REGION
Friday, February 19, 2016
East Oregonian
HERMISTON
High school modulars coming
to keep up with enrollment boom
3DUNLQJDQGWUDI¿F
changes implemented
By JENNIFER COLTON
East Oregonian
The Hermiston School District will
add six temporary classrooms at Herm-
iston High School next month.
The classrooms will provide a
stop-gap solution to the district’s rapid
enrollment growth.
Although the district planned for more
students, January enrollment almost
doubled those predictions: The district
forecast an increase of 112 students from
January 2015 to January 2016, but actual
enrollment came in at 212 more students
over that time period.
Of district schools, Hermiston High
School has the most students. The school’s
current enrollment stands at 1,471;
however, the senior class of 2016 has 289
students, and next year’s freshman class
is expected to be about 375. Those extra
100 students could put the high school
over its 1,600 student capacity — which
does not include participants in the online
and alternative school programs, who
may use high school facilities.
Facing that crunch, the Hermiston
School Board discussed the rental of
three modular buildings that could each
house two classrooms. Funded from the
district’s general fund, the rental was
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year and $60,000 for any additional years.
In the coming weeks, the three modular
buildings will be erected between the
HHS parking lot and the Weber Field
parking lot. The classrooms will remove
21 parking spaces.
“The district is experiencing record
student growth, and modular facilities
are necessary to accommodate the
added students,” said Mike Kay, district
executive director of operations. “We
realize the impact the buildings will have
Graphic contributed by Hermiston School District
Three modulars will be added to the Hermiston High School parking lot,
changing the low of trafic on the east side of the school.
on parking and appreciate the patience
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community.”
The location of the classrooms had
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within the parking lots will be rerouted
for student safety.
All buses will enter in the northern
First Street entrance and exit out the
southern First Street driveway. The
district asks parents dropping off students
to enter from Highland Avenue and either
drop students off in front of the school
— exiting out the southern First Street
exit — or on the southern side of the
high school along Highland Avenue and
exiting out the western Highland Avenue
exit.
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district will make the northern lot in front
of the school available for staff only. Staff
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the window. The staff parking lot is the
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school staff arrive before and leave after
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The handicapped, police and visitor
parking spaces at the front of the school
will remain unchanged, according to
district staff. Students will be able to park
in the Weber Field lot, in the southern
lot in front of the building, and along
Highland Avenue.
The district has stated it will place the
classrooms during spring break to avoid
summer construction impacts on high
school graduation, the Umatilla County
Fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo.
Page 3A
Wanted felon
eludes area police
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
$ PDQ ÀHG SROLFH RQ
foot Wednesday night
after leading local law
enforcement on a car chase
that started in College
Place and ended in Oregon
just south of the
Washington state
line, according
to Walla Walla
police.
Police
are
seeking
Cager
J. York, 23,
for
numerous
crimes as well
as outstanding
York
warrants.
“(York)
is
believed to be armed and
extremely dangerous and
should not be approached if
seen,” a police news release
said. York has a local crim-
inal history, including rape,
methamphetamine charges
and attempting to elude.
<RUN ZDV LGHQWL¿HG
as a passenger in a white
'RGJH ÀDWEHG SLFNXS
by Walla Walla’s Career
Criminal
Apprehension
Team detectives just after 6
p.m., a police news release
said.
The pickup failed to
stop for them in the area of
Southeast Meadowbrook
6WUHHW ÀHHLQJ HDVW RQ
Taumarson Road then
south on Plaza Way.
According
to
the
release, the driver then
jumped from the moving
vehicle and was detained
E\SROLFH+HWROGRI¿FHUV
York had threatened him
with a gun pressed to his
ribs and telling him to not
stop. Police withheld the
driver’s identity.
York moved into the
driver’s seat and continued
WRÀHHSROLFH
7LUHÀDWWHQLQJ VSLNH
strips were deployed
where Plaza Way turns into
Old Milton Highway, but
York continued
to drive on the
rims, the release
said.
The
chase
ended
when
York pulled into
the parking lot
of The Cigarette
Store, south of
the intersection
of State Route
125 and Stateline
Road in Oregon.
York and a woman got
out of the pickup and into
a Cadillac York had parked
there earlier, the release
said.
