B2
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Saturday, August 28, 2021
Messing with Texas
“right” to own
slaves into its
new constitu-
LUKE
tion.
OVGARD
Se ei ng a n
CAUGHT OVGARD
opportunity to
wrest Texas from
FORT STOCKTON, its southern rival, numerous
Texas — Few states have the opinion leaders in the United
accepted reputation of inde- States encouraged Ameri-
pendence quite like the great can citizens to aid the rebel-
state of Texas. After all, it was lion. Some notable American
the only U.S. state to exist as figures joined the Texans,
its own nation before joining including James Bowie (of
our own.
Bowie knife fame) and Davy
Of course, that reputation Crockett (you know, the guy
of independence is a bit tenu- from the song).
Though the doomed men
ous if you dive a little deeper.
Mexico abolished slavery of The Alamo headline stud-
in 1829 — except in the colo- ies of this conflict in the
nial territory of Texas, where American classroom, the
it remained legal for an addi- Texans actually won, thanks
tional year. Texan officials in large part to the fact that
fought to change this, and several other Mexican regions
refused to enforce the new were simultaneously fi ghting
law when the temporary stay the unpopular government for
independence and numerous
ended in 1830.
In the five years that native tribes battled for their
followed, slavery was not continued existence in the
legal but was still widely prac- Mexican empire.
ticed in the region.
Only Texas succeeded,
The Mexican federal becoming the Republic of
gove r n m e nt w a s t o o Texas in 1836. It would stand
focused on quelling inter- as that famed lone star for less
nal rebellions and buildings than a decade before joining
tensions with European the United States in 1845
powers that would eventu- and precipitating the Mexi-
ally lead to the First Fran- can-American War. Texas
co-Mexican War to really would win handily, aided by
end slavery in Texas. Even- the full force of the Union.
tually, they got around to
Legacy
addressing it, tensions
This legacy of indepen-
built and, in 1835, Texas
declared independence dence and the maverick nature
from Mexico, building a of Texas is visible all over the
provision guaranteeing the state and is especially visible
in its towns, roads, bridges and
natural landmarks, many of
which bear names like “Free-
dom Springs,” “Liberty Hill”
and “Independence Creek.”
The latter was one of
many sites I’d researched as a
potential location to catch the
isolated headwater catfish,
Ictalurus lupus. Though this
fi sh looks most like a bull-
head, it is found in habitats
very unlike its cousins. As its
name suggests, the headwa-
ter catfi sh lives principally in
crystal-clear, cold streams in
the Rio Grande drainage.
In years of searching, I’d
tried more than half a dozen
potential streams feeding
the Pecos or mainstem Rio
Grande, but couldn’t fi nd the
proper habitat.
This time, I had.
I drove into my planned
spot, but I was dismayed to
see that the roads were public
but the land private, posted
heavily all around the pristine
stream.
Ordinarily, a public road
crossing would provide me
legal access to the water,
allowing me to traverse this
navigable waterway tribu-
tary to my heart’s content
— provided I stay below
the annual high water mark.
Unfortunately, there were
no such crossings. I drove
for miles on the dusty road,
fi nding no clearly public road
crossings.
I was far from surprised,
though. Texas is one of the
most heavily privatized states
in the nation, ranking No. 37
in total public lands (Oregon
ranks No. 5) with just 3.12
million acres of public land.
Of those 3.12 million public
acres in Texas, just under half
(47%) is on military bases and
largely closed to the public. In
practice, Texas has about 1.65
million acres of land you can
actually access.
For perspective on just
how little that is, there are 3.9
million total acres in Klamath
County, Oregon. According to
The Oregonian, 58.8% — or
about 2.3 million acres — of
Klamath County is publicly
held.
For those keeping score,
that means little old Klamath
County has more public lands
than the entire state of Texas.
Huh.
Roads
Dejected and unwilling to
risk getting shot while traips-
ing through private land,
Luke Ovgard/Contributed Photo
The author poses with an-
other longtime nemefi sh he
fi nally defeated in Texas, the
gray redhorse. Despite being
spawned out, this fi sh broke
the world record by more
than half a pound.
I drove back to the road. I
had no service, but as I was
driving back to civilization,
I found a bridge on a public
road spanning the very same
creek. It was not posted, and
I was able to climb down and
fi sh the beautiful, aquamarine
waters.
