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THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2022
MAR CH
146th Year, No. 62
WINNER OF 16 ONPA AWARDS IN 2021
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J e n n y D o
WORKING
TO BECOME
Taxi-ride-hail
compromise
hits a bump
n ’
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — City staff
presented its pilot plan for integrat-
ing ride-hailing companies such as
Uber into Pendleton as a compro-
mise, but only one party seemed
satisfi ed with the result.
Finance Director Linda Carter
shared the basics of the proposal
with the city council at a meeting
Tuesday, March 15: Elite Taxi, the
city’s only cab business, would oper-
ate during the day and ride-hail-
ing services would run during the
evenings with a few overlapping
hours between them. Elite would
continue to operate city-subsidized
programs for senior, disabled and
low-income residents.
Currently, the city’s taxi ordi-
nance prevents ride-hailing services
from operating within the city
because they don’t meet require-
ments to qualify as a taxicab service.
Carter said staff was recom-
mending the city put the pilot
program in place for three to four
months, after which, the council
would determine whether it wanted
to extend the proposal, adjust it or
do away with the program entirely.
The owners of Elite have repeat-
edly argued they need both cash fare
and revenue from its contracts with
the city to stay viable. Carter said
the plan would allow aspiring Uber
drivers to begin operating while
protecting one of the few compa-
nies qualifi ed to run its subsidized
transportation services.
Matthew Johlke, who owns and
operates Elite with his father, said
the cab company was making a big
sacrifi ce by relinquishing 40% of
its service hours. But he later added
Elite thought it could make it work
through the decreased overhead it
would see by not having to oper-
ate during late-night, low-volume
hours.
A couple representing a group of
residents who want to drive for Uber
were less sanguine about the deal.
Alicia and Jesse Reynen said they
wanted Uber drivers to be able to
operate 24/7 during the trial period,
and they only accepted the compro-
mise under pressure from city staff .
The plan also faced scrutiny from
the council.
Councilor Dale Primmer said
the city wouldn’t be able to truly
measure the effect of ride-hail
services on Elite unless both sides
were able to run during the same
hours. Agreeing with Primmer,
Councilor Sally Brandsen said
ride-hail services could open up a
new customer base that wouldn’t
Night, a 1-year-old Labrador/border collie mix, clutches a ball Wednesday,
March 16, 2022, at the Pendleton Animal Welfare Shelter in Pendleton. Pioneer
Humane Society/PAWS have made it to the “Furry 4” in the nationwide March
Muttness Tournament fundraising competition.
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Pendleton Animal Welfare Shelter strives to out
fundraise competitors in national tournament
By PHIIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
ENDLETON — The Pioneer
Humane Society/Pendleton
Animal Welfare Shelter is
vying in a national fundrais-
ing tournament to come out as
top dog.
The local humane soci-
ety and the no-kill shelter it
operates at 517 S.E. Third St.,
Pendleton, have made it to the
“Furry 4” in March Muttness.
The Humane Society of Southern
Arizona hosts the tournament, patterned
after college basketball’s March Madness
to determine a national champion. Instead
of hoops, shelters vie for donations.
Shaindel Beers is vice president of the
Pioneer Humane Society/PAWS Board
of Directors. She said the organization
P
See Shelter, Page A7
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
A 5-week-old puppy looks up from a kennel Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at the
Pendleton Animal Welfare Shelter in Pendleton. The puppies have yet to be of-
fered for adoption.
Business curates one-of-a-kind tourism opportunities
See Taxi, Page A7
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
BAKER CITY — A Baker City
business is shining a light on the
natural gems of Eastern Oregon.
Go Wild: American Adven-
tures focuses on local tourism,
environmental education, commu-
nity partnerships and international
outreach. Through custom-curated
outdoors adventures, owner Dan
Sizer aims to share his love of the
outdoors with others.
“From the beginning, the rural
Oregon part was something I really
wanted to help people connect to,”
Sizer said.
The business is in its fi fth year,
but has faced several hurdles related
to the coronavirus pandemic. As
the warm season approaches,
Sizer and his crew are gearing up
for a slate of adventures in Eastern
Oregon this summer.
Sizer, who graduated from
Lewis & Clark College in Port-
land, went to high school in Baker
Go Wild: American Adventures/Contributed Photo
Two Go Wild: American Adventures guests jump into an alpine lake in
the Wallowas during the summer of 2021. The business, based in Baker
City, creates curated outdoor experiences in Eastern Oregon.
City and began the business after
working for the U.S. Forest Service
for six seasons. The inspiration for
Go Wild: American Adventures
started in Sizer’s college days,
when he took a group of interna-
tional students back home to East-
ern Oregon. Sizer and his friends
went backpacking, hiking, canoe-
ing and participated in other
outdoor activities that the group
had never done before.
It was at this point that Sizer saw
a potential business opportunity,
inviting individuals from out of
the area to experience what East-
ern Oregon has to off er. The busi-
ness now provides guides, personal
chefs, gourmet outdoor meals,
lessons and more at destinations
across the region.
“It was always amazing for me
to see the awe and wonder, realiz-
ing how many folks haven’t been
out in this kind of country,” Sizer
said.
Go Wild’s main clientele come
from larger cities such as Portland,
Seattle or the Tri-Cities in Wash-
ington. Sizer noted the business
shifted from focusing on day-trip
visitors coming through Eastern
See Tourism, Page A7