LOCAL/REGION
2A — THE OBSERVER
Today in
History
Today is Thursday, april 8, the
98th day of 2021. There are 267
days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN
HISTORY:
On april 8, 1864, the united
States Senate passed the 13th
amendment to the u.S. Constitu-
tion abolishing slavery. (The House
of Representatives passed it in
January 1865; the amendment was
adopted in december 1865.)
ON THIS DATE:
in 1513, explorer Juan ponce
de leon and his expedition began
exploring the Florida coastline.
in 1820, the Venus de Milo statue
was discovered by a farmer on the
Greek island of Milos.
in 1913, the 17th amendment
to the Constitution, providing for
popular election of u.S. senators (as
opposed to appointment by state
legislatures), was ratified.
in 1952, president Harry S.
Truman seized the american steel
industry to avert a nationwide
strike. (The Supreme Court later
ruled that Truman had overstepped
his authority, opening the way for a
seven-week strike by steelworkers.)
in 1963, “lawrence of arabia”
won the Oscar for best picture at
the academy awards; Gregory
peck won best actor for “To Kill a
Mockingbird” while anne Bancroft
received best actress honors for
“The Miracle Worker.”
in 1974, Hank aaron of the
atlanta Braves hit his 715th career
home run in a game against the los
angeles dodgers, breaking Babe
Ruth’s record.
in 1987, al Campanis, vice
president of player personnel for
the los angeles dodgers, resigned
after saying on aBC’s “Nightline”
that Blacks might lack some of the
“necessities” for becoming baseball
managers.
in 1990, Ryan White, the teenage
aidS patient whose battle for
acceptance had gained national
attention, died in indianapolis at
age 18.
in 1993, singer Marian anderson
died in portland, Oregon, at age 96.
in 1994, Kurt Cobain, singer and
guitarist for the grunge band Nirva-
na, was found dead in Seattle from
an apparently self-inflicted gunshot
wound; he was 27.
in 2009, Somali pirates hijacked
the u.S.-flagged Maersk alabama;
although the crew was able to
retake the cargo ship, the captain,
Richard phillips, was taken captive
by the raiders and held aboard a
lifeboat. (phillips was rescued four
days later by Navy SEal snipers
who shot three of the pirates
dead.)
Ten years ago: Congressional
and White House negotiators struck
a last-minute budget deal ahead
of a midnight deadline, averting
an embarrassing federal shutdown
and cutting billions in spending.
Round-Up confident in a full 2021 rodeo
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The
Pendleton Round-Up Asso-
ciation is projecting con-
fidence in reviving its
rodeo for 2021, but its
board of directors isn’t yet
sharing details on how it
plans to operate during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Pat Reay, the Round-
Up’s publicity director, said
the association is planning
for a full slate of events
during the second full
week of September. That
means not just the rodeo,
but also the kickoff concert,
parades and all the other
spin-off events that come
out of Round-Up week.
The Round-Up signaled its
confidence in March when
it announced that Happy
Canyon Arena would
host the two-day Xtreme
Bulls Tour Finale during
Round-Up week.
“We’re cautiously opti-
mistic,” Reay said.
The Round-Up will
likely have some sort of
safety plan to mitigate
the spread of COVID-19
during the rodeo, but Reay
Ben lonergan/East Oregonian, File
The chutes and grandstands sit empty at the Round-up Grounds on the
afternoon of Friday, June 19, 2020, hours after the pendleton Round-
up announced the cancellation of the 2020 pendleton Round-up. The
Round-up association anticipates the event will go on this year.
said the event is too far
out to share details on the
plan. Other large events
that have happened since
the onset of the pandemic
have included measures
like mask requirements
and temperature checks,
but Reay said much could
change between now
and September, so the
Round-Up wasn’t ready to
commit to anything.
Elgin teacher honored
By DICK MASON
The Observer
ELGIN — Stella May-
field Elementary School
sixth-grade teacher
Ashley Moore has been
saluted by the Elgin
Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber pre-
sented Moore with its
educator of the year
award on March 30 at
a meeting of the Elgin
School Board.
Moore is in her fourth
year as a teacher at Stella
Mayfield. She also is
an Elgin High School
assistant girls basket-
ball coach and volunteers
in the community for
many youth activity pro-
grams. Moore was nomi-
nated by one of her peers,
according to Elgin School
District Superintendent
Dianne Greif.
Moore was one of
seven people honored
by the Elgin Chamber in
addition to one organi-
zation and one business.
Everyone except Moore
received their awards at
a March 24 ceremony at
Elgin City Hall. Only one
recipient plus members of
their families and several
presenters were in atten-
dance at each presenta-
tion to allow for social
distancing.
The names of these
eight other award win-
ners and information
on them was provided
in a March 27 Observer
article.
All of the Elgin
Chamber of Commerce
honorees were saluted
for what they did in 2019.
The Elgin Chamber of
Commerce was set to rec-
ognize the individuals in
2020 at a banquet, but it
was canceled because of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before canceling last
year’s rodeo, the Round-Up
submitted a plan to the
state that would have
included audience tem-
perature checks, sanita-
tion stations throughout the
Round-Up Grounds and
personal protective equip-
ment for some volunteers
and employees.
