25 years ago this week — 1999

Balancing the needs of humans and nature, land use and wildlife habitat, farming and fish. That’s the focus of a number of stream restoration projects in progress on Birch Creek, south of Pendleton.

The work is being done by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, in conjunction with the Bonneville Power Administration, and officials from both agencies feel they are finding that balance.

“We’re really trying to strike a balance between what the stream wants to do and what the land use is in the area,” said Toney Morrell, the environmental services manager for BPA. “It’s not a perfect solution from either standpoint, but it’s really a compromise of social needs as well as stream enhancement.”

In the end everyone benefits, he added.

Because of the importance of Birch Creek to wild steelhead stocks in the area, BPA has invested $3.5 million in restoration projects in the basin over the past few years, Morrell said.

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The dead cow that had been rotting downriver of Three Mile Dam has finally been removed, only to reveal the critter isn’t registered in Oregon.

The body, jokingly referred to as “Carissa the cow” by the Umatilla County Commissioners, had been lodged on a shallow gravel car in the Umatilla River about two miles south of town for nearly two weeks.

Interestingly, the cow on the dead cow’s ear shows a Colorado license, said Mike Wallace of Pendleton, who removed the carcass from the river. Commissioners are hoping to find the owners and hand them a bill.

Initially the cost of removing the cow was too high to justify action on the dead animal. But after reading about it in the paper, several people approached Commissioner Dennis Doherty, saying they could remove the animal.

Wallace, of Red’s Clothing Co., finally removed the body Wednesday evening. Wallace did the job for $700.

Wallace had one person paddle out to the carcass in a kayak and attach a cable to the beast. Then, using two trucks, the body was pulled ashore. He said earlier fears that the carcass might break apart in mid-transit were unfounded.

“She was in pretty good shape, she was pretty well refrigerated (in the river),” Wallace said.

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Remi Forel takes the ball in the key and shoots of Knappa’s Brian Jackson, all 6 feet, 10 inches of him. Much to the delight of the pro-Stanfield crowd packing the Pendleton Convention Center, Forel’s shot gets past Jackson and into the basket for two points.

A month later, Sebastian Winkler sprints down the triple jump runway, and a hop, a skip and jump later, he has once again broke the Stanfield school record in the boys triple jump.

On a tennis court not far away, John Moser rips a backhand winner down the line for a winner and the match.

All three are new to followers of Stanfield High School athletics. Forel, Winkler and Moser weren’t wearing a blue and white Tiger uniform last year and they won’t next year.

But in addition to their athletic prowess, these three also will be remembered for the school year they spent in Stanfield as foreign exchange students.

50 years ago this week — 1974

In what may be the most confusing election situation ever, voters will go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots on a wide-ranging list of issues and candidates.

It has been estimated that more than 70 elections – covering schools, fire districts, cemeteries, hospitals, rural fire districts and water control districts — will take place in Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, Wheeler and Grant counties.

To cast ballots in all the elections for which they are eligible, some western Umatilla County voters will have to travel several miles and visit our four polling places.

Umatilla County Clerk Jessie Bell blames the legislature for the problem. The legislature has provided six dates from which a district should choose and election date, plus the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, this year the general state election date.

In addition, the legislature charges the clerk’s office with all election arrangements. Previously, districts could set their own election dates and elections could be set up by officials of the district.

Miis Bell said many officials hope the next session of the legislature will change back to the old district selection method.

The East Oregonian Friday checked out one voter living half a mile north of the city limits of Hermiston on NW 11th. To make only one trip to the polls, she would travel 7 ½ miles.

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Legislative candidate Wayne Johnson says he and Wallace McCrae aren’t opposed in philosophy but are different in personality and background.

Speaking to members of the Pendleton Rotary Club Monday, the candidate for State House of Representatives said his life had included digging ditches, working for a plumbing and construction firm, helping manage that firm and being reared on farms.

Johnson, 35, is facing McCraw, 64-year-old president of Blue Mountain Community College who is retiring from that position at the end of the school year, in the Republican primary May 28. No Democrats are running, so the winner probably will succeed Rep. Stafford Hansell, R-Hermiston, as this district’s representative in the House.

