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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2016)
REGION Wednesday, September 21, 2016 BRIEFLY By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Photo courtesy Oregon State Police Crash on Highway 82 kills Joseph man MINAM — A Joseph man died Monday afternoon in a crash on Highway 82 on Minam Grade. Oregon State Police reported Gary Leonard Alford, 70, was driving an older Dodge farm pickup eastbound on Highway 82 near milepost 31, the steep and winding Minam Grade, when the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve. The pickup left the road and tumbled down the steep embankment and the crash ejected Alford. Oregon State Police troopers and emergency personnel responded at 3:06 p.m. to the crash. Emergency workers freed Alford from the hillside below the road, but he died from injuries before an air ambulance could ly him to a hospital. State police reported witnesses and some evidence suggest an equipment failure may have contributed to the crash. State police and ODOT closed the highway for two hours while investigating. State police also reported it would release more information as it becomes available. First governor’s debate in Bend BEND — The irst debate between Gov. Kate Brown and challenger Dr. Bud Pierce is Saturday in Bend. Presented by the Oregon Territory Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists — including sponsorship by the East Oregonian — the questions will focus solely on issues facing Oregon’s rural residents. Candidates will get 90 seconds for opening statements, then will ield questions from a panel of journalists, including Tim Trainor, deputy managing editor of the East Oregonian; Emily Cureton, producer and host with Jefferson Public Radio; Erik Lukens, editor of The (Bend) Bulletin; and Pedro Quintana, reporter with KTVZ. Sara Roth, producer of longform and investigative projects for KGW.com, will moderate. The event is Saturday from 6-7 p.m. at Riverhouse on the Deschutes, 2850 Rippling River Court, Bend. Due to space limitations, tickets are required. For general seating (free) or premium seats ($20), visit www.eventbrite.com/e/ spj-governors-debate-tickets-27499106568. Cops to carry active shooter irst aid kits HERMISTON — Hermiston police will now be more prepared to offer irst aid in a crisis thanks to their new active shooter irst aid kits. The kits, which oficers will carry in their patrol cars, include chest seals, tourniquets, pressure bandages and QuickClot gauze to be used for life-threatening trauma such as gunshots, stab wounds and injuries from explosions. Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston said in a press release that in the event of a large-scale event such as a mass shooting police often assist medical personnel. The kits will help them be prepared to administer aid. The kits were paid for by a $4,432 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation and oficers received additional training on the items contained in the kit. “This grant greatly enhances our community’s preparedness,” Edmiston said. “The Wildhorse Foundation continues to be incredibly generous with numerous entities in the Umatilla County region.” EOCI, TRCI to hold recruiting event PENDLETON — Information about working in the corrections system will be available at a joint recruiting event for Two Rivers Correctional Institution and Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution. The event is Saturday, Oct. 8 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Blue Mountain Community College Science Building at 2411 NW Carden Avenue in Pendleton. Attendees will be offered a tour of EOCI and receive assistance with the online application and schedule for the REACT test for correctional oficers, which has a $35 fee. To attend, a valid photo identiication (driver’s license, military ID or passport) is needed. Cell phones and smart watches cannot be taken inside the facility, and attendees may not wear clothing that is blue (including denim), camoulage or suggestive. For more information call 503-930-2462 or visit odocjobs.com. Chair-ity event canceled, online auction still planned PENDLETON — Due to a lack of ticket sales, the annual Chair-ity Dinner and Auction has been canceled. For those who have already purchased tickets for the event, the Clearview Disability Resource Center will provide a full refund. Individuals, businesses and groups who have already created a chair for the event, Clearview is looking to hold an online auction. The dinner and auction, which started in 2014, had served as the primary fundraiser to support Clearview’s Medical Loan Closet. The program provides short-term use of medical equipment, which can be checked out like library books. For more information, contact 541-276-1130, clearviewofice23@gmail.com or stop by the ofice at 307 S.W. Sixth St., Pendleton. Senior birthday party includes Medicare information HERMISTON — For seniors turning 65 soon, the Senior Health Insurance Beneits Assistance program would like to invite you to a fun and informative event. The Medicare Birthday Party will provide basic information about Medicare, recipients rights and responsibilities, Social Security and Social Security Disability. The free event is Saturday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Conference Center No. 2 at Good Shepherd Medical Center, 610 N.W. 11th St., Hermiston. For more information, contact 541-667-3507 or cherrera@gshealth.org. ——— Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press releases. Email press releases to news@eastoregonian.com Page 3A Teens escape pursuers on Interstate 84 Dispute between exes led to 30 minute chase A Wallowa County man was killed when his vehicle tumbled off the Minam Grade of Highway 82 and he was ejected. East Oregonian A 28-year-old man and 17-year-old boy from Hermiston face multiple charges following a harrowing stop- and-go chase on Interstate 84. Oregon State Police reported a 16-year-old girl from Stanield and a 16-year-old boy from Umatilla were eastbound on Interstate 84 from exit 182 around 7 p.m. Monday in a red Jeep Grand Cherokee when a silver Mazda 6 passed them. Christopher John Mallory and the 17-year-old were in the Mazda, which slowed in front of the Jeep, eventually making it stop in the fast lane. Mallory and the teen got out, ran to the Jeep and tried to open the doors. The boy driving the Jeep took off, and the suspects gave chase in the Mazda. The scene played out twice more, state police reported, before the victims crossed the median and tried to escape on I-84 heading west. Mallory and the 17-year-old again pursued, passed the victims and stopped in front of them. The juvenile suspect this time jumped on the hood of the Jeep. The victims again led, and the teen fell, suffering minor injuries. State police Sgt. Lisa Sater said the boy had pain in his left arm, left leg and both wrists. Mallory lives near Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston, she