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East Oregonian
Saturday, July 13, 2019
El Niño: Demise was unforeseen a month ago by NOAA
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the air,” NOAA climate sci-
entist Michelle L’Heureux
said.
Last month’s outlook, a
50-50 chance that El Niño
would stick around, reflected
uncertainty about the course
of atmospheric conditions.
In the past month, the con-
ditions fell in line with a
weakening El Niño, accord-
ing to NOAA.
“It was very difficult for
us to predict what was going
to happen,” L’Heureux said.
“This situation now is not as
opaque.”
In the mid-Pacific along
the equator, the stretch that
most influences seasonal
forecasts, the sea-surface
temperature cooled in June
to 0.6 degrees Celsius above
normal from 0.7 degrees
Celsius above normal. The
threshold for an El Niño is
0.5 degrees Celsius above
normal.
Subsurface
tempera-
tures were above average at
the beginning of June and
returned to near average by
the end of the month.
As El Niño fades, the
chances of an La Niña form-
ing rise, though it’s still a
long shot. NOAA estimated
the chance of a La Niña
prevailing by December at
16%. Last month, the chance
was only 6%.
La Niña, a cooling of the
sea’s surface, generally means
colder Northwest winters.
In the meantime, less pre-
cipitation continues to be
seen in Washington. The U.S.
Drought Monitor reported
Thursday that 55% of the
state is in severe or moderate
drought, nearly unchanged
from the week before.
Assistant State Climatol-
ogist Karin Bumbaco said
more of Central Washington
is drying out, but still not in a
drought.
Recent rain in Western
Washington stopped condi-
tions from worsening, but
did not pull the region out of
drought.
“If you look at the long-
term picture, the drought is
not over,” she said.
Gov. Jay Inslee declared a
drought emergency in about
half the state in May. No area
has been added to the declara-
tion since then.
NOAA will release a new
three-month outlook July
18. When neutral sea tem-
peratures prevail, forecasters
often base their predictions on
recent climate trends.
School: Case faces motion to dismiss Hedman: Baker
Continued from Page A1
they are part of a parent
support group but that get-
ting that key socialization
in is still difficult.
“A child with autism
already feels isolated and
different,” Schell said.
Schell and Disabil-
ity Rights Oregon filed
an Oregon Department
of Education administra-
tive complaint against the
district in March, but it
wasn’t very successful.
Schell said she knows
of several other families
in the Pendleton area with
similar struggles.
“I have the utmost con-
fidence in our staff and
administrative team,” said
Pendleton School Dis-
trict Superintendent Chris
Fritsch. “I believe we’re
following the state and
federal laws.”
Julie Smith, Director
of Special Programs at
Pendleton School District,
stated that PSD follows the
Individuals with Disabili-
ties in Education Act and
Oregon SB 263 regarding
abbreviated school days.
SB 263, passed in 2017,
limits school districts
from imposing short-
ened school days on stu-
dents who could manage
full school days with the
proper support.
Fritsch said the dis-
trict could not comment
on the class action law-
suit, because it is pending
litigation.
Across the state
The lawsuit, which
Schell was not a part of,
emphasizes that shortened
school days are a prob-
lem in smaller school dis-
tricts. In these areas, dis-
tricts might be strapped to
find people with the neces-
sary behavioral expertise
to support some children
through full school days.
“It particularly impacts
small and rural school dis-
tricts, many of which are
located in Northeastern
Oregon,” said Joel Green-
berg of DRO. “We’ve had
complaints from that part
of the state.”
But the class action law-
suit stretches beyond this
corner of Oregon.
“The reason we’re fil-
ing a class action suit is
because we believe there
are at least hundreds of
students across the state
who are affected by short-
ened school days,” said
Greenberg. “[But] the state
doesn’t collect any data.”
Under SB 263, districts
do record students with
shortened school days, but
don’t have to report the
information to the state.
The lawsuit lists four
boys as plaintiffs, by ini-
tials rather than full names,
who attend or have attended
public schools in Oregon
and qualify for special edu-
cation through the Indi-
viduals with Disabilities
Education Act. They repre-
sent the much larger class,
according to the complaint.
FACT Oregon, an orga-
nization that advocates
for families who experi-
ence disability, also oper-
ates a help line for Oregon
parents. The organization
reported that they received
280 calls about shortened
school days between Sep-
tember 2016 and Decem-
ber 2018.
In the motion to dis-
miss, the state, comprised
of the ODE, ODE Director
Colt Gill and Gov. Kate
Brown — who also serves
as the Superintendent for
Public Instruction in Ore-
gon — argues it is not their
responsibility to prevent
schools from violating the
public statutes which pre-
vent inappropriate use of
shortened school days, and
that the plaintiffs’ argu-
ments are not supported by
existing legal precedent.
The motion also argues
that because the four
plaintiffs are not currently
receiving unlawful short-
ened school days, the com-
plaint lacks standing.
At the time the case
was filed, one child was
actively receiving short-
ened school days.
