REGION
Thursday, February 11, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
PENDLETON
HERMISTON
Girl returns ‘large amount’ of lost cash City tries new tact for
budget discussions
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
A Hermiston student
is getting kudos from the
Hermiston Police Depart-
ment and the community
after turning money she
found in to the police instead
of keeping it for herself.
Elizabeth Doherty, 10, got
a visit and a letter of thanks
from chief Jason Edmiston
on Tuesday after she found
a distinctive money clip
with what the department
described as a “fairly large
amount of cash” over the
weekend. A post about it on
the department’s page had
more than 1,170 likes and 87
comments complimenting
her as of Wednesday after-
noon.
“It’s kind of weird but it’s
good,” Elizabeth said of all
the attention her good deed
is getting.
Her parents Melissa and
Ben Doherty didn’t expect
all of the attention, either.
“This whole thing has
caught my wife and I by
surprise,” Ben said.
He was with Elizabeth
when she pointed out the
money to him and wanted to
try and return it to its owner.
He said she didn’t seem
to struggle with deciding
whether to turn in the money,
and he’s sure many other
people in the community
would have done the same
thing.
“I don’t think there was
any big test of will to over-
amenities would be elimi-
nated if the city continued to
slash the budget.
“I don’t think anybody
The city of Pendleton will
take a different approach to wants to (eliminate ameni-
discussing the budget this ties),” he said. “You’re
talking about quality of
year.
In addition to the usual life. You can cut all the
balanced budget proposals, amenities in town and you
City Manager Robb Corbett get no quality of life and you
has asked department heads might as well shut down
to write budget proposals your entire economic devel-
where they request the opment engine entirely.
money they need to run their We need to keep trying to
communicate that.”
department optimally.
The council named
Additionally, the city
intends to schedule two the budget a top priority,
evening
meetings
to followed by identifying
supplement the usual round VXUSOXV SURSHUW\ ¿QGLQJ
of budget meetings in the new sources of revenue and
spring to give the public putting together a communi-
easier access to the budget cations plan.
The council also added
process and demonstrate the
difference between what the a new priority — building a
city wants and needs and QHZ¿UHVWDWLRQ
Wood wanted the council
what it can afford.
At workshop Tuesday, to consider pursuing a
the council discussed this ERQG IRU D QHZ ¿UH KDOO
in November, but council
new approach.
Councilor Al Plute said members would need to get
staff also need to create a their “butts in gear” to do it.
Plute said the council
budget that cut 30 percent
from the general fund, in needed to know how much
order to show the public that money it would take to
the city cannot cover its obli- PDLQWDLQDQHZ¿UHVWDWLRQ
“When you build that
gations no matter how deep.
“It doesn’t make any QHZ ¿UH VWDWLRQ ZLWK DOO
difference how many of the bells and whistles and
WKHVHWKLQJV\RX¿QG\RX¶UH all the technological stuff
not going to be able to cut that its going to have, when
your way out of it,” he said. WKDW VWXII QHHGV WR EH ¿[HG
“However, until you start LWV QRW JHWWLQJ ¿[HG E\ D
cutting, you’re not going to handyman,” Plute said. “It’s
bring the public around to JRLQJWREHJHWWLQJ¿[HGE\
the fact that they need to pay a guy making $60 to $70 to
more money. They’ve asked $100 an hour or even more.”
Fire Chief Mike Ciraulo
for it. I say give it to them.”
Mayor Phillip Houk said his staff is currently
said amenities like Olney compiling the maintenance
Cemetery are going to be FRVWV RI WKH FXUUHQW ¿UH
consistent money losers for stations and talking with
the city, but they have an consultants of what the
important value in resident’s projected costs of the new
¿UHVWDWLRQZRXOGEH
lives.
———
Councilor Chuck Wood
Contact Antonio Sierra
agreed with Plute, saying
that the city needed to show at asierra@eastoregonian.
the public what kind of com or 541-966-0836.
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Elizabeth Doherty at Rocky Heights Elementary.
come,” he said.
Elizabeth said after she
spotted the money she and
her dad walked around to
some nearby businesses to
ask if anyone was looking
for it, then drove to the police
department. The doors were
ORFNHGEXWDQRI¿FHUVSRWWHG
them and asked if he could
help and they turned the
money over to him.
On Tuesday her teacher at
Rocky Heights Elementary
got a call asking if the police
could talk to the class, and a
few minutes later Edmiston
showed up and presented
her with a department patch
and a letter of recognition.
In the letter, he said being a
SROLFHRI¿FHUFDQEHGLI¿FXOW
EHFDXVH RI¿FHUV VSHQG VR
much time dealing with
people who hurt others.
“You are none of these
things, and people like you
are the reason why the men
and women of the Herm-
iston Police Department put
their uniforms on every day
and come to work to make
a positive impact on this
community,” he wrote.
He thanked Elizabeth for
her integrity and said that
ZKHQ WKH GHSDUWPHQW ¿QGV
the owner of the money
they will be sure to let the
person know they got it back
because of an “amazing
10-year-old girl who did the
right thing.”
The rightful owner of the
money can call the depart-
ment’s evidence/property
technician at 541-667-5108
to describe the item and
make arrangements to get it
back.
———
Contact Jade McDowell
at jmcdowell@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4536.
HERMISTON
Bridal show provides one-stop wedding planning
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Wedding planning is made easier as
people have an opportunity to talk to
wedding professionals, gather informa-
tion and get inspired during the Eastern
Oregon Bridal Show.
“Brides are often totally unprepared
for the amount of planning a wedding
takes. After all, it’s usually a once in a
lifetime event,” said Stacey Miles, the
show’s producer.
