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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2015)
REGION Wednesday, May 13, 2015 East Oregonian Page 3A HERMISTON HERMISTON City to partner with Head Start to City opens taxi expand preschool for 80 children company up to School board approves Faaeteete as new head football coach By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian A new Hermiston Center for School Readiness will put preschool into reach for 80 more children next year. Hermiston School District’s board voted Monday to approve a partnership with Umatilla-Morrow Head Start to create the center, which will consist of four classes with 20 students each. The classes will be open to four-year- olds living in Hermiston and taught by FHUWL¿HG+HDG6WDUWWHDFKHUV Recruitment for the classes will center on children from families at 100 to 200 percent of the federal poverty line, a demographic that often misses preschool because their parents can’t afford private schools but make too much money to qualify for services like Head Start. According to a news release from the district the school will meet two days per week, for 3.5 hours per day, from September 1, 2015, through June 10, 2016 in one of the modular buildings next to Rocky Heights Elementary School that currently house the district RI¿FHV Umatilla-Morrow Head Start will lease the classrooms next year after the GLVWULFWRI¿FHVDUHPRYHGWRWKHIRUPHU El Gran Chaparral building at the corner of NW 11th Street and Orchard Avenue. The school district has budgeted $180,000 to pay UMHS to run the program next year. In addition to academics, the center will also offer children and their families services that include free screenings, parent education classes and other resources in both English and Spanish. During its May 11 meeting the school board also approved the hiring of David Faaeteete as Hermiston’s new head football coach. Faaeteete is a former defensive lineman for the University of Oregon and a current Social Studies teacher and assistant coach. For more on the hire, see today’s sports section. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4536. UMATILLA Committee approves $4.5 million port budget at McNary Industrial Park. Legal expenses should drop by $150,000-$200,000 after the port A budget committee for the Port wrapped up its water right agreement of Umatilla met Tuesday morning and settled a year-long zoning dispute and approved a roughly $4.5 million with the city of Umatilla earlier this proposed budget for 2015-16 that year. The budget committee did, however, includes allocations to each of seven lament nearly $280,000 to maintain separate operating funds. And, while working capital is nearly the port’s container dock, which is not $460,000 less than it was at the begin- being used since virtually all ocean QLQJ RI WKH ODVW ¿VFDO \HDU FRPPLWWHH carrier service has stopped at the Port of members noted prospects appear to be Portland. Puzey said he has looked hard into headed in the right direction, especially if a $40 million water right can be short sea shipping on the Columbia used to bolster the local agricultural River to bypass the Port of Portland and help producers get their products to the economy. Meanwhile, the port’s general Puget Sound without having to spend fund should see a jump of more than more on trucking over Washington’s $38,000 in revenue from property highways. He and Hermiston Chamber leases and Puzey said the district will Director Debbie Pedro said they will collect about $717,000 in property raise the discussion with U.S. Sen. taxes as new data centers come online Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, who is set to By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian visit Umatilla and Morrow counties Saturday. Though Puzey agreed the cost of upkeep is tough to swallow, he said they cannot simply walk away from the container dock. “We have at least a $10 million asset on the river that needs to be inspected, ready for use and cared for,” Puzey said. Other allocations in the 2015-16 budget includes $166,179 set aside in a strategic reserve fund, which Puzey said can be used for incentives to attract industry. The port also has a $1.4 million grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation which it will use to build a freight shipping warehouse. The port commission will vote to adopt the budget at its regular June meeting. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@ eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4547. BRIEFLY PSD to collect community input on 10-year plan Guardian Angel Homes announces groundbreaking PENDLETON — The Pendleton School District is soliciting public input for an important project, but not in the usual way it has in the past. Instead of a public meeting, the district is contracting with Canadian software company Thoughtexchange to provide an Internet-based survey for the district’s 10-year plan. “This is an important ¿UVWVWHSLQWKH development of long-term strategic thinking for our district,” Superintendent Jon Peterson said in a Monday press release. “We believe the Thoughtexchange process will provide a user-friendly, interactive way to elicit crucial community input.” Starting Wednesday, parents and other community members will be sent an email with a link to the survey. If someone isn’t sent an invitation, they can join an email list through the district’s website or Facebook page. Once they’re in the survey, participants will be asked a series of open- ended questions. From there, users will get the chance to rate other survey takers’ ideas using a star system. For more information, FRQWDFWWKHGLVWULFWRI¿FHDW 541-276-6711. HERMISTON — A pair of specialized homes will focus on care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The public is invited to the groundbreaking of the Memory Care Homes at Guardian Angel Homes. The event is Thursday at 3 p.m. at 540 N.W. 12th St., Hermiston. The expansion will include 16 suites and center around a home-like atmosphere. For more information about Guardian Angel Homes, call Jennifer Baus at 208-619-0483. Author to speak at drug court graduation PENDLETON — Gordie Bufton, author of the best- seller “Eluding Reality,” is the special speaker at the Umatilla County Drug Court graduation. The public is invited to the event Friday at 3 p.m. in the Vert Club Room, 345 S.W. Fourth St., Pendleton. The ceremony will honor graduates and alumni of the Umatilla County Drug Court alcohol and drug treatment program. In the memoir, Bufton shares about his rebellious DQGVHO¿VKGHVFHQWLQWRWKH underbelly of society, as ZHOODVKLVSDWKWR¿QGLQJ himself and living in reality. For more information, contact pastor.assistant@ livingwordcc.com. Veterans event in Boardman BOARDMAN — Information for veterans EHQH¿WVLVSODQQHGIRUDQ upcoming event at the Port of Morrow. The Morrow County Veterans roundtable is Friday at 9:30 a.m. at 2 Marine Drive, Boardman. There is no admission fee. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP. For more information, contact Linda Skendzel of Morrow County Veterans Services at 541-922-6420 or mcvets@co.morrow.or.us. Rocky Heights hosts carnival HERMISTON — Carnival gems, concessions and an FFA petting zoo are all part of the Rocky Heights Elementary School Carnival. The public is invited to attend the event Friday from 5-8 p.m. at the school, 650 W. Standard Ave., Hermiston. The admission bracelet for games is $5 per person or $20 for a family. It includes entry for everything except the dunk tank. Throws for the dunk tank are 25 cents each or ¿YHIRU ,QDGGLWLRQUDIÀHWLFNHWV are $1 each and a silent auction runs from 5-7:30 p.m. For more information, call 541-667-6600. Fish hatchery to close during construction The Irrigon-Umatilla Fish Hatchery Complex will close to the public for repairs and construction from May 26 through July 15. Manager Marc Garst said the Irrigon hatchery is 30 years old and in need of work. Construction will not impact hatchery production, Garst said. The complex is managed by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Garst said they typically see between 3,000 and 4,000 visitors per year. For more information, call the hatchery at 541-922-2762. Grange meeting includes pancake supper HERMISTON — Information about participation in the Columbia Grange is included with a free pancake supper. The public is invited to learn about grange activities, what the grange does in the community and enjoy the free meal. The event is Friday at 6:30 p.m. at 32339 Diagonal Blvd., Hermiston. For more information, call Doris at 541-567-8663. ——— 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. competition mile for their customers, especially the senior and disabled ones who often take Taxi riders in Hermiston WULSV WKDW FRVW VLJQL¿FDQWO\ are about to get more more than the $6.15 a ride the city reimburses. options. Driver Nancy Gomez The city council ended the city’s exclusive franchise said she goes above and agreement with Hermiston beyond, getting out and Transit Services Monday help elderly riders carry night, opening the cab in their groceries, making company up to competition special accommodations for IRUWKH¿UVWWLPHLQ\HDUV mentally disabled riders and The franchise, which occasionally using their own expires at the end of June, money to buy baby clothes will be replaced by an or other items for regular open taxi licensing system riders who can’t afford them. “I can honestly say we with annual costs of $50 per company and $25 per love these people. They’re driver. The city can approve not just a paycheck for us,” a license for any company she said. Chantel Robinson that operates at least 18 hours a day, provides “safe, said as a night driver she clean and reliable” service, often works well past the maintains proper insurance FRPSDQ\¶VRI¿FLDODP and has drivers that pass a closing time even though she isn’t obligated to, just background check. “This system allows for to make sure everyone gets some minimal competition home safely. Sean Robinson said the to make sure the taxi community polices its company is barely surviving, rates and level of service,” thanks to competition from assistant city manager Mark an ever-growing list of non-taxi transport services, Morgan said. He told the city council including the CareVan run an exclusive franchise made by Good Shepherd Medical sense to protect Hermiston’s Center to take people to taxi service back when the appointments and the van city had 4,500 residents. But that CAPECO uses to today, close to 39,000 people transport clients who used live within a 12-minute drive to be paying customers of Hermiston Transit. of Hermiston’s downtown. Milton Farr supported In addition to picking up fare-paying customers, the taxi company, saying Hermiston Transit Services before the Robinson family will also have competition took over about 10 years ago for the city’s senior and he often had to wait an hour disabled ride program. and a half for a ride because Elderly and disabled resi- ³FDVKSHRSOHFDPH¿UVW´ Jill Hayes of the Peer dents can purchase tickets at city hall for $2 a ride and Support Network, however, at the end of the month the said she heard complaints company can redeem those from members, including tickets at city hall for $6.15 concerns that the company’s open mic system violated apiece. Last year Hermiston their privacy because other Transit Services redeemed riders could hear where they were being dropped off. 29,000 tickets. Mayor David Drotzmann Morgan said the city’s decision to end its taxi said he had used Hermiston franchise came in part Transit Services a few times because of complaints about and never had a bad experi- Hermiston Transit Services, ence. He told representatives most recently from Midway of the company that he was Bar & Grill owner Stuart sympathetic to their worries Rice, who said poor taxi but if they were truly service has hurt his business providing a good service because people do not want then the free market would to get stranded after a night reward that. “I’m not sure this is of drinking. “With competition comes something we should be motivation to provide the afraid of,” he said. The city council voted best service possible so as to earn the business,” he wrote 7-0 to not renew the fran- the city. “Currently we have chise in favor of creating a company that is entitled an open taxi licensing Morgan said and does not care if they system. Sundi Marquez, owner of answer service requests.” Employees of Hermiston Umatilla Cab Company, has 7UDQVLW WHVWL¿HG 0RQGD\ already expressed interest in night that they go the extra applying for a license. By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Emily Ann Smith P ILOT R OCK H IGH S CHOOL Congratulations! We are so very proud of you. Love Mom & Dad M AY IS M ENTAL H EALTH M ONTH . H OW ' S Y OURS ? WWW . PENDLETONPSYCH . COM 00 $ 25 . Private Party Only 541-278-2222 Happy Spring From Dr. Hibbert, Lacee, Jessica, Bailey, Heather, and Sarah 541-612-3707 Your Name: Phone Number: Graduate's Name: Graduate's School: Message to Graduate: Tell your favorite graduate how proud you are in our Graduation 2015 special section in the East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald & share their "Then" & "Now" Photos! Publishes: May 30 th Send in your text and photos to psmootz@eastoregonian.com or bring to Paula at the East Oregonian office by May 18 th . Mailing address: Attn: Paula Smootz 211 SE Byers Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801
