REGION
Thursday, July 7, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
Pendleton schools begin testing for lead
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
The Pendleton School District is
trying to get a lead on lead testing.
Michelle Jones, the district’s
director of business services,
discussed the district’s testing efforts
at a school board meeting Tuesday.
Since Kirby Nagelhout Construc-
tion Co. was already running
tests on the plumbing systems for
Washington and Sherwood Heights
elementary schools while completing
construction on two new buildings,
Jones said the company agreed to
test for lead at those two sites.
“We’re doing a sampling based
on the plumbing throughout the
district so we’re not sampling every
faucet at this point,” she said. “We’ll
determine, based on the results, if we
need to test further or if we’re good
at that point.”
Jones said she’s waiting for
results to return from the tests and
will eventually release them to the
public on the district’s website.
Lead testing became a hot topic
across the state when Portland
Public Schools discovered large
amounts of lead in its water supply. A
recent survey conducted by the East
Oregonian found that most schools
in Umatilla and Morrow counties did
not test for lead.
“It’s a statewide issue because all
the labs are just being bombarded
by requests now after the Portland
iasco,” board member Dave Krum-
bein said. “It’s a huge issue statewide
because everyone wants it done
now.”
According to the Environmental
Protection Agency, ingesting lead
through drinking water can have
adverse health effects, especially for
young children.
“In children, low levels of expo-
sure have been linked to damage to
the central and peripheral nervous
system, learning disabilities, shorter
stature, impaired hearing, and
impaired formation and function of
blood cells,” the EPA website states.
The district’s lead tests are being
done even though there is no state
requirement.
“It’s the responsible thing to do,”
Chairwoman Debbie McBee said.
The district does have a mandate
to start testing for radon gas, the
result of a bill passed by the Legis-
lature in 2015.
Jones said the district has to
submit a radon testing plan to the
state by Sept. 1 with the expectation
to start regular testing in 2021.
With the district still needing to
select a laboratory to run the tests,
which take two to seven days to
complete, Jones said the earliest the
district could test for radon is winter
break.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
20,000 lung cancer deaths per year
are attributed to radon gas.
Jones said the district will also
make the results of the radon testing
available to the public.
———
Contact Antonio Sierra at
asierra@eastoregonian.com
or
541-966-0836.
ATHENA
Pendleton hires new
Caledonian Games weaves in Scottish traditions UAS range manager
East Oregonian
Marjorie Warren, a native
of Scotland, tartan expert,
teacher, lecturer and award
winning tartan designer, will
share about the craft during
the 2016 Athena Caledonian
Games.
In addition to the athletic
competitions, the event
highlights Scottish traditions
and culture with Highland
dancing,
Celtic
harp,
bagpipe bands, clan tents,
storytelling and good food.
It begins Friday with the
Ceilidh Dinner and candle-
lighting ceremony and
continues through Sunday.
Activities take place in and
around Athena City Park.
The Athena Caledonia
Games is creating a focus
on iber arts and weaving
during this year’s event.
Weavers and iber artists
will enjoy the Caledonian
Quilt Show called a Quilt
Turning. Saturday viewings
are at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30
p.m. and Sunday (TBA)
in the cafeteria at Athena
Elementary School. Of
special interest is a small
quilt from Athena made
of Pendleton wool during
World War II.
Warren, who resides in
North Carolina, researches
ancient tartans. She has been
commissioned to produce
new tartans for the Gover-
nor’s Mansion in North
Carolina, the ambassador
to Great Britain and for the
Rev. Billy Graham.
She will demonstrate
Has 29 years of
experience with
aerospace company
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
EO ile photo
Mike Moore of Hood River competes in the caber toss at the 2014 Caledonian
Games in Athena. This year’s event begins Friday and runs through the weekend.
tartan-weaving techniques.
In addition, Warren will
have her 18th century Scot-
tish costumes on hand to
share about.
Beginners, masters and
professionals will compete
in
Saturday’s
athletic
competitions, which begin
with registration at 11:30
a.m. at the Big Green Tent.
Featuring events of Scottish
origin, the games include
the sheaf toss, the weight
toss, Scottish hammer,
stone put and the caber toss.
Instructions are given and
the competitor has three tries
on most events.
Athena native Alan
Wernsing has worked with
the event for years to build
a super-mega Scottish
athletic competition. Up to
50 athletes will come from
around the Paciic North-
west to compete. Everyone
is invited to try a hand at the
games.
Bagpipe bands are a
highlight of Athena Caledo-
nian Games, said Sue Friese,
president of the event.
Bands are featured during
the day in the park and the
vendor’s area, but they are
beautiful on the ield for the
annual Caledonian Tattoo,
which is Saturday at 6:30
p.m. A tattoo in the English
tradition is a military review.
They are colorful and
totally in step with precision
drill, Friese said. Featured
bagpipe bands are Weston
McEwen Pipes and Drums
from Athena, Boise High-
landers from Boise and
Columbia Regional Pipe
Band from the Tri-Cities.
“The
rendition
of
“Amazing Grace” on the
ield is guaranteed a teardrop
from the eye,” Friese said.
“These bands are something
to see.”
For more information,
including a full schedule,
visit
www.athenacaledo-
niangames.org. For ques-
tions, contact Sue Friese at
541-566-3880 or athenacale-
doniangames@gmail.com.
BRIEFLY
Program provides
small grants for
watershed projects
PENDLETON —
Funding is available for
Umatilla County landowners
looking to prevent erosion
along stream banks, increase
irrigation eficiency or help
ish passage.
The Oregon Watershed
Enhancement Board Small
Grant Program provides up
to $10,000 in state lottery
funds for individual projects
that help restore watersheds
to healthy conditions.
