NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Idaho Power looking
for buy-in on solar
from customers
Prosecutor says Ryan Bundy
hatched jail escape attempt
PORTLAND (AP) — A
federal prosecutor says
Oregon standoff igure
Ryan Bundy was working
on a plan to escape from a
Portland jail.
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Geoff Barrow dropped
the bombshell at a hearing
Monday in which Bundy and
his brother Ammon sought
to be released as they await
trial on charges stemming
from the January takeover
of a national wildlife refuge
in Oregon.
In trying to show Ryan
Bundy is a light risk, Barrow
said deputies searching
Bundy’s cell in April found
torn sheets braided together
in a 12- to 15-foot rope, as
well as extra towels, pillow
cases and food.
Bundy denied he was
attempting an escape, telling
U.S. District Court Judge
Robert Jones it is “self-
serving speculation” and
“simply not true.”
Barrow said Bundy’s
excuse to jailers was that
he’s a rancher and was
practicing braiding. In court,
release them.
The brothers also face the
possibility of being sent to a
Nevada jail, where they are
accused of taking part in a
standoff with federal agents
at the ranch of their father,
Cliven Bundy.
Judge Jones noted that
Ammon Bundy seems
unlikely to lee the country.
The Emmett, Idaho, resident
has a wife, six children,
owns a leet-maintenance
business and resides on a
property that includes an
orchard with 240 apple
trees. But the judge worried
about him returning for trial.
“He might want to hole
up like his father did for two
years,” he said. “I’m still
concerned about that.”
Ammon Bundy took the
stand late in the hearing,
explaining that he and the
other occupiers took action
to protest the imprisonment
of two Harney County
ranchers and publicize
their belief that the federal
government has taken
unconstitutional control of
too much Western land.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File
In this Jan. 8 ile photo, Ryan Bundy walks through
the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns.
A U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the trial of
Ryan Bundy and others charged in the occupation
will remain in Portland.
Bundy told the judge he
used the rope and towels for
additional comfort.
Court records show
Bundy hasn’t been charged
with any crime related to the
episode.
The leading igures in
January’s takeover of the
Malheur National Wildlife
Refuge have been behind
bars for nearly six months.
They contend the 41-day
occupation was a peaceful
protest, and getting out of
jail will help them prepare
for their September trial on
conspiracy and weapons
charges.
To win release, the
brothers must convince
Jones they are not a danger
to the community and
will return to Oregon in
September. Jones said he’ll
decide Tuesday whether to
BOISE, Idaho — The
Idaho Power electrical utility
is proposing the construction
of a solar power project that
would be funded by customers
who take out subscriptions
to guarantee it gets built, the
company said Monday.
The company recently
iled an application with
the Idaho Public Utilities
Commission to launch the
project on land southeast of
Boise, which would be the
state’s irst utility-owned solar
power production facility.
The 500-kilowatt solar
project would involve the
installation of solar panels on
an area the size of two foot-
ball ields and power about
730 homes, said company
spokesman Brad Bowlin.
It would be a so-called
“community solar project”
aimed at attracting customers
who can’t install solar panels
on their homes because they
rent, live in communities with
rules prohibiting solar panels
or have houses shaded by
trees.
Most of the project’s $1.2
million construction cost
would be paid by customers
who take out subscriptions,
said Bowlin.
If approved by the commis-
sion, Idaho Power would offer
about 1,500 subscriptions
costing $740 per 320-watt
solar panel. Buyers would
receive credit for their portion
of the solar array’s output on
their monthly bill over the
25-year life of the project.
“There are a lot of folks
who are interested in solar
power, and especially locally
generated solar power,”
Bowlin said.
Bowlin said the subscrip-
tion-based business model is
aimed at assessing whether
there’s enough interest in
building the solar project.
The utility has 516,000
BRIEFLY
Superintendent
steps down amid
lead scandal
PORTLAND (AP)
— The superintendent of
public schools in Portland,
Oregon, is stepping down
from her role, effective
immediately, after the
release of a scathing report
on the district’s handling of
high levels of lead found in
schools’ drinking water.
Carole Smith has been
superintendent since
2007. Several weeks after
the lead scandal at two
Portland schools broke
this spring, she announced
plans to retire within a year.
But Smith sped up
her departure to Monday
after the release of the
indings of an independent
probe. It concluded the
district’s efforts to test
water, ix problems and
notify the public have been
inadequate for 15 years.
