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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 2017)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Saturday, August 12, 2017 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor MARISSA WILLIAMS Regional Advertising Director MARCY ROSENBERG Circulation Manager JANNA HEIMGARTNER Business Office Manager MIKE JENSEN Production Manager EO MEDIA GROUP East Oregonian • The Daily Astorian • Capital Press • Hermiston Herald Blue Mountain Eagle • Wallowa County Chieftain • Chinook Observer • Coast River Business Journal Oregon Coast Today • Coast Weekend • Seaside Signal • Cannon Beach Gazette Eastern Oregon Real Estate Guide • Eastern Oregon Marketplace • Coast Marketplace OnlyAg.com • FarmSeller.com • Seaside-Sun.com • NorthwestOpinions.com • DiscoverOurCoast.com OUR VIEW Where does EOTEC go from here? For most people, the first Umatilla County Fair at the new EOTEC fairgrounds was a resounding success. For many behind the scenes, it was a complete miracle. The fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo went off with only a few hitches and most attendees appreciated the new, more spacious facilities. This is all the more impressive when you remember the stressful moments that peppered the last few years, which became heightened when the calendar flipped to 2017 and construction was still significantly behind schedule. At that time, the fair was without a manager, EOTEC was without a general manager and the EOTEC board had reached out to the community for millions in private donations to get the first phase of construction finished on time. They also asked for additional checks from the city of Hermiston and Umatilla County. Local crews — both professional and volunteer — deserve a ton of credit for the work they did to get the fairgrounds ready. That work ranged from heavy industrial construction to last-minute tidying up of the grounds. Those who donated financially to the effort deserve credit too — the facilities could not have been built on time without that additional funding. So kudos for a successful first act. But the ultimate success of EOTEC will hinge on how long it can remain successful outside of fair week, and how it can avoid annual asks for cash from its co-owners, the city of Hermiston and Umatilla County. From this day forward, the facilities will begin to age. Before the calendar flips too many more times, maintenance will become an issue, and there is no mechanism in place to fund that necessary work. Volunteers must remain engaged, just as they did for generations at the old grounds. We’re glad Nate Rivera is taking on the position of interim EOTEC director. His tested leadership will certainly be good for the organizational planning and structure at this crucial phase. Because this multi-million dollar enterprise still needs to develop both a budget and business plan. But Rivera has another full-time job, and board chair Byron Smith does, too — Hermiston city manager. That Smith spent almost half his time this year working on EOTEC issues should show how complex this project was, and how many important decisions had to be made late in the game. Millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours were not spent for a one-off show. The vision for this project was much larger than simply moving the fair up the hill. Now that we have a real-life glimpse of what that vision is, it’s up to the stakeholders to leverage the initial effort and fulfill the promise of a sustainable and solvent event venue. As well as things have gone at the fair this week, we must remember that is the tip of the iceberg. The fairgrounds can no longer exist as an annual passion project. The county and city now co-own a trade and event center built on its residents’ donation of both sweat and dollars. They must make good on that investment with a sound plan that allows it to flourish. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of publisher Kathryn Brown, managing editor Daniel Wattenburger, and opinion page editor Tim Trainor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. OTHER VIEWS A curmudgeon’s take on the solar eclipse H ave you purchased your upset those primitives who think $500 bottle of Solar Red the sun is being devoured by a Wine? giant armadillo, instead of “the It’s one of countless products Electoral College and stuff.” created to cash in on the total Aren’t you glad we Americans solar eclipse that will cut a don’t have those superstitions? swath 60 to 70 miles wide from (“Looking forward to the Oregon to South Carolina on festival, but couldn’t it be August 21. rescheduled? My horoscope says Danny Savvy shoppers can also the 21st is a bad day for me.”) Tyree Forgive me if I’m “once obtain solar eclipse playing Comment burned, twice shy” about all cards, solar eclipse neckties, the hullabaloo. I spent most of solar eclipse dresses, glow-in- my youth awaiting the glorious 1986 the-dark cakes and Darkest Hour black visit of Halley’s Comet. Where I lived, cherry soda. Festivals and tours? Oh, it wound up being a tiny smudge in the yeah! Discovery Channel may even sky. It wasn’t politically correct; but throw together a last-minute “Things The Moon Blocks Your View Of Week,” believe me, I did some “heavenly body” shaming. 