Another child, 7 years
old, hadn’t experienced a
full school day till this past
school year. His mother
frequently received calls
from the school to pick
him up early from his two-
hour school day.
Currently, the ODE
does have a complaint pro-
cess where parents who
feel their children are
being placed in unlaw-
ful abbreviated school
day programs can report,
which, according to the
motion to dismiss, has
“achieved a resolution”
for three of the plaintiffs
and over 30 students in
general.
Communications
Director
for
General
Attorney Ellen Rosen-
blum, Kristina Edmunson,
said the Oregon Depart-
ment of Justice typically
does not comment on
pending litigation.During
the oral argument Wednes-
day, Judge Aiken recom-
mended the state consider
some sort of mediated set-
tlement, to spare time and
costs for litigation.“We
were really pleased that
the court was taking seri-
ously the plight of the kids
of Oregon who aren’t get-
ting full school days,”
Galanter said. “We’re cer-
tainly very optimistic.”
Whisky Fest: Post Malone draws thousands
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“It’s way too hot out here,”
Adams said, laughing.
The couple had planned
the trip to Whisky Fest prior
to knowing the lineup and
hadn’t expected Post Malone
to be the headliner.
“I was honestly hoping it
was going to be more country
music,” Adams said.
Either way, the couple was
pleased to have the weekend
to camp and relax away from
their two kids.
Another group of camp-
ers is using Whisky Fest as a
reunion of longtime friends.
Monaca and Blake Markee
live in Portland but grew up
in Ontario along with Kara
Caughlin, who now lives in
Boise, Idaho. While Blake
said he remembered traveling
to Pendleton for high school
sporting events, now the city
is the midway meeting point
for the trio.
As for their first impres-
sions of the city, the tor-
rid sun and 90-plus degree
weather stole the show.
“It’s hot as hell,” Caughlin
said, laughing.
The group came prepared,
though. Blake Markee and
Caughlin said they’ve been
getting ready for the weekend
for at least two months and it
seemed to pay off. Their spot
was filled with three separate
tents connected by a cover-
ing and netting that offered
as much relief from the sun
as possible while the group
lounged with drinks in hand.
Unlike Adams and Der-
saw, the trio bought their fes-
tival tickets as soon as they
found out Post Malone would
be performing.
In addition to the orga-
nizers accommodating the
campers, the Pendleton
Police Department is assist-
ing with safety and security
for the weekend.
Pendleton Chief of Police
Stuart Roberts said most
criminal activity during the
weekend is minor theft and
vandalism. He added that the
campsites are particularly
vulnerable if left unattended
during the kickoff party
or concert.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Some Whisky Music Fest campers relax on Friday afternoon after setting up their tents.
“It’s important to have the
campsites staffed full time,”
Roberts said. “That wasn’t
always a part of our thought
process but it is now.”
In total, the weekend takes
about 6-8 months of planning
from the police, according to
Roberts.
“Historically we haven’t
had many problems, which
is really refreshing in rela-
tion to other large events
that we have here,” Roberts
said. “Typically these types
of events are a recipe for
disaster.”
Roberts added that after
the festival concluded the last
few years, the police depart-
ment has met with the orga-
nizers to debrief and strate-
gize for how best to handle
next year’s event.
While the weekend
typically requires more
patrolling Pendleton offi-
cers to account for the higher
population, Roberts said they
have also solicited the help of
police departments from the
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation,
Walla Walla, Hermiston
and Boardman along with
mobile response teams from
the Oregon State Police.
When it comes to the
event itself, most prob-
lems are related to heat
exhaustion, overconsump-
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Two motorcyclists work on setting up camp Friday after-
noon in the Whisky Music Fest camping area nearest the
Round-Up Arena.
tion of alcohol and aggres-
sive behavior, according
to Roberts. He added that
most problems are minor in
nature.
“We manage what we can
manage,” he said.
Once the event ends is
when the real challenge
begins.
Headliner Post Malone’s
set is slated to begin at
9:30 p.m., but afterward the
crowd of 17,000-plus peo-
ple will be looking to leave
the Round-Up Grounds as
quickly as possible. While
Pendleton PD will be direct-
ing traffic around the sta-
dium, delays should be
expected.
“The city just doesn’t
have the infrastructure to
support that much traffic all
at once,” Roberts said.
Whisky Fest’s Face-
book update from Tuesday
urged people to carpool and
“be mindful of the traffic
situation.”
The organizers also wrote
on Facebook that Whisky
Fest has a “Safe Rides Home
Program,” which will offer
free transportation to and
from the event. Nine shut-
tles courtesy of St. Anthony
Hospital will be running
from 2:30-7:30 p.m. and then
from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
for pickups and dropoffs
between the stadium and
hotels in the area. The hos-
pital will also be cover-
ing all taxi expenses after
the event.
man thankful no one
injured in car theft
Continued from Page A1
million bail at the Baker
County Jail on a Walla
Walla warrant charging him
with the first-degree murder
of Kyle Jordan Martz, 35, of
Walla Walla.
