Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 2017)
RECORDS Thursday, November 16, 2017 East Oregonian PUBLIC SAFETY LOG TUESDAY 6:16 a.m. - A caller reported someone driving a dark blue 2000 Dodge diesel pickup passed him in a no-passing zone near the mill on Highway 74, Heppner, and flung gravel all over his vehicle. 8 a.m. - Irrigon residents on Synder Road asked for extra patrols because a male has been trying to break into their home while they work. 9:47 a.m. - Pilot Rock police tagged five abandoned vehicles on North Alder Place. 9:51 a.m. - Hermiston police received a call from a maintenance worker who reported a transient was sleeping in a laundry room on Southwest 11th Street. The transient made threats as he left, and the worker took photos of him and asked police to view those. 10:55 a.m. - Staff at the East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, requested to speak to an officer about possible death threats. 12:48 p.m. - A Lexington resident reported she trapped a dog after it killed her chickens. She asked the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office to send a deputy before she shot the dog. The deputy took the dog to Pet Rescue, Hermiston. The woman said she did not want to pursue the case further. 1:01 p.m. - An Irrigon man found plastic pellets around his home on Southeast Utah Street and told law enforcement he was concerned someone may be shooting at his dogs when he is away. 2:12 p.m. - A man reported someone entered his camper at his son’s Ione residence at Gooseberry Road and Kincaid Lane and took items and also stole several sets of horns from his son’s barn. 5:27 p.m. - Umatilla police and fire responded to the back of Tucker Avenue for a grass fire in the construction zone for new housing. 6:18 p.m. - Pendleton emergency services responded to the Horizon Project, 1307 S.W. Court Ave., Pendleton, for a client who injured his head and may have swallowed a thumbtack. 6:21 p.m. - Umatilla Tribal Police Department notified Oregon State Police someone was lighting fires at the Deadman Pass Rest Area off the eastbound side of Interstate 84 milepost 222. Troopers found a number of small slash piles burning where shrubs were cleared. They also found a black coat next to one pile and took that for safekeeping. 6:53 p.m. - Several juveniles caused a disturbance on West Theater Lane, Hermiston. 10:03 p.m. - Pendleton police received a 911 report of a man fighting with his ex-girlfriend and refusing to leave her residence at Wilson’s Mobile Home Rentals, 2918 N.E. Riverside Ave., Pendleton. ARRESTS, CITATIONS •Morrow County Sheriff’s Office arrested Travis Loren Roberts, 38, of 120 E. Punkin Center Road, Apt. 9, Hermiston, for first-degree theft. Umatilla County Circuit Court Records show he pleaded no contest in July to an angling violation. •Pendleton police arrested Arianna Janie Farmer, 24, of, Boise, for unauthorized use of a vehicle. •Stanfield police arrested Jose Lewis Cerda, 34, of Stanfield, for felony possession of methamphetamine. Page 5A OBITUARIES Ronald McKenzie John Gregory Walker Pendleton April 20, 1954 - November 13, 2017 Hermiston January 28, 1956 - November 10, 2017 Ronald McKenzie, 63, Eastern Oregon, and many of Pendleton died suddenly trips with his father to the at his home on Monday, Wallowa Mountains and November 13, 2017. He was the Eagle Cap Wilderness. a lifelong resident He loved to mow of Pendleton. yards and was an He was born avid walker around at St. Anthony Pendleton, always Hospital, an stopping to talk to identical twin, many. on April 20, Ronald is 1954. His parents survived by were Dr. Robert father Dr. Robert McKenzie and McKenzie; sisters Huela McKenzie. Linda and Kathy He attended St. of