WEATHER
East Oregonian
Page 2A
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
SUNDAY
TODAY
MONDAY
Cloudy, a little rain;
windy
Partly sunny
61° 33°
49° 32°
TUESDAY
Some sun, then
clouds and chilly
Partly sunny with a
shower
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
47° 37°
46° 36°
56° 36°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
53° 32°
62° 31°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
48°
55°
76° (1900)
35°
36°
10° (1906)
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"
1.07"
0.71"
4.99"
3.35"
3.22"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
LOW
51°
58°
76° (1972)
Trace
0.51"
0.53"
3.97"
2.12"
2.77"
SUN AND MOON
Mar 27
Bend
57/30
Burns
56/33
7:02 a.m.
7:05 p.m.
12:22 a.m.
10:24 a.m.
First
Full
Apr 3
Apr 10
Caldwell
67/45
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
50
61
57
52
56
55
52
60
62
62
54
60
57
58
49
53
62
62
61
54
59
53
53
56
53
60
63
Lo
35
31
30
44
33
29
33
30
31
37
40
32
28
44
35
38
42
30
33
33
26
33
28
27
35
35
28
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
(in mph)
Boardman
Pendleton
Klamath Falls
54/40
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Mostly cloudy today. A
little rain; arriving during the afternoon in
the south.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Cloudy and
windy today. A little rain; only in the morn-
ing near the Cascades.
Western Washington: Rain this morning,
then a shower or two. A couple of showers
at the coast tonight.
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
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.
Eastern Washington: Cloudy today with a
couple of showers. Clear to partly cloudy
tonight.
Cascades: Rain today; rain, then snow in
the south.
0
Hi
69
73
65
59
75
46
57
62
58
76
55
Lo
37
68
49
52
43
36
49
51
32
70
46
W
s
sh
pc
sh
pc
c
sh
pc
pc
sh
pc
Sun.
Hi
69
73
58
59
75
45
58
64
62
78
60
Lo
47
69
44
51
43
37
46
48
37
71
46
W
pc
c
pc
c
pc
r
c
pc
s
sh
s
Today
Sunday
SW 15-25
SW 20-30
NE 4-8
NNW 6-12
1
2
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
PORTLAND (AP)
— Authorities say two
men found dead at a rural
property southeast of
Portland were shot by the
owner after trespassing.
Sgt. Brian Jensen of the
Clackamas County Sheriff’s
Office released the details
Thursday, a day after Robert
Hilands was arrested in the
killings of Dustin Childress
and Thomas Hegar.
Jensen says Childress
and Hegar trespassed
Tuesday morning after a
vehicle dropped them off at
the property in Beavercreek.
Roughly 15 minutes later,
Childress called one of the
women in the vehicle to say
someone opened fire and
Hegar had been wounded
while fleeing.
More than seven hours
later, one of the women
called 9-1-1 to report they
couldn’t find the men.
Jensen says deputies
discovered the bodies
concealed near the front gate
of Hilands’ property.
The 33-year-old Hilands
was booked into jail on
charges of aggravated
murder and unlawful use
of a weapon. His court-
appointed attorney, Laurie
Bender, did not immediately
return a phone message.
Searchers recover
body of skier
missing for 8 days
HOOD RIVER
(AP) — Search teams have
recovered the body of a skier
who was reported missing
on Mt. Hood eight days ago.
Sgt. Pete Hughes of
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.
0
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017
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
Property owner
charged in killings
of two trespassers
1
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Northern California: Occasional rain today.
Cooler; breezy in the interior mountains.
He was killed after police
were called to his home by
his therapist who believed
he was experiencing a crisis.
Authorities say Babb
was armed with a rifle when
officer Will Stutesman shot
him. Prosecutors ruled the
shooting was legal and
justified.
2
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
Single copy price:
$1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday
BRIEFLY
EUGENE (AP) — The
family of a former Army
soldier who was shot to
death at his home in 2015
by a Eugene police officer
has filed a $7.5 million
lawsuit against the city,
officers and a person who
took emergency calls in the
incident.
The Register-Guard
reports lawyers for Brian
Babb’s family assert in
the suit filed Wednesday
in U.S. District Court that
police provoked the deadly
confrontation with Babb.
Babb was wounded in
battle while in Afghanistan,
suffering a traumatic brain
injury and post-traumatic
stress disorder.
W
pc
pc
pc
pc
c
pc
pc
pc
pc
c
c
pc
pc
c
pc
pc
c
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group
Family of veteran
shot by police files
$7.5M lawsuit
Lo
39
31
33
50
34
31
40
31
32
42
40
32
30
48
41
46
39
32
32
40
30
39
27
30
41
35
32
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
PORTLAND (AP) — A
pilot program in Portland,
Oregon will put homeless
families in little modular
homes built in the backyards
of willing homeowners.