Applications will be
accepted July 18-29 through
the Umatilla Soil and Water
Conservation District.
The grants require a 25
percent match from the
landowner, which can be
cash or in-kind. OWEB also
has a Large Grant Program
that covers projects with
higher costs.
For more information
or applications, contact
the Umatilla SWCD at
541-278-8049 ext. 138.
Family, friends
invited to Kreb’s
90th birthday
IONE — A 90th birthday
open house is planned for
Henry Krebs.
Family and friends
are invited to come and
celebrate with Krebs. The
event is Sunday from 1-5
p.m. at the American Legion
Hall, 325 W. Second St.,
Ione.
Those unable to attend
can send cards to Henry
Krebs, P.O. Box 336,
Ione, OR 97843. For more
information, call 541-422-
7108.
Rhythmic Mode
sets car wash
fundraiser
PENDLETON — The
Rhythmic Mode dance team
is eager to help get your car
sparkling clean.
A fundraising car wash
is planned Saturday from
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dave’s
Chevron, 220 S.W. 12th St.,
Pendleton. Money will help
support the team.
For more information,
call Joni Sirovatka at
541-377-1333.
Library sponsors
book walk
PENDLETON — Book
lovers are invited to Walk a
Mile with Books.
Sponsored by the
Pendleton Public Library,
the event is Monday from
8:15-9:15, beginning in the
library parking lot, 502 S.W.
Dorion Ave. The public is
invited to stroll along the
River Parkway with others
and talk about books. Water
will be provided.
For more information,
call 541-966-0380.
Youth trip features
carousel rides,
Chuck E. Cheese
PENDLETON — Youths
ages 8-13 are invited to
take a trip to the Carousel
of Dreams and Chuck E.
Cheese.
Participants will enjoy
carousel rides, pizza and
games during the Friday
Trip sponsored by Pendleton
Parks & Recreation. Those
attending will depart Friday,
July 15 at 9:30 a.m. from
the Pendleton Recreation
Center. The anticipated
time of return is 3:45 p.m.
The registration fee of $20,
which includes carousel
rides, two slices of pizza,
soda and 26 game tokens, is
due by Tuesday.
To register, visit www.
pendletonparksandrec.com
or stop by the parks ofice,
865 Tutuilla Road. For more
information, call 541-276-
8100.
———
Submit information
to: community@
eastoregonian.com or
drop off to the attention of
Tammy Malgesini at 333
E. Main St., Hermiston or
Renee Struthers at 211 S.E.
Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call
541-564-4539 or 541-966-
0818 with questions.
Pendleton has a new man
at the helm of its unmanned
aerial systems range.
Steve Chrisman, airport
manager and economic
development
director,
introduced Darryl Abling
as the airport’s new ranger
manager at a city council
meeting Tuesday.
The Pendleton UAS
Range has been without
a full-time manager since
John Stevens left to become
the chief operating oficer of
SOAR Oregon, a lobbying
group that supports the
state’s three test ranges.
Abling
comes
to
Pendleton from Southern
California, where he worked
for Northrup Grumman,
a defense contractor and
aerospace company.
During his 29 years
with Northrup Grumman,
Abling helped test manned
and unmanned aircraft for
the U.S. Navy, including
the X47, a 40,000-pound
drone that runs operations
on aircraft carriers.
Abling decided to retire
and move to Pendleton when
the Navy made the decision
to move its operations with
Northrup Grumman to
Maryland.
“I’m bringing a pretty
good amount of experience
to the team,” he said.
Chrisman continued to
plug some of the advances
the Pendleton UAS Range,
including
the
Oregon
UAS Future Farm, which
speciically tests agricultural
operations.
Chrisman said the Future
Farm is currently running
four operations over eight
crops and will hold a series
of demonstrations Aug. 18
and 19.
Chrisman also reported
that the UAS range just
received authorization from
the Federal Aviation Admin-
istration to hold operations
up to 9,999 feet in the air
over 14,000 square miles in
northeastern Oregon.
Other actions taken by
the council include:
• The council unan-
imously
approved
an
expansion of the Wood
Stove Replacement Loan
Program, which will now
serve people who live up
to three miles outside city
limits.
The program offers
people a no-interest loan
of up to $3,500 to replace
wood stoves with a heating
system compliant with the
Environmental Protection
Agency.
• The council voted 6-1 to
incorporate a transportation
systems plan update into the
uniied development code,
with Councilor Tom Young
voting against and Councilor
Becky Marks absent.
The plan update provides
suggestions for possible
sidewalk, bike path and
pedestrian path improve-
ments and is a requirement
for state grants.
Young said some aspects
of the plan would be overly
restrictive to business
owners.
• The council approved
a resolution 6-0 that will
allow the city to acquire an
“E-commerce” designation
from Business Oregon.
The designation acts as an
expansion of the city’s enter-
prise zone tax abatements
for industrial businesses
to include companies that
do much of their business
online, like data centers and
distribution centers.
Councilor Paul Chalmers
abstained from the vote,
saying he had enterprise
zone responsibilities related
to his job as the Umatilla
County assessment and
taxation director.
———
Contact Antonio Sierra
at asierra@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0836.
R.O.A.R Ministries Presents Jason Lee-
The True Father
t h e r o
of f O
Oregon
r regon
e gon
g To
Tour
Featuring:
Aaron Auer
Who will be
Oregon’s
next Governor?
usness
Righteo
Oregon’s Preaching
Statesman!
Coming to your and all 36
counties with an Honest
Report and the
Word of the Lord
June 2nd - July 17th
Where: Lexington, Grange • Pot Luck!
When: 7/7/2016 • 7:00pm