REGION
Saturday, August 27, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
PENDLETON
FAA authorizes UAS
range to f ly higher
East Oregonian
The Federal Aviation
Administration just gave the
Pendleton Unmanned Aerial
Systems Range its competi-
tive advantage back.
The range announced
Thursday that the FAA has
granted Pendleton authoriza-
tion to ly large drones as high
as 9,999 feet, day or night, as
long as they remain in visual
line of sight of the operator.
The authorization covers
all 14,000 square miles of the
range and applies to both small
drones and UAS weighing
more than 55 pounds.
“It’s deinitely a unique
differentiator,”
Steve
Chrisman, airport manager
and economic development
director, said in an interview.
While local oficials had
originally talked about the
Pendleton UAS Range as a
regional monopoly, it lost a
key advantage when the FAA
announced it was opening up
commercial drone light to all
qualiied pilots as long as they
used a drone that weighed
under 55 pounds and lew
under 400 feet.
Chrisman said Friday’s
FAA authorization relected
the niche the range is trying
to establish, as a place where
companies can ly more
complex drone operations.
Chrisman added that the
airport’s runway and control
tower make it an attractive site
for businesses that wanted to
test larger unmanned aircraft.
The FAA also ruled that
companies that have already
been authorized to ly their
vehicles elsewhere can have
that authorization transferred
to Pendleton without needing
to reapply.
The Pendleton UAS
Range was approved by the
FAA in late 2013 and has
since attracted a small stable
of clients, including the
Paciic Northwest National
Laboratory.
EO ile photo
In this Aug. 18 ile photo, Gary Licquia, mapping products account manager for
RDO Equipment, throws a Sensely eBee agricultural drone into the air during a
demonstration at the Drone Rodeo east of Stanield.
BRIEFLY
HEPPNER
State recognizes Morrow-Grant OHV Park
Oregon Real Estate Board elects
Jef Farley as vice chair
ATV program
celebrates 30 years
PENDLETON — Jef Farley of Pendleton was recently
elected to serve as vice chairman of the
Oregon Real Estate Board.
The board, which has nine
members, is appointed by the governor
to oversee operations of the Real Estate
Agency. Seven members are from the
real estate industry and two are public
members.
Farley is in his second four-year
term on the board. He began his
career in 1991 with Lutz Snyder and Farley
Co. in Portland. He went to work for
Whitney and Associates in 1994. He is now an owner
of Coldwell Banker Whitney and Associates and is
active in listing and selling residential and commercial
properties.
For more about the board, visit www.oregon.gov/rea.
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
Oregon State Parks cele-
brated the 30th anniversary
of its all-terrain vehicle
program by honoring some
of the most successful proj-
ects for four-wheelers across
the state.
Program
oficials
gathered Thursday at the
Morrow-Grant OHV Park
south of Heppner, where
they presented a plaque to
Morrow County Parks and
spent the afternoon riding
the trails.
The park, which opened
in 2003, features 300 miles
of ATV trails spread over
8,200
acres
straddling
Morrow and Grant counties.
The initial land acquisition
was paid for by grants that
were funded by permit sales
and money appropriated
from the state gas tax.
Ron Price, ATV coordi-
nator for the Oregon Parks
and Recreation Department,
said their goal is to provide
as much access to motorized
recreation as possible. The
idea started as a grassroots
effort to obtain more money
for ATV trails and mainte-
nance.
“It would allow (riders)
to develop more sites, and
maintain what they had,”
Price said.
Price said the department
typically receives $9-$10
million per biennium for
ATVs. Local groups can
apply for grants to pay for
everything from buying new
land to grooming existing
trails. There are approxi-
mately 70 applications that
will be up for review in
February, Price said.
Three running for Hermiston City
Council, deadline to ile is Tuesday
Photo contributed by Kirsti Cason.
Oregon State Parks presents the Morrow-Grant OHV Park with an award Thursday
to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the state ATV grant program. From left:
Tim Custer, ATV advisory committee member; Burke O’Brien, Morrow County public
works director; and Ron Price, ATV program coordinator.
“We take pride in what we do with
our park system. It’s nice to be recog-
nized, because everybody has put a
lot of work in on that park.”
— Greg Close, Morrow County Parks operations manager
Morrow County used
ATV grants to purchase the
land that would become the
Morrow-Grant OHV Park
from Kinzua Lumber. Today,
the area is home to a variety
of motorized and non-motor-
ized recreation opportunities,
including roughly 70 camp
sites, hiking trails, ishing
ponds and a playground for
children.
The site also has a
seasonal restaurant, rental
cabins and emergency
medical services available
on site.
Greg Close, operations
manager for Morrow County
Parks, said the OHV park
typically draws more than
30,000 visitors a year from
all over the Northwest. And
that means economic devel-
opment for the neighboring
towns.
“A lot of people are
stopping for fuel, they’re
stopping at the store, they’re
buying new tires and equip-
ment ... there’s quite an
impact that hits this area,”
Close said.
Close said they have a
core group of volunteers
that work year-round to
keep the park in good shape.
