NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
A2
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Reviews of pilot program largely positive
to enhance a hunter’s experience by
providing the opportunity to drive
into and park their vehicle in an area
that has no drive-in access for day
use, and allow hunters to take better
advantage of early hours in the day
to start their hunt.”
Justice said all the sites Hancock
rented in 2021 were in the Sled
Springs hunting unit north of
Wallowa.
“Historically, there were camp-
sites on the property. Therefore,
we opted to select those historical
locations for our sites as we knew
they were more likely to be used,”
he said of which sites Hancock
elected to rent out. “Prices were set
on presumed desirability of each
site, and the amount of people that
each site could hold. The highest
priced sites are located inside the
vehicle travel management area,
which allows a camper to drive
to the campsite but not hunt in a
motor vehicle. Many of the sites are
very large and can accommodate
many campers. These large sites
are priced higher for this reason.
We did learn in the pilot that hunt-
ers desired lower price points for
smaller groups. Based on that feed-
back, we now have several sites for
rent that are smaller and at a lower
price point.”
The prices of the 22 sites,
according to hipcamp.com, range
from $35 per night to as much as
$300 per night at two locations —
Mud Springs and Howard Butte.
Half the sites run for $75 or less a
night, and nine of those run for $50.
By RONALD BOND
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA — A pilot program
by Hancock Forest Management on
some of its Northeastern Oregon
campsites is receiving an overall
positive response.
The natural resource group
started researching fee camping in
2019, and in that summer and the
spring of 2020, began charging
rental fees on a handful of its sites
for overnight use, according to
region manager Joe Justice.
There are 22 sites enrolled
through the camping reservation
company Hip Camp.
Justice said since 2017, “Hancock
Natural Resource Group’s NE
Oregon forests have been a part of
the Access and Habitat Program
through Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife. This has allowed
Hancock to maintain open recre-
ational access to the public while
still maintaining safety protocols on
our property and meeting our fidu-
ciary responsibility to our clients.”
Hancock began researching
fee-use camping in 2019 “with the
idea that they would be primarily
used by hunters during archery
season starting in September
through rifle season ending in
November,” Justice said.
“The original pilot program’s
goal was to gain a better under-
standing of what hunter’s desired
in a campsite, what the price point
should be, and the amenities we
would want to provide,” Justice
said. “The intent of this program is
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald, File
A pilot program by Hancock Forest Management on some of its Northeastern Oregon campsites is receiving an
overall positive response.
Seven more sites are at $100.
Price has been the most-dis-
cussed point with users, Justice
said, but on the whole the project,
he said, has been well-received.
“In general, the feedback has
been positive,” he said. “Most
feedback we have received has
been on price. Last year, we
offered larger sites that could
accommodate more people at
a higher price point. However,
some have indicated that they
would prefer smaller campsites at
a lower price. Based on that feed-
Forecast for Pendleton Area
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back, we have added those types
of sites to the program to better
accommodate user’s needs.”
The sites still are free for day
use. Hancock does monitor the
sites, and will ask someone camp-
ing overnight who hasn’t made a
reservation to make one or leave.
“Hancock managed lands are
private property. Unlike most
private property in Oregon, our
lands are open to the public for a
variety of recreational activities. If
a member of the public chooses to
disregard the rules we have in place
Judge stays couple’s discrimination suit
MONDAY
By MATEUSZ
PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
Intervals of clouds
and sunshine
Partly sunny and
cooler
77° 50°
65° 43°
Partly sunny and
pleasant
Mostly cloudy
Sunny and
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PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
71° 48°
75° 51°
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HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
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OREGON FORECAST
ALMANAC
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PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yest.
HIGH
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TEMP.
Seattle
Olympia
62/50
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Kennewick Walla Walla
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62/49
80/52
Astoria
61/48
Pullman
Yakima 75/43
60/46
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Portland
Hermiston
65/50
The Dalles 78/52
Salem
Corvallis
65/46
Yesterday
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Records
La Grande
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PRECIPITATION
John Day
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through 3 p.m. yest.
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Pendleton 70/38
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24 hours ending 3 p.m.
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HERMISTON
Enterprise
77/50
73/47
66°
44°
73°
47°
93° (1932) 28° (1919)
PRECIPITATION
Moses
Lake
62/45
Aberdeen
70/45
68/45
Tacoma
Yesterday
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Records
Spokane
Wenatchee
61/50
Today
Boardman
Pendleton
Medford
79/55
Fri.
SW 4-8
WSW 6-12
NNE 4-8
NW 4-8
SUN AND MOON
Klamath Falls
73/40
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
New
6:52 a.m.