Working in the wedding industry
since 2008, Miles owns Uniquely, I
Do and Stone Ridge Event Center. The
Tri-Cities entrepreneur enjoys working
with brides and wedding professionals.
Producing the show with Daniell
McAfee, owner of H&M Photography,
Miles is passionate about supporting
wedding professionals and ensuring
brides have the resources available to
plan the wedding of their dreams.
The Eastern Oregon Bridal Show is
Sunday, Feb. 21 from noon to 4 p.m. at
the Hermiston Conference Center, 415
S. Highway 395. It includes a wedding
fashion show at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at
the door. Brides-to-be who buy a $5
ticket in advance can have someone
accompany them for free, or for $10 she
can bring up to 10 guests with her to the
show.
The bridal show features wedding
JRZQVEULGHVPDLGVÀRZHUJLUOGUHVVHV
creative designers, photographers,
health and beauty experts and much
more. Some people come just for the
fashion show to see all the beautiful
gowns, Miles said.
“It is a day to learn, gather infor-
mation, meet vendors and simply have
fun,” Miles said. “Brides will be able
BRIEFLY
Hansell’s water
bill passes Senate
Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini
Sean Perkins of Desert Sounds Mobile DJ announces a bridal wear
fashion show during a past Eastern Oregon Bridal Show. The event, which
offers one-stop wedding planning, is Sunday, Feb. 21 at the Hermiston
Conference Center.
WR WDVWH VDPSOHV VPHOO ÀRZHUV ORRN
through picture books, try on and buy
wedding dresses. We encourage the
professionals attending our show to be
as interactive as possible.”
Most of the vendors hold drawings,
discounts, giveaways and promotions
at their booths. In addition, the bridal
show will give away $250 to one lucky
bride to spend on her wedding. Also,
there will be other prizes and gifts.
The brides, Miles said, will go home
with information, tools and resources
that will be invaluable as they plan their
special day.
For more information, contact
stacey@eobridalshow.com, 509-948-
6974 or visit www.eobridalshow.com.
———
Contact Community Editor Tammy
Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4539
SALEM — The Oregon
Senate has passed a bill to
help homeowners conserve
water during times of
drought.
Senate Bill 1529,
sponsored by Bill Hansell,
R-Athena, passed 21-7
on Feb. 9, with two
senators excused from
voting. It now goes to the
Oregon House for further
consideration.
As written, the bill
would prohibit homeowner
associations from
requiring members to
water their lawns while
a state-declared drought
is in effect. Gov. Kate
Brown declared a drought
emergency in two-thirds of
Oregon counties in 2015,
including Umatilla and
Morrow counties.
“Some homeowners
who belong to a
homeowner association
were required by HOA
regulations to water their
lawns when cities might
not have enough water
to make it through the
summer,” Hansell said.
“This is a common sense
approach to conserve water
and protect homeowners
from unreasonable HOA
requirements during a
drought.”
6%ZDVWKH¿UVW
Republican-sponsored bill
to pass the Senate during
the 2016 short legislative
session.
Fundraiser set for
Ferguison family
IONE — A spaghetti
IHHGWREHQH¿W0LNH
Ferguison, who is battling
cancer, is planned this
weekend in Ione.
The event is Friday
beginning at 4:30 p.m.
in the cafeteria at Ione
Community School, 445
Spring St. In addition
to spaghetti, the meal
includes salad, bread and
a brownie. The cost is $6,
with all proceeds going to
Ferguison and his family.
For more information,
contact bridgett.alldritt@
ionesd.org.
Mystery stench invades Pendleton
East Oregonian
Pendleton stinks.
At least it stunk on
Wednesday afternoon.
The cause, though, was
GLI¿FXOWWRSLQSRLQW
Pendleton public works
director Bob Patterson said
the city’s wastewater treat-
ment plant is not the source
of the stench.
“Even on the worst
summer day, our plant
doesn’t smell like it does
outside right now,” Patterson
said in an email.
He said his best guess
is that a cattle feedlot or
dairy operation is behind the
stench.
“I believe the source of
the odor is from the west
end of Umatilla County
and Morrow County, and
the wind conditions are just
right to bring the odor up
river — coming out of the
northwest,” he stated.
The National Weather
Service reported stagnant
air this week is over much
of Umatilla County and
the
eastern
Columbia
River Gorge. A “ridge of
high pressure” has trapped
“pollutants at or near the
surface,” according to an
advisory from the service.
Tom Hack is an air
quality specialist with the
Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality in
3HQGOHWRQ7KHVWHQFK¿OOLQJ
nostrils in Pendleton “was
not good,” he said, but he
was unable to pinpoint just
where it was coming from.
He said if it is manure it
is not likely to be dangerous,
although people who are
sensitive to the smell should
stay indoors.
Hack noted that wind
patterns are expected to shift
Thursday and Friday, so
the stench should not stick
around long.
The Place for Lovebirds
S ATURDAY & S UNDAY , F EB . 13 & 14
A Drama By
Tennessee Williams
Bleu Cheese Topped Sirloin
Fire Roasted Salmon with Mango Salsa
Live Music Saturday
AT
9 PM IN THE SALOON
DAKOTA BROWN
F R E E
-
N O
C O V E R
CALL FOR
RESERVATIONS
Saloon Opens at 4 PM • Dinner beginning at 5 PM
541.278.1100
H AMLEY S TEAK H OUSE
COURT & MAIN • DOWNTOWN PENDLETON
BY PERMISSION OF DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE
January 29, 30, February 5, 6, 7*, 12, 13, 14* 2016
ltww.org | 1130 E. Sumach
Directed by Jef Schlicher
Produced by Marion Inglis & Judy Schlicher
For more information or questions, call 509-529-3683.
* Matinee performance