NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Time needed for Hanford to recover from ire
BRIEFLY
By ANNETTE CARY
Tri-City Herald
RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) —
Walking across the Hanford Reach
National Monument lands that burned
in last week’s Range 12 Fire is an
otherworldly experience.
“It looks like a moonscape, to be
quite honest,” said Heidi Newsome,
biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service. “It looks like you are on
another planet.”
About half the Arid Lands Ecology
Reserve — part of the original security
zone around the Hanford nuclear reser-
vation west and southwest of Highway
240 — burned. The reserve is one of
the largest remaining intact shrub
steppe habitats in the Columbia Basin,
much of which is in rapid decline in the
West.
This is the third time Newsome has
seen all or much of the reserve burn,
and the experience gets no easier.
“It’s emotionally hard,” she said.
“It’s delating to put so much work in
and see it happen again.”
But each time she’s seen the reserve
burn, the results have not been quite as
devastating as the time before.
Rehabilitation with native plants
after ires in 2000 and 2007 may have
helped make the ecosystem more
resilient.
And each time the ire has been
suppressed with less of the monument
land burned.
“We’re doing a better job getting it
under control,” Newsome said.
She was advising ireighters
Sunday when the decision was made to
set Rattlesnake Mountain on ire.
The plan was to create a back burn
on the monument as the ire, which
Shawn Gust/Yakima Herald-Republic via AP
In this July 31 photo, a wildire crests a knoll in the early morning hours
in the Lower Valley near Outlook, Wash.
started on the Yakima Training Center,
swept across the shrub steppe, with
only the monument land between the
blaze and the contaminated areas of the
Hanford nuclear reservation.
She supported the decision to set
the ire, which burned from the 1200
Foot Level Road up the steep slopes of
Rattlesnake Mountain and over the top.
The controlled burn was necessary
to protect people, nearby communities
and those ighting the ire, she said.
“We did what needed to be done,”
she said.
The ire crossed onto part of the
reserve west of the mountain, but the
back ire and Range 12 Fire merged
Monday morning, and the blaze died
out because it had no more fuel to burn.
It was a much different outcome
than in 2000. The 24 Command ire
burned up over the top of Rattlesnake
Mountain and moved onto the central
part of the Hanford nuclear reservation,
threatening radioactive waste stored in
the center of the site. It also burned 11
homes in Benton City. All 77,000 acres
of the reserve burned.
In 2007, another blaze that spread
much like last week’s ire burned
about 55,000 acres of the reserve, but
did not reach the peak of Rattlesnake
Mountain.
This time, the ire was held at 35,000
acres on the reserve.
Fireighters considered other options
to contain last week’s ire, rather than
burning Rattlesnake Mountain.
They could have used a bulldozer
to carve up the soil and form a line,
leaving no vegetation to burn. But that
would have meant running over rare
plants and cultural areas important to
tribes.
Foes, fans of corporate tax measure raise millions
SALEM
(AP)
—
Millions of dollars have been
raised by the two groups
campaigning on opposite
sides of a November ballot
measure that would increase
corporate taxes.
Measure 97 would create
a 2.5 percent tax on sales
exceeding $25 million for
some corporations. Last
week Gov. Kate Brown
endorsed the measure,
which would be the largest
tax hike on corporations in
Oregon history.
The Statesman Journal
reports Our Oregon, the
group supporting the tax,
has raised $1.5 million so
far. The money is from just
two donations of $750,000
each by the Oregon Educa-
tion Association and SEIU
Local 503, the state’s largest
public sector unions.
The
business-backed
Defeat the Tax on Oregon
Sales
is
campaigning
against Measure 97, and has
raised more than $5 million
from nearly 800 donations.
Most contributions are
from corporations or their
executives.
The campaigns are
likely to spend heavily on
television, radio and digital
advertising.
Supporters
of
the
measure say it would re-ig-
nite investment in public
schools, health care and
senior services, all while
allowing the state to tackle
its other inancial problems.
