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Dennis Luke, ‘an institutional memory,’ bows out
Dennis Luke spent 12 years on the Deschutes County Commission and nearly a decade in the Oregon Legislature.
By Hillary Borrud The Bulletin
The Dec. 8 Deschutes County Commission meeting began mildly enough, as commissioners dedicated a new road and took public comments on a contract with the deputy district attorneys’ union. Eventually, the commissioners
Rob Kerr The Bulletin
2010
chatted with kids in the audience. It was then that the orange and black lawn flamingos appeared. The University of Oregon’s football team had just beaten Oregon State 37-20 in the Civil War game, and Commissioner Dennis Luke, a devoted Beaver fan, had called Planning Director Nick Lelack and Sen-
ior Planner Paul Blikstad — both Ducks — to the front of the room. At Luke’s direction, the visiting high schoolers gave the birds, painted in OSU colors, to the planners. “As you may know, to the victor goes the spoils,” Luke said, according to Lelack’s recollection. Digressions such as this were
A year in review Mysteries unresolved
Central Oregonians knew him as Jason Evers,
Two high-profile cases will carry over from 2010 into the new year: the disappearance of Lori “Woody” Blaylock and the shooting of Stephen Trono. Blaylock’s husband has been charged with murder, and investigators believe they have located — though not yet recovered — her body in the North Santiam River. The Trono investigation is still open, and both cases will be in the hands of Patrick Flaherty, who takes over as Deschutes County district attorney Monday. One mystery partially solved: The body of Justin Burkhart, who disappeared on a latenight walk in 2009, was recovered from the Deschutes River near the Newport Dam in July.
the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s hammer on local bartenders. Friends knew him as a nice guy who kept his past to himself. Then federal agents arrested him, saying “John Doe” had stolen
LOCAL & STATE NEWS
a murdered Ohio child’s identity. In the end, he was revealed to be Doitchin Krastev, a Bulgarian
The state stirs up trouble
who came to the U.S. for an education, then
Unhappy Bend residents forced state government to reconsider decisions to relocate the DMV office in a shopping center and mental health treatment homes in residential neighborhoods — without notifying neighbors. But the public backlash against the OLCC’s decision blocking homebrewing contests, including at the Deschutes County Fair, so far has been less successful. What’s next: The DMV is still looking for a new location, and though a residential treatment home is opening in Bend, the state is re-evaluating the process it uses to decide where to locate one. And legislators may decide whether to overrule the OLCC on where home brew can be consumed.
dropped out and started a new life — eventually using his new identity to get a job with the state.
The voters speak
Update: On Jan. 18, having pleaded guilty to identity theft, Krastev will be sentenced, likely to a minimum of two years in federal prison, which then will probably lead to deportation. Months ago he requested permission to marry a local woman in a Portland jail, but there’s been no ceremony yet. Submitted photo
In another bleak year for the economy, BUSINESS
there was some great news: Facebook’s decision to locate a data center in Prineville and Bank of the Cascades’ deal with investors that will
Oregon opted for a return to John Kitzhaber as governor and kept the same congressional representation. But on the home front, the November election did mean longtime District Attorney Mike Dugan and his wife, state Rep. Judy Stiegler, both have to find new jobs. New faces: Some new people we’ll be getting used to in 2011, in addition to new DA Flaherty: Tony DeBone, who will take Dennis Luke’s spot on the Deschutes County Commission; Jason Conger, who unseated Stiegler for Bend’s seat in the Legislature, and Mike McLane, who will represent a swath of the region in Salem.
turn around its fortunes. But 2010 also saw two banks change hands, a suffering business and real estate climate and record unemployment across the region. See story on Page C1.
The oil spill
The Bulletin ile photo
in the Gulf of Mexico and tragedies elsewhere An Olympic year saw three Central Oregon athletes performing on the global stage of the Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia. But 2010 brought an assortment of other memorable sports achievements by our athletes and teams: Ashton Eaton’s dominance in the Pac-10 and NCAA decathlon; a 16th state high school track and field championship by sprinter Kellie Schueler; the Bend Elks’ summer baseball playoff surge; and Bobby Mote’s ride to another world rodeo bareback title in December. We had plenty to cheer throughout the year.
outscoring their opponents 592-221 and making a strong run for their
SPORTS
first national championship. Whether they come out on top will be decided Jan. 10, when Oregon takes on the Auburn Tigers in the BCS national title game.
highlighted a year of disaster. But 2010 also was a time of discovery and
NATION & WORLD
Local accomplishments
The Ducks went 12-0,
technological advancement that allowed these stories and others to become global. See Page A7.
See Page D1. The Associated Press ile photo
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Teen OK after Bachelor ordeal By Scott Hammers The Bulletin
A 14-year-old boy who spent several hours in frigid temperatures on Mount Bachelor was located shortly after midnight on Friday. Jake Denham, of Portland, walked out of the woods toward rescuers at the base of the Northwest Express chairlift around 12:10 a.m., according to Rhett Hemphill, deputy operations manager for the Deschutes County Search and Rescue team. It was approximately 5 degrees below zero when Denham was found. He was evaluated by medics and judged to be in good condition, given food and water, and reunited with his family. Denham was reported missing by family members after the lifts closed for the day. About 5:30 p.m., the Deschutes County Search and Rescue team put together a search operation involving a range of agencies and organizations. A total of 86 people were on the mountain looking for Denham when he was located, including representatives from Mt. Bachelor ski area, the Crook County and Jefferson County search and rescue teams, AirLink and the Oregon Army National Guard. See Rescue / A6
To Iran’s dismay, TV satire is a hit By Tara Bahrampour The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — For the past 30 years, state-approved television in Iran has consisted largely of Islamic prayers, interviews with government ministers, melodramatic soap operas and talk shows in which mullahs expound on the depravities of the West and the righteousness of their own society. Iranians responded by juryrigging satellite dishes to spice up their entertainment choices with offerings from abroad. “Baywatch” was a longtime favorite. But lately, a couple of irreverent expats in Washington have captivated Iranians with a show that pokes fun at the absurdities of life in the Islamic republic. See Iran / A6
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common during Luke’s three terms on the commission, the last of which ended in December. The former homebuilder delights in references to his alma mater, where he returned to earn a degree nearly three decades after leaving in 1968 to work in construction. See Luke / A6
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JUDGES: Partisan politics keeping federal judges off the bench, Chief Justice Roberts writes, Page A2