WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012 • THE BULLETIN
Parks Continued from A1 The vast majority of officer visits to park are categorized as “community policing,” Tisher said. Such visits are not prompted by any incident, but will, for example, occasionally lead to the arrests of people with outstanding warrants. Animal control complaints top the list of park incidents with 120, followed by approximately 50 disputes and 50 alcohol-related calls. Police responded to 40 theft reports in parks and 20 incidents of drug use or drug sales. Tisher said the figures significantly understate drug activity in parks. A few years ago, he said, he would routinely happen upon drug deals in progress while patrolling parks. But now, with increased high-visibility patrols, he suspects people using or buying and selling drugs have retreat-
Coverage Continued from A1 Spencer singled out Grace Jones’ Hula-Hoop performance, which gave Spencer an excuse to segue to a clip of herself gyrating with a HulaHoop on an old episode of “Good Morning America.” “Honestly, it was the moment of the concert,” she explained. ABC was hardly alone in finding silly and self-serving ways to pep up Jubilee coverage, but there was a particular elan at “GMA,” which has narrowed the lead of “Today” on NBC and has actually come out ahead in weekly viewership several times in recent months. ABC didn’t prevail by getting more substantive than NBC; the Jubilee provided a fresh canvas for the program’s newfound confidence in dumbing down. Roberts, who used to be the Miss Hathaway of morning television, has reinvented herself as a girl who just wants to have fun with Spencer: Over four days the two drank Pimm’s cups, donned frilly hats, and danced and DJ’ed their way through the royal events. The BBC coverage, shown on BBC America, included commentary by historian Simon Schama. Roberts relied on the expertise of Len Goodman, a judge on the hit ABC show “Dancing With the Stars.” NBC took the whole event more seriously, but there was just as much self-interest. The network is spending several billion dollars to broadcast the 2012 London Olympics, so “Today” found all kinds of ways to link the games to the Jubilee. Soccer star David Beckham was interviewed about the queen and his chances of making the British Olympic soccer team. NBC correspondent Stephanie Gosk did a stand-up amid crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square, which, she explained, is where the British go to celebrate mo-
Senate Continued from A1 Republicans filibustered the bill, which they characterized as a boon to trial lawyers and an invasion of workplace privacy. “We’re not going to stop standing up for women and families,” Murray said during the Senate debate. The outcome of the day’s vote produced another entry in the Democratic narrative that Republicans are engaged in a “war on women.” First there was the Republican-led attack on President Barack Obama’s new contraceptive rules under the health care law. Then there was the all-male panel that was convened to discuss the issue by House Republicans and the GOP-led vote in the Senate against the contraceptive regulations. Then dozens of male Republican senators voted against the typically bipartisan Violence Against Women Act, which is now stalled. The version approved in the House, which is controlled by Republicans, did not explicitly include protections for gay victims of domestic violence and rape from the Senate bill, and rolled back protections for immigrants. This election is likely to be determined by a small slice of undecided voters, includ-
ed to less visible spots within the parks. “I think the parks in the downtown area, and the river area, they offer too many places for people to ... go unchecked, really,” he said. Addressing drug activity and alcohol use in parks may require tactics not previously tried, Tisher said, such as using plainclothes officers or installing surveillance cameras. In recent years, police have noted an increase in the number of missing or runaway juveniles in Bend parks, Tisher said. Officers have been using a program that allows them to issue exclusion orders to people who cause problems repeatedly in parks. In the last five weeks, officers have issued approximately two dozen exclusions. With the arrival of summer weather, police expect to step up park patrols. Riverbend Park, where many river float-
ers launch, could see as many as five or six officers at a time this summer, Tisher said. They would focus on water safety and deterring people on the river from drinking. Also on Tuesday, the parks board approved its budget for the upcoming year. The district will be collecting just over $1.46 per $1,000 in assessed property values to fund its operations, for a total budget of $32.6 million. A portion of the property taxes collected will be combined with fees levied on new construction to pay for the district’s capital improvement plan, also approved Tuesday. Over the next five years, the district expects to spend $19.4 million on capital improvements, with the majority of the funds going toward the acquisition and development of new parks. — Reporter: 541-383-0387, shammers@bendbulletin.com
mentous events like the end of held firm. He not only ignored World War II and, as she put it, the entire royal celebration on “where it was announced that his Sunday talk show, but he London would be hosting the also ended his program with Summer Games.” an anti-monarchic nudge: a Famous anchors are some- feature on George Washingtimes described as American ton’s home in Mount Vernon, royalty, but lately some have Va. a way of echoing the lower Jon Stewart mercilessly moments in the history of the mocked the television coverHouse of Windsor. “Today” age, particularly the often brought back alumna Meredith inane enthusiasm of Piers Vieira as a special correspon- Morgan on CNN, who dedent to anchor Tuesday’s Jubi- scribed the flotilla Sunday lee finale with Matt Lauer, and as an “orgy of excitement.” the two laughed and teased On Tuesday, Morgan gushed each other as if they were a over the queen for many hours newly reunited Prince Charles straight, but perhaps with and Camilla more envy than Parker-Bowles. admiration. As Ann Curry, who “It was hard Royal Air Force is Lauer’s actual to top the jets streamed red, co-anchor, was white and blue the one “Today” coverage of smoke while flying star left out of the last year’s over Buckingham London cover- wedding of Palace, Morgan age; even weathsaid, “I wish I was erman Al Roker Prince William king.” made the cut. (A and Kate CNN did devote “Today” show an- Middleton, almost as much to nouncer rubbed it the Jubilee as BBC in by trumpeting but most America did, but a special edition, networks, it’s a little unfair “ ‘Today’ at the cable and to judge that cable Queen’s Diamond news network by a Jubilee,” with broadcast, royal event. CNN Matt Lauer live couldn’t resist functions best in at Buckingham royal mania.” hard news and Palace and Curry international di“live from Studio sasters. And now, 1A in Rockefeller more than ever, Plaza.”) Actually, Curry wasn’t CNN serves as cable news’ even on the set in New York. best antidote to the solipsisFrom his chair next to Vieira, tic ranting of histrionic and Lauer said briskly, “Ann has proudly biased evening hosts the morning off.” on Fox News and MSNBC. It was hard to top the covCNN’s ratings on many erage of last year’s wedding nights are at a low point, of Prince William and Kate which makes the network’s Middleton, but most networks, refusal to follow its more succable and broadcast, couldn’t cessful rivals down the path of resist royal mania. Even “CBS single-minded opinionating all Sunday Morning,” which the more admirable. Stewart prides itself on homespun sto- joked that CNN, like Britain, ries with a contrarian streak, is a fallen and enfeebled world fell under the spell, broadcast- power. But like Britain, CNN ing a lengthy feature Sunday is a diminished empire that about the Royal School of on special occasions still comNeedlework, where tailors mands respect and attention. and seamstresses hand-stitch Except, paradoxically, when it embroidery for the queen and gives lavish, unfiltered coverher family. age to a glittery extravaganza Chris Wallace of Fox News like the Diamond Jubilee.
