A4 THE BULLETIN • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021 CALIFORNIA Police: 13 killed when big rig hits SUV carrying 25 people BY ELLIOT SPAGAT The Associated Press HOLTVILLE, Calif. — Thirteen people were killed Tuesday when an SUV car- rying 25 people and a semi- truck collided on a Southern California highway near the U.S.-Mexico border, authori- ties said. Twelve people were found dead when first responders reached the highway, which winds through fields in the ag- ricultural southeastern corner of California. Another person died at a hospital, California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson said. Authorities do not yet know if the driver of the Ford Expe- dition, who died in the crash, had stopped at a stop sign be- fore crossing into the path of the big rig around 6:15 a.m., Watson said. The gravel-haul- ing semi-truck hit the left side of the SUV, which appeared to Gregory Bull/AP Law enforcement officers work at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, California, on Tuesday. Authorities say a semi-truck crashed into an SUV carrying 25 people on a Southern California highway east of El Centro, killing at least 13 people. have been pushed off the road that’s about 100 miles east of San Diego. Watson described a grisly scene outside Holtville, a ru- ral town about 11 miles north of the border with farms that grow vegetables and alfalfa for cattle feed. Officers arrived to find that some people had been ejected from the SUV onto the ground. Some of the passengers had pulled them- selves from the wreckage, and others who were injured were wandering around. A Ford Expedition typically seats eight people legally. The CHP did not immediately know why so many occupants had been crammed into the SUV. “Obviously, that vehicle is not meant for that many peo- ple,” Watson said. “It’s unfor- tunate that that many people were put into that vehicle be- cause there’s not enough safety constraints to safely keep those people in that vehicle.” The driver of the big rig, which was hauling two trail- ers of gravel, was hospitalized with moderate injuries. Repairs Continued from A1 Excavation will begin at 10th Street and Newport Av- enue. Starting in April, the Ninth Street and Nashville Av- enue roundabout will be closed through August. Nashville Av- enue will also be closed in this time. People traveling west on Newport will be rerouted onto Sixth Street, and those going east will be rerouted onto 11th Street, according to the city’s website. The second phase of the project, which is slated to begin in July, will impact the section of Newport between Ninth and 12th streets. Detours will be provided in this area off Col- lege Way and Portland Avenue, but only at night, as most of the construction there will hap- pen between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., Franklet said. “That was really to recog- nize the pandemic situation has been hard on everybody, but especially hard on businesses,” Franklet said. “So we wanted to be as accommodating as we could.” George Franklet/Submitted A photo of the old stormwater pipe under Newport Avenue that will be replaced. The money for the project will come from several city funds, including stormwater, water reclamation, water, trans- portation construction, and the Americans with Disabilities Act funds, Franklet said. The city is hosting a virtual open house about the Newport Avenue improvements that will last until March 12. Those in- terested can attend on the city’s website. e e Reporter: 541-633-2160, bvisser@bendbulletin.com Ryan Brennecke/Bulletin file Several vans and campers line Shevlin Hixon Drive in May 2019. Parking Continued from A1 After what several busi- nesses and the city deem a successful trial period, these restrictions may now become permanent. On Wednesday, the Bend City Council will vote on whether to establish the area around McKay Park as a for- mal parking district. The district would make perma- nent four-hour parking re- strictions and a permit pro- gram that allows employees and residents of businesses and homes in the area to use street parking. The parking district would encompass SW Commerce Avenue from SW Columbia Street to NW Allen Road; SW Shevlin Hixon Drive from SW Columbia Street to SW Simpson Avenue; SW Bradbury Way from SW Shevlin Hixon Drive to SW Simpson Avenue; and on SW Allen Road and SW Crowell Way, according to city docu- ments. Before the pilot proj- ect, the area around McKay Park was a popular hang out for lifestyle vehicle camp- ers, making it an unofficial campground for people who would come to use ameni- ties like the Bend Whitewater Park. There were even stories of surfers “deck changing” in and out of swimwear in the open in front of businesses. Overall, Parking Services Division Manager Tobias Marx said Tuesday he con- siders the pilot program a success story. “This actually made the difference for the people who live there and work there,” he said. Residents and employees in the area, like Ayres, gener- St. Charles Continued from A1 Oregon secretary of state to push for national popular vote BY ANDREW SELSKY The Associated Press SALEM — Oregon’s sec- retary of state, who as a law- maker championed the Na- tional Popular Vote Interstate Compact, has joined the advi- sory board of a movement that is pushing states to adopt the one person-one vote system. Shemia Fagan, a Democrat, will now be advising National Popular Vote, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the compact in states across the country, her office announced Monday. The movement