Pendleton, and Joseph’s Academy McKenzie Barb of John Day; and Pendleton and twin brother High School. He was a paper Randy, a long haul truck carrier for the East Orego- driver. He was preceded in nian as a boy and worked for death by his mother, Huela Harris Pine Mills after high McKenzie. school. He will be missed for his Ronald enjoyed fishing big smile and his friendly and the streams and lakes of inquisitive nature. John Gregory Walker was born January 28, 1956, in Hermiston, Oregon, the son of Woodrow and Edith (Goodman) Walker. He passed away in Hermiston on Friday, November 10, 2017, at the age of 61. John lived the majority of his life in the Hermiston area. He graduated from Hermiston High School in the Class of 1974. He Walker worked various jobs throughout his life but mostly as a body and fender repairman or farming with his brother Steve. He enjoyed golfing and fishing. He was preceded in death by his parents, Woodrow and Edith Walker, and brothers Jerry and Dick Walker. He is survived by a brother, Steve Walker; a son, Christopher; and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, November 19, 2017, at the Herm- iston Seventh-day Adventist Church, 855 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston, OR 97838). A private inter- ment will be in the Hermiston Cemetery. To leave an online condolence for the family go to www.burnsmortuaryherm- iston.com DEATH NOTICES UPCOMING SERVICES Stan Philip Bastien THURSDAY, NOV. 16 ROME, CAMERON — Family viewing from 4-7 p.m. in the chapel at Burns Mortuary, 685 W. Hermiston Ave., Hermiston. THOMPSON, LUONA — Visitation from 3-7 p.m. at Burns Mortuary, 336 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. Pendleton Sept. 25, 1958 - Nov. 14, 2017 Stan Philip Bastien, 59, of Pendleton died Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, at St. Anthony Hospital. He was born Sept. 25, 1958, in Vallejo, Calif. Arrangements are being handled by Pendleton Pioneer Chapel, Folsom-Bishop. Online condolences may be sent to www.pioneerchapel.com Vernetta Mae Meeks Pendleton May 24, 1924 - Nov. 15, 2017 Vernetta Mae Meeks, 93, of Pendleton died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, at a local care facility. She was born May 24, 1924, in Pendleton. Arrangements are being handled by Pend- leton Pioneer Chapel, Folsom-Bishop. Online condolences may be sent to www.pioneerchapel.com FRIDAY, NOV. 17 MATHWICH, J. MERLE — Funeral services at 10:30 a.m. at Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home, 902 S. Main St., Milton-Freewater. Concluding services and interment will follow at the Athena Cemetery. ROME, CAMERON — Memorial service at 1 p.m. in the chapel at Burns Mortuary, 685 W. Hermiston Ave., Hermiston. WEBBER, KRISTOFER — Service at 2 p.m. at Burns Mortuary, 336 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. Nevada rancher’s son tells jury militia ‘saved my life’ “We didn’t know who they were. Yet here they were, protecting my life. They were heroes.” By KEN RITTER Associated Press LAS VEGAS — The eldest son of a Nevada rancher and states’ rights figure told a federal jury on Wednesday he believes protesters and self-styled militia members saved his life when they arrived in April 2014 after govern- ment agents used dogs and stun guns against his family members ahead of a gunpoint showdown that ended a cattle roundup. “We didn’t know who they were,” Ryan Bundy said of the hundreds of people who answered a family call for support after news reports and internet accounts of family scuffles with agents and contract cowboys collecting cattle from hardscrabble range- land northeast of Las Vegas. “Yet here they were, protecting my life,” he said. “They were heroes.” Bundy, who is serving as his