25 years ago this week — 2000

PENDLETON — Some of the most important battles are fought with the mind, not the body.

Such is the case for sixth-grade students at Sunridge Middle School who are participating in the “Battle of the Books” reading program.

Students have formed three member teams and will read 11 books over the next five weeks.

One by one, the teams will face off against each other to answer questions about the books in a double elimination competition.

The top two teams will meet in early March to decide the “Battle” champion during a sixth-grade assembly.

Although the program is open on a volunteer basis, most of the school’s sixth grade class – about 275 students – is battling it out.

And reading.

“That’s a big reward for us because the children enjoy it and we try to encourage reading,” says sixth-grade teacher Katie Curtis. “Some teams have real gung-ho members who read every book.”

Other teams will divvy up the 11 books between team members so each one reads three or four books. During lunchtime book battles, starting in February, teams will be asked to answer one question from each book.

“It’s up to the teams to decide their own strategies,” Curtis says.

A correct answer will get five points; a missed question answered by an opponent gives the opposition three points.

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In an effort to preserve the ability of farmers and orchardists to draw water from the Walla Walla River, the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council is working to develop a habitat conservation plan that will restore water to a portion of the river that dries up in the summer.

Watershed council coordinator Brain Wolcott said that in recent months the council members were concerned that irrigation might be shut down as early as the next irrigation season if immediate action isn’t taken.

“The watershed council has known from the onset that the biggest limiting factor for the Walla Walla River is the de-watered stretch,” Wolcott said.

During summer irrigation season there is a 2 ½ mile stretch of the river bed that is dry from “Nursery bridge” in Milton-Freewater to the Tum-A-Lum bridge.

“A 1935 Supreme Court decree gave the Oregon farmers the right to divert all the water in the river for irrigation, with no obligation to send it on to Washington,” Wolcott said.

But now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service are saying that because of threatened and endangered fish species in the river, the irrigation practices have to change to keep water in the river.

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PENDLETON — With its back to the wall financially, the Pendleton School District is going to the voters in March to ask for a five-year tax levy that would allow the district to maintain its level of programs and services.

During the 1999 legislative session, Oregon school districts were given the option to impose a local tax. It is an option Pendleton will exercise in order to avoid deep cuts into the district’s core education programs.

“This is a revenue problem. We’re not keeping up with inflation,” said Bob Reese, director of business services for the district. “We have a very solid basic program, but we’re going to have to start whittling away at that basic program.”

On March 14, voters will decide the fate of a $2.7 million tax levy that would provide the district with $542,000 a year for the next five years.

The average tax increase is estimated at 71 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. For a property owner with a $100,000 home, the school tax levy would cost $71 a year.

School districts across the state are still feeling the squeeze from Measure 5, which shifted the burden of funding public education from property owners to the state.

50 years ago this week — 1975

Raymond Rees, Helix, Umatilla County commissioner for eight years, is “enjoying every minute” of his first days out of the office.

Hands greasy from working on farm machinery at his 2,000-acre ranch near Helix, Rees said he is actively back into management of the wheat ranch “but I won’t spend too much time on the combine.”

Looking back on his two terms, Rees said he thinks the county court and later board of commissioners “kept up with the times.”

One of Rees’s biggest accomplishments was winning agreement from other board members to change county government from the city court, in which one of the three commissioners has the title “judge,” to a county board of commissioners, in which one member is elected chairman by the others.

He was also instrumental along with Judge D. R. Cook in starting regularly scheduled public meetings of the board.

Rees said he considers the county’s zoning and solid waste ordinances as other highlights of his year in office.

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The Happy Canyon complex, which some think is worth $750,000, isn’t being used enough, Happy Canyon directors say. Except for the four-night pageant staged by Happy Canyon Co. during the Pendleton Round-Up each September, the facilities for the most part are idle.

The Pendleton City Council was asked Tuesday night, in a letter from Happy Canyon President Mike Kilkenny, to appoint a committee to meet with the Canyon board. Named were Jan Barhyte, John Conroy, Bob Ramig and Wes Stone.

Canyon directors, also meeting Tuesday night, discussed the possibility of the city taking title to the Happy Canyon complex in exchange for ownership of the parking lot in front of the Pendleton Armory.

The state, through the Oregon Military Department, now owns the Armory and the Canyon complex, including a steel grandstand capable of seating thousands. Happy Canyon Co. leases the complex one month out of the year.

Happy Canyon directors believe there may be many more uses for the complex. Outdoor theater and a skating rink have been suggested. The directors voted Tuesday night to hire a consultant to study possible uses.