needs 270 Electoral College votes for na- tional popular vote to be ad- opted in America. It already has secured 196 and aims to gain more this year. Under the current system, each state’s electoral votes go to the can- didate who won the popular vote in that state, with the run- ner-up getting nothing. Ne- braska and Maine are the only exceptions. www.bendbulletin.com 541.382.1811 “One-person-one-vote is critical to the foundation of our democracy and National Popular Vote ensures that this principle is upheld in one of our most sacred democratic processes — selecting our pres- ident,” Fagan said in a state- ment. The board she’s joining ad- vises the nonprofit National Popular Vote organization in its mission of reforming the Electoral College through the enactment of the National Pop- ular Vote Interstate Compact. So far, 15 states and the District of Columbia have signed on. Electoral College supporters say the current system adheres to federalism by preserving the role of states in presidential elections. But opponents say the system violates the one per- son-one vote principle, encour- ages candidates to ignore states that are either firmly Demo- cratic or Republican, and gives disproportionate power to vot- ers in just a few states. We have had great results with Whiteboard Media’s digital marketing program. I have a quarterly meeting with Makenna Frickey, where she covers everything in detail and helps me make any adjustments. She is very thorough and helpful. Can’t wait to see our results for this quarter! Amy Remick Offi ce Manager Gilmore Dental www.gilmoredental.com “We had hoped the courts would give us additional time to get back to the bargaining table with the Oregon Fed- eration of Nurses and Health Professionals so that we could reach a contract agreement without an impact to our pa- tients,” Aaron Adams, presi- dent of St. Charles Bend, said in a prepared statement. “We are disappointed in the out- come but will continue our preparations to hire and on- ally agree with him — a com- munity survey conducted in the fall showed that 88% of survey respondents said their parking situation had im- proved since the restrictions were put in place, Marx said. “Besides a small group of out-of-town campers … we don’t really get any com- plaints anymore,” Marx said. If the council agrees to amend the code to make this parking district permanent, there will be 80 parking per- mits available for employ- ees and residents who work and live in this area to park longer than four hours. Res- idential permits will cost $25 a month to match a similar parking permit program in the Old Bend Neighborhood, Marx said, and employee permits for businesses will cost $30 a month. The money that comes from the permit fees and citations would be split be- tween a general parking services fund and a sepa- rate fund that would pay for neighborhood safety im- provements, according to a previous interview with Marx. Businesses in the area say that making these restric- tions permanent are import- ant now more than ever, with a new apartment complex being built near McKay Park off SW Shevlin Hixon Drive. There is a fear the streets around the apartment com- plex will be used as overflow street parking for residents or their guests, said Whitney Sproul, the office adminis- trator at River Park Family Dentistry. “We’re in agreement here: continue the program, please,” Sproul said Tuesday. e e Reporter: 541-633-2160, bvisser@bendbulletin.com board replacement workers and minimize disruptions to our patients and community.” The last bargaining session was in December and a fed- eral mediator has been called in for a March 10 session. “We hope that St. Charles will take Judge (Michael) McShane’s advice and return to the table,” said Sam Pot- ter, external organizer for the union. “Our members don’t want to go on strike, but they will if they have to.” e e Reporter: 541-633-2117, sroig@bendbulletin.com Timo Matti Juhani Pa- tokoski of Bend, OR Mark Harold Frank of Redmond, OR Nov 7, 1938 - Feb 25, 2021 Arrangements: Baird Funeral Home of Bend is honored to serve the Patokoski family. Please visit our website, www.bairdfh.com, to share condolences and sign our online guest book Services: A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Nov 20, 1968 - Feb 9, 2021 Arrangements: Whispering Pines Funeral Home is honored to assist the Frank family with ar- rangements – 3168 NE 3rd Street – Prineville, Oregon 97754 (541) 416-9733 Services: There will be a Memorial Service held on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 1:00 PM at the Shiloh Ranch Church (15696 SW Bussett Road) in Powell Butte. Long-time family friend, Charlie Brewer will be officiating the service. To light a candle for Mark or leave the family an online condolence, please visit: www.whisperingpinesfu- neralhome.com Contributions may be made to: Memorial con- tributions may be made Mark’s name to: Tzuzoo rescue at https://tzuzoores- cue.com/donation/ Edwin “Eddie” Dean Manion of Warm Springs, OR Jan 5, 1958 - Feb 25, 2021 Arrangements: Bel-Air Funeral Home 541- 475-2241 www.bel-airfu- neralhome.com Services: Funeral Service Wed. 3/3/2021 from 10 to 2pm at Bel-Air Funeral Home in Madras James “Jim” Samuel Walker, Sr. of Bend, OR July 14, 1935 - Feb 26, 2021 Arrangements: Baird Funeral Home of Bend is honored to serve the Walker family. Please visit our website, www. bairdfh.com, to share condolences and sign our online guest book. OBITUARY DEADLINE Call to ask about our deadlines 541-385-5809 Monday-Friday 10am-3pm Email: obits@bendbulletin.com