REGION
Thursday, July 21, 2016
East Oregonian
Train T-bones truck near Echo
By ALEXA LOUGEE
East Oregonian
A train collided with a
semi-truck Wednesday near
Rieth Road, about nine miles
east of Echo.
The train was heading east
toward Pendleton pulling
roughly 15 railroad cars at
about 30 mph, according to
Umatilla Count Undersheriff
Jim Littleield.
The semi-truck, belonging
to Platinum Transportation in
Hermiston, was carrying two
trailers of wheat and headed
north when it failed to yield
at the railroad crossing.
The driver, Budd Rich-
ards, 54, from Hermiston, was
conscious, but complaining
of head, neck and leg pain
when rescue crews arrived.
He was transported via
ambulance to St. Anthony
Hospital and was expected to
be released Wednesday.
According to Union
Paciic Railroad employees
at the scene the train had
sounded its horn, but could
PENDLETON
Council to champion
housing incentives
East Oregonian
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
A semi-trailer hauling wheat lies on its side after being struck by a locomotive
Wednesday at a railroad crossing on Cunningham Road west of Pendleton.
not stop in time before hitting
the truck. Cell phone service
is scarce in the area, and the
call for help came via radio.
Mariano Hawk, the
terminal
manager
for
Union Paciic, said the train
struck the truck where the
two trailers were hitched
together, knocking the truck
cab and one trailer on its side
north of the railroad tracks
and leaving the rear trailer
upright to the southeast of
the tracks.
HERMISTON
Sheriff connects with county over coffee
Gives public opportunity to
voice questions, complaints
Page 3A
The Pendleton City
Council voted Tuesday to
make housing a permanent
priority.
The council unani-
mously agreed to accept
the recently commissioned
housing study and its
recommendations, which
include reviewing the study
every two years to measure
progress in building new
homes and incorporating
the results into a 10-year
plan.
The report found that the
success of recent housing
developments indicates the
market could support 125
more rental units and 90
for-sale units.
To
reach
market
capacity, the study recom-
mended recruiting entry-
level housing developers,
establishing a revolving
loan fund with the
Round-Up Development
Corp. and creating incen-
tives for home developers
and buyers, among other
suggestions.
The council also unan-
imously agreed to declare
two adjoining properties
at Southwest Fifth Street
and Sixth Street, by the
railroad tracks, as surplus.
That allows beginning the
process of selling them.
Despite being zoned light
industrial, the 0.22-acre
properties are in a residen-
tial area.
The council originally
considered
declaring
several more properties
surplus, but City Attorney
Nancy Kerns said staff
found need to keep the
other properties in the city’s
inventory.
Lastly, City Manager
Robb Corbett said CyDat
Industries
has
made
progress in obtaining an
energy source large enough
to power a planned $45
million data center on
Airport Road. Corbett said
CyDat, a subsidiary of
the Vancouver, Washing-
ton-based Makad Corp.,
had a good meeting with
Cascade Natural Gas and
is still excited about the
project.
Although the council
agreed to a 30-year lease
with CyDat in October, the
company has until Aug. 31
to start the lease.
By ALEXA LOUGEE
East Oregonian
Umatilla County Sheriff Terry
Rowan doesn’t mind drinking a cold
cup of coffee.
“It’s not the coffee, it’s what’s in the
coffee,” he said Wednesday morning
as his once-hot cup of joe cooled over
the hour he sat and visited with locals at
Hermiston’s Eastside Market. “It’s the
caffeine,” he said with a smile.
This was the irst in what Rowan
hopes will be a series of informal meet-
and-greets in different communities
around Umatilla County. He wants
to give people the opportunity to ask
questions, voice complaints and make
suggestions. The plan is to do this twice
a month, depending on how the public
responds.
Rowan is running for his second term
as county sheriff against Ryan Lehnert,
a corporal with the Pendleton Police
Department, in the November election.
One goal of the new program is to
create more effective partnerships with
local citizens.
Rowan pointed to his gold badge,
which is currently adorned with a black
band.
“I don’t like wearing this banded
badge, because it signiies that we lost
another brother or sister,” Rowan said.
He said over the last couple of weeks
local law enforcement has received an
overwhelming amount of support. He
said he does not see the tension here
between oficers and the public that is
clear in other parts of the country, but
the local words of support really reso-
nate with oficers.
Staff photo by Gary L. West
Sheriff Terry Rowan talks with Larry Storment and Sonny Liebe on Wednes-
day at Eastside Market in Hermiston. Rowan was kicking off a series of
Coffee with the Sheriff session at various locations throughout the county.
Rowan talked about the challenges
of serving in Umatilla County.
“For too long we didn’t have enough
presence around the county,” he said.
He said it is still an issue that he and his
department are taking steps to improve.
He started working for the sheriff’s
ofice in 1989, at that time there were
seven patrol deputies, a number that held
consistent through 2012. But, according
to Rowan, back in 1989 Oregon State
Police had 24 troopers covering the
area that includes Umatilla County, and
that helped ease the pressure. Now he
believes there are only four or ive state
troopers assigned to the area.
The sheriff’s department has doubled
its deputy force since 2012 and is in the
process of adding a 15th deputy. He said
the national average is to have between
one and two deputies per 1,000 people
in a county. Currently, Umatilla County
has less than one deputy per 1,000
people.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s
Ofice has also started addressing loose
dogs in the county. Rowan said they are
doing research and looking into adding
a full-time animal control deputy.