own lawyer in the trial in Las Vegas, spent more than an hour speaking with a projected image of his wife and eight children on the courtroom screen. He told his family history, declared his belief in states’ rights over limited federal government, and professed his love of family, the land, God, Americans, liberty and freedom. “My family and I have been charged with some pretty grievous things,” he said. “I want to tell you — Ryan Bundy, on the hundreds of people who answered a call for support AP Photo/John Locher Ryan Bundy, center, walks out of federal court with his wife Angela Bundy, Tuesday in Las Vegas. Ryan Bundy, along with his father Cliven Bundy, brother Ammon Bun- dy and co-defendant Ryan Payne, are accused of leading an armed standoff in 2014 against government agents in a cattle grazing dispute. that they’re not true and the evidence will show they are not.” Yes, Cliven Bundy stopped paying grazing fees to the government in the 1990s, he said, echoing the family history told a day earlier by his father’s lawyer, Bret Whipple. But that was after the U.S. Bureau of Land Management cut nearly in half the allotment of cows the family could turn out to graze in the vast public range surrounding the 160-acre ranch the Mormon family settled more than 140 years ago. Acting U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre on Tuesday cast 71-year-old Cliven Bundy as the leader of a conspiracy to enlist armed militia members to turn away federal agents trying to enforce federal court orders and remove what authorities termed “trespass cattle” from range including what is now Gold Butte National Monument. The prosecutor told jurors they’ll be asked at *UHJ·V 6OHHS&HQWHU MEETINGS For a complete listing of regional events, visit easternoregonevents.com THURSDAY, NOV. 16 HERMISTON IRRIGATION DISTRICT, 4 p.m., Hermiston Ir- rigation District office conference room, 366 E. Hurlburt Ave., Herm- iston. (541-567-3024) ECHO CITY COUNCIL, 4 p.m., Old VFW Hall, 210 W. Bridge St., Echo. (541-376-8411) UMATILLA COUNTY SPE- CIAL LIBRARY DISTRICT, 5:15 p.m., Pendleton Center for the Arts boardroom, 214 N. Main St., Pendleton. (Erin McCusker 541- 276-6449) PENDLETON PLANNING COMMISSION, 7 p.m., Pendleton City Hall, 501 S.W. Emigrant Ave., Pendleton. (Jutta Haliewicz 541- 966-0240) FRIDAY, NOV. 17 No meetings scheduled MONDAY, NOV. 20 WEST EXTENSION IRRIGA- TION DISTRICT, 9 a.m., Irrigon Fire Department, 705 N.E. Main St., Irrigon. (Lisa Baum 541-922- 3814) WESTLAND IRRIGATION DISTRICT SPECIAL MEETING, 1 p.m., district office, 77096 High- way 207, Echo. The results of Tuesday’s board election will be discussed. (541-667-2030) ECHO SCHOOL DISTRICT, 6 p.m., Echo Community School, 600 Gerone St., Echo. A budget meeting will be followed by the regular board meeting. (541-376- 8436) HELIX CITY COUNCIL, 7 p.m., Helix City Hall, 119 Colum- bia St., Helix. (541-457-2521) PENDLETON YOUTH COM- MISSION, 7 p.m., Intermountain ESD office, 2001 S.W. Nye Ave., Pendleton. (541-276-6711) TRICT, 6 p.m., USDA Service Center conference room, 1 S.W. Nye Ave., Pendleton. (Kyle Wag- goner 541-278-8049 ext. 138) UMATILLA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION, 6 p.m., Umatil- la City Hall council chambers, 700 Sixth St., Umatilla. (Nanci 541- 922-3226 ext. 105) TUESDAY, NOV. 21 Mega Millions 01-14-21-22-28 Mega Ball: 19 Megaplier: 3 Estimated jackpot: $82 million Lucky Lines 03-06-11-13-FREE-20-23- 26-29 Estimated jackpot: $20,000 Pick 4 1 p.m.: 5-3-6-6 4 p.m.: 5-7-5-4 7 p.m.: 7-2-0-4 10 p.m.: 4-8-0-4 EASTERN OREGON TRADE & EVENT CENTER AUTHORI- TY, 7 a.m., EOTEC main building, 1705 E. Airport Road, Hermiston. (541-289-9800) ATHENA CEMETERY DIS- TRICT, 5:30 p.m., Athena City Hall, 215 S. Third