Page 6A
TV TIME
East Oregonian
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Neanderthals in California? Maybe so, provocative study says
NEW YORK (AP) — A startling
new report asserts that the fi rst
known Americans arrived much,
much earlier than scientists thought
— more than 100,000 years ago
and maybe they were Neanderthals.
If true, the fi nding would far
surpass the widely accepted date of
about 15,000 years ago.
Researchers say a site in
Southern California shows evidence
of humanlike behavior from about
130,000 years ago, when bones and
teeth of an elephantlike mastodon
were evidently smashed with rocks.
The earlier date means the
bone-smashers were not necessarily
members of our own species, Homo
sapiens. The researchers speculate
that these early Californians could
have instead been species known
only from fossils in Europe, Africa
and Asia: Neanderthals, a little-
known group called Denisovans, or
another human forerunner named
Homo erectus.
“The very honest answer is, we
don’t know,” said Steven Holen,
lead author of the paper and director
of the nonprofi t Center for Amer-
ican Paleolithic Research in Hot
Springs, South Dakota. No remains
of any individuals were found.
Whoever they were, they could
have arrived by land or sea. They
might have come from Asia via the
Beringea land bridge that used to
connect Siberia to Alaska, or maybe
come across by watercraft along the
Beringea coast or across open water
to North America, before turning
southward to California, Holen said
in a telephone interview.
Holen and others present their
evidence in a paper released
Wednesday by the journal Nature.
Not surprisingly, the report was met
by skepticism from other experts
who don’t think there is enough
proof.
The research dates back to the
winter of 1992-3. The site was
unearthed during a routine dig
by researchers during a freeway
expansion project in San Diego.
Analysis of the fi nd was delayed
to assemble the right expertise,
said Tom Demere, curator of pale-
ontology at the San Diego Natural
History Museum, another author of
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
TUESDAY
9:24 a.m. - A Pilot Rock resident reported receiving a scam
phone call from Jamaica.
10:46 a.m. - A Pendleton woman on Southwest Second Street
told police a female and two males came to her door and threat-
ened her.
12:53 p.m. - The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce received
a report of a reckless driver on Highway 11 near Ballou Road,
Milton-Freewater.
3:17 p.m. - A woman told Pendleton police a man is stalking her
at work and other places.
3:24 p.m. - Someone stole two packages from a front porch on
Southeast Seventh Street, Pendleton.
5:54 p.m. - A caller on Alpine Drive, Hermiston, reported the theft
of a yearling reddish-brown Highlander bull.
6:19 p.m. - Callers on North Dunner Street, Stanfi eld,
complained about a white Chevrolet Classic speeding through the
area at about 50 mph.
7:38 p.m. - The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce received a 9-1-1
call about domestic violence on Northeast Sixth Street, Hermiston.
9:12 p.m. - Vehicles struck bales of hay on the westbound side
of Interstate 84 near Echo.
10:29 p.m. - A woman on West Hartley Avenue, Hermiston,
called 9-1-1 to report a male came in her house and tried to punch
her brother.
ARRESTS, CITATIONS
Tuesday
•Pendleton police attested Richard Lee Bohna, 27, no address
provided, for driving under the infl uence of intoxicants (alcohol).
•Umatilla tribal police arrested Joshua Skyler Spencer, 36, of
Pendleton, and Midnight Aurora Brockie, 29, no address provided,
for dangerous drugs and criminal activity in drugs.
•The Morrow County Sheriff’s Offi ce received a call at 5:12 p.m.
from a woman who reported her boyfriend hit her multiple times and
children were present. Deputies arrested Daniel Val Carlile, 40, of
Heppner, on the domestic violence charge of felony fourth-degree
assault.
