ALMANAC New 6:50 a.m. 5:28 p.m. 3:47 p.m. 5:29 a.m. First Mar 8 Mar 15 Multimedia consultants 7HUUL%ULJJV WEULJJV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP -HDQQH-HZHWW MMHZHWW#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP 6WHSKDQLH1HZVRP VQHZVRP#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP 'D\OH6WLQVRQ GVWLQVRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News: HPDLOFRPPXQLW\#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUFDOO7DPP\0DOJHVLQL LQ+HUPLVWRQDWRU5HQHH6WUXWKHUVLQ3HQGOHWRQDW To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries: HPDLOUVWUXWKHUV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUYLVLWZZZHDVWRUHJRQLDQ FRPFRPPXQLW\DQQRXQFHPHQWV To submit a Letter to the Editor:PDLOWR0DQDJLQJ(GLWRU'DQLHO :DWWHQEXUJHU6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25RUHPDLO HGLWRU#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP To submit sports or outdoors information or tips: VSRUWV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP COMMERCIAL PRINTING Production Manager: 6KDQH:HVWRQ VZHVWRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP REGIONAL CITIES Today WEDNESDAY PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 55° 29° NEWS To submit news tips and press releases:FDOO ID[HPDLOQHZV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Real Estate Advertising: Jodi Snook MVQRRN#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP MONDAY Clouds giving way to some sun ADVERTISING Advertising Director: Jennine Perkinson MSHUNLQVRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Legal Advertising:$PDQGD-DFREV DMDFREV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Single copy price: 7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\6DWXUGD\ Forecast SUNDAY Corrections The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in the paper, please call 541-966-0818. ClassiÀed Advertising: FODVVL¿HGV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Copyright © 2016, EO Media Group TODAY EUGENE (AP) — A Coquille pastor and his wife who were convicted of tax evasion have pleaded JXLOW\WR¿OLQJIDOVHDQGYLQGLFWLYHOLHQVDJDLQVW IHGHUDORI¿FLDOVLQYROYHGLQWKHLUFDVH The Register-Guard reports that 72-year-old 5RQDOG-ROLQJRQ7KXUVGD\SOHDGHGJXLOW\WR¿OLQJ false retaliatory liens against District Judge Ann $LNHQ0DJLVWUDWH-XGJH7KRPDV&RI¿Q&OHUNRIWKH Court Mary Moran and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford. His wife Dorthea Joling pleaded guilty to ¿OLQJDIDOVHOLHQDJDLQVW$LNHQZKRKDQGOHGWKHLUWD[ evasion trial in 2014. The Jolings were convicted of tax evasion and WKHQÀHGWR$UL]RQDWRDYRLGVHQWHQFLQJ7KH\ZHUH later arrested by U.S. marshals and are both serving prison terms. PORTLAND (AP) — A Muslim advocacy group is asking authorities to look into the death of an Oregon man as a possible hate crime. The Oregonian reports that the Council on American-Islamic Relations has asked the :DVKLQJWRQ&RXQW\6KHULII¶V2I¿FHWRLQYHVWLJDWH whether the death of 68-year-old Abdul Jamil Kamawal was motivated by anti-Islamic sentiments. Kamawal was found dead outside his family’s suburban Portland home Feb. 10 without his shoes on. Because Muslims remove their shoes during prayer, Rabah Khamis, a volunteer at Kamawal’s mosque, says some believe Kamawal was praying when he was killed in Tigard. Authorities arrested Michael Troxell, who was arraigned Thursday on a count of murder. Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Bob Ray says investigators have neither enough evidence to indicate or rule out a hate crime. He says federal authorities have asked for information on the investigation. SUBSCRIPTION RATES /RFDOKRPHGHOLYHU\ 6DYLQJVRIIFRYHUSULFH (=3D\ SHUFHQW ZHHNV SHUFHQW ZHHNV SHUFHQW ZHHNV SHUFHQW (=3D\ RQH\HDUUDWHZLWKDPRQWKO\FUHGLWRUGHELWFDUGFKHFNFKDUJH www.eastoregonian.com Spokane Wenatchee 44/28 48/29 Tacoma Moses 52/32 Lake Pullman Aberdeen Olympia Yakima 51/28 43/29 50/39 51/31 53/28 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 51/35 51/34 Lewiston 57/28 Astoria 51/32 52/41 Portland Enterprise Hermiston 53/38 Pendleton 42/23 The Dalles 55/29 50/31 53/32 La Grande Salem 47/30 53/34 Albany Corvallis 52/35 52/35 John Day 48/29 Ontario Eugene Bend 52/30 53/34 46/27 Caldwell Burns 51/27 40/19 Astoria Baker City Bend Brookings Burns Enterprise Eugene Heppner Hermiston John Day Klamath Falls La Grande Meacham Medford Newport North Bend Ontario Pasco Pendleton Portland Redmond Salem Spokane Ukiah Vancouver Walla Walla Yakima Hi 52 43 46 54 40 42 53 48 55 48 46 47 42 54 53 56 52 57 50 53 48 53 44 43 51 51 53 Lo 41 23 27 42 19 23 34 27 29 29 25 30 28 34 43 43 30 29 31 38 25 34 28 24 37 34 28 W c c pc c pc sf pc pc pc pc pc c c pc pc pc pc pc pc c pc pc pc pc c pc pc NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Sun. Hi 54 44 50 54 43 46 53 49 51 56 49 49 46 52 53 55 52 51 50 51 52 53 44 48 49 50 50 Lo 41 22 27 43 19 27 36 30 29 39 27 29 28 36 42 42 31 29 32 39 23 36 29 28 37 36 29 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. W r c r r pc sf r sh sh c c c c r r r pc pc sh r r r c sh r c c WORLD CITIES Today Beijing Hong Kong