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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2016)
REGION Wednesday, August 3, 2016 East Oregonian Page 3A HERMISTON Evacuation levels lowered on Weigh Ice cream brings neighbors, police together for National Night Out Station Fire Forests implement restrictions for campfires, smoking and off-road travel By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian Evacuation levels were lowered for homes impacted by the Weigh Station Fire east of Pend- leton. A Level 1 notice means residents should be ready for a potential evacuation LI ¿UH FRQGLWLRQV ZRUVHQ $ UHG ÀDJ ZDUQLQJ ZDV in effect through 8 p.m. Tuesday for the Lower Columbia Basin, with gusty winds and low humidity across the region. )LUH¿JKWHUV QRZ HVWL- mate the Weigh Station Fire, which started Saturday, at 688 acres and 35 percent contained. The cause is still unknown. “(Tuesday’s) critical ¿UH ZHDWKHU ZLOO WHVW control lines,” Joseph Goebel with the Oregon Department of Forestry said midday. “If lines hold, there will be an increase in WKH¿UHFRQWDLQPHQW´ Two outbuildings were destroyed in the blaze on Emigrant Hill between Pendleton and Meacham, though no permanent residences were lost. Emigrant Springs State Park reopened to campers and travelers Tuesday, though the public is asked to remain cautious in the area. Beginning Wednesday, the Umatilla and Wallowa- Whitman national forests will implement Phase A public use restrictions IRU FDPS¿UHV VPRNLQJ off-road travel and chainsaw use. Similar regulated use closures have already been enforced within the ODF Northeast Oregon District to lessen the risk of human-caused ZLOG¿UHV Under these restric- tions, chainsaws can only be operated between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. Saw operators must have an ax, shove, and minimum RXQFH ¿UH H[WLQJXLVKHU on hand while working. A RQHKRXU¿UHZDWFKLVDOVR required after sawing is complete. Smoking is allowed only in enclosed vehicles, buildings or cleared areas, and off-road vehicle travel is prohibited through tall grass or other fuels that FDQ FDWFK ¿UH 6HDVRQDO FDPS¿UH UHVWULFWLRQV remain in effect through Oct. 31. 2WKHUDFWLYH¿UHVLQWKH Northwest include: • Range 12 Fire — The Range 12 Fire has torched 175,000 acres and is threatening 250 homes in southeast Washington, near Hanford and Sunny- side. The blaze started Saturday on the Yakima Training Center and has since spread into Benton and Grant counties. It is 10 percent contained, while PRUH WKDQ ¿UH¿JKWHUV ZRUN WR NHHS WKH ÀDPHV away from the Hanford nuclear reservation and Benton City. No cause has been determined. • Rail Fire — The Rail Fire erupted Sunday, and has spread over 2,000 acres in a remote area near Unity in Baker County. The cause has not been determined. There are ¿UH¿JKWHUV EDWWOLQJ the blaze, and no private property or ranches are currently at risk. For more information RQ ¿UHV LQ WKH DUHD YLVLW www.bluemountainfire- info.blogspot.com. To UHSRUWD¿UHFDOOWKH%OXH Mountain Interagency Dispatch at (541)963-7171 or dial 9-1-1. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastorego- nian.com or 541-966- 0825. STANFIELD Few things bring people together like ice cream, which might explain why WKHFRQYHUVDWLRQZDVÀRZLQJ easily Tuesday night at Hermiston’s National Night Out block party. Neighbors from the Banker 'ULYHDUHDPLQJOHGZLWK¿UVW responders and police, bowls of ice cream in hand, after Dorothy Smith won the ice cream social by working out the clues in the newspaper WR ¿QG D JROGHQ PHGDOOLRQ hidden by Hermiston Police 2I¿FHU(ULFD6DQGRYDO The annual event, which is celebrated throughout the country, encourages safer neighborhoods by helping people get to know those living near them and interact ZLWK SROLFH ¿UH¿JKWHUV DQG EMTs in a non-emergency situation. “We had one back in the day, but we haven’t had one for a while,” Alleen Lind said of Tuesday’s block party. She has lived in the neighborhood for about 10 years now, and said she is glad that neighbors have been willing to mingle with each other instead of keeping to themselves. “If you know them, you know what they’re doing, and so you’re more liable to notice if something is wrong,” she said. Sylvia Smith also said she feels safer the more neighbors she gets to know — including a few newer faces she saw on Tuesday who haven’t lived A field fire burned Tuesday afternoon in Stanfield Meadows, north of Interstate 84. Despite wind, crews TXLFNO\FRQWDLQ¿HOG¿UH