REGION
Thursday, April 14, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
PENDLETON
City council debates on how to communicate
capacity without direction from the
council.”
Corbett said he doesn’t have an
Opinions on city communica- easy answer to how to respond to
tion were in no short supply at a criticism.
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Pendleton City Council workshop
for nine of you,” he said. “Any
Tuesday.
,QWHU0RXWDLQ(GXFDWLRQ6HUYLFH time a letter is written, generally,
District spokeswoman Michele one of you comes to me and says,
Madril, who the city hired on µ:HUHDOO\QHHGWRUHVSRQGWRWKDW¶
contract to help formulate a commu- ,UHDOO\GRQ¶WSUHWHQGWRNQRZZKDW
nications plan, presented a revised the right way to manage that is.”
&RXQFLORU &KXFN :RRG VDLG
version to the council. One of the
revisions was additional language the answer was hiring a public
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on how to respond to criticism.
“Responding to public criticism that could “publicly position” the
seems to lengthen the time that council on how to respond to city
controversial issues involving the issues.
“There’s been comments made
city remain in the media and/or at
the forefront of citizens’ minds,” WR PH µ:HOO LVQ¶W WKDW WKH FLW\
the plan states. “Therefore, it is the manager’s job? Shouldn’t he be the
city’s policy not to respond to public 3,2"¶,GRQ¶WWKLQNVR,WKLQN5REE
comments or letters. This means if a has too much on his plate to be able
letter is written to the editor of the WRGRWKDW´:RRGVDLG
As a longtime employee in
newspaper, neither city employees
nor city council members will write the private sector, Councilor
D UHVSRQVH DFWLQJ LQ WKHLU RI¿FLDO Tom Young agreed on the need
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
for a spokesman.
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GRHV WKLV´ <RXQJ VDLG ³, GRQ¶W
understand how any company can
just allow the media, a citizen,
whatever, to pick up the phone, call
a manager and say ‘Tell me about
WKLV¶,WKLQNLWQHHGVWRKDYHDIRFDO
point, there needs to be information
releases and it needs to be approved
by someone.”
0DGULO VDLG ¿OWHULQJ DOO SXEOLF
communication through a single
spokesman wouldn’t be feasible,
but an employee could be focused
on creating an “overarching posi-
tive image” with the public.
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recognizes we’re doing good work
and puts it out there,” Corbett said.
“Or attaches the good work you do
at a council meeting and puts it in a
EULH¿QJWKDW¶VSXWRXWWRWKHSXEOLF
so that way, when they read some-
thing in the newspaper, they can
pull that up and get the city’s side
of what happened at the meeting.”
Councilor Becky Marks said city
councilors have a duty to respond
to the citizenry and said she was
more concerned about the city’s
communications being truthful and
transparent than positive.
Plute took issue with being
“handcuffed” when responding to
criticism.
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have the right to talk to their
constituency and even write letters
WR WKH QHZVSDSHU , GRQ¶W WKLQN
that should be taken away,” he said.
Corbett said he could revise the
criticism response section to only
include only city employees.
Councilor
McKennon
McDonald said she has spoken
with members of the Hermiston
City Council on how they improved
their image, which they attributed
to assigning communication duties
to the assistant city manager.
McDonald proposed giving
communication duties to an
employee with knowledge and
skills — and other responsibilities.
“My fear is that after you get
all established, what is that person
going to do for the other six hours
of the day after they’ve updated
things and kept things current
and post about things?” she said.
³%HFDXVH,IHHOWKDWWKHUH¶VRQO\VR
much information the city can put
out at one time for the community
to absorb it.”
:LWK WKH FUHDWLRQ RI D SRWHQWLDO
position on the line and council
turnover looming, Councilor Neil
Brown suggested the council table
the issue until some of the new
councilors start their terms.
Corbett said it might be better
to adopt the communication plan
sooner, while the city budget is
being formulated and city staff
could brief new councilors on the
SODQRQFHWKH\WDNHRI¿FH
———
Contact Antonio Sierra at
asierra@eastoregonian.com
or
541-966-0836.