But by July, the
Round-Up made the deci-
Baker City Herald
BAKER CITY — A
Boise man is in the Baker
County Jail on multiple
counts after the Baker
City Police Department
reported he hit one of its
officers in the face.
Baker City Police Sgt.
Wayne Chastain said
Andrew Lane Peterman,
36, hit officer Mark Powell
and a security guard
during an altercation early
Tuesday, April 6, at Saint
Alphonsus Medical Cen-
ter-Baker City. Police
arrested Peterman for
assaulting a peace officer,
fourth-degree assault, sec-
ond-degree criminal mis-
chief and second-degree
disorderly conduct.
Powell and the security
guard were treated at the
hospital and released.
The incident started
about 12:18 a.m. when
police received a call
about a vehicle backing
into a gas pump at the
Jackson’s Food Mart, 500
Campbell St.
Police suspected
Peterman was driving
the 2005 Honda Ele-
ment that struck the gas
pump. He initially agreed
to undergo field sobriety
tests, as Powell suspected
Peterman might be intoxi-
cated, Chastain said.
But before Powell
could administer the tests,
Peterman said he wanted
to be taken to the hospital.
A Baker City ambu-
lance took Peterman to
Saint Alphonsus, where
he was evaluated and
released, Chastain said.
But Peterman refused
to leave the hospital, and
in the ensuing altercation
he punched the security
guard, Chastain said.
Powell used his stun
gun to try to subdue
Peterman, who continued
sion to cancel the rodeo for
the first time since World
War II.
The association quickly
committed to holding the
rodeo in 2021, the Round-
Up’s 111th year, and Reay
said the Round-Up has
maintained correspondence
with the governor’s office
on holding the event this
year.
Reay said committee
meetings are being held
at least twice a week to
figure out the logistics of
holding the rodeo this year,
including a committee that
is addressing tribal partici-
pation in the Round-Up.
The Round-Up is still
five months away, but Uma-
tilla County’s current situa-
tion is mixed.
Although the raw
number of cases is down
significantly from the
summer and winter surges
the county endured in 2020,
the case positivity rate
recently ticked up. Addi-
tionally, Umatilla County
continues to have one of the
lowest vaccination rates in
the state.
Umatilla County’s data
could be critical not just for
the Round-Up but for Pend-
leton’s other major events.
While some smaller
events like Jackalope
Jamboree and Pendleton
Cattle Barons are gearing
up for 2021 with some
added health precautions,
others are still in a holding
pattern.
The Pendleton Whisky
Music Fest is still set for
July 10 with headliners Eric
Church and Macklemore,
but co-organizer Doug
Corey said a recent meeting
with the governor’s office
didn’t create enough clarity
to make organizers certain
that it will happen.
One of the Whisky Fest’s
concerns is seating capacity.
If the state restricts seating
too low, organizers might
not be able to afford to hold
the concert for a second
year in the row.
Corey is hoping to
get more definitive word
from the state in April or
May, but he was certain
that Whisky Fest would
not wait until a couple of
weeks before the concert
to make a decision.
Wallowa County FFA does well at state
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA COUNTY
— FFA students from all
over Oregon participated in
the 88th Oregon FFA State
Convention, held virtually
March 18-21, from Oregon
State University in Cor-
vallis. This year’s conven-
tion was held remotely due
to COVID-19 restrictions.
Chelcee Mansfield, FFA
adviser at Joseph Charter
School, said the chapter
received a Superior Chapter
Award, as well as a Gold
National Chapter Award
during the event. The chap-
ter’s beginning parliamen-
tary procedure team placed
second, and Anabelle Rus-
sell placed fifth in advanced
public speaking.
Joseph had five profi-
ciency finalists who were
state winners: Anabelle
Russell in ag education,
Jonah Staigle in agricul-
Police: Man jailed after assault on officer, guard
By JAYSON JACOBY
THuRSday, apRil 8, 2021
to fight, Chastain said,
punching Powell twice
in the face before Powell
arrested him.
The situation was par-
ticularly challenging for
Powell because it hap-
pened in the hospital, with
doctors, nurses and other
civilians present.
“That increases the risk
of the situation for sure,”
Chastain said.
Chastain said he
didn’t have any infor-
mation about the extent
of the damage to the gas
pump. He said the fire
department wasn’t called
to the scene.
tural mechanics fabrication,
Josey Wearin in beef pro-
duction placement, Brianna
Micka in equine produc-
tion entrepreneurship and
Ian Goodrich in outdoor
recreation. Maggie Zacha-
rias placed second in equine
production placement.
One of the highlights of
the FFA year for Joseph was
that Russell was able to get
grants to purchase six tower
gardens to help educate
the school and community
about vertical farming. She
is growing salad greens,
kale and basil with plans
to grow cucumbers and
tomatoes in this aeroponic
system within the school’s
greenhouse. She will be
providing the school lunch
with salad greens. She
taught lessons to the high
school and eighth-graders
and will also work with the
elementary students. The
food science class made
gourmet salads with the
greens and chicken basil
pizzas.
