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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 2015)
REGION Tuesday, December 29, 2015 BRIEFLY East Oregonian Page 3A HERMISTON I-84 closed from Pendleton to Ontario HHS swim team stages talent show PENDLETON — The westbound lanes of Interstate 84 were closed between Pendleton and Ontario for two hours Monday afternoon because of freezing rain and multiple minor accidents, including a jackknifed truck, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. ODOT reopened the roadway at about 4 p.m. but warned that the weather was creating hazardous driving conditions, and urged travelers to delay their trip as long as possible until conditions improve. Funding pays for daily travel to BMCC pool Morrow County schools to evaluate superintendent BOARDMAN — The Morrow County School District Board of Directors has called a special meeting for Monday, Jan. 11 at Sam Boardman Elementary School to evaluate Superin- tendent Dirk Dirksen. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. For more information, call the district at 541-676-9128. Parks & recreation releases new activity guide PENDLETON — To ¿QGRXWDOOWKHIXQWKLQJV Pendleton Parks & Recreation has planned for the upcoming months, be sure to pick up a copy of the Winter/Spring 2016 Activity Guide. The guide is available at the library, city hall, FKDPEHURI¿FHWKHSDUNV RI¿FH6DIHZD\8SZLWK Donuts, Roosters, Dairy Queen and Tum-a-Lum. In addition, it can be viewed at www.pendletonparksandrec. com. For more information, VWRSE\WKHSDUNVRI¿FHDW 865 Tutuilla Road, or call 541-276-8100. Hermiston offers tree recycling HERMISTON — The city of Hermiston is offering free recycling of Christmas trees for local residents. Trees may be dropped off between today and Jan. 29 at the traditional location next to the Butte Park spray park. For more information, contact the city’s parks department at 541-667- 5018. Dress exchange for formal dance PENDLETON — Girls can get a free dress for the upcoming Daddy Daughter Dance through a program sponsored by Pendleton Parks & Recreation. The Dress Exchange is free. People are asked to drop off new or gently used dresses between now and Friday, Jan. 8 at the parks RI¿FH7XWXLOOD5RDG Pendleton. Or people can bring one to the exchange day. The free event is Saturday, Jan. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Foundation Room at the Pendleton Recreation Center, 510 S.W. Dorion Ave. For more information, VWRSE\WKHSDUNVRI¿FHRU call 541-276-8100. By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian Singers, tap dancers, violin players, piano performances and a VSHFLDOWRSVHFUHW¿QDODFWIHDWXULQJ girls from the Hermiston High school swim team are included during the HHS Swim Team Talent Show. The fundraising event provides money for transportation costs for the team to use the Blue Mountain Community College pool for prac- tices. Lynne Hamblin, coordinator of the show and wife of swim coach Kevin Hamblin, said the community has been supportive of helping the team. She said the team has the highest transportation costs for any activity in the district. “We came up with this idea after dealing with too many cold miser- able days standing outside counting pop cans,” Hamblin said. “Now we have an activity that our community can enjoy in the warmth of the audi- torium and help our swimmers at the same time.” 7KH ¿IWK DQQXDO 7DOHQW 6KRZ LV Saturday in the school’s auditorium, 600 S. First St. Admission is $8 per person or $20 for a family. Mark Douglass, elementary music teacher, is assisting with directing the show, and Charlie Clupny, a retired education service district employee, is returning for the fourth year as master of ceremonies. Also as part of the fundraiser, UDIÀH WLFNHWV FDQ EH SXUFKDVHG IRU $10 from swim team members through intermission of the show. Items up for grabs include an i-Pad Air, a Fit Bit, metal art featuring WKH +HUPLVWRQ ³+´ D ÀRZHU arrangement, a pedicure/manicure and numerous gift cards. Also, a bake sale will be held during the intermission. More than two dozen acts are featured during the show, including EO ile photo The Hermiston High School swim team boys perform a synchronized “swimming” number to wrap up the 2015 Swim Team Talent Show. The 2016 event, which serves as a fundraiser for transportation to practices, is Saturday in the school’s auditorium. EO ile photo HHS Swim Team Variety Show winner