York was boxed in by
ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW EXW ÀHG
the car on foot.
Milton-Freewater
police, Umatilla and Walla
Walla County sheriff’s
deputies and Oregon State
Police troopers assisted
searching for York for
about three hours after
the pursuit, but he was not
found.
The
woman,
24-year-old Michaela R.
Garica, of Pendleton, was
arrested by Milton-Free-
water police on two felony
Umatilla County warrants
and lodged in the Umatilla
County Jail in Pendleton.
Anyone with infor-
mation
about
York’s
whereabouts is urged to
call Walla Walla detectives
at 527-1960.
BRIEFLY
St., Hermiston. Different
books are discussed each
month.
For more information
about the library clubs, call
541-567-2882.
City removes 16
tons of debris from
Pendleton home
PENDLETON — The
cleanup of Dave Gately’s
Pendleton property didn’t
come cheap.
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fees and assessments, but
Gately will have to pay a
$4,900 lien to cover the
costs.
According to Police
Chief Stuart Roberts, the
police department and
contract workers removed
more than 16 tons of debris
from the home owned by a
man commonly known as
“Bottle Dave.”
Roberts wrote in an
email that most property
owners work with police to
clean their properties and
do not require the forced
abatement initiated at
Gately’s property.
“As of today, we
currently have 16
properties being monitored
for compliance post
LGHQWL¿FDWLRQDVVHVVPHQW
QRWL¿FDWLRQRIYLRODWLRQV
and education,” he wrote.
“We do the best we can to
work with property owners
so we do not have to abate
properties. For example, the
Gately process started in
September 2015, but did not
end up being abated until
January 2016.”
Gately attributed the
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a hoarding habit and
was planning to seek
treatment at the Veterans
Administration hospital in
Walla Walla.
A GoFundMe account
has been set up to help
Gately pay back the city,
with the goal of raising
$10,000.
WW.Friends plans
potluck
PENDLETON — Area
widows and widowers are
invited to a WW.Friends
event.
The group meets
monthly for friendship
Auction rafÀe
bene¿ts 'esert
View
EO file photo
In this Jan. 14 ile photo, Pendleton Police and a work
crew from Eastern Oregon Environmental Recovery
clean up items from the home of Dave Gately.
and to share positive
experiences. The upcoming
gathering features an
old-fashioned dinner
potluck Wednesday, Feb.
24 at 5:30 p.m. at 511 N.W.
Eighth St., Pendleton.
People are invited to bring a
dish to share with others.
For more information,
call 541-276-2790 or
541-276-4708.
Local leaders to
discuss updating
housing study
PENDLETON — As
Pendleton climbs out of
recession, Blue Mountain
Community College,
Round-Up City Develop-
ment Corp. and the city
government are teaming up
to update a 2011 housing
study.
Five years ago, the city
commissioned Sabino
Community Development
Resources of Tucson,
Arizona, to conduct a study
on Pendleton’s housing.
The study concluded
that housing was scarce,
low quality and aging. It
recommended updating the
city’s comprehensive plan
and partnering with local
developers.
Despite some gains
since then — 156 total
new homes and apartment
units — a lack of affordable
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cant obstacle to Pendleton’s
Live Music
9:00
PM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Carter
Freeman
8 S.E. COURT, PENDLETON
541.278.1100
growth.
Like the last study,
a committee will be
comprised of local
stakeholders, including
representatives from the
construction, real estate,
HQHUJ\DQGEXVLQHVV¿HOGV
Also returning to chair
the effort is John Turner,
a member of the RCDC,
former president of BMCC
and a candidate for mayor.
The committee will hold
LWV¿UVWSXEOLFPHHWLQJDW
the community room in
Pendleton City Hall Feb. 26
at 1:30 p.m.
HERMISTON — A
family-friendly event will
KHOSUDLVHPRQH\IRU¿HOG
trips, library books and
classroom projects at Desert
View Elementary School.
In its ninth year, the
$XFWLRQDQG5DIÀHLV
Thursday, Feb. 25 from 5-7
p.m. at the school, 1225
S.W. Ninth St., Hermiston.
Sponsored by the Desert
View Parent Club, the event
features a live auction, silent
auction, food and games for
kids.
