NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Election boosts public engagement in politics in Oregon
on social media at the crowds that
have come to his town halls. He
posted photos of a flood of more
than 1,500 people who filled all the
bleachers and spilled onto the floor
of a community college gymnasium
in Albany last weekend.
“Turnout in Newport and
Tillamook was off the charts,” the
Democratic senator added.
To hear directly from the
public on the biggest issue facing
lawmakers this year — a $1.8 billion
budget shortfall — the Legisla-
ture’s committee that determines
state budget policy announced on
SALEM (AP) — Since the divi-
sive November national elections,
Oregon lawmakers and a member
of its congressional delegation are
seeing unprecedented public partic-
ipation in the political process, and
they are hoping the engagement will
help solve a budget crisis.
“The level of public engagement
since the November election has
been astonishing to all of us,” said
House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Port-
land. She said attendance at her
pre-legislative-session town halls
more than tripled this year.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden marveled
Monday it will host public hearings
throughout the state. The first one is
in a hearing room at the Oregon State
Capitol on Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Those who live nearby will
have the opportunity to share their
thoughts about budget issues, said
Sen. Jackie Winters, R-Salem. “It is
an opportunity that we have not had
locally for a while,” Winters said.
Lawmakers must find ways to
increase revenue and cut spending to
make up for the shortfall, caused by
increased health care costs, the fiscal
impact of 2016 ballot measures, and
Oregon’s Public Employee Retire-
New bill: Workers
can’t be barred from
smoking pot off-hours
BRIEFLY
School district bans
Confederate flag
after fight
NORTH BEND (AP) —
An Oregon school district
banned the Confederate
flag from school property
following a fight between
two girls, one of whom was
wearing a hat that included the
symbol.
North Bend Superintendent
Bill Yester says the punches
were thrown last week at the
high school campus. Neither
student has been disciplined
as of yet and there were no
serious injuries.
Yester contends the ban
doesn’t violate free expression
because schools have the
legal authority to provide
an environment free of
harassment, and district policy
allows principals to prohibit
clothing that distracts from the
educational process.
The World newspaper of
Coos Bay reports protesters
unhappy with the new policy
were outside North Bend
High on Monday, holding up
Confederate flags, a Gadsden
flag and the flag of the United
States.
Rumors that the school
district banned the American
flag were incorrect.
Bethany Baker/The Coos Bay World via AP
Gov. Brown
suggests putting
records advocate
under Sec. of State
PORTLAND (AP) — Gov.
Kate Brown is open to housing
a public records advocate in
the Secretary of State’s office,
rather than under her control.
The Oregonian/Oregon-
is in talks to put the position
under the Secretary of State,
where the state archives are
housed.
Tuition hike possible
at Oregon State
CORVALLIS (AP) —
Students are facing possible
tuition hikes at Oregon State
University as administrators
prepare to receive less state
funding than requested.
University president
Ed Ray told the Corvallis
Gazette-Times that a tuition
hike between 2 and 3 percent
would still mean an estimated
annual shortfall of $20 million
in operating expenses.
Lawmakers are expected
to pass a two-year budget this
summer.
State funding proposals are
roughly $90 million to $100
million less than the $765
million requested by the state’s
seven public universities.
Ray said the university
is unable to hold off on
setting tuition rates until after
lawmakers set a budget.
Administrators will likely
submit a tuition increase to the
university’s board of trustees
in March.
Ray said the university will
also need to find ways to trim
costs.
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
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
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
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 © 2017, EO Media Group
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
FRIDAY
THURSDAY
Wintry mix, mainly
after noon
Cloudy, a little rain;
warmer
32° 31°
47° 34°
SATURDAY
Mostly cloudy with
a shower
Mostly sunny
45° 28°
Partly sunny
42° 28°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
44° 29°
30° 29°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
34°
24°
45°
29°
65° (2015) -19° (1929)
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
0.13"
0.23"
0.32"
1.88"
1.73"
1.70"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
33°
25°
46°
29°
68° (2015) -25° (1929)
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
0.02"
0.04"
0.24"
1.73"
1.15"
1.52"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Full
Last
Feb 10
Feb 18
47° 26°
44° 27°
Seattle
40/39
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
45° 34°
New
7:08 a.m.
