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His heart’s still in the race
Balaban proudly shows off his medal after completing the half marathon Saturday.
Gerald Balaban, 62, suffered cardiac arrest just moments after completing the 2007 Pacific Crest Weekend Sports Festival Olympic-distance triathlon. He said he was virtually dead for three minutes until paramedics revived him and rushed him to the St. Charles Bend emergency room. But Balaban insists on racing despite his brush with death. Since 2007, he has entered numerous races, including multisport endurance events, marathons and half marathons. For the 14th annual Pacific Crest in Sunriver, Balaban is back again.
Ryan Brennecke The Bulletin
• To read more about Balaban and Saturday’s Pacific Crest events, see SPORTS, D1
The cash race for District 54
The Associated Press
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, shown Wednesday at the White House, is the third top war commander to be ousted since 2001.
As generals fall, military asks: What went wrong?
A sampling of fundraising in contested state House races around Oregon shows Rep. Judy Stiegler, D-Bend, far behind her challenger, Jason Conger, and even some Democrats in other closely watched races. • All figures are those reported since Jan. 1 and are current as of June 26. However, totals may change since contributions need not be reported for 14 days after receiving them.
By Nick Budnick • The Bulletin SALEM — In 2008, the race to represent Bend in the state House of Representatives was the costliest
By Greg Jaffe
of its kind in Oregon. But as of Saturday, Rep. Judy Stiegler’s fundraising lagged substantially
The Washington Post
Since 2001, a dozen commanders have cycled through the top jobs in Iraq, Afghanistan and the U.S. Central Command, which oversees both wars. Three of those commanders — including the recently dismissed Gen. Stanley McChrystal — have been fired or resigned under pressure. History has judged many others harshly, and only two, Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. Ray Odierno, are widely praised as having mastered the complex mixture of skills that running America’s wars demands. For the mili“What tary, this record of mediocrity we ask raises a vexing of these question: What generals might be wrong is a very with the system that produces top unusual skill set.” generals? Much of what — Stephen top commanders Biddle do in such places as Afghanistan and Iraq bears little relation to the military skills that helped them rise through the ranks, military officials said. Today’s wars demand that top commanders act like modern viceroys, overseeing military operations and major economic development efforts. They play dominant roles in the internal politics of the countries where their troops fight. When support for these long wars flags back home, the White House often depends on its generals to sell its approach to lawmakers and a skeptical American public. To the military’s extreme discomfort, its generals often act like shadow cabinet secretaries. “What we ask of these generals is a very unusual skill set,” said Stephen Biddle, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, who has advised Petraeus and McChrystal. “It is a hard thing for anyone to do, much less than someone who comes to it so late in life.” See Generals / A4
behind many candidates in contested seats around the state. Stiegler reports having raised
Stiegler (D)
$13,038
$13,038.08. Of the three first-term Democratic House incumbents up
The Bulletin
In May, the High Desert Education Service District received what it considers very good news. The education service district, unlike other school districts around the state, will not have to join the Oregon Educators Benefit Board for at least two years because it’s proved its current insurance plans are more affordable than the statewide health insurance pool plans. Now High Desert ESD’s freedom is prompting envy and action from district administrators frustrated with OEBB and its premium jumps, with at least Bend-La Pine Schools looking for legislative support to speed its removal from OEBB. But supporters believe OEBB is saving districts money and improving benefits in Oregon. OEBB started in 2007 after the Legislature created a statewide insurance pool for employees and some retired employees of the state’s school districts and education service districts. Districts are required to participate in the plan, while community colleges can opt into the pool, which Central Oregon Community College did last fall. Once a district is in the statewide health benefits pool, it can never leave. See Insurance / A6
Cities’ efforts to encourage bicycling also attract thieves
reports having raised more than $50,000, while Rep. Suzanne Van Orman, D-Hood River, reports raising more than $27,000. Meanwhile, Stiegler’s opponent, Jason Conger, reports $56,715.91, more than four times Stiegler’s sum. Those reports are likely not complete — under state elections rules, candidates have two weeks to report contributions. And for tactical reasons, many candidates wait until the deadline before doing so. But Stiegler says her problem is not fundraising — rather, it’s been a time-consuming and tumultuous spring. She’s just set up a campaign office, is knocking on doors and, she said, “Things are starting to rock and roll.” Stiegler says her fundraising this year lags for good reason. In February, Stiegler was banned from accepting contributions, because the Legislature was holding a special session. In March, her mother, Frances Hampel, died at age 87. See District 54 / A5
A snapshot of Stiegler’s district
District 50 (part of Multnomah County): • Rep. Greg Matthews (D) $50,312.73 • Andre Wang (R) $11,949.27 District 52 (Hood River, part of Clackamas and Multnomah): • Rep. Suzanne Van Orman (D) $27,644.83 • Mark Johnson (R) $20,078.27 District 51 (parts of Clackamas and Multnomah): • Patrick Sheehan (R) $39,519.17 • Cheryl Myers (D) $35,491.93 District 24 (parts of Polk and Yamhill): • Rep. Jim Weidner (R) $19,583.00 • Susan Sokol Blosser (D) $91,398.34
• Democrats: 16,841 • Republicans: 15,303 • Other/unaffiliated: 12,661 Stiegler’s margin of victory over incumbent Chuck Burley in the 2008 election: 7.2%
• Michael Kozak enters the race as an unaffiliated candidate, Page B1
It has become a kind of mantra for cities looking to encourage cycling through a widening network of bicycle lanes: Build them, and the riders will come. And, it turns out, the same might be said of bicycle thieves. As cyclists from east to west take advantage of new commuting infrastructure, thieves appear to be taking a growing interest in two-wheeled travel as well, riders and advocates report. The response by some cities and local law enforcement agencies has been a kind of high-tech cat-andmouse game, one involving bait bikes and radio trackers as well as social media websites. See Thieves / A6
Sources: Secretary of State Elections Division, Deschutes County Clerk, Bulletin research
Submitted photos
INDEX
Vol. 107, No. 178, 52 pages, 7 sections
Business
G1-6
Milestones C6-7
Sports
D1-8
Classified
E1-8
Movies
C3
Stocks
G4-5
Community C1-8
Obituaries
B6
Sudoku
C7
Crossword C7, E2
Oregon
B3
TV listings
C2
Editorial
Perspective F1-6
Weather
B8
F2-3
New York Times News Service
Inside
House District 54 voter registration, as of May:
C2
By J. David Goodman
Comparing other Oregon House races
Abby
SUNDAY
$56,716
Rep. Greg Matthews, D-Gresham,
An Independent Newspaper
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Conger (R)
By Sheila G. Miller
for re-election, her total is the lowest.
We use recycled newsprint The Bulletin
ELECTION
Area district leaves school insurance pool; others look to follow
Local
B1-8
Scoreboard
D2
TOP NEWS INSIDE KAGAN: They won’t be there, but Obama and Roberts will dominate this week’s Supreme Court hearings, Page A2
Editor’s note The car review today on Page G6 went to press before Toyota Motor Corp. announced it had stopped all sales of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h after government tests showed the hybrid could leak fuel in a rear-end collision and cause a fire. A remedy for the problem had not been determined before the weekend, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
New York Times News Service
Kat Rubin locks her bicycle to a meter in San Francisco.