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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 2016)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016 Festival by design By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer Design work is now un- derway for a project that will transform a section of downtown Hermiston. The city revealed its $1.25 million festival street project on Monday with a public open house. “We’re really excited to see what this is going to do for downtown,” City Man- ager Byron Smith said. The project’s irst phase will cover NE Second Street between Gladys Av- enue and Main Street, cre- ating a pedestrian-friend- ly, curbless street in front of City Hall that can be blocked off during events such as an art show or beer festival. Possible design elements include trees, fountains, hanging lower baskets, brick work, orna- mental lamp posts, deco- rative benches and other functional art. The second phase will extend that project north to the planned senior cen- ter on Ridgeway Avenue, and the third phase would center around an arch on Second Street in front of the Hermiston Conference Center welcoming trafic into downtown. Clint Spencer, city plan- ner, said construction on the irst phase will start some- time during the summer of 2017, and if all goes well with funding and design the other two phases could also be built next year. Funding for the project comes from HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 LOCAL NEWS property tax revenue gath- ered by the Hermiston Ur- ban Renewal Area. During Monday’s open house, visitors were asked to study a series of photos depicting festival streets in other cities and place a sticker on elements they particularly liked. Some of the most popular elements were an interactive fountain with jets of water shoot- ing up from the ground, a wrought-iron arch over the road, decorative lamp posts and trees. Spencer said design ele- ments chosen by the public will likely be used to tie other areas of downtown into the festival area over time. “Lighting, benches, trash cans, things like that will absolutely carry on to other locations in the city,” he said. Residents at the open house were also asked to rate nine potential uses for the street. In the past the road has been blocked off for large events such as the Cinco de Mayo celebration, but Spencer said once the more attractive and pedes- trian-friendly festival street was built the city would also be open to closing the gate for smaller gatherings too. “The more small events we have, they have less impact on the businesses, but we also draw more foot trafic downtown,” he said. Judy Gormley, who owns Neighborhood Books & Gifts on Main Street with her husband, said that she likes the idea of a fes- tival street, but wishes it was going to be on Main Street instead of in front of city hall. She said when the city uses Second Street for events, the foot trafic tends to stick close to city hall and not move down Main Street. “If there’s some way, signs or whatever, that would draw foot trafic to the whole area, that would be good,” she said. Design for the project will be done by Green- Works, a landscaping ar- chitecture company out of Portland, in conjunction with a ive-person citizen committee and city staff. Mike Faha of Green- Works said his irm has worked in Eastern Oregon multiple times, includ- ing upgrades to down- town Pendleton and the area around the Round-Up Grounds ahead of their 100th anniversary. He said the company has been reading several dif- ferent planning studies the city of Hermiston has com- pleted, including its brand new public art plan, and will incorporate those ideas into planning of the festival street. “I think those are great studies to build off of,” he said. “I think this project will be a catalyst for some of those other plans.” Contact Jade McDowell at 541-564-4536. Summer party stabbing leads to attempted murder charge arraign Murillo on weapon. Hermiston police Staff Writer the charges Friday arrested Murillo again in The suspect in an afternoon. May for a probation viola- August stabbing on Murillo has a tion in the wake of a shoot- Depot Lane in Irri- 2014 conviction ing that injured two males. gon faces charges for third-degree as- Murillo also has a mis- of attempted murder sault, according to demeanor assault case Murillo and more. court records, and working its way through Morrow County Hermiston police the Umatilla County Cir- District Attorney Justin arrested him in June 2015 cuit Court. He posted a Nelson said a grand jury in connection to a drive- $3,000 bond to get out of indicted Lalo Murillo, 22, by shooting, which led to jail in that case, which has of Hermiston, for attempt- a conviction for felon in its next hearing on Dec. ed murder, irst-degree as- possession of a restricted 19. sault and unlawful use of a weapon related to stab- bing a man three times in the back during a party on Aug. 23. Nelson said the location of the wounds and the number led to the at- Vaccine for all ages (kids to senior citizens) tempted murder count. The victim, Ivan Salas Salas, 26, of Irrigon, has recovered. from 9:00am - 2:00pm Law enforcement in Cassia County, Idaho, ar- Good Shepherd Conference Rooms 1 & 2 rested Murillo on Sept. 24, according to the jail’s recent inmate information, on warrants and for resist- ing/obstructing oficers and lying to police about his identity. Nelson said the Morrow County Sher- iff’s Ofice sent deputies to Call 541-667-3509 bring Murillo to the