REGION
Friday, July 17, 2015
East Oregonian
HERMISTON
Preventable auto thefts spike
Most unlocked
with keys inside
By SEAN HART
East Oregonian
Vehicle thefts in Herm-
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half of the year, but many of
the crimes could have been
prevented.
Chief Jason Edmiston
recently released Hermiston
Police Department’s crime
statistics through the second
quarter, and said he is partic-
ularly disappointed with auto
thefts.
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the year, 28 vehicles were
reported stolen, compared to
10 from the same period last
year.
The 180 percent increase
in auto thefts contributed to
a 9 percent increase in total
crime — from 270 in 2014 to
295 this year — for the eight
index categories reported to
the FBI. While the total is still
far below the 10-year average
of 387, Edmiston said the
number should be lower.
“I’m encouraged by the
fact that total crime is still
down 24 percent over the
10-year average, but I am
honest enough to say that I
don’t like to see a 9 percent
increase from 2014 to 2015
in total crime,” he said.
“Inasmuch as we have some
categories that we’re making
extremely good headway —
burglary being one of them
— there are other categories
that I get frustrated with.
Auto theft, for instance, is
driving our crime upward. I
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that 62 percent of the time
vehicles that are stolen are
unlocked and 57 percent of
the time the keys are in the
vehicle.”
Edmiston said the depart-
ment has tried to educate the
public during the last two
years that vehicle thefts are
crimes of opportunity. He
said every crime consists of
three aspects: the offender,
EO file photo
In the first six months of the year, 28 vehicles were reported stolen in Hermiston,
compared to 10 from the same period last year.
last year. Edmiston said
he was pleased to see the
decrease accompanied by a
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cer-initiated activity.
“We don’t have a bunch of
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around waiting for something
to happen,” he said. “They
— Jason Edmiston, Hermiston Police Chief are staying on top of things
out in the community.”
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the victim and the location. also apply to violent crimes,
While there will always be Edmiston said. Through tiated activity led to a 52
people who seek to exploit the second quarter, 13 were SHUFHQW LQFUHDVH LQ WUDI¿F
others, he said, people can reported — one homicide, stops, a 21 percent increase in
easily reduce their chances of three rapes, two robberies and citations issued, a 22 percent
being victimized.
seven aggravated assaults. increase in reports taken
“There are offenders on Although the number is 38 and a 15 percent increase in
the street looking for an percent less than the 10-year arrests.
Edmiston said statistics
easy opportunity to take average, only 12 were
advantage of someone else,” reported during the same alone do not necessarily
he said. “Those victims period last year. Edmiston provide “a completely accu-
could take very simple steps said some crimes will happen rate picture of what’s going
to keep themselves from regardless of what people do on.” He said he evaluates
being victimized, i.e. take to limit their exposure, but he the department based on a
valuables out of the vehicles, encourages people to know variety of criteria, including
including the keys, and lock their surroundings and be usage of sick leave and
communication within the
the vehicle.”
observant.
Larceny incidents also
“If you’ve got a gut department. He said, overall,
increased 10 percent from feeling
that
something the department is doing well,
204 last year to 224, but doesn’t feel right, go with but he still sees room for
burglaries decreased to a your gut and remove yourself improvement.
“We can always do better,”
10-year low of 29, 52 percent from whatever that situation
he said. “I think it’s important
less than the 10-year average. is,” he said.
Only one arson incident was
'XULQJWKH¿UVWVL[PRQWKV that every single one of us in
reported, compared to two of the year, the department this department understand
last year.
also experienced a 28 percent that we may be doing a good
The same preventive prin- reduction in calls for service job, but we could be doing
ciples for property crimes compared to the same period better.”
“We can always do better. I think it’s
important that every single one of us
in this department understand that
we may be doing a good job, but we
could be doing better.”
27/'DSSRLQWV¿IWKERDUGPHPEHU
Mary Jones, of
Boardman, chosen
for position
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The Oregon Trail Library
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night, rebounding from a
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the group struggling to do
business in recent months.
Mary Jones, of Boardman,
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vacated by Alice Ellis. Both
Jones and Stephanie Loving-
Harris, of Irrigon, applied for
the position.
The district had gone
months without a quorum
and was forced to cancel
board meetings after Ellis,
Blaine Ganvoa and John
Anderson all resigned in
short order. Ellis left for
personal reasons, while
Ganvoa and Anderson
moved outside of the district.
It took some careful
procedure, but the board
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last month by appointing Bill
Kuhn to Anderson’s seat, and
appointed Bart Prouty early
to Ganvoa’s seat, which
Prouty already won in the
last election.
Jones’ appointment now
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board, which is in charge of
overseeing library branches
in Boardman, Irrigon and
Heppner.
Member Barb Huwe
praised both applicants,
but said she likes to see
members represent each of
the district’s three commu-
nities. Huwe and Prouty
live in Irrigon, while Kuhn
and Sally Walker are from
Heppner.
Jones now gives the board
a voice from Boardman. She
and her husband, Boardman
City Councilor David Jones,
SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS
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., Pendle-
ton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-966-0818 with questions.
own Frontier Court mobile
home park on South Main
Street.
Huwe said she is
mulling retirement soon and
encouraged Loving-Harris
— an associate planner with
Morrow County — to remain
involved in the district for
when that time comes.
The board must also
decide what to do about
Kuhn, who made it clear he
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while the district sorted out
its resignations. Kuhn was
kept on while the district
worked quickly to approve
its budget before deadline.
Board members will
discuss Kuhn’s seat at the
next board meeting, Aug. 19
in Heppner.
Interim Director Kathy
Street also introduced herself
to the district on Tuesday.
