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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2017)
Thursday, August 17, 2017 OFF PAGE ONE POLICE: Organizers donated $1,000 Governors of two marijuana states push back on Trump administration to pay some police overtime costs Page 8A East Oregonian Continued from 1A town for Whisky Fest acts like Maroon 5 tend to need treatment for the effects of inebriation — nausea, vomiting and fighting. “We nearly ran out of barf bags,” Ciraulo said. The Pendleton Police Department also pulls extra duties for large events. Besides occasional traffic control for coordinated rides at Bike Week, Police Chief Stuart Roberts said the motorcycle rally doesn’t need a great deal of policing. “It’s a good crowd,” he said. Whisky Fest required a much larger effort from the police department. Twelve uniformed officers and 16 more personnel in “soft uniforms” — officers that are still identifiable as police but are not in full uniform — were dispersed in shifts throughout the event to help with crowd control and to respond to criminal activity. As concert-goers poured out of the Round-Up Arena after the concert ended, officers were sent to guide traffic as the streets were overwhelmed with vehicles. In the two hours following the concert, Roberts said police responded to more than 50 calls, including noise complaints, alcohol-related incidents, fights and more. “We typically don’t deal with that in a day, let alone a few hours,” Roberts said. Roberts said it cost a total of $8,000 in overtime hours for the department to provide services to Whisky Fest, although he did not bill the event organizers for it. With two Whisky Fests in the books, Roberts said he has a better understanding of the money needed to cover the events and could bill them in the future if the city decides to go that direction. Doug Corey, the co-or- ganizer for Whisky Fest, said security is one of the most important parts of the concert. Organizers utilized both police and a private crowd management security company to handle the audi- ence. Corey said organizers donated $1,000 to the city for the police’s services and could donate more in the future. While both chiefs agreed that their departments can handle the current event load, if Pendleton continues to attract these type of events, the city will need to start stocking their departments with the staff and resources that would meet the needs of their temporary population rather than their permanent one. Roberts pointed to Seaside, which has a police department similar in size to Pendleton’s, despite having less than half the permanent population. That’s because of the large number of tourists it attracts in the spring and summer. Both Ciraulo and Roberts have started thinking of new sources of revenue that could utilize tourist money to help cover public safety costs. Ciraulo said some communities have instituted parking fees to cover public safety costs, although he’s also sensitive to the fact that community organizations already use parking to raise funds. Roberts said any tax or fee was a conversation that would need to be spearheaded by the city manager or city council. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. ECLIPSE: RV camping options are limited Continued from 1A throughout the zone and just outside the edges. Clearly, eclipse prices don’t benefit the procrasti- nator. So what can you do? Staying in Umatilla and Morrow County means you will miss the show — at least in its full glory. Here are a few options for your straightest shots to the totality zone from Umatilla and Morrow County: Highway 395 and Interstate 84. Grant County John Day has one grocery store and two gas stations, so travelers looking to hole up in Grant County for the eclipse should come prepared with extra food, water and gasoline. According to local officials, the county of 4,000 residents expects to host 20,000 eclipse chasers. The Moonlit Music Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 19 at the Grant County Fairgrounds in downtown John Day. Orga- nized by the Grant County Chamber of Commerce, it features live music, beer and food, and a shopping bazaar. Camp space at the fair- grounds is full, but there are public restrooms and shower facilities on site. Pandyfest Pandyfest is located on Weaver Farm outside of John Day. It includes concerts by Northwest musicians, excellent food and more. The gates open Saturday at noon and a $245 ticket entitles you to four meals and plenty of entertainment in between. Day passes are available as well, with costs ranging from $40-$50. Attendance is limited to 200 attendees and very few tickets were still available, as of Wednesday. Visit pandyfest.com for more information and to purchase a ticket. RV Camping Have an RV? Your options are limited, as publicly owned spaces — even in the John Day Industrial Park — are booked solid. But there are some options left. Try Kight’s Eclipse camping, located about two miles south of John Day. The 42-acres of private land is sold out of tent campsites, but some RVers can still squeeze in. It’s mostly just an empty field — don’t plan on power, water or septic hookups. The cost is $175 per night, with a 2-night minimum. To snap up one of these last spots, call 541-520-3143. Tent camping Prairie City has sold out of tent sites on their football field. “There are no more sites available,” writes Prairie City School District on their website, which has an entire page devoted to eclipse camping. “Thank you and good luck if you are still looking.” Good luck indeed — almost all well-publicized camp spots are full. Possi- bilities