The Walla Walla Police
Department believes the
meeting that led to Martz’s
death was a random encoun-
ter between the two men
who did not know each
other.
Borders said his wife,
Robbie, who turns 60 next
week, had gone to Boise that
day. There were no lights on
in the house and no indica-
tion that anyone was home
when Hedman arrived.
“I heard a voice — that’s
what woke me up,” Borders
said.
But no one was there.
Border’s living room
chair sits just three steps
above his “man cave,”
which is separated from the
front room by a sliding door.
The sliding door is usually
always open. But on Mon-
day night, for some reason,
it was closed, Borders said.
“I was grateful he didn’t
come all the way in,” he said
of the intruder.
It’s in retrospect that Bor-
ders wonders just who it was
who woke him up.
“I feel that God was
watching over me big time
and watching over Robbie,”
he said. “Maybe it was God
waking me up and saying:
‘Bob, you’re in big trouble!’”
As he reported the crime,
he watched Hedman drive
away, and then stop on Old
Trail Road just about 100
yards from Taggert Lane.
Hedman appeared to be
moving things from the Toy-
ota pickup he’d been driving
to Borders’ Ford pickup.
According to an affida-
vit in support of a proba-
ble cause arrest document
filed in Baker County Cir-
cuit Court, deputies Gabe
Maldonado and Craig Rilee
confronted Hedman, who
refused to follow their com-
mands to come over to talk
to them.
The report says Hedman
ignored their instructions
at least four times and ulti-
mately walked away from
them.
He next went to the Toy-
ota pickup, removed a suit-
case and walked north down
the eastbound freeway lane
away from the officers, who
were separated from him by
a fence and high grass.
Rilee secured the pickup,
and then drove to the oppo-
site side of the freeway
looking for Hedman. In the
meantime, Maldanado trav-
eled eastbound on the free-
way looking for the suspect,
the report stated.
Hedman then returned to
the Toyota pickup while offi-
cers searched for him along
West Airport Lane.
Meanwhile, Borders said
Hedman returned to his Tag-
gert Lane property where
he earlier had seen Borders’
2000 Jeep Wrangler.
During his first visit,
Hedman had removed
items from the Jeep, such as
tools, a compound bow and
arrows, and put them inside
the pickup truck before driv-
ing off in it, Borders said.
This time, when Hedman
returned to his property,
Borders was not just awak-
ening from an evening nap
and defenseless. He said he
was armed, the doors were
locked, and all the lights in
the house were on.
Borders was struck by
how “brazen” Hedman was
to proceed just like before
onto his property and take
another vehicle.
“He knew what he had
done, and he was in a flight
mode and he was going to
do anything he could to get
away,” Borders said.
As Hedman drove away
in the Jeep, he traveled
west on Old Trail Road and
headed toward Chandler
Lane, Borders said.
The court documents
stated that Rilee watched
as Borders sped down Tag-
gert Lane in the Jeep. He and
Oregon State Police troop-
ers Andrew McClay and
Tim Schuette followed the
vehicle.
Hedman drove onto the
eastbound freeway lanes and
Maldonado drove across the
median to intercept him, the
report stated.
Hedman refused to stop
as Maldonado followed him
with his patrol car emer-
gency lights and siren
activated.
Hedman eventually drove
through a barbed wire fence
in the barrow pit, damaging
about 100 feet of fence, and
returned to Old Trail Road.
Hedman then drove back
to the freeway at the Chan-
dler Lane crossing, about 5
miles north of Baker City,
and was blocked by the OSP
troopers’ patrol cars as he
attempted to turn westbound
onto the eastbound lanes
of travel. Borders said his
recently restored Jeep, val-
ued at about $10,000, was
totaled in the crash. The
police cars received minor
damage.
Hedman was taken into
custody without further inci-
dent. He also is being held
at the jail on Baker County
charges of unauthorized
use of a motor vehicle, two
counts; second-degree crim-
inal mischief, two counts;
attempting to elude police,
reckless driving and fail-
ure to perform the duties
of a driver involved in an
accident.
Borders said police did
not provide him with any
details about Hedman’s other
charges during the investi-
gation of his stolen vehicles.
He and his wife learned that
Hedman was a murder sus-
pect the next morning after
reading about the crime on
the internet.
“It scared the living day-
lights out of us when we
found out about it,” he said.
They realize many things
could have gone terribly
wrong that night.
His wife was on Cedar
Street, just a few miles from
home, when her husband
called police. He alerted her
of the trouble and she turned
around and waited in her car
in the Safeway parking lot
until the incident was over,
Borders said.
“I’m just so thankful
she wasn’t 30 minutes ear-
lier and was in the driveway
when he was there,” he said.
And although his prized
Jeep was totaled and his
pickup truck, which has sen-
timental value to him, was
damaged, Borders said he
is glad Hedman ran out of
gas near his home instead
of a mile or two in either
direction where the outcome
might have been different.
“We’re just thankful the
police officers responded
as quickly as they did and
that nobody got hurt —
and that we got him off the
street before he was able
to kill somebody else,”
Borders said.