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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 2018)
REGION Saturday, March 3, 2018 East Oregonian IRRIGON $2.5M grant to update sewer system By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian The city of Irrigon will soon be able to update its sewer system for many resi- dents — a project that has been a long time coming. The improvement will be a result of a $2.5 million Oregon Commu- nity Development Block Grant that the city received from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Funds will be used to improve a large portion of the sewer system, which Mayor Daren Strong described in a press release as “outdated.” He said the project would convert about 147 properties with effluent sewer systems, or green sewer tanks, to the standard conventional system. The roads in the areas where conversions take place will be paved. Strong said the project would likely start in June, with bidding to take place more than a year later in fall of 2019. He said he expects that it will be completed in summer of 2020, and in compliance with regulatory standards by December of that year. City Manager Aaron Palmquist said the project needs to undergo an environmental review and evaluation before they can begin design. “Design generally takes over eight months,” he said in an email to the EO. “The timeline is flexible with a true start date uncertain until ‘all’ documents/ requirements of the agreement between the city and the IFA are fully met.” The grant, which is administered by Business Oregon’s Infrastructure Finance Authority, provides grant funds to cities and counties to upgrade public infrastructure, develop community facilities and provide services to work- force and citizens. Page 3A Canine influenza found in Walla Walla By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian Now is a good time to keep an even closer eye on your dog’s health, as a case of canine influenza was recently confirmed in the area. The virus, which has two strains — H3N8 and H3N2 — was recently found in a dog in Walla Walla. Some local veterinary clinics have already been taking precautions against the virus. “I’ve informed local daycares and groomers,” said Dr. Fiona Hillenbrand, a veterinarian at Pendleton Veterinary Clinic. “We’ve been vaccinating against the virus since January 2016.” Hillenbrand said dogs have to be vaccinated twice, with one dosage adminis- tered three or four weeks after the first. They don’t get full immunity until a week to 10 days after the second injection. “Full immunity has a 95 percent injection rate,” she said. Hillenbrand said the virus may have originated some- where on the East Coast, but there has been a fairly large outbreak in the San Francisco area. “A lot of daycare and boarding facilities are closing down,” she said. Hillenbrand said they have had lots of people calling, concerned that their dogs are at risk. “Some of them are already up to date,” she said. “Right now, the population of pets are at risk when they’re in contact with other animals — boarding, dog parks.” Not all local vet clinics are concerned. A representative for Hermiston Veterinary Clinic said they are not currently vaccinating for canine influenza, and that the veterinarians there have no immediate plans to do so. Hillenbrand said symp- toms include a cough, followed by fever and ocular or nasal discharge. “They’re just sick,” she said. “Lethargic. Very similar to the human flu.” If a dog does contract the virus, Hillenbrand said there is supported treatment, and that most dogs are OK if they receive treatment. But she said there is a five to 10 percent death rate for dogs who are infected with the virus. “It doesn’t discriminate between the young and very old,” she said. “Dogs already have compromised lung functions.” Though they already vaccinate for the virus, Hillenbrand said the veter- inary clinic takes extra precautions. If someone comes in with a sick dog, they are asked to keep the dog in the car. They have to bring the dog in through a separate entrance. “They’re completely isolated. There’s a very strict protocol,” she said. Hillenbrand said the virus usually doesn’t survive more than 48 hours on inanimate objects. Dogs who test posi- tive for the virus have to be isolated for 21 days, she said. They are most contagious during the two to four-day incubation period of the virus. BRIEFLY Staff photo by Kathy Aney Overdose buster Sgt. John Shafer, of the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, tests a dose of Narcan by releasing it into the air as Eastern Oregon Prevention Drug Coordinator Mike Stensrud looks on during a briefing session. Stensrud, of the Umatilla County Public Health Department, delivered 60 doses of the overdose reversing drugs which Umatilla County Sheriff’s deputies will soon start carrying in their cruisers. The medication saves lives by reversing overdoses of prescription painkillers, heroin and the synthetic painkiller fentanyl. Funding from Purdue Pharma to the National Sheriff’s Association helped bring the kits to Umatilla County and various other law enforcement agencies across the county at no cost to taxpayers. New rescue ATV gets workout on first day East Oregonian The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office got a new toy this week and began putting it to use right away. The office purchased an ATV with snow tracks for its snowmobile patrol division, using grant funds from the Oregon State Snowmobile Association. Tom Roberts, the coun- ty’s emergency manager, said the vehicle is useful because it can travel on different types of terrain and also haul a heavy payload. On Wednesday morning the search and rescue divi- sion was sent out to find a Legislators approve drug cost transparency bill