NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Commission chair
asks for greater
oversight of ODOT
Meltdown expected midweek
Freezing rain in the forecast before temperatures rise Wednesday
elevations.
Pendleton public works
director Bob Patterson said
his staff will clean out catch
basins and dig channels in
the ice to make sure melting
water drains properly, but
besides these aspects of
regular maintenance he
expects the city’s drainage
system to hold up.
Patterson said he’ll
continue to track the precip-
itation forecast, which could
complicate the public works
department’s efforts.
The weather service
issued a winter storm watch
for the region that calls for up
to a half an inch of ice from
freezing rain and snow, and
two to four inches of snow
between Tuesday morning
and Wednesday morning.
The weather is expected to
again make travel difficult
because of slick roads and
low visibility.
As the week warms up,
the forecast predicts further
rain. The respite from the
cold weather will most
likely be brief.
According to the weather
service’s Climate Prediction
Center, January is likely to
continue with below-av-
erage temperatures and
above-average
precipita-
tion.
———
Contact Antonio Sierra
at asierra@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0836.
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
The mountains of snow
and ice that have lined
Eastern Oregon parking
lots and sidewalks in recent
weeks could become lakes
in a matter of days.
The National Weather
Service is forecasting a
sharp rise in temperatures
by Wednesday, which will
clear up many of the area’s
sidewalks and streets after
weeks of subfreezing condi-
tions.
According to Monday
evening forecasts, the rela-
tively warmer weather will
culminate on Wednesday
in a high of 48 degrees in
Pendleton and 44 degrees in
Hermiston.
This kind of warm-up
after a prolonged cold snap
can sometimes lead to
flooding as rivers, creeks
and urban drainage systems
are overwhelmed with snow
melt, but weather service
meteorologist Mike Murphy
did not anticipate anything
too significant.
Most areas of Eastern
Oregon have weathered
several inches of snowfall
and only a handful of days
with temperatures above
freezing — Pendleton’s last
day that got above freezing
was Jan. 10, when the high
was 37. But Murphy said
water levels should be
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
A droplet of water falls from an icicle hanging from the
roof of Round-Up Vacuum and Sewing on Monday in
Pendleton.
restrained by the a gradual
cooling after the midweek
highs.
Toward the end of this
week, temperatures should
start to creep back down
toward 30s, staving off a
meltdown of snow in higher
BRIEFLY
Search canceled for dad,
toddler swept into ocean
NORTH BEND (AP) — The Coast
Guard has suspended its search for a
father and his young son who were
swept into the sea by a wave along an
Oregon beach.
The agency, along with Oregon State
Police and other responders, searched
unsuccessfully Sunday and Monday for
31-year-old Jayson Dean Thomas, of
Elmira, Oregon, and his 3-year-old son.
Thomas and the boy had been
walking Sunday on a beach about 2
miles north of Cape Blanco when the
wave struck. The boy’s mother saw it
happen and called authorities.
Crews in helicopters and search boats
and state troopers in all-terrain vehicles
found only the man’s jacket and a child
carrier he had been wearing in the surf.
State Police spokesman Capt. Bill
Fugate says the area where they were
swept away is steep and the ocean was
rough due to an approaching storm.
Body found after fire
destroys Wash. strip mall
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — The
Clark County Sheriff’s Office says it
has opened a homicide investigation
after a body was found in the ruins of a
Vancouver strip mall destroyed by fire
over the weekend.
The Columbian newspaper reports
that crews responded Sunday morning
and found Sifton Plaza fully engulfed in
flames. The complex included the Oasis
Market convenience store, where the
body was found, and three other tenants:
a barber shop, a pet supply store and a
pet grooming business.
Family says wounded
officer may be blind
SEATTLE (AP) — The family of
a Washington state police officer who
was shot in the head last month while
responding to a call says he may be
permanently blind as a result of his
injuries.
KOMO-TV reports that officer Mike
McClaughry’s daughter April posted on
social media that the family is hoping
McClaughry’s brain recovers, but it is
likely he will never see again.
The post says some doctors say it
won’t be known for sure if McClaughry
can see until he is conscious enough to
communicate.
