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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 2016)
REGION Wednesday, July 13, 2016 East Oregonian MEACHAM Page 3A PENDLETON Heritage Days offers outdoor fun District passes on bond after grant bid fails East Oregonian Food, music, history and fun are planned during this weekend’s Heritage Days at Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area. Wood carvers will whittle away, pioneer actors will present a living history display and muzzleloaders will show off their craft during the two-day event, which runs Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no admission charge. Emigrant Springs is about 20 miles east of Pendleton off Interstate 84 at ([LW In addition, the Blue Mountain Fiddlers will perform Thursday through Saturday from 6-9 p.m. in the park’s community building. The public is invited to enjoy the music and kick up their heels with some dancing. Food and beverages will be available for purchase Friday and Saturday, cour- tesy of the Oregon Trail Store & Deli. The Heritage Days event will include a scavenger hunt for kids, a chance to try your hand at gold panning with Buck’s Mining and a presentation about the uses of trees and how to make paper by the Women of Timber. Other sweet activities Contributed photo Heritage Days features muzzleloaders, woodcarvers, pioneer actors and the Blue Mountain Fiddlers Friday and Saturday at Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area. include a cake walk and D UDIÀH ZLWK D FKDQFH WR win seats for the Pendleton Round-Up. People are invited to come up for the day or check for overnight camping accommodations, which can be reserved at www.oregon- stateparks.org or by calling 800-452-5687. For more information about Heritage Days, contact 541-983-2277 or tom.v.pe- terson@oregon.gov. BRIEFLY At-large council seats up for grabs HERMISTON — Hermiston residents interested in running for city council have until Aug. 30 WR¿OHIRUHOHFWLRQ Hermiston’s four at-large council seats are up for election in November. They are currently held by Manuel Gutierrez, Doug Primmer, Rod Hardin and John Kirwan. Terms are four years. Instead of running for individual seats, all at-large candidates run against each other and the four candidates who receive the highest number of votes will take the four open seats. Filing forms and manuals are available at city hall, 180 N.E. Second St., and on the Oregon Secretary of State’s website. Forms PXVWEH¿OHGZLWKWKHFLW\ recorder at city hall. Candidates must be eligible Oregon voters who have lived in the city for at least one year immediately prior to running for election. They cannot be employed by the city or a candidate IRUDQRWKHUFLW\RI¿FHLQWKH same election. M-F bus rides to become free MILTON-FREEWATER — Starting July 15, everyone will be able to use the city of Milton-Free- ZDWHU¶V¿[HGURXWHSXEOLF transportation system for free. According to a press release, the Milton-Free- water City Council unani- mously agreed Monday to permanently eliminate fares. The bus route takes riders from Milton-Freewater to College Place and Walla Walla, serving each stop three times a day. In a statement, Public Transportation Coordinator of the districts that were initially selected for a grant under the program passed the After the Pendleton corresponding bond. The 56 School District was rele- percent of the grant money gated to a wait list for a $4 set aside to selected districts million matching state grant, that did not get a local match GLVWULFWRI¿FLDOVGLGQRWZDLW was instead directed to wait- to pull the plug on a possible listed districts that passed bonds. $4 million bond measure. Ranked 26th in the state Director of Business Services Michelle Jones in terms of student poverty, made the announcement the Umatilla School District at a school board meeting ZDV RQH RI VL[ GLVWULFWV 0RQGD\ H[SODLQLQJ WKDW selected under that criteria Pendleton had fallen short in the second round of grant in its attempt to obtain awards and is now seeking $8 million for facility a $10.25 million levy in improvements to McKay November to go along with Creek Elementary School, a $4 million state grant. Pendleton wasn’t as Sunridge Middle School, Pendleton High School and successful. Ranked a middling 91st West Hills Intermediate School, soon to be the Pend- in poverty, Pendleton was leton Tech and Trade Center. ¿IWKRQWKHZDLWLQJOLVWIRUD The Legislature estab- grant. The district had worse lished the Oregon School luck in the lottery, coming Capital Improvement in at eight on the waiting Matching Program in 2015 OLVW ZKLOH RQO\ ¿YH VFKRRO to award school district districts made the cut. If Pendleton obtained matching grants contingent the grant and passed a on passing a bond measure. The program created two ERQG GLVWULFW RI¿FLDOV VDLG routes a district could take to they would have used the money to pay for facility win a grant. One method ranked improvements that the $55 every school district in the million bond passed in 2013 state by its student poverty couldn’t cover. Although levels and awarded grants applying for the grant won to the top applicants. The unanimous support from the other is a lottery where the school board in June, some grant winners are selected members