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East Oregonian
Friday, June 28, 2019
CHRISTOPHER RUSH
Publisher
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
ANDREW CUTLER
Editor
WYATT HAUPT JR.
News Editor
JADE McDOWELL
Hermiston Editor
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
Use common sense this fire season
T
he warning was dire Tuesday
and notified area residents that a
potentially dangerous thunder-
storm was moving swiftly toward the
Pendleton area.
The storm proved to be less than
a disaster and more of a harbinger of
things to come, and a good reminder
that the summer thunderstorm season
is here. That means the fire danger will
climb as the summer moves into its dog
days, and a certain degree of responsi-
bility will fall on us to ensure big blazes
don’t erupt because of human error.
Range and forest fires caused by
humans are on the rise across the
region and that should be troubling to
everyone.
Now that the Fourth of July week-
end is in sight, the danger of an acciden-
tal fire igniting is acute. Often a care-
less maneuver by an area resident as
they celebrate the nation’s birthday will
spark a major blaze, drawing on fire-
fighting resources from across the local
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
Dark clouds roll over the wheat fields along Highway 334 near Athena late Wednesday afternoon.
area. While the fact such fires are more
common than in the past is a worry,
the fact that most of the human-caused
fires could be avoided is even more
disturbing.
The simple truth is all of us need to
use a certain degree of common sense
during the July 4 celebration to avoid
fires.
The wet spring could contribute to a
sense of compliancy and that is some-
thing we all need to avoid. Just because
our familiar recreation areas do not
appear to be parched doesn’t mean there
is no fire danger.
After the Fourth of July celebration
fades into the background, the sense of
caution while recreating, hiking or trav-
eling throughout great national forests
should remain. By August, much of the
area we love will be drier than normal.
We all want to enjoy the summer but
we all share responsibility to ensure our
summer trips don’t end in a tragedy that
could have been easily avoided.
So before you journey out to the
nearest campground, take heed of the
fire danger level. Be cautious with
campfires and understand that it only
takes a single spark to create a fire that
can devastate thousands of acres.
A bit of common sense, coupled with
some basic safety measures, may mean
the difference between a great trip to
our national forests or a fire that triggers
destruction and costs taxpayers.
So, remember, be safe out there and
enjoy the summer.
OTHER VIEWS
Pacific Power shutoff
plan is prudent
Medford Mail Tribune
acific Power is doing the right thing
by announcing in advance that
it may shut off electricity in fire-
prone areas if conditions warrant this
summer. The company’s plans are rea-
sonable, and it is making every effort to
limit inconvenience to customers.
A power line was the cause of the
Camp Fire last year that killed more than
80 people and destroyed the town of
Paradise, California. PG&E, the utility
responsible for that line, now faces bank-
ruptcy and billions of dollars in damages.
After the fact, a newspaper investi-
gation found the company had delayed a
safety overhaul of the century-old line.
Also, PG&E had planned to shut off the
line before the Camp Fire erupted, but
customers objected to losing power.
Pacific Power has taken that lesson to
heart, and is explaining its plans now in
detail, so customers are prepared should
it become necessary to interrupt power.
That would likely happen during drought
conditions if high winds threaten to blow
trees and other debris into power lines.
Shutting off power would be a last
P
YOUR VIEWS
Climate bill should be based
on facts, not theory
In regards to your recent kick in the
pants for the state senators who walked to
halt HB 2020, the new not a tax bill: You
should have given them a tip of the hat for
having the guts to try to stop one of the
worst taxes invented.
It’s quite obvious that Kate Brown and
many of our legislators know nothing about
climate change or greenhouse gases and
human contribution to it. If we truly want
to address a problem, we need to make sure
it is truly a problem and we are not trying
to fix something that isn’t broken. The sci-
ence used needs to be non-biased, and non-
funded for a specific outcome. It should
be based on facts and truths, not based on
social media, or something found on the
internet, or a study privately funded and
completed by “save the whatever society.”
