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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2018)
REGION Wednesday, January 17, 2018 MILTON-FREEWATER Jury finds man guilty of sexual abuse of minor By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian A Milton-Freewater man was found guilty on 36 counts of sexual abuse and sodomy, a jury unanimously decided in a trial last week. Jeffrey Allen Pierce, 40, was initially charged with 50 counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, and sodomy in the first and second degrees against a relative who was under 12 years old at the time Pierce the abuse began. However, Jaclyn Jenkins, the lead deputy district attorney, said that some of the charges were dismissed because of a potential overlap in dates of some of the incidents. She said based on the victim’s recollection of what grade she was in, some of the dates may have been a year off and to avoid charging Pierce twice, the charges were dismissed. Court documents state that Pierce abused the victim over a period of five years beginning in 2008. Pierce’s attorney, Thomas Gray requested an “in-camera inspection,” which was denied. Jenkins said an in-camera inspection is a review done by the judge in chambers. Gray had wanted access to Department of Human Services records. Jenkins said the DA’s office had provided him with some of those records, but he wanted the judge to require them to hand over all the documents. Jenkins said the most compelling evidence came from the victim herself. “She’s an ‘everything’s OK’ sort of person, but every- thing wasn’t OK,” Jenkins said. “Allowing herself to be vulnerable, the jury got a glimpse of how horrific the situation was for her.” Jenkins said she had been working with the victim since May, and the case went to grand jury in September. Pierce’s sentencing hearing is Feb. 2. Marijuana proponents push for legalization in Wallowa County By KATHLEEN ELLYN EO Media Group Marijuana proponents in Wallowa County are working to collect enough signatures to force a November vote on legalizing marijuana in the county. But if it were to pass, the economic potential for Joseph or Enterprise is diffi- cult to estimate. The tiny town of Huntington (pop. 435) in Baker County is often cited as an example of the riches a city can reap from recreational marijuana dispensaries. It is home to two dispensaries. It is the closest available legal pot point of sale for 600,000 residents of Boise and popu- lations east of Pendleton. “What we get mainly are Idaho drivers, hundreds a day,” said Huntington mayor Candy Howland. Wallowa County, with a population of approximately 7,000, has an estimated 805,000 visitors per year. Huntington’s experience does aid in understanding how a small city can get the biggest bang from marijuana dispensary bucks. Hunting- ton’s share of the $850,000 the state distributed to cities has come to about $12,000, Howland said. Huntington’s three percent city tax on recreational mari- juana is a far bigger boost to the local budget — as is the case in Pendleton. Howland said that the city used the first quarter city tax payments to extrapolate annual income of $200,000 from the local marijuana tax in 2018. “Our usual total city budget was $135,000 to $175,000 a year,” Howland said. The city plans to spend that money wisely, Howland said. Most of the new dollars funneling into city coffers will be spent on infrastruc- ture and emergency services, according to the mayor. BRIEFLY Lifeways hosts meet and greet HERMISTON — The public is invited to meet Tim Hoekstra, the new chief executive officer of Lifeways, Inc. A meet-and-greet is Thursday from 5-6:30 p.m. at Lifeways, 595 N.W. 11th St., Hermiston. Hoekstra began overseeing the organization’s services in Hermiston, Pendleton, Umatilla, Milton- Freewater and Ontario on Jan. 15. He has 28 years of experience providing executive leadership with healthcare operations and integrated physical and behavioral health services. In addition, Hoekstra has served on numerous legislative committees regarding policies, rules and laws impacting communities and healthcare organizations. Lifeways provides mental health services in Umatilla County and beyond. For more information, visit www.lifeways.org. Deadline looms for ArtWORKz MISSION — The submission deadline for the 2018 ArtWORKz Junior Art Show & Competition is Thursday. Open to all artists 18 and under, all mediums are welcome. There is no entry fee. The show and competition runs Jan. 27 through March 17 at Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, located near Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Numerous awards will be presented during the artists’ reception, which is Saturday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. Tamástslikt