Street, who works as the
school librarian in Arlington,
was hired June 24 on a
temporary basis after former
director Marsha Richmond
left for the Umatilla County
Special Library District.
At Street’s suggestion,
the board voted to increase
her workload from 20 hours
per week to 29 hours, which
she said will allow her to
get more work done while
avoiding the threshold for
requiring health insurance.
Street’s pay is $25 per hour.
The board continues to
seek a full-time director,
and will hold a special work
session July 22 to clarify
duties and salary for the job.
The session is open to the
public, and will begin at 2
p.m. in the Boardman library.
In other business Tuesday,
the board announced they
have hired Columbia River
CPA, of Hermiston, to a
year-long contract handling
the district’s bills and payroll.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
Page 3A
BRIEFLY
M-F receives
$75K art grant
SALEM —
Milton-Freewater has
received a $75,000 National
Endowment of the Arts Our
Town award.
Sixty-nine grants
totaling $5 million were
awarded to cities across
the country to encourage
communities to create
lively, beautiful and resilient
places at their cores. The
Milton-Freewater grant will
support Talk Play Dream, a
series of bilingual cultural
programs to enliven the
city and bridge the divide
between the city’s Anglo
and Latino communities,
fostering conversation
through shared stories. The
city’s population of 7,060 is
about 40 percent Hispanic,
a demographic that has
nearly doubled in the last 30
years.
The project will engage
community members in
cultural asset mapping,
creative pop-up events,
workshops, performances
and festivals with the help
of Shakespeare Walla
Walla, PearlDamour and
other partners.
“Milton-Freewater
demonstrates the best
in creative community
development and whose
work will have a valuable
impact on its community,”
said NEA Chairman Jane
Chu.
The NEA received 275
applications this year for the
Our Town program and has
awarded 325 grants worth
almost $26 million since
2011.
Trails association
sets symposium,
bus tour
PENDLETON — A
two-day event that
highlights the Oregon Trail
and other overland emigrant
trails features special
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Frenchtown.
The Base O’ Blue
Mountains Oregon Trail
Symposium Saturday, July
25 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
at the Red Lion, 304 S.E.
Nye Ave., Pendleton. The
bus trip is Sunday, July 26
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Participants may sign
up for either Saturday or
Sunday or both days. The
cost for all activities is
$100. Saturday only with
lunch is $75; without lunch
$50. Sunday’s bus tour
costs $50 and includes a
box lunch. Reservations are
required to permit a meal
count.
The event is sponsored
by the Northwest Chapter
of the Oregon–California
Trails Association. For more
information or a reservation
form, contact Roger Blair
at 541-966-8854 or rblair@
oregontrail.net.
Conversation
seeks input about
volunteerism
HERMISTON — Have
your voice be heard.
Representatives of
the Oregon Volunteers
Commission for Voluntary
Action and Service are
seeking input about
volunteerism.
Organization leaders
and volunteers and other
interested community
members are invited to
the 2015 Community
Conversation Thursday,
July 30 from 9-11 a.m. at
Good Shepherd Medical
Center, 610 N.W. 11th St.,
Hermiston.
The purpose of the event
is to hear from community
members. Information
gathering includes
identifying what is working
well and what issues need
to be addressed in order to
strengthen local volunteer
engagement capacity. Also,
to identify community
needs that could be reduced
or eliminated through
service and engagement.
For more information or
to register for the free event,
visit www.ovconhermiston.
eventbrite.com.
Paint pendulum
to create art
PENDLETON — A
project that is part painting
and part science experiment
is coming up at Pendleton
Center for the Arts.
Open to ages 8-12,
Process Art: Build a Paint
Pendulum is Saturday, Aug.
1 from 2-4 p.m. at 214 N.
Main St., Pendleton. The
cost is $15 for members
and $20 for non-members.
There’s also a $5 materials
fee.
Instructor Erica Edwards
will work with students,
who will build a hanging
pendulum apparatus. Upon
completion, they will load
it with paint and let it go to
work on making their own
cool collection of spiral art
designs.
For more information
or to register, call 541-278-
9201.
Two-hour
workshop features
hydroponics
PENDLETON — For
those who don’t have much
space for a garden or who
want to learn more about
hydroponics, Pendleton
Center for the Arts has just
the class.
Hydroponics: A Better
Way to Grow Your Food at
Home is Saturday, Aug. 1
from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at 214
N. Main St., Pendleton. The
cost is $10 for members and
$15 for non-members. The
materials fee is $15.
Richard Bertram will
share the history and
science behind hydroponics
systems and how they
work. Participants will
build a simple Kratky
hydroponics system and
spend time transforming
it into an art piece with
paints and collage materials.
Attendees will take home
a self-contained basil or
lettuce container that will
produce all season, as well
as the knowledge to start
additional delicious and
nutritious greens at home.
For more information
or to register, call 541-278-
9201.
Todd Tennant
Business
Health
Farm
Life
Karaoke with Ron Martin!
A local favorite
Todd Tennant
One Responsible Source Agent
July 18, 7 pm - 10 pm
In the Red Lion Lounge
541/276-2302 • 800/225-2521
The Stratton Agency
Pendleton / Hermiston • stratton-insurance.com
304 SE Nye, Pendleton
541-276-6111
Third
Annual
LUAU
Friday
July 17
HAWAIIAN Food Specials
LIVE
Music
TIKI Bar
with blended
Tropical Drinks
Dakota B
r
Luke Bas own &
ile 5-7:30
p
Holly Sor
ensen Ba
nd 8-11 p
'
GIVEAWAYS
'
H AMLEY S TEAK H OUSE & S aloon
Court & Main, Pendleton • 541.278.1100