REGION
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
East Oregonian
Gearing up for summer maintenance
Schools prepare to
make renovations,
repairs, upgrades
Teachers and students
may look forward to the end
of the school year, but for
school district employees
who work in maintenance
there is no such thing as
summer vacation.
For them, summer is
prime time to complete
projects without students
underfoot.
In
Umatilla
School
District, for example, main-
tenance director Mike Botti
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school and middle school,
complete several painting
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tennis courts and spruce up
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“We’re pulling out a
bunch of old, ugly shrubs
and putting in some new
landscaping,” he said.
In
Morrow
County
School District, contractors
will be working all summer
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upgrades to schools’ heating
and cooling systems in part-
nership with Energy Trust of
Oregon.
No one will be as busy as
Pendleton School District,
where a successful bond
measure means the district
is overseeing construction of
two new elementary schools
and an Early Learning
Center this summer. As
school wraps up, business
services director Michelle
Jones said construction is on
schedule.
“Right now so far, so
good and we shouldn’t have
New look, frequency
and editor for Herald
EO Media Group
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Fourth-graders at Washington Elementary School take a tour of the new school
under construction recently in Pendleton.
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for all of the moving that
facilities staff will help with
this summer.
The district recently
signed a lease on the former
Red Apple grocery store
at 305 S.W. 11th Street.
Once landlord Double H
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space, Kay said about 150
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any weather hiccups,” she Middle School. Jones said around, including about 60
said.
the air conditioning is prob- people being moved into the
That being said, Jones ably the most anticipated new space.
said
the
construction upgrade.
“They’re coming from all
schedule is “pretty tight”
“I think it’s going to make different areas,” Kay said.
and the facilities staff will a world of difference,” she
That includes special
have to work hard to get said, noting that it’s hard for education staffers at the
everything moved into the students to concentrate on Kik Center, the district
new buildings in time for the learning when “it turns into RI¿FHV FXUUHQWO\ QH[W WR
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an oven in there.”
Rocky Heights Elementary,
Meanwhile work will
Over in Hermiston, and the print shop and IT
go on in Pendleton’s other operations manager Mike departments currently at
schools, including security Kay said the district doesn’t Hermiston High School.
upgrades at the district’s have many big improvement
———
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Contact Jade McDowell
projects and the addition of routine preventative main- at jmcdowell@eastorego-
air conditioning to Sunridge WHQDQFH OLNH UH¿QLVKLQJ WKH nian.com or 541-564-4536.
Construction on the former Red Apple grocery store on
Orchard Avenue, spurred on by Hermiston School District’s
plans to move staff into the space, has displaced the
community recycling bins once located behind the store.
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at 81144 N. Highway 395. Residents can drop off recycling
there or at the recycling center at 220 Harper Road. A
cardboard recycling container is also located behind
Hermiston Public Library.
Trial nears for white supremacist gang founder
Pendleton Police
Chief Stuart Roberts
has stated Mauer
was the founder and
The criminal case against the leader
leader of the United
of a Pendleton white supremacist gang
Aryan Empire based
that police tied to a murder plot continues
in Pendleton, and the
to chug toward trial, while the window
gang was responsible
for a plea deal is closing.
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Jeremiah Jerome Mauer, 31, has
ings in late 2014
pleaded not guilty to 17 charges in all,
Browning
Tinnell
and early 2015.
with racketeering and two counts of Mauer
A n o t h e r
conspiracy to murder the most serious. DWWRUQH\¶V RI¿FH DUJXHV PRWLRQV LW QR
United Aryan Empire member, Warren
He had a pretrial hearing Tuesday long will negotiate for a plea bargain.
morning at the Umatilla County Court-
Mauer’s trial stays on the docket for Browning, 35, has a pretrial hearing the
house, Pendleton.
Aug. 24 through Sept. 4. Attorneys for morning of Tuesday, June 16, according
Umatilla County deputy prosecutor both the prosecution and defense will to court records. He faces charges akin to
Jaclyn Jenkins said she believed the state check in with the judge on Aug. 4 for a Mauer’s, including the charges of racke-
teering and two counts of conspiracy to
provided all its evidence to the defense. WULDOUHDGLQHVVPHHWLQJ¿UVW
Defense attorney Jon Lieuallen of Pend-
Mauer was to appear via video from murder.
Two other members, Gregory Tinnell,
leton was in a trial Tuesday morning, so the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton,
DWWRUQH\0ROO\7XFNHU+DVHQEDQN¿OOHG where he has been since his arrest Jan. 44, and Steven Grangood, 22, made plea
in. She said Lieuallen’s notes indicated 9, but he had to settle for talking and bargains with the state. Tinnell is in the
he wanted a date for the court to consider listening over the phone. The jail video Umatilla County Jail and Grangood
pre-trial motions and was waiting for was not working due to a power failure. is at the Northern Oregon Regional
evidence from the state.
Jail commander Stewart Harp explained Correctional Facilities, The Dalles. They
Circuit Judge Lynn Hampton set June the jail operated for a few hours Tuesday could end up as witnesses if Mauer goes
24 as the deadline for defense motions, on its generator while undergoing an to trial.
———
-XO\ IRU WKH VWDWH WR ¿OH UHVSRQVHV earthquake drill. He said the exercise
Contact Phil Wright at pwright@
and July 21 to hear arguments in court. may have revealed a need to address the
eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0833.
Jenkins told the court once the district video feed.
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
McKay Creek Estates
presents:
SAFETY
Join us as we host a lecture series to
increase safety awareness on fall prevention,
common home injuries and provide solutions
to keep you and your loved one safe!
