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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 3, 2018)
NORTHWEST Tuesday, July 3, 2018 Seattle bans plastic straws, utensils at restaurants, bars By PHUONG LE Associated Press East Oregonian 3-year-old who was stabbed at her own birthday party dies Associated Press SEATTLE — Look- ing for a plastic straw to sip your soda? It’s no longer allowed in Seattle bars and restaurants. Neither are plastic uten- sils in the latest push to reduce waste and prevent marine plastic pollution. Businesses that sell food or drinks won’t be allowed to offer the plastic items under a rule that went into effect Sunday. Seattle is believed to be the first major U.S. city to ban single-use plastic straws and utensils in food service, according to Seattle Pub- lic Utilities. The eco-con- scious city has been an envi- ronmental leader in the U.S., working to aggressively curb the amount of trash that goes into landfills by requir- ing more options that can be recycled or composted. The city’s 5,000 restau- rants — including Seat- tle-based Starbucks out- lets — will now have to use reusable or compostable utensils, straws and cock- tail picks, though the city is encouraging businesses to consider not providing straws altogether or switch to paper rather than com- postable plastic straws. “Plastic pollution is sur- passing crisis levels in the world’s oceans, and I’m proud Seattle is leading the way and setting an example for the nation by enacting a plastic straw ban,” Seat- tle Public Utilities General Manager Mami Hara said in a statement last month. Proposals to ban plastic straws are being considered in other cities, including New York and San Francisco. California’s Legislature is considering statewide restrictions, but not an out- right ban, on single-use plas- tic straws. It would block restaurants from providing straws as a default but would still allow a customer to request one. It’s passed the state Assem- bly and now awaits action in the Senate. Greg Gilbert/The Seattle Times via AP Paper straws sit at the bar of Duke Moscrip, owner of Duke’s Restaurants, at his restaurant in Seattle. Businesses that sell food or drinks won’t be allowed to offer the plastic items under a rule that went into effect Sunday, July 1. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Theresa May announced in April a plan to ban the sale of plastic straws, drink stirrers and plas- tic-stemmed cotton buds. She called plastic waste “one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world.” Smaller cities in Cali- fornia, including Malibu and San Luis Obispo, have restricted the use of plas- tic straws. San Luis Obispo requires single-use straws only be provided in restau- rants, bars and cafes when customers ask for them. City officials said most customers will say “no” if asked if they want a straw. Business groups have opposed the idea in Hawaii, where legislation to ban plastic straws died this year, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Sunday, with the Hawaii Restaurant Associa- tion and Hawaii Food Indus- try Association testifying against the measure. Seattle’s ban is part of a 2008 ordinance that requires restaurants and other food-service busi- nesses to find recyclable or compostable alternatives to disposable containers, cups, straws, utensils and other products. Businesses had time to work toward complying with the ban, said Jillian Henze, a spokeswoman for the Seat- tle Restaurant Alliance, an industry trade group. “We’ve almost had a year to seek out products to pro- tect the environment and give customers a good expe- rience (with alternatives),” she said. The city had allowed exemptions for some prod- ucts until alternatives could be found. With multi- ple manufacturers offering alternatives, the city let the exemption for plastic uten- sils and straws run out over the weekend. Environmental advo- cates have been pushing for restaurants and other busi- nesses to ditch single-use straws, saying they can’t be recycled and end up in the ocean, polluting the water and harming sea life. A “Strawless in Seat- tle” campaign last fall by the Lonely Whale involving more than 100 businesses voluntarily helped remove 2.3 million single-use plas- tic straws. Supporters say it will take more than banning plastic straws to curb ocean pollu- tion but that ditching them is a good first step and a way to start a conversa- tion about waste and ocean conservation. Seattle urged businesses to use up their existing inven- tory of plastic utensils and straws before Sunday. Those who weren’t able to use up their supply have been told to work with the city on a compliance schedule. Businesses that don’t comply may face a fine of up to $250, but city officials say they will work with busi- nesses to make the changes. Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne in Sac- ramento contributed to this report. Veteran killed by Portland State University campus police had concealed gun permit PORTLAND (AP) — A Navy veteran who was fatally shot by Portland State University campus police during a fight outside a bar had a permit to carry a con- cealed handgun, a news orga- nization reported Monday. Sgt. Brent Laizure, a spokesman for the Mult- nomah County Sheriff’s Office, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that Jason Erik Washington had a valid con- cealed carry permit. Washington, 45, who is black, was shot to death by campus police outside a bar in downtown Portland late Friday. The Portland Police Bureau is investigating the shooting. Witness Keyaira Smith told several news outlets that Washington was try- ing to break up a fight and a gun holstered on his hip fell out. He went to pick it up and was shot after someone yelled, “Gun!” Smith said. She had not responded to a request for an interview from The Associated Press. A video clip shot by a bystander and obtained by KOIN-TV shows a black object in the pocket of a shorts-wearing man who is trying to break up a fight. Shane Dixon/The Oregonian via AP, File Police officers stand at the scene of an earlier shooting outside The Cheerful Tortoise bar in Portland. A black man who was fatally shot by Portland State Universi- ty campus police during a fight outside the bar had a permit to carry a concealed handgun. The man falls to the ground after pulling another man off his friend as they exchange blows. The camera jerks away from the action shortly after the fall and doesn’t show the shooting. Washington was a Navy veteran who had worked at the U.S. Postal Service since 1998, OPB reported. He was married and had three chil- dren and one grandchild. “He loved those kids, he was crazy about them,” said David Norton, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 82. Norton knew Washington for seven years. “He was a big personal- ity. He always had a lot to say. He kind of had a larg- er-than-life personality. He was always very animated and exuberant. And if you ever worked with the guy or knew the guy, you would never forget him.” Norton said Washington was with co-workers the day he was shot. PSU students protested over the weekend over the university’s decision to arm its campus police. The uni- versity’s board of trustees voted in 2015 arm its police force over objections from students. www.cottagefl owersonline.com Review finds Hanford nuclear waste tanks at risk of leaking RICHLAND (AP) — An evaluation of nuclear waste storage tanks at the Hanford site in eastern Washington state indicates more of the newest tanks could be at risk of develop- ing leaks. The Tri-City Herald reports tank farm contrac- tor Washington River Pro- tection Solutions com- pared the chemistry of the waste inside the site’s old- est double-shell tank to the newer tanks. According to the Wash- ington Department of Ecology, the evaluation findings suggest building more tanks to hold the 56 million gallons of waste may be required. U.S. Department of Energy officials say the findings do not mean the tanks are leaking or will leak, but steps are being taken to prevent deterioration. The oldest double-shell tank was taken out of ser- vice after waste leaked in between the two shells. Warm Springs wildfire forces evacuations WARM SPRINGS (AP) — Authorities have ordered people in about 50 homes to evacuate because of a wild- fire in Warm Springs. KTVZ-TV reports a smoldering fire near the for- mer Warm Springs wood mill sparked a fire in high winds Monday afternoon that also shut down High- way 26 near the Deschutes River in both directions. It wasn’t immediately known how much land had burned. Warm Springs tribal assistant fire management officer William Wilson says the fire jumped the highway and was moving toward a neighborhood on the reser- vation where the evacuation notices were issued. LIVING WELL WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS Diagnosed with a chronic condition such as high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, depression, or another long-term health condition? Make a step- by-step plan to improve your health...and your life. Six FREE classes, for patients, caregivers/support person or both. 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Timmy Kin- ner is accused of Kinner stabbing a group of children and the adults who tried to protect them at the party at an apartment complex that is home to many refugee families. Word of the child’s death came at Kinner’s first court appearance, where Ada County Mag- istrate Judge Russell Com- stock told him that he was charged with first-degree murder and other felonies in connection with the Sat- urday night attack. Comstock told Kinner he was “an extreme dan- ger to the community” and ordered him held without bond. Kinner is American, and the victims are mem- bers of refugee families from Syria, Iraq and Ethi- opia. Boise Police Chief William Bones said the evidence does not suggest the attack was a hate crime. The suspect had recently stayed at the apartment complex but was asked to leave Friday over bad behavior, Bones said. The 30-year-old appeared in court through closed-circuit video, a common practice for first appearances in Idaho. Wearing a tat- tered off-white sweatshirt with his arms shackled to his waist, Kin- ner told the judge he didn’t understand the charges or proceedings. He also said he wanted to represent himself. The judge ordered that he be appointed a public defender anyway. “I can’t explain the charges any more clearly than I just did,” he told Kinner. Three of the stab- bing victims were adults, the others children: the 3-year-old girl who died, two 4-year-olds, a 6-year- old, an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old. If convicted, Kinner could be eligible for execu- tion under Idaho law. Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said her office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty, say- ing those “high-level deci- sions” are made only after all the facts are in. Helping care for a loved one in declining health? Come and learn effective ways to reduce stress, communicate with family and health care professionals, reduce guilt and anger, make tough decisions and set goals for self care. 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