Opponents say it would hurt
businesses and curb private
the report showed. The
report also found that
Measure 97 would slow
private sector job growth
while boosting public hiring.
The extra funds that
would be generated by
the measure are broadly
earmarked for education,
health care and senior
services, although it doesn’t
say how the money should
be spent in those areas.
However the Legislature
could spend the new funds
anyway it pleased.
Brown, a Democrat
who’s running to keep
her gubernatorial seat in
November, addressed this
issue in her endorsement,
saying she “will make sure”
the funds are spent as voters
expect.
sector growth.
Other oficials have said
Measure 97 could help
avert a looming $1.4 billion
budget deicit. The potential
deicit is being driven by
the cost of implementing
the Affordable Care Act —
also known as Obamacare
— public pension costs
and a higher demand for
state services, among other
reasons, oficials said.
A report from the nonpar-
tisan Legislative Revenue
Ofice found the measure
would raise $3 billion a
year, but act as a regressive
tax by increasing prices.
The higher prices amount
to an average per capita
tax increase of $600 a year,
mostly affecting low- and
middle-income Oregonians,
Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255
before noon Tuesday through Friday
or before 10 a.m. Saturday
for same-day redelivery
211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211
333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211
Ofice hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed major holidays
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Local home delivery Savings off cover price
EZPay
$14.50
41 percent
52 weeks
$173.67
41 percent
26 weeks
$91.86
38 percent
13 weeks
$47.77
36 percent
*EZ Pay = one-year rate with a monthly credit or debit card/check charge
www.eastoregonian.com
To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255
or go online to www.eastoregonian.com
and click on ‘Subscribe’
East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published daily except Sunday, Monday
and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. Postmaster: send address changes to
East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Single copy price:
$1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday
Copyright © 2016, EO Media Group
WEDNESDAY
A thunderstorm in
spots
Mostly sunny and
nice
77° 52°
83° 54°
THURSDAY
Mostly sunny
FRIDAY
Mostly sunny and
very warm
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
88° 56°
94° 59°
97° 64°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
82° 53°
87° 54°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
75°
89°
111° (1972)
50°
59°
40° (1893)
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
Trace
0.09"
7.32"
5.00"
8.08"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
Yesterday
Normals
Records
HIGH
LOW
77°
89°
108° (1972)
56°
59°
40° (1934)
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
0.00"
0.00"
0.05"
4.94"
3.25"
6.00"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
First
Full
Aug 10
Aug 18
5:48 a.m.
8:12 p.m.
12:47 p.m.
11:37 p.m.
Last
New
Aug 24
98° 56°
101° 65°
Seattle
71/57
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
93° 54°
Sep 1
Today
SATURDAY
Very hot with
plenty of sunshine
Spokane
Wenatchee
70/54
79/59
Tacoma
Moses
70/54
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 79/53
67/48
63/55
69/52
82/54
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
68/56
76/56 Lewiston
82/55
Astoria
73/54
67/56
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
71/59
Pendleton 65/43
The Dalles 82/53
77/52
78/57
La Grande
Salem
69/43
74/55
Albany
Corvallis 75/53
75/54
John Day
72/44
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
79/51
76/52
71/43
Caldwell
Burns
79/50
75/39
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
67
66
71
67
75
65
76
75
82
72
76
69
66
85
63
66
79
82
77
71
74
74
70
67
70
76
82
Lo
56
38
43
52
39
43
52
49
53
44
43
43
40
56
52
53
51
55
52
59
43
55
54
42
57
56
54
W
c
t
pc
pc
s
c
pc
c
pc
t
pc
c
c
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
c
pc
pc
pc
c
c
pc
c
pc
Hi
69
78
80
70
81
76
83
81
87
83
82
79
76
91
64
68
83
87
83
80
83
82
76
76
79
84
86
Lo
55
43
46
53
43
48
52
50
54
48
44
50
45
59
52
53
56
56
54
59
45
56
58
45
57
59
56
W
pc
s
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
pc
pc
pc
s
s
pc
s
pc
pc
s
pc
s
s
WORLD CITIES
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
(in mph)
Klamath Falls
76/43
Boardman
Pendleton
Hi
88
94
86
70
72
76
73
86
92
68
94
Lo
76
81
69
51
56
57
50
67
78
55
79
W
pc
t
s
pc
t
pc
pc
s
t
pc
pc
Wed.