Of the 240 Oregon FFA
members who received
their state degrees, 28 were
from Wallowa County. The
State Degree is the highest
degree of FFA membership.
The recipients include:
• Addie Royes, Alex
Albanez, Alona Yost, Andy
Huwe, Bailey Vernam,
Carrin Yaw, Caylynn Beck,
Destiny Wecks, Dylan Jen-
nings, Flynn Nave, Gaven
Winn, Gideon Gray, Grace
Collins, Gracie Ellis,
Hunter Harvey, Jada Gray,
Kasey Duncan, Landon
Greenshields, Lannie
Stonebrink, Liz Rowley
and Rilyn Kirkland of
Enterprise.
• Anabelle Russell,
Destany Moore, Hayden
Hite, Ian Goodrich, Jonah
Staigle, Maggie Zacharias
and Trace Collier of Joseph.
ODFW seeks applicants
for volunteer positions
East Oregonian
SALEM — The Oregon
Department of Fish and
Wildlife is looking for vol-
unteers to serve on the
Access & Habitat North-
east Regional Council,
according to a press release.
Applications are being
accepted for the position
of chairman and land-
owner representative until
April 25. To apply, com-
plete an application, which
can be found on the ODFW
website.
Volunteers in these posi-
tions meet quarterly to con-
sider funding projects that
open private land to hunting
access or improve wildlife
habitat for game animals.
Applicants for the
regional positions should
live or work in Union, Wal-
lowa, Umatilla, Morrow,
Gilliam, Wheeler, Grant or
Baker counties.
The statewide board and
regional councils are each
made up of seven volun-
teers — three landowner
representatives, three
hunter representatives and
the chair.
Immigrant enjoys helping a small town
By LISA BRITTON
For the Baker City Herald
BAKER CITY —
Venkat Subramanian
doesn’t live in Baker City,
but he wants to support this
community as much as he
can.
Venkat grew up in
Chennai, India, population
of about 7 million. His fam-
ily’s roots, though, are in a
village that he compares in
size with Baker City.
After earning a bache-
lor’s degree in engineering
in India, he came to the
United States in 2000 to
earn a master’s at Oregon
State University.
He began working with
Richard and Kathleen
Chaves, owners of Chaves
Consulting in Baker City, in
2004. Since 2010, Venkat’s
company, Arikkan Inc., has
worked on several projects
with Chaves Consulting,
including the Synergy Data
Center.
“We became really close
friends, and family friends,”
said Venkat, who lives in
Camas, Washington. “And
I had an immediate connec-
tion with Baker. People are
really good.”
Venkat comes from
a family who gave back
to their community. His
great-grandparents worked
in international trade.
“They were the banks
for the Imperial Bank of
London,” he said.
His comparison of that
role, in today’s world, is
Citibank. They had partners
throughout southeast Asia,
and helped build cities with
their wealth. And always,
he said, a big percentage
of their profits went to sup-
port the community and
children.
Then World War II
ended, and southeast Asian
countries were released
from Britain’s control.
The transition lead to,
in his words, “firing the
immigrants.”
“We were the immi-
grants,” he said. “We lost
everything.”
His family returned to
their small village in India
with nothing.
Venkat heard these sto-
ries from his dad who,
years ago, asked his own
father how the family
reacted when they were left
with nothing.
“My great-grandfather
said, ‘God had selected me
to do all this. Now He’s
given me retirement.’”
His family, Venkat said,
instilled lessons in him
about the value of money.
“Our money is just an
instrument, it’s not life,”
he said. “Money should not
be the cornerstone of your
value.”
His father attended col-
lege thanks to the gener-
osity of donors from his
village. He started a man-
ufacturing company and
eventually expanded to four
facilities employing hun-
dreds of people.
With the profits, his
father supported schools
and hospitals in the same
town that helped fund his
college education.
Venkat’s business is
located in Vancouver,
Washington, but he felt like
his monetary support would
mean more in Baker City.
“I wanted to do some-
thing for Baker,” he said.
“My first thought was how
to help kids.”
After consulting with
Richard Chaves, Venkat
first helped provide shoes
and jackets at Baker Middle
School. Later, he began
supporting the Backpack
Program that provides a
weekend’s worth of food
for children who need a bit
extra.
He’s expanding his sup-
port to include the YMCA,
Crossroads Carnegie Art
Center, playground equip-
ment for the Baker Early
Learning Center, and the
Baker Relief Nursery.
“He feels like he can
make a difference in
Baker,” Chaves said. “He’s
a good man and comes
from a great family. We’re
lucky to have him as part of
our community.”
“It’s my pleasure,”
Venkat said. “I feel fortu-
nate I have an opportunity
to make a difference.”
Contributed photo
Venkat Subramanian with his sons, Nikhil, left, and Varun. Venkat has
been helping children and supporting community groups in Baker City,
though he lives in Washington.