Latest news with #Umatilla
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Defending elections integrity cost Alan Hays some friendships. It was worth it, he says
Every year, the Orlando Sentinel asks community members to help us identify the heroes who make the biggest difference in local lives: The ones whose leadership, innovation and courage provide an inspiration to others. And from these nominees, we choose a group, those whose talents and dedication demand recognition, to honor as Central Floridian of the Year finalists. Over the coming weeks, we'll introduce you to these remarkable individuals — and at the end, we'll introduce you to our choice for Central Floridian of the Year. If there's a phrase that best describes Alan Hays, it's 'happy warrior.' His genial grin rarely fades. As he walks through the Lake County elections office, where he's been the chief since 2017, employees greet him and he laughs back. But don't be drawn in by the modifier. The important word is 'warrior.' And if anyone casts aspersions or spreads false rumors about the integrity of Florida's election system, they will find Hays more than ready to return fire — even against people that he once considered friends and allies. That has, at times, shocked people who have been following his political career for a long time. At 79, Hays is really on his third act: After hanging up his Umatilla dentistry practice, he decided to run for state House in 2004, and won. During his legislative service, which included six years in the House, followed by six in the Senate, Hays was known as a member of the GOP's far-right wing. That was bolstered by a history of red-meat legislation that included a proposed mandate that students watch a film by right-wing conspiracy theorist Dinesh D'Souza. His personal beliefs are still clearly rooted in conservatism — to the point that many people worried he'd over-politicize his role as Lake County's elections supervisor. Hays has proved them wrong, and then some. During his tenure, Lake County elections have been almost entirely free of glitches and marked by high turnout, including an astounding 90% participation rate in the 2024 general election. 'It's so important that people have confidence in the outcome (of elections). … We're going to do everything we can to uphold the integrity of the vote,' he says. 'That is the bedrock of our democracy, and we have to get it right.' That doesn't mean things were placid. That's in large part due to Hays' fiery rebukes of right-wing agitators who claimed that the 2020 elections were rigged to give the victory to Joe Biden over Donald Trump. He didn't have to go there: Most elections supervisors in Florida (which Trump won handily in 2020) chose to remain mum. But Hays says he found himself too incensed by claims of vote-rigging that were spurring fears of voter intimidation and evolving into proposed legislation — in Florida as well as other states — that would undermine voters' ability to register and cast their ballots. 'My integrity is my most prized possession,' he says. 'The people who are doing this … they don't deserve to use the word 'integrity.'' That friction turned personal the following year. Members of the Lake County Republican Executive Committee passed a series of resolutions demanding a 'forensic audit' of his office and others, and suggesting that non-citizens and others had been allowed to vote in Lake County. Hays responded by posting a 'put up or shut up' memo on his office's web page, demanding proof. He says he never got a response. That fiery defense of election integrity made him persona non grata among Lake County's Republican Party bosses, people whom Hays would have once considered to be natural allies and now dismisses as 'whackadoodles.' At a press conference in Nov. 2022, he deepened the rift, standing with other Central Florida elections supervisors at a press conference meant to counteract claims of widespread fraud and fears of voter intimidation. 'The confidence of voters is being grossly undermined by these individuals and these organizations that are out there spreading all these lies. And it's done a tremendous disservice to the voters and to our country and to the candidates as well,' he said. In 2024, the conflict boiled to a head. In June, Hays faced a decision he knew would be unpopular. Lake Property Appraiser Carey Baker, who had not expected opposition, chose to qualify as a write-in candidate and save money on qualifying fees. That opened the door for a challenger, Mark Jordan (who was standing in line at the elections office as the deadline to qualify approached) to file to run against him and have his name officially printed on the ballot against a blank line where voters would have to write in Baker's name. That meant Baker would likely lose the position he'd held for eight years. Hays was in a tough spot. He could torpedo the career of somebody he considered a friend, or uphold the standard that elections supervisors used statewide: If a potential candidate was in line by the noon cutoff, they should be allowed to qualify. Jordan, Hays determined, should be allowed to remain on the ballot. It was one more nail in the coffin of his relationship with the REC, who had already thrown its support behind a primary opponent to Hays himself: Tom Vail, who perpetuated the claims that Florida's elections were far too vulnerable to fraud and advocated shutting down absentee and mail voting. That move, Hays says, reveals the real agenda behind the fraud claims: Make it more difficult for voters to register and vote. Hays won his race. Baker lost. But those outcomes were beside the point: Hays says his main concern has always been to bolster Lake County residents' confidence that the same rules applied to everyone — and that their votes would always be handled with care and recorded accurately. On a tour of his office Wednesday, he proudly pointed out all the measures that are in place to protect ballots and ensure they are processed according to law — as well as the measures, such as video feeds and large observation windows — that let the public monitor the action as ballots are verified and counted. 'I refuse to let these people spread their dishonesty,' he says. 'We know that we have to get this right – there is no room for error. And we will not accept less than excellence.' If that means losing friends, he says, so be it.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