St., Athena. (541-566-3862) IRRIGON CITY COUNCIL, 6 p.m., Irrigon City Hall, 500 N.E. Main Ave., Irrigon. (541-922- 3047) PENDLETON DEVELOP- MENT COMMISSION, 6 p.m., Pendleton City Hall, 501 S.W. Emigrant Ave., Pendleton. (541- 276-1811) MORROW COUNTY FAIR, 6 p.m., Morrow County Fairgrounds office, 74473 Highway 74, Hep- pner. (Ann Jones 541-676-9474) UMATILLA COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DIS- the end of the four-month trial to weigh the rule of law against the effect of force and violence “at the end of a gun.” The first government witness called Wednesday was a Bureau of Land Management director, Mary Jo Rugwell, to testify about the decades-long dispute with Cliven Bundy. Ryan Bundy earlier cast the government as intent on running his family off the land. “If they become that which will not honor our rights, then they become the criminal,” he said. “The government is our servant, not we to them.” Government agents over- reached and overreacted, Bundy said, spending untold millions of dollars to close a vast area to the public, designate corral-style “First Amendment Zones” for protesters and devote nearly 200 federal agents and contract cowboys to the cattle roundup. He denied anyone conspired, coerced, threat- ened or impeded federal agents. “We were attacked. Our house was surrounded,” Bundy said. “Surveillance cameras on one hill. Snipers aiming at the house.” Bundy choked with emotion as he recalled people like co-defendant Ryan Payne, head of a self-styled militia group, arriving from Montana in response to a family call for help. “They saved my life,” Bundy said, “for before they were there, I had a sniper LOTTERY Pick 4 1 p.m.: 2-5-9-8 <RXU 9 to 5 0HPRU\)RDP 1RZ 7ZLQ;/ 6OHHS6SHFLDOLVWV $GMXVWDEOH%HGV 5HFOLQHUV 6LPPRQV %HDXW\UHVW 3RZHU 0RWLRQ 6WDUWLQJDW /LIW&KDLUV :HHNGD\V$3 6DWXUGD\$3 6XQ13 2Q6DOH .#607/'4+'5 Justice League (PG13) 6:30 9:20 Wonder (PG) 7:00 9:30 Daddy’s Home 2 (PG13) 4:30 6:50 9:10 Thor: Ragnarok 2D (PG13) 7:00 Thor: Ragnarok 2D (PG13) 4:10 9:50 A Bad Moms Christmas (R) 4:40 7:10 9:40 Jigsaw (R) 4:50 Thank You For Your Service (R) 4:00 3RZHU Tickets available now! $GMXVWDEOH%HGV Credit & Debit Cards accepted Cineplex gift cards available * Matinee Pricing *UHJ·V 6OHHS&HQWHU '4'6*'5614';174.11-+0)(14T Cineplex Show Times 11/22 12:00 PM :H$UH 11/16 $5 Classic Movie 3OXJLQWKH3RZHU WR*UHDWHU&RPIRUW Tuesday, Nov. 14 Wednesday, Nov. 15 +HUPLVWRQ 6RIDV¶Q0RUH 3RZHUWRWKH3HRSOH 6LQRPD pointing at me.” Payne’s lawyer, Ryan Norwood, described Payne as a U.S. Army veteran who lost four good friends during two deployments in Iraq who felt compelled after seeing reports of clashes and arrests of Bundy family members to leave his job as an electrician and his wife and children at home in Anaconda, Montana, and drive to the Bundy ranch. Norwood said jurors might not agree with his client’s views on the law and constitutional rights, but, “Ryan Payne believed people were in danger, and if he didn’t do something now it was going to get worse.” Payne never pointed a gun at anyone and remained with Cliven Bundy on the day of the standoff, miles away from the clash point, Norwood said. “He worked to keep people safe,” the attorney said. “Keeping people safe is not a crime.” Attorneys for another Bundy son, Ammon Bundy, told Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro they would wait until after the prosecution evidence has been presented to make an opening statement. Each defendant faces 15 felony charges including assault and threats against federal officers, obstruction and extortion. Convictions could carry the possibility of more than 170 years in prison. 0RWLRQ 6RIDV¶Q0RUH wildhorseresort.com 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216