1999 — Debra Fausett, director of the guardian Care Center in Pendleton, holds several of the bears given to young clients. Fausett said the center operates on the premise that “no action can be taken unless there is disclosure by the victim.”

25 years ago this week — 1999Oregon has begun the winter with one-third more snow in the mountains than normal, and forecasters will swell in the spring — maybe sooner if there’s more unseasonably warm weather.

Sudden warm spells could also trigger more landslides and floods in the West, forecasters said after this week’s snow survey at Mount Hood and elsewhere around the state.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture which works to conserve natural resources on private lands, took snowpack and water content readings near Tollgate and Meacham Tuesday.

“They are substantially above their 30 year high,” soil conservationist Steve Jaeger said of the measurements.

The snow depth at Tollgate, elevation 5,070 feet, was 15 inches.

Thanks to the warm weather content that caused some melting, the water consent was particularly high at Tollgate — 19.4 inches compared to a 30-year average of 9.9.

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An underground pipeline exploded Saturday morning at the base of the Blue Mountains, sending flames up to 500 feet in the air and shutting off natural gas to about 10,000 customers.

Twenty-foot sections of 22-inch and 6-inch pipelines exploded at 9:22 a.m. on Burke Road about a mile from Cayuse Road. A 30-inch line near the two smaller lines was not damaged in the explosion. A couple of houses within several thousand yards of the blast were not damaged and no injuries were reported. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

The explosion, which occurred near a gas switching station, destroyed electrical power lines that affected service to the Meacham area. Residents in Mission, Milton-Freewater, Weston, Athena, Adams and Walla Walla were without natural gas Saturday night, when temperatures dropped below freezing. Gas service was restored to Cascade Natural Gas by about 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

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Bill Schonely traded his microphone for a pen Tuesday. The “Voice of the Blazers” was in Pendleton signing his new book, “Wherever You May Be… The Bill Schonely Story,” along with veteran Oregonian sports writer Kerry Eggers, who wrote the book.

The book, which has been out since Dec. 15, chronicles the lids and tomes of the play-by-play broadcaster who became synonymous with the Portland Trail Blazers, spending 26 years calling games on the radio and two more television.

Writing a book about his experiences in sports broadcasting was something Schonely always wanted to do.

“Over a long period of time, things would happen and I would say ‘that’s going to be in the book,’” Schonely said while signing books for his admiring fans at Dean’s Pendleton Athletic. Later he signed copies of his book at the Mission Recreation Center.

“This past summer Kerry prodded me into this. It was something I always wanted to do but never did it. With Kerry wanting to do it, that put the capper on it. I spent more time with him this summer than I did with my wife. He did a good job.”

The book chronicles Schonely’s almost 50 years in broadcasting, but it concentrates on his time with the Blazers since they joined the NBA in 1970.

50 years ago this week — 1974New Year’s Day fires in Oregon claimed the lives of a 60-year-old Heppner woman and two Portland youngsters. Six persons, including two Walla Walla firemen were victims of New Year’s fires in Washington.

Killed in Oregon were Mary Edna Hutchins of Heppner; Randall Jay White, 8, and his sister, Cynthia Dawn, 6.

Walla Walla fireman Woody Groom, 26, died of injuries sustained fighting a blaze at a downtown Walla Walla tavern. Walla Walla Fire marshal Gabriel Tichi, who was to retire after this year, was killed while fighting the same blaze.

The body of Mrs. Hutchins was found in the burned remains of her home at 10 a.m. Tuesday by firemen who had been summoned to the blaze eight hours earlier.

Mrs. Hutchins lives alone in her two-story frame house on a hill at the end of Court Street in Heppner. The cause of death was to be determined by an autopsy at Sweeney Mortuary, Heppner, today.

Witnesses said that when the fireman arrived, flames had completely enveloped Mrs. Hutchins home. The cause of the fire was not known. The temperature was 20 degrees and there were six inches of snow on the ground.

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It was another big day for Oregon and its gasoline problem. It was Thursday, Jan 3, and once again it started with large numbers of motorists setting their clocks for an early morning assault on service stations.

Before the day was over, Gov. Tom McCall would propose limiting motorists to two fill-ups a week in an attempt to halt panic buying and eliminate long lines at service stations.

The head of the Oregon Gasoline Dealers Association and many of the organization’s members would strongly oppose the idea, while a top official of another dealer group would say the plan had merit.

There would be mention of a special one-day session of the Oregon Legislature to discuss the gasoline problem and a grim report from the Oregon Medical Association about necessary drugs not getting delivered and providers of emergency services being unable to get fuel.

McCall suggested a voluntary plan in which motorists could buy gasoline twice a week and perhaps only 10 gallons at a time. Purchase days would be determined by the last digit of the license plate.

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Bonneville Power Administration cut interruptible power to industrial customers this morning because of the cold snap and a refueling halt near the Hanford nuclear plant.

BPA spokesman John Ulrich said Sunday the power cut — up to 100 per cent — would begin at 7 a.m. and last up to 16 hours.

Interruptible power is sold at a cheaper rate to certain industries, such as aluminum, under the condition that the BPA can suspend it if necessary.

Ulrich said record electricity consumption during the past subfreezing days has created a difficult power situation.

And the Hanford plant, which was shut down for scheduled refueling, didn’t start up again until late Sunday night and won’t be generating at full capacity soon enough to meet the extra power demand caused by the extreme cold, said Ulrich.

100 years ago this week — 1924Harry A. Minnis, well known federal law enforcement officer and resident of this county for 25 years, today announced his candidacy for the democratic nomination for sheriff of Umatilla county. He will be on the ballot at the primary election in May.

For the past nine years, Mr. Minnis has served as a federal officer and he is now general agent for the treasury department in enforcement of the narcotics and liquor laws. He has headquarters in Pendleton and his family lives here. His work has been entirely in the northwest states and it has brought him into close contact with sheriffs and other peace officers. He became a federal officer at the age of 21 years and previous to that served for a period as a member of the Pendleton fire department.

The announcement by Mr. Minnis was made today just prior to his departure for Portland. He expects to be gone for 60 days but in the spring will make an active canvas in his race for sheriff.

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A thorough search for the body of Roy Tobin, thought to have committed suicide last Saturday morning by drowning in the Umatilla river, will be made tomorrow by members of the sheriff’s force. Grappling hooks have been secured, and a boat will be used in searching the river.

Tobin is said to have threatened to end his life and to have left the home of his brother, P. G. Tobin, 617 Cosble street last Saturday morning at 10 o’clock. Not much was thought about his threat to end his life at the time, but when he failed to return that night, a search was instituted. For several days a posse of men searched the river and land adjacent to the river, but no trace has been found of the man.

The river below the Matlock street bridge will be dragged, and the search will also be made in the Walters mill race below the bridge. Mr. Tobin’s home was in La Grande. His little daughter was here with him on a visit. His wife lives in La Grande.

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Sentences in the state penitentiary for a period of four years and for 18 months respectively were given H. B. Caswell and Edward Brock this morning in circuit court by Judge Gilbert W. Phelps. The sentences followed the pleas of guilty made Saturday by the men to charges of receiving stolen property. Both men were indicted by the grand jury. The goods stolen were taken from the Peoples Warehouse several weeks ago.

Pleas of not guilty were made this morning by Franco Stubblefield, Robert Lisner and Edward Lavin on charges of violating the liquor laws by having a still worm in their possession without having the same registered, for having a still and against two of them for the possession of intoxicating liquors. Their arrests were made several weeks since by W.R. Taylor and R. W. Sinclair in the mountains not far from Albee.