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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 2015)
REGION Wednesday, October 14, 2015 East Oregonian Page 3A PENDLETON Damaged drain pipe to be replaced at McKay Dam By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris An excavator drops a load of dirt into a dump truck near the top of the McKay Reser- voir Dam on Tuesday in Pendleton. The Bureau of Reclamation is replacing a toe drain that collects water seepage from the dam and redirects the water into McKay Creek. HEPPNER — The Oregon Health Authority issued an advisory Tuesday for high levels of toxins related to blue-green algae in Willow Creek Reservoir near Heppner. Exposure to toxins can be harmful to humans and animals, with children and pets especially at risk. 6ymptoms might include numbness, tingling and dizziness that can lead to serious breathing or heart problems, and require immediate medical attention. People are warned against drinking water directly from the reservoir. Residents who draw in-home water from the reservoir are advised to use an alternative water source, since private treatment systems are not proven effective at removing algae toxins. Toxins also cannot be removed by boiling or using camping-style ¿lters. However, public drinking water systems can reduce algae toxins through ¿ltration and disinfection. Residents should contact their water supplier with questions. People can still visit Willow Creek Reservoir to camp, hike, bike and ¿sh. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not spray too much water that could be accidentally inhaled. Anyone choosing to eat ¿sh from the reservoir should remove all fat, skin and organs before cooking. The public will be noti¿ed when there is no longer a risk. For more health information or to report an illness, contact the Oregon Health Authority at 971-673-0400. PSD hires consultant for superintendent search PENDLETON — The Pendleton 6chool Board will receive some outside help to ¿nd a new superintendent. Board Chairwoman Michelle Monkman recom- mended the district spend $8,750 to hire West Linn consultant Greg McKenzie to coordinate the search for outgoing 6uperintendent Jon Peterson’s replacement. The board unanimously approved the recommenda- tion. Monkman said McKenzie will spend the coming weeks working with school board members, district staff and the community to help identify the best candidate for the job. Board Vice Chair Debbie McBee said the board’s executive committee chose McKenzie over another consulting ¿rm. “In talking to people who used Greg McKenzie’s ¿rm, they were universally hyper-enthusiastic about the services and the job they did for their districts and not a negative comment amongst them,” she said. “The other ¿rm did have some good comments as well as some concerns and Greg McKenzie’s ¿rm was the least expensive.” Peterson announced his retirement in June but decided to stay on an extra year while the school board conducted its search. House from old bomb case burns down Cemetery group meets in Paisley PAI6LE< — 6pecial events in cemeteries and Oregon archaeology laws are among the agenda items during the upcoming meeting of the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries. The gathering is Friday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. at the Paisley Community Center. The public is invited to ask questions and make comments. The seven-member Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries maintains a listing of all historic cemeteries and gravesites in Oregon. In addition, it promotes public education on the signi¿cance of historic cemeteries. For more information, contact Kuri Gill at 503-986- 0685, kuri.gill@oregon.gov or visit www.oregonheritage. org. Arts center kicks off Folk Night PENDLETON — The public is invited to enjoy western-style dancing, including square and contra dancing at Pendleton Center for the Arts. Folk Night, which features live music and callers, is Friday at 7 p.m. at 214 N. Main 6t., Pendleton. The cost is $5 or $8 for a couple. Whether you’ve danced before or have two left feet, everyone is welcome. Instructions will be provided by the caller and a quick walk-through is provided prior to each dance. For more information, contact 541-278-9201 or classes@pendletonarts.org. The drain provides a path of least resistance for water, and prevents breaches elsewhere along the dam. Belchoff said workers will replace the line with a sturdier pipe, and cautioned people to stay away from taped-off construction areas along the downstream face of the dam. “This is a preventative repair,” he said. “The safe course of action is to repair this now.” ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. BOARDMAN BRIEFLY Health advisory issued for Willow Creek Reservoir Construction is underway to replace a damaged drain pipe at McKay Dam south of Pendleton. %oris %elchoff, ¿eld manager for the Bureau of Reclamation, said the perforated line — known as a toe drain — collects water through the earthen dam and diverts it back into McKay Creek. In 2001, workers inspecting the pipe found it had been partially crushed under the weight of gravel and rocks. Belchoff said the drain is not completely blocked, but needs to be replaced for safety. “On a dam, it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Belchoff said. Belchoff estimated the project will cost approx- imately $500,000. Work should be ¿nished in December. Water is not currently Àowing through the toe drain, since McKay Reser- voir is just 20 percent full. At