Uma- or email healthinfo@gshealth.org tilla County Jail, Pend- leton, where he arrived Thursday. Nelson said he would By PHIL WRIGHT FREE FLU SHOT CLINIC IN BRIEF UEC lands federal grant for solar array Echo woman arrested on driving, drug charges Umatilla Electric Cooperative has re- ceived a $250,134 grant from the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for Amer- ica Program to help off- set the cost of the Moy- er-Tolles Solar Station east of Umatilla. The system, which came online in Febru- ary, includes 3,952 solar panels generating 1.3 megawatts of electric- ity. It cost $2.5 million to build, inanced main- ly with New Clean Re- newable Energy Bonds. “We are pleased that this grant will fur- ther reduce the cost and increase the value of this project to our members,” said Robert Echenrode, UEC gen- eral manager and CEO. “Such a signiicant in- vestment on the part of the USDA shows UEC is on the right track with our renewable en- ergy program.” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said the Rural Energy for Amer- ica Program helps businesses create jobs, helps farmers and rural businesses reduce their carbon footprint and helps the country move closer to energy inde- pendence. “These investments in clean energy are good for the environ- ment, are good for each business’s bottom line and they support the broader rural econo- my by encouraging the production of renew- able energy sources,” Vilsack said in a state- ment. The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Ofice arrested an Echo woman in Hermiston on Friday on driving and drug crimes According to a written statement from the sheriff’s ofice, the arrest occurred about 3 a.m. after deputy Nathan Rankin investigated a suspicious vehicle com- plaint near the 1600 block of Airport Road, Hermis- ton. He found Patsy Anna- bell Elkins, 41, of 811 E. Gerone St., Echo, driving erratically in a vehicle that was revving its engine. “She showed many signs of impairment and appeared to be under the inluence of a stimulant,” the sheriff’s ofice reported. Elkins told the deputy a white truck hit her vehicle and she chased the truck for two hours but did not catch it, did not get a license plate number nor call police. Rankin arrested El- kins for driving under the inluence of intoxicants and reckless driving and took her and her belong- ings, including a cellphone and purse, to the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton. Jail staff checked the purse and discovered more than 20 grams of what they suspected was metham- phetamine, nearly 100 clear plastic bags, and a glass pipe and digital scales, both with residue indicating meth. The sheriff’s ofice added delivery of meth, de- livery of meth within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of meth, and supplying con- traband to Elkin’s charges. Sales vendor falsely representing school district Hermiston School Dis- trict is warning the public that a company selling ad- vertisements on sports post- ers in not afiliated with the district. According to a news release from the district, a salesman contacting local businesses about buying advertising is falsely claim- ing to be a representative of Hermiston High School. However, he is not connect- ed to the school district and no money from the adver- tising will beneit Herm- iston students or sports teams. Ad sales for the 2016- 2017 Hermiston High School sports calendar has already been completed, and any requests for future advertising or sponsorship will come from athletics director Larry Usher or athletics secretary Lindy Thompson. Want Year Around Outdoor Space? W e’ve Got A Solution! FREE Estimates! 541-720-0772 Visit our showroom: 102 E Columbia Dr. Kennewick, WA 99336 Patio Rooms Sunrooms · Pergolas Patio Covers · Drop Shades · Solar Screens & More! www.mybackyardbydesign.com License #188965 CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT CLASS Oregon - Valid 35 States PENDLETON Red Lion - 304 SE N ye Ave. Thursday Oct. 20 th • 1:00 pm & 6:00 pm W alk-Ins W elcom e! M ulti-state: $80 or Oregon only: $45.00 w w w .Firearm TrainingN W .com Firearm TrainingN W @ gm ail.com Saturday, October 22 360-921-2071 G O O D S H E P H E R D W O M E N ’ S C E N T E R DON’T MISS OUT! Celebrate Your Loved Ones in Our Veterans Day SALUTE Staff Sergeant Joel Davis US Marines Veteran Honoring those who have served and those that are currently serving our country! Your Address Your Phone Number Allison Khavkin, M.D., OB/GYN “ I provide women with preventative healthcare services as well as treating both short- and long-term Service Person’s Name Your Name is proud to introduce Example Bring us a picture of your servicemen or servicewomen or veteran by November 3 rd along with the form below and we will include them in our “Veterans Day Salute” on November 9 th in the Hermiston Herald and November 11 th in the East Oregonian at no charge . For more information call 1-800-962-2819 in Pendleton or 541-564-4530 in Hermiston. Military Branch Good Shepherd Health Care System medical conditions. I take a holistic Military Rank Currently Serving Veteran (Check One) Deliver to: approach to caring for my patients understanding your specific East Oregonian Hermiston Herald needs—while keeping your quality 211 SE Byers Ave. • Pendleton, OR 333 E. Main. • Hermiston, OR of life at the forefront of your care. or e-mail to classifieds@eastoregonian.com ” Welcoming New Patients Good Shepherd Women’s Center 541.667.3801 620 NW 11th Street, Suite 103 Hermiston, OR 97838