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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 11, 2015)
REGION Saturday, July 11, 2015 PILOT ROCK East Oregonian Page 3A IRRIGON Boy helps family escape burning home By GARY L. WEST East Oregonian Photo contributed by Mike Morehead Lightning sparked several fires in Eastern Oregon on Thursday night, including this one north of Pi- lot Rock. This photo was taken from Mike and Barbara Morehead’s front porch. According to Bar- bara: “There were extremely high winds. We were packing things ready to leave our home, getting animals safe when the wind suddenly stopped and slowed the progress of the fire. Our quick response volunteer firefighters from Pilot Rock were able to contain the fire.” *UDVV¿UHFUHSW within 50 feet of farmhouse Table Rock Fire burns about 400 acres By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian )LUH¿JKWHUVGHDOWZLWKD rash of lightning-sparked JUDVV ¿UHV 7KXUVGD\ DQG Friday around Pilot Rock as dry thunderstorms moved in over the area. On Friday morning, FUHZV¿QLVKHGPRSSLQJXS the 400-acre Table Rock Fire that crept within 50 feet of at least one home. By evening, another large blaze ignited between Highway 395 and Yellow Jacket Road near the Cunningham Sheep Co. Ranch. Pilot Rock Fire Chief Ron Neely estimated WKDW ¿UH DW URXJKO\ acres in size. He did not immediately have further details. The Table Rock Fire started at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday and was contained overnight. 6L[WHHQ ¿UH HQJLQHV one hand crew and two bulldozers responded to NHHS ÀDPHV DZD\ IURP structures. “Due to some really good cooperation from RXUUXUDO¿UHGHSDUWPHQWV they were able to get out there and get a hold of it,” said Jamie Knight, district spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Forestry. ODF led the initial attack, with help from ¿UH GHSDUWPHQWV LQ +HOL[ (FKR 6WDQ¿HOG 3HQG- leton, Pilot Rock and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The Umatilla National Forest and Bureau of Indian Affairs also provided assistance. Local farmers used their equipment, too. Up-to-date information DERXW ¿UHV LV DYDLODEOH DW www.bluemountainfire- info.blogspot.com. To UHSRUWD¿UHFDOOWKH%OXH Mountain Interagency Dispatch at 541-963-7171 or dial 9-1-1. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564- 4547. PENDLETON Bounty placed on puncture vine A 6-year-old Irrigon boy is being called a hero by his family for helping four other people, including 2 infants, HVFDSHD¿UHWKDWGHVWUR\HGD mobile home Friday. “I was in the living room watching a movie, then I smelled smoke,” said the boy, Joel Koertje. He alerted his 20-year-old sister Shaughnessi Ellison and her friend, Reba Carter. Carter said she had just ¿QLVKHG D VKRZHU DQG ZDV starting to dress when Joel told them he could smell smoke. She turned around, looked out the window and FRXOGVHHÀDPHV Ellison and Carter grabbed Joel as well as Ellison’s two 5-month-old infants and headed out the door. Ellison didn’t even have time to put on a shirt, she said. “My 6-year-old brother saved us,” Ellison said. “Any later and we’d have been screwed.” Ellison said they had just got out of the house and to the yard gate when a propane tank exploded. “It went so quick, so quick,” she said. The family, including their parents Cory Koertje and Kathi Hamner, had just ¿QLVKHG PRYLQJ LQWR WKH three-bedroom trailer that day. “We brought the last load in this morning,” Cory Koertje said, while looking and the smoldering shell of the home. Cory Koertje and Hamner were on their way to Boardman to go to work ZKHQWKH¿UHEURNHRXW They were looking forward to living in the larger home with a fenced yard. “It was perfect,” Hamner said. But she looked on the bright side. “Everybody got out. Everything can be replaced,” Hamner said. Irrigon Fire Chief Larry Burns said at the scene it was too early to identify the FDXVH RI WKH ¿UH +H VDLG D VWDWH GHSXW\ ¿UH PDUVKDO based out of Pendleton was en route to try to determine WKH FDXVH 6HYHQ ¿UH¿JKWHUV from Irrigon responded to extinguish the blaze along ZLWK ¿YH IURP %RDUGPDQ who responded for mutual aid. The mobile home was a total loss. Hermiston Auto Parts moving into former PGG store By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Hermiston’s former Pend- leton Grain Growers retail store will get a new occupant next week when Hermiston Auto Parts moves into the space. The move will mean twice as much room for the NAPA retailer, owner Kevin Cleaver said, as well as a more visible location than the store’s current spot at 292 W. Hermiston Ave. “The biggest advantage is probably going to be the location,” he said. Cleaver and his wife Georgia have owned the store, which was established in the 1960s, since 1994. He said the store has outgrown its original location, which is why he became interested in the building at 200 S. First Staff photo by Jade McDowell The former PGG retail store on South First Street in Hermiston stands empty in preparation for Hermiston Auto Parts to move in. St. after PGG closed its retail store there in the fall. Cleaver said having twice as much space will mean more inventory. “We’ll have stuff we’ve never carried before,” he said. The store currently has seven employees, but Cleaver said he will probably hire three more people after the expansion. The plan is for NAPA’s Portland distribution center to bring “as many people as they can” to help move inventory on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday while the store remains open at its current location, then transition to being open at the new location on Thursday while the rest of the inventory is moved over. Over the weekend, Cleaver said, the outside of the store will be repainted. New shelves are being installed inside, and eventually the store will get new signage marking it as Hermiston Auto Parts. Cleaver said he hasn’t set a date yet but plans to have a grand opening celebration for the community after they get settled in at their new location. