REGION
Thursday, June 29, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3A
PENDLETON
Crime lab funded in
House police budget
East Oregonian
Terrific day for tubing
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Zaylon Burke-Picard, 11, of Pendleton negotiates some rapids on an inner tube
on Wednesday in the Umatilla River in Pendleton.
A state budget increase
would keep the Eastern
Oregon Forensic Laboratory
open, and tax dollars raised by
marijuana sales would fund a
move to a new location.
The Oregon House of
Representatives unanimously
approved a bill Wednesday
that would allocate a $427.9
billion biennial budget for the
Oregon State Police Depart-
ment, a 4.3 percent increase
from the 2015-2016 biennium.
According to a press
release from state Rep. Greg
Smith, R-Heppner, that’s
enough money to restore
funding to the lab, currently
located in Pendleton. There
had been some discussion that
the lab could be located on the
Blue Mountain Community
College campus, although no
decisions have been made.
The bill also includes a
financial package of more than
$1 million, which is funded
through the state’s marijuana
tax revenue. The package
includes $370,645 in ongoing
funding to supplement the
crime lab’s budget and the rest
is a one-time expenditure to
move the lab from its current
405 S.E. Eighth St. building
“into space more suitable for
laboratory operations.” The
current lab has had issues
with space, the HVAC system
and gnats, which makes
processing delicate samples
difficult.
The lab serves counties in
northeast Oregon as well as
Malheur County and receives
about 100 requests a month
for casework. And a team
from the lab goes to crime
scenes throughout the region.
The bill now goes to
the Senate, where Sen. Bill
Hansell (R-Athena) said he
believes the funding will pass
without modification.
West Nile virus
Holiday activities heat up for Fourth of July
found in Umatilla
features activities Saturday
and Monday, including
volleyball, golf and poker
tournaments, Movie in the
Park: “Sing”).
East Oregonian
First case in
Oregon for 2017
East Oregonian
Umatilla County offi-
cials reported Wednesday
that West Nile virus has
been detected in Umatilla,
the first case detected in
Oregon so far this year.
The virus was found in
a mosquito sample trapped
June 21 near the mouth of
the Umatilla River.
Oregon State Univer-
sity, Oregon Veterinary
Diagnostic Laboratory in
Corvallis confirmed the
finding in testing done June
25.
Local residents can
expect to see an increase
in mosquito spraying based
on the positive sample.
Ultra-low volume applica-
tions of insecticides from
truck-mounted
sprayers
will be used to reduce
mosquito
populations.
These applications will
typically be made after
sunset when mosquitoes are
most active. All applicators
are licensed by the Oregon
Department of Agriculture.
West Nile is primarily
a disease infecting birds.
Some birds — including
magpies, blue jays and
crows — are especially
susceptible.
Mosquitoes
become
infected by feeding on an
infected bird and can pass
the virus to humans, horses
or other hosts when they
bite.
The public is encour-
aged to alert district
officials when they come
across dead birds so the
district can track the spread
of the virus.
There is a vaccine avail-
able to prevent West Nile
virus disease in horses.
Contact your veterinarian
for more information.
The risk of West
Nile is low but people
are encouraged to take
appropriate precautions to
protect themselves against
mosquito bites.
Most
people
who
become infected with West
Nile virus do not become
ill. Some people develop
mild flu-like symptoms
such as fever, headache,
body aches, and occasion-
ally swollen lymph glands
or a rash.
In rare cases West Nile
may cause encephalitis, or
inflammation of the brain.
Individuals with severe or
unusual headaches should
seek medical care as soon
as possible. Residents of
the district should remain
vigilant in protecting them-
selves from mosquitoes
and the diseases that they
can carry, such as West Nile
virus.
Officer shoots dog at
Rainbow Gathering
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The U.S. Forest Service
has confirmed one of its
police officers shot a dog
Tuesday morning in the
parking lot outside the
Rainbow Gathering site
on the Malheur National
Forest.
Word of the incident
began to spread late
Tuesday on social media,
sparking outrage among
participants at the unautho-
rized gathering.
The dog, a pit bull mix,
was given first aid by a K-9
officer on scene and was
later taken to an animal
hospital in Canyon City,
where it was euthanized.
