REGION
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
East Oregonian
Page 3A
Drought declared in
three more counties
Union, Hood River,
Curry counties
added to list
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The number of Oregon
counties suffering from
drought continues to grow.
Gov.
Kate
Brown
declared drought emergen-
cies Tuesday in Union, Hood
River and Curry counties,
bringing the total number
to 23 — more than double
the drought declarations last
year.
Other counties in a declared
drought include: Baker,
Coos, Crook, Deschutes,
Douglas, Gilliam, Grant,
Harney, Jackson, Jefferson,
Josephine, Klamath, Lake,
Lane, Malheur, Morrow,
Sherman, Umatilla, Wasco
and Wheeler.
“The extreme drought
conditions we are experi-
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Oregon,” Brown said. “In an
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steps such as these are key to
taking a proactive approach
to the continuing challenges
of climate change.”
Snowpack was historically
low throughout Oregon for
the 2015 water year, leading
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depend on gradual snowmelt
to replenish and recharge
streams, something that
simply wasn’t available in
most basins given the condi-
tions.
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ration gives water managers
some additional tools at their
disposal, such as expediting
emergency water use permits
or
temporary
transfers
of water rights. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture
has also made $2.5 million
available to farmers, ranchers
and foresters in drought
counties to improve their
conservation practices.
Funding is provided
by the Natural Resource
Conservation
Service
through its Environmental
Quality Incentives Program.
Producers can learn more by
contacting their local USDA
Service Center.
The U.S. Drought Monitor
shows all of northeast Oregon
in severe to extreme drought.
In Umatilla County, McKay
Reservoir is just 45 percent
full and 20 percent full at
Cold Springs Reservoir.
As part of an effort to raise
drought awareness, Gov.
Brown has created a website
for more information, at
www.drought.oregon.gov.
State agencies are also using
the hashtag #ORdrought to
keep Oregonians informed
on social media.
County liIts +eli[ boil Zater notice
HELIX — The Umatilla
County
Public
Health
Department has lifted a
notice advising residents
of Helix to boil their water
before using it. The Oregon
Health Authority drinking
water services reported
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collected in the area’s
water distribution system
on Monday, none of which
contained E. coli bacteria,
according to a news release
from the public health
department.
A boil water notice was
put into effect earlier in the
month after samples of the
small town’s water supply
tested positive for E. coli.
For more information,
visit
www.cdc.gov
or
ucohealth.net.
BRIEFLY
Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini
Josh Rist leads the Hermiston Community Choir at a
recent rehearsal. The group will perform a free concert
Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Hermiston High School au-
ditorium.
Community choir
tunes up
HERMISTON — With
twice-weekly rehearsals
under their belt since
late June, the Hermiston
Community Choir will
crescendo with a free
community performance.
Director Josh Rist,
who also teaches choir at
Hermiston High School, is
excited by the community’s
response. In just its second
year, the choir has nearly
doubled in size. Open to
teens and adults, there are
about 60 voices in this
year’s group.
The free performance is
Thursday at 7 p.m. in the
auditorium at Hermiston
High School, 600 S. First
St.
“We’re doing a real
diversity of genres and
styles,” Rist said. “Gospel,
spiritual, Shaker tunes and
popular songs, including
‘Lean on Me.’”
Rist said the performance
is somewhat dark and
serious in the beginning and
then moves into the encour-
agement and supportive
stage.
The community choir is
coordinated by Hermiston
Parks & Recreation. For
more information, call
541-667-5018.
Caledonian Games
book hits stores
“Br-r-r-r-ring On
the Games!, An Athena
Caledonian Games Album
Since 1899” is now
available in local stores.
The book, which features
historical articles and photos
of the Athena Caledonian
Games, was released
in July thanks to grants
from the Umatilla County
Cultural Coalition, the
Blue Mountain Community
Foundation, the Homer
and Persephone Watts
Foundation and Ken and
Dorothy Bjorklund.
The 196-page book,
which costs $40, is available
at Athena City Hall and
at Armchair Books and
Heritage Station Museum
in Pendleton. For more
information, contact Sue
Friese at 541-566-3880.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
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Two pumpers patrol for hot spots after a fire raced through wheat fields south of Milton-Freewater on
Tuesday afternoon. The Oregon Department of Transportation closed Highway 11 for a short time while
firefighters controlled the blaze.
IRRIGON
Festival offers watermelons, family fun
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Watermelons — lots of
them — are the centerpiece
of the Irrigon Watermelon
Festival.
In addition to eating
the sweet melons, they
are featured in several
contests. From the Mayors
Watermelon Seed Spitting
Contest to kid’s seed spitting
and watermelon bowling,
melons are a focal point of
the 32nd annual festival.
Renee and Raymond
Couchman, who have acted
as the liaison with Jack Bell-
inger for many years, are
grateful to Bellinger Farms
for its continued support
of the festival. Renee
Couchman said the donated
melons save the festival at
least $1,000 each year.