S
FIRST
Page 3A
Changes are coming to
the Hermiston Herald on
July 1.
On Wednesday, the
Hermiston Herald will
debut a rede-
signed newspaper,
celebrating
Hermiston’s past,
present and future.
The new-look
print edition will
be
distributed
once a week on
We d n e s d a y s .
HermistonHerald.
com will become West
a principal plat-
form for breaking news
and information for the
community.
Kathryn B. Brown,
publisher of the Hermiston
Herald and East Oregonian
newspapers, also announced
that a new editor will take
over the Herald, effective
July 1.
Gary L. West, 49, will
replace Jessica Keller who
has been editor of the Herald
for the past two years.
“Gary West has played
an important role in EO
Media Group’s transfor-
mation from an old-school
newspaper company to a
modern and dynamic media
company over the last
decade,” Brown said. “He
is able to combine his solid
journalism skills with new
technologies, recognizing
that the way people get news
and information from news-
papers is ever-changing.
We are fortunate to have
him in the ever-growing
city of Hermiston, which is
such an important
community to our
company.”
West is no
stranger
to
Hermiston
and
Eastern Oregon.
A graduate of
Echo High School
and Oregon State
University, he has
worked at news-
papers in Oregon
and California for more than
25 years, including previous
stints at both the Hermiston
Herald and East Oregonian.
“It is exciting to return
home and work with the
talented journalists at the
Hermiston Herald and East
Oregonian,” West said. “We
are currently working to
develop a new look and new
strategy for the Herald, so
we will be asking readers,
community members and
businesses to help us deter-
mine how best to cover the
greater Hermiston area.”
Follow incoming editor
Gary West on Twitter @
GaryLWest, follow him on
Facebook at www.face-
book.com/journalist.glwest
or email him at gwest@
hermistonherald.com
Former Pendleton City Council
member joins state pot committee
East Oregonian
A former Pendleton City
Council member will serve
on the rules committee for
the hottest hot-button issue
in Oregon.
Steve Taylor is one
of 16 members on the
Oregon Liquor Control
Commission’s Recreational
Marijuana Rules Advisory
Committee. Taylor served
on Pendleton City Council
for 16 years before losing
the seat in 2010 to Al Plute.
Taylor also is a former Blue
Mountain
Community
College board chairman.
Initially, no represen-
tatives east of Bend were
appointed by OLCC Execu-
tive Director Steven Marks
to the rules committee,
technical advisory subcom-
mittee or technical subcom-
mittee on laboratories.
State Sen. Bill Hansell,
R-Athena, sent a letter to
Marks asking for an expla-
nation on how individuals
were chosen to serve on
these three committees.
“If marijuana is going to
be legal for the entire state,
people from all areas of the
state should have a voice in
the rule making process,”
according to Hansell. “That
is why I felt it was essential
to notify director Marks the
make-up of the committee
was unacceptable. People in
Eastern Oregon are tired of
Portland making all of the
rules for the state. Eastern
Oregonians should have a
voice in the discussion.”
Hansell reported he
heard back from Marks,
who stated the commission
would appoint someone
from the eastern part of
2UHJRQ EHIRUH WKH ¿UVW
Rules Committee meeting
of June 19 in Milwaukie.
The OLCC made good
on that Monday, according
to Hansell, when Taylor
became the 16th member of
the rules committee.
“I have known and
worked with Steve Taylor
for many years, and he
will represent the people
of Eastern Oregon very
well on the OLCC Rules
Commission,”
Hansell
stated.
Oregon
voters
in
November
approved
Measure 91 to legalize
recreational
marijuana,
which goes into effect July
1. The OLCC has the charge
of developing rules for the
new industry, but those will
not go into effect until 2016.
living with alzheimer’s
SafetyMan says
“Always be Safe to Ensure an Active
& Independent Lifestyle”
Healthy Back Habits for Caregivers - C O N C L U D E D
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 3:30PM
Many adults spend a considerable portion of their week caring for aging parents,
relatives, friends, or other adults. According to the results of a recent study, the stresses
and strains of providing care to an ill loved one may take a considerable toll on the
mental and physical health of care- givers — including their back and spine health.
Learn healthy back habits to keep you safe.
Elder-Friendly Living: Modifying Your Home for Safety
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 3:30 PM
No matter when the older person’s home was built and regardless of whether it is
modern or traditional in style, it likely was designed for young adults and their families.
As adults age their homes also grow older, but most are not updated to accommodate
the resident’s changing needs. Home adaptation or modification can provide friendlier
elder living so older occupants may continue to life safely in the comfort of their home.
Know Your Numbers
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 3:30 PM
Are you at risk for diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases? Learn about
the numbers and what they mean for various screenings to stay in control of your
health. We will talk about cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) numbers
and more.
For more information or to RSVP, call us at (541) 276-1987 or visit us today!
McKay Creek Estates
1601 Southgate Place
Pendleton, Oregon 97801
www.PrestigeCare.com
an education program by the
alzheimer’s association
Living with Alzheimer’s: For Caregivers – Early Stage
June 26 | 1 - 5 p.m.
Pendleton Senior Center | 510 SW 10th St., Pendleton, OR 97801
In the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease, families face new questions as they adjust.
What does the diagnosis mean? What kinds of plans need to be made? What resources
are available to help? Join us for this class to hear practical answers to the questions that
arise in the early stage. Hear from those directly affected and learn what you can do to
cope with the changes that come with an early-stage diagnosis.
This class is free, but registration is required. To register, call 800-272-3900.
Offered in collaboration with:
24/7 helpline: 800-272-3900