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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 2022)
A4 The BulleTin • SaTurday, January 8, 2022 Justice Continued from A1 “That’s a violation of Landon’s rights, right?” Vito- lins asked the students. Constitution Day is cele- brated each year on Sept. 17, the day the document was signed 1787. In Prineville, the date traditionally involved a field trip to the courthouse building. This year, the pan- demic pushed back the date and prevented a courthouse visit. The supreme law of the land, the U.S. Constitution, amended only 27 times, pro- tects Americans’ most basic rights. The judge asked the stu- dents if they knew any of those rights. Speech. Religion, they of- fered. “Free freedom?” one child suggested. Several kids were chosen to wear a judicial robe, while all the others were made to stand in deference. The judge asked if a major- ity of people can sometimes be wrong. “Why can’t the Legislature pass a law saying if you’re a Beaver fan, you can’t drive a car? Or what if we say, no pink hair allowed?” she said. “Majority rules, right? The audience buzzed with responses. One child shouted: “Because it’s not right.” The judge agreed. Many questions were di- rected at Elliott, the sheriff ’s lieutenant. “Would you have Tased him if he wasn’t a kid?” one girl asked about Landon. Smoke Continued from A1 The worst of the smoke ap- peared in late August and early September, mainly from the Middle Fork Complex fire, which burned in Lane County, west of Deschutes County. The Bull Complex fire in the Mount Hood National Forest was another source of smoke in Bend. Summer smoke also crept up from the Bootleg Fire, which burned in Southern Oregon and became the sec- ond-largest wildfire in the 2021 wildfire season. Wildfire smoke contains particulate matter 2.5 microns or less that can penetrate the lungs and enter the blood- stream, increasing the chance for heart and lung ailments if exposed at high levels for long periods of time, especially for sensitive groups. According to the Environ- mental Protection Agency, individuals at greater risk of health effects from wildfire smoke include those with car- diovascular or respiratory dis- ease, older adults, children, and pregnant women. When particulate matter is at unhealthy levels, health authorities recommend that people stay indoors, a situation that affects daily routines and can also hurt the local econ- omy, especially businesses that rely on tourists and other out- of-towners in Bend for con- certs and events. In September, Les Schwab Amphitheater canceled a con- cert that featured Death Cab For Cutie as the headlining act when smoke became too thick in Bend. Not only did the venue lose money, but so did hotels, restaurants, bars and shops that benefit from the influx of concertgoers. ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin Classmates watch as fifth grader Landon Bisset has a backpack searched by Crook County Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Elliott while attending a presentation about the U.S. Constitution and criminal justice system by Circuit Judge Daina Vitolins and Crook County District Attorney Wade Whiting at Steins Pillar Elementary School in Prineville on Friday. Judge Vitolins gave Landon the bag to hold as he walked into the gymnasium for a surprise search by Elliott as a fun way to help illustrate to the students how laws would apply to a search like that. “I wouldn’t have Tased him,” Elliott responded. “When is the appropriate time to threaten a criminal with a gun,” a boy asked. “’We don’t threaten crim- inals with guns,” Elliott said. “But if we believe someone’s life is in danger, we will use deadly physical force.” Whiting asked the kids if they are subject to household rules, and why their parents have those rules. “We want you to be the best you can be, and to stay safe and healthy,” he said. “And I’m kind of like Crook Coun- ty’s parent. I want everyone to get along and stay safe and healthy.” Whiting, who’s scheduled to be sworn in as the next cir- cuit court judge for Crook and Jefferson counties on Monday, asked how many of the students wanted to be a lawyer. Only a few hands shot up. One girl wanted to make sure “there’s less criminals.” Another child wanted to Dana Whitelaw, executive director of the High Desert Museum, said the museum is also impacted by smoke and “sees significant revenue loss” as residents and visitors tend to stay home on smoky days. “It also impacts what pro- grams we can run since it im- pacts our outdoor staffing model and even the raptors, believe it or not, get days off during poor air quality,” said Whitelaw. The Labor Day fires of Sep- tember 2020 that brought extreme smoke to Bend ac- counted for the main differ- ence between 2021 and 2020. There was no cataclysmic event in 2021, but rather a se- ries of lower impact fires that burned over a longer period of the year. According to Gleim the 18 days of air quality at “un- healthy for sensitive groups” or worse made 2021 the smokiest year on record in terms of du- ration. The second-worst year for the duration of smoke was 2017 with 15 days at unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Gleim said this year’s smoke is part of a trend that is not new in Oregon. “Most of the smoke we see in Oregon is from wildfires,” said Gleim. “That smoke has been increasing in intensity and du- ration over the past several de- cades.” The increase stems from fire seasons that have become lon- ger and hotter, a problem asso- ciated with climate change. Some Central Oregonians are finding ways to navigate the situation. After the Sisters Folk Festi- val was canceled twice due to smoke in recent years, organiz- ers last year pushed the event back from September to Octo- ber in order to avoid the smoke season. Hotel operators are also getting better at helping their guests find things to do in Bend when the air quality de- teriorates. “Our team became savvy smoke guides,” said Samuel Johnson, general manager of The Oxford Hotel in Bend, when reflecting on poor air quality days last year. He said his employees mon- itored the air quality and sent guests to parts of Central Ore- gon less affected by the smoke. “We found travelers were flexible and able to change where they went hiking and biking,” said Johnson. “Obvi- ously, this isn’t sustainable for long periods of time or when T RINITY E PISCOPAL C HURCH 469 NW W ALL S T ., B END Rooted... Open... Growing... SUNDAY SERVICES: 8 AM WORSHIP @ TRINITY 10 AM WORSHIP @ ST. HELENS & ONLINE MORE INFO @ TRINITYBEND.ORG MEALS SCHEDULE @ FAMILYKITCHEN.ORG “make the world right.” But one student brought a smile to Whiting’s face. “My parents told me I like to argue, so I should be a lawyer,” she said. e Reporter: 541-383-0325, gandrews@bendbulletin.com the entire area is blanketed, but this past year especially we were able to shuffle people around based on air pocket quality.” e Reporter: 541-617-7818, mkohn@bendbulletin.com
