Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 2016)
RUBIO DROPS OUT NATION/7A INSIDE 54/30 SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 140th Year, No. 108 One dollar WINNER OF THE 2015 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Semi crash closed I-84, hazmat team on scene East Oregonian Interstate 84 was closed for hours Tuesday after semi-trucks crashed multiple times, killing one driver, seri- ously injuring two others and spilling hazardous materials onto the highway. Milton Vaughn, 62, of Kansas, died in a crash that occurred at roughly 11:55 a.m. in the eastbound lanes at milepost 349, between Baker City and Ontario. A half hour earlier, a roll-over crash occurred roughly a mile ahead that seriously injured the driver and stopped traf¿ c. Ivan Berezin, 34, of Gresham, was taken via air ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise after that 11:25 a.m. crash. His condition was unknown as of Tuesday night. While emergency crews were responding to the scene of Berezin’s crash, Vaughn plowed into the back of stopped traf¿ c on eastbound Interstate 84. Vaughn was pronounced dead at the scene. He had crashed into a semi-trailer driven by Abraham Garza Tangunma, of Texas, who was also injured and transported via ambulance to a hospital in Ontario. Vaughn’s vehicle was transporting hazardous materials, according to a crash report from Oregon State Police. The aluminum oxide powder leaked onto the highway, and crews from Ontario and Boise worked to secure the scene. The Interstate was closed westbound for roughly four hours and eastbound for more than nine hours. The investigation into the crashes is ongoing, according to OSP. Brown signs bill delisting wolves By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI EO Media Group A bill that averts an environ- mentalist lawsuit by ratifying the removal of wolves from Oregon’s list of endangered species has been signed by Gov. Kate Brown. Oregon wildlife regulators found that wolf populations have March 15 over the objections of environmentalists, who urged her to veto the bill, arguing the legislature shouldn’t have inter- fered with a judicial review of the wolf delisting that they had sought. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Greg Barreto (R-Cove) and carried in the Senate by Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena). recovered enough to that the delisting delist the species last More inside process complied year, which prompted Gov. Brown to with the law, was three environmental visit Pendleton approved by Oregon groups — Cascadia Page 2A lawmakers during Wildlands, Oregon the 2016 legislative Wild and the Center session and effec- for Biological Diversity — to tively voided the environmental- petition the Oregon Court of ists’ argument that the decision Appeals to overturn the decision. was illegal. House Bill 4040, which holds Brown signed HB 4040 on High levels of lead detected in blood of birds PENDLETON City approves bike park By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian The Pendleton City Council af¿ rmed at a Tuesday meeting that it’s ready for an adventure. The council unanimously approved the establishment of the Pendleton Adventure Trails Recreation Area, which will turn 290 acres of sparsely used land west of the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport into a park with trails for cyclists, hikers and cross country runners. “It’s a great economic opportunity for Pendleton,” Councilor Chuck Wood. “You can see it just off the highway.” See BIKE/7A More online For video of the city council meeting visit eastoregonian.com Staff photo by E.J. Harris Lynn Tompkins and Bob Tompkins take a blood sample from a red-tailed hawk that was brought to Blue Mountain Wildlife with high lead levels. Hunters slowly embrace lead-free ammo By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian Scott Peckham remembers the moment he decided to switch from lead ammunition to copper. Peckham, big game ecol- ogist for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and a hunter, had just dug into a plate of venison spaghetti when he bit into a hard object. “It was a large lead frag- ment about half the size of a raisin,” Peckham said. “It was a sizable chunk of bullet in my mouth and I crunched it.” He laid his fork down. Staff photo by Kathy Aney Lead is highly toxic. An x-ray shows lead shot visible in the shoulder of a red-tailed hawk. Knowing this, Peckham had carefully cut out the bloodshot portion of the deer while butchering and thought he had gotten all the bullet fragments before grinding it and using some of the burger for the spaghetti sauce. The health-minded Peckham ¿ nds the idea of eating hormone- and antibiotic-free game appealing and the possibility that he and his wife were ingesting lead bothered him. After the spaghetti episode, Peckham stocked up on non-toxic copper bullets for his next hunting trip. Lynn Tompkins rejoices See LEAD/8A HERMISTON Council says yes to trail, no to roundabouts By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian The Hermiston city council approved an agreement Monday that will create a new section of trail parallel to Highland Avenue. The eight-foot-wide paved trail for walking and bicycling will stretch from Riverfront Park to Southwest 11th Street on the south side of Highland, continuing a larger trail project that began that runs from Good Shepherd Medical Center to the park. “This is exciting,” Mayor David Drotzmann said. “It’s going to be a nice addition to the community.” Originally the city was going to pay for the project and seek some reimbursement from the Oregon Department of Transportation through a grant. But city planner Clint Spencer said when ODOT looked at the project, they liked it so much they adopted it into their Statewide Transportation Improvement Program and said Little Darlings ! they would pay for 77 percent of it. According to the agreement the council approved Monday night, that leaves Hermiston with about a $150,000 bill for the remainder. Spencer said the timeline for the project depends on how long it takes to acquire the needed rights of way, but construction will likely take place in early 2017. On Monday the council also adopted an amend- ment to the Transportation System Plan, which calls for a signal at the Hermiston Foods truck entrance north of the Wal-Mart Distribution Center on Highway 395. The signal will help handle the expected increase in traf¿ c based on a planned Ranch and Home store at that location. On Feb. 22 the council opened a public hearing on the amendment, which at that point included a recommendation from ODOT that the words “or a roundabout” be included in the plan’s proposed See HERMISTON/7A This special section will be full of adorable little darlings and a special keepsake for their family for years to come. Submit a photo of your Little Darling (Age 0 - 3) & be entered into a drawing for prizes by local sponsors! Publishes April 13th Send a high resolution photo, a message to your child and your child’s name to classifieds@eastoregonian.com by April 4th.
