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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 4, 2016)
REGION Wednesday, May 4, 2016 MILTON-FREEWATER Three oficers remain on leave in wake of shooting Suspect shot at them during high- speed car chase By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Three Milton-Freewater police oficers remain on leave after their involve- ment Thursday night in a shooting. Milton-Freewater City Manager Linda Hall said the absences are squeezing the 11-oficer police department. “You do what you have to do to provide coverage for the city,” she said. Hall did not know when the oficers would return to work. Other city cops are putting in overtime to ill the gap, she said, but the staff have not complained. Hall also said she would wait for Oregon State Police or Umatilla County District Attorney Dan Primus to release the identities of the oficers involved. She did not think releasing that information was the city’s business while the investi- gation continues. The three oficers returned ire at a suspect who shot at them during and after a high-speed car chase Thursday night in the small city, according to a written statement from Primus. At least one oficer shot the suspect “in a lower extremity,” according to the statement, causing a non-life threatening injury. Primus said on Tuesday he was not certain if the suspect was still at Prov- idence St. Mary Medical Center, Walla Walla. He said he plans to release another statement Tuesday or Wednesday. Primus also said he will take evidence about the shooting to a grand jury just as he has done in other police shootings, but he did not have a date yet for that. While three oficers were involved, he said that does not necessarily make the investigation more complex than other police shootings. His ofice and local investi- gators have dealt with other shootings involving more than one oficer. Primus also said he might soon be able to identify the oficers and suspect. Hall said the last time a Milton-Freewater oficer shot someone was in 2007, when a cop ired in defense at a suspect trying to run him over. For now, she said, the city is meeting the police department’s short stafing one day at a time. ——— Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0833. PENDLETON Schools, college, county team up for career program East Oregonian The Pendleton School District announced Tuesday the start of the Connections to Careers program, a collab- oration between the district, Blue Mountain Community College and Umatilla County to bolster the schools’ career technical education program. The district will use a portion of a $390,745 CTE grant it recently received from the state to contract with Susan Bower of Eastern Oregon Business Source to establish the program. The county and BMCC will also contribute funds to the program. “Under the 12-month contract, Bower will serve as the project manager and will hire and supervise a School to Careers Coordinator,” a press release announcing the program states. “Together, they will build and market the program, develop employer connections and place students in learning experiences for the 2016-17 school year.” When the year is up, Bower will help transition the program from Eastern Oregon Business Source to the Pendleton School District. In a statement, Bower said she got the idea from Umatilla County Workforce Needs Study, the results of which will be presented at an economic development summit Thursday. Oficials from all three collaborators all released statements supporting Connections to Careers. “Part of what is exciting to me about this collaboration is the opportunity to make our grant funds go farther through partnerships,” district CTE Coordinator Curt Thompson said. “It also allows us to more eficiently connect with the larger business community, accel- erating the building of those relationships.” Umatilla County Commis- sioner Bill Elfering said the program would further the county’s economic develop- ment goals. “More jobs bring more home sales and additional tax revenue and that’s what we want,” Elfering said. BMCC President Cam Preus said the college was backing the program because it would offer many of the same opportunities — job shadows, job tours, career work experience and possibly internships — to BMCC students. People interested in applying for the schools and careers coordinator position can contact Bower by calling 541-215-9252 or emailing susanbower@eobusiness- source.com. PENDLETON — The Pendleton School Board unanimously agreed to sign a new lease to use the Round-Up Grounds for sporting events and the district’s graduation cere- mony. Michelle Jones, the district’s director of business services, said it was a year- long lease with a $500 deposit that’s fully refundable. Previ- ously, the district entered into multi-year leases with the Round-Up Association and paid a $2,500 deposit. The school plays its home football games on the ield and the baseball team uses Fallen Field on the northwest corner of the property. The Pendleton School District and the Round-Up Association have been negotiating for months, Page 3A HERMISTON Arts festival blooms downtown By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian Spring is in the air, and with it comes the Eastern Oregon Arts Festival. In its 12th year, event organizers are excited to offer kid’s activities and entertainment, and to showcase regional artists. Chris Huffman is the featured artist-in-action. The Hermiston man will create his popular metal sculptures during the festival. “He’s going to be working on a metal sculpture that will eventually go some- place in the city,” said Phyllis Shovelski, festival co-chair and president of Desert Arts Council. “Chris has been at the festival before and his work is familiar to many people.” The event kicks off Friday with an artist reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Big Tent, located at Second Street and Gladys Avenue in front of Hermiston City Hall. The cost is $10, which includes meeting the artists and juror, live music and light refreshments. Beverages, including wine and beer, will be available for purchase. The main festival event, which is free, gets underway Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Professional artists from around the region will display and sell their artistic creations under the Big Tent, in booths in the festival area and in some businesses in the 100-200 block of East Main Street. Artists will be available to talk to people and answer questions about their artwork and creative