REGION
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
East Oregonian
HERMISTON
Page 3A
PENDLETON
Festival marks start of holiday season Rape case grows
to five victims
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
What has become the
unofficial kickoff to the
holiday season, the Hermiston
Festival of Trees is just around
the corner.
A Whimsical Christmas
features wine tasting, a
no-host bar, dinner and a
silent and live auction. People
can bid on a dozen large trees,
which come with a bounty
of gifts, as well as 12 small
trees and 12 themed baskets.
Also, a silent auction includes
13 wreaths and 10 stockings.
The event is Saturday, Dec.
3 beginning at 6 p.m. at
the Hermiston Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway 395.
Tickets are $35 each.
“It’s become sort of
the marquee event for the
holiday,” said John Spomer
of the Hermiston Breakfast
Kiwanis Club. “We almost
have to turn people away.”
The Family Day offers a
variety of activities and the
trees remain for viewing.
A fundraiser for the Sorop-
timist International of the
Greater Hermiston, there is
a suggested donation of $5
per family. However, Sally
Peatow, president-elect, said
no one will be turned away.
The Family Day is Sunday,
Dec. 4 from noon to 4 p.m.,
also at the conference center.
The Soroptimists took over
coordinating the event a
handful of years ago. Peatow
said it helps in bringing atten-
tion to the club, which works
to improve the lives of women
and girls. Money raised from
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
File photo
Community members socialize and look at decorated Christmas trees during a past
Hermiston Festival of Trees. This years’ event is Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Hermiston
Conference Center. The Family Day is Sunday, Dec. 4.
the event help fund scholar-
ships for women in need. In
addition, it’s just a fun holiday
event, she said.
Kids can participate in
everything from decorating
cookies and making ornaments
and spin art to mini-manicures
and tattoos to having photos
taken with Santa. Also, stage
entertainment helps set the
holiday mood.
“Kids can make things they
can give to grandma,” Peatow
said. “Also, it’s an opportunity
for the community to enjoy
the holiday season together as
a family.”
Money raised from the
gala event is split between
the Kiwanis Club and the
Good Shepherd Community
Health Foundation. Both
organizations give back
to the community through
programs, donations and
scholarships.
Among the themes of
the majestically decorated
trees are “A Merry Muggle
Christmas,”
“Winter
Wonderland” and “Starry
Starry Night.” Basket themes
include “Sweet Treats,” “A
Holiday Feast,” “Chute 8”
and “Cabin Christmas.”
“I think some people have
a lot of fun,” Spomer said.
“It gives them a chance to be
creative.”
In addition to the auction,
there is a raffle tree. Tickets
for it are $10 each. Money
raised from it will go to a city
of Hermiston art enhancement
project at the old Hermiston
Union High School arch,
which is located at 199 E.
Ridgeway Ave.
Tickets for the auction/
dinner can be purchased at
the Hermiston Conference
Center. Those unable to buy
tickets are welcome to come
for the auction to bid on items.
For more information, visit
www.facebook.com/hermis-
tonfestivaloftrees.
———
Contact
Community
Editor Tammy Malgesini at
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4539
BRIEFLY
Hermiston sophomore dies
from alcohol consumption
HERMISTON — A Hermiston High
School student died Sunday afternoon from a
possible alcohol overdose.
The Hermiston
School District reported
Cesar Roque, 15,
was a sophomore and
played soccer for the
high school. A written
statement from the
district called the death
“tragic” and stated “our
thoughts and prayers go
out to all affected by this Roque
tragedy.”
The district also stated it will provide
support for staff and students during this
difficult time on Monday at Hermiston High
School and Armand Larive Middle School.
Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston
said there is an ongoing investigation into
who provided the alcohol to Roque, who was
a minor.
He said there was not yet a medical ruling
on whether Roque had died from alcohol
poisoning, asphyxiation or some other cause,
but alcohol appeared to be a prime factor.
Pendleton building official
John Lindstrom resigns
PENDLETON — For the second time
this year, a supervisor in one of Pendleton’s
community development departments has
resigned suddenly.
Building official John Lindstrom resigned
from his position Friday, according to an
email from city attorney Nancy Kerns.
Kerns wrote that the city wished Lind-
strom well, but would not comment further
on his departure.
Lindstrom had been on paid leave, and
although Kerns declined to state when his
leave of absence began, he gave a public
presentation to the Pendleton City Council as
recently as Nov. 8.
An Eastern Oregon native, Lindstrom has
worked for the city since 2002 and earned
$80,892 per year. As the building official,
Lindstrom had the final say over whether a
construction project meets building codes.
Lindstrom could not be reached as of press
time.
This is the second community develop-
ment employee to resign in 2016 under vague
circumstances.
The city announced the resignation of
city planner Evan MacKenzie in January,
and while MacKenzie said it was because
of a “difference of opinions,” the city never
Cole James Pryor,
18, of Pendleton, faces
one charge for raping a
12-year-old girl.
Pendleton Police
Chief
Stuart
Roberts said that
may be only the
beginning.