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastoregonian. com or 541-564-4536. HERMISTON Noise waiver, taxi license amendment on council agenda result in “much better project quality.” However, the noise from A request for a noise the machinery being operated ordinance waiver might keep runs in the range of 70 to 80 Highland Avenue residents decibels from 50 feet away, up at night, if it is granted by which the memo stated is the the Hermiston city council on equivalent of the sound of a garbage disposal or vacuum Monday. The waiver would allow cleaner. The city council will also heavy machinery to continue paving work on Highland consider an amendment to its Avenue until 3 a.m. for two new taxi license ordinance, nights on the week of July 20. which took effect July 1. The ordinance currently According to a memo to the city council, allowing requires a background check, crews to work at night will and currently prohibits PLQLPL]H WKH WUDI¿F LPSDFW drivers who have ever had of the paving project and any criminal convictions the cooler temperatures will for crimes involved “moral By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian spider’s legs from the main part of the weed, she said. “If you can get the whole For a cyclist, there’s plant and put it in a bag, QRWKLQJ ZRUVH WKDQ D ÀDW then you’ve got it made,” tire, so the Pendleton bike said Peterson. The club wants to club is doing something raise awareness around about it. Between 8 a.m. and goatheads, she said. It got 1 p.m. on the next two the idea from a newspaper Saturdays, the Pendleton article on a similar project on Wheels Bicycle Club in Echo last year. The company Slime will pay people for each full bag of goatheads, also makes a tire sealant for known as puncture vine, those riding through areas they bring to Olney Ceme- with puncture hazards, tery at 865 Tutuilla Road. though it works with For a regular grocery bag, varying degrees of success. the club will pay $1. For Puncture resistant tires are a larger, contractor-sized also available on the market bag, $5, according to Sue from retailers like REI. ——— Peterson of the club. It will Contact Jonathan Bach set up at the cemetery with a table and yellow awning, at jbach@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0809. she said. Puncture vine, with small, thorn-like heads, is a common nuisance for Sale In Progress cyclists. It’s known for Saager’s Shoe Shop lodging itself in and punc- turing bicycle tires. Riders who run over the weed might ¿QGWKHPVHOYHVKHDULQJWKH Milton-Freewater, OR hiss of air escaping their tire midway through an outing or removing the weed after a trail ride. “It’s just murder on tires,” said Peterson, an Two Rivers Run avid cyclist. She said it not Dinner & Music on the Train only punctures bike but also lawnmower tires. The weekend initiative comes when the weed is especially pervasive, according to Peterson. “Right now, July, is a time they’re coming out,” Saturday, July 18 she said. Departs from Elgin To safely extract punc- at 4:30 p.m. ture vine, Peterson recom- mends wearing gloves and 800.323.7330 eaglecaptrainrides.com digging up the weed before Two Rivers Bonus Run - August 1 & 15 pulling it from the ground. See the full season schedule online. The roots spread out like a By JONATHAN BACH East Oregonian Staff photo by Gary L. West A firefighter clears debris from a fire that destroyed a mobile home Friday in Irrigon. Five people, including two infants and a 6-year-old boy, escaped shortly before the home was engulfed in flame. Up to 50% Off Eagle Cap Excursion Train turpitude or dishonesty.” A memo to the city council signed by assistant city manager Mark Morgan and city attorney Gary Luisi noted that one taxi driver who had been successfully working in town was barred from getting a license under the new ordinance because of a theft conviction in 1977 and another in 1982, but has had no issues in the 33 years since. They recommended the ordinance be amended to allow drivers who have had no criminal convictions for the past 10 years. The city council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at city hall, 180 NE 2nd St. in Hermiston. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. The Center for Excellence in Dermatology welcomes Heidi Tate, PA-C to our satellite clinic in Pendleton, Or. She is located in the Family Medicine building, behind the Interpath building at 2450 SW Perkins Ave, Pendleton, OR. Services related to the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, moles and sun damage. General services including the evaluation and treatment of acne, psoriasis, warts and eczema will also be available. Stop by the new office and meet the medical staff dedicated to taking care of all of your skin needs. Appointments are available Monday-Thursday 8am-5pm Call toll free 1-855-525-4677 Pepsi Primetime @ the Museum ´1DWLYH$PHULFD $OFDWUD]2FFXSDWLRQ WK$QQLYHUVDU\ µ DQG ´:H+ROGWKH5RFNµ Saturday, July 18 1pm Free Movies FIRST FRIDAYS ARE FREE! Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm 541.429.7700 www.tamastslikt.org