ing women, who may loosely Committee. identify with one party but are Romney has tried to remain still mulling their choices for above the fray, declining to this fall. take a position on the legislaCapturing their attention tion blocked in the Senate on and support is esTuesday as a new sential as Demopoll shows him crats try to rebuild “I’m not saying gaining among key aspects of that the only women voters. their successful Fielding a robust way to achieve number 2008 coalition. of women Obama ampli- success is candidates in the fied the point dur- by climbing Senate comes as ing a commencethe number of ment speech at to the top of women elected Barnard College, a the corporate to Congress has women’s school in ladder or hit a plateau after New York City. decades of steady “I’m not saying running advancements. that the only way for office While a record to achieve success — although, number of Reis by climbing to publican women the top of the cor- let’s face it, were elected to the porate ladder or Congress House in 2010 on running for office would get a lot the tea party wave, — although, let’s that year was also face it, Congress more done if the first time since would get a lot you did.” the 1970s that the more done if you number of women — President Obama sent to Congress did,” Obama said. House Speaker did not rise. John Boehner, Republica ns R-Ohio, has disnote that the 11 missed the Democratic strate- female candidates Murray is gy as “gimmickry.” But he has backing with the party’s campraised a new coalition of Re- paign committee — six incumpublican women who got or- bents and five challengers, ganized in part to fight back. who have traveled together to “As Republican women, we Los Angeles and New York have some really unique ideas to raise funds for their races for moving our nation for- — could be greater. In some ward,” said Rep. Mary Bono states, her party is either sitMack, D-Calif., the chairwom- ting out the primary — or enan of the new Women’s Policy dorsing men.
Water Continued from A1 “Prineville is on the verge of becoming another Quincy, Wash., which is home to Yahoo, Microsoft, Dell and others,” Walden said. The bill passed by voice vote, an indication that House Democrats had no significant objections. It now heads to the Senate, where there are no early signs of forceful resistance. The bill would move the wild and scenic boundary line about a quarter-mile down the Crooked River, away from its current location in the center of Bowman Dam. The tweak would open the 240-foot-high dam to hydropower development, which could bring as many as 50 new construction jobs to the area, Walden said. “There’s nothing wild and scenic about the top of a dam unless you’re falling over the top of it,” he said. Prineville Mayor Betty Roppe, who has traveled to Washington three times in support of the legislation, said she is excited by Tuesday’s vote, but says more needs to happen before the city sees tangible benefits from the legislation. City officials have al-
ready been working with Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden to rally support in the Senate, she said. Oregon’s senators, both Democrats, have indicated that they want agreement from all of the various stakeholders, which include Prineville, Crook County, the Ochoco Irrigation District, Portland General Electric, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, state regulators and environmental and conservation groups. “We still have some questions from the conservation groups,” which have agreed with almost all of the proposals, Roppe said. Overall, they are very close to reaching consensus, she said. Kimberley Priestley, senior policy analyst with WaterWatch of Oregon, said that the conservation organization opposes the version of the bill that passed the House in part because it puts irrigation first in line for access to the river’s water. “WIthout any significant gains to the river, that’s something we oppose,” she said. WaterWatch doesn’t object to Prineville getting more water, but because pumping nearby groundwater has the same practical effect on water levels as removing water
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directly from the river, there’s really no overall gain through the additional release, she said. “It’s neither bad nor good. It’s a wash,” she said. “(The bill) really does nothing for fish. We are hoping that we can reach a balanced solution on the Senate side that would secure unallocated water (behind the dam) for fish.” Roppe said increasing the city’s water supply will make it more attractive to other tech companies, which use water (as well as the area’s 40-degree nightly drop in temperature) to help cool their servers. “We do have some other companies that are talking to us,” she said. Other components of the bill aim to jumpstart restoration efforts for McKay Creek by authorizing the Ochoco Irrigation District to provide water to small farms on the upper part of the creek. The bill would also allow Prineville to provide water to an additional 500 homes within the city, Walden said. Because of current water restrictions, some homes within city limits do not get their water from the city. — Reporter: 202-662-7456, aclevenger@bendbulletin.com