100 years ago — 1922

Pendleton has a beaver. He is not in captivity, and he has no desire to be molested, but yesterday he is said to have got into a little difficulty. He was seen on the ice on the river in the vicinity of the Main street bridge. One of the men in the party thinking the beaver was a badger, is said to have hurled a stone at Mr. Beaver, and that surprised animal caught the missile in the short ribs. He hoisted his tail in the air, and when the man saw that broad trowel-like appendage, he prayed that he had not injured the beaver, because the animals are protected under federal laws, and anyone molesting them is liable to a heavy fine. The beaver left tracks on the ice and snow on the mill race. He has been working on trees along the mill race for several months.

50 years ago — 1972

The City of Pilot Rock doesn’t want any more federal grants this fiscal year under the Emergency Employment Act. “Our budget can’t stand the extra cost of spending all that free money,” Mayor Bud Coon said. Coon’s comment came as representatives of Umatilla County communities met to discuss the allocation of another $20,595 in EEA funds. Earlier, about $150,000 was distributed in Umatilla County, and Pilot Rock hired another policeman with its share. But the city can’t afford any more because it must put up 10 per cent in matching money for payroll costs, such as insurance. “For that policeman we did hire, we had to come up with a uniform allowance, too,” Coon said. “With our tight budget, there’s just not any extra money.” The EEA money was allocated because of persistent unemployment in District 12 counties.

25 years ago — 1997

Students, riding the wave of the Internet, are bringing their parents in to explore its intricacies with them. Schools throughout the area are not just providing Internet access to students, they are beginning to create special programs that involve parents in the maze known as the World Wide Web. Technology Night, held Tuesday at Hawthorne Elementary School in Pendleton, is an example of such an extra-curricular activity. Fourth and fifth grade students and their parents completed research on animals and plants in the rain forest. The night focused on all research tools, from the encyclopedia to the Internet. “The Internet is not a replacement, it’s a supplement,” Jan Peterson-Terjeson, Hawthorne’s media specialist, pointed out. “Right now it’s a novelty, but really it’s just an additional source of information.”