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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 2016)
REGION Thursday, August 4, 2016 East Oregonian Page 3A HERMISTON PENDLETON Police arrest transient for rape Penninger gets sworn in reported that led to Barre- ra’s arrest for the rape and irst-degree trespassing. He also stated the Hermiston police arrested a local transient investigation continues, so other charges could be for irst-degree rape. Hermiston Police coming. And Hermiston Chief Jason Edmiston in a police requested assis- tance from the written statement local Domestic said Reynardo V i o l e n c e M e n d o z a Services, Inc., Barrera, 35, and the U.S. committed an Department of “incredibly Homeland Secu- heinous act.” rity Immigration Hermiston and Customs oficers Tuesday Enforcement. around 10:35 Umatilla a.m. responded County Circuit to a possible Barrera Court records domestic assault in progress at an apartment show Barrera has faced complex on the 200 block lower-level charges since of Southeast Third Street, 2012, including mischief, arrest and Edmiston reported, and resisting police there detained trespassing, but nothing as serious as irst-degree Barrera. “Despite having been rape, which falls under mandatory previously trespassed from Oregon’s the property, Barrera had minimum sentencing law. Edmiston said for that illegally gained access to the apartment of a female reason he is deferring the known to him,” noted release of other infor- mation to the Umatilla Edmiston. Oficers took Barrera County District Attorney’s to the Hermiston Police Ofice. ——— Department, where detec- Contact Phil Wright at tives with the department and Oregon State Police pwright@eastoregonian. questioned him. Edmiston com or 541-966-0833. By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Becomes fire department’s assistant chief By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian Shawn Penninger passed his irst Pendleton test years before he accepted the job as the Pendleton Fire Depart- ment’s assistant chief/ire marshal. Penninger, 42, has made a half-dozen trips to Pend- leton since he moved to Oregon more than two years ago, including a visit to the 2014 Round-Up. A deep afinity for Western culture doesn’t seem typical for a guy from the heart of Illinois corn country, but a love of horses has long drawn Penninger and his family out west. Penninger has spent most of his career as a ireighter for the Air National Guard, living in Pekin, Illinois while working on a base in nearby Peoria. Seeking career advance- ment opportunities, Penninger and his family moved to the Oregon Air National Guard base in Port- land, where he eventually Photo by Antonio Sierra Shawn Penninger, right, is sworn as the assistant chief/ ire marshal for the Pendleton Fire Department by Mayor Phillip Houk at a city council meeting Tuesday. rose to the chief position. Penninger said each National Guard is like its own gated community, each with its own ire department that responds to emergencies. But Penninger longed to return to a more rural lifestyle and working for a department that was more enmeshed in the community. “I have a big pickup truck,” he said. “I can’t park it anywhere in Portland but I can park it everywhere in Pendleton.” When the assistant chief/ire marshal position opened up following Matt Benedict’s departure for a chief job in Cannon Beach, it didn’t hurt that Pendleton was horse-friendly. Since Penninger’s wife has a degree in equine science and both of his daughters are involved in junior rodeo, Penninger had long looked to towns like Pendleton and Cheyenne, Wyoming for the next step in his career. Pendleton also had a ire department with a set of challenges that Penninger wanted to take on, like the ever-increasing number of health calls the department HERMISTON PILOT ROCK Three juveniles suffer serious injuries in crash Council seeks answers before deeding bike pit By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Pilot Rock City Council revved up Tuesday night over giving the motocross and ATV park to the nonproit that operates events there. For now, the city will keep the 60-acre site dubbed my locals as The Bike Pit. But answers from a lawyer could change that. Previous city councils discussed deeding the park on the town’s northwest corner to the Pilot Rock OHV Inc. board to avoid liability. The council Tuesday night after some discussion voted 6-0 in favor of declaring the site surplus property, the irst step toward transferring the land. But actually deeding the land became contentious. Councilor Deacon Perkins raised several questions about the transaction. Language in the deed allows the city to assume ownership of The Bike Pit if the nonproit dissolves, but he asked if the city also would have to assume its debt. He wanted to know why the city would want it back, what the city gains for giving away the land, and how this would change the relationship with the park’s board. Public works director Steve Draper is the chairman of the park. The nonproit has invested thousands of dollars into fencing at the site and also handles maintenance. The goal, he said, is to hold big motocross rallies at the park. That ired up Councilor Raymond Doherty. “You’ve been working at this for 10 years,” he barked. “And you haven’t brought in any races so far.” Draper and Jackie Carey, also on OHV Inc., howled right back about the value of the park to the commu- nity, and city recorder Teri Porter defended the park for its potential economic beneit. Councilors and staff also squabbled over the city and park board splitting about $2,100 in survey and legal fees for the cost of deed. Mayor Virginia Carnes said The Bike Pit has “jumped through every hoop it had to” and she supports its vision, even though its board voted her off due to the possible conlict that could arise if she signed over the deed. The council voted 5-1 to table the matter until its meeting on Aug. 16. Councilor Bob Deno was the dissenting vote. The council also directed staff to ind answers to some of Perkins’ questions. PENDLETON County takes step toward sale of foreclosed lots By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Umatilla County took the irst step Wednesday toward the sale of 21 fore- closed lots in Pendleton. The barren sites at the Sunridge Estates housing development off Tutuilla Road have tax bills of $5,000-$7,000 and have been in foreclosure since January. The city of Pendleton also has liens against the lots because the developer has not paid for a local improvement district that went