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and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
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Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group
TODAY
WEDNESDAY
Some glaze;
cloudy, not as cold
Cloudy, showers
around; breezy
32° 27°
43° 37°
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Times of clouds
and sun
Occasional
morning rain
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
44° 36°
42° 33°
43° 32°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
39° 33°
27° 23°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
11°
41°
63° (1976)
2°
27°
-5° (1950)
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
1.06"
0.85"
1.06"
0.49"
0.85"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
17°
42°
63° (1961)
9°
28°
-9° (1957)
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
0.61"
0.66"
0.61"
0.33"
0.66"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Last
New
Jan 19
Jan 27
7:31 a.m.
4:40 p.m.
10:51 p.m.
10:27 a.m.
First
Full
Feb 3
41° 26°
39° 30°
Seattle
47/45
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
42° 33°
Feb 10
Today
SATURDAY
Spotty afternoon
showers
Spokane
Wenatchee
30/28
26/22
Tacoma
Moses
51/45
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 25/23
33/29
48/47
48/44
27/25
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
46/44
26/25 Lewiston
24/22
Astoria
34/33
51/49
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
35/34
Pendleton 31/27
The Dalles 27/23
32/27
32/27
La Grande
Salem
29/27
46/45
Albany
Corvallis 46/44
46/45
John Day
37/34
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
15/11
46/44
37/33
Caldwell
Burns
20/13
22/11
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
51
18
37
51
22
31
46
36
27
37
37
29
29
45
50
55
15
22
32
35
35
46
30
36
37
26
27
Lo
49
14
33
48
11
27
44
32
23
34
32
27
27
41
49
50
11
20
27
34
33
45
28
32
37
25
25
W
r
c
sh
r
c
i
r
i
i
c
c
sn
i
sh
r
r
c
i
i
i
sh
i
sn
sh
i
i
sn
Hi
53
27
40
52
34
35
51
43
39
41
38
36
35
48
52
55
28
36
43
49
43
51
41
40
48
43
35
Lo
45
22
30
44
19
30
42
35
33
34
24
31
32
35
45
45
27
27
37
43
29
44
37
32
42
37
26
W
r
sn
sh
r
sn
c
r
sh
sh
sh
sn
c
sn
r
r
r
i
sh
sh
r
sh
r
r
sh
r
sh
sh
WORLD CITIES
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Hi
40
68
62
41
74
25
33
51
37
96
50
Klamath Falls
37/32
Lo
18
63
45
29
47
18
22
39
23
80
37
W
s
c
pc
c
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
s
s
Wed.
Hi
35
70
61
42
74
21
34
51
42
89
49
Lo
23
65
43
35
46
17
23
38
22
70
38
W
pc
c
pc
c
pc
c
s
c
pc
pc
pc
(in mph)
Today
Wednesday
Boardman
Pendleton
NNE 4-8
SE 6-12
SSE 6-12
SSE 10-20
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Rain and drizzle this
morning, then downpours, heavy rain across
the north.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Cloudy today.
Some glaze across the north; showers
around near the Cascades.
Western Washington: Downpours;
however, ice during the morning across the
south today.
Eastern Washington: Today: cloudy with
periods of freezing rain; a little icy mix in
the north.
Cascades: Periods of rain today through
tonight. A mix of snow and rain tomorrow.
Northern California: Cloudy today with a
bit of rain overspreading the area later in
the day or at night.
0
1
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NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Wed.
WINDS
Medford
45/41
Corrections
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
the phone. Considering
that ODOT staff ostensibly
work for the commission,
Mater said the request for an
independent staffer indicates
“a complete disintegration of
trust” between ODOT and
the commission tasked with
overseeing it.
David Bragdon, former
president
of
greater
Portland’s Metro regional
government, has closely
watched ODOT for years.
The letter “reads like a
vote of no confidence in
(ODOT) management,” said
Bragdon, who is executive
director of Transit Center,
Inc, a nonprofit.
“This is a pretty darn
amazing letter,” said Jim
Moore, a Pacfiic University
government professor who
leads the Tom McCall
Center for Policy Innovation.
The fact that it was put on
official letterhead suggests
it was meant “for a wider
audience and that the letter
was intended to put pressure
on the governor,” he said.