5:12 p.m.
3:02 p.m.
5:15 a.m.
First
Feb 26
Mar 5
Today
SUNDAY
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
48° 31°
Spokane
Wenatchee
31/29
26/24
Tacoma
Moses
41/37
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 30/27
35/32
43/42
40/36
32/30
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
42/40
33/30 Lewiston
30/28
Astoria
39/37
48/45
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
41/40
Pendleton 37/34
The Dalles 30/29
32/31
35/32
La Grande
Salem
39/38
50/48
Albany
Corvallis 49/45
51/50
John Day
44/39
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
41/36
52/48
42/36
Caldwell
Burns
44/41
39/34
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
48
35
42
57
39
37
52
35
30
44
48
39
37
57
54
59
41
30
32
41
44
50
31
40
42
33
32
Lo
45
34
36
52
34
34
48
29
29
39
44
38
35
49
52
53
36
28
31
40
40
48
29
33
41
30
30
W
r
i
r
r
sh
sh
r
i
i
sh
r
r
sn
r
r
r
sh
i
i
r
i
r
sn
r
r
i
sn
Hi
53
43
50
55
45
45
56
47
44
50
50
48
47
59
54
56
45
39
47
53
53
55
44
49
54
47
42
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Lo
20
50
42
30
45
7
36
46
17
70
36
W
s
sh
s
sh
s
s
c
pc
c
sh
c
Lo
42
30
34
45
28
35
42
34
29
36
33
38
33
39
45
46
33
31
34
42
34
44
33
36
42
36
31
W
r
r
sh
r
c
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
c
i
r
r
sh
r
r
r
r
r
sn
Thu.
Hi
38
64
55
39
75
23
42
57
30
84
43
Klamath Falls
48/44
Lo
20
52
41
30
42
19
30
46
15
72
36
W
s
s
pc
c
s
c
pc
sh
s
s
r
(in mph)
Today
Thursday
Boardman
Pendleton
NE 4-8
NNE 4-8
NNW 4-8
SSW 8-16
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
REGIONAL FORECAST
Eastern Washington: Snow today, accumu-
lating a coating to an inch; however, icy mix
across the south.
Cascades: Rain today; snow levels as low as
3,500 feet this morning, then rising to near
7,000 feet.
Northern California: Rain, heavy at times
today; however, a little rain in the interior
mountains.
0
1
1
0
0
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
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
WORLD CITIES
Hi
40
67
58
42
77
9
45
57
36
78
48
Classified & Legal Advertising
1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678
classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Thu.
WINDS
Medford
57/49
Coastal Oregon: Rain, heavy at times today;
windy in the afternoon. Heavy rain and
strong winds tonight.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Ice this morning,
then rain and ice across the north; rain or snow
showers in central parts. Rain elsewhere.
Western Washington: Periods of rain today;
arriving in the afternoon in central parts.
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 Director: Marissa Williams
541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com
Advertising Services: Laura Jensen
541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com
Multimedia Consultants:
• Terri Briggs
541-278-2678 • tbriggs@eastoregonian.com
• Elizabeth Freemantle
541-278-2683 • efreemantle@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
TODAY
SALEM (AP) — Employers in Oregon would be
prohibited from banning marijuana use by employees
during their days off under a bill introduced in the
Oregon Senate.
The bill is among several that cover marijuana,
whose recreational use was legalized in a statewide
ballot measure in 2014.
Bill No. 301 would make it unlawful for employers
to condition employment on “refraining from using
any substance that is lawful to use in Oregon.”
Measure 91 legalized recreational marijuana in
the state, but it did not affect existing employment
law.
The bill aims to amend a state law about use of
tobacco to include cannabis and any other substance
that is legal in the state. But if a collective bargaining
agreement prohibits off-duty use of such substances,
that rule would take precedence.
Some of the other pot-related bills in the Oregon
Senate and House would:
• Change the name of the Oregon Liquor
Control Commission, which regulates and licenses
recreational marijuana, to the Oregon Liquor and
Cannabis Commission
• Provide for the OLCC to regulate the consump-
tion and sale of marijuana items at temporary events
• Establish a task force that would identify
existing legal barriers to consuming cannabis in
social settings. The task force would, among other
duties, also identify opportunities for consumption
by residents and visitors of cannabis in social settings
and evaluate their economic potential.