According to a state-
ment released Wednesday
by the Forest Service,
the officer — who was
not identified — was
conducting a routine daily
count of vehicles parked
at Flagtail Meadow, where
this year’s annual Rainbow
Gathering is being held.
As the officer turned the
corner, he encountered two
dogs sitting about 15 feet
away. The dogs were not
leashed, which is required
by law and also specifi-
cally outlined in the event
operating plan. No other
people were present in the
area.
The officer did not have
his recording device turned
on. But the Forest Service
claims one of the dogs got
up and charged the officer,
who drew his weapon and
fired a single shot.
After shooting the dog,
the Forest Service says the
owners and other Rainbow
participants began to crowd
and yell at the officer. The
dog was taken to Canyon
City, and its remains were
returned to the owners.
Accounts
of
the
incident differ on the
2017 Rainbow Gathering
Facebook page. Stephen
Baker, a spokesman with
the Forest Service, said
the statement was meant to
counter what he described
as misinformation and
“disturbing comments.”
“Safety is our top
priority,” Baker said.
The incident remains
under investigation, Baker
added, and more details
will be released as they
become available.
To date, there have
been at least 15 warnings
and six citations issued
for dog-related violations
at the Rainbow Gathering.
Local and federal agencies
are reminding visitors to
keep their dogs on leashes
for both public and animal
safety.
———
Contact George Plaven
at
gplaven@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-966-
0825.
SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS
Submit information to: community@eastoregonian.
com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at
333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211
S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-
966-0818 with questions.
Parades, park activities
and fireworks shows are
featured in area towns to help
celebrate Tuesday’s Fourth of
July holiday.
While some communities
offer only a single activity,
many are going all-out with
full day or multiple day
festivals.
Independence
Day events (and websites
addresses to obtain complete
activity schedules) in local
communities include:
PENDLETON
Independence
Day
Parade
• 10 a.m.
• Downtown Pendleton
Free. Starts at Pendleton
City Hall, travels east on
Dorion Avenue to Main
Street, then west on Court
Avenue to the Pendleton
Convention Center. Due to
fundraising efforts fizzling
out, there will be no fireworks
show in Pendleton.
HERMISTON
Stars & Stripes Fourth
of July
• 1-10:30 p.m.
• Butte Park, 1245 N.W.
Seventh St., Hermiston
www.hermiston.or.us/
parks-recreation/home
Free. Games, entertain-
ment, live music, vendors,
food booths and fireworks
show at dusk on the Herm-
iston Butte.
Stars and Stripes Pool
Party
• 7-10:30 p.m.
• Hermiston Family
BOARDMAN
File photo
A 1928 Model A Ford Roadster owned by Jim Smootz
drives underneath a U.S. flag during the 2016 Fourth of
July parade in Pendleton.
Aquatic Center
www.hermistonpool.com/
events
$16/ages
16-and-older;
$10/ages 2-14; free/ages 0-2.
Pool party, barbecue (catered
by Dickey’s Barbecue Pit),
live music, games and a front
row seat to fireworks display.
STANFIELD
Stanfield Fourth of July
• 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Bard Park, off Highway
395 between Harding and
Roosevelt avenues
www.facebook.com/Stan-
field4thofJuly
Free. Firemen’s breakfast,
parade (10 a.m.), entertain-
ment, Cash Vault, vendors,
duck race, 3-on-3 tournament,
pie baking contest (turn by
11 a.m.) and raffle drawings.
Park activities end at 3 p.m.,
but fireworks will be shot off
at dusk. (Monday night 6-9
p.m., Fourth of July Fund-
raising Steak Feed; $20/steak;
$10/hamburger. Includes beer
garden and DJ music).
Feats of Strength
• 7 p.m.
• Bard Park
Free. Faith-based presen-
tation by Hermiston High
School graduate John Kopta
of The Power Team, patriotic
sings by Tony Long-Drew
and fellowship.