For more information,
contact Shannon Picard at
spicard28@hotmail.com.
Relay for Life
hosts bingo
fundraiser
PENDLETON — Five
grand prizes are up for grabs
during a charity bingo game
Library offers
WKDWZLOOEHQH¿W3HQGOHWRQ
Relay for Life.
activity clubs
The event is Saturday,
HERMISTON — The
Feb. 27 from 6-8 p.m. at
Hermiston Public Library
Hamley Steakhouse, 8 S.E.
has three clubs that meet
Court Ave., Pendleton.
regularly at the library, 235
People are invited to come
E. Gladys Ave.
early for a no-host social
The Yarn Club meets
from 5-6 p.m.
twice weekly: Thursdays at
Bingo cards, which are
5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at
IRU¿YHFDOOLQJVDUH
10:00 a.m.
each or 15 for $50. Those
The Origami Club for
planning to play can RSVP
Adults is a recent addition
or purchase cards at the
to the library. It meets the
door. The winner from
¿UVW6DWXUGD\RIHDFKPRQWK each round will draw for
from 1-4 p.m.
grand prizes. For more
The Photography Club,
information, call 541-377-
which started in January,
0350.
meets the second Tuesday at
The Pendleton Relay
5:30 p.m.
for Life event, which raises
In addition,
money for the American
Bookminders,the library’s
Cancer Society, is June
book club, meets the second 17 at Sunridge Middle
Wednesday of the month at
School. The next team
11:30 a.m. at The Pheasant
meeting is Thursday, Feb.
Bar & Grill, 149 E. Main
Tonia Mulcare
Auto
Health
Home
Life
Tonia Mulcare
541/289-3300 • 800/225-2521
The Stratton Agency
Hermiston/Pendleton • stratton-insurance.com
Family Insurance Agent
25 at 5:30 p.m. in the
cafeteria meeting room
at St. Anthony Hospital,
2801 St. Anthony Way,
Pendleton. The committee
meets afterwards at 6 p.m.
For more information, call
Gert Hawthorne at 541-215-
9767, Carol Preston at
541-379-6294 or visit www.
pendletonrelay.org.
Foundation offers
redbud trees
NEBRASKA CITY,
Nebraska — Oregon
residents who join the Arbor
Day Foundation during
the month of February will
receive 10 free Eastern
redbud trees.
The promotion is part of
WKHQRQSUR¿WIRXQGDWLRQ¶V
Trees for America
campaign. The 6- to 12-inch
trees, which are guaranteed
to grow or will be replaced
free of charge, and planting
instructions will be shipped
between March 1 and
May 31. Members also
receive a subscription to
the foundation’s bimonthly
publication, which contains
information about planting
and care.
To become a member
of the foundation, send a
$10 contribution to 10 Free
Eastern Redbud Trees,
Arbor Day Foundation,
100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska
City, NE 68410. For more
information, visit www.
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Spray Rodeo to
hold queen tryouts
SPRAY — Queen tryouts
for the May 28-29 Spray
Rodeo will be Saturday,
March 26 at noon at the
Spray Rodeo grounds.
Contestants do not have
to be local or Wheeler
County residents, but they
must be at least 15 years
old and never have been
married or had children.
For more information
or an application, call
541-468-2442.
Mango
offers college
scholarships
Area libraries provide
access to an online
language-learning program
called Mango.
The program allows
learners to practice language
with native speakers.
They provide a fun way
WREHFRPHSUR¿FLHQWLQD
foreign language.
This year, they’re
kicking off Mango
Scholarships, a new
program to energize college
and university campuses
around language and
cultural diversity. Mango
Languages will award
three $1,000 scholarships
to undergraduate or
graduate students to
support academic goals and
pursuits. Applications are
open through March 31.
The application process
features one key question:
How has language and
culture enriched your life?
Give your answer however
you want — through
video, song, dance, art or
writing. They are looking
for passionate, innovative
responses.
To be eligible, applicants
must be enrolled as
an undergraduate or
graduate student at a
college or university in
the United States. For
details on eligibility
and selection criteria,
YLVLWKWWSFDPSDLJQV
PDQJRODQJXDJHVFRP
scholarships or stop by your
local library.