is undergoing a maintenance closure, however submissions will be accepted at the museum’s front entrance. For more information, visit www. tamastslikt.org or call 541-429-7700. Women’s choir warms up for spring concert PENDLETON — Sisters in Song, Pendleton’s community women’s choir, will resume its rehearsal schedule in preparation for a spring concert. All returning and new singers are invited to join the weekly rehearsals. They begin Monday, Jan. 22 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Pendleton High School choir room, 1800 N.W. Carden Ave. Auditions are not required to join the choir. The mission of Sisters in Song is to learn and perform a variety of music, striving for musical polish and beauty while working in an atmosphere of supportive and good-humored cooperation. The group is directed by Lezlee Flagg and Cheryl Carlson with accompaniment provided by Suzi Wood. The spring concert is Sunday, May 20. For more information, contact Flagg at 541-263-2755, Carlson at 541-429-0160 or womensingpendleton@ gmail.com. ——— 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. East Oregonian Page 3A Rancher takes different tack on wolf depredation By LEE JUILLERAT For the EO Media Group The recent killings of three calves by wolves in Jackson County, probably by members of the Rogue Pack, hit close to home for Mark Coats, who advocates a predator awareness program he believes can reduce such incidents by wolves, coyotes and other carnivores. Coats, who has cattle operations in Siskiyou County in far Northern California and Klamath and Jackson counties in Oregon, said the attacks happened on a neighbor’s land. “My cows turned out fine,” he said. “I’m confident in my cows’ ability to stand off predators,” explaining he routinely takes steps to retrain his herds. Coats doesn’t necessarily like it, but he accepts the fact that wolves have become a fixture in Oregon and parts of Northern California. “The wolf is a carnivore. Killing is what he does. By the laws of the ESA we can’t do a lot,” said Coats, referring to protections to wolves mandated under the federal Endangered Species Act. “We need to learn how to stay in business in his presence.” Over the past six years Coats has been studying and implementing new ways of preventing cattle deaths by predators, including wolves, coyotes and mountain lions. He has been working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on creating a pred- ator awareness program he believes can successfully reduce or eliminate predation deaths. “What they need is the individualized chase,” where a wolf or wolves isolate a cow or calf from the herd, then chase, immobilize and eat the animal, which is often still alive. “We’re trying to Courtesy of Mark Coats Cattle form a defensive group, which rancher Mark Coats trained them to do when threatened by a predator. In the foreground is a guard dog. Studies indicate wolves do not attack groups of livestock, Coats said. “My cows turned out fine. I’m confi- dent in my cows’ ability to stand off predators.” — Mark Coats, cattle owner interrupt that. That is the key.” The key, he believes, is training cattle to gather in herds when threatened by wolves or other potential killers. Coats began researching wolf and cattle behavior six years ago when OR-7, then a lone male gray wolf that for several years was elec- tronically tracked after it left the Imnaha Pack in north- east Oregon in 2007, passed through his lands near the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge along the Oregon-California state line. During his wander- ings in Southern Oregon and Northern California, OR-7 eventually found a breeding female. The pack has grown and includes OR-7’s grandchildren. “My phone was ringing off the hook because I was the cattlemen’s president,” remembers Coats, who served as the Siskiyou County Cattlemen’s Associa- tion president for three years, of what spurred his interest. “I started doing a lot of research on what cattlemen can do.” What cattlemen and others can do is limited. Wolves east of Highway 395, which slices through Washington, Oregon and California, are not protected by the ESA but wolves west of the highway are protected, which restricts ways cattle ranchers and others can deal with potential depredation threats. Coats said various studies, including research done in Yellowstone National Park, show threats can be reduced or eliminated if cattle are taught to group together and not to flee or run. “The fear of the wolf is still there. There are no sound practices to defer him,” Coats said of concerns by livestock owners who are legally prevented from killing wolves. “We cannot manage them with any effec- tive measure.” Instead of hunting or trap- ping wolves, he believes the predator awareness program is a viable