KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
ANDREW CUTLER
Publisher/Editor
ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Editor/Senior Reporter
THURSDAy, APRIL 28, 2022
A4
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
Coming
clean on
gambling
T
he Oregon Lottery and other
state-sanctioned gambling has
brought more than $12 billion in
revenues to the state since it began in the
1980s.
Big money. It’s right behind the state
income tax as one of the state’s largest
sources of revenue. And there is a thirst for
more.
Other states, such as Pennsylvania,
allow much more freedom for people to
gamble on more things — right from their
phone.
Why not Oregon?
A new state committee is going to look
at Oregon’s gambling regulations and its
mix of offerings.
There are the usual issues. The commit-
tee also should address transparency.
Oregonians deserve to know where the
money is coming from and how it is spent.
There is, at least, a temporary step back
from the Oregon Lottery. More about that
in a few paragraphs.
The issues that are sure to get the atten-
tion of the committee include: What is
the right mix of gambling? How much
state-sanctioned gambling is too much? Is
Oregon doing enough to battle gambling
addiction even as it encourages people to
gamble? Should gambling machines be
allowed at horse tracks? Are Oregon tribes
losing out as the state expands gambling
beyond their control?
This past legislative session, Senate
President Peter Courtney tried to get a bill
passed to allow state-sanctioned sports
betting on college sports. People already
bet on college sports, after all. Why not
capture some of the revenue for the state?
The proposal was to take the revenue from
gambling on college sports and put it into
the state’s program that provides grants to
college students. Legislators balked. It got
one hearing and then nothing. Gambling
opponents didn’t like it. Oregon tribes
argued it would eat into their casino reve-
nues.
We hope the committee also firmly
backs transparency. For instance, the
Oregon Lottery recently became less trans-
parent about its money from sports betting.
You used to be able to find on the Oregon
Lottery’s website monthly reports showing
how much was bet on various sports from
cricket to chess to surfing to football and
the state’s margin on each. Here’s a link to
information for August 2021: tinyurl.com/
ORsportshistorical.
Now if you want to see that, the website
directs people to a public records request.
Why the added hassle? We asked the
Oregon Lottery. A spokesperson wasn’t
immediately sure. Understandable. “I do
know that our agency philosophy with
public records is to be as transparent as
possible,” Patrick Johnson emailed us. “So
I will look into this further.”
He also swiftly sent us a link to the files.
That’s here: tinyurl.com/ORsportsbetting.
So we got them. But there’s less detail
in the new reports and that added hassle in
getting them. Jess Nelson, public records
specialist for the Oregon Lottery, later told
us there’s less detail, in part, because the
lottery is transitioning to a new vendor
for sports betting, DraftKings. She said it
is not the intent to require a formal public
records request for the data. The Oregon
Lottery just has not gotten around to
putting the link on the webpage, yet, she
said.
Right now, the Oregon Lottery is provid-
ing less data and more hassle. It’s not the
biggest deal, but it should be a reminder to
the new state committee that any changes
to state gambling regulations should not
come with less transparency.
Living as a lefty leaves me soaked
TAMMY
MALGESINI
INSIDE MY SHOES
I
’ve recently been forced to use
my non-dominant hand for every-
day tasks. I have minimal skills
with being ambidextrous, however,
after having surgery on my right hand/
elbow, I have learned a number of life
hacks (as well as things not to do).
I’ve utilized voice-to-text as much
as I can. Since I don’t like to talk into
my phone in normal conversational
tones, I use what friends call my “golf
commentator” voice. I talk quietly, so
as not to blast my private communi-
cations to everyone within earshot.
One problem — I don’t always enun-
ciate my words. While it’s easy to make
corrections before hitting send, I don’t
always do that. Luckily, my friends have
a sense of humor. We’ve chuckled over
some of the communications, which
aren’t appropriate for the newspaper.
Often referring to myself in the third
person in texts to my husband, I use
an abbreviated form of my nickname,
Bwana. “The Bwan” is often tran-
scribed as “The blonde” (which is accu-
rate, thanks to my hairdresser) or “The
One” — making it sound like I have an
overinflated sense of self-importance:
“The One is ready to be picked up.”
John also has been my chauf-
feur. While I can’t readily put the rig
into gear, the bigger issue is getting
in my Jeep. Utilizing a step stool, I
climb onto the running board, grab
the “oh my god bar” and pull myself
in. However, the stool remains on
the ground. I’m thinking of tying a
rope around it so I can reel it in.
