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A10 News wallowa.com June 1, 2016 Protesters demand justice for Idaho rancher killed by deputies Citizens say investigation a disservice to family Wounded bear attacks area hunter By George Plaven East Oregonian By Sean Ellis Capital Press BOISE — A rally to de- mand justice for Jack Yantis, the Adams County rancher who was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies last year, was held in front of the Idaho attorney general’s ofice May 20. The attorney general’s of- ice in March was handed the results of a months-long Ida- ho State Police investigation into the Nov. 1 shooting and is acting as special prosecutor in the case. Protesters said the investi- gation has lasted too long and demanded the attorney gen- eral make a determination on whether the two Adams County sheriff’s deputies involved in the shooting will be charged. “It shouldn’t take this long. My goodness, it’s been over six months,” said Melba rancher Steve Colson. Yantis, a Council area rancher, was shot and killed by the deputies after he arrived at the scene where one of his bulls had been hit and injured by a car. He was asked by the dis- patcher to go there. Jordan Valley resident Mi- chael McLaughlin, who has organized the Facebook page, “Justice for Jack,” said the Yan- tis family deserves closure and Sean Ellis/Capital Press Supporters of Jack Yantis, the Council, Idaho, rancher shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies in November, demand justice for him May 20 in front of the Idaho attorney general’s office in the state Capitol. the investigation has taken too long. “Two hundred days later, the whole family still doesn’t have closure,” he said. “Some- thing’s wrong with that.” The 12 protesters, a mix of Adams County and Boise area residents, stood in front of the attorney general’s ofice with signs and stickers demanding justice and resolution. The attorney general re- leased a statement in response to the rally that encouraged people to be patient until the ofice thoroughly reviews the results of the state police inves- tigation. “In order to achieve justice, my ofice is fulilling its prose- cutorial duty to conduct a thor- ough, deliberate and careful re- view of all the evidence that has been gathered in this complex case,” Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden stated in the release. Wasden said the case is a high priority for his ofice, “but we only get one chance to achieve justice for every- one involved, including Mr. Yantis. For that reason, I have not imposed any arbitrary time lines that could lead to a rush in judgment.” In a May 19 letter to Ad- ams County commissioners, Wasden said the state police in- vestigation was thorough, com- prehensive and complex and he has instructed his investigators and prosecutors to be equally as thorough. “It is important for you and for the people of Adams Coun- ty to understand this process takes considerable time,” Was- den stated. Colson, a former police of- icer, said he was stunned to learn that Yantis had been killed after responding to the scene where one of his bulls had been injured. “The wife deserves to know ... why in the hell her husband was killed for doing what he was supposed to do,” he said. “The whole thing just does not make sense.” Council resident Rebecca Barrow, who organized the protest rally, said it was held “to let the attorney general know that we haven’t forgot- ten Jack was killed 200 days ago and we’re asking him to put Jack’s case irst. ... The family deserves to know what he’s going to decide.” Wallowa County Chieftain A Pendleton hunter was attacked by a black bear May 22 in the Starkey Unit near La Grande. Shane Thomas was by himself at Tony Vey Meadows about 6 miles up Forest Road 5160, said Sgt. Nick Pallis with the Union County Sher- iff’s Ofice. Thomas told ofi- cers he had shot the bear with his rile and had walked into a thicket to retrieve the animal. Except the bear wasn’t dead. It attacked Thomas, who was unable to reach for his pistol and forced to ight back by kicking and yelling. Thomas was able to get away and drive himself back to the highway despite puncture wounds to his legs and back- side, Pallis said. Thomas texted his moth- er about what happened, and she called 911. Pallis said he paged Search and Rescue, though before they could re- spond his deputy actually passed Thomas on Highway 244. Thomas followed med- ics back to Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande, where Pallis said he was treated and released. “I give this young man some pretty good kudos,” Pallis said. “Anyone who can ight off a bear the way he did ... that’s an undertaking in and of itself.” Pallis, however, added that Thomas was lucky. He said the incident underscores the need for hunters to have a partner with them in the wil- derness in case of an accident or, in this case, an attack. “It’s always something you have to consider,” Pallis said. “Accidents can happen, and animals can attack and hurt you.” Michelle Dennehy, spokes- woman with the Oregon De- partment of Fish & Wildlife, said bear attacks are extreme- ly rare in Oregon, but not un- heard of. The agency has doc- umented ive incidents, none of which have been fatal. Two of the previous cases — one in Douglas County, and the oth- er in Coos Bay — came under similar circumstances, where a wounded animal came back to attack a hunter. “This is not the irst time this has happened,” Dennehy said. She said hunters need to approach wildlife carefully, especially if those animals have been shot and injured. Dennehy said they are not sure what happened to the bear that attacked Thomas. Oregon is home to be- tween 25,000 and 30,000 black bears, according to ODFW. Spring bear hunt- ing season ended May 31 in northeast Oregon. Oregon oficials renew wildire insurance policy By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon of- icials and forestland own- ers have renewed the state’s wildire insurance despite failing to reach the policy’s $50 million deductible last year. The price of the premium declined by $300,000 to $3.45 million in 2016, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry. Underwriters gave the discount because state did not need to use the policy in 2015, said Sen. Alan Bates, D-Ashland. The $25 million policy is underwritten by Lloyd’s, a London insurance consor- tium, and AXIS of Bermuda. Federal and state agen- cies spent $94.4 million on wildire suppression in 2015, according to the Legislative Fiscal Ofice. Only about $30 million of that, however, was counted toward the state’s wildire insurance deductible. A committee of public and private forestland owners voted in March to renew the policy. That committee typ- ically pays 50 percent of the premium but could only pay 11 percent this year because state law limits how much it can spend ire suppression. Subscribe to the Chieftain today! In-County Mailed Subscriptions It has already hit that $13.5 million threshold, leaving the state to make up the differ- ence of nearly $1.4 million. he Joint Legislative Emer- gency Board — which ap- proves budget adjustments between legislative sessions — approved that additional expenditure Wednesday. Oregon is the only state in the nation to purchase wild- ire insurance, though Wash- ington also is considering acquiring a policy, said Rod Nichols, spokesman for the Department of Forestry. “Oregon irst purchased a policy in 1973 and has been doing so ever since,” Nich- $40 a year Call 541-426-4567 ols said. “In many years, our expenditures did not meet the deductible, and the state iled no claims. But in severe ire seasons, the policy protected the general fund and prevent- ed major disruption to state government programs across the board.” Between 1973 and 2008, the state reached its deduct- ible and received a payout only 13 times, according to data from the Department of Forestry, but those payouts equaled $2 million more than the premiums. The depart- ment did not immediately provide data on payouts be- tween 2009 and 2014. 201 East Hwy 82 Enterprise, OR 97828 541.426.0320 When it comes Summer’s to your home or business, Here! the Safe Way Stop in for is the Best Way! propane refills! 541.426.0320 Call NOW for information about Energysaver® Direct Vent Wall Furnaces. Call for Entries Speak LOUDER with COLOR Add color to your ad for ONLY $5 Deadline is 4PM Monday Call 541-426-4567 You heard it here FIRST! Advertise in the Chieftain’s print and online classifieds. Visit wallowa.com or call 541.426.4567