BOARDMAN
Anna King
Woman charged for abusing memorials to the dead
shares stories of
the ‘Daughters
of Hanford’
at Riverview Cemetery, 301
Columbia Ave N.E., according
to Shimer’s probable cause
A Boardman woman found DUUHVWDI¿GDYLW:KHQKHDUULYHG
with a pile of mementos that he found Heather Marie Payne,
had been placed on six graves 40, of Boardman, in the south
could face more charges than half of the cemetery.
Payne told Shimer she was
just abusing memorials to the
being paid to clean up her
dead.
Morrow County District family’s grave sites. He noted
Attorney Justin Nelson said this multiple items she had put into
LVKLV¿UVWWLPHGHDOLQJZLWKWKDW a pile were broken. Shimer
brought in the cemetery care-
particular misdemeanor.
%RDUGPDQ SROLFH RI¿FHU taker as well as the secretary
George Shimer responded to of the cemetery board and
a call Sunday at 8:24 a.m. of the three determined Payne
a woman “throwing stuff” removed items from six graves.
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
East Oregonian
Anna King is passionate about telling the
VWRULHVRIZRPHQZKRVHOLYHVKDYHEHHQLQÀX-
enced by their work at the Hanford nuclear site.
.LQJWKH5LFKODQG:DVKEXUHDXFKLHIIRU
the Northwest News Network, spoke at the
Eastern Oregon Forum
Tuesday night about the
“Daughters of Hanford”
project.
Plutonium
was
produced at Hanford
GXULQJ :RUOG :DU ,, DQG
WKH &ROG :DU IRU DWRPLF
weapons, and has left the
site — near the banks
of the Columbia River King
north of the Tri-Cities —
contaminated with more radioactive waste than
any other site in the country.
This radioactive waste includes “daughter
products” — formed by the decay of radioactive
isotopes. These products, as well as the lives
of the women involved, have been changed by
Hanford.
King’s 12-part radio series documents
WKH VWRULHV RI ZRPHQ VXFK DV /HRQD :RRGV
Marshall Libby, the only woman physicist who
worked at Hanford’s B Reactor as part of the
Manhattan Project in the 1940s, and Natalie
Swan, a Yakama tribal member and biologist
who is working to restore and protect the
Hanford environment for future generations.
King’s hope is that telling the stories of the
women of Hanford will inspire girls and young
women to get involved.
The “Daughters of Hanford” exhibit at
the REACH interpretive center in Richland
is the result of a collaboration between King,
photojournalist Kai-Huei Yau, and artist and
:DVKLQJWRQ 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ SURIHVVRU 'RXJ
Gast.
On Tuesday, April 19, John Turner will speak
at the Eastern Oregon Forum on “America and
:RUOGSRVW::,,´DWSPLQ%0&&¶V5RRP
ST-200.
1H[W:HGQHVGD\$SULO$QQD.LQJZLOO
return to Pendleton to speak at the Blue Moun-
tain Community College Arts & Culture Festival
about her experiences covering the standoff at
WKH0DOKHXU1DWLRQDO:LOGOLIH5HIXJHLQ+DUQH\
County in January. Her presentation will be held
in the Bob Clapp Theater at 1 p.m.
there are laws for damaging
headstones and graves, but
abusing memorials to the dead
has wider applications. He also
said he argued to keep Payne in
the Umatilla County Jail, Pend-
leton, because she has skipped
court appearances in the past.
Local circuit judges were at
a conference, Nelson said, so
Circuit Judge Robert Morgan
of Union County presided over
the case. He allowed Payne to
go free. Nelson said he doubted
Payne would show up for her
April 28 hearing, and missing
the date could lead to a felony.
BRIEFLY
property, possess up to 8 ounces
of marijuana in their homes and
can carry up to 1 ounce.
Tree city celebration
set for next week
ECHO — Umatilla County’s
¿UVW³WUHHFLW\´LVSD\LQJ
homage to the importance of
trees in the run-up to Arbor Day
on April 29.
Echo is currently offering a
free tree to all new homeowners
in the city, and paying half
the cost of new trees for other
residents who pre-arrange to
purchase one. Trees should
arrive around May 1.
