WEEKEND EDITION
UMATILLA
SCHOOL DISTRICT
SHOWS OFF NEW
FACILITIES
REGION, A3
HERMISTON’S FIRST FAMILY OF RACING
BUCKS COACHES
AND PLAYERS
REFLECT ON
THEIR HISTORIC
BASEBALL SEASON
SPORTS, B1
LIFESTYLES, C1
E O
AST
143rd Year, No. 168
REGONIAN
JUNE 8-9, 2019
ODFW
adopts
revised
wolf plan
WEEKEND SPECIAL
Dems
face
angry
unions
Commissioners
approve 155-page
management plan with
6-1 vote Friday
Unions feel betrayed
and consider putting
political money
elsewhere
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
SALEM — Oregon has revised
and updated its plan for manag-
ing the state’s growing wolf pop-
ulation, retaining provisions that
allow depredating wolves to be
killed.
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife
Commission voted 6-to-1 on June
7 to approve the long-awaited,
highly contentious plan after hours
of public testimony and debate
over last-minute amendments.
Commissioner Greg Wolley, of
Portland, was the only member to
vote against the plan.
Getting to this point was no
easy feat. Wolf management has
been a source of controversy ever
since the species returned to Ore-
gon in 1999. The state adopted
By AUBREY WIEBER,
CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE AND
MARK MILLER
Oregon Capital Bureau
SALEM — Last week, 31 Dem-
ocrats voted to cut into benefi ts
promised to public employees in
what was likely their toughest vote
of the 2019 legislative session, if
not their career. It prompted 17 to
fi le public explanations for why
they voted.
In a political environment where
public employee unions give gen-
erously to many Democrats’ cam-
paigns, cutting into pensions is a
line rarely crossed.
Public employee unions have
long been considered as the puppet
masters of the Capitol, where Dem-
ocrats reign supreme.
They fund Democrats’ cam-
paigns, and are increasingly get-
ting their own members elected.
Unions have schools where they
groom potential candidates, and
oftentimes politicians have to fi ll
out a policy scorecard before secur-
ing union money for their race.
Rarely do they see Democrats
veer from a union policy agenda
like they did last week.
Because of that power, lawmak-
ers and lobbyists were reluctant to
speak publicly. The Oregon Capi-
tal Bureau allowed them to talk on
background.
“It’s the holy grail,” said one vet-
eran lobbyist of voting to cut ben-
efi ts. “It’s like a Republican voting
to increase taxes.”
Senate Bill 1049 was introduced
in May by Senate President Peter
Courtney, D-Salem, and House
Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland,
after a ballooning unfunded lia-
bility on the state’s pension plan
mounted pressure.
The pressure on leadership to
pass pension reform increased May
13 when the Senate passed the Stu-
dent Success Act, a large education
$1.50
WINNER OF THE 2018 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
See Wolves, Page A8
Oregon State
Police roll
with Pride
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
rely on Huawei’s inexpensive products are wait-
ing for clarifi cation on what the blacklist means.
There has been talk of forcing providers to not
SALEM — Oregon State Police
this month rolled out a new looking
patrol car for Pride Month.
The 2019 Dodge Charger is among
the 1,000 or so vehicles in the state
police’s fl eet and packs the standard
issue police equipment ready for road
work. But rather than black graphics
on silver paint, the Pride car displays
rainbow lettering and a rainbow stripe
on either side.
Pride Month recognizes and cel-
ebrates the LGBTQ community, and
the rainbow is a common pride sym-
bol. Capt. Tim Fox, Oregon State
Police spokesperson, said the car
serves two purposes.
“First, OSP is competing with
other Oregon police agencies to
attract and recruit police offi cers,” he
explained. “This is a tough market
and we engage in scores of outreach
efforts to show we are an inclusive
and attractive employer. The patrol
car graphics, like any other signage,
promotional material or giveaways,
is intended to be an ice breaker and
invite conversation with the citizens
we serve.”
Equally important, he continued,
the state police “understands LGBTQ
citizens (and those perceived to be
LGBTQ) are regrettably over repre-
sented in bullying, harassment and
hate crimes. This includes school
See Waiting game, Page A8
See Pride, Page A8
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Boxes of electronic components from the Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei sit idle in a
store room at Eastern Oregon Telecom headquarters in Hermiston. The Trump administration is-
sued a ban on using information or communications technology from anyone it considers a threat
to national security.
See Democrats, Page A8
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
H
ERMISTON — In a storage room
at Eastern Oregon Telecom, a
wide stack of cardboard boxes
each bear the fl ower-shaped Hua-
wei logo.
The equipment inside was originally des-
tined to become part of EOT’s growing broad-
band network. But after the Trump adminis-
tration placed the Chinese-based Huawei on a
trade blacklist, the equipment may be destined
to stay in the box.
Eastern Oregon Telecom CEO Joseph
Franell and other internet service providers who
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Eastern Oregon Telecom CEO Joseph Franell
has been an outspoken critic of the Trump
administration’s ban on technology made by
Huawei.
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