Rowan invites the public to come
out and give him an earful. He tries to
think outside the box, look at resources
and see what can be done to address
concerns. During the coffee hour one
man asked whether the sheriff’s ofice
patrols Forest Service roads, which they
do, but Rowan said deputies are not able
to patrol them as often as they probably
should.
Rowan came into law enforcement
out of necessity, needing a job.
“It’s become so much more than
that,” Rowan said. He has developed
a passion for serving and making a
difference.
The next coffee with the sheriff event
will be in Pendleton, with a date and
place to be determined.
BRIEFLY
Organization bowls
against domestic
violence
HERMISTON — The
fourth annual Domestic
Violence Services Bowl-
A-Thon will help raise
money to support its services
in Umatilla and Morrow
counties.
The event is Saturday,
July 30 from 6-8 p.m. at
Desert Lanes, 1545 N. First
St., Hermiston. The cost
is $30 per bowler or $120
for a team of four. The fee
includes three games and
shoe rental. It’s open to all
ages, and prizes will be
given.
For more information,
call 541-276-3322, search
Facebook visit or www.
domesticviolenceservices-or.
org.
Happy Canyon
looking to cast new
roles for night show
PENDLETON — As
its 100th anniversary
approaches, the Happy
Canyon Night Show is
seeking people to ill roles in
this year’s pageant.
Happy Canyon Show
director Harper Jones said he
is looking for mostly males
to ill new and old roles for
the show that takes place
Sept. 14-17. Those interested
who are at least 18 years old
can audition for a part Aug.
7 at Happy Canyon Arena at
7 p.m.
“With Happy Canyon
turning 100 this year, we
have some special things
planned for the show,” he
said in a press release.
New parts are Hick Band
drum major, Hick Band
cymbalist, Black Bart and
noted Pendleton rufian
Hank Vaughan.
Jones said he is also
looking for a “folksy”
sounding narrator as well as
banjo and guitar players to
do a rendition of “Dueling
Banjos.”
Contact Happy Canyon
publicity director Corey
Neistadt at 541-240-1081
with questions. Visit
happycanyon.com for
further information on the
show.
Let’s Walk
Hermiston
continues in Aug.
HERMISTON — A
program that encourages
people to get out and walk
continues the irst Tuesday
of each month through
October.
Sponsored by Good
Shepherd Medical Center
and Hermiston Parks &
Recreation, the next event is
Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 5:30 p.m.
at Riverfront Park, located
off Orchard Extension
Loop at Southwest 23rd St.,
Hermiston.
There is no fee. The
program includes a web
program, itness tips, results
and fun. Also, T-shirts may
still be available.
For more information,
contact 541-667-3509 or
healthinfo@gshealth.org.
State fair
seeks creative
submissions
SALEM — Oregonians
have an opportunity to
showcase their talents in the
Oregon State Fair.
The Creative Living
Competitions feature
everything from cake design,
photography and lower
arrangements to Legos,
ine art and woodworking.
A long-standing tradition,
it highlights the creativity
of children and adults from
across the state.
Entrants register online
and, with a few exceptions,
there is no fee to participate
in Creative Living
Competitions. Deadlines are:
•Tuesday, Aug. 9 for ine
art, calligraphy, photography
•Tuesday, Aug. 16 for
most other departments
•Sunday, Aug. 21 for
baked goods
•Monday, Aug. 22 for
loral and farm & garden
Submissions to
the Creative Living
Competitions can be taken to
Portland or several statewide
drop-off locations. In
addition to Creative Living
Competitions, fair-goers can
enjoy world-class music,
animals, carnival rides and
great food.
Final Days
Saager’s Shoe Shop
The Oregon State
Fair is Aug. 26 through
Sept. 5 in Salem. For
more information,
contact creativeliving@
oregonstatefair.org,
971-701-6571 or visit www.
oregonstatefair.org.
Staff photo by Gary L. West
Fireighters Rob Martin (left) and Cody Boggs with
Umatilla Rural Fire District try to stop a fuel leak on
a Dodge Ram pickup that crashed over the embank-
ment Wednesday on Old River Road near Umatilla.
Crash forces closure of Old
River Road near Umatilla
East Oregonian
A Dodge Ram pickup
took out a power pole and
speed limit sign and crashed
down an embankment
late Wednesday afternoon
on Old River Road near
Umatilla.
Rob Tooley, assistant
chief of Umatilla Rural Fire
Protection District, said no
one was taken from the scene
by ambulance and occupants
of the vehicle were able to
get out on their own before
ireighters arrived.
It was unclear late
Wednesday how many
people were in the pickup
when it crashed and ended
up upside down in the dry
portion of the river channel
along the road.
Fireighters closed down
old River Road between
Jones Scott Road in Umatilla
and Bensel Road north of
Hermiston due to loose
power lines hanging down
about 10 feet above the
southbound lanes of travel.
Paciic Power crews
were also dispatched to deal
with the power line hazard,
but the road was closed or
restricted to only one line
of travel for more than two
hours.
Fireighters also dealt
with a fuel and luid leak on
the pickup.
SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS
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.
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