Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 2016)
BULLDOGS BRING BACK EXPERIENCED SECONDARY Sports Page 7 Hermiston Herald HermistonHerald.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016 $1.00 VIGIL PLANNED FOR SHOOTING VICTIMS By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer H ermiston is looking for healing after a murder-suicide that sent shock waves rippling through the community. The tragedy unfolded Thursday morning, when Hermiston police responding WRDUHSRUWRIVKRWV¿UHGHQ- tered the home of Kenneth E. Valdez, 45, at 130 NW 11th 6W WR ¿QG 9DOGH] DQG D IHO- low Hermiston High School wrestling coach Ja- son E. Huston, 45, dead. They also found Andria Bye, 35, with a gunshot wound. She told po- lice that Huston had shot her and Valdez Ken before killing him- Valdez self. Police soon learned that Huston had picked up Bye’s son James “JJ” Hur- tado, 14, a little over an hour before the shooting, to play disc golf. The dis- covery set off a fran- James tic search of the area “JJ” by law enforcement Hurtado and family, ending when Oregon State Police discovered Hurtado’s body that evening in a rugged location off of Country Lane west of Hermiston. They be- lieve he was also killed by Huston. A candlelight vigil for the victims is planned for 8:30 p.m. today at McKenzie Park. Ky-Leigh Nelson, who helped organize the vig- il along with Bonnie Grif- ¿WK .DUL *HRUJH DQG$QJLH Hocker, said she is one of the nursing students Bye teaches at Blue Mountain Communi- ty College. After discussing the idea of holding a vigil for Bye at BMCC, Nelson said they decided to expand it to a community event that would allow people to show their support for all of the people affected by the tragedy. “It’s just a moment for people to shed some tears and share some support,” she said. Participants are asked to bring candles, glow sticks, VPDOOÀDVKOLJKWVRURWKHUGH- vices that will help light up the park. Multiple GoFundMe ac- See SHOOTING, A12 ABOUT TOWN Barbecue cooks up support for local kids A back to school bar- becue will serve as a fundraiser to provide school supplies for area students in need. The event is set for Saturday from 4-8 p.m. in the parking lot at Sub Zero Restaurant & Lounge, 100 W. High- way 730, Irrigon. The cost is $5 for burgers and chips or $4 for hot dogs and chips. In addition, a Bouncin’ Party House will be on hand for the kids. For more information, call 541-922-4374 or search Facebook for “Sub Zero.” Memory Care Homes sets open house STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS Police investigate the scene of a shooting that left two dead and one injured at the corner of Northwest 11th Street and West Madrona Avenue on Thursday in Hermiston. STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS Police ofÀcers talN outside the scene of a shooting at the intersection of Northwest 11th and West Madrona Avenue on Thursday in Hermiston. STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS Umatilla County Sheriff’s deputies investigate near where the body of James “JJ” Hurtado was discovered late Thursday evening on Friday at the end of Country Lane west of Hermiston. Police release more details On Monday police released more details in the ongoing investigation, revealing that Huston used a 9 mm Glock pistol to carry out the killings. Hermiston Police Chief Jason Ed- miston said it was premature to dis- cuss a motive, but all of the people involved knew each other. Huston and Valdez had been friends since they wrestled together in high school. Huston and Bye had previously dat- ed. And after Huston and Bye ended their relationship Huston continued to DFWDVVRPHWKLQJRIDIDWKHU¿JXUHWR Hurtado. Edmiston said Bye gave a detailed statement to police, but Huston had not told her he shot her son. As police searched for her missing son that day they learned of two places that Huston was known to go shooting recreationally. “When we got that, it was starting to get dark,” Edmiston said, “so we had to hurry.” Detectives went to both sites, he said, and found the boy’s body off Country Lane about two miles outside the Hermiston city limits. Police found a pickup that belonged to Huston on Bridge Road, which is near Country Lane, but Edmiston said Huston drove another pickup into town and parked it at Foxwood Apart- ments near Valdez’s home. While Valdez had a roommate, Ed- miston said, that person was at work during the shooting. Huston was arrested in 2009 for menacing and unlawful possession of D¿UHDUP7KHVWDWHGURSSHGWKHPHQ- acing charge and he was sentenced to a year of probation and 20 hours of community service after pleading no contest to the gun charge. His family is holding a private fu- neral service. —Phil Wright &LW\¿UHGLVWULFWUHDFKOHDVHGHDORQ¿UHKDOO Fire district will pay $200,000 over next four years By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer The Hermiston City Council DSSURYHGOHDVHVZLWKWKH¿UHGLV- trict and school district on Mon- day night. The newly-formed Umatilla County Fire District 1 will lease WKHFXUUHQW¿UHGHSDUWPHQWEXLOG- ing at 320 S First St. from the FLW\ IRU GXULQJ WKH ¿UVW year, $50,000 the second and third years, $25,000 the fourth year and $1 per year after that. See FIRE, A12 STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS Umatilla County Fire District 1 is leasing the Bob Shannon Safety Center at 320 S First St. from the city of Hermiston. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting event is planned at Memory Care Homes. Specializing in the care of individuals with Alzhei- mer’s disease or dementia, the program features 16 suites in a home-like atmo- sphere. The project is part of Guardian Angel Homes. The public is welcome to the celebration at 3 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 8, at 540 N.W. 12th St., Hermis- ton. For more information, call 541-564-9070 or visit www.guardianangelhomes. com/hermiston/home. Tiny town puts on big music festival HERMISTON HERALD Shinyribs of Austin, Texas, will headline the 2016 Wheatstock Music Festival. Kevin Russell, the band’s frontman performed with The Gourds during the 2013 event in Helix. Du- Wayne Dunlap, president of the Wheatstock board, is thrilled to bring the show- man back to town. In its ninth year, Wheat- stock is Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at Quantum 9 Are- na in Helix. Tickets are $25. Admission is free for military SHUVRQQHOZLWKLGHQWL¿FDWLRQ and youths 12 and under. The show kicks off with a Guitar Pull, which Dunlap likened it to an open mic. Musicians can come up and play a couple of songs and then pass the mic to the next person. Other performers in- clude Wasteland Kings (La Grande), Tylor & the Train Robbers (Boise), Frog Hol- low Band (Walla Walla), Tyler Brooks & The Hook (Pendleton), Space Car (Boise) and Imperial Twang (Pendleton). Shinyribs will take the stage at 8 p.m. The music festival, Dun- lap said, is a family event. Free camping is available and people are invited to EULQJWKHLUFKDLUVDQG¿QGD cozy spot on the grass are- na. Bouncy houses will be available and the pool will be open into the evening. Food offerings are provid- ed by Andrae’s Kitchen — named the 2016 Food Truck Restaurant of the Year. For more information, visit www.wheatstock.org or search Facebook for “Wheat- stock Music Festival.”