said, and he and the teen walked to the hospital for medical treatment. That’s where state police caught them. Sater said a dispute between an ex-boyfriend and girlfriend, one in each vehicle, led to the dangerous game of highway tag, which lasted about 30 minutes. The two 16-year-olds were not injured, she said, but were shaken. Troopers cited the 17-year-old and arrested Mallory for reckless driving, second-degree disorderly conduct, and two counts each of harassment and recklessly endangering another person. The 17-year-old also faces a charge of second-degree mischief. Mallory is in the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton. ——— Contact Phil Wright at pwright@ eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0833. BOARDMAN Harvest Festival features cornucopia of fun Event features family activities, kayak race East Oregonian With autumn in the air and the harvest bountiful, it’s time to celebrate in Morrow County. In its third year, the Morrow County Harvest Festival will feature a variety of vendors with homemade items, along with beer and wine tasting from Ordnance Brewing of Boardman and Sno Road Winery of Echo. Kids activities will include horse and buggy rides, a new obstacle course, miniature horses, pumpkin painting and a photo booth. The Harvest Festival is Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the SAGE Center, 101 Olson Road, Boardman. All activities are free and open to the public. The festival is presented by the Boardman, Irrigon and Heppner chambers of commerce in conjunction with the SAGE Center, and sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Boardman, Tilla- mook Cheese, Lamb Weston, Cascade Specialties and the River Lodge and Grill. SAGE Center Manager Kalie Davis said the area chambers of commerce and the SAGE Center wanted to put together a fun harvest festival with their own spin on it. “Each year the event has grown in size and Contributed photo Phoenix Davis and Ava Davis pet a miniature horse during the 2015 Morrow County Harvest Festival. This year’s event is Saturday, Oct. 1 at the SAGE Center in Boardman. the vendors have done a tremendous job of providing creative homemade goods,” Davis said. Also, held in conjunc- tion with the festival, the Boardman Kiwanis and the River Lodge are teaming up to present a kayak race at 10 a.m. on the Columbia River. Participants, who must be 18 and older, will paddle their way from the River Lodge, 6 Marine Drive to Boardman Marina Park. The winner will receive a free night’s stay at the River Lodge and breakfast for two. There is no registration fee. For those needing a watercraft, a limited number of kayaks can be reserved on a irst-come basis. The Morrow County Sheriff Marine Patrol will monitor the race for safety. In addi- tion, kayakers must wear an approved life jacket. For a link to a regis- tration form for the kayak race, go to www.visitsage. com/event/139. For more information, contact debbi- eradie@gmail.com. For more about the Morrow County Harvest Festival, visit www.visitsage.com or call 541-481-7243. BOARDMAN City council tables gravel path idea By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian With an oficial vote, the members of the Pendleton City Council told themselves to take a hike. The council unanimously voted to table a motion that would have created a gravel path between the Southwest 12th Street cul-de-sac and the intersection of Southwest Goodwin Lane and South- west 13th Street and replace the closed and decrepit 13th Street staircase. The council tabled the motion at the suggestion of City Manager Robb Corbett, who told councilors they could use the extra time to walk the proposed path up and down the bluff and settle concerns that the 335-foot path with a 16 percent slope is too steep. Three people in the audi- ence who live in that area testiied that the gravel path would be a dangerous climb and descent for kids walking to and from a bus stop at the Pendleton Early Learning Center. “It’s minor kids walking over a football (ield) length of an unlighted pathway,” South Hill resident John Bartron said. “I’ve been down there at night. It is dark ... That is a liability. Honestly, I wouldn’t let my kids walk down there.” Councilor Paul Chalmers said the city should apply for funding from the Energy Trust of Oregon to install solar-powered lights across the path. Councilor Chuck Wood suggested creating steps PENDLETON Several Washington students bused to wrong school on irst day East Oregonian On the irst day of class at two new schools, new bus routes for Pendleton elemen- tary students caused a few mishaps Monday. Superintendent Andy Kovach said four students were dropped off at Wash- ington that should have been dropped off at the Pendleton Early Learning Center. Kovach said all of the mis-transported students were under adult supervision the entire time and were eventually taken to the proper drop-off site or picked up by their parents. Additionally, Guy Shanks, Midco regional vice president, said some children who had not registered for bus transportation were acci- dentally given rides. Shanks said the buck stops at Midco and the company has already held a meeting with its drivers to address some of the issues experienced on Monday. Shanks said Midco performed better on Tuesday, temporarily sending one student on the wrong bus before correcting it. Monday was the irst day at the new Washington and Sherwood schools. along the path, similar the ones found in nature trails, but Public Works Director Bob Patterson said that would prevent city staff from accessing the man holes found along the sewer easement that the path would be built on top of. Since the city plans to build the path and demolish the old staircase with in-house labor and resources, Patterson didn’t have a set cost for the project, but said the money would come out of the sewer and street funds. Staff wants to pave the path next spring, but since that aspect of the project would have to be bid out to a private contractor, Patterson said he would return to the council with a deinitive igure. The stairs were closed a year ago after a child injured himself on the stairs and his father posted a video of the staircase’s poor condition on Facebook. “I’m amazed that it’s standing ... I think it’s an absolute liability,” Chalmers said Tuesday. Corbett said he would put the gravel path proposal on the next city council agenda. That meeting is scheduled for Oct. 4. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. YOU’RE INVITED TO A MEDICARE BIRTHDAY PARTY! Are you turning 65 between now and the end of September? If so, we would love to see you! Join us for a FREE and fun event & learn more about Medicare • The basics of Medicare • Your rights & responsibilities • Social Security & Disability Benefits Saturday, Oct. 1 10am-1pm GSMC Conference Center #1 Sponsored by: Good Shepherd Medical Center SHIBA Office Questions? Call 541-667-3507 or hosborne@gshealth.org
