REGION
Thursday, March 19, 2015
East Oregonian
Page 3A
PENDLETON
Statue decorations fight gets physical
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
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Pendleton’s Jackson Sundown stat-
ue has led a couple to petition the
city council for its approval to con-
tinue dressing up the bronze.
So far 29 people, including the
couple who started the petition,
have signed their support.
Pamela Harmon, 50, and her
husband, Tim Becker, 39, live on
the 100 block of Pendleton’s South
Main Street above the bronze of
Sundown, born Waaya-Tonah-
Toesits-Kahn, the Nez Perce man
who at the age of 53 won the Pend-
leton Round-Up in 1916. Harmon
said she is a fourth-generation de-
scendant of Sundown’s, and she
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statue last Halloween.
“We got a huge response,” Har-
mon said. “And we did it again for
Christmas and then for St. Paddy’s
Day.”
They graced the bronze with
green glasses, an oversized green
top hat sporting a shamrock and
banner that said, “Kiss me! I’m
Irish.” All of it, they said, was
about fun.
Saturday afternoon, though,
Harmon said she found someone
removed the decorations, so they
replaced them. Moments later
she spied a man yanking them off
again. Harmon threw open her win-
dow and yelled at the man to stop,
she said, and he shouted back the
decorations were desecrating the
representation of Sundown. Becker
made for the downstairs door.
“I went down the stairs because
he had our hat, the St. Paddy hat, in
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Pamela Harmon and her husband, Tim Becker, have been decorating the bronze statue of Jackson
Sundown on Main Street in Pendleton since Halloween. The couple are now petitioning the city to
allow them to continue doing so.
his hand,” Becker said. “I grabbed
the hat and went back into the
building.”
The man followed Becker in-
side and grabbed him by the back
of the neck. Becker said he wore a
tank top, and the scar from his neck
surgery to remove discs is easy to
see. Becker said he reacted.
“I used my forearm and pushed
him against the mailboxes ... and
opened the door with my other
hand,” Becker told the East Ore-
gonian. “The guy was in his 60s or
70s.”
Becker said he did not want to
hurt the man, he only wanted him
gone. When Becker returned up-
stairs, though, Harmon said the
man had their other decorations
and was heading north on Main.
They followed in a car and
caught up to the man at the inter-
section of Northwest Fourth Street
and Ellis Avenue. Becker said Har-
mon bailed from the car before he
stopped and confronted the decora-
tion-taker.
“He grabbed her by the wrist and
swung her,” Becker said, “and hit
her with the bag in his left hand.”
The impact broke blood vessels in
her face, he said.
The couple called police, but of-
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ton police Chief Stuart Roberts said
the suspect was white with short
gray hair and a short mustache,
about 6 feet tall and thin.
Roberts also said no one was
injured, and police are looking at
a potential harassment case, not an
assault.
Becker said if police catch the
man, he will press charges. He said
his neck has ached since the fracas,
but he has not gone to a doctor.
The couple said they wanted to
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rating the statues was OK. Becker
said he called Pendleton City Man-
ager Robb Corbett over and over
Monday. Corbett recommended the
petition idea, Becker said.
“Within 24 hours we got all
those signatures,” Becker said.
“We are really persistent in getting
this done.”
Several signers work downtown
near the statue, including at Beck-
PDQ 6DGGOHV )UD]LHU 2I¿FH 6XS-
ply and Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s.
Harmon said only two people she
PENDLETON
Domestic Violence Services sets training, fundraising
East Oregonian
Domestic Violence Services is gear-
ing up for several upcoming activities,
including crisis hotline training, a fund-
raising walk and an experiential learning
exercise.
People interested in manning the cri-
sis line are invited to upcoming training
sessions that start Tuesday, April 14 from
6-9 p.m. in Pendleton.
Upon completion of 40 hours of
training, the participant can answer
calls on the 24-hour hotline to assist
people in dealing with a domestic vio-
lence, sexual assault or stalking situa-
tion.
In an effort to raise money and aware-
ness for the work the organization does
with domestic violence and sexual as-
saults, the Domestic Violence Services
Walk/Run is Saturday, April 25 with
registration beginning at 9 a.m. at Gre-
cian Heights Park, 1910 S.W. Athens
Ave., Pendleton. The walk/run features
a 4-mile course and begins at 9:30 a.m.