• Waive fees for medical marijuana cards for
veterans who have serious disabilities incurred or
aggravated during military service
• Tax retail sales of marijuana seeds
• Establish an Oregon Cannabis Commission
to fulfill duties, functions and powers relating to
medical marijuana use, and removing those duties
from the Oregon Health Authority.
North Bend High School students Dallas Stockton, left, and Autumn Sisson display Amer-
ican and Confederate flags across the street from the school Monday, in North Bend. The
school district banned the Confederate flag from school property following a fight be-
tween two girls, one of whom was wearing a hat that included the Confederate symbol.
Live reports that Brown, who
ran on a platform of ethics
reform, has proposed creating
a records advocate but has
repeatedly wavered on who
should direct the new position.
On Monday, Brown’s counsel
on government accountability
Emily Matasar said the
position would be under the
Secretary of State.
A bill in the Legislature
filed at the request of Brown
would create a public records
advocate. The advocate would
serve as a mediator between
journalists, citizens and public
agencies.
Matasar said Monday in a
Legislative hearing that Brown
passionate as people make a case
on how the proposed $20.6 billion
for the 2017-19 biennium should be
spent.
“I am really looking forward to
hearing from Oregonians about how
they think we should prioritize,”
Kotek said. She said that, as an
example, some might want to ensure
money goes to covering drugs for
chronic diseases, while others want
to make sure no one loses health
insurance.
“Those are competing interests
when we’re trying to do a budget,”
Kotek said.
ment System unfunded liability.
“I feel like we have to bring it
back to the public, and say, ‘How
best to do this?’ “ Kotek told Capitol
correspondents on Monday.
Gov. Kate Brown’s budget
proposal would, among other “very
difficult decisions,” raise taxes on
hospitals, insurance companies and
on tobacco and liquor sales; close
a loophole that allows many busi-
nesses to avoid corporate income
taxes; and deny customary funding
increases for public higher educa-
tion.
The public hearings could be
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
-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: As warmth holds over the South and the Atlantic coast, colder air and
spotty snow will expand over the Midwest today. Heavy rain will drench areas from the
northern California coast to western Washington.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 94° in McAllen, Texas
Low -29° in Clayton Lake, Maine
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
64
72
65
64
14
74
47
56
76
56
30
38
79
56
35
73
8
4
78
87
38
79
34
71
75
70
Lo
36
41
36
34
10
39
43
31
60
31
11
22
39
31
18
47
-7
-8
64
54
17
64
13
55
34
59
W
pc
c
c
pc
c
t
sh
c
t
c
sn
sn
s
pc
c
pc
c
s
pc
pc
sn
t
c
pc
s
pc
Thur.
Hi
66
53
39
38
48
51
53
32
64
32
22
25
63
67
24
77
-3
17
80
72
24
72
35
76
51
76
Lo
41
28
19
18
37
28
38
10
32
17
16
16
47
42
14
50
-22
15
67
50
16
37
29
60
31
60
W
s
pc
r
sn
c
pc
c
sn
c
sf
s
sf
pc
pc
sn
pc
pc
pc
s
s
s
c
pc
pc
s
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
51
70
87
29
13
66
77
61
60
23
63
77
49
58
73
13
61
64
38
55
69
64
40
77
67
44
Lo
27
34
69
8
0
32
57
32
26
7
33
57
22
30
54
4
49
58
21
42
58
58
39
51
35
19
W
c
t
pc
c
pc
t
c
pc
s
sn
pc
pc
c
c
pc
c
sh
r
c
c
pc
c
r
s
pc
s
Thur.
Hi
34
46
86
19
17
40
65
33
55
29
35
83
24
32
55
44
61
62
34
58
72
63
52
86
40
47
Lo
21
30
62
15
14
24
47
18
40
25
19
59
7
10
23
40
42
52
28
45
58
53
42
55
23
38
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
pc
s
pc
s
s
pc
pc
sn
pc
pc
sn
pc
sn
sn
c
pc
sh
r
s
pc
pc
r
r
pc
sn
pc