Tom Koehler, school
board chairman, said in
a statement that oficials
will select Smith’s interim
replacement this summer
while searching for a
permanent leader.
Man dies going
over 100-foot Lava
Canyon Falls
STEVENSON, Wash.
(AP) — The body of a
25-year-old Beaverton,
Oregon, man has been
recovered from Muddy
River after he slipped and
went over the 100-foot
high Lava Canyon Falls.
The Skamania County
Sheriff’s Ofice received
a 911 call on Sunday
reporting that James
Fowler was trying to across
the river just above the
falls when he stepped on a
partially submerged rock
Penitentiary has died at a
local hospital, but oficials
are not yet releasing any
details.
The Oregon Department
of Corrections issued
a release Monday
that said 27-year-old
James Howland died
unexpectedly and that
the Oregon State Police
Criminal Investigations
Unit is conducting an
investigation.
Howland was taken off
site for medical care on
Friday and was pronounced
dead Monday afternoon,
oficials said. Oficials
said no other details were
available.
Howland has been in the
custody of the Department
of Corrections since August
2014 and was serving time
for four counts of unlawful
use of a vehicle in the
irst degree out of Marion
County.
and the swift water swept
him over the falls.
The site was about 20
miles northeast of Cougar,
Washington in the Gifford
Pinchot National Forest.
Oficials say that
Fowler’s body was seen
loating face down below
the falls. A witness tried
to reach Fowler but the
rugged terrain turned him
back.
Search crews aided
by a ixed-wing aircraft
searched Sunday night
and Monday morning. At
about 12:30 p.m. Monday,
Fowler’s body was
recovered. His body was
taken to the Clark County
Medical Examiner’s Ofice.
State penitentiary
inmate dies at
local hospital
SALEM (AP) — An
inmate at the Oregon State
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Copyright © 2016, EO Media Group
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
WEDNESDAY
TODAY
A t-storm around
this afternoon
Partly sunny and
nice
81° 57°
85° 55°
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Sunshine and
beautiful
Sunny and
beautiful
Mostly sunny
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
90° 62°
86° 59°
88° 55°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
86° 60°
89° 56°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
76°
89°
108° (1960)
60°
59°
43° (1915)
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
Trace
0.80"
0.18"
7.32"
5.00"
7.79"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
Yesterday
Normals
Records
HIGH
LOW
80°
90°
109° (1960)
64°
59°
43° (1945)
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
0.01"
0.30"
0.13"
4.94"
3.25"
5.86"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Full
Last
July 19
July 26
New
Aug 2
91° 59°
92° 58°
Seattle
75/58
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
94° 64°
5:25 a.m.
8:38 p.m.
8:20 p.m.
5:19 a.m.
First
Aug 10
Today
SATURDAY
Spokane
Wenatchee
78/58
81/60
Tacoma
Moses
74/56
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 85/57
77/53
67/57
72/55
86/56
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
73/57
81/61 Lewiston
87/60
Astoria
84/60
69/57
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
77/61
Pendleton 76/50
The Dalles 86/60
81/57
83/60
La Grande
Salem
78/52
77/57
Albany
Corvallis 76/54
77/54
John Day
81/50
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
93/61
78/52
73/47
Caldwell
Burns
90/60
83/45
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
69
80
73
63
83
76
78
79
86
81
78
78
75
83
63
67
93
85
81
77
78
77
78
74
76
81
86
Lo
57
48
47
51
45
50
52
53
60
50
42
52
50
57
53
54
61
60
57
61
46
57
58
47
60
61
56
W
c
t
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
t
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
c
pc
s
pc
t
pc
t
pc
pc
t
pc
t
pc
Hi
70
82
80
64
83
78
82
83
89
86
82
81
78
90
64
67
90
89
85
78
85
81
80
78
77
86
88
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Lo
56
44
49
52
45
50
52
51
56
51
43
50
48
58
52
55
58
58
55
61
47
57
56
45
59
62
59
W
pc
s
pc
pc
s
s
pc
pc
pc
s
s
s
s
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
Lo
72
81
68
70
52
66
70
67
73
58
75
W
t
c
s
s
t
sh
s
s
pc
pc
pc
Wed.
Hi
77
90
85
85
71
79
91
86
89
67
83
Lo
72
82
69
61
51
63
64
68
74
57
72
W
r
c
s
t
t
r
t
s
t
r
pc
WINDS
Medford
83/57
(in mph)
Klamath Falls
78/42
Boardman
Pendleton
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Clouds breaking for some
sun today, except variable cloudiness across
the north.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Mostly sunny
today; a thunderstorm in spots across the
north and near the Cascades.