SALEM (AP) — Both chambers of the Oregon Legislature have approved a measure that would require drug companies to divulge development costs for their most expensive products. The measure requires drug companies to disclose the costs for developing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing prescription drugs, and previous-year revenues. It would apply only to plane that had crashed in the snowy mountains east of Milton-Freewater. Roberts had the ATV fueled up and took it the mountains, and soon after the search and rescue team found the pilot and passenger near Government Camp — cold and wet, but uninjured. As the response team was returning from that call, the Umatilla Tribal Police Department called and asked for help finding a possibly suicidal man near Poverty Flats near Pendleton. Using the ATV, searchers found the man and returned him to safety. “Within the first few hours of having this type of vehicle, we’ve already demonstrated its value to the Sheriff’s Office,” said Jim Littlefield, Umatilla County undersheriff. “While the vehicle’s primary mission will be for snow patrol use, it also has the capacity to be used in many other situations and can help us save lives.” Roberts said a similar vehicle was borrowed from Walla Walla to respond to the 2012 bus crash at Deadman Pass that required traveling up and down steep terrain, and he’s glad to have one at his disposal in Umatilla County. drugs costing at least $100 for a month’s supply, and that saw price increases of at least 10 percent in a year. Following House approval, the Senate voted 25-4 on the measure Friday, sending it to Gov. Kate Brown to sign. The Department of Consumer and Business Services will post the information publicly, and be able to fine violators up to $10,000 per day. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America objected to the bill. Lawmakers pass bill to strengthen data protections 3/2-4 3/5-6 Cineplex Show Times Cineplex Show Times $5 Classic Movie • 3/7 • 12:00 PM $5 Classic Movie • 3/7 • 12:00 PM Babe Red Sparrow (R) 12:50* 3:50* 6:50 9:50 Babe Red Sparrow (R) 3:50* 6:50 9:50 Death Wish (R) 11:40* 2:10* 4:40 7:10 9:40 Death Wish (R) 4:40 7:10 9:40 Game Night (R) 12:00* 2:20* 4:20 6:40 9:20 Game Night (R) 4:20 6:40 9:20 Black Panther 2D (PG13) 1:00* 7:00 3D 4:00 10:00 Black Panther 2D (PG13) 7:00 3D 4:00 10:00 Peter Rabbit (PG) 11:50* 2:00* 4:50 7:20 9:30 Peter Rabbit (PG) 4:50 7:20 9:30 * Matinee Pricing * Matinee Pricing wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 SALEM (AP) — The Oregon Senate approved updated rules for responding to data breaches. Under the measure which passed unanimously Friday, consumers would Contributed photo The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office purchased an ATV with snow tracks to add to its snowmobile division and for use in search and rescue. have access to free placement, removal, and temporary lifts of credit freezes. Under the approved bill, breaches would have to be reported to consumers within 45 days, and limits would be placed on the practice of upselling, where companies use a breach as a way to sell them additional data protection services. Accepting New Patients We are open from 7:30am - 4:30pm M-Th McEntire Dental 1100 Southgate, Suite 3 Pendleton OR 97801 541.276.5272 Heppner man jailed after crash THE DALLES — Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office reported Daniel Joseph Coiner, 37, of Heppner, faces multiple charges after crashing a car that later caught fire. On Saturday, Feb. 24, at about 11:25 p.m., a homeowner south of the mouth of Rock Creek along the John Day River woke to his pickup alarm and flashing lights, according to a written statement from the sheriff’s office. The owner went outside and saw a man sitting in the driver’s seat of the pickup. “The home owner confronted the subject who was non-compliant at first but eventually left the area on foot,” the sheriff’s office reported. The home does not have a telephone, so the owner and his wife drove until they had cellphone service and called 911. About three-quarters of a mile from their home they found a vehicle fully engulfed in flames. Gilliam County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the home and searched for the suspect. Oregon State Police investigated the crash and fire, and the North Gilliam County Rural Fire Department extinguished the blaze. Two deputies and two state troopers determined the suspect was Daniel Joseph Coiner, 37, of Heppner. Coiner, possibly intoxicated, had driven his car off the road and gotten stuck near Rock Creek, according to the sheriff’s office. The vehicle caught fire and Coiner walked to the residence where he entered the pickup. Law enforcement found and arrested Coiner and booked him into jail in The Dalles on several charges including criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, unlawful entry into a motor vehicle, felony revoked driving and littering. Man flown to hospital after dental equipment mishap PENDLETON — An equipment malfunction at First Choice Denture Services, 715 SW Dorion Ave., sent a man to the hospital with non-life threatening facial burns on Friday. The Pendleton fire department was called at about 9:30 a.m. to the office, which is about one block from the main fire station, on the report of an explosion. Medics responded and took the injured man to the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport for transport by air ambulance to Kadlec Medical Center, Richland for further treatment. “Anytime anyone gets burns to the face it has the potential to be critical,” said Lt. Craig Murstig. “Sometimes they need specialty care.” Murstig said he didn’t know if the patient would be sent on to a burn unit. A receptionist at the medical office declined to comment.