REGION
Saturday, February 6, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
HERMISTON
Bothum resigns
from EOTEC to
make arena bid
9. The Hermiston City
Council will then act on
the recommendation at a
The Eastern Oregon future meeting.
The bid package for the
Trade and Event Center
authority accepted the rodeo arena isn’t expected
resignation
of
board to be issued until April 6.
member David Bothum on Frew Development Group
senior project manager
Friday.
Bothum said he was Rob Drier recommended
stepping down as the the entire arena, including
electrical
and
Farm-City Pro
plumbing,
be
Rodeo’s repre-
bid to a single
sentative on the
contractor
in
board in order to
order to save
bid on construc-
time.
tion of the new
“You
may
rodeo
arena
save a few dollars
being designed
but it won’t be
for EOTEC.
substantial,” he
B o t h u m
said.
owns
Bothum Bothum
On
Friday
Construction and
is a founding member of the board unanimously
the Farm-City Pro Rodeo. approved bid packages
The rodeo’s current arena for paving, sidewalks,
at the Umatilla County landscaping and irrigation,
Fairgrounds was already site lighting and signage.
there when the rodeo Requests for proposals are
began, but since then set to be released Feb. 12.
Drier
said
certain
Bothum has participated in
tasks, such as site lighting
renovation and upkeep.
Board members said and inspections by city
they were surprised to see code of¿cials, need to be
his letter of resignation and completed before events
expressed appreciation for can be held at the event
all of the time he had put center. As a result, even
though the building is still
into EOTEC.
“We’re sorry to see you on schedule for completion
go,” said Byron Smith, on March 31, Drier said the
board chair and Hermiston center might not be ready
for occupancy on that
city manager.
The Farm-City Pro date. He said it should be
Rodeo board will make a completely ready in time
recommendation to the city for a grand opening event
of Hermiston for someone in late April, however.
———
to replace Bothum on the
Contact Jade McDowell
EOTEC board. The rodeo
jmcdowell@eastore-
board, of which Bothum at
is a member, is scheduled gonian.com or 541-564-
to meet Tuesday, Feb. 4536.
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Smells like snow
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
A Staffordshire terrier named Maya sticks her nose out the window of a semi-truck. Her owner, truck driver
Mark Turner of Minnesota, stopped at the Deadman Pass Rest Area to chain up.
HERMISTON
Students donate $727 to Agape House
East Oregonian
West Park Elementary
students put their monthly
theme of “sharing” to prac-
tical use during January by
raising $727 for the Agape
House.
The students presented
Agape House director Dave
Hughes with a check on
Friday during an assembly.
He told students that when he
was talking to adults about
donations to the nonpro¿t in
the future he would point out
their example of giving.
“I can’t tell you how
much this gift means to us,”
he said.
The school started out
with a goal of raising at
least $400 through a penny
drive. The ¿nal amount
far exceeded expectations,
requiring Principal Kevin
Headings to keep his
promise to temporarily dye
his hair bright red next week
if students reached their
goal.
“You guys raised a lot
of money for a really good
cause,” Headings said,
congratulating
students.
“That money will go to
HERMISTON
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Agape House Dave Hughes thanks West Park Elementary School students for their
donation to the Agape House.
people in need.”
The money will go to
support the Agape House’s
food bank.
The third grade class
won the inter-class contest,
raising $161. Their prize is a
game of dodge ball between
third grade classes. Fourth
graders came in a close
second with $159.
The school holds activ-
ities around a theme each
month, and on Friday staff
announced to students that
February’s theme is “random
acts of kindness.” Students
were encouraged to do small
acts kindness, from helping
an elderly neighbor to sitting
with a lonely classmate
at lunch, all month long
without any expectation of
reward.
HERMISTON
‘Good Shepherd intersection’ considered for makeover
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
The intersection of 11th
Street and Elm Avenue,
where Highway 207 cuts
through Hermiston, could
soon get a makeover and new
traf¿c signal.
On Monday the city
council will consider two
agreements that will allow
work to move forward on
re-designing the intersection
and installing a signal. The
intersection is currently a
three-way stop, with right
of way given to vehicles
following the course of 207
west on Elm or north on 11th.
Half of the $1.6 million
project will be paid for by an
Oregon Department of Trans-
portation grant, one fourth
by the city and one fourth
by Good Shepherd Medical
Center. It is expected to begin
in late 2016 and wrap up in
early 2017.
The project has been at
the top of the city’s trans-
portation plan since 2014.
That year Good Shepherd
Medical Center announced
a multi-phase expansion that
is expected to create a total
of 58 new permanent jobs,
creating an estimated 300
more trips per day through
the intersection.