31 years ago, the comet that complete with Michael Phelps racing a had heralded the birth of kings and the simulated Buzz Aldrin. fall of empires was more like the “your My son Gideon’s school is busing students to Nashville to get a better view turn signal is still on” warning. Granted, I’m looking forward to of the eclipse. I hope the Music City seeing videos of the confusion and crowd obeys safety warnings and does anxiety experienced by pets and wildlife not generate new stereotypes of the city. when the sun is blotted out in the middle (“I’m a-pickin’.” “And I’m a-grinnin’.” of the day. As a recently translated “And I’m a-gettin’ my retinas burned Hebrew scroll reveals, “God don’t need beyond repair!”) no laser pointer.” Yes, NASA and a legion of I try not to be swayed by a NASA optometrists are cautioning amateur spokesman who assures us, “This eclipse astronomers not to view the eclipse will be an unforgettable, transcendent without certified eye protection. event — the sort of experience you’ll Unfortunately, no one has run an cherish regaling your grandchildren with algorithm to determine how many someday. Unless you die prematurely nitwits will flip a car while texting their or suffer memory loss due to dementia destination, fall off a cliff while taking a or become infertile because of constant selfie or receive ricochet wounds while use of a laptop computer or get turned shooting the roof out of a Porta Potty so down by the adoption agency for as not to miss a second of the eclipse. Heartwarming essays predict this rare something you posted on Facebook in celestial event will bring people together. ‘02. Oh, let’s just forget your theoretical Well, maybe. (“Isn’t it amazing how grandchildren! Pop open that $500 bottle God set this up like clockwork?” “God? of Solar Red Wine and enjoy what time This is just the way quantum physics you have left, you poor doomed losers. has ordered the universe since the Big ■ Bang.” “Star Trek could work wonders Danny welcomes email responses at with a solar eclipse storyline.” “But Star tyreetyrades@aol.com and visits to his Wars could do it better.” “Tastes great.” Facebook fan page “Tyree’s Tyrades.” “Less filling.” Etcetera.) Danny’s weekly column is distributed Luckily, the total eclipse will be exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. confined to the United States and won’t newspaper syndicate. LETTERS POLICY The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. OTHER VIEWS A West Coast plea to an unstable president ou may very well hate us. huff-and-puffing could easily escalate After all, you were rejected by into the slaughter of millions of people. a margin of nearly 5 million Seoul, with a metro population of 26 votes in the three states on the West million, is as close to its enemy in the Coast mainland, where more than 1 in north as Washington is to Baltimore. 7 Americans live. We are the reason When President Barack Obama you lost the national popular vote by kidded you at the White House such a historic margin. Since you’ve Correspondents’ dinner in 2011 for been president, you’ve never set foot Timothy having to make a decision after your in our time zone. steakhouse team failed to impress, he Egan said: “You fired Gary Busey. And these But now our very existence is in Comment are the kind of decisions that would your hands. Look at a map, that circle keep me up at night. Well handled, sir.” from North Korea outward. There’s At the time, Obama had just authorized the Guam, a U.S. territory, threatened this week with a pre-emptive strike, at 2,100 miles. Then raid, after dutiful and reasoned deliberation, to take out Osama bin Laden. At that same comes Alaska, which is closer to the nuclear- dinner, he ended on a armed hermit nation, at just serious note, asking over 3,000 miles, than it is everyone to “remember our to Washington, D.C. neighbors in Alabama,” Farther out, Seattle; recently devastated by Portland, Oregon; San storms. Francisco and Los Angeles That would be the may all be within range of Alabama where Obama missiles that North Korea got barely 39 percent of the tested last month. It looks vote in 2008 — about the as if the North could fit a same percent you received nuclear bomb the size of a in Washington and Oregon. garbage can to one of those Once the election is over, missiles, though whether it as he and nearly every occupant of the White could survive re-entry is another matter. House has learned, you are the president of all Are we scared? Unnerved? Well, yes, a the people. little. I’ll let Leon Panetta, the wisest of West Your default mode is to threaten and sue