process. “We thought by moving it to a central location, we would have more of a festival atmosphere,” Shovelski said. “We’ve added a number of activities and more things for kids to do. There will be a little something for everyone.” The artwork featured includes a mixture of styles from realism to modern. People will be able to browse EO ile photo Children participate in an art activity during the 2015 Eastern Oregon Arts Festival in downtown Hermiston. The event kicks off Friday with an artist reception and continues Saturday with a variety of activities. and buy watercolors, photographs, hand-made jewelry, ceramics, prints, wood/metal art and more. In addition, a special group show featuring inmate artwork of individuals incarcerated at Two Rivers Correctional Institution will be available for view inside Grace & Mercy Lutheran Church, 164 E. Main St. Live entertainment includes Latin Fusion, a high-energy group from the Tri-Cities; Frazer Wambeke, a Hermiston High School graduate who performs professionally in the Tri-Cities and beyond; Dance Unlimited, the HHS jazz band and more. The festival also features demonstra- tions by the OSU Master Gardeners. Just in time for spring planting, they will discuss garden techniques, answer gardening questions and sell garden plants. Also at the festival will be Hermiston’s Own Farmers’ Market. Vendors will offer fresh produce, food items, jewelry and other arts and crafts. Also, be sure to check out the new demo stage for a variety of demonstrations and informative talks by local experts. Horse and buggy rides also will be available. For treats and beverages, be sure and stop by the food and wine garden for some tasty eats and drinks. For more information, visit www. desertartscouncil.com or www. facebook.com/DesertArts. For other questions, contact Heather LaBeau at hlabeau@hermiston.or.us or 541-667- 5010. ——— Contact Community Editor Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4539 BRIEFLY Agape House sweetens murder mystery event For more information or to purchase tickets, call 541-567-8774. HERMISTON — A special Mother’s Day dessert at Agape House will feature a murder mystery presentation. An Agape House fundraiser, “Murder Among the Lavender,” is Sunday at 6 p.m. at 500 Harper Road, Hermiston. The cost is $25 per person and includes chocolate cake, lavender ice cream and an interactive murder mystery. Dave Hughes, executive director at Agape House, picked up his pen again in writing the latest murder mystery event. This time, the plot centers around a candidates’ forum at the Blue Gulch Lavender Ranch. A highly contested election for mayor provides the ireworks for the event. The audience will enjoy a delectable dessert while trying to igure out “whodunnit.” Money raised from the event will go to support the missions of Agape House and Martha’s House in helping those in need. Social Sampler offers dance instruction PENDLETON — A variety of dances will be taught during upcoming classes offered through Pendleton Parks & Recreation. Dance Class: Social Sampler features different dances at each of the sessions. Participants will learn basic footwork while dancing to different rhythms and tempos. Featured dances include the cha cha, waltz, one-step swing, salsa, Couples Country Pattern and a line dance. In addition, Line Dance Beginning & Beyond focuses on that particular dance style. Both classes, which are open to ages 18 and older, begin Friday, May 20 and run for six weeks. The sampler session is from 6:15-7:15 p.m. and the line dance class is from 7:30- 8:30 p.m. at the Pendleton Recreation Center. Those who plan to attend need to pay the $24 registration fee by Friday, May 13. To register, visit www.pendletonparksandrec. com or stop by the parks ofice, 865 Tutuilla Road. For more information, call 541-276-8100. Parks department seeks food/ beverage vendors PENDLETON — Vendors interested in providing food or beer/wine service during Pendleton Parks and Recreation’s Wednesdays in The Park are invited to submit an application. The weekly concert series begins Wednesday, July 20 at 6 p.m. and runs for ive Wednesday nights at Roy Raley Park. The deadline to apply as a vendor is Wednesday, June 1. Successful applicants will be notiied by Wednesday, June 8. The vendors will be selected by the event coordination committee based on price and quality of food, variety of food, vendor qualiications and experience, completeness of the application and the needs of the event. For an application, visit www.pendletonparksandrec. com or stop by the parks ofice at 865 Tutuilla Road, Pendleton. For more information, call 541-276- 8100. CONSIGNMENT STORE OPEN! 20%-70% OFF Mom loves a gift certificate from Marla June’s! Mother’s Day SALES Thursday Friday & Saturday Special SALES all 3 days 217 SE Court, Pendleton, OR 97801 • 541-276-0778 5215 W. Clearwater, Kennewick, WA 99336 • 509-820-3187 811 W. Bannock, Boise, ID 83702 www.marlajunes.com FREE EVENT WAKE UP AMERICA National Day of Prayer NON-DENOMINATIONAL THURSDAY, MAY 5 • 6:308PM Service will be broadcast by LaLey 99.5FM with Spanish translation Armand Larive Middle School 1497 SW 9th St., Hermiston The service will include prayer time for each of the seven pillars of society: Pendleton School Board approves lease to use Round-Up Grounds East Oregonian East Oregonian GOVERNMENT: Oregon State Rep. Greg Smith MILITARY: Aaron Arron Palmquist Palmquest MEDIA: Daniel Wattenburger BUSINESS: Debbie Pedro EDUCATION: Kathryn Youngman CHURCH: Father Luis FAMILY: Debbie Cissna with the association initially requesting the district aid them in seeking tax exemp- tion with Umatilla County, a request the district eventually denied. Live music by Jacob Looper and New Beginnings Special music by Jay Tracy CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT CLASS Mother’s Day Prime Rib Buffet Sunday, May 8 10am - 2pm Featuring CARVED SLOW ROASTED PRIME RIB ROASTED RED POTATOES FRESH GREEN BEANS WITH BACON CHICKEN BUNKHOUSE PASTA WHISKY MEATBALLS FESTIVE SCRAMBLED EGGS APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON & SAUSAGE PATTIES HAMLEY BISCUITS & GRAVY CHEESE BLINTZES ASSORTED HAMLEY SALADS HOT ROLLS & BUTTER FRESH FRUIT SALAD ASSORTED DESSERTS Oregon - Utah - Valid 35 States PENDLETON Red Lion Inn: 304 SE Nye Ave. May 20 th • 1:00 pm & 6:00 pm Walk-Ins Welcome! ALL YOU CAN EAT 26 1 6 $ per person $ kids 5-12 OR/Utah: (Valid in WA) $80.00 or Oregon only: $45 www.FirearmTrainingNW.com • FirearmTrainingNW@gmail.com CALL TODAY FOR RESERVATIONS 360-921-2071 COURT & MAIN, PENDLETON 541.278.1100 OPTION 2