East Oregonian Fire crews from around the area worked to contain D ¿HOG ¿UH LQ 6WDQ¿HOG Meadows that was reported late Tuesday morning. The ¿UH EXUQHG VHYHQ DFUHV RI heavy brush. Winds pushed past 20 mph, but ditches on two VLGHV RI WKH ¿UH DQG TXLFN response by responders aided in containing the blaze. Bane Billalobos lives and farms next door to where the ¿UHVWDUWHG+LVZLIH5KRQGD called 9-1-1 when they saw smoke. He was impressed with the quick response of WKH¿UHFUHZVDQGDWWULEXWHVLW WRWKHFRQWDLQPHQWRIWKH¿UH QRWLQJZLWKWKHZLQGVWKH¿UH could have easily grown out of control. Five engines and three water tenders from the Umatilla County Fire District and the Echo Fire 'LVWULFW DVVLVWHG LQ WKH ¿UH- ¿JKWLQJ HIIRUWV 'XH WR WKH winds, crews are expected to remain on scene for quite some time mopping up and ZDWFKLQJIRUÀDUHXSV The National Weather Service has issued a red ÀDJ ZDUQLQJ IRU 7XHVGD\ because of windy and dry conditions. STANFIELD 9LFWLPRIKRXVH¿UHLGHQWL¿HG East Oregonian The man killed in 0RQGD\¶V KRXVH ¿UH LQ 6WDQ¿HOG KDV EHHQ LGHQWL- ¿HGDV(OGRQ+DZOH\ Hawley died after his older model double-wide manufactured home EHFDPH HQJXOIHG LQ ÀDPH 7KH ¿UH KDV EHHQ UXOHG accidental. Fire Marshal Tom Bohm LQGLFDWHG WKH ¿UH VWDUWHG on the porch and had two SRWHQWLDO FDXVHV 7KH ¿UH could have been related to smoking or to an electrical short. Hawley had an elec- tric scooter plugged in with an extension cord near the porch area. $ WRWDO RI HLJKW ¿UH- ¿JKWHUV DQG D FKLHI RI¿FHU from the Umatilla County Fire District 1 worked to H[WLQJXLVKWKH¿UHEXWZHUH limited to the exterior due WRWKHDPRXQWRI¿UHDQGWKH roof structures failing. — Pavel Tverdokhlebenko, Banker Drive area resident lebenko and their toddler son David, whom neighbors seemed to know by name already as they tried to coax him out of his mother’s arms. The family immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in 2003, and moved onto Banker Drive a little over a year ago. Pavel said he was enjoying the chance to socialize with so many people and he hoped the neighborhood would do more block parties in the future. Staff photo by Jade McDowell “This is great, I think, to Dorothy Smith, winner of this year’s National Night Out medallion hunt, speaks with Mayor David Drotzmann get to know people, neigh- and city councilors Jackie Myers and Doug Primmer as bors, because our life is so they serve ice cream at the block party Smith won for busy, we just go to work and her neighborhood. home and we don’t get to see on the block for long. She ¿UVW UHVSRQGHUV IURP +HUP- people a lot,” he said. 7RIUHHXS¿UVWUHVSRQGHUV said it could come in handy iston Police Department and to warn people if there had Umatilla County Fire District to mingle with the group, the ice cream was served by been problems with crime, 1. and if there is ever some sort When asked if he had Mayor David Drotzmann — of natural disaster they would gotten to know any police who happens to live in the know who to check on or how RI¿FHUV EHIRUH WKH 1DWLRQDO neighborhood himself — and many people might have been Night Out event, neighbor city councilors Jackie Myers home. Pavel Tverdokhlebenko and Doug Primmer. ——— “This is a good idea to get joked, “Just once, when I was Contact Jade McDowell at people out,” she said. going too fast.” Mixed in with neighbors He was at the social with jmcdowell@eastoregonian. ZHUHSROLFHRI¿FHUVDQGRWKHU his wife Valeria Tverdokh- com or 541-564-4536. BRIEFLY Motorcyclist dies Sunday in wreck near Hat Rock A man hurt in a single- vehicle motorcycle wreck on Highway 730 east of Sand Station died Sunday afternoon while being transported by air to the hospital. Umatilla Fire Chief Steve Potts said the man was traveling westbound on the highway when he crashed over a guardrail and down an embankment. Potts said the cause of the crash was unknown. The victim’s name has not been released. West Nile found in Irrigon mosquitoes Staff photo by Alexa Lougee “This is great, I think, to get to know people, neighbors, because our life is so busy, we just go to work and home and we don’t get to see people a lot.” By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian IRRIGON — West Nile virus has turned up in mosquito samples collected last week near Irrigon, according to the North Morrow Vector Control District. Another six positive samples have already turned up in Umatilla County near +HUPLVWRQ6WDQ¿HOGDQG Umatilla. +HDOWKRI¿FLDOVLQ0RUURZ County are advising residents to take