Although I’m far from ambi-
dextrous, I might qualify for being
amphibian. Unlike former Oakland
Athletics baseball player Pat Venditte,
who was once referred to as an
“amphibious pitcher,” some of my
efforts have left me drenched.
While trying to open a bottle
of water, I had it situated between
my feet. As I attempted to turn the
cap, my feet clenched the bottle
ever tighter — resulting in a geyser
reminiscent of Old Faithful.
Upon hearing this story, my co-work-
ers check to see if I need anything
before leaving for the day. Although,
Hermiston Herald editor Erick Peter-
son thought I was offering him a Pepsi
when I merely wanted him to open it.
While the help is greatly appreci-
ated, they are gaining a more intimate
knowledge of my habits. Multimedia
consultant Angel Aguilar asked how
many Pepsis I consume daily. “Enough,”
I said. “Don’t judge me.” Since I
also drink a lot of water, my massive
liquid consumption results in frequent
visits to the facilities. And that makes
choosing my attire very important.
A friend recently suggested that
I looked “gangster.” I can’t help it —
baggy shorts are easier to manipu-
late than tight-fitting pants. And with
limited abilities to style my hair, my hat
collection is coming in handy. And I
often prefer wearing them backward.
Fortunately, Sen. Ron Wyden wasn’t
dressed to the nines when he visited the
newsroom recently. He, too, was wear-
ing a baseball hat, although not back-
wards. We shared a laugh about how the
late Hermiston Mayor Frank Harken-
rider used to wear his caps precari-
ously perched on the top of his head.
I’d like to provide a public service
announcement for those who might have
surgery where they utilize a nerve block.
While I received a printout from the
surgical center about the risks associated
with taking prescription opioids, they
didn’t stress the importance of getting
some pain medication on board in
advance of the nerve block wearing off.
I’d never had one before, so I didn’t
know what to expect. I literally went
from zero pain to off the charts approx-
imately 24 hours after surgery. And
evidently, some nerve blocks last longer
than others. Annie Fowler, the EO
sports reporter, called my nerve block
“wimpy,” as the one she had during
shoulder surgery lasted three days.
In addition to preparing my
meals, John also cuts my food into
bite-sized pieces. Don’t worry,
there isn’t a risk of starving.
Back during my college days, my
roomies and I ate T-bone steaks with
our hands because we forgot steak
knives. I happily reported in our Tues-
day newsroom meeting that I ate 25%
of my dinner with the fork in my right
hand. While the road to recovery is
slow — my surgeon said nerves regen-
erate at a rate of one inch per month
— I’m looking forward to when I’m
able to grip a pen and hold a camera.
———
Tammy Malgesini, the East Oregonian
community writer, enjoys spending time
with her husband and two German shep-
herds, as well as entertaining herself with
random musings.
Throughout her campaign, Susan
has reached out to many residents in all
parts of the county to hear their concerns
and visions for Umatilla County. She’s a
forward thinker with enthusiasm to lead
the county in a positive direction.
I believe she will be a true advocate
for all communities in Umatilla County.
Join me in voting Susan Bower for
county commissioner.
Susan Talbot
Pendleton
sioner Position 1. Susan is a dedicated,
hardworking professional who will
always do what is best for all the resi-
dents of Umatilla County.
Susan is a great communicator with
the background and skill-set to ensure
that Umatilla County is front and center
when it comes to economic growth and a
business friendly environment.
Susan has a passion to see that
Umatilla County expands and grows to
its potential. As a county commissioner,
we believe she will use that passion and
knowledge to benefit our county.
Please vote Susan Bower for county
commissioner.
Colleen and Dennis Hunt
Pendleton
YOUR VIEWS
Susan Bower is a forward
thinker with enthusiasm
I am honored to endorse Susan Bower
for Umatilla County commissioner. In
a crowded field, Susan stands above
because of her educational background,
work experiences and passion for
Umatilla County.
Through her business, she has
become well-acquainted with many of
the issues facing Umatilla County. Her
educational background in business and
finances and her past employment in
banking, education and as a small busi-
ness owner give Susan a diverse skill set
that will greatly enhance her ability to
lead Umatilla County.
Susan Bower will do what’s
best for all residents
Please join us in voting for Susan
Bower for Umatilla County commis-
EDITORIALS
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial
board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express
the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East
Oregonian.
letters that address concerns about individual services and products
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LETTERS
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on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper
and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold
SEND LETTERS TO:
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211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801