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If you missed the eclipse ... Euro crisis pits U.S., Germany in tactical dispute By Nicholas Kulish
New York Times News Service
BERLIN — Even as European leaders put together their latest response to the euro crisis, a GermanAmerican clash over how best to manage the broader financial crisis and put the world economy back on a sound footing has been set in stark relief. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany defied skeptics and laid the groundwork for a deeper union that she said rights the mistakes of the euro’s birth and puts integration on a stable path for the long term. In the process, she forced German fiscal discipline on Europe as the prescription for combating the ills that afflict the region. Yet even as the cogs of the European agreement were being fitted into place, President Barack Obama issued a warning. See Euro / A4
These images, taken by local photographer Loren Irving, show the moon at different stages during Saturday morning’s total lunar eclipse, the last time we’ll see one until 2014.
Bend’s burning question The Bulletin
Part of the ambiance of buying a Christmas tree in Bend includes fire pits burning in the vendor lots. Drive past one on a cold day, and it’s hard not to notice the pall of smoke lingering fog-like in the air. But even though the city outlawed many types of open burning in 2009 to reduce pollution, these fires are allowed under current codes if used for warmth, recreation or cooking. If a vendor places Noble Fir branch trimmings in a pit, however, things become more hazy. That’s because the city’s code doesn’t allow the burning of yard debris, including branch-
As more dads lose their jobs, quality time with kids rises By Joel Stonington Bloomberg News
Jeff VanderHeijden didn’t expect to be a stay-at-home father for his 3-year-old daughter, especially after getting a raise and promotion as a counselor last year at a residential program for troubled teenagers. Two weeks later, he was fired. That’s when VanderHeijden, 35, of Carlisle, Pa., joined the growing ranks of American men spending more time caring for a child. One-third of fathers with working wives are now a regular source of care for their children, the result of the depressed economy and large numbers of out-ofwork men, according to the Census Bureau. “Certain projects like refinishing the basement kind of had to go on hold, but it really pays off in the long run,” said VanderHeijden, whose wife is a teacher. “You can’t put a price on a fatherdaughter relationship.” See Dads / A5
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es, leaves and pine needles. Bend Fire Marshal Gary Marshall said the only thing residents or businesses should be burning in their outdoor fireplaces is dry, seasoned wood. “Usually when you just stick with dry wood, it burns clean and doesn’t impact the neighbors as much,” Marshall said. “That’s the type of fire that was intended to be allowed within the city of Bend.” Someone caught burning trash or other debris in city limits can receive a fine for a Class B civil infraction, though Marshall said the fire department will typically warn an offender first. See Burning / A5
INDOOR FIREPLACES
These must have state or federal emission certifications. Uncertified stoves don’t have to be replaced, but state law requires they be removed when a home is sold.
The Bulletin file photos
Rules are identical to wood stoves.
OUTDOOR FIREPLACES
WARMING FIRES
These cannot be more than 3 feet in diameter and must be 25 feet away from a structure. Garbage, yard debris and other refuse cannot be burned in these devices.
Rules are the same as outdoor fireplaces.
Not allowed within city limits.
• Details about the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Woodstove Program can be found online at www.deq.state.or.us/aq/burning/woodstoves/index.htm. • For information about the city’s burning regulations, visit www.ci.bend.or.us/index.aspx?page=341.
Vol. 108, No. 345, 46 pages, 7 sections
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Syrian conflict threatens Iraq’s fragile balance The Washington Post
BAGHDAD — At the very moment U.S. troops are pulling out of Iraq, the revolt in neighboring Syria is threatening to disrupt the fragile political consensus that U.S. forces spent so long striving to uphold. As the Syrian conflict takes on increasingly sectarian dimensions, the crisscrossing rivalries that had been held somewhat in check among Iraq’s Shiite majority and its Kurdish and Sunni minorities risk being inflamed. Syria’s sectarian makeup is almost a reverse image of Iraq’s, with a minority, Shiite-affiliated Alawite regime confronting a protest movement drawn largely from the country’s Sunni majority. Iraq’s Sunnis have accused Shiites of helping Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Shiites here allege that Sunnis are fighting with the fledgling rebel Free Syrian Army. Both sides fear the consequences for Iraq of the region’s rapidly shifting balance of power. “Syria plays into a lot of the unresolved issues in Iraq,” said Toby Dodge, an international relations analyst at the London School of Economics. “It’s a destabilizing factor, and especially as we go into the post-withdrawal dynamic.” See Iraq / A7
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The Freedom From Religion Foundation that is fighting Prineville’s Nativity display is no stranger to controversy. The Madison, Wis.-based nonprofit claims a membership of more than 17,000, operates with a staff of four attorneys and says it has filed 50 lawsuits since it was established in 1978. This year, the group has sent 500 letters of complaint to public agencies about alleged constitutional violations, co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said. Forty of those complaints involved Nativity scenes on public property. “We are not searching the country for cases because we are overwhelmed,” she said. “The load has been just too heavy. More and more people find out about us and ask us for help.” Gaylor said the group had stopped at least 90 of those alleged violations without having to go to court. “It’s our goal to end violations through education and persuasion. We don’t want to waste taxpayers money. We are trying to defend the Constitution.” Prineville’s Nativity display had sat on city property during the holiday season for more than 20 years. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union objected, saying it violated the separation between church and state. See Nativity / A6
By Liz Sly
Nick Grube and Andy Zeigert / The Bulletin
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Outdoor fires should burn dry, seasoned wood and should be used to keep people warm, according to Bend’s fire marshal. Still, pollution control can be difficult.
Regulations for burning wood in Bend
WOOD-BURNING STOVES
Nativity foe has a history of suing The Bulletin
• Noticing fire pits around town? That’s OK, because the city didn’t ban all open burning By Nick Grube
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TOP NEWS RUSSIA: Huge anti-Putin rally, A3 DEBATE: Rivals target Gingrich, A6