Corrina Tiboni, accompanied by Josh Rist, belts out Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” during the 2015 talent show. reigning champion Korrina Tibboni, who is back for her fourth year. Containers will be sitting in the commons for the audience to vote by placing cash in the jar of their favorite acts. Prizes for best of show will be determined by judges, while ¿UVWWKURXJKWKLUGSODFHZLOOEHIURP the amount of cash collected from audience votes. All of the winners will receive gift cards. “This is our way of giving back to the community for being so generous to our hard working swimmers,” Hamblin said. “This is a great family night with great entertainment.” For more information, call Lynne Hamblin at 541-571-5691. ——— Contact Community Editor Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@ eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539 Owyhee Basin farmers optimistic about snowpack Water has stopped ÀRZLQJ WKURXJK WKH Owyhee Irrigation District’s ONTARIO — A series 400 miles of canals, laterals of snowstorms over the and ditches in August the Owyhee Basin has resulted past two years, two months in snowpack levels more earlier than normal. But as of Dec. 24, snow- than twice their normal amount for this time of year. pack in the basin was at 233 That has given farmers percent of normal for that in Eastern Oregon who get date. “I’m really pleased with their irrigation water from the Owyhee Reservoir a what I’m seeing so far,” said reason to be optimistic for dairyman and farmer Frank WKH ¿UVW WLPH LQ VHYHUDO Ausman, a member of the Owyhee Irrigation District’s years. The basin has experi- board of directors. “We’re enced four straight years of sitting quite a bit better at reduced snowpack levels this time than we were the and the 1,800 farms that last couple of years.” But Ausman and other depend on the reservoir have had their annual water allot- farmers said the snow ment slashed by two-thirds needs to keep falling in order for growers to have the past two years. By SEAN ELLIS EO Media Group an adequate water supply next season. ³,W¶VGH¿QLWHO\DJRRG start but it’s a little early to start counting our chickens,” Ausman said. OID Manager Jay Chamberlin said the storms have laid down a lot of snow proportionally over the whole watershed, unlike last year when the sparse snow the basin received was spotty. “Keep it coming. This feels good,” he said. The reservoir provides water for 118,000 irrigated acres in Malheur County in southeastern Oregon and around Homedale and Marsing in southwestern Idaho. Farmers in this area have had to alter their rotations and farming practices as a result of drastically reduced water supplies the last three years. A lot of farm ground has been left idle and growers have planted a lot more crops that require less water but also bring less income. While farmers and water supply managers expressed optimism at the current snowpack situation in the basin, they also cautioned that it’s still early in the snow season and the reser- voir needs a lot more water. To guarantee a good water supply year, the reservoir needs about 450,000 acre-feet of storage water, Chamberlin said. It’s holding about 50,000 acre- feet right now. “We’re going into 2016 in a lot better shape than we did the last three years,” Chamberlin said. “But we have a whole lot of room in an empty bucket. We can take whatever (is sent) us.” Farmer Paul Skeen likened the current water situation to being early in a football game. While farmers are leading, there’s a lot of ballgame left, he said. “Yes, things don’t look nearly as bleak as they did last year,” said Skeen, presi- dent of the Malheur County Onion Growers Association. “But we’re a long ways from the fourth quarter. :H¶UHMXVW¿QLVKLQJWKH¿UVW quarter of the game.” COMMUNITY CALENDAR TUESDAY, DEC. 29 PENDLETON TOASTMAS- TERS No. 154, 6:45 a.m., Pend- leton City Hall community room, 501 S.W. Emigrant Ave. (toast- masterdarlenesue@gmail.com). TOPS CHAPTER OR 1110, 8 a.m. weigh-in, meeting starts at 8:45 a.m., Missionary Baptist Church, 125 E. Beech St., Herm- iston. (Margaret Wetterling 541- 720-0276). BIBLE STUDY, 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 352 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. (Rev. Jim Pierce 541-276-2616). GREENFIELD GRANGE PI- NOCHLE, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Hall, Boardman. “THE LIFE MODEL - LIVING FROM THE HEART JESUS