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Wyden: Bend may profit off Juniper Ridge Require City could pocket $7.5M if land sales, investments go through warrants for GPS Dogs at sno-parks: Residents respond tracking Bid probe: By Nick Grube The Bulletin
New estimates show the city of Bend can make a $7.5 million profit on its 1,500-acre Juniper Ridge development by June 2021,
if it can sell the first 75 acres of available land that was recently zoned for industrial use. That profit, however, is based on several assumptions that have made some city councilors un-
easy. It requires putting millions of dollars on the line at a time when Bend doesn’t have extra money to spare on speculative land deals, much less meet its basic needs for services, such as public safety
and street maintenance. For one, the $7.5 million revenue is based on the city selling an average of 7.5 acres per year in a down market over the next 11 years based on an escalating pricing scale that starts at $6 per square foot, or about two times the amount charged for industri-
Hayes’ firm got special treatment
By Keith Chu The Bulletin
WASHINGTON — When cell phones, laptops and car navigation systems can all double as GPS trackers, where should courts draw the line between letting cops secretly track bad guys and violating citizens’ right to privacy? The question has divided the nation’s federal courts in recent years and left law enforcement agencies uncertain about what the rules are. That uncertainty, and potential for abuse, prompted U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to argue that it’s time for a new, stra ightforward law governing GPS tracking, in a speech before a libertarian think tank on “If you put this Wednesday. question to “This lack most members of clarity is enof the public, dangering the they would privacy of the consider it a American peono-brainer.” ple and mak— Sen. Ron ing it harder Wyden, D-Ore. for law enforcement officials to do their jobs,” Wyden said. In a speech at the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the libertarian Cato Institute, Wyden said he’s crafting a bill that doesn’t distinguish between following a cell phone signal or attaching a GPS tracker to someone’s car. Both should be allowed only if a law enforcement agency obtains a warrant, Wyden said. Without a warrant, neither is OK. Wyden argued that’s the commonsense interpretation of the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable search and seizure. “If you put this question to most members of the public, they would consider it a nobrainer,” he said. “(Law enforcement) should meet the requirements that are spelled out in the Fourth Amendment and go get probable cause and a warrant.” Wyden said he’s working with U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, to write a bipartisan bill addressing the issue. It will likely be ready within the next few months, said spokeswoman Jennifer Hoelzer. In a memo reviewing current laws about cell phone tracking, the Congressional Research Service found that most courts require probable cause for most cell phone tracking, but that the question is far from settled. See GPS / A3
Records show effort to steer business to Kitzhaber’s girlfriend The Associated Press
IN CONGRESS
Andy Tullis/The Bulletin
Cloudy, a Weimaraner, runs down a trail ahead of her owner, Marika Smiley, 42, as Shadow, a springer spaniel, runs beside his owner, Becky Smallwood, 47, all of Bend, at the Wanoga Sno-park Wednesday morning.
Wide range of comments, but most favor status quo By Kate Ramsayer The Bulletin
In a six-month period last year, the Deschutes National Forest was flooded with more than 300 e-mails, letters, questionnaires and comments about what place dogs should have in the national forest. The comments ranged from people stating that all dogs should be on a leash outside of their owners’ backyards, to people who felt there needed to be more ski trails open, free of snowmobiles, for dogs to romp on. But most of the comments during that period stated either that the Deschutes National Forest already had adequate access for dogs or that restrictions such as leash laws should be tightened and enforced. In July, the Forest Service announced that it had been asked by a group of dog owners to open an area near Swampy Sno-park, along the Cascade Lakes Highway, to people skiing with their dogs. The federal agency asked the public to write in with thoughts about the idea, as well as ideas and opinions about off-leash dogs in the Deschutes National Forest in general. The Bulletin requested copies of all comments sent electronically or by mail
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Vol. 108, No. 27, 38 pages, 7 sections
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Breakdown of opinions comments received by the 200 Deschutes National Forest about winter recreation with dogs. Of those: favored keeping 130 (approximately) the current dog rules in place. favored more 50 (approximately) dog-accessible ski trails.