Hi
91
92
87
67
74
79
71
84
93
72
91
Lo
80
80
68
56
55
59
51
67
77
50
77
W
pc
sh
s
pc
t
pc
pc
s
s
pc
t
REGIONAL FORECAST
Eastern Washington: Variably cloudy today;
a thunderstorm in spots near the Idaho
border and in the mountains.
Cascades: Partly sunny today. Mainly clear
tonight. Mostly sunny and pleasant tomor-
row; warmer.
Northern California: Low clouds followed
by some sun at the coast today; mostly
sunny elsewhere.
Today
Wednesday
WSW 6-12
WSW 6-12
WSW 4-8
W 4-8
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Coastal Oregon: Clouds and sun today; a
shower in spots across the north. Mainly
cloudy tonight.
Eastern and Central Oregon: A thunder-
storm in parts of the area today; not as
warm in the south.
Western Washington: A stray shower today;
mostly cloudy, but clouds breaking for some
sun across the south.
SEATTLE (AP) — Three
Portland businessmen listed
on an invitation for an
upcoming Seattle fundraiser
for Donald Trump say they
have no plans to attend the
Republican nominee’s event
later this month.
The Seattle Times
reported Monday that
Peter Stott, president of
Portland-based Columbia
Investments, said he had no
role in the campaign and did
not approve the use of his
name for the Aug. 30 event.
Gordon Sondland and
Bashar Wali, Portland-based
executives of Provenance
Hotels, issued a statement
to the Willamette Week
citing Trump’s treatment of
Khizr and Ghazala Khan,
the parents of a U.S. soldier
killed in Iraq, as one reason
they don’t support Trump.
A month ago, Sondland
had been announced as
Trump’s Oregon inance
chairman.
Man, 81, gets 83
years in prison for
child sexual abuse
Oregon
Supreme Court
upholds death
in Woodburn
bombing
BAKER CITY (AP) —
An Eastern Oregon man
has been sentenced to 83
years in prison for raping
and sexually abusing three
young girls.
Baker County District
Attorney Matthew Shirtcliff
says 81-year-old Robert
Lee Witter, of Huntington,
was sentenced last week for
15 counts related to child
sexual abuse and a irearm
violation.
In a news release,
Shirtcliff called it “the
most graphic and heinous
child sex crime” he’s ever
prosecuted.
The Argus Observer
reports that Witter was found
guilty in July after a trial in
Baker County Circuit Court.
SALEM (AP) — The
Oregon Supreme Court
has upheld death sentences
for a father and son who
were convicted of murder
for the 2008 bombing of a
Woodburn bank.
The Salem Statesman-
Journal reported that the
high court declined on
Friday to revisit a May
decision not to grant Bruce
and Joshua Turnidge a new
trial.
The bank bombing
killed Oregon State Police
trooper William Hakim and
Woodburn Police Oficer
Tom Tennant.
The bomb detonated after
law enforcement mistook
it for a hoax and tried to
dismantle it.
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.
1
3
5
Classiied & Legal Advertising
1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678
classiieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com
5
3
NEWS
• To submit news tips and press releases: • call 541-966-0818 •
fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com
• To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News:
email community@eastoregonian.com or call Tammy Malgesini at
541-564-4539 or Renee Struthers in at 541-966-0818.
• To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries:
email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian.
com/community/announcements
• To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel
Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email
editor@eastoregonian.com.