Gov. Brown wrote a
noncommittal reply Jan. 13.
She did not comment on
Baney’s specific requests but
expressed appreciation for
the commission’s role.
“Your involvement and
continued communication
with my office is key to
the active and critical role
OTC plays in the efforts
to create a robust trans-
portation system,” Brown
wrote.
Bryan Hockaday, a
Brown spokesman, said the
governor’s response was not
a denial of Baney’s requests
but declined to comment
further.
Specifically, Baney wants
to increase the commission’s
oversight of the budget,
participation in project
selection, tracking of funds
within the department and
development of policy from
the beginning stages.
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.
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211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211
333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed major holidays
The head of the Oregon
Transportation Commission
has asked Gov. Kate Brown
to personally engage in
beefed-up oversight of the
Department of Transporta-
tion.
In a strongly worded
letter on formal letterhead
sent Jan. 10, OTC Chair-
woman Tammy Baney
requested quarterly meetings
with Brown as well as an
independent staff person to
carry out commissioners’
requests for information and
research. Baney also wants
an “active” role in ODOT
Director Matt Garrett’s
performance review, now
under jurisdiction of the
governor.
“This is essential to
ensure that the Director is
fulfilling our expectations as
well as yours,” Baney wrote,
adding, “To effectively
carry out the commission’s
statutory
responsibilities
and your policy direction, it
is imperative that we more
closely coordinate our efforts
directly with you.”
Baney, in an interview,
said she intended no criticism
of Director Garrett or ODOT
staff. The all-volunteer,
five-member commission
she heads is appointed the
governor. On paper, state
law gives it broad powers to
run the department.
But several observers say
the letter speaks volumes
about tensions and potential
flaws in ODOT oversight,
even as the department
prepares for a massive influx
of funding for road and
bridge projects if the Legis-
lature approves a package of
increased fees and taxes.
“Wow,” said Catherine
Mater, who held Baney’s
position until 2015, as the
letter was read to her over
Three dozen firefighters fought the
blaze but the $500,000 building was a
total loss.
Subscriber services:
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— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
By PARIS ACHEN
and NICK BUDNICK
Capital Bureau
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. ©2017
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: Rain will extend from Texas to Ohio, southern Pennsylvania and New
Jersey today. Ice will occur farther north with snow to take aim at New England. Rain and
ice will begin to invade the Northwest.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 84° in Harlingen, Texas
Low -29° in Challis, Idaho
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
49
73
48
53
40
74
22
40
77
66
41
56
55
44
48
52
-16
27
82
71
51
79
40
56
55
66
Lo
30
60
45
50
32
60
15
37
58
47
32
38
44
28
35
34
-38
22
68
62
35
52
25
38
43
47
W
pc
c
sh
sh
pc
sh
c
pc
pc
t
r
r
c
s
r
sh
c
pc
s
r
r
pc
c
s
c
s
Wed.
Hi
49
71
52
57
43
71
35
41
78
50
42
42
58
48
44
55
-32
37
82
71
44
80
48
58
51
62
Lo
29
55
38
35
32
58
32
34
53
37
32
34
42
24
32
40
-40
23
69
58
32
55
32
47
45
50
W
pc
c
c
pc
c
c
i
r
pc
c
pc
c
sh
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
r
pc
pc
pc
pc
sh
pc
Today
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
63
59
82
40
34
66
77
44
48
37
48
64
36
43
65
38
39
55
47
29
65
56
47
64
56
46
Lo
41
46
67
31
20
44
61
41
35
23
45
46
28
35
60
26
27
42
33
14
49
47
45
41
52
28
W
r
r
pc
r
sf
t
c
r
pc
c
r
s
pc
r
sh
s
pc
pc
c
pc
s
pc
r
pc
sh
s
Wed.
Hi
51
56
82
43
39
54
75
46
52
44
53
66
33
43
68
45
45
52
48
37
64
56
53
64
59
51
Lo
39
53
64
32
29
49
62
37
37
31
37
47
25
31
41
19
32
46
39
24
55
48
44
42
40
34
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
pc
pc
s
pc
c
r
pc
pc
c
s
sn
r
pc
s
r
r
c
c
pc
r
r
s
pc
pc