Happy Canyon doesn’t want to own the complex because of the organization’s non-profit state, but think it would be wise if the city did.

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WESTON — It will take an 80 per cent voter turnout Tuesday in Weston to approve the merger of the Weston School District and the Athena School District, says Weston School Supt. Russel McCollister.

McCollister said there has been no organized resistance to the proposed merger of the two adjoining districts in eastern Umatilla County. Still, he says there is enough individual opposition, mostly among older residents, that it will take 400 of Weston’s 500 registered voters at the polls to get the proposal approved.

The polling place for the Athena-Weston merger election will be in the foyer of the Weston gymnasium. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tuesday’s election will finalize a long process that actually began two years ago. The two districts embarked on an experimental merger in which all high school students from both districts attend school in Athena and junior high students in Weston.

The program, given a year’s extension last fall by the Oregon Department of Education, was considered by school officials to be sufficiently successful to make the merger legal. A petition was filed last October with the Umatilla Intermediate Education District, serving as the legal boundary board on merge issues, seeking approval of the merger.

100 years ago this week — 1925

One of the landmarks of Pendleton is slowly being dismantled, and by the time the robins are back in force and nest building is the order of the day the old Jesse Failing building on the corner of Water and Main streets, north of Hotel Pendleton, will have faded into history.

The task of tearing down the building has been under way for several weeks and is in charge of Gus Ellstrom, contractor. The property belongs to the First Church of Christ, Scientist, and according to J. S. Johns, prominent in the work of the church, the grounds are to be left in a level condition and will be fenced and seeded to grass.

The building was erected by the late Jesse Failing, Pendleton pioneer, and according to John M. Bentley, senior living pioneer of Pendleton, its construction dates back to the year 1878.

“I wouldn’t be too positive about that date, but I’m pretty sure it is correct,” Uncle John said. “The structure was put up over a period of several years, and the first building went up in 1878. More additions went up in 1879-1880, and even after that rooms were added.”

Some cedar boards more than an inch in thickness have been removed from the old structure by the contractor. According to Mr. Bentley, a part of the lumber used in erecting the house came up the Columbia by boat to Umatilla and was freighted by a team to Pendleton.

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Three prominent Elks arrived in Pendleton this morning for the purpose of making an official visit upon Pendleton lodge, No. 288. The members of the visiting delegation include Barnett H. Goldstein, district deputy grand exalted ruler of Oregon. Ben S. Fisher, of Marshfield, president of the Oregon State Elks association and James D. Olson, executive secretary of the Elks 1925 Grand lodge convention commission.

The visiting Elks were met upon arrival this morning by a large delegation of Pendleton Elks and were tendered a luncheon at the Pendleton hotel at noon.

At a meeting of Pendleton lodge to be held tonight, the local Elks will be urged to make plans for participation in the Elks convention to be held in Portland next July. In 1912 when the grand lodge of Elks met in Portland, Pendleton lodge won no end of fame through the appearance of its members dressed as Indians. The Pendleton boys who went to Portland at that time with several carloads of horses, rode through the lobbies of the principal hotels of Portland and gave the eastern visitors a touch of western life.

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WALLA WALLA, Jan. 24. — At last Nig has found his combination. And she’s some combination. At least that is what O. A. C. thinks, for, although the Oregon school took the long end of a 12-11 score, there wasn’t much of a handle to it.

The capacity crowd went wild at times when the Wildcats threatened to jump into the lead. But they never got there for O. A. C. held a one or two point lead throughout the game. Holmfren playing at forward was the high point man of the fame with six points. Ridings with two baskets, was a high man for the visitors.

Wonderful guardian on both sides, and Whitman unlucky with her shooting tells the story of the loss. Time after time the Wildcats broke loose, but couldn’t find the basket. Both teams left a man in the hold and made quick breaks for the basket. Whitman’s five-man defence always stayed a little closer to the basket than did Oregon’s. Ridings of O. A. C, thrilled the crowd with two pretty shots over his head.

Ridings drew first blood early in the game. At the end of five minutes, the score was 3-4 O. A. C. The half ended 9-6 in favor of O. A. C. Whitman came back strong in the second half and with five minutes to go, Nelson converted a free throw and tied the score at 11 to 11. Time out was then taken while the teams conferred; O. A. C. dumbfoundedly and Whitman desperately.

Ridings was injured on a bench under the O. A. C. basket but stayed in the game. He was given two free throws but failed to convert. Brown, plus playing center in place of the regular, Dicky, converted a free throw, broke the tie, and ended the scoring, and won the game.