GAVE YOU” BOOK STUDY GROUP, 1-2:30 p.m., Bowman Building, 17 S.W. Frazer, Pendleton. (Pat 541-276-6671). STUDYING THE MIRACLES OF JESUS, 4-6 p.m., Good Sa- Local club sets annual bird count maritan Ministries, 319 W. Locust Ave., Hermiston. (541-564-1041). PENDLETON — The WKRI¿FLDO8PDWLOOD County Christmas Bird Count will take place at four locations around Pendleton. The event is scheduled for Saturday. For details on locations, contact George Ruby at 541-278-2472, gtlnrby@yahoo.com. Also, the Pendleton Bird Club will host a countdown to compile the results from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Abby’s Pizza, 828 Southgate, Pendleton. Experienced birders and novices are invited to participate in the event. The count is held in conjunction with the national Audubon Christmas Bird Count. For more information, visit www.audubon.org/bird/cbc. 6-8 p.m. tacos for members and guests only, bingo at 6:30 p.m., PENDLETON EAGLES BINGO, Pendleton Eagles Lodge No. 28, 428 S. Main St., Pendleton. Reg- ular packet $10, special packet $5. Proceeds donated to local charities. (541-278-2828). HERMISTON EAGLES BINGO, 6 p.m. doors open, games begin at 7 p.m., 160 N.W. Second St. Members and their guests wel- come. AWANA, 6:30-8 p.m., Pend- leton Baptist Church, 3202 S.W. Nye Ave., Pendleton. For children ages 3 through the sixth grade. (541-276-7590). Casino & Resort Birch board- room, 46510 Wildhorse Blvd., Pendleton. Everyone welcome. HERMISTON KIWANIS CLUB, 12 noon, Desert Lanes restaurant conference room, 1545 N. First St., Hermiston. (Doug Barak 541- 567-6728). OREGON GRASS ROOTS CRIBBAGE CLUB NO. 2, 6:30 p.m., Desert Lanes Bowling Alley, 1545 N. First St., Hermiston. All levels of players welcome. (541- 567-6594). and Grill, 610 Sixth St., Umatilla. THURSDAY, DEC. 31 TUMBLEWEED TOASTMAS- TERS, 6:45 a.m., Conference WEDNESDAY, DEC. 30 WILLOW RUN LADIES GOLF CLUB, 8 a.m., rain or shine at the Room 3&4, Good Shepherd Medical Center, 610 N.W. 11th St., Hermiston. Visitors welcome. (541-567-4349). IRRIGON/UMATILLA LIONS CLUB, 6:30 p.m., Amanda’s Bar Willow Run Golf Course, Board- man. Participants do not need to be a member to play with the club. (541-481-4381). ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL OF PENDLETON, 12 noon pro- gram meeting, Red Lion Hotel, 304 S.E. Nye Ave., Pendleton. CAY-UMA-WA TOASTMAS- TERS, 12 noon-1 p.m., Wildhorse ARTS AND CRAFTS FROM THE DRY SIDE, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ,basement of Assembly of God Church, 730 East Hurlburt Ave., Hermiston. Use the Seventh Street entrance. (541-567- 4446). ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL OF HERMISTON, 12 noon, ARC of Umatilla County, 215 W. Orchard Ave. HERMISTON LINEBACKER CLUB, 12 noon to 1 p.m., Desert Lanes, 1545 N. First St., Herm- iston. Hear HHS football coach David Faaeteete discuss last week’s game and talk about the upcoming tilt. RSVP by Wednes- day at 3 p.m. to 541-567-5215. Cost is $11 for members, $13 for non-members. HERMISTON ROTARY CLUB, 12 noon, Trinity Evangelical Lu- theran Church Parish Hall, Fifth Street and Locust Ave. PENDLETON LIONS CLUB, 12 noon, Roosters Restaurant, 1515 Southgate, Pendleton. man 541-720-6402). ARC OF UMATILLA COUNTY BINGO, 6 p.m. doors open, bingo starts at 7 p.m. 215 W. Orchard Ave., Hermiston. (541-567-7615). TOPS, 6 p.m. weigh-in; 7 p.m. meeting, Peace Lutheran Church, 210 N.W. Ninth St., Pendleton. (Ruby Gray 541-566-3624, 541- 969-2990 or rubymgray79@ gmail.com). HERMISTON ELKS, 7 p.m., 480 E. Main St. MOVE ON, 7 p.m., Great Pacif- ic Wine and Coffee, 403 S. Main St., Pendleton. PENDLETON KIWANIS CLUB, 7 p.m., venue varies, Pendleton. Guests welcome. ((541-278- 5785). HERMISTON HORSESHOE CLUB, 5 p.m., Weber Field, 600 FRIDAY, JAN. 1 No meetings scheduled S. First St., Hermiston. (Rick Reb- UMATILLA DOG WALKING CLUB, 10 a.m., 630 Switzler St. at the dog wash in front of Uma- tilla High School. L M c K ay ittle rate celeb l m i u v s e ic CREEK in the Slick fork Saloo n Starting at 9pm no cover H amley S teak H ouse at Midnight Balloon Drop • Drink & Appetizer Specials COURT & MAIN, PENDLETON • Large Party Reservations Available - Call 541-278-1100 No Cover Charge Texas Tribute - Premier ZZ Top Tribute Thursday, Dec. 31 9 pm - 1 am Bruce Smith and the Boda Boyz Saturday, Jan. 2 8 pm - Midnight Pendleton Red Lion Inn - 304 SE Nye, Pendleton, OR 541-276-6111 • Presented by www.gcproductions.rocks