In One Ear: First mate rules
The Daily Morning Astorian of Feb. 13, 1884, worried about the fate of Capt. Frank Worth, who had friends in this city, after the wreck of the Umatilla on a reef near Cape Flattery, Washington. The same day, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer ran 'The Umatilla Crew Safe,' as told by second officer Edward Greenleaf. Sailing the Umatilla during a blinding snowstorm, Greenleaf thought he saw breakers ahead, but it was too late, and they ran hard aground on a reef. They were supposed to be at least 12 miles off the coast at the time. The ship started filling with water quickly, so Capt. Worth ordered full speed ahead to keep the ship firmly on the rocks until lifeboats could be lowered. The captain and most of the crew boarded two boats, while first mate John O'Brien, with the remaining men, boarded the raft. Fortunately, while the two boats were struggling in the water, two large canoes approached, with several Native Americans aboard willing to help. Greenleaf wanted to help those left behind on the raft but was outvoted. Their new friends helped land the boats, and led them to the village of Ozette, where they were 'treated kindly.' Once the storm lightened up, the ship was visible from the shore and was drifting. Greenleaf, ordered to take a boat to the ship, noticed the distress flag had been raised and realized that O'Brien and his raftmates had reboarded the ship and were setting sail. Greenleaf couldn't catch up, and returned to Ozette. After a message was sent to Neah Bay, a tug arrived and brought the stranded men safely to Seattle. Meanwhile, on Feb. 12, the Daily Alta California noted that O'Brien and the raft crew had sailed the Umatilla to Esquimalt Harbor (on Vancouver Island, British Columbia), where it promptly filled and sank in 40 feet of water. Even so, it was salvageable. And, because Capt. Worth essentially abandoned his ship, O'Brien and his cohorts were given the salvage rights. (Painting: Antonio Jacobsen)
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The ‘Six Sovereigns' are fighting for the Columbia River basin's future. Who are they?
You'd be hard-pressed to find a part of the Pacific Northwest that's more important than the Columbia River basin. Fed by the mighty Columbia and Snake rivers and their many tributaries that eventually reach the Pacific Ocean, it stretches from southeast British Columbia and extends into much of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. It even reaches as far as some portions of Nevada, Wyoming, Utah and Montana. All in all, the Columbia River basin is one of the largest in the country and covers an area of over 87,000 square miles. That covers about 36 percent of the state of Washington alone. It's a major source of regional power, hosting about 150 hydroelectric projects, 250 reservoirs and dozens of dams. About 50-80% of the energy supplied to the region comes from hydroelectric power, according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. On the Columbia River, the Bonneville Dam alone supplies enough electricity to power 900,000 homes. But the basin is crucial to the region for myriad reasons beyond power. The 1,240-mile long Columbia drains about 250,000 square miles. One of the longest rivers in America, it is second only to the Mississippi in terms of volume of water flow. It is a crucial source of water for agricultural irrigation, supports a range of diverse wildlife and offers myriad recreational opportunities. Crucially, the Columbia River basin is a cornerstone of the region's Indigenous history, culture and daily life. The reverence and connectedness to the land expressed by tribes in the area are in large part due to the basin's historically epic salmon population. In fact, much of the Columbia River basin is part of the ancestral lands of the Yakama, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Nez Perce. With the influx of European settlers — who brought an increase in demand alongside a lack of experience in regional fisheries management — that number plummeted. Up until the first half of the 19th century, as many as 16 million salmon and steelhead would return to spawn every year, according to Columbia Riverkeeper. Stories passed down through tribes over the generations tell of a time when the salmon spawned in such great numbers that you could practically walk on their backs to cross the water. That's not the case today. The Columbia River Basin is still home to some of the richest wild salmon spawning grounds in the world, but many species of the fish are in crisis. The salmon in this area are struggling — some species more than others — due to population increase, development and dams. The average number of salmon that return every year is at 2.3 million, according to the most recent NWPCC report from December 2024. That's far short of the interim goal of 5 million that should have been reached when 2025 dawned. Columbia basin tribes have said time and again that effective conservation efforts in the basin are a matter of necessity for the future survival of everyone in the region. 'Since time immemorial, the strength of the Yakama Nation and its people have come from Nch'í Wána – the Columbia River – and from the fish, game, roots and berries it nourishes,' said Gerald Lewis, chairman of the Yakama Nation, in a statement in March 2024. 'We have fought to protect and restore salmon because salmon are not just a natural resource, they are a cultural resource.' Nch'í Wána roughly translates to 'Big River' in the Yakama Sahaptin language. The name is generally the same across other regional tribes and bands, but in their languages. Lewis's comments came at the formation of a new landmark agreement created between the federal government and four regional tribes to form what's now known as the 'Six Sovereigns.' The grouping of governments under the moniker includes Washington state, Oregon and four basin tribes — the Yakama, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Nez Perce (Nimiipuu). Their goal is to restore, protect, defend and conserve the Columbia River basin in collaboration with one another, and to represent the collective interests of the region vis-a-vis the federal government. Balancing priorities for ecological and commercial goals related to the Columbia River basin isn't an easy undertaking. That's where the Six Sovereigns come in. Created in late 2023, the coalition is formed by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, as well as the states of Washington and Oregon. After forming, they came to an agreement with the Biden-Harris administration to stay litigation related to the basin while committing to a far-reaching set of actions crucial to its future success on all levels. The agreement has been hailed as a landmark step toward recovery of the basin. 