Hermiston $1.00 Herald 83 years WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015 WOMAN HONORED BY NATIONAL GRANGE www.HermistonHerald.com PAGE 3 Dude, where’s your car? SPORTS PAGE 8 KIDS GET COACHED BY PROS AT CLINIC Native ways PAGE 3 LATE ARRIVAL WOWS IN DUNK CONTEST Local repeats as 3-point champ By SAM BARBEE Staff Writer Thane Pierson almost didn’t get to dunk. Around noon, he and his team were down the street at Nook- ie’s Restaurant lunching on a burger, thinking the Takin’ It to the Streets Dunk Contest start- ed at 3 p.m. He heard his name called from just east of Highway 395, and hustled back to the in- tersection of East Main Street and Third Street to complete his dunk. He missed his original slot, but got to shove one down anyway. His score of 43 put him LQWRWKH¿QDOVZKHUHKHLQGXFHG a roar from the crowd and sent one judge scampering with en- thusiasm. The high jumper from Wash- ington State University, on his YHU\ ¿UVW ¿ nals attempt, BASKETBALL weaved the ball through his legs and threw it down clean- O\7KH¿YHVIURPMXGJHV$EL Drotzmann, Jansen Edmiston, Jenni Hoffert, Garron Gammell and Mitch Thompson were only formalities as the crowd of a couple hundred people whooped and yelled and smiled at the ath- letic display given by Pierson. “Once they said it was two guys left, I said ‘I’m bringing (the between the legs),’” he said. “If there was another round I was saving it.” Thompson, who coached the Irrigon boys basketball team to a state championship this past winter, said it was exciting to see a Division I athlete compete and show off a little. “Whenever you get a Divi- By SEAN HART Staff Writer Vehicle thefts in Hermiston KDYHVLJQL¿FDQWO\LQFUHDVHGGXULQJ WKH¿UVWKDOIRIWKH\HDUEXWPDQ\ of the crimes could have been pre- vented. Chief Jason Edmiston recently released Hermiston Police Depart- ment’s crime statistics through the second quarter, and said he is partic- ularly disappointed with auto thefts. ,Q WKH ¿UVW VL[ PRQWKV RI WKH year, 28 vehicles were reported VWROHQ FRPSDUHG WR IURP WKH same period last year. 7KH SHUFHQW LQFUHDVH LQ auto thefts con- tributed to a 9 per- More cent increase in to- tal crime — from online LQWR A longer version of this year — for the this story is available eight index cat- online at www. egories reported hermistonherald.com. to the FBI. While the total is still far EHORZWKH\HDUDYHUDJHRI Edmiston said the number should be lower. “I’m encouraged by the fact that total crime is still down 24 SHUFHQWRYHUWKH\HDUDYHUDJH but I am honest enough to say that I don’t like to see a 9 percent in- FUHDVHIURPWRLQWRWDO crime,” he said. By TAMMY MALGESINI Community Editor Thane Pierson of Natches, Washington, and a high jumper at Washington State University, goes between his legs in the À nals of the dunN contest at the th $nnual TaNin· ,t to the Street threeonthree basNetball tournament Saturday in Hermiston. Right: Two players fight for position during a game on Main Street on Saturday during the th annual TaNin· ,t to the Streets threeonthree basNetball tournament in Hermiston. $ shot is blocNed on Main Street on Saturday at the th $nnual TaNin· ,t to the Street threeonthree basNetball tournament Saturday in Hermiston. Auto thefts up sharply in 2015, most vehicles unlocked with keys inside Community choir crescendos with free performance STAFF PHOTOS BY SAM BARBEE See BASKETBALL, A16 ABOUT TOWN )ar right 2n Saturday at the th annual TaNin· ,t to the Streets threeonthree basNetball tournament, a player tries to snaNe his way through the defense at a Newport ParN court. Good Shepherd opens new surgical center By JADE McDOWELL Watermelon festival offers family fun By TAMMY MALGESINI Community Editor The staff at Good Shepherd Medical Center showed off its new surgery center to the public Tues- day before the facility is sterilized and prepped for use. HEALTH “You’re not JRLQJ WR ¿QG D more state-of-the-art facility than what we have constructed,” CEO Dennis Burke said. He said design of the center started three years ago, and ar- chitects implemented suggestions from the hospital’s surgical staff to make the design more user friend- ly. The new center also helps the hospital conform to the latest in- Watermelons take center-stage next weekend during the Irrigon Watermelon Festival. The 32nd annual event begins Saturday, July 25, with break- IDVWIURPDPDW,UULJRQ0DULQD3DUN7KHSDUDGHZKLFK VWDUWVDWDPRQ0DLQ6WUHHWZLQGVLWVZD\EDFNWRWKHPDULQD park, which offers family fun into the evening. “It’s a great local activity for families to get together,” said An- gie Schneider, vendors coordinator. And the melons aren’t just for eating — several contests are planned that feature the sweet-tasting gourds. The Mayors Water- PHORQ 6HHG 6SLWWLQJ &RQWHVW LV DW SP:D termelon bowling and kid’s seed spitting continue EVENT until the prizes run out. With some great items donated, festival coordi- QDWRU5HQHH&RXFKPDQLVH[FLWHGDERXWWKHDOOGD\UDIÀH7LFNHWV DUHHDFKRUVL[IRU'UDZLQJVZLOOEHKHOGWKURXJKRXWWKHGD\ and evening. People don’t have to be present to win. 5DIÀH SUL]HV LQFOXGH D ÀDWVFUHHQ 79 OXJJDJH LFH FKHVWV D lawn mower, a gazebo, gift baskets, rodeo and admission tick- See SURGERY, A16 See FESTIVAL, A16 Staff Writer With a full college schedule his freshman year at the University of Oregon, Riley Mulvihill didn’t have time to participate in choir. +RPHIRUWKHVXPPHUWKH Hermiston High School graduate was excited about the opportunity to warm up his vocal cords with the Hermiston Community Choir. “It really made me realize how much I missed being part of a choir,” he said. “Choral singing is an amazing experience — being part of a larger whole and creating something beautiful.” Mulvihill, who sings bass, par- ticipated in last summer’s inaugu- ral group. Directed by Josh Rist, who also teaches choir at Hermiston High School, started the group last year through a Hermiston Parks & Rec- reation program. The initial choir KDGDERXWYRLFHV Ranging in age from teenag- ers to super seniors, the group has nearly doubled in size this sum- mer. “We have a pretty amazing age range,” Rist said. Mulvihill, who sang under Rist at Hermiston, said the different age groups provides a unique and enjoyable experience. “With our assortment of age groups, we get members with de- cades of experience as well as the passion and energy of youth,” he said. With twice-weekly rehearsals under their belt since late June, the choir will crescendo with a concert program. The free per- formance is Thursday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Hermiston High 6FKRRO6)LUVW6W The program features a diversi- ty of genres and styles, including gospel, spiritual, shaker tunes and popular songs. Rist said the performance is somewhat dark and serious in the beginning and then moves into the encouragement and supportive stage. “The program is uplifting, as it UHÀHFWVRQKRZZHUHVSRQGWRORVV and transition,” Rist said. )RUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQFDOO STAFF PHOTO BY TAMMY MALGESINI Josh Rist leads the Hermiston Community Choir in a recent rehearsal. The group will perform a free concert Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Hermiston High School auditorium.