The public library housed
at city hall is also adding
more books about trees to its
collection, and each elementary
school class at Echo School is
being given a tree book to add to
their classroom library.
On April 20 the city will
hold its annual tree celebration
at 12:35 p.m. downtown.
The afternoon includes
stations for students to learn
about everything from leaf
LGHQWL¿FDWLRQWRIRUHVW¿UHV
giveaways, a coloring contest
and refreshments. Members of
the public are also invited to
participate.
The city recently installed its
¿UVWWUHHDUWSDUWRIDQLQLWLDWLYH
by the Echo Art Committee.
The giant metal tree was placed
in front of the old service
station, and a second piece of
art by artist Douglas Gisi will be
placed in front of the old Echo
Police arrest mother
at courthouse
EO file photo
Echo city manager Diane Berry, left, introduces America in
Bloom judge Leslie Pittenger, right, in front of the newly
christened Dorn Tree at Fort Henrietta Park in June 2015.
Hotel soon.
This year will mark Echo’s
WK\HDUDVD7UHH&LW\86$
7RGD\FLWLHVLQ2UHJRQ
have earned that designation
but Echo is only one of 15 to
receive a Tree Growth Award
for going above and beyond the
requirements for planting and
maintaining trees in town.
Pot business question
goes to voters
0,/721)5((:$7(5
(AP) — Milton-Freewater
RI¿FLDOVDUHDOORZLQJYRWHUV
to decide whether marijuana
businesses should be banned in
May 8th
Let your mother know
how much she is
appreciated & loved!
Publishes in the Hermiston Herald May 4th
Publishes in the East Oregonian May 7th
SAMPLE
Happy Mother’s Day
For a very special mother!
Your Name
Turn in a photo & short message for your mom.
Runs in EO & the HH for only $25 per spot
Contact: Stephanie Newsom
541-278-2687 • snewsom@eastoregonian.com
Your Name:
Phone Number:
Mother’s Name:
Message:
6KLPHULQWKHDI¿GDYLWVWDWHG
he told Payne people use the
mementos to show their grief.
Payne told the cop “the stuff
was garbage, and that it should
be illegal to put on grave sites.”
Shimer then reported he
watched Payne take a can of
Coke that had been placed on a
grave, open it and drink it.
Shimer arrested Payne for
second-degree theft and six
counts of abusing memorials to
the dead.
Nelson said the state on
Monday arraigned Payne, who
pleaded not guilty. He said
Send in, or drop by your photo
and information to:
211 SE Byers, Pendleton, OR 97801
333 E. Main, Hermiston, OR 97838
or email snewsom@eastoregonian.com
city limits.
The city council voted
Monday to put a pot-ban
measure on the Nov. 8 general
election ballot. They also
approved a resolution that calls
for a 3 percent tax on pot sales
if voters choose to lift the city’s
current ban.
The council’s decision comes
after it voted in December
against changing the city’s
zoning laws to allow retail or
medical pot dispensaries.
The city’s current marijuana
ban doesn’t affect personal
possession or growing.
Oregon adults are allowed to
grow up to four plants on their
PENDLETON — A
\HDUROGZRPDQZDVDUUHVWHG
:HGQHVGD\PRUQLQJDWWKH
Umatilla County Courthouse
DIWHURI¿FHUVVD\VKHEHFDPH
physically combative during
a supervised visit with her
1-year-old daughter.
8QGHUVKHULII-LP/LWWOH¿HOG
said Carlin Suzanne Sacco was
visiting her daughter under the
supervision of the Department
of Human Services when she
became irritated with the DHS
case worker. Near the end of
the visit, Sacco refused to give
the child back and allegedly
pushed and hit the worker, who
sustained minor injuries.
7ZRVHFXULW\RI¿FHUV
responded and had to physically
remove the child, according
WRWKHVKHULII¶VRI¿FH7KH
child was not harmed. Sacco
continued to struggle and
argue throughout the incident,
and was booked into county
jail on misdemeanor charges
of resisting arrest, reckless
endangering, aggravated assault
and obstructing governmental or
judicial administration.
Bail was set at $20,000.