The event concludes at noon.
The cost is $15 per person and in-
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DGGLWLRQDOUDIÀHWLFNHWVZLOOEHDYDLODEOH
for purchase.
The event also features In Her Shoes.
approached would not sign the pe-
tition — one for personal reasons
and one who is against signing pe-
titions for religious reasons. Har-
mon presented the petition Tuesday
night to the Pendleton City Coun-
cil.
Harmon said the council gave a
positive response. The council did
not express opposition to the pe-
tition, and councilwoman Becky
Marks said she found the decora-
tions charming. The council opted
to take more time, though, before
taking action on the item.
Chief Roberts added the city
does not have an ordinance prohib-
iting the decorating of statues, and
Corbett plans to allow the decora-
tions unless and until the city re-
ceives multiple complaints.
Harmon and Becker said the
statue decorations draw people to
Main Street, and plenty of folks en-
joy them and even take photos with
the dolled-up Sundown.
“This is about making Pendle-
ton more fun,” Becker said.
Harmon said she hopes the city
council sees it the same way. But
if not, the couple would cease dec-
orating.
Until then, she said, they plan
on decorating the statue for Easter.
And now that so many business
owners and workers on Main Street
are aware of the recent incident,
she thinks perhaps more people
will keep an eye out if someone re-
moves the adornments.
———
Contact Phil Wright at
pwright@eastoregonian.com or
541-966-0833. East Oregonian re-
porter Antonio Sierra contributed
to this story.
IRRIGON
City repeals
regulation on
medical pot
with their own proposed
regulations under the state
Medical Marijuana Pro-
Nearing the end of its gram. In the course of their
moratorium on medical research, Irrigon City Man-
marijuana dispensaries, the ager Aaron Palmquist said
city of Irrigon has repealed they came back to Article
a chapter in the local devel- 10, Chapter 7 in the devel-
opment code that attempted opment code, which he said
to regulate how and where was “not properly written
marijuana could be grown or cited,” and attempted to
regulate the card holder pro-
inside city limits.
Article 10, Chapter 7 of gram itself.
Irrigon City Council re-
the Irrigon Development
Code was adopted in 2012 pealed it on Tuesday, pav-
and set a number of provi- ing the way for a new set of
sions for medical marijuana laws on dispensaries. These
growers, such as obtaining a LQFOXGHXSGDWHGGH¿QLWLRQV
zoning permit from the city conditional uses for dispen-
and staying 1,000 feet away saries and appropriate zon-
ing.
from any school.
In the meantime, Palm-
During the 2014 special
session, lawmakers in Sa- quist said the Oregon Health
lem passed a bill allowing Authority continues to regu-
cities and counties to enact late the Medical Marijuana
a one-year moratorium on Program, and cardholders
GLVSHQVDULHV XQWLO RI¿FLDOV will not be denied legal
could sort out which regu- growing and use of marijua-
lations were needed for de- na in their own homes.
“The Medical Marijua-
velopment. All of Morrow
County, including the cities na Program is still state
of Irrigon, Boardman, Hep- statute,” Palmquist said. “It
pner and Ione, and town of hasn’t been diminished, but
Lexington, enacted a mor- (our code) wasn’t applica-
atorium that is set to expire ble.”
———
April 30.
Contact George Plaven
Since then, city and
county governments have at gplaven@eastoregonian.
collaborated to come up com or 541-564-4547.
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
EO file photo
Erica Sandoval, Hermiston Police Department crime prevention officer,
takes part in a past “In Her Shoes” domestic violence workshop. The ex-
periential learning exercise will be available during the upcoming Domes-
tic Violence Services Walk/Run in Pendleton.
The simulation activity provides partic-
ipants with information about the tough
decisions real clients face when dealing
with domestic violence.
People are encouraged to register for
the walk in advance at www.domesticvi-
olencesservices-or.org or they can send
information and the payment to Do-
mestic Violence Services, P.O. Box 152,
Pendleton, OR 97801.