The grant from ODOT is
contingent on the creation of
new jobs at the hospital. One
agreement being considered
by the council on Monday
would put Good Shepherd
Health Care System on the
hook for paying back 75
percent of the grant if it does
not hire enough new people
to meet the grant require-
ments. The city would pay
the other 25 percent.
The second agreement
on Monday’s agenda is with
ODOT to accept the grant of
half the project cost, up to
$813,710.
The council will also
consider backing a loan to
the Eastern Oregon Trade
and Event Center of up to
$1.5 million.
Umatilla County has
already agreed to back the
loan with full faith and
credit, as long as Hermiston
agrees to the same deal. The
money will be used to allow
potential donors to EOTEC
to spread large contributions
over the next two to ¿ve
years while also allowing
the EOTEC board to access
the cash upfront to ¿nish
construction in time for the
2017 fair and rodeo.
According to the resolu-
tion, “the guarantee is not
considered voluntary Àoating
indebtedness because the
¿nancing agreements are
expected to be paid entirely
from the proceeds of fund-
raising efforts.”
The council had previ-
ously passed a resolution
allowing EOTEC to take on
up to $1.5 million in debt
using the 91 acres of EOTEC
property as collateral, but
when board members took
the proposal to the county
HSD second-fastest growing district in the state
HERMISTON — Herm-
iston School District is the
second-fastest
growing
school district in the state of
Oregon, according to a report
by the Oregon Department
of Education.
The district grew at a
rate of 3.71 percent over the
last year, far surpassing the
state average of .97 percent.
It ranks as the 29th largest
district out of 212 in the state.
Hermiston School District
started the school year with
more than 5,500 students.
The growth of more than 200
students from the year before
was more than double what
a Portland State University
study predicted, lending an
even greater sense of urgency
to the district’s search for
new ways to increase the
capacity of its schools.
The district currently uses
24 modular classrooms to
supplement its regular build-
ings, which is four more than
were being used last time
the district went for a bond
measure.
they were informed that state
law prohibits counties from
using land as collateral.
The council also will
give of¿cial notice of the
May 17 primary election.
The mayor and municipal
judge positions are both up
for re-election in May. The
deadline to ¿le with the city
for either position is 5 p.m.
on March 8. Forms can be
picked up at turned in at city
hall, 180 NE Second St.
Candidates for the four
at-large seats on the city
council will not be up for
election until the November
general election.
Breckheimer pleads guilty
to fatal drunk driving
wreckage and an ambu-
lance took her to Good
Alicia G. Breckheimer Shepherd Medical Center,
of Hermiston pleaded Hermiston, which trans-
ferred her via an
guilty Friday to
air ambulance to
driving drunk and
Legacy Emanuel
killing a man in a
Medical Center,
wrong-way crash
Portland, where
on Interstate 84.
she was treated
Breckheimer,
and released.
33, changed her
Her
blood
plea in circuit
alcohol
level
court in Herm-
following
the
iston, according
crash, according
to court records.
to the indictment,
The state accused Breckheimer
was at least .15
Breckheimer of
driving drunk and killing percent. The legal limit is
Robert Henry Baker, 66, .08 percent.
Breckheimer pleaded
of Ione, in a head-on crash
March 7, 2014, near Herm- guilty to one count of
driving under the inÀuence
iston.
In the crash, Breck- of intoxicants, three counts
heimer drove a 2005 of recklessly endangering
Cadillac CTS at about 1:30 and one count of second-de-
a.m. westbound in the east- gree manslaughter. The
bound lanes of Interstate state dismissed charges
82 near milepost 4 when of reckless driving and
she struck Baker’s 2006 ¿rst-degree manslaughter.
Circuit Judge Dan
Chrysler 300, according to
police reports. Baker died Hill set Breckheimer’s
sentencing for March 14.
at the scene.
Fire¿ghters
freed Until then, she remains out
Breckheimer from the of jail.
East Oregonian
CONCEALED CARRY
PERMIT CLASS
Oregon - Utah - Valid 35 States
HERMISTON
Best Western: 2255 Highway 395 South
February 19 th • 1:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Walk-Ins Welcome!
OR/Utah: (Valid in WA) $80.00 or Oregon only: $45
www.FirearmTrainingNW.com • FirearmTrainingNW@gmail.com
360-921-2071
HEAR US NOW!! 100.1 has made the switch to 93.7 FM!
THE Q IS GIVING AWAY $ 937!
Contest details:
All you have to do is write down 93.7 FM
and send it to The Q.
Facebook it, Email it, Fax it, Mail or bring it by!
It can be as simple or as creative as you want!
Complete contest details are on gohermiston.com or call 541-567-6500.