It took me precious little
time to see headwater catfi sh
skirting the margins of the
undercut banks, and after I
caught each of the resident
bass once or twice, the less
aggressive catfi sh came out to
play. I landed one. Given the
Yaqui catfi sh went extinct in
the U.S. this summer due to
drought (they survived in their
much larger range in Mexico),
catching the headwater catfi sh
meant I’d caught all full-sized
American catfi sh. This was an
equally depressing and excit-
ing realization.
The day was young, so I
continued fi shing, catching
both the diminutive round-
nose minnow and another
longtime nemefi sh, the gray
redhorse. The latter was a
prime specimen and marks
my ninth world record.
Despite numerous fail-
ures to fi nd my target fi shes,
persistence paid off , and I was
glad I’d messed with Texas.
———
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ovgard@gmail.com.
ON THE SLATE
SATURDAY, AUG. 28
Prep volleyball
Weston-McEwen, Heppner at
Grant Union Invite, 9 a.m.
Pendleton at Lewiston Tourna-
ment, 7 a.m.
Ukiah/Long Creek at Griswold,
1 p.m.
College volleyball
Blue Mountain at Bellevue,
noon
College men’s soccer
Blue Mountain at NW Naza-
rene University, 2 p.m.
MONDAY, AUG. 30
Prep girls soccer
Riverside at The Dalles,
4:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, AUG. 31
Prep volleyball
Enterprise at Griswold, TBD
Irrigon at Griswold, TBD
Weston-McEwen at Griswold,
TBD
Pilot Rock at Nixyaawii,v6 p.m.
Stanfi eld vs. Riverside at Echo,
4:30 p.m.
Riverside at Echo, 6 p.m.
La Grande at Umatilla, 5:30 p.m.
Prep girls soccer
Pendleton at Baker, 4 p.m.
Umatilla at McLoughlin, 4 p.m.
Prep boys soccer
Umatilla at McLoughlin, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1
No events scheduled.
EASTERN OREGON
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EAST OREGONIAN • HERMISTON HERALD • BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE • WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
101 Legal Notices
101 Legal Notices
EO-11562
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
UMATILLA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED of a Public Hearing to be held before
the Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday, September 8,
2021 at 9:00 AM.
Due to COVID-19 the hearing will be held virtually. Video & phone
conferencing is available. FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PAR-
TICIPATE IN THE HEARINGS, PLEASE CONTACT THE PLAN-
NING DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO 4:00 PM THE DAY BEFORE THE
HEARING. Planning Department staff is available at 541-278-6252.
APPEAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION, TYPE II LAND
DIVISION REQUEST, #LD-4N-1054-21: RICHARD & SANDRA HUN-
SAKER, APPELANTS/ OWNERS. The appellants Land Division re-
quest LD-4N-1054-21 was approved by the Planning Commission at
the May 27, 2021 Planning Commission Hearing. The APPEAL is in
regards to several conditions of approval regarding road naming and
road improvement standards. The Land Use Standards applicable
to the applicants’ request are found in Umatilla County Development
Code (UCDC) 152.680, Type II Land Divisions.
For further information please contact County Planner, Megan
Green, at the Umatilla County Planning Department, 216 SE 4th
Street, Pendleton, Oregon, 97801; phone 541-278-6246; or email
Megan.Green@umatillacounty.net.
Copies of all documents pertaining to the hearing listed above, and
all relevant criteria, are available for inspection at no cost and will be
duplicated at printing cost. A copy of the staff report will be available
for inspection or duplicated at least seven days before the hearing. A
complete hearing packet will also be posted on the county website at
www.umatillacounty.net. Hearings are governed by Section 152.772
of the UCDC.
Opportunity to voice support or opposition to the above proposal
or to ask questions will be provided. Failure to raise an issue in a
hearing, either in person or by letter, or failure to provide statements
or evidence sufficient to afford the decision maker an opportunity to
respond to that issue, precludes appeal to the Land Use Board of
Appeals based on that issue.
DATED THIS 28th DAY OF AUGUST, 2021
UMATILLA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF LAND USE PLANNING
CLASSIFIEDS HAVE IT!
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CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
IT WILL SELL
EMAIL : CLASSIFIEDS @ EASTOREGONIAN . COM
I N C LASSIFIEDS !