Winter dog restrictions DOGS NOT ALLOWED: North of the Cascade Lakes Highway, including Meissner, Swampy, Vista Butte, Dutchman Flat sno-parks, and the Todd Lake area.
DOGS ALLOWED: Everywhere else, including Wanoga, Edison and Skyliner sno-parks, Newberry National Volcanic Monument and the Three Creeks area.
between June 1 and Dec. 6, 2010, as well as comments received at an open house the Forest Service held on Nov. 18. About 330 comments were in the documents released. Some letters could be duplicates,
Correction
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We use recycled newsprint The Bulletin
al lands in other parts of the city. There’s also the need to ease traffic congestion on U.S. Highway 97 at Cooley Road, which will require multimillion dollar funding commitments from both the Oregon Department of Transportation and the city. See Juniper Ridge / A5
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In a story headlined “A driving record turned lethal,” which appeared Wednesday, Jan. 26, on Page A1, information about the vehicle Andrea Orozco was driving Nov. 21 appeared incorrectly in the timeline. According to an Oregon State Police news release, it was a Ford Expedition, and it was her car that was carrying eight passengers; there were two people in the other vehicle, including the man who died. The Bulletin regrets the errors.
and some people could have written in multiple times. In the winter, dogs are not allowed north of the Cascade Lakes Highway, including the stretch from Meissner Snopark up to the Todd Lake area. Dogs are allowed elsewhere, said Amy Tinderholt with the Deschutes National Forest, including Wanoga, Edison and Skyliner sno-parks, Newberry National Volcanic Monument and the Three Creeks area. Of approximately 200 comments addressing winter recreation, about 130 proposed keeping that rule in place, and not opening the Swampy area to dogs. Some of those stated the Forest Service should tighten the existing regulations. “If the responsible dog owners are allowed to use this area, the irresponsible dog owners will follow,” one Redmond resident wrote about the Swampy proposal. “Meissner and Swampy Lakes are great places to introduce skiers to cross-country skiing (both young and older people) and it’s tough enough to help a new skier along without someone’s dog ‘being friendly.’ ” The Forest Service redacted names and organizations in the documents released, because of privacy concerns. See Dogs / A5
TOP NEWS INSIDE EGYPT: Efforts intensify to crush protests, Page A3 OBAMA: Optimistic president heads to Wisconsin, Page A3
PORTLAND — Confidential records from an Oregon Department of Justice investigation suggest state Energy Department officials went out of their way to steer business to a firm owned by the girlfriend of Gov. John Kitzhaber. The Oregonian reported Wednesday it reviewed the stillconfidential records that also show Cylvia Hayes is not the target of the investigation. Four state employees have been cleared of criminal wrongdoing but still face a state personnel investigation for the way they dealt with the $200,000 renewable energy contract. A Seattle company got the contract but about $60,000 of it was later awarded to Hayes’ firm in Bend. The Energy Department’s interim director, Mark Long, denied any favoritism and said he never asked department officials to help Hayes, an energy consultant. See Contract / A5
Report: Army trauma units still struggling Staffing, prescription abuse plague program By James Dao New York Times News Service
The Army units created to provide special care for wounded soldiers after the Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal continue to struggle with short staffing, inadequate training and an overabundance of prescription medications, a report by the Army inspector general’s office said. The easy access to medications in the so-called Warrior Transition Units has meant that about one-quarter to one-third of all the soldiers in the units are “overmedicated, abuse prescriptions and have access to illegal drugs,” the report said, based on estimates provided by the staff at the units. The report, released this week, said that overall the program was working. But it suggested that too many soldiers were staying longer than was necessary, either trying to “game” the system to improve their disability benefits or because treatment was delayed. See Army / A3