In exchange, the
homeowners will own the
fully plumbed tiny houses
after a five-year lease and
can rent them out.
The idea will start
with just four units but
Multnomah County officials
hope to expand.
It’s believed to be the
first project nationally to
join homeowners with the
homeless.
It's a way for Portland
to bridge a gap while
affordable housing is
constructed in a city where
nearly 1,900 people sleep
outside each night.
County housing officials
say 200 homeowners have
signed up to learn more after
the pilot was made public.
A critical housing
shortage has led officials to
experiment with sleeping
pods and "tiny house"
villages.
Hi
53
55
52
58
50
50
56
49
53
56
57
52
49
63
53
58
56
54
49
57
54
56
44
48
59
52
54
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
WORLD CITIES
Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
Pilot program
puts homeless
in residents’
backyards
W
r
r
sh
r
r
r
r
r
c
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
c
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Sun.
WINDS
Medford
58/44
PRECIPITATION
Mar 20
John Day
62/37
Ontario
62/42
32°
35°
19° (2002)
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Last
New
Albany
53/34
Eugene
52/33
TEMPERATURE
Yesterday
Normals
Records
57° 36°
Spokane
Wenatchee
53/28
54/31
Tacoma
Moses
50/32
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 60/30
54/31
48/34
50/32
63/28
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
52/36
60/35 Lewiston
63/32
Astoria
60/35
50/35
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
54/33
Pendleton 55/29
The Dalles 62/31
61/33
58/33
La Grande
Salem
60/32
53/33
Corvallis
52/34
HIGH
49° 38°
Seattle
51/36
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
50° 40°
Today
WEDNESDAY
Occasional rain in
the afternoon
Saturday, March 18, 2017
the Hood River County
Sheriff’s Department
said Thursday it appears
57-year-old Steve Leavitt hit
a tree while skiing and died
on impact.
His body was then
covered by snow and was
discovered late Wednesday.
The Subaru dealership
sales manager from The
Dalles was last seen skiing
at Mt. Hood Meadows on
March 7 in the middle of a
snow storm.
His family reported him
missing that day but bad
weather and the risk of an
avalanche hampered search
efforts.
His body was brought off
the mountain Thursday.
Police: Shooter in
park had previous
gun charges
CORVALLIS (AP) —
Police say a 31-year-old
man who they believe killed
a woman before turning
the gun on himself was
previously charged with gun
theft.
The Corvallis Gazette-
Times reports that police
say Derek Brown shot
38-year-old Karla Melson
at the Orleans Natural Area
March 10 before shooting
himself near Highway 34.
Melson was pronounced
dead at the scene. Brown
died at a hospital Sunday.
Benton County Sheriff’s
Office jail rosters show
Brown spent most of the last
two months in the county
jail. Brown was arrested
Jan. 5 after he allegedly
grabbed a gun from a
counter of Corvallis Guns
and ran. He was released
from jail on his own
recognizance Feb. 28.
Court records show
Brown failed to appear at a
hearing in the case just one
day before the shooting.
-10s
-0s
0s
showers t-storms
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: Snow will fall across the eastern Great Lakes, central Appalachians and
the upper mid-Atlantic coast today with rain from the lower Middle Atlantic to northeast-
ern Texas. More rain will dampen the Northwest.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 96° in Thermal, Calif.
Low -5° in Watertown, N.Y.
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
79
68
45
51
74
72
68
38
71
51
46
43
83
79
47
88
9
43
82
83
44
77
61
90
72
74
Lo
50
41
36
35
47
40
46
31
44
34
30
34
64
49
31
60
-17
32
69
60
31
48
42
63
46
53
W
s
sh
r
sh
c
pc
r
pc
sh
sh
pc
sn
pc
s
sn
s
s
pc
s
pc
c
s
pc
s
pc
pc
Sun.
Hi
81
62
44
51
51
65
60
37
63
49
54
44
85
79
47
89
12
56
83
83
53
68
75
88
68
74
Lo
49
42
33
31
32
45
44
29
39
29
44
32
62
47
33
61
-19
28
72
59
39
40
54
64
56
54
Today
W
s
s
pc
pc
r
s
pc
sn
s
pc
s
pc
s
pc
pc
s
s
pc
s
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
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
76
45
44
64
77
38
76
58
44
95
35
43
66
73
69
66
57
81
67
66
51
93
55
70
Lo
34
43
58
31
31
34
59
32
59
41
34
66
22
31
38
49
42
49
35
52
57
53
36
61
38
51
W
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
sn
pc
s
sn
s
s
pc
sh
s
c
c
s
pc
pc
c
r
s
sh
s
Sun.
