REGION
Thursday, June 30, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
MILTON-FREEWATER
HERMISTON
Walla Walla Police
name homicide suspect
Funfest adds Flying Dog Show
take about two months to
return, Walla Walla County
Coroner Richard Green-
wood said.
Walla Walla police have
Ledezma Rodriguez had
named Robert Gage Sreg- been missing since April 26.
zinski as the only suspect
Police
ran
down
in the late April killing of a numerous rumors and
Milton-Freewater man.
information received about
Police
spokesman the location of Ledezma
Oficer
Tim
Bennett Rodriguez’s body, and
said Sregzinski, 19, of police searched many
College
Place,
areas in Umatilla
is the suspect
and Walla Walla
in the homicide
counties before
of
34-year-old
discovering
it,
Gabriel Ledezma
Bennett said.
Rodriguez. Police
Umatilla
said
Tuesday
County Sheriff’s
the killing was
deputies assisted
believed to be
throughout
the
drug-related.
investigation
“Detectives
and during the
are
actively Sregzinski
recovery of the
preparing
their
body.
reports to be submitted to
Sregzinski is currently
the prosecuting attorney’s in the Umatilla County
ofice for consideration of Jail in Pendleton, awaiting
charges against Sregzinski,” trial on numerous charges
Bennett said.
after a shooting involving
First-degree
murder Milton-Freewater
police
with a irearm will likely be oficers during a high-speed
one of the charges, he said, pursuit the evening of April
and the reports should be 28, oficials said.
submitted next week.
Milton-Freewater ofi-
Ledezma Rodriguez is cers stopped Sregzinski in a
believed to have been killed 2007 Ford Focus in the area
in the basement apartment of Turbyne and Grant roads.
of 1589 E. Alder St. His Sregzinski failed to obey
body was found the evening the oficers’ instructions and
of May 27 southeast of sped off, according to the
Milton-Freewater, about 10 Umatilla County District
miles northwest of Harris Attorney’s Ofice.
Park on Cache Hollow
A
search
warrant
Road near where that road obtained for Sregzinski’s
connects with Walla Walla vehicle located “guns, black
River Road.
ski masks, rubber gloves, a
Bennett said Ledezma roll of duct tape and more.”
Rodriguez suffered at least
“We’ve been unable
one gunshot wound, but to conirm if the weapons
wouldn’t comment if there recovered after the pursuit
were other gunshot wounds were used in the homicide,”
or additional injuries.
Bennett said.
“The identiication of the
In the Milton-Freewater
irearm used in the homi- case, bail was set at $1.13
cide has not been conirmed million for Sregzinski,
at this time,” he said.
who was wounded after
Toxicology tests for the pursuit when oficers
Ledezma Rodriguez will returned ire.
By STEPHANIE
TSHAPPAT
Union-Bulletin
PENDLETON
Fireworks show returns
to regular holiday date
By WILL DENNER
East Oregonian
Pendleton’s
annual
Fourth of July ireworks
show will return to its
regular holiday slot this
year.
In 2015, after no
organization stepped up
to put on the show, the
Pendleton
chapter
of
Fraternal Order of Eagles
agreed to a contract with
the ireworks company to
host a show on July 3. The
show was smaller than the
usual budgeted amount of
$10,000.
This year, the show will
take place on Fourth of July
at dusk behind the Wal-Mart
parking lot at 2203 S.W.
Court Ave. Pendleton City
Councilor Becky Marks
said the Eagles again fell
short of the $10,000 goal.
But as they learned in 2015,
a smaller ireworks budget
doesn’t necessarily deter
the excitement from the
event.
“We had a fantastic show
last year,” Marks said.
The city of Pend-
leton and the Pendleton
Round-Up
Association
offered to donate additional
funds, but the Eagles
had already inalized the
budget. Instead, Marks
wants to save those dona-
tions for next year in hopes
of meeting the desired
$10,000 goal.
Pendleton police and ire
departments will cordon
off areas near the ireworks
during the show, including
Southwest Court Avenue.
Pendleton Parks and Recre-
ation and Public Works
employees will also assist
with the event.
“We couldn’t put (the
show) on without them,”
Marks said.
Marks is also seeking
at least six volunteers to
provide security near the
ireworks launch zone in
two-hour stints between 1
and 9 p.m.
Those interested in
volunteering can contact
Marks at 541-276-9147.