Johnson, who is coordinating business manager of the Meadowood Springs Speech Camp, declared, “I care for people,” and said he would work closely with citizens of this district if elected. “I will work 20 hours a day for you, as I have in everything I’ve done,” he said.

Otherwise, Johnson stayed with the themes he has been hitting in his campaign: the need to keep the legislature a citizen body, the desirability of a two or three-state body to regulate use of the Columbia River for irrigation and a pledge to have citizen advisory committees set up if he’s elected.

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The Port of Morrow learned Wednesday that it is receiving a loan and grant of federal funds totaling $1,719,000 for water and sewer development projects in its food processing park. The loan-grant calls for a federal grant of $110,000, with the balance a 30-year loan to the port district.

Louis Baxter, Portland, of Farmers Home Administration, said formal announcement of the loan and grant is expected in a few days. The Port of Morrow loan and grant will be the first in Oregon under the new Rural Development Act for industrial development, according to Baxter.

The sewage treatment plant will cost an estimated $1,351,200. Preliminary estimates on the sewage collection system are $81,000 and the water system and well has been estimated at $277,000.

Initial bid opening is slated for May 30. Construction will be in three phases, with a bid opening for each phase.

Port Manager Rupert Kennedy said the combined sewage treatment package plant will treat domestic waste and after that treatment the outfall will go into the line with industrial effluent and into a 30-inch irrigation system to irrigate 1,7000 acres of land at the northeast corner of the Navy Bombing Range. The Port of Morrow and two farmers own the land that will be irrigated under the proposal.

100 years ago this week — 1924

There will be a ball game here a week from Friday between the amateur nine at Helix and a combination team from the Rotary and Exchange clubs of Pendleton. At the exchange club meeting today the matter was up and a sufficient number of players volunteered to play so as to insure the game. The game will be for the benefit of the Boy Scout’s cabin fund.

Ralph W. Swagler, of Ontario, candidate for the democratic nomination for congress, was the chief speaker at the club today. He was introduced by W. M. Peterson and talked along non political lines. H. L. Watts of Athena, E. C. Prestbye of Athena and C. V. Hutman, traveling salesman of Spokane, were also guests and each man spoke. Mr. Prestbye is a candidate for the democratic nomination for district attorney.

Mr. Watts in talking of Pendleton told a story of an experience with a hunting guide in the far northwestern part of Canada. After inspecting the Athena man’s hunting license the guide asked:

“What part of the states are you from?”

“Oregon,” was the reply.

“Where is that?” said the guide. He was given the location of Oregon south of Washington.

“Is that the county where they have the Round-Up?” said the guide.

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As a preliminary to the 12th annual state trapshoot that will get underway in full swing tomorrow morning at Collins part, a large group of scatter gun artists were at the park this afternoon in a practice shoot, tuning up their eyes and accustoming themselves to the surroundings at the park before the real show starts.

Shooters started coming yesterday and many more came today. During the night and early tomorrow morning more are expected. An attendance of 100 from out of town is anticipated by local followers of the sport. Between 50 and 60 had already arrived today at noon.

Shooters from Portland, Eugene, Corvallis, Bend and Milwaukee are already on hand. A number of shots from Walla Walla will be down tomorrow to compete in some of the events. Baker is also expected to have some men over, as well as La Grande.

The shoots begin at 9 o’clock in the morning and arrangements have been made to furnish transportation from local hotels to the park every morning between 8:15 and 8:45. Lunch will be served at the traps at noon.

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Five shooters went straight this morning in the Round-Up 50 target event in the Oregon state trapshoot meet that is being held at Collins park, and a shoot-off will have to be held before the conclusion of the day’s sport to determine the winners.

Ford, Taylor, Reikard, F. Troeh and Seavey were the quintet that never dropped a bird. In addition a small family of shots got through the event with a score of 49. Some of them were Wright, Warren, Kahle Looney, Siddall, Hamilton, Glass, Razee, a professional, Stoop, Myer and Converse, also a professional.

The Oregon state handicap event of 100 birds was being shot at 1 o’clock, and the last event of the day will be the 25 pair doubles.

Levi Taylor of Kent, Washington, is the long run artist of the shoot to date with a total of 191 broken birds without a failure. Frank Troeh dropped 161 continuously.