Hi
58
66
81
48
58
61
76
43
84
74
48
95
36
39
60
69
68
68
61
72
69
65
51
94
52
86
Lo
41
54
63
38
35
44
58
30
61
42
30
66
24
29
34
30
45
52
50
50
57
53
37
61
37
54
W
pc
s
s
s
pc
s
pc
sf
s
s
pc
s
c
sn
pc
pc
r
c
pc
c
pc
c
pc
s
pc
pc
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
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
• Danni Halladay
541-278-2683 • dhalladay@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
Classified & Legal Advertising
1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678
classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com
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
Bill would authorize GMO trespass
lawsuits against patent holders
Genetic technology companies
would be liable for GMO damages
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Bureau
SALEM — New lawsuits
over trespass by genetically
engineered crops would be
authorized in Oregon under
proposed legislation that
would hold biotech patent
holders liable for damages.
Supporters of House Bill
2739 say it’s a common sense
strategy to remedy problems
caused by genetically modi-
fied organisms, or GMOs,
similar to consumer lawsuits
over defective products.
“This is not a wild legal
grab. We will not be compen-
sated for our angst. We will
only be compensated for
provable legal damages,”
said Sandra Bishop of the
Our Family Farms Coalition,
which supports HB 2739.
Jerry Erstrom, a Malheur
County farmer, said he
supports the bill even though
he’s planted genetically engi-
neered corn on his property.
“If you do something that
messes up my livelihood, you
should be held accountable
for it,” Erstrom said at a
March 16 hearing of the
House Judiciary Committee.
Creeping bentgrass that’s
genetically engineered to
tolerate glyphosate herbicides
escaped control in Eastern
Oregon, and the crop’s patent
holder should be responsible
for control costs as it spreads,
he said.
“It’s coming to the Willa-
mette Valley. Say what you
want, it’s going to be here,”
Erstrom said.
Proponents of HB 2739
say there’s nothing new about
holding companies liable for
their products hurting people
or property, but organic and
conventional farmers must
currently bear the financial
burden from GMO crop
contamination alone.
“We’re not coming to you
from a level playing field.
Harm is only coming one
way,” said Amy van Saun,
legal fellow with the Center
for Food Safety, which
supports the bill.
Supporters say the legal
mechanism of HB 2739 is
simple and fair because the
liability rests with companies
that profit from GMO patents.
Complicated searches for
a culprit won’t be necessary,
since biotech traits can be
determined with genetic tests,
said Elise Higley, director
of the Our Family Farms
Coalition.
“It’s super easy to track it
back to who is responsible,”
Higley said.
Opponents of the bill argue
that pollination among related
crops isn’t limited to GMOs,
but neighboring farmers have
long found practical ways to
avoid unwanted crosses.
“It’s one of the greatest
risks I face, but it’s a manage-
able risk,” said Kevin Rich-
ards, who grows seeds and
other crops near Madras, Ore.
Under a provision in HB
2739, plaintiffs are entitled to
triple the amount of economic
damages caused by the
unwanted presence of GMOs,
which is clearly meant to be
punitive, according to the
bill’s detractors.
“It would single out and
stigmatize biotech patents,”
said Barry Bushue, president
of the Oregon Farm Bureau.
Critics also questioned
the logic of making patent
holders liable for unau-
thorized GMOs, since the
problem may be caused by
irresponsible practices of
neighboring
landowners
or factors beyond human
control, like birds.
“They sell the seed but
they have no control once that
happens,” said Roger Beyer,
a lobbyist for the Oregon
Seed Council and other crop
groups.
Apart from the immediate
impacts of the bill, imposing
new liability on patent
holders may discourage seed
companies from offering
innovative
products
in
Oregon, said Scott Dahlman,
policy director of the Orego-
nians for Food and Shelter
agribusiness group.
If companies face the
threat of additional lawsuits,
“they will reconsider whether
they sell things here,”
Dahlman said.
LET US MEAT
YOUR NEEDS
BOX INCLUDES:
• 2 T-Bones Steaks
• 2 Rib Steaks
• 2 New York Steaks
• 2 Top Sirloin
• 1 - 3-4 lb. Boneless
Chuck Roast
• 5 - 1 lb. Pkg Extra
Lean Ground Beef
541.567.2011
253 W. Hermiston Ave.
Hermiston
(Reg. $125)