were concerned DW UDQGRP 7KH ¿UVW URXQG that another bond campaign of grants was successful so close to the previous one in convincing local voters would be too much too soon. Unless the Legislature to chip in: Districts in Milton-Freewater, Athe- H[WHQGVWKHSURJUDPEH\RQG na-Weston and Echo all the May 2017 election, received $4 million grants Pendleton’s last chance at a matching grant will come after passing bonds in May. Statewide, 44 percent QH[W\HDU By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian Theresa Dutcher said the free fare would ease the burden for the system’s senior and disabled riders. Increased ridership could also mean more federal funding for the program through the Small Transit Intensive City program. The city has seen a jump in ridership when instituting fare-free periods. Kayak Transit offers free service through its Walla Walla Whistler route, which UXQVRQD¿[HGURXWHIURP Pendleton to Walla Walla with stops in Milton-Free- water and College Place. USFS to hold conference call on Forest Plan Revision PENDLETON — Forest Service staff will hold a public conference call Wednesday evening to GLVFXVVWKHLUODWHVW¿QGLQJV into the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision, including recommended wilderness, backcountry areas, wildlife corridors and designated routes. The call will run from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in listening can call 1-888-844-9904 and enter access code 2651088. For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, the call will be recorded and a link to the recording will be posted online in the near future. The website is www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ BlueMountainsPlanRevision. Ione School Board ORRNVWR¿OOYDFDQF\ IONE — The Ione School District Board of 'LUHFWRUVLVORRNLQJWR¿OO a vacancy after former member Anne Morter resigned at the end of June. Morter, who also works at Blue Mountain Community College in Boardman, had served in Position 4 on the board for 13 years. She was last elected in May 2013. The district will appoint VRPHRQHWR¿QLVK0RUWHU¶V term, which runs through June 30, 2017. An election IRUWKHQH[WIRXU\HDUWHUP will take place in May 2017. $Q\RQHLQWHUHVWHGLQ¿OOLQJ the position must submit a letter of interest by July 22 to Ione School, 445 Spring St. Applicants must also be registered voters and residents of the district for at least one year prior to appointment. producers of produce, herbs, HJJVÀRZHUVIUXLWVWUHHV honey and craft vendors. Space is $12 per market. For more information or an application, contact echoopenairmarket@gmail. com or visit www.facebook. com/echoopenairmarket. Library display features Hart’s photographs HERMISTON — Former Hermiston Fire Chief Pat Hart has several of his photographs on display at the Hermiston Public Library. Specializing in landscape photography, Hart considers Children’s clothing himself a semi-professional swap this weekend photographer. He has been hired by local businesses, PENDLETON — such as Banner Bank, to Parents can get clothes provide images to use as for their children this decoration. weekend as part of Pay It The public is invited to )RUZDUG([FKDQJHDW%HWKHO a reception Thursday, July Assembly of God Church. 21 from 4-6 p.m. at the People are invited to library, 235 E. Gladys Ave., bring gently used children’s Hermiston. FORWKHVWKDWGRQRW¿W For more information, their children and trade call 541-567-2882. for clothes that do. The ——— Children’s Clothing Swap is Briefs are compiled Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from staff and wire reports, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to and press releases. Email 1 p.m. at the church, 1109 press releases to news@ Airport Road, Pendleton. eastoregonian.com In addition, people can join a Facebook group that includes online clothing swaps at www.facebook.com/ groups/344786488922498. Echo announces Open Air Market ECHO — An open air market is planned this weekend in Echo. Held the third Saturday of each month, this weekend’s event is from 4-7 p.m. on the corner of Main and Dupont streets in Echo. Ashley Harwood, market manager, said they are searching for growers and HERMISTON School board member resigns, leaves vacancy board members will review applications and have the The Hermiston School opportunity to interview Board met Monday evening candidates before appointing and discussed the resigna- a replacement that evening. tion of Maria Duron from The appointee will serve the board. on the school board through Duron accepted a paid June 30, 2017, but will face position as a communica- DQHOHFWLRQLQ0D\WRIXO¿OO WLRQVRI¿FHUZLWKWKH+HUP- the remaining two years. iston School District and as The board also accepted a result chose to resign from the resignations of three the board. Her resignation Hermiston High School OHDYHVVHDW¿YHRQWKHVFKRRO teachers: careers teacher board open. Chris Demianew, woods The school district will teacher Robert Greybeck post the vacancy on its and choir teacher Joshua website with instructions Rist. The board approved for interested parties on WKH KLULQJ RI ¿YH WHDFKHUV KRZ WR DSSO\ WR ¿OO WKH including a new high YDFDQF\$WWKHQH[WUHJXODU school choir teacher, Jordan board meeting on August 8, Bemrose-Rust. East Oregonian