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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2021)
A8 OREGON East Oregonian Tuesday, January 5, 2021 U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden will seek reelection in 2022 By CRYSTAL LIGORI Oregon Public Broadcasting SALEM — U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden says he’s seek- ing reelection in 2022, end- ing speculation that Ore- gon’s senior senator might retire and pave the way for a crowded lineup of potential replacements. Wyden, 71, told Ore- gon Public Broadcasting he believes he has more work to do in Washington, D.C. “Of course I’m running,” he said. “There’s so much to do for Oregonians, and I’d very much like to have the honor of representing Ore- gonians again.” Wyden holds several key positions in Congress, including on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Should Democrats regain control of the Senate this month, Wyden is in line to chair the Senate Finance Committee. One of his priorities in the coming Congress, Wyden said, is wildfi re preparation and prevention. He and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merk- East Oregonian, File U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, right, speaks with volunteers from the American Red Cross during a tour last year. Oregon’s senior senator says he will seek another term in 2022. ley have proposed creating a 21st century civilian conser- vation corps — essentially a modern re-creation of a pro- gram that was part of Pres- ident Franklin Roosevelt’s efforts to pull the United States out of the Great Depression. Among other points, the legislation would pay young people to work in wildfi re-prone areas doing fuels treatments and com- munity protection work, among other conservation work nationwide. Wyden said the racial justice protests of 2020 changed the way he thinks about his job. For example, he said, the Senate Finance Committee is looking at racial injustices in the health care system. “You look, for exam- ple, at the fact that so often in affl uent white suburbs there’s an incredible array of health care services,” Wyden said. “But in com- munities of color, very often, what we’re seeing is almost health care deserts, where they really lack for basic services ... These chal- lenges are going to have to be priorities for every sin- gle senator, for every single committee, and they will be at the top of my list.” He’s hoping Presi- dent-elect Joe Biden makes infrastructure a priority during his fi rst 100 days in offi ce. “I believe the big major piece of legislation right out of the gate needs to be infra- structure, roads, bridges,” Wyden said. “This is a chance to put folks to work. It creates jobs.” Wyden’s decision to seek reelection changes the polit- ical calculus for ambitious politicians planning ahead. Though the 2022 campaigns are more than a year from entering high gear, specu- lation is already mounting about which Democratic leaders might be consider- ing seeking higher offi ce. Wyden’s announcement means there will be only one high profi le statewide job up for grabs: the governorship. Gov. Kate Brown is term-limited out of offi ce in 2022. The list of people who could be interested, or wooed, to run is long. It includes House Speaker Tina Kotek, State Treasurer Tobias Read, Attorney Gen- eral Ellen Rosenblum, Mult- nomah County Chair Deb- orah Kafoury and Metro Council President Lynne Peterson. On the Republican side, Salem oncologist and 2016 GOP nominee Bud Pierce has said he’s running for governor. The GOP has struggled to fi nd challeng- ers for Wyden since his fi rst election in 1996. Prior to his Senate career, Wyden served 15 years in the U.S. House. More work set on Owyhee Reservoir ‘glory hole’ By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press VALE — Concrete work on the Owyhee Reservoir’s spillway-regulating ring gate, or “glory hole,” is expected to enter its second phase in late 2021. A concrete structure near Southeastern Oregon’s Owyhee Dam houses a steel ring 60 feet in diameter and weighing more than 1 ton. Differential valves are used to fl oat or sink the ring. Sinking it increases out- fl ows through three release points in the dam. The system’s seals were refurbished about a decade ago. “We learned some things we probably can improve on next time,” Owyhee Irriga- tion District Project Man- ager Jay Chamberlin said. The nearly 89-year- old district supplies irri- gation water to more than 167,000 acres near Adrian, Nyssa and Ontario. Phased improvements to the ring gate housing’s exterior con- crete will increase durabil- ity and better protect the internal structure. Crews from mid-Octo- Bureau of Reclamation/Contributed Photo The “glory hole” at the Owyhee Reservoir funnels excess wa- ter into the spillway and into the river below the dam. ber to mid-December 2020 built access infrastructure, restored and added rein- forcement bars, and disman- tled and replaced a roughly 40-foot section of concrete crest around the ring gate. Chamberlin said the district expects costs, still being tal- lied, to be between $30,000 and $40,000. He said the project took about three times lon- ger than expected due to challenging prep work, weather delays and corona- virus-related worker short- ages. Most of the concrete was placed and fi nished by hand because access was diffi cult. “The fi rst (phase) was very diffi cult,” Chamber- lin said. “It went longer than anticipated because of the unknowns. But the fi n- ished product, we were very pleased with.” He said work on the sec- ond phase is expected to start around Nov. 1, depend- ing on weather and reser- voir levels. Five phases are planned. Chamberlin said the dis- trict plans to buy a concrete pump, concrete saw and other equipment to increase effi ciency and, ideally, improve a longer segment in 2021. A total cost of less than $50,000 is anticipated. EASTERN OREGON marketplace Place classified ads online at www.easternoregonmarketplace.com or call 1-800-962-2819 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours, leave a voicemail and we’ll confirm your ad the next business day. Email us at classifieds@ eastoregonian.com or fax: 541-278-2680 East Oregonian Deadline is 3 p.m. the day before publication 211 S.E. Byers Ave. 333 E. 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