precautions against mosquitoes in order to avoid the risk of infection. Tips include eliminating standing water where mosquitoes can breed, using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants when working in mosquito-infested areas. While the majority of people infected with West Nile exhibit show no signs of the disease, about 20 percent GRGHYHORSPLOGÀXOLNH symptoms such as fever, headache and nausea. In rare cases, West Nile can lead to HQFHSKDOLWLVRULQÀDPPDWLRQ of the brain. Those at higher risk include people 50 years or older, people with weak immune systems or people with diabetes and high blood pressure. Anyone experiencing Staff photo by E.J. Harris Fair is in fashion Kendall Cooper, 13, of Stanfield talks about her dress with judges Courtney Waliser of Walla Walla and Harriet Kyles of Athena on Wednesday at the 4-H Fashion Review Contest in Pendleton. The show is the first contest in the Umatilla County Fair, which officially kicks off next week. symptoms such as severe headache, stiff neck, mental confusion, muscle weakness, shaking or paralysis should contact their doctor. For more information, contact Shelley Wight with the Morrow County Health District at 541-676-5421. BJ the DJ to spin Carpenters’ hits MILTON-FREEWATER — The brother-sister duo of the Carpenters released such hits as “Close to You,” “Top of the World,” “Please Mr. Postman” and “We’ve Only Just Begun.” The music of Karen and Richard Carpenter is featured during Oldies Night in Milton-Freewater. The free event is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 816 S. Main St., Milton-Freewater. BJ the DJ will spin dozens of Carpenters songs, original versions of some of their hit remakes and share loads of trivia about them and their career. Also, The Frogs will provide snacks. For more information, contact Jones at 541-938- 7028 or dubuquer@charter. net. Basic Rights Oregon celebrates 20 years PENDLETON — A celebration of the 20th anniversary of Basic Rights Oregon is planned in Pendleton. Basic Rights Oregon is in the second year of D¿YH\HDUVWUDWHJLFSODQ focused on lifting up LGBTQ Oregonians in small towns and rural communities, transgender people, LGBTQ people of color and LGBTQ youth. People are invited to connect with supporters in the Pendleton area and receive an update from Amy Herzfeld, co-executive director. The Pendleton Garden Party is Sunday from 5-7 p.m. at Pendleton House B&B, 311 N. Main St., Pendleton. Although the event is free, registration is required. For more information, contact 503-222-6151, info@ basicrights.org or visit www. basicrights.org/events, which includes a link to RSVP. 6WDQ¿HOGFDQFHOV August breakfast STANFIELD — The regular Saturday breakfast DWWKH6WDQ¿HOG&RPPXQLW\ Center has been canceled for August. The kitchen is undergoing renovations. The next community breakfast is Saturday, Sept. 10 from 7-10 a.m. at 225 W. 5RRVHYHOW$YH6WDQ¿HOG For more information, call 541-449-1332 or 541-571-6019. ——— Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press releases. Email press releases to news@ eastoregonian.com It’s Your Choice No one can make you believe. The choice is yours and yours alone. Your parents can’t decide for you, nor can your closest friends. A church leader or an evangelist is powerless to coerce a decision that must come from deep within your heart. Belief in Jesus is more than just mentally acknowledging the truth that He is the Savior, the Son of God who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died as a sacrifice for our sins, and rose triumphantly from the grave. Belief involves entrusting our souls and lives to Jesus Christ. That happens when we accept God’s free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). To receive it, we must admit our sinfulness and tell Him we need and want His forgiveness and the new spiritual life He offers. Take the step of faith -- a step based on good reason -- and tell God that you believe in His Son. Tell Him that you want the salvation He I am the way, the truth, offers, and that you and the life. No one now acknowledge comes to the Father Him as Savior and except through Me. - Jesus (John 14:6) Lord. If you want to know more about the person named Jesus, find a Bible and read one of the New Testament gospel accounts of His life (such as the gospel of John). See for yourself what it says about Him -- what people thought of Him, who He claimed to be, what He did on earth, and what He can do for you. Paid Advertisement