6:37 p.m.
none
4:14 p.m.
First
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Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 99° in Zapata, Texas Low 14° in Stanley, Idaho
Oct 6
Oct 12
PORTLAND — A federal
judge has stayed a lawsuit
Oregon couple brought who
challenged a USDA loan
forgiveness program for
allegedly discriminating
against white farmers.
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Patricia Sullivan has put the
litigation on hold to “avoid
unnecessary, duplicative
government action” because
the plaintiffs, Kathryn and
James Dunlap, are already
represented in a class action
lawsuit against the $4 billion
debt relief program.
The judge said the
“interests of judicial effi-
ciency weigh in favor of a
stay” because it would “not
unduly prejudice plaintiffs,
nor would it present tactical
disadvantages to plaintiffs.”
The Dunlaps, who farm
near Baker City, are among
several growers across the
U.S. who have claimed
white farmers were unlaw-
fully excluded from the loan
assistance program, which
Congress passed as part of
Oct 20
Oct 28
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
COVID-19 relief legislation
earlier this year.
Under the program, farm-
ers who are Black, Native
American, Asian, Hawaiian
or Pacific Islander are eligible
for payments of up to 120%
of their USDA loans, which
critics argue violates equal
protection under the law.
“Farmers and ranch-
ers who are white are inel-
igible for loan assistance,
regardless of their individ-
ual circumstances,” accord-
ing to the complaint filed
by the Dunlaps, who have
otherwise qualifying USDA
loans for cattle and farm
equipment.
The USDA argued their
lawsuit and similar ones
must be stayed because a
class action case has been
certified in Texas that already
represents their interests
while also enjoining the debt
relief program.
The Dunlaps objected to
the stay, arguing the class
action may not adequately
represent their interests, but
the judge said she would
follow the example of federal
courts in several other states
that have put similar cases on
hold. The Texas class action
lawsuit “involves the same
defendants, general claims,
and request for relief as in the
present case,” she said.
However, the judge said
the Dunlaps can ask to lift
the stay if they opt out of the
class action lawsuit, which
they and other farmers are
trying to do. The couple are
among a group of 12 farmers
who’ve filed a motion to opt
out of the Texas case because
they “should be allowed to
pursue their chosen claims,
with their chosen counsel, in
their chosen forums.”
These farmers argue
the class action complaint
more broadly attacks USDA
programs for alleged racial
discrimination while they
are specifically targeting the
loan forgiveness program.
The class action lawsuit also
includes different legal theo-
ries, they claim.
The USDA opposes their
motion, arguing the Texas
lawsuit is the type of class
action litigation that seeks
broad injunctive relief on
constitutional grounds from
which individual members
cannot opt out.
IN BRIEF
Last
NATIONAL EXTREMES
that help maintain safety on our
lands and for our recreational users,
we can take legal action if neces-
sary. This is extremely rare. Most
members of the public are respect-
ful and appreciate the opportunity
to recreate on our properties.”
Hancock continues process-
ing feedback on the sites to deter-
mine how it will handle them in the
future.
“As we receive feedback on our
sites, we will be able to adjust to
meet the needs and wants of those
using the sites,” Justice said.
U.S. alleges farmer
defrauded federal
insurance program
SPOK A N E — T he
United States has filed a civil
enforcement action against
an Eastern Washington
farmer alleging a multi-year
scheme to defraud the feder-
ally backed crop insurance
program.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office
for the Eastern District of
Washington in a press release
Tuesday, Sept. 28, announced
filing the complaint against
Rick T. Gray and one of his
companies, Gray Farms &
Cattle Co. LLC, of Prosser, in
U.S. District Court. Accord-
ing to the press release,
“Gray made tens of thou-
sands of dollars through
hidden and undisclosed
wheat sales while falsely
claiming a wheat production
loss thereby obtaining over
$500,000 in crop insurance
loss indemnity payments, all
of which were fully backed
by the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture through
the Federal Crop Insurance
Corporation.”
The insurance program
helps farmers nationwide.
Ac c o r d i ng, t o t he
complaint, Gray in 2015
concealed more than half
of the wheat production of
companies he owned and/or
controlled by falsely claim-
ing to crop insurance loss
adjusters that those compa-
nies sold approximately
21,000 bushels of wheat for
approximately $130,000,
when in actuality his compa-
nies sold more than 35,000
bushels of wheat for about
$184,000 more in hidden and
undisclosed wheat sales.
— EO Media Group
CORRECTION
The Page A11 story “Teeing off for a good cause,” published Tuesday, Sept. 28, had the
wrong date listed for the event. The disc golf tournament is Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 2-3.
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
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E AST O REGONIAN
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