alternative. “When wolves confront livestock, (livestock) get fearful for their lives. Once they reach the group, the pressure is relieved. A defensive standing posture will defer wolves. What we’re encour- aging is a defensive posture of moving to the herd.” He said studies indicate wolves do not attack groups of livestock, choosing instead to chase individual animals. According to Coats, previous studies showed that wolves will leave if livestock remain still and in groups. While he is focused on cattle, he said the group-and-stand theory applies to other livestock. “We always saw losses to coyotes, but since we’ve worked with this program we haven’t had any losses to mammals.” CONDON Celebration features tatties, neeps and Scottish merriment East Oregonian Pipers, drummers and other partici- pants come from near and far to help the Condon community celebrate its Scottish heritage on the 259th anniver- sary of the birth of Robert Burns. The Royal Condon Highland Guard, an eclectic bunch of roving pipers and drummers, began gathering in Condon more than 20 years ago, said Mac Stinchfield, one of the group’s longtime members. The purpose, he said, is to have fun and celebrate the birth of the Scottish poet in traditional fashion with music and merriment. Held each year on the Saturday closest to the Scottish bard’s Jan. 25 birth date, this year’s Robert Burns Supper is Saturday, Jan. 27 beginning at 2 p.m. at the Condon Elks Lodge, 117 S. Main St. Tickets are $17.50 per person or $30 for a couple. The event continues well into the night with abun- dant piping and dancing. In addition to highlighting the works of “Rabbie Burns,” the event features lively and festive music from the Old Country and a traditional Scottish meal of haggis, neeps and tatties. Also, with the popularity of the shortbread contest growing each year, it is open to everyone. Also, anecdotes from the annuls of Scottish families who settled in the greater Gilliam County area will be shared. The tradition of honoring specific families began several years Photo contributed by Mac Stinchfield Ann Rosen of Salem, Linda Mae Dennis of Vancouver, Bill Shelton of Car- son, Washington, George Jamieson, formerly of Condon; Rick McCaul of Portland, Patrick Hogan of Vancouver, Katie Santini of White Salmon, Washington, Debe McCaul of Portland, Mylinda Humble of Vancouver and Mac Stinchfield of Condon, performed with the Royal Condon High- land Guard during the 2016 Robert Burns Supper. In celebration of the Scottish poet’s life, this year’s event is Jan. 27 at the Condon Elks Lodge. ago, Stinchfield said. This year’s event will include ‘bio snippets’ of many area families. “Back in the 1950s, the celebration was called ‘Uncle Will Stewart Night,’ which honored Will Stewart, my great- uncle and an aging bachelor in his 90s at the time,” Stinchfield said. “The celebration faded away for a generation until we revived it over 20 years ago.” For those with lingering hunger pangs in the morning, the Condon Lady Elks will offer a Robert Burns Break- LIVING WELL WITH DIABETES Whether this is a new diagnosis or not, this class will assist you with learning more about diabetes and its effect on your mind and body. Six FREE FREE weekly classes. Attend alone or with support person. Call for upcoming dates & times Must pre-register, call 541-667-3509 fast. Everyone is welcome to attend Sunday, Jan. 28 from 7-10 a.m., also at the Elks Lodge. The all-you-can-eat buffet-style breakfast includes biscuits and gravy, sausage, scrambled eggs and pancakes. The cost is $8 per person. To purchase tickets or for more information about the Robert Burns Supper, contact The Times-Journal at 541-384-2421 or times-journal@ jncable.com. In addition, tickets will be available at the door. STUDENT OF THE WEEK ACT PROGRAM: Giovani Armenta-Garcilazo ACHIEVE, CONQUER, THRIVE Senior - Umatilla High School This 6 month lifestyle change program will help you achieve your health goals! Registered Dietitian Nutritionists will help you learn how to make healthy food and activity choices each and every day. Program includes 8 weekly group classes, individual appointments for 2-3 months and a follow up group class. New Classes start Jan 22 5:30pm Must pre-register, call 541-667-3517 DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR EXERCISE CLASSES! Information or to register call (541) 667-3509 or email healthinfo@gshealth.org www.gshealth.org In June he will be graduating with his high school diploma along with his AAOT. He is also involved in tennis and basketball all while working full time. He has a 3.76 cumulative GPA and will be attending Oregon State University majoring in construction engineering management. Proudly Sponsored By: Proudly Sponsored By: 1411 6th Street, Umatilla, OR • 541-922-3001