capacity, seepage can reach several hundred gallons per minute. Fire¿ghters told black powder inside Next Crop Project raises money for local FFA HERMI6TON — The Next Crop Project will raise money for the Heppner, Hermiston and Ione FFA chapters. Licensed drivers 18 and older are invited to test drive a new Ram truck and $20 will be donated to the area FFA chapters for each qualifying test drive. The event is 6aturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tom’s Country Dodge, 81143 N. Highway 395, Hermiston. Also, all test drive participants will be entered into a contest for a national giveaway to win $45,000 toward any eligible Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck, Fiat or Alfa Romeo vehicle. Launched in 2014, The Next Crop Project is Ram Truck brand’s way of turning the focus directly on the future leaders of agriculture. It is a celebration of, and investment in, tomorrow’s biologists, chemists, veterinarians, business leaders, entrepreneurs and farmers. During its inaugural year, the project raised more than $100,000 in a single day for the National FFA Organization in support of chapter leadership programs. For more information about The Next Crop Project, visit http://blog. ramtrucks.com/features/ next-crop-project. 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. By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian Fire destroyed a house over the weekend at 120 N.W. Columbia Ave. in Boardman after a “fairly large” explo- sion in a nearby outbuilding on the property — the same building where police found a pipe bomb in 2013. Boardman Fire Chief Marc Rogelstad said they do not know what exactly caused the blast 6aturday morning. The explosion reportedly rattled windows up to a block away. Nobody was hurt in the ¿re, which displaced two adults. Fire¿ghters were warned there might be black powder inside the home and kept back for safety, Rogel- stad said. In May 2013, Oregon 6tate Police executed a search warrant at the house and found a pipe bomb, guns, ammunition and stolen items in the outbuilding. Jeremy Carroll, now 34, was sentenced in 2014 by a federal judge to nearly 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of felon in possession of ¿rearms and possession of a destructive device. On 6aturday, crews had to tear down the house with an excavator in order to put Photo contributed by Dave Gibson The Inland Northwest Chorale will perform a pair of concerts — in Ukiah and Athena — this weekend. Inland chorale to perform pair of concerts East Oregonian A pair of free performances are planned this weekend featuring the Inland Northwest Chorale. Under the direction of R. Lee Friese, the ¿rst performance is 6aturday at 4 p.m. at Ukiah +igh 6chool, 201 +ill 6t. The other concert is 6unday at 4 p.m. at the Blue Mountain 9alley 6eventh-Day Adventist Church, 00 First 6t., Athena. The program will include “9isions of 6t. -ohn” by -ohn Ness Beck, “When the 6aints Go Marching In” by John Rutter and “Alle- luia” by Randall Thompson. A reception will follow each performance. The public is invited to enjoy refreshments and visit with the performers. The chorale is one of the ensembles of the Inland Northwest Musicians. The group began in 1999 when a number of instru- mentalists and vocalists were interested in forming a classical music organization with a central core value that music is for everyone. The group doesn’t hold auditions. People are invited to participate and are encouraged to increase their skill level as they perform. For more information, contact 541-289- 4696, inwm@machmedia.net or visit www. inlandnorthwestmusicians.com. McKay Creek Estates presents: Dorothy (Dode) Krebs is 90 Come help us celebrate her birthday Open House Sat., Oct. 24th 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Sunridge Retirement Community 3234 SW Nye, Pendleton, OR out the blaze, due to extreme hoarding and the possi- bility of explosives inside. Boardman Police Chief Rick 6tokoe said they are talking to witnesses and continue to investigate the incident. “Unfortunately, it’s going to be very hard to determine what happened,” 6tokoe said. “Part of our efforts to go into the building were hampered because there could be remains of explo- sive devices.” The ¿re did not spread to any other structures. Fire¿ghters from Irrigon provided mutual aid. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. 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 SafetyMan says “Always be Safe to Ensure an Active & Independent Lifestyle” The Truth Behind Senior Moments - C O N C L U D E D TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 3:30 PM Learn what’s normal and what is not when it comes to short-term memory loss. Learn the early signs of Alzheimer’s and other related dementias. We will discuss tips on brain health and keeping your memory sharp. Staying Active to Prevent Falls - C ONCLUDED TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 3:30 PM Staying active reduces your risk of a fall and improves your overall health and wellbeing. Learn what activities are best, how to improve your strength and balance and simple exercises to implement at home today. Don’t Let the Blues Get You Down TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 3:30 PM Learn how to identify and manage depression. Life’s changes can have adverse effects. Proper planning and coping skills can help ease these stressors. Making simple lifestyle changes can boost your mood and help alleviate many of your symptoms. 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