Jerusalem London Mexico City Moscow Paris Rome Seoul Sydney Tokyo Hi 39 65 61 55 77 27 55 58 44 79 55 Lo 16 58 48 52 42 15 50 41 20 72 52 W s c pc r s pc sh s pc t r Sun. Hi 42 65 57 58 79 20 55 60 38 80 58 Lo 20 61 44 42 46 17 45 48 19 71 42 W s c sh sh s c sh s s pc pc WINDS Medford 54/34 (in mph) Klamath Falls 46/25 Boardman Pendleton REGIONAL FORECAST Eastern Washington: Clouds, then some sun north, near the Idaho border and mountains; partly sunny in south, central and Cascades. Cascades: Times of clouds and sun today; a morning snow shower in spots across the north. Northern California: Mostly cloudy today; warmer in central parts. Partly cloudy tonight; cold. Today Sunday WSW 4-8 WSW 4-8 NW 3-6 W 3-6 UV INDEX TODAY Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. Coastal Oregon: Clouds and sun today. Mostly cloudy tonight; a shower in spots across the north. Eastern and Central Oregon: Clouds and sun today; cloudy in the morning, then some sun across the north in the afternoon. Western Washington: Variable cloudiness today; a shower in spots at the coast during the morning. WKHGDPDJHDV³DOOVXSHU¿FLDO´ZLWK no structural damage. Guardian Angel Homes reported that they lost part of their roof to the gust, but the interior of the home remained intact and no one was injured. Their construction site for their new buildings also suffered damage, including broken windows, moderate siding damage and a destroyed fence. Other Hermiston residents posted photos and descriptions on Facebook of damage to their property or workplace, including uprooted trees and missing shingles and gutters. gency Services and Cascade Natural Gas responded after employees reported smelling gas. At Shelco Electric a parked semi-truck blew over on its side, landing on a pickup truck. A Shelco employee said no one was in either vehicle when it happened. Herm- iston Fire & Emergency Services assisted in cleaning up diesel leaking from the truck. At Good Shepherd Medical Center a jumble of metal siding and debris stripped from the building landed on the south side of the campus. It looked calamitous, but spokesman Nick Bejarano described Coquille pastor, wife plead guilty Oregon man killed; Muslim advocacy group fears hate crime in false liens case Didn’t receive your paper?&DOO EHIRUHQRRQ7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\ RUEHIRUHDP6DWXUGD\ for same-day redelivery 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211 2I¿FHKRXUV0RQGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\DPWRSP &ORVHGPDMRUKROLGD\V Staff photo by Jade McDowell A “squall line” blew a parked semi-truck onto a pickup truck Friday afternoon at Shelco Electric in Hermiston. BRIEFLY Subscriber services: For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255 — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — Saturday, February 20, 2016 0 1 2 2 0 0 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 0-2, Low 3-5, Moderate 6-7, High; 8-10, Very High; 11+, Extreme The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num- ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016 -10s -0s showers t-storms 0s 10s rain 20s flurries 30s 40s snow ice 50s 60s cold front 70s 80s 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low National Summary: Milder air will pour into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic today with warm air also dominating the southern tier of the nation. Drier weather will return to the Northwest. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 92° in McAllen, Texas Low -11° in Watertown, N.Y. NATIONAL CITIES Today Albuquerque Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Billings Birmingham Boise Boston Charleston, SC Charleston, WV Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit El Paso Fairbanks Fargo Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Hi 73 69 57 64 50 70 49 53 72 64 56 58 78 61 55 82 13 38 81 80 64 76 71 74 72 73 Lo 40 53 46 41 27 58 32 38 53 49 33 32 62 28 31 49 0 20 69 63 40 50 40 49 60 51 W pc pc pc pc pc c c c pc pc s pc c pc s pc pc sf sh c s s s s c s Sun. Hi 69 69 57 59 50 68 52 50 73 57 41 42 71 49 43 78 32 26 81 79 51 78 58 76 71 79 Lo 37 54 40 37 32 52 34 30 56 36 27 24 50 28 25 45 8 22 68 61 31 53 33 49 48 55 Today W s c c sh s sh pc pc pc r c c t pc c s pc c pc c r pc pc s t s Louisville Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York City Oklahoma City Omaha Philadelphia Phoenix Portland, ME Providence Raleigh Rapid City Reno Sacramento St. Louis Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco Seattle Tucson Washington, DC Wichita Hi 68 71 75 48 44 65 77 60 80 63 65 85 48 53 65 56 56 64 73 49 69 60 51 83 65 72 Lo 55 61 67 32 30 57 60 43 50 35 42 55 32 37 47 31 27 37 46 31 54 45 39 49 44 42 W pc c pc s pc c pc pc pc s pc pc c pc pc pc pc pc pc pc s pc c pc pc pc Sun. Hi 61 70 77 39 37 64 78 53 69 52 58 86 48 52 70 49 62 68 55 48 73 64 50 84 59 64 Lo 37 46 66 27 24 41 61 35 42 29 37 55 23 30 50 23 32 42 35 33 54 49 41 46 39 33 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. W sh t pc c sf r r pc s pc c s pc pc pc s pc s pc s s s r s sh pc