Coasters and former secretary of defense, and demean and lie — as you’ve done your speak for us: entire career. You even sue comedians, as you “You’ve got two bullies chiding each did Bill Maher after he compared you to an other with outrageous comments,” he told orangutan’s spawn. And this week, your first Politico this week. He worried that the major statement after threatening nuclear war bully in Bedminster may feel that the bully was to lie about how you had upgraded our in Pyongyang is “attacking his manhood,” nuclear arsenal. an age-old trigger for war. The similarities We West Coasters can’t go our separate between the two of you are unavoidable: way on nukes, as we’re doing on climate the preening, the insecurity, the pathological narcissism, the chronic lying, the bad haircuts. change, vowing to adhere to the Paris accord even as you turn your back on the rest of Of course, you never had your uncle the world. We don’t have a shield. We don’t executed or ordered the assassination of a control the nuclear code. half-brother, as Kim Jong Un did. But we Sanctions, like those just approved by the sometimes can’t tell the statements between United Nations, are a good deterrence. You the two of you apart. Was it Kim or your need to work with China. It will take more magnificence who said you would turn the than “the most beautiful piece of chocolate other’s capital city into a “sea of fire”? Or cake,” more than calling President Xi Jinping force the other’s country to suffer “fire and of China a good guy one day, a bad guy the fury like the world has never seen?” next. Diplomacy is hard. But it beats the It doesn’t make for an easier night’s alternative. sleep here on the humidity-free West Coast I know you don’t read. But somebody on that one of your top advisers, Sebastian your staff — perhaps the well-read defense Gorka, has been trying to sound like you, secretary, James Mattis — could summarize ratcheting up the my-nukes-are-bigger- “The Guns of August,” by Barbara W. than-yours brinkmanship. “We are not just Tuchman. She details the missteps, the idiocy the superpower,” he said. “We are now a of powerful men with powerful weapons, hyperpower.” If only he were talking about a leading the world into a war that would kill Marvel Comics character. 17 million people. The path to destruction, to And it’s equally unsettling that your mass murder, to horror is there. So is the way evangelical adviser, the Texas pastor Robert out. Jeffress, is now giving you cover from the ■ Bible. “God has endowed rulers full power to Timothy Egan worked for 18 years as a use whatever means necessary — including writer for The New York Times, first as the war — to stop evil,” he said, speaking for Pacific Northwest correspondent, then as a God. This is not “The Celebrity Apprentice.” The national enterprise reporter. Y We West Coasters don’t have a shield. We don’t control the nuclear code. YOUR VIEWS Why is city kicking out its own programs for REACH? Pendleton city manager Robb Corbett recommended to city council in a workshop that REACH take over the Pendleton Recreation Center for their program. I don’t deny it could be a good program. My questions: Why is a government agency being used to house an outreach program? Why have Parks and Recreation programs been displaced for this program? It seems unacceptable that the city will lose revenue for an outreach program. It is known the church founding the outreach is the city manager’s place of worship. It is known the REACH “board of directors” are made up of members of the church, not a mix of members of the community who have a vested interest in the success of the program. And there was no clarification at the meeting regarding REACH actually having any secured funds, only an understanding that many people will be vying for the funds. How will they be able to fund the lease of the building and fund programs such as meals two to five times a week? Is the outreach program going to have a lease with the city at a fair market rate that will recoup funds going to be lost from, for example, birthday parties and foundation room rentals? It is unfortunate the Parks and Recreation employee has been displaced from their office, and has had to find other venues for programs established. Gymnastics moved to the Vert Auditorium — that isn’t the purpose the Vert was built to serve. Why should city programs have to be housed at school facilitates when there is a facility owned by the city that should be used? It is very upsetting. Why is council just now being made aware of this? Shouldn’t this have gone before the Parks and Recreation Commission instead of the city manager just doing it? Unfortunately, I have heard a lot of upset in the community. Why is one church allowed to take over a building over the city programs? As a taxpayer I am concerned how the city will recoup revenues lost. It would be appreciated if the community could get answers. Cody Cimmiyotti Pendleton