IONE
Ione Fourth of July Cele-
bration
• 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Ione City Park
www.cityofioneoregon.
com/fourthofjuly
Free. Firemen’s breakfast,
parade (10 a.m.),Blues Cruise
Car Show, vendor booths,
horseshoe and 3-on-3 tour-
naments, games, live music,
talent show (3:30 p.m.) and
auction/raffle drawings (8
p.m.) Featured entertainment
is FrogHollow Band (6:30
p.m.) and Countryfied (8:30
p.m.), followed by fireworks
at dusk. (Celebration also
Boardman Thunder
• 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Boardman Marina Park
www.boardmanchamber.
org
Free. Boy Scout breakfast,
parade (11 a.m.), tournaments
(3-3 basketball, horseshoes,
youth soccer), food/craft
vendors, kids games (1-4
p.m.), DJ music and fireworks
at dusk. (Also, there’s a glow
run Monday, July 3 at 7 p.m.
The cost ranges from $10 to
$25, with T-shirts).
CONDON
Condon’s
Fabulous
Fourth of July Celebration
• 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
•
Gilliam
County
Fairgrounds & downtown
Condon
www.condonchamber.org/
events.html
Free. Community break-
fast, flag ceremony and
program (9 a.m.) contests,
beer/wine garden, barbecue,
parade (noon) soapbox derby,
kids game, grand marshal
reception and raffle (5-7
p.m.). (The celebration also
includes activities Saturday
through Monday, including
a fireworks show Monday at
dusk).
———
Contact community editor
Tammy Malgesini at tmalge-
sini@eastoregonian.com or
541-564-4539.
Rules in place to deal with dangerous buildings
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
Umatilla County has a new
local law to abate dangerous
commercial buildings.
While the county has
codes for cleaning up messy
buildings, it lacked anything
similar to deal with dangerous
buildings. The county board
of commissioners voted 2-0
Wednesday morning in favor
of the ordinance after dealing
for years with the now-der-
elict and crumbling Rodeo
City Inn a few miles west of
Pendleton.
County counsel Doug
Olsen told the board he based
the eight pages of regulations
largely on a Clackamas
County ordinance. The new
law allows the county to
declare a commercial prop-
erty as dangerous if it meets
criteria ranging from the
threat of structural failure to
inadequate sanitation or water
to any other condition “that
creates a significant structural,
life or fire safety, health or
other hazard that impacts the
occupancy or continued use
of buildings or structures.
Commissioner
Larry
Givens asked “what kind
of teeth” the law gives the
county. Olson said building
owners can face a $1,000
fine then fines of $500 per
week for not taking care of
problems. And if the county
has to step in, it can charge
the owners the cost of the
abatement.
While the county has some
residential properties that
could be dangerous, Olson
said the law only applies to
commercial sites.
The county scheduled the
Staff photo by Phil Wright
Derelict and dangerous buildings like the Rodeo City
Inn about five miles west of Pendleton face strict-
er county rules under an ordinance passed by the
commissioners Wednesday.
discussion of the ordinance
as a first reading and public
hearing. But after the brief
hearing, which consisted of
Olson’s report, Givens said
he was ready to vote on it.
He and fellow Commissioner
Bill Elfering voted in favor.
Commissioner
George
Murdock was away.
The Rodeo City Inn,
meanwhile, remains a mess.
Olson in early June reported
new owner Kris Krishnan told
the county he was sending
crews to clean up the property.
So far, no one has done any
work there.
The board also approved
the sheriff’s office request
to buy a mobile command
vehicle for $65,000 from the
Umatilla Morrow Radio Data
Sale In Progress
Saager’s Shoe Shop
Up to 50% Off
Milton-Freewater, OR
District. County emergency
manager Tom Roberts told
the board the vehicle will
help the county to respond to
emergencies in remote areas
where communications can
be sketchy.
The mobile data district
in 2008 had the unit custom
made and mounted on a Ford
F450 extended cab pickup.
Independent evaluations of
the mobile center estimated its
value between about $54,000
and $75,000. Roberts said he
did extensive research and
found nothing comparable
on state and federal lists of
vehicles for sale.
The sheriff’s office plans
to use its $150,000 fleet
management fund in the
upcoming fiscal year to pay
for the unit. Undersheriff Jim
Littlefield said it also needs
radios and other equipment to
be operational.
4TH OF JULY SIDEWALK SALE
Biggest SALE of the Year!
UP TO
%
50 OFF
Clearance
Clothing
$1 Items
Buy One Get
One Deals
Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Gift Store
1114 Court Ave Pendleton
Thursday June 29th – Sunday July 2nd
EXTENDED SALE HOURS
8:30-5pm Weekdays • 10-4pm Weekends
Shop online www.leterbuck.com