360 Garage Sales
502 Real Estate
504 Homes for Sale
504 Homes for Sale
(Covid Skipped, last Year) - Auc-
tion Junkie - Mega Yard Sale -
Today and Every Day Until End
Of August - You Really DO NOT
Want to Miss This One. I Will
be Putting Out More Stuff Dai-
ly. @ 81229 PATERSON FER-
RY ROAD In IRRIGON. We are
3 Miles West of Irrigon - 1 1/2
Miles North of hwy 730 on Pa-
terson Ferry Road. Follow Thee
Signs Starting in Irrigon. Need
Better Directions or Questions
about What is Here Call Harold
541 922-2510 or cell 541 314-
3528
541-377-6855
A phone call Away! Help to find
the home for you with access to
all possible homes on your list.
Please call with your questions
for the answers to help you into
your new home.
305 SW Court Ave., Pendleton
TURN HERE
REALTY & TRAVEL
Prices are up! Now may be the
time to gain some equity and
move up to a larger home. Call
Matt Vogler for a free Market
Analysis.
Matt Vogler
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
Current MLS listings include
several 3 and 4 bedroom, 2 bath
homes for sale in popular loca-
tions. Call Matt Vogler, “The
Weekend and After Hours Re-
altor” for addresses and pricing.
Matt Vogler
John J. Howard & Assoc.
541.377.9470
$269,000
Well-kept 1662sf(m/l) home
with many updates! 1 level, 3
bedrooms, and 2 baths. Cov-
ered patio plus a deck. Wonder-
ful backyard with garden area,
tool shed. Cari 541-377-5058c.
#21379824
Coldwell Banker
Farley Company
541-276-0021
You Want it it is Here - You can
spend Hours Checking this out
and I am Putting more stuff out
all the time.
Jewelry, Air Conditioners, Tools
(Power, Hand Tools), Knifes,
Fishing, Hunting, Sports Equip-
ment, Kitchen(Appliances, Pots,
Pans, Dishes, Canning Jars &
Tools), Clothes, 20’ Pole Barn
Kit, 1928 Willys 4 dr. Coup,
Antiques and collectibles of
all kinds, 10 Flat Screen TV’s,
Electronics, Building materials,
Clothes Washer & Dryer, Kitch-
en Tables and chairs, Dressers,
Beds, Curio Cabinets, NASCAR
Collectibles including Jimmie
Johnson & Kasey Kane Team
leather Jackets, New Wed-
ding Dress, 18” Jeep Tires and
Wheels Lastly the largest Num-
ber if Music CD’s and DVD Mov-
ies you will ever find in a Yard
Sale $1.25 Each but if you buy
5 or More All are $1Clothes, Col-
lectibles, Furniture, Household
Items, Antiques, Tools, Toys.
81229 Paterson Ferry Road, Ir-
rigon. August 8 Thru September
6; 8 to 5
UPCOMING GARAGE OR
ESTATE SALE?
Call 1-800-962-2819
to advertise it in our
classified section and get
your sale out there!
How Much is your Home Worth?
Call Matt Vogler, The Week-
end and After Hours Realtor,
for a free Market Analysis.
541.377.9470. More Listings
needed to meet current buyer
demand!
Matt Vogler
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
$209,000
GREAT OPPORTUNITY! New
roof, new exterior paint, nice
floorplan. North Hill location.
Covered back porch, fenced
yard. Cash or conventional
financing only. Jef 541-969-
9539c. #21520096
Coldwell Banker
Farley Company
541-276-0021
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WHY WAIT! GET YOUR CLASS AD NOW!
504 Homes for Sale
What is on your Real Estate
WISHLIST?
Call Kerry at 541-377-6855 for
all your Real Estate needs.
TURN HERE
REALTY & TRAVEL
There are limited homes
available in our market and
I have buyers!
Call Kerry at 541-377-6855 to
sell your home with
TURN HERE
REALTY & TRAVEL
Low Interest Rates
Connections with Financing...
Choices with homes to suit
you... Please call or Text 541-
377-6855 or Email Kerry at kjc-
baird@gmail.com
TURN HERE
REALTY & TRAVEL
How Much is your Home Worth?
Call Matt Vogler, The Week-
end and After Hours Realtor,
for a free Market Analysis.
541.377.9470. More Listings
needed to meet current buyer
demand!
Matt Vogler
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
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