are limited, but one is Ricco Ranch, located south of Prairie City. It has a few tent, RV and even just parking spaces for those who want to pull off the highway for a few hours on Monday. Baker City Area The trip down Interstate 84 may be a more reliable one for Umatilla and Morrow County residents. There are, after all, two lanes in each direction and a 70 mph speed limit. If traveling east on the interstate, you’ll have to at least make Haines to witness totality. For every mile south you drive toward the center of totality’s path, you’ll get an extra few seconds of darkness. COURT: McIver is second defendant to take a deal Continued from 1A that sentencing is not until Nov. 21 in Portland. Primus declined to comment after the hearing. Nelson died Jan. 27, 2016, after being shot by bullets from two different firearms, according to federal court documents. He was 44. A woman who was with him at the time escaped and is a victim in the federal case. McIver is the second defen- dant to take a deal. Edward Duarte Ayala in June pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and manslaughter and received a sentence of 16 years. That time is running concurrent with the 20 years in federal prison for gun crimes connected to the homicide. Armando Ruben Vargas, a third defendant, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon and use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence. According to court documents, the deal also includes him pleaded guilty in Umatilla County to first-degree conspiracy to commit burglary and first-degree manslaughter. The federal charge of use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence carries a maximum penalty of life, the documents state, while first-degree manslaughter in Oregon carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. Per the agreement, Vargas is looking at about 18 years in prison. Umatilla County Circuit Court shows no date yet for a hearing. His sentencing in the federal case is Nov. 28 in Portland. And trial begins Oct. 24 in Portland for the fourth defendant, Nicholas Benjamin Jones, pending any plea deal. There is a lot planned in the Baker area, including a short film festival, Pioneer Days events in Huntington, Powder River Music Review and a Mysteries of the Eclipse lecture series at the Geiser Grand hotel. Atlas Obscura We mentioned in earlier reporting, about the Atlas Obscura festival, which is located about 30 miles east of Baker City. It includes presentations from top-notch musicians and writers, and scientists from some of the premier insti- tutions around the country. Day tickets for the event, which started at $250, have long been sold out. There are, however, some parking passes for vehicles and RVs who come Monday and can witness the event at the site. It’s worth a shot. Avoid Anthony Lakes Highway Plans for eclipse parties at Anthony Lakes Ski Area have been put in danger by the nearby Bear Butte Fire. The fire canceled a mountain bike festival at the lodge on August 5, and it is not recom- mend to count on clear roads and clear skies to see the eclipse. As of Wednesday, the fire was 99 percent contained at roughly 500 acres, but with mop-up work continuing, it makes sense to cross this one off the list. RV and tent spaces It’s tight. Parking lots and back yards are going up for sale on a google forum dedi- cated solely to the wheeling and dealing of last-minute spaces in the Baker Area. Go to visitbaker.com and click on “where to stay” to access the forum. The latest post on Wednesday was offering parking lot space for an RV for $150 a night — no amenities included. It’s thin pickings for just about every- thing else. By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press JUNEAU, Alaska — Governors in at least two states that have legalized recreational marijuana are pushing back against the Trump administration and defending their efforts to regulate the industry. Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, a one-time Republican no longer affiliated with a party, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions this week asking the Depart- ment of Justice to maintain the Obama administration’s more hands-off enforce- ment approach to states that have legalized the drug still banned at the federal level. It comes after Sessions sent responses recently to the governors of Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, who asked him to allow the pot experiments to continue in the first four states to legalize recreational marijuana. Sessions detailed concerns he had with how effective state regulatory efforts have been or will be. Washington state also responded to Sessions this week. Gov. Jay Inslee said the attorney general made claims about the situation in Washington that are “outdated, incorrect, or based on incomplete infor- mation.” “If we can engage in a more direct dialogue, we might avoid this sort of miscommunication and make progress on the issues that are important to both of us,” Inslee and that state’s attorney general wrote to Sessions. Since taking office, Sessions has promised to reconsider pot policy, providing a level of uncer- tainty for states that have legalized the drug. A task force assembled by Sessions encouraged continued study of whether to change or rescind the approach taken under former President Barack Obama. In Alaska, Walker said he shared Sessions’ concerns about the dangers of drug abuse but said state rules for marijuana businesses address federal interests, AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File In this June 8 file photo, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker meets with reporters in Juneau. Walker is asking the Trump administration to back off when it comes to marijuana. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, file In this June 30 file photo, Washington Gov. Jay Ins- lee, left, listens as he meets with staff members in his office as they review the state operating budget passed by the Legislature earlier in the day at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. including public health and safety concerns. The governor said Sessions cited a 2015 state drug report in raising questions about Alaska’s regulations but noted that the first pot shops didn’t open until late last year. The state is taking “meaningful” steps to curb illegal pot use, especially by those who are underage, Walker and state Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth wrote in the letter obtained through a public records request. In a separate letter, Lindemuth was more pointed. “Given the diversity of public sentiment regarding marijuana throughout the country, marijuana regula- tion is an area where states South Korea looks to jumpstart diplomacy with North Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — In an effort to jumpstart diplomacy, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Thursday he would consider sending a special envoy to North Korea for talks if the North stops its missile and nuclear tests. He also declared, amid fears in South Korea that threats from President Donald Trump to unleash “fire and fury” on Pyong- yang could lead to real fighting, that there would be no second war on the Korean Peninsula. “The people worked together to rebuild the country from the Korean War, and we cannot lose everything again because of a war,” Moon said in a nationally televised news conference. “I can confi- dently say there will not be a war again on the Korean Peninsula.” Moon’s comments follow a spike in animosity generated by North Korea’s warning that it might send missiles into waters near the U.S. territory of Guam, and Trump’s warlike language. Both Koreas and the United States have signaled in recent days, however, a willingness to avert a deepening crisis, with each suggesting a path toward negotiations. Trump tweeted early Wednesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had “made a very wise and well reasoned decision,” amid indications North TOBACCO: Would also prohibit retailers from operating within 1,000 feet of each other or school Continued from 1A for that approval. The move comes almost two years after the U.S. Food & Drug Adminis- tration ran 60 stings at 51 stores in the county and found 14 did not verify the buyer’s age and sold cigarettes to a minor. Under the draft of the proposal, the retailer would face fines and license suspensions. County counsel Doug Olsen explained that per state law, a violation of a county ordinance starts at $500. “There could be addi- tional penalties assessed in addition to the fine,” he stated. The regulations also would prohibit tobacco retailers from operating within 1,000 feet of each other or a school, with should take the lead,” she wrote. Alaska political leaders have long pushed back on issues where they think the federal government is overstepping its bounds. The state’s lone U.S. House member, Republican Rep. Don Young, said he has never smoked pot but supports states’ rights. Alaska voted on it, “and the federal government should stay out of it,” he told The Associated Press last year. The largest voting bloc in the state is not affiliated with a political party, though President Donald Trump won with just over 50 percent of the vote last fall. Voters in 2014 approved recreational marijuana, with about 53 percent support. exceptions for those already in business. The proposal calls for the board to set the price of the license each year. That fee would have to be enough to cover the cost of admin- istration and enforcement. Hinds said a survey of local retailers showed they make $200-$5,000 per week on tobacco, so even a $200 license would be affordable. She also said Morrow County is interested in the program, and that would work well because Umatilla County handles much of its western neighbor’s environ- mental health regulation. ——— The board also voted 2-1 to ban all open burning Friday through Monday for the total eclipse. Tom Roberts, county emergency manager, and Gina Miller, county code enforcement director, supported the ban, citing safety concerns due to the number of people traveling through the county to the eclipse path of totality. Miller also said the county had a burn ban in effect this weekend to keep the air clear for Milton-Freewater’s The Rocks Festival (formerly the Muddy Frogwater Festival), so this would extend that just a day. Commissioners George Murdock and Bill Elfering voted in favor of the burn ban. Board Chairman Larry Givens opposed the measure. He said the ban should have been in effect until Wednesday just to be on the safe side of the big event. ——— Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0833. Korea doesn’t immediately plan to fire multiple missiles toward Guam. “The alternative would have been both catastrophic and unacceptable!” Trump wrote. Next week’s start of annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises that enrage the North each year could make diplomacy even more difficult. Moon said he believes dialogue with North Korea can happen when North Korea halts missile and nuclear tests. TWO HOURS every morning paid off my credit card debt. Become an East Oregonian Carrier. 211 SE Byers Ave. Pendleton or call: 541-276-2211 1-800-522-0255