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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 2016)
REGION Tuesday, August 30, 2016 East Oregonian Page 3A HERMISTON Transit committee will help plan free city bus system $2 taxi program for seniors will continue to be available By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Photo courtesy InciWeb An aerial view of the Rail Fire Saturday morning in Baker County. The blaze shot up a noticeable column of smoke, due to wind and intensely burning heavy fuels on the ground. Wildire erupts along Imnaha River Blaze reported opening day of bow hunting season East Oregonian A new wildire has started in Eastern Oregon about 15 miles north of Halfway in Baker County, along the Imnaha River near the Indian Crossing Campground. The Indian Creek Crossing Fire was reported shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday, the opening day of bow hunting season. It is currently 90 acres in size and 20 percent contained. Fireighters were able to safely evacuate the Indian Crossing Campground, as well as the Cloverdale Campground, Hidden Camp- ground and several others along Forest Service Road 3960 and the Upper Imnaha Road. Oficials with the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest are asking the public to stay clear of the area for safety precautions. The cause of the ire remains under investigation. A total of 120 personnel have responded to the scene, including three hand crews, four engines, the La Grande Interagency Hotshot Crew and Sled Spring Rappellers, along with single-engine air tankers and helicopters assisting from the air. Also in Baker County, the Rail Fire has now topped 39,000 acres and is 60 percent contained. The blaze shot up a noticeable column of smoke on Saturday, as wind combined with intensely burning heavy fuels on the ground. A spot ire crossed containment lines Sunday near the southeast corner of BRIEFLY MISSION Authorities search for missing hunter in Wheeler County FOSSIL — Multiple agencies are looking for a missing 75-year-old bow hunter in the Ochoco National Forest of southern Wheeler County. Wheeler County Search and Rescue was alerted at approximately 10:30 p.m. Sunday to a missing man who had been hunting in the area. The hunter was not immediately identiied. The Grant County Sheriff’s Ofice, Crook County Sheriff’s Ofice, Oregon Air National Guard and Mountain Wave Emergency Communications are assisting in the search. Pendleton library lures patrons with PokeStop PENDLETON — The public is invited to a special Pokemon Go event at the Pendleton Public Library. The fun includes a Pokemon Cosplay Contest and prizes, prizes and more prizes. Head to the PokeStop Wednesday at 6 p.m. at 502 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. For more information, call 541-966-0380 or visit www.pendletonlibrary. weebly.com EO ile photo Lewis Allen dances during the 2015 Kidz Pow Wow at the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. This year’s event, which is open to all youths up to age 12, is Saturday. Regalia isn’t required. Kidz Pow Wow celebrates youth, outdoor village East Oregonian The public is invited to enjoy the beat of drums and American Indian singing as Tamástslikt Cultural Institute hosts the Kidz Pow Wow. Celebrating the end of the Naamí Nisháycht outdoor living culture village season, the event is Saturday from 1-4 p.m. behind the museum, located near Wildhorse Resort & Casino at Mission. There’s no entry fee to participate or watch. Open to all youths up to age 12 — including both native and non-native — regalia isn’t required. Dancing contests and awards are included for different age groups. In addition, each participant will receive a prize. Indian tacos will be available for purchase. the main ire’s perimeter, prompting immediate evacuations of a handful of residents and hunter camps. A portion of Forest Road 16 will remain closed as ireighters use it to access the area where the spot ire is burning. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has entered Phase B public use restric- tions to minimize human- caused ires amid hot and dry conditions. For a complete list of local regulations and designated recreation areas where campires are permitted, contact the forest ofices at 541-523-6391. The Kidz Pow Wow is a popular event that includes fun and pageantry. In addi- tion, there will be traditional games and tribal dancing. The village offers visitors a view of full-size replicas of traditional and prehistoric structures of Plateau Indian people. The museum is open Monday through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last day of the living culture village is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regular admission to the museum, which includes the outdoor village, is $10 for adults, $9/seniors, $6/ages 6-17 and free/5 and under. Also, a family of four is admitted for $25. For more information about the Kidz Pow Wow, call 541-966-9748 or visit www.tamastslikt.org. CASA fundraiser to sizzle at Sundown PENDLETON — Sundown Bar & Grill is cooking up a fundraiser for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Blue Mountain Healthy Families programs. The menu includes smoked beef brisket, barbecue beans and penne pasta with fresh chopped vegetables. The event is Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the restaurant, 233 S.E Fourth St., Pendleton. Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance. They are $25 at the door. For more information or to buy tickets, contact Jesus Rome at 541-667- 6091, jrome@umchs.org, Jessica Britt at 541-667- 6091, jbritt@umchs. org or stop by Umatilla Morrow County Head Start at 110 N.E. Fourth St., Hermiston. Happy Canyon seeks 2017 princesses PENDLETON — The Happy Canyon board of directors is accepting applications for 2017 Happy Canyon princesses. The Happy Canyon Indian Pageant and Wild West Show represents 100 years of history, tradition and thousands of hours of volunteerism. The princesses have many responsibilities and the rewards can be great, said Kipp Curtis, Happy Canyon court director. The princesses often build life-long relationships with the Pendleton community and beyond, Curtis said. In addition, they travel many places. Because of the required commitment and dedication, it is critical that candidates have a strong support system. Family and a support network of people are crucial in the commitment to the position. The irst step to becoming a Happy Canyon princess is to complete an application. It is due by Friday, Sept. 30. The selection committee will review applications and determine who will be selected for a personal interview. The application is available at the Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Hall of Fame gift store, 1114 S.W. Court Ave., Pendleton. ——— Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press releases. Email press releases to news@ eastoregonian.com The irst meeting of Hermiston’s new Transit Planning Committee is Sept. 13. The temporary committee has been created to help plan for a free ixed-route public bus system through the city. Kayak Public Transit, operated by the Confeder- ated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, already runs between 17 cities, stopping in two Hermiston locations. The tribes have agreed to expand that service to include a bus that runs a ixed loop around Herm- iston during the day in exchange for funding from the city. Assistant city manager Mark Morgan said the cost to the city will greatly depend on how many stops the bus makes and the hours it runs. “It’s a system that is relatively scalable,” he said. Creating a recommen- dation for the city council about that scale will be city councilors Rod Hardin and Doug Primmer, Dean Fialka of the city planning commission, Juli Gregory of Good Shep- herd Health Care System, Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston repre- senting the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce board, Kristi Avery of Eastern Oregon Support Services Brokerage and Barb Martin and Jennifer Roberts representing the general public. Morgan, J.D. Tovey of the CTUIR and Laura Slater of the Oregon Department of Transportation will partic- ipate in the meetings in a staff capacity. Morgan said the committee’s irst meeting will be mostly discussing background information on the city’s current public transportation, the current Kayak Public Transit program, the costs and funding available. Committee members will also be asked to mark on a map where they think the most important places will be for the bus to stop. He said the city has had “pretty good luck” with online surveys and will likely put out a public survey about potential bus stops as well. During the committee’s second meeting sometime in October members can give feedback on a route put together by the tribes based on the results of the survey and committee members’ input. They will then take a tour of the proposed route and look for potential problems with buses pulling off or with pedestrian safety. Morgan said a third meeting to study an updated proposal and inalize costs will likely take place in time for the committee to give a recommendation to the city council during its November 14 meeting. If the council approves the proposal at that meeting it will give Kayak Public Transit the time it needs to hire bus drivers and make other arrangements to begin the bus route on Jan. 2, 2017. Morgan said it will not replace the city’s $2 taxi ticket program for senior and disabled residents, which will continue to be available. The committee will meet Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. at city hall, 180 N.E. Second St. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastore- gonian.com or 541-564- 4536. Fall chinook season opens Thursday on Snake River East Oregonian The Snake River will open to ishing for hatchery fall chinook on Thursday, Sept. 1. The river will be open from the Oregon-Wash- ington border to the dead- line below Hells Canyon Dam and will remain open through Oct. 30, unless a closure is announced earlier. In addition, the reach from Cliff Mountain Rapid upstream to the deadline at Hells Canyon Dam will be open from Nov. 1-17. Snake River fall chinook migrate more than 800 miles and pass eight mainstream dams to reach Hells Canyon, which is the farthest any salmon will travel in Oregon. “Fall chinook runs in the Snake River have been impressive for the past several years,” said Jeff Yanke, district ish biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife in Enterprise. “Current run projections indicate a very strong run in 2016 that will provide fantastic opportunity to “Current run pro- jections indicate a very strong run in 2016 that will provide fantastic opportunity to catch salmon.” — Jeff Yanke, district ish biologist for ODFW in Enterprise catch salmon.” The daily bag limit will be six adult hatchery chinook, and anglers can keep an unlimited number of hatchery jacks measuring 15 to 24 inches long. Anglers are not allowed to keep ishing for jacks after they reach the limit for adults. Wild chinook must be released immediately and unharmed. Only barbless hooks are allowed on this stretch of the Snake River while ishing salmon, steelhead and sturgeon. For a complete list of rules, anglers should check the 2016 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. 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