The festivities kick off
Saturday with a breakfast
from 6:30-9:30 a.m. at
Irrigon Marina Park. The
parade, which runs along
Main Street, starts at 10 a.m.
and leads back to the marina
park for the rest of the day’s
activities.
The Couchmans stepped
up
their
involvement
with the festival as sort
of changing of the guard.
Some volunteers, Renee
Couchman said, have either
moved away or pared back
their participation.
Another part of the
festival
Couchman
is
excited about is the all-day
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six for $5. Drawings will be
held throughout the day and
evening. People don’t have
to be present to win.
And there are some
amazing prizes, Couchman
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TV and luggage to a lawn
mower and a gazebo, people
Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini
Tony Sexton and Clara Funk enjoy watermelon during the 2013 Irrigon Watermel-
on Festival at Irrigon Marina Park.
have an opportunity to take 7 a.m. and vendors need to
home some awesome items. be ready to sell items from
Also, there are gift baskets, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more
rodeo and fair tickets and a information, call Schneider
Wildhorse Resort & Casino at 541-314-0166.
package.
Stage
entertainment
Also, for a chance at features regional talents,
cashing in on $100, be sure including Three River
to purchase a button.
Saxtette, Roundup City
Nearly two dozen arts, Cloggers, Vaughn Jensen,
crafts and commercial The Trio, Rock Blythe, The
vendors will be scattered Sahara Dancers and Frazer
throughout the park — Wambeke Trio.
offering everything from
“We try to get some new
homemade items to art and people and some favorites,”
jewelry to information about Couchman said. “It’s nice
water safety.
to rotate them every few
Angie Schneider, vendor years.”
coordinator, said there’s
The festival also includes
room for more people
to rent space to sell their
Final Days
wares. The cost is $20 for
arts/craft vendors and $50 Saager’s Shoe Shop
for commercial items.
The set-up time begins at
boat rides with the Morrow
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water slides and a car show.
A softball tournament runs
through the weekend at the
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The festival crescendos
with an evening street dance
at 9 p.m.
For more information,
contact
Couchman
at
541-922-1560 or City
Manager Aaron Palmquist at
manager@ci.irrigon.or.us
———
Contact
Community
Editor Tammy Malgesini at
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4539
Up to 50% Off
Milton-Freewater, OR
Sidewalk Sales
Friday and Saturday
Up to 70% off
207 & 217 SE Court, Pendleton
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., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-
966-0818 with questions.
First Foods Festival
and Race
– Formerly known as Salmon Walk
Saturday, August 1, 2015 • July Grounds
(73310 July Grounds Lane, Pendleton, OR 97801)
Race Events & Times
(Jackets and medals for 1st – 3rd place for hike,
10 K & 5 K race events)
7:10 am
Kanine Ridge Hike Departs July
Grounds
9:00 am
10 K Spawn Run
9:30 am
5 K Smolt Run
10:30 am Family Fun Walk & Cycle
(noncompetitive)
1st Annual Chumash
Lacrosse Tournament
Team Categories Grades
1st - 3rd, 4th - 6th, 7th - 8th, 9th - 12th & Adult
(Medals for Winning Team in Each Category)
8:00 am -10:15 am
Chumach Tournament
Begins
10:15 am - 12:00 pm Break for Family Fun Walk/
Race
12:00 pm - 2:30 pm Chumash Tournament
Continues
1-888-809-8027 ext. 7219 or
firstfoodsfestival@ctuir.org
Event Agenda
6:45 am
7:10 am
8:00 am
Race Registration Opens
Hikers Depart for Kanine Ridge Hike
LaCrosse Tournament Begins (Game
Times 8 -10 am & 12:00 - 2:30 pm)
8:15 - 9:40 am Yoga Stretch & Breath
9:00 am
10 K Spawn Run
9:30 am
5 K Smolt Run
10:00 am
First Foods Info Booths Open
10:30 am
Family Fun Walk & Cycle
(Noncompetetive)
11:30 am
BBQ Fundraiser Lunch
12:00 pm
Awards Ceremonies for Race Events
1:00 pm
First Foods Contest
2:30 pm
Festival and LaCrosse Tournament
Ends
Sponsors: CTUIR Department of
Natural Resources
CTUIR Department of Education
CRITFC
Yellowhawk Health Clinic
Wildhorse Resort & Casino
Cayuse Technologies
City of Umatilla
Earn While
You Learn Program
At Community Bank we recognize the importance of
education and would like to encourage our student-
customers in their academic success.
Find out how your kids can
earn money for their good grades!
The annual program is available through July, ask your
banker about it today or see details online.
Local Money Working For Local People
www.communitybanknet.com
Pendleton
157 S Main St
541-278-9000
Hermiston
50 E Theater Ln
541-289-4480
Member FDIC
Milton-Freewater
504 N Main St
541-938-6361