• To submit sports or outdoors information or tips:
541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Wed.
WINDS
Medford
85/56
NEWPORT (AP) —
Authorities have identiied
the remains of four people
who perished in a motel ire
in Newport.
Newport Police Lt. Jason
Malloy said Monday the
bodies of 51-year-old Tammi
Sue Hepner and 63-year-old
Allen Arthur Hepner, both of
Portland, were found under
rubble on the irst loor. They
had been staying in room
221.
The bodies of 60-year-old
Sandra Sue Shoemaker
and 64-year-old Danny
Keith Shoemaker, both of
Springield, were discovered
deeper in the rubble. They
had been staying in room
220.
The police say in a
statement that rooms 220
and 221 were immediately
engulfed in lames that
blocked the exits.
Three other motel guests
were treated for minor
injuries and a fourth was
taken to a burn center.
The cause is under
investigation.
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
TODAY
3 Portland
businessman
disavow afiliation
with Trump event
Advertising Director: Jennine Perkinson
541-278-2669 • jperkinson@eastoregonian.com
Advertising Services: Laura Jensen
541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com
Multimedia Consultants:
• Terri Briggs
541-278-2678 • tbriggs@eastoregonian.com
• Amanda Jacobs
541-278-2683 • ajacobs@eastoregonian.com
• Jeanne Jewett
541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com
• Chris McClellan
541-966-0827 • cmcclellan@eastoregonian.com
• Stephanie Newsom
541-278-2687 • snewsom@eastoregonian.com
• Dayle Stinson
541-278-2670 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com
• Audra Workman
541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com
Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
Authorities
identify 4 victims
of motel ire in
Newport
1
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 drenching thunderstorms will affect the Southeast and
Southwest states today. There will be an elevated risk of flooding along the northeast Gulf
Coast. Storms will dot part of the Northwest.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 112° in Needles, Calif.
Low 26° 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
84
85
84
89
88
79
82
90
87
88
89
102
94
88
97
62
86
87
100
89
84
88
104
94
79
Lo
67
73
75
73
61
75
53
69
75
72
68
73
82
62
72
71
50
66
75
79
74
72
73
80
77
65
W
pc
t
pc
pc
t
t
pc
s
t
pc
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
pc
sh
pc
pc
pc
pc
t
t
s
pc
pc
Wed.
Hi
86
83
86
91
83
86
82
82
89
89
90
88
101
91
91
90
68
86
86
98
87
89
91
100
95
79
Lo
64
72
77
75
56
75
57
73
76
72
73
73
82
61
72
69
51
71
77
79
74
72
75
78
77
64
W
t
c
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
t
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
t
c
t
pc
t
pc
t
pc
pc
pc
pc
Today
Hi
Louisville
88
Memphis
94
Miami
89
Milwaukee
85
Minneapolis
89
Nashville
89
New Orleans
89
New York City
87
Oklahoma City
97
Omaha
89
Philadelphia
89
Phoenix
101
Portland, ME
79
Providence
88
Raleigh
89
Rapid City
93
Reno
87
Sacramento
94
St. Louis
90
Salt Lake City
96
San Diego
75
San Francisco
72
Seattle
71
Tucson
95
Washington, DC 84
Wichita
93
Lo
75
77
79
69
73
74
79
73
74
76
74
78
61
67
73
65
55
60
75
68
65
56
57
75
76
73
W
t
pc
t
pc
pc
t
t
s
pc
pc
pc
t
s
s
t
t
s
s
pc
s
pc
pc
c
t
pc
pc
Wed.
Hi
89
93
91
87
89
89
88
83
98
95
90
94
82
80
87
96
88
92
92
88
76
71
76
88
92
95
Lo
76
77
78
72
75
75
79
75
75
79
77
79
66
72
72
62
56
58
76
67
65
54
57
73
77
75
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
c
t
pc
pc
pc
t
t
pc
s
pc
pc
t
pc
t
pc
t
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
pc