Western Washington: Times of clouds and
sun today with a shower in places. Partly
cloudy tonight.
Eastern Washington: Partial sunshine
today; an afternoon shower in spots in the
north.
Cascades: Partial sunshine today with a
stray shower.
Northern California: Low clouds followed
by sunshine at the coast today; plenty of
sunshine elsewhere.
Today
Wednesday
SW 6-12
WNW 4-8
SW 6-12
WNW 4-8
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
2
4
7
NEWS
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6
4
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Wed.
WORLD CITIES
Hi
78
90
85
89
73
78
94
88
88
74
85
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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.
ADVERTISING
Advertising Director: Jennine Perkinson
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Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
customers in Idaho and
eastern Oregon. Those who
don’t want to participate will
not face any charges for the
project, Bowlin said.
The amount of energy that
would be generated by the
solar project is a tiny fraction
of the 3,200 megawatts the
company is occasionally
called on to supply on a hot
summer day. Much of that is
supplied by the company’s
17 hydroelectric projects on
the Snake River and its tribu-
taries, as well as coal and gas
plants, which can produce less
expensive power than solar
energy.
Bowlin warned that partic-
ipants won’t save money on
their monthly energy bills
except for a tiny monthly
deduction over 25 years that
pays back the initial $740
solar project construction
subscription cost.
“This is intended for folks
who want to support the
development of solar energy,”
he said.
Meanwhile, the company
will learn more about solar
energy as costs to produce it
decline and regulations come
into force requiring reductions
in carbon emissions.
The commission will
decide whether the project’s
business model is good for
the state and consumers,
commission spokesman Gene
Fadness said via email.
It wants to make sure
customers “will feel their
investment makes sense from
both an economic and an
environmental perspective,”
he said.
A decision is likely in the
fall.
If the project is approved,
Idaho Power will advertise the
program.
It would be built by
June unless customers take
out less than about 1,200
subscriptions, meaning the
project would probably not go
forward, Bowlin said.
By KEITH RIDLER
Associated Press
2
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
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
-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: Locally heavy storms will extend from Virginia and southeastern
Maryland to Tennessee and Iowa today. Storms will dot the Southeastern and Southwestern
states as showers cool part of the Northwest.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 109° in Needles, Calif.
Low 24° in Bodie State Park, Calif.
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
92
93
84
88
97
94
92
81
90
86
87
83
96
91
84
97
65
88
89
94
88
91
93
107
96
85
Lo
70
72
70
66
62
76
60
64
75
63
70
62
80
65
64
74
54
72
77
77
69
71
76
84
77
63
W
pc
t
s
pc
t
t
s
pc
t
t
s
s
s
pc
s
pc
sh
t
sh
t
s
t
pc
s
pc
pc
Wed.
Hi
92
93
81
86
95
97
90
80
89
86
85
87
100
97
87
97
64
95
89
97
86
92
96
108
98
87
Lo
69
73
69
67
62
75
63
66
74
64
73
66
80
64
68
75
50
72
76
77
72
72
78
85
77
65
W
pc
pc
s
s
pc
pc
s
s
t
s
t
s
s
pc
s
pc
sh
pc
pc
pc
t
t
pc
pc
pc
s
Today
Hi
Louisville
91
Memphis
97
Miami
90
Milwaukee
85
Minneapolis
87
Nashville
93
New Orleans
93
New York City
85
Oklahoma City
94
Omaha
91
Philadelphia
88
Phoenix
106
Portland, ME
77
Providence
84
Raleigh
90
Rapid City
98
Reno
88
Sacramento
85
St. Louis
95
Salt Lake City
100
San Diego
77
San Francisco
68
Seattle
75
Tucson
98
Washington, DC 90
Wichita
96
Lo
73
79
79
68
74
73
79
67
73
78
69
88
55
61
70
65
56
55
77
75
67
55
58
78
71
76
W
t
pc
sh
s
s
t
t
s
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
s
s
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
pc
Wed.
Hi
92
99
89
84
92
96
93
82
98
99
85
108
80
81
88
104
91
87
96
99
79
69
77
101
87
99
Lo
73
80
78
72
77
73
79
69
74
79
68
89
59
63
68
67
58
54
80
74
68
55
58
80
72
78
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
pc
pc
sh
pc
t
pc
pc
s
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
pc
pc
s
s
t
pc
pc
pc
pc
t
s
s