When a solution is found by unbiased
scientists without a vested interest, then
and only then should we pass a tax bill that
affects all the taxpaying people and helps
improve the outcome. This tax should then
be used for that purpose only. Until then,
the senators had every right to protect the
public from those who want to pass a poorly
written “landmark bill” as your paper pre-
sented it, a bill presently backed by bad
science.
We as a people cannot fix something
that is a theory only (meaning it hasn’t been
proven and thereby the solution to the prob-
lem hasn’t been proven to work). Check
the facts.
Mark Yeske
Pendleton
Our rogue senator should be
applauded for taking stance
When I read the East Oregonian Fri-
day, I was so pleased to see that we in East-
ern Oregon were being clearly represented
by a man of integrity. Bill Hansell knows
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of
the East Oregonian editorial board. Other
columns, letters and cartoons on this page
express the opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of the East Oregonian.
the impact of this supermajority socialist
agenda against us in this region. He walked
out, so as not to allow this Legislature to
slam us with another tax. Yes, folks, it is a
tax. This will increase the cost of products
and services we use daily in our lives.
It’s socialism at its best, and Kate (Mad-
uro) Brown will do anything to keep her
socialist ideas and cronies in power to push
their economically disastrous ideas to frui-
tion. This includes having our only real rep-
resentative of Eastern Oregon to be forcibly,
if found, dragged back and have to sit in and
watch the socialist supermajority ram this
cap and trade bill down our throats.
Does this sound familiar? These are the
actions of Venezuela’s socialist president,
having opposition party members rounded
up. What’s next, Kate, jail time for legal
publicly represented discourse? This gover-
nor is acting like a dictator, not a person of
governance.
Since the governor and her cronies con-
sistently, and defiantly, ignore federal law,
should the president order U.S. Marshals to
find them, round them up and make them
sit unwillingly in federal court to be pros-
ecuted in violation of federal law? I would
say that would be fairaccording to their
actions.
If you need a place to stay, I have numer-
ous family members out of state. In addi-
tion, we should help this man with the fine
being imposed by the state, as he showed
great resolve too many times in the recent
past with this socialist majority continu-
ously shoving their extremelyultra-expen-
sive, less than thought out, and unfairly
debated agenda. Kate (Maduro) Brown
should think about the precedents she and
her comrades have set. You can’t go back
from that, Kate!
Thank you, Bill! I have your back, as you
have had mine, and my neighbors’. We need
more representation like you who care about
us all, not the ones who, with special inter-
est groups, fatten their pockets.
Perry W. Hawkins
Hermiston
resort, and power company officials say
data from the past decade showed condi-
tions would have prompted only one shut-
off for about one hour. Shut-offs ideally
would be announced 72 hours in advance.
If shut-offs do occur, the company
will offer air-conditioned tents for resi-
dents who must leave their homes during
a power outage.
Pacific Power’s regional business man-
ager told the Mail Tribune the company
has a strong maintenance program, and
we have no reason to doubt her. Beyond
contingency planning, the company is
also increasing its efforts to clear vegeta-
tion from around power lines and poles
and ramping up inspections.
None of these measures will prevent
fires igniting for other reasons. Lightning
remains the biggest risk factor, along
with human causes such as carelessness
in dry forests and sparks from vehicles.
But planning to shut off power at the
right time will remove one potential igni-
tion source, helping keep residents as safe
as possible in high fire risk areas. Rural
residents should be prepared, and sign up
for the county’s emergency citizen notifi-
cation system on the county’s website.
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
U.S. PRESIDENT
GOVERNOR
Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
whitehouse.gov/contact/
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande office: 541-962-7691
Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton office: 541-278-1129
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Greg Walden
185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
La Grande office: 541-624-2400
The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies
for publication in the newspaper and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold
letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights
of private citizens. Letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime
phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published.
REPRESENTATIVES
Greg Barreto, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-38
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
SENATOR
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
Send letters to the editor to
editor@eastoregonian.com,
or via mail to Andrew Cutler,
211 S.E. Byers Ave.
Pendleton, OR 97801