“It looks like
in total there
are five girls,”
Roberts
said,
who range in age Pryor
11-14, with some
crimes occurring
more than a year ago.
Roberts said the initial
case led police investi-
gators to search social
media and cellphones for
clues. They found 36,000
communications, including
messages and images.
“That evidence really
allows us to progress these
investigations,” he said.
Detective
Howard
Bowen is working the
cases and has one more
victim to interview. Pend-
leton police will send all
the reports to the Umatilla
County District Attor-
ney’s Office to consider
charges. Roberts said in
some of the cases Jessica’s
Law for Oregon could
apply, which mandates a
minimum 25-year prison
term for offenders guilty
of sex crimes against a
child under 12.
Roberts said Pryor
met some of his victims
through their older sisters
and others through social
media, and as with most
sexual predators,
he
“groomed”
the girls so he
could commit the
crimes.
Police
and
sexual
assault
victims organi-
zations describe
grooming
as
the process a
predator uses to
gain a victim’s
trust, even affection, and
to manipulate the victim
to allow crimes to occur.
Grooming also helps the
offender avoid discovery.
Predators also groom
parents and guardians to
gain access to victims.
Investigating
these
types of sexual crimes is
challenging, Roberts said.
Victims don’t want their
parents or guardians to
know what happened, and
they often care about the
offender and don’t want
him in trouble. And, he
added, the victims also
feel a certain amount of
embarrassment.
Police
often have to confront the
victims with evidence,
such as text messages or
photos, before they open
up with details about what
happened
BOARDMAN
provided a reason for his departure.
Building inspector Ty Woolsey will act
as interim building official and will address
Lindstrom’s permanent replacement “at a
future date,” Kerns wrote.
Mishra and Zenger
nominated for state boards
HERMISTON — Two Umatilla County
residents will be considered by the Oregon
Senate for appointment to state boards during
Legislative Days in December.
Jon Mishra of Hermiston and Sharon
Zenger of Pendleton were nominated by
Governor Kate Brown on Monday.
Mishra, who works as director of special
programs for the Hermiston School District,
is up for consideration to join the Fair
Dismissal Appeals Board for a four-year
term. The board hears the appeals of teachers
and school administrators dismissed from
their jobs and sets uniform standards for fair
dismissal procedures.
Zenger, a teacher for the visually impaired
at the InterMountain Education Service
District, would join the Commission for the
Blind for a four-year term. The commission
serves visually impaired Oregonians through
job training, job placement assistance and
other resources.
Simmons Insurance holds
grand opening at former
RoeMarks building
HERMISTON — Simmons Insurance
Group will unveil the newly renovated
RoeMarks building at an open house on Nov.
29.
The insurance company in May purchased
the former western wear store in downtown
Hermiston, which had sat empty for nearly
four years. They will maintain offices on the
eastern side of the building and have leased
portions of the western side (on the corner of
Main Street and Northeast Second Street) to
Scrubs and Bloomz Coffee Bar.
The 6,000-square-foot space on the eastern
side will hold administrative offices and
commercial insurance for Simmons Insurance
while the company’s home, auto and health
offices will remain at 702 E. Main St.
Renovations to the new space included
hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of
new HVAC, lighting, windows, flooring and
walls. A facade grant from the Hermiston
Urban Renewal Agency provided the money
for windows to be restored to the upper floors.
To see the new office, visit the grand
opening and ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Nov.
29 at noon.
Contributed photo
Nearly 40 volunteers, mostly Riverside High School students, worked Saturday
to decorate the city of Boardman for Christmas.
Volunteers get in Christmas spirit
East Oregonian
It’s beginning to feel a lot
like Christmas in Boardman.
Nearly 40 volunteers —
made up mostly of River-
side High School students
— turned out Saturday
to help put up Christmas
decorations around the
G O O D
city, including thousands of
Christmas lights, garland
and wreaths.
Also during the week of
Thanksgiving, volunteers
plan to place the “Merry
Christmas” and “Feliz
Navidad” lighted signs at
the splash pad park along
Northeast Front Street.
S H E P H E R D
The city of Boardman
sponsors the Christmas
Decoration
Committee
every year. Mayor and
committee chairman Sandy
Toms said this year’s volun-
teer turnout was the largest
ever, and she was happy to
see so many students come
out and help.
W O M E N ’ S
C E N T E R
Good Shepherd Health Care System
The Museum Store at
Tamástslikt Cultural Institute
is proud to introduce
Holiday Sale
Up to 70% off!
Allison Khavkin, M.D., OB/GYN
Free admission to exhibits
with purchase of $25 or more.
November 27 & 28
FREE gift wrapping too!
“
I provide women with preventative
healthcare services as well as
treating both short- and long-term
medical conditions. I take a holistic
approach to caring for my patients
understanding your specific
FIRST FRIDAYS ARE FREE!
needs—while keeping your quality
Museum, Store, Kinship Cafe
Open Mon-Sat
541.429.7700
www.tamastslikt.org
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of life at the forefront of your care.
”
Welcoming New Patients
Good Shepherd Women’s Center
541.667.3801
620 NW 11th Street, Suite 103
Hermiston, OR 97838