J.ALLEN GORDAINIER
OF IRRIGON
NEW
HOTEL
OPENS
HERMISTON/3A
Enjoy a
free coffee
at Obie’s
Express in
Hermiston
WEATHER ALERT:
24/21
A winter storm is expected
to sweep through Eastern
Oregon today, bringing 3-6
inches of snow and ice.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016
141st Year, No. 38
One dollar
WINNER OF THE 2016 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
UMATILLA
PENDLETON
McNary
land rezoned
for housing
development
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Richard Oja gestures while talking about the ease with which he can control his Napoleon gas fi replace on Wednesday at
his home in Pendleton.
Turning up the
heat on cleaner air
City expands woodstove replacement program beyond city limits
“They did all the
paperwork and
it couldn’t have
been easier.”
By KATHY ANEY
East Oregonian
Smoke curling from a
chimney makes for a serene
winter tableau, but in that
woodsy scent lurks dangerous
gases and other toxins that
damage human health.
“Woodstoves are one of the
primary causes of particulate
matter in the air,” said Rachel
Sakata of the Oregon Depart-
ment of Environmental Quality.
“Particulate matter can be
inhaled into the deepest part of
the lungs and can cause respi-
ratory disease, heart attacks and
even premature death.”
The ultrafi ne airborne specks
(.0001 inch and smaller) also
contain harmful pollutants such
as benzene, formaldehyde,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocar-
bons and acrolein.
Pendleton, facing high
— Richard Oja,
on the contractor who
removed his old woodstove
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Richard Oja holds the remote for his Napoleon gas fi replace.
The remote also functions as a thermostat.
particulate levels in city air,
started offering zero interest
loans in 2000 to homeowners
with ineffi cient woodstoves —
those lacking certifi cation by
the Environmental Protection
Agency or DEQ. During the
fi rst two years, 93 residents
swapped their polluting stoves
for cleaner burning gas, electric
or pellet units.
Only
residents
inside
the urban growth boundary
could take advantage of the
interest-free loans, however.
Recently, the city council
recently expanded the area to
include a three-mile swath of
land outside city limits.
Richard and Kristen Oja
recently use the program to
replace an old Earth Stove with
a highly effi cient Napoleon gas
fi replace insert that features
See STOVES/8A
The Umatilla City Council agreed to
rezone a portion of McNary from commercial
to residential after a developer made conces-
sions in the design of a proposed subdivision.
Fastrack, Inc. owner Arnie Wick fi rst
approached the council in March, asking for
the entire 8.5 acre property across from the
Quality Inn to be rezoned from commercial
to residential. He planned to build 38 homes
on 8,500-square-foot lots valued at $130,000
to $160,000 each.
At the time some city councilors called
McNary a “bedroom community” and said
the new housing could spur growth, while
others said they were hesitant to get rid of
most of McNary’s buildable commercial
property. There were also concerns that the
lots were too small and the houses would be
sandwiched together.
In April, after two meetings on the subject,
the council voted unanimously to reject the
See UMATILLA/8A
PENDLETON
Defense attorney
appointed as
municipal judge
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
The Pendleton City Council decided the
municipal judge seat is a one-person job.
The council chose Pendleton attorney
Will Perkinson to replace retiring judge Jeff
Wallace over a trio of
experienced
lawyers
who would have shared
the seat on a rotating
basis.
In public interviews
held before the council
meeting,
Perkinson
told the council his
experience as a former
prosecutor for the Perkinson
Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Indian Reservation and as a
current defense attorney provided the qual-
ifi cations needed for the position.
“I have deep understanding of all aspects
of criminal law,” he said.
Although he’s considered joining the
See PERKINSON/8A
Trump chooses
hardliners but talks
softer on immigration
By JONATHAN LEMIRE
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Donald
Trump embraced
new Cabinet offi -
cers Wednesday
whose
back-
grounds suggest
he’s primed to
put tough actions
behind
his
campaign rhetoric
on immigration and
the environment,
even as he seemed Trump
to soften his year-
long stance on immigrants
brought to the U.S. illegally
as children.
It’s clearer by the day,
underscored by Trump’s
at-times
contradictory
words, that his actual policies
as president won’t be settled
until after he takes his seat in
the Oval Offi ce.
Retired Marine Gen. John
Kelly has been
selected to head
the Department of
Homeland Secu-
rity, and Oklahoma
Attorney General
Scott Pruitt, a
climate-change
denier
whose
policies
have
helped fossil fuel
companies, is to
be announced as
head of the Environmental
Protection Agency.
Separately, Trump named
the former chief executive
of World Wrestling Enter-
See TRUMP/8A
Raising
the roof
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Members of the Quezada family and friends
move roof trusses into position on the top fl oor
of the old city hall building, which they own,
Wednesday in Pendleton. An explosion and fi re
gutted the structure in August 2015 and the
building has been in a state of disrepair since.
The city of Pendleton declared the structure a
nuisance and gave the Quezada family until the
end of the year to put a roof on the building.