Volunteers cannot consume
any alcohol prior to or
during their shift, and also
cannot have a felony on
their record. Volunteers will
meet at 12:45 p.m. near
Oxford Suites on South-
west Court Avenue to ill
out paperwork. Food and
water will be provided.
Puppet shows set for libraries
East Oregonian
An imaginative show
that takes the audience on
a magical, musical journey
packed full of comedy,
laughter and audience
participation is planned at
area libraries.
Penny’s Puppets blurs
the boundaries between
fantasy and reality to create
a fun, make-believe world
where anything can happen
and usually does. The
performances are:
•Wednesday, June 29
at 7 p.m., Helix Public
Library.
•Thursday, June 30
at 10:30 a.m., Milton-
Freewater Public Library.
•Thursday, June 30
at 6 p.m., Adams Public
Library.
•Friday, July 1 at 1 p.m.,
Weston Public Library.
•Tuesday, July 5 at 1
p.m., Pilot Rock Public
Library.
•Wednesday, July 6 at
10 a.m., Athena Public
Library.
•Wednesday, July 6 at 2
p.m., Ukiah Public Library.
•Thursday, July 7 at
10 a.m., Heppner Branch
Oregon Trail Library.
•Friday, July 8 at 2 p.m.,
Echo Public Library.
•Friday, July 8 at 6 p.m.,
Stanield Public Library.
•Monday, July 11 at
2 p.m., Umatilla Public
Library.
•Tuesday, July 26 at 11
a.m., Ione Public Library.
The performances are
free thanks to the Oregon
College Savings Plan. For
more information, call your
local library.
Will unveil ‘Life
is Sweet’ brand
By ALEXA LOUGEE
East Oregonian
Hermiston in July means
blistering heat, ripening
watermelons, Funfest, and
the Cool Rides Car Show.
Debbie Pedro, Executive
Director at the Hermiston
Chamber,
invites
the
community to come out for
the latter two on Saturday,
July 9.
At Funfest, there are
activities and events that
will appeal to every member
of the family, all of which
are free.
Pedro spotlighted the K9
Kings Flying Dog show as
“world renowned,” having
been featured on CBS,
Animal Planet, NBC Sports
and other national television
channels and series. The
show, featuring rescue dogs,
will have three different
showings on Saturday at
Sunset Elementary School.
The show lasts an hour and
admission is free. Shows
will start at 9 a.m., 11 a.m.
and 1 p.m.
The National Guard is
bringing in a rock wall and
laser tag for kids, chainsaw
carvers will be featured at
two locations downtown and
the lawn mower drag races
will return this year as well.
At 10:45 a.m. the
Chamber will be kicking off
the city’s new “Where Life
Is Sweet” branding.
EO ile photo
Attendees check out the automobiles on display at Hermiston Classics Car Club’s
2015 Cool Rides Car Show at McKenzie Park in Hermiston.
Balloons and some
T-shirts will be given away.
Yo-Country will serve
complimentary watermelon
frozen yogurt from 11 a.m.
to noon.
Pedro reassures the
community there will be
plenty of ways to beat the
heat, including free bottled
water from many vendors,
Otter Pops, a beer garden
and shade over the seating
area in front of the entertain-
ment stage.
This year’s entertainment
features a mariachi band and
other live acts.
Cool Rides Car Show
Meanwhile at McKenzie
Park, the community is
invited to take a cruise
well as food vendors and
live music, and the Herm-
iston Saturday Market will
be open nearby.
More than 20 awards
will be handed out at 2:30
p.m. and Storment says the
awards are surprising, “very
unique,” and worth coming
to see.
The 21st annual car show
oficially kicks off Friday,
July 8 with a poker run and
potluck for show entrants
starting at 6 p.m.
For additional informa-
tion, contact Larry Storment
at 541-571-4960.
———
Contact Alexa Lougee
at alougee@eastoregonian.
com.
through automotive history,
with a little help from the
Hermiston Classics Car
Club. More than 75 classic
cars will be on exhibit from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Car club president Larry
Storment said, depending on
the weather, he expects cars
from Idaho, Washington,
California and even Canada.
A few years ago the
show was on Hermiston
Main Street, and Storment
remembers how hot it could
get on the asphalt. The move
to McKenzie Park makes
for a cooler event with grass
and trees providing a more
pleasant experience.
