100 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

May 7, 1920

From Portland to the California line, the trip by automobile over the Pacific highway can be made easily in 15 and a half hours, according to Herbert Nunn, state highway engineer, who listed conditions of the route after a trip to the state border. He said the trip from Portland to Pendleton can be made this summer in one day and that the road will be open all winter.

50 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

May 7, 1970

Checked your property tax statement lately? If you are a resident of rural Umatilla County, and if a county road runs through your property, you may be paying taxes on the road. The problem arises because of a breakdown in procedure in road department and county court duties that has existed for at least seven years, the East Oregonian learned today. Many rights of way are incomplete and the assessor’s office can’t determine who owns the roads. County Judge D. R. “Sam” Cook said the problem should have been resolved during reappraisal. “The county court and road department alone are not to blame,” he said. Cook also said there is no accurate map available of all county roads.

25 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

May 7, 1995

The NewLeaf potato will be introduced into the agriculture industry following the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval Monday of the insect- and disease-resistant spud. Local researchers have been working on the NewLeaf potato for four years at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Researchers there have said the NewLeaf will revolutionize the control of pesticides and insects. It is the first plant protected against an insect pest through biotechnology to be approved for commercial use. The EPA approved registration of the NewLeaf potato plant’s protective characteristics in a Russet Burbank potato developed by NatureMark, a unit of Monsanto Company of St. Louis, Mo. The Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture have already given their approval.