For more information about the train-
ing or fundraising walk, contact Sharon
Neuvirth at sharon@dvs-or.org or 541-
276-3322.
PENDLETON
In one trip, OSP trooper nabs two for drunk driving
Joseph Van Deurs, 30, of Mil-
ton-Freewater, and his passen-
An Oregon State Police ger told the trooper they were
trooper early Wednesday was returning from a St. Patrick’s
taking one drunk driver to jail Day celebration in Pendleton.
when he caught a second one. Van Deurs failed a sobriety
Trooper Michael Wolf out test, according to state police,
RI WKH 3HQGOHWRQ 263 RI¿FH and his blood-alcohol level
stopped a Nissan Frontier was .13 percent, above the .08
pickup for violating the basic percent legal limit.
Wolf arrested Van Deurs
rule of driving for the condi-
tions at 12:43 p.m. at High- IRU GULYLQJ XQGHU WKH LQÀX-
way 11 and Highway 335. ence of intoxicants and was
State police reported Ralph taking him to the Umatilla
East Oregonian
County Jail, Pendleton. But
at 1:43 a.m. Wolf saw a blue
Ford Taurus fail to maintain
its lane on Interstate 84 near
milepost 207, near the inter-
section that leads to the jail.
Wolf pulled over the Taurus
and talked to the driver, who,
according to state police, “ex-
hibited signs of impairment
and had an overwhelming
odor of alcohol emanating
from his breath.”
Vance Kyle Schultz, 23,
BRIEFLY
Gun show has
vendor space
at 541-443-5832 or vcarnes@
centurytel.net.
PILOT ROCK — The
Pilot Rock Gun Show will
raise money to help support
the Pilot Rock Community
Days.
The event is Saturday,
March 28 from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. and Sunday, March
29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at
the Pilot Rock Community
Center, 285 N.W. Cedar Place
Admission is $5 per person,
$4 if you bring a gun to sell
or $7 for both days. Those 12
and under are admitted free.
Also, concessions will be
available for purchase.
Vendors are welcome. The
cost to set up a table is $30 if
paid in advance or $35 at the
event.
For more information,
contact Tom Hawk at 541-
420.5940 or Virginia Carnes
Equine therapy
preps for season
PENDLETON — Spring
is just around the corner
and that means Dream
Catcher Therapeutics is
getting spruced up for spring
lessons and hosting volunteer
training.
Volunteers are needed for
work parties Tuesday, March
24 through Friday, March
27 beginning at 10 a.m. each
day at 46688 Mission Road,
Mission. An informal lunch
will be provided during the
work parties.
Dream Catchers received
grant money to assist with
building a sensory trail and a
wash rack and grooming area
for horses. Other jobs include
putting a mid-rail around
the arena perimeter and
grooming and riding horses.
Tasks are available for all
ages, even picking up rocks
from the arena and cleaning
tack.
Volunteer training is
planned Saturday, March 28
at 2 p.m. This is for all new
and returning volunteers.
Anyone interested in equine
assisted therapy and activities
is invited to attend. The
training will last about two
hours and includes beverages.
For more information, call
541-276-2636.
———
Submit information to:
community@eastoregonian.
com or drop off to the
attention of Tammy Malgesini
at 333 E. Main St., Hermiston
or Renee Struthers at 211
S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton.
Call 541-564-4539 or 541-
966-0818 with questions.
of Pendleton, then failed a so-
briety test and had a blood-al-
cohol level of .21 percent.
State police reported Schultz
claimed he had not consumed
alcohol.
Wolf arrested Schultz for
duii as well and left the Taurus
in the parking lot of the justice
center, which houses the jail.
Fabulous FISH
Friday
March 20 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
@ the St. Anthony Hospital Blue Mountain Cafe
Fish Tacos - $7.75/Adults - $6.50/Seniors - $5.00/Children
All you can eat fish tacos served with rice, beans, and cole slaw.
Clam Chowder - $4.25
Heaping portion of house made clam chowder served in a bread bowl.
Baked Potato Bar - $4.00/with toppings - $3.00/with butter only
An extra-large baked potato filled with choice of toppings.
2801 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton, OR 97801