COMING EVENTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 27
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME,
10:15-11 a.m., Pendleton Public
Library, 502 S.W. Dorion Ave.,
Pendleton. Stories and activities
for young children. (541-966-
0380)
PRESCHOOL STORY AND
CRAFT TIME, 10:30 a.m., MIl-
ton-Freewater Public Library, 8
S.W. Eighth Ave., Milton-Freewa-
ter. (Lili Schmidt 541-938-8247)
RICK
HUDDLE
STORY
HOUR, 11 a.m., Milton-Freewater
Public Library, 8 S.W. Eighth Ave.,
Milton-Freewater. Musician and
children’s storyteller Rick Hud-
dle will present a fun, lively and
thoughtful performance including
stories, dancing and music. All
ages welcome. (Erin Wells 541-
938-8246)
PENDLETON SENIOR MEAL
SERVICE, 12 p.m., Pendleton
Senior Center, 510 S.W. 10th
St., Pendleton. Costs $3.50 or
$6 for those under 60. Pool, puz-
zles, crafts, snacks, Second Time
Around thrift store 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For Meals On Wheels, call 541-
276-1926. (541-276-7101)
BOARDMAN SENIOR MEAL
SERVICE, 12 p.m., Boardman
Senior Center, 100 Tatone St.,
Boardman. Cost is $4 for seniors
55 and over or $5 for adults. (541-
481-3257)
HERMISTON SENIOR MEAL
SERVICE, 12 p.m., Hermiston Se-
nior Center, 435 W. Orchard Ave.,
Hermiston. Cost is $4 for adults,
free for children 10 and under,
$4 for Meals on Wheels. Extra 50
cents for utensils/dishes. Bus ser-
vice to Senior Center by donation.
(541-567-3582)
SENSORY STORY TIME,
12:30 p.m., Boardman Public Li-
brary, 200 S. Main St., Boardman.
For children from birth to age 4.
(541-481-2665)
SKILLS FOR LIFE, 3-5 p.m.,
Pendleton Recreation Center, 510
S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. Gym
activities and life skills for middle
and high school students. Regis-
tration requested. (Danny Bane
541-379-4250)
BMCC
WORKFORCE
TRAINING CENTER GRAND
OPENING, 4-6 p.m., BMCC Work-
force Training Center, 251Olson
Road, Boardman. View BMCC’s
new training center and meet staff.
The college will also dedicated the
Carlson Room in honor of Louis
and Betty Carlson. Refreshments
will be served. Free. (Casey
White-Zollman 541-278-5839)
RICK HUDDLE: DON’T LET
THE PIGEON TAKE OVER THE
LIBRARY!, 4:30 p.m., Pendleton
Public Library, 502 S.W. Dorion
Ave., Pendleton. Rick Huddle will
bring his high-energy music and
storytelling to the Pendleton li-
brary. All ages. (541-966-0380)
PRESBYTERIAN
PRE-
SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE, 5-7
p.m., First Presbyterian Church,
201 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton.
Families interested in fi nding out
more about the preschool and
is curriculum are encouraged to
attend. (Alice Hepburn 541-276-
7681)
YARN CLUB, 5:30 p.m.,
Hermiston Public Library, 235 E.
Gladys Ave., Hermiston. (541-
567-2882)
FREE DEVICE WORKSHOP,
5:30-6:30 p.m., U.S. Cellular,
1923 S.W. Court Ave., Pendleton.
U.S. Cellular associates will help
smartphone users stay green in
2017 during a free Device Work-
shop in Pendlleton. Attendees will
learn how to reduce, reuse and re-
cycle from the palm of your hand
and to use their devices. (Andrew
Thompson 503-221-0100)
THE ARC UMATILLA COUN-
TY BINGO, 6-10 p.m., The Arc
Building, 215 W. Orchard Ave.,
Hermiston. Doors open at 6 p.m.,
seats may be held until 6:30 p.m.,
then all seats fi rst come, fi rst
served; games begin at 7 p.m.
Proceeds benefi t Umatilla County
citizens with developmental dis-
abilities. 18 years or older, must
have proof of age and photo I.D.
Basic pot $20, prizes range from
$20-$750. (541-567-7615)
BIRCH CREEK ASSESS-
MENT & ACTION PLAN PUB-
LIC MEETING, 6 p.m., Pilot Rock
City Hall, 144 N. Alder Place, Pi-
lot Rock. Public is encouraged to
attend and give feedback on the
plan. (Michael T. Ward 541-276-
2190)
FIDDLERS NIGHT, 6:30-8:30
p.m., Brookdale Assisted Living,
980 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston.