'President Biden understands that the Columbia River System is the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest,' noted Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality in a statement when the agreement was announced. 'This agreement charts a new path to restore the river, provide for a clean energy future and the jobs that come with it, and live up to our responsibilities to Tribal Nations.' Around the same time, the Six Sovereigns also created the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative, known as the CBRI. Through collaboration, the goal of the CBRI is to comprehensively and collectively develop crucial solutions and honor tribal treaty rights. It will ultimately serve as a sort of collective negotiation table for the Six Sovereigns to sit across from federal and other sovereign and regional stakeholders. One of the Six Sovereign partner organizations, Earthjustice, has recently faced questions over whether legal aspects of the work will be delayed with a new federal administration in place. Part of the agreement made with the Biden-Harris administration was that there would be a halt to all lawsuits by the tribes and states regarding the activities of the federal government for 10 years while urgent solutions-based actions are taken. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a number of federal hydropower projects in the region. Those agreements are now facing potential uncertainties. But just days into the new administration, representatives for Earthjustice were clear that their work will be ongoing. 'The alliance will continue, and that policy will continue,' said Amanda Goodin, an attorney for Earthjustice, in a phone interview. 'The agreement that's in place is a strong one, so they [feds] would be wise to continue.' She says the agreement for the Columbia River basin makes sure that salmon conservation strategy 'looks at ways we can strengthen our region.' 'For a long time, some have pitted healthy and abundant salmon against other interests in the region,' Goodin said. 'You can have salmon and agriculture.' The Columbia River basin's status as an indisputable powerhouse of resources makes it an easy target for development. In some ways, it's a victim of its own success and importance, particularly when it comes to the future of salmon. At an NWPCC status update meeting in January 2025, Council Member Louie Pitt, who represents Oregon and is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, spoke on a December 2024 analysis on the total run size of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River basin. 'Increased salmon and steelhead abundance in the Columbia River Basin – especially above Bonneville Dam – over the past 40 years marks important progress,' Pitt said at the meeting, which was livestreamed to the public. 'These fish still face severe stresses from climate change, pressures from human population growth in the basin and other environmental impacts.' Pitt added that the situation for some species of fish is more dire than others. 'Some stocks are struggling right now,' Pitt said. 'We cannot ease up in our collective efforts to help these fish populations grow stronger and larger everywhere we can – including in blocked areas of our basin such as above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams.' Others at the meeting, which included the Six Sovereigns, echoed the sentiment of celebrating wins but remaining vigilant on the critically urgent interests that are at stake. 'We get asked all the time, 'What are your top three?',' Kate Markworth, a lawyer for the Yakama tribe responded in part when asked to comment on prioritizing things like irrigation for farmlands over the removal of dams. 'This is not a buffet. Everything is urgent.' The work to protect salmon, steelhead and other fish and wildlife in the basin has been going on much longer than just a few years. In 1977, the tribes that are part of the Six Sovereigns came together to create the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, with the goal of protecting and preserving salmon and other fish crucial to the regional ecosystem. But a myriad of complex circumstances over many years was part of what led to the historic agreement with the Biden-Harris administration, including numerous lawsuits filed by tribes, largely to enforce treaty-guaranteed rights. Perhaps the most infamous decision in the last 100 years was the damming of Celilo Falls in the 1950s. The area was a critical fishing, trade and residence area for Columbia basin tribes. Known in Sahaptin as Wy-am, the salmon-rich waters of the legendary Celilo Falls were just upstream on the Columbia River from what is now Dalles, Oregon, in central Washington. It rivaled Niagara Falls during spring flooding, and was a crucial cultural and commercial center for 10,000 years. The ramifications of that loss still echo today. At the Yakama reservation's cultural center and museum, you don't have to look very hard to find deeply emotional references in the exhibits to the history of Celilo Falls, and the damage caused to both humans and salmon species when it was destroyed with damming. Yet, hope persists that it will someday be restored, but it would have to be done right. According to a spokesperson for the CRITFC, the idea has been seriously proposed. Several years ago, the Army Corps of Engineers did a full bathyscaphe scan of the rock formations at the falls that is currently underwater. According to the CRITFC spokesperson, all the landforms were found to still be intact. That means that if the Dalles Dam was removed, the falls would return. Whatever the outcome for Celilo Falls, the salmon and the other flora and fauna of the Columbia River basin, the Six Sovereigns remain committed to fighting for the future of the entire basin. They say it will be done through what they publicly describe as a shared understanding of a collective duty and obligation to protect, honor and cherish the place that we all call home. This article was produced in collaboration and with support from the Solutions Journalism Network.