There will be car-related
vendors selling goods as
HERMISTON
Council votes down taxi ticket price increase
City will pay subsidies to cab company
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
The Hermiston City
Council voted against a
proposed 25 cent price
increase Monday for the taxi
program that helps seniors
and people with disabilities.
The city will instead pay
an estimated $6,000 more
per year in subsidies to the
Umatilla Cab Company.
The one-way tickets,
which qualiied Hermiston
residents can purchase from
city hall for rides within
city limits, have been $2
each since 2010. The city
passes that money, along
with an additional $4.35
per ticket, on to the taxi
company contracted to run
the program.
Assistant city manager
Mark Morgan said the city
pays about $100,000 per
year to run the program,
subsidizing an average of
30,000 one-way rides.
He told the city council
Monday that in the past two
decades Umatilla County’s
contribution to the program
has dropped from $50,000 to
$27,000 per year, increasing
the city’s burden. At the same
time minimum wage will rise
from $8.40 to $9.50 per hour
starting Friday, raising the
cost of business for the cab
company.
“This is just a situation
where the legislature was
trying to help low-income
workers but ended up hurting
some low-income residents,”
Morgan said.
Jeannette Byrnes, a Herm-
iston resident, asked the city
council to ind another way
to keep the program going
without raising the ticket
price. For seniors living on
Social Security checks, she
said, every penny counts.
“When you’re nick-
el-and-diming, 25 cents is a
lot,” she said.
She said some Hermiston
residents only left their
houses when they could
afford a taxi ride, and if
the community could be as
generous as it is to its youth,
it could surely come up with
a few thousand dollars to
keep the taxi program from
raising its prices.
City councilors agreed
with her. Doug Primmer
and Manuel Gutierrez said
they thought the city could
ind the money in its budget
to help cover Umatilla Cab
Company’s increased costs
without raising rates.
“I think if the city can
afford it, we should do it,”
Gutierrez said.
Morgan said the city had
budgeted to start a Dial-a-
Ride program, which would
run fewer hours and require
24 hour notice, but would
also be a less costly option
to make sure people could
get to their doctor and other
regularly scheduled appoint-
ments. He said the details
were still being worked out
but he believed they would
be able to start offering the
program in 2017 for one
dollar per ride.
City Manager Byron
Smith said in the meantime
he didn’t think one 25 cent
increase in six years was
unreasonable.
“The cost of this service
keeps going up, and I feel
like it’s a fair ask to ask our
riders to share some of that,”
he said.
City councilors disagreed,
however, and voted unani-
mously to keep the price at
$2 per ride but increase the
city’s subsidy from $4.35 per
ride to $4.60.
As part of that resolution
the council also adopted a set
of written policies governing
expectations for riders and
drivers who are a part of
“When you’re
nickel-and-diming,
25 cents is a lot.”
25 pounds of groceries in one
trip, wait outside a building
for someone to complete an
errand, go inside and search
a facility for the passenger
they are picking up, wait
more than one minute for a
passenger to show up, act as
a moving company or serve
as a personal care attendant
for people not capable of
completing their errands on
their own.
Three no-shows over a
12-month period will result
in a suspension from the
program.
Morgan said the biggest
complaint he hears about the
taxi program is that it takes
too long for a cab to arrive.
He said the new policies
will help drivers save time,
allowing them to give more
rides per day.
Rider Dale Orem, who
helped craft the policies,
said he thought the policies
were fair and would be glad
to see shorter wait times
after sometimes waiting 30
minutes outside the grocery
store to be picked up.
“I can’t buy ice cream, for
one thing,” he said.
———
Contact Jade McDowell
at jmcdowell@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4536.
— Jeannette Byrnes,
Hermiston resident
the senior and disabled ride
program.
Morgan said he worked
with a committee of people
involved with the program,
including two regular riders,
to come up with rules to clear
up confusion caused when
Hermiston Transit Company
went out of business and
Umatilla Cab Company took
over the program.
“A lot of times we had
folks doing things that were
really unacceptable, but we
didn’t have a written policy
in place to manage that,” he
said.
The new policies make it
clear that riders who are part
of the program cannot bring
people along to ride for free.
A personal care attendant or
child may ride for the price
of an additional ticket, and
all other guests must pay full
fare.
Taxi drivers will not
drive to a person’s place of
residence for free to deliver
a lost item, carry more than
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