Enjoy light refreshments, listen to
some favorite oldies or join in the
jam session. All ages welcome.
(541-567-3141)
HARLEM AMBASSADORS,
6:30 p.m., Heppner Jr./Sr. High
School gymnasium, 710 N.W.
Morgan St., Heppner. Team of lo-
cal community members will take
on the famous comedy basketball
team. Tickets are free, but must
be obtained from Murray Drugs
(Heppner), Bank of Eastern Ore-
gon (Heppner and Ione), Morrow
County Grain Growers (Lexington)
or Green Feed and Seed (Hep-
pner). (Sheryll Bates 541-676-
5536)
FRIDAY, APRIL 28
ADULT OPEN GYM, 6 a.m.,
Pendleton Recreation Center, 510
S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. Half-
court basketball. Adults only.
WALKING FOR WELLNESS,
8:30-9:30 a.m., Pendleton Rec-
reation Center, 510 S.W. Dorion
Ave., Pendleton. (541-276-8100)
HUG RETIREMENT BAR-
BECUE, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Smitty’s
ACE Hardware, 1845 N. First St.,
Hermiston. Customers and friends
are invited to wish Mike Hug well
on his retirement after 25 years
with the store. Free hot dogs, soda
and cake, plus “Hug Specials”
throughout the store. (Smith Fami-
ly 541-567-6816)
STORY TIME, 10:15 a.m.,
Hermiston Public Library, 235 E.
Gladys Ave., Hermiston. (541-
567-2882)
TODDLER STORY TIME,
10:15-11 a.m., Pendleton Public
Library, 502 S.W. Dorion Ave.,
Pendleton. (541-966-0380)
STORY AND CRAFT TIME,
2 p.m., Echo Public Library, 20 S.
Bonanza, Echo. (541-376-8411)
CASON’S PLACE KICKOFF
FUNDRAISER, 5:30-7 p.m., Ore-
gon Grain Growers Distillery, 511
S.E. Court Ave., Pendleton. Mem-
bers of the children and family grief
support organization will introduce
their objectives. Donations gladly
accepted. (Matt Terjeson 503-720-
1620)
the paper.
The Nature analysis focuses on
remains from a single mastodon,
and fi ve stones found nearby. The
mastodon’s bones and teeth were
evidently placed on two stones used
as anvils and smashed with three
stone hammers, to get at nutritious
marrow and create raw material for
tools.
Patterns of damage on the limb
bones looked like what happened in
experiments when elephant bones
were smashed with rocks. And the
bones and stones were found in two
areas, each roughly centered on
what’s thought to be an anvil.
The stones measured about
8 inches to 12 inches long and
weighed up to 32 pounds. They
weren’t hand-crafted tools, Demere
said. The users evidently found
them and brought them to the site.
The excavation also found a
mastodon tusk in a vertical position,
extending down into older layers,
which may indicate it had been
jammed into the ground as a marker
or to create a platform.
The fate of the visitors is not
clear. Maybe they died out without
leaving any descendants, he said.
Experts not connected with the
study provided a range of reactions.
“If the results stand up to further
scrutiny, this does indeed change
everything we thought we knew,”
said Chris Stringer of the Natural
History Museum in London. Nean-
derthals and Denisovans are the
most likely identities of the visitors,
he said. Denisovans, more closely
related to Neanderthals than to us,
are known from fossils found in a
Siberian cave.
But “many of us will want to see
supporting evidence of this ancient
occupation from other sites, before
we abandon the conventional model
of a fi rst arrival by modern humans
within the last 15,000 years,” he
wrote in an email.
Richard Potts of the Smithsonian
Institution’s National Museum of
Natural History, said he doesn’t
reject the paper’s claims outright,
but he fi nds the evidence “not yet
solid.” For one thing, the dig turned
up no basic stone cutting tools or
the use of fi re, as one might expect.
San Diego Natural History Museum via AP
In this 1993 photo, San Diego
Natural History Museum pa-
leontologists C. Paul Majors
and Matt Colbert work at the
Cerutti Mastodon site. In a re-
port released on Wednesday,
researchers say the southern
California site shows evidence
of human-like behavior.