into effect in 2011. Property owners usually can “redeem” property if they pay taxes owed in full within two years. But county law allows shrinking the redemption period from two years to 30 days for sites that are hazardous, abandoned or losing value — such as these 21 lots. Umatilla County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing Wednesday morning at the county courthouse, 216 S.E. Fourth St., Pendleton, to consider the fast-track redemption. Paul Chalmers, the county tax assessor and Pendleton city councilor, told the board this is about “trying to stop the bleeding from the LID side” so the lots do not continue to plummet in value. No one else spoke during the hearing. Commissioner Bill Elfering during delibera- tions said it made sense to try and keep value in the land. He and Commissioner Larry Givens voted to accelerate the redemption period. Commissioner George Murdock was absent. County attorney Doug Olsen said the lots could go to auction as soon as mid-September. Chalmers said there is a lot of interest in the lots, so he would like to see the county sell these as quick as possible. responds to and the need for a new station. While there were other qualiied candidates who applied for the position, Fire Chief Mike Ciraulo said Penninger stood out for his intelligence, aptitude and room for growth — all traits that would lend themselves well to replacing Ciraulo if the need arises. Although serving as the second in command might seem like a step down, Penninger said he’d rather be a part of progressive ire department rather than remain stagnant. Fire marshal services will be Penninger’s other role in the ire department, meaning ire prevention and code enforcement will be some of his main duties. “In an ideal world, I’d put the ire department out of business,” he said. Penninger’s irst day of work was Monday and he was sworn in by Mayor Phillip Houk Tuesday, meaning he missed involve- ment in the Weigh Station Fire near Meacham but will be on scene for a controlled burn on South Hill on Friday. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0836. East Oregonian Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini Paramedics from Umatilla County Fire District 1 treat victims at the scene of a crash Wednesday evening in the 400 block of Northeast Fourth Street, Hermiston. Three juveniles suffered serious injuries Wednesday night when a car crashed into them at the intersection of Fourth Street and Wilshire in Hermiston. According to Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston, the three minors that were hit by the car were taken to Good Shepherd Hospital, Hermiston, but their injuries were not life-threatening. Edmiston said no further information was available, but the incident is under further investigation. The collision occurred at about 6:45 p.m. BRIEFLY Transporting readers to colonial Kenya in the 1920s, “Circling the Sun” is a powerful tale revealing the extraordinary adventures of a woman before her time, the exhilaration of freedom and its cost, and the tenacity of the human spirit. Everyone is welcome to attend the book club. For more information, call 541-567-2882. Driver leaves scene of rollover HERMISTON — The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Ofice is trying to piece together who was in a pickup that crashed Wednesday near Hermiston. Umatilla County dispatch received a call at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday morning regarding a single vehicle rollover north of Hermiston. A witness said two young females emerged from a wrecked pickup, shaken but uninjured. Neither female was on scene when Umatilla County sheriff’s deputy Jason Post arrived. Post was unable to comment on who the driver was, if there were any injuries or whether anyone had been transported to a hospital. The pickup was a dark green Ford F250 and appeared to have been turning left off North Ott Road onto East Bensel Road when the driver lost control. The pickup rolled down a short embankment and into a ield of pumpkins. Music camp crescendos with public recital PENDLETON — A free concert featuring participants in Oregon East Symphony’s Summer Strings Music Camp is open to the public. The recital is Friday at 5 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, 210 N.W. Ninth St., Pendleton. Ensembles will Staff photo by Alexa Lougee Umatilla County Sheriff’s Ofice deputy Jason Post examines a pickup that was involved in a single vehicle rollover near Hermiston Wednesday. be directed by camp staff, including Loree Tucker McKenna, camp director; Beau Benson, symphony conductor; Lisa Robertson, symphony concertmaster; and camp instructors Melinda Tovey, Emma Knight, Kari Giorgi, Haval Norman and Tasha Sitz. For more information, contact McKenna at 541-276- 4237 or loree5645@gmail. com. Tractor show beneits Kick’n Cancer ECHO — Modern and antique tractors and farm equipment will be on display this weekend in Echo. Sponsored by Echo Ridge Cellars Winery, the second annual Old Time Tractor Show is Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at 551 N. Thielsen St., Echo. The entry fee is $5 with proceeds going to Kick’n Cancer, which supports area residents ighting cancer. The event also features live entertainment. To register or for more information, contact 541-376-8100, info@ echoridgecellars or visit www.facebook.com. Book club meets August 10 HERMISTON — “Circling the Sun” by Paula McLain will be discussed during the upcoming Hermiston Public Library book club meeting. Bookminders meet the second Wednesday of the month. The upcoming meeting is Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 11:30 a.m. at The Pheasant Bar & Grill, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston. Widows, widowers invited to barbecue PENDLETON — A barbecue is planned during an upcoming gathering of WW.Friends. The group, which is open to widows and widowers, meets monthly to share friendship and fun. It’s not designed as a support group. All area widows and widowers are invited to attend the group’s ifth annual barbecue. The event is Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 5:30 p.m. at 511 N.W. Eighth St., Pendleton. For more information, call 541-276-4708 or 541-276- 2790. ——— Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press releases. Email press releases to news@ eastoregonian.com Summit Springs Village Assisted Living & Memory Care Condon, OR Pleasant, Comfortable, Individual Rooms AVAILABLE NOW Call Cindy Sara - 541-384-2101 or Email: hesscindy70@gmail.com visit our website: summitspringsvillage.org