Between private land and
Forest Service closures, he
said it can be dificult for
ATV riders to ind a place to
recreate.
“We take pride in what we
do with our park system,” he
said. “It’s nice to be recog-
nized, because everybody
has put a lot of work in on
that park.”
The
Oregon
ATV
program honored Riley
Ranch near Coos Bay in
June and the Mount Emily
Recreation Area in July.
Price said four-wheeling is
another way for Oregonians
to get out and explore, and
all three parks provide some
of the best opportunities.
“Believe me, it was a hard
choice,” Price said. “All
three of these are just really
going like they should.”
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
UMATILLA
District to hold public meetings on bond
$10.5M would
add new roofs and
increase security
East Oregonian
Umatilla voters will be
asked to consider a $10.5
million school bond in
November.
If voters approve the bond
the Umatilla School District
will also receive $4 million
in matching state funds from
the Oregon School Capital
Improvement
Matching
Program.
At all three schools in
the district the funds would
pay for roof replacements,
entry and ofice remodeling
to increase security, direct
digital controls for the HVAC
systems and security updates
such as cameras and lock-
EO Media Group ile photo
This 2014 ile photo shows Umatilla High School. The
Umatilla School District is asking voters to consider
a $10.5 million bond in November to help improve all
three schools in the district.
down assistance.
The funds would also pay
for additional space to be
added on to McNary Heights
Elementary School, a cooling
tower replacement at Umatilla
High School and plumbing,
electrical, HVAC, window,
looring and bleacher replace-
ment at Clara Brownell
Middle School.
The bond package was
put together after the school
district contracted with the
Wenaha Group to conduct
a facility study and create a
long-term facility plan. The
study is available for review
at the school district ofice,
1001 Sixth Street in Umatilla.
The district is holding
public bond information
meetings and tours of the
school buildings starting
at Clara Brownell Middle
School at 7 p.m. every
Tuesday in September.
“We want to give our
community many opportu-
nities to learn all they can
about our current school
facilities and what the bond
can accomplish, if it passes,”
Superintendent Heidi Sipe
said in a news release. “We
are excited to share our vision
and plans.”
For more information
about the bond, contact the
district ofice at 541-922-
6500.
Welcome
Alder Family Dental is pleased to
announce Dr. Nathan Bushman will
be joining the practice. Dr. Bushman
Specializes in general dentistry for
patients of all ages. We will continue
to provide the same great dental
care. New patients and same day
emergencies are always welcome!
809 SW Court Ave Pendleton • 541.276.3241
HERMISTON — The deadline to ile for Hermiston
City Council is Tuesday, and so far only three candidates
have iled for the four at-large seats up for election in
November.
Incumbents Manuel Gutierrez, Doug Primmer and Rod
Hardin have iled for re-election, while John Kirwan has
not.
Hermiston has four city councilors who represent
zones of the city and four at-large members that can
live anywhere within the city. For the at-large seats, any
number of candidates can enter the race and the top four
vote-getters during the Nov. 8 election will be awarded
the four open seats.
Terms are four years. Candidates must be a qualiied
voter of the state, not a city employee or candidate for
another city position, and must have lived in the city for at
least one year prior.
Filing forms and manuals are available at city hall or
on the Secretary of State’s website at sos.oregon.gov.
They must be returned to the city recorder by 5 p.m. on
Tuesday, Aug. 30 at city hall, 180 N.E. Second St., in
Hermiston.
BMCC orientation coming to Pendleton
PENDLETON — New students to Blue Mountain
Community College can register now for the “Welcome
to the Pack” new student orientation.
Welcome to the Pack will be Friday, Sept. 23 at the
BMCC campus in Pendleton.
This is an opportunity for students to meet faculty
and staff, take a sample class, locate classes on campus,
and learn about BMCC resources and programs.
There will also be activities and opportunities to
meet and mingle with other new students.
A free lunch will be provided along with
opportunities to win scholarships, a tablet and other
prizes.
Orientation runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and students
can begin checking in at 9:30 a.m.
Registration is available by logging onto the student
Wolf Web account. Call 541-278-5853 with questions or
visit www.bluecc.com for more information.
Pendleton school open houses on Sept. 8
PENDLETON — Middle and high school students
will begin school in Pendleton on Monday, while
elementary students won’t start until Sept. 19 because
of inal construction work on both Sherwood Heights
and Washington schools.
Open houses at all schools will be Thursday, Sept. 8,
with Pendleton Early Learning Center, McKay Creek
Elementary and Pendleton High School from 4-6 p.m.,
Washington Elementary from 5-7 p.m. and Sherwood
Heights Elementary from 6-8 p.m.
———
Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and
press releases. Email press releases to news@eastore-
gonian.com. Submit community news 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.
HERITAGE
LUNCHEON 2016
A Walk Through Oregon
K ERRY T YMCHUK • Executive Director
Oregon Historical Society
Saturday • October 1st •12-2 pm
Pendleton Convention Center
$40 UCHS M EMBERS
$50 G ENERAL P UBLIC
Tickets available at Heritage Station Museum & Pendleton Book Company