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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2016)
REGION Thursday, December 15, 2016 HERMISTON Local trio spreads Christmas spirit Santa, Mrs. Claus and elf make rounds to assisted living facilities By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian Santa’s load is made a little lighter this holiday season thanks to a Hat Rock couple and a Hermiston woman. Richard Scarlett and Wanda Hunt are donning their Santa and Mrs. Claus wardrobes to spread Christmas joy for the 11th year. And, Helen McAfee is in her second season as an elf. While living in Okla- homa, Scarlett and Hunt, who are now both 66, were inspired to personify Santa and Mrs. Claus after watching an elderly neighbor enjoy doing it so much. “I said, ‘I just love what you do, going out and spreading cheer. When you pass, you need to will us your costume,’” Hunt recalls telling the then-octo- genarian. Hunt laughs as she recalls the woman, who is now 95, telling them to get their own costumes because she planned on living until she was 100. After the couple moved back to Eastern Oregon, their former neighbor purchased a Santa costume for $50 at a Goodwill and mailed it to Scarlett for his birthday. Scarlett donned the thrift store outfit that first year and Hunt wore a spectacular dress designed by Tina Cullers of Hermiston. The next year, Cullers surprised the couple by creating a magnificent new red velvet quilted Santa outfit for Scarlett. “The first costume I had was ratty tatty,” he said. “Now my costume actually has gold thread in the jacket. I put it on and I’m, like, ‘Wow!’” While the couple enjoys holiday events that focus on kids — serving as Santa and Mrs Claus in recent years during the Hermiston Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini Richard Scarlett, Wanda Hunt (as Santa and Mrs. Claus) and Helen McAfee, an elf, spread Christmas cheer during a Tuesday visit at Brookdale Hermiston. “I just love to see the people smile. It brings out the kid in everyone.” — Helen McAfee, elf Festival of Trees Family Day — they have a special place in their heart for older adults in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. “The reason we love seniors is that generation was the greatest generation. They went through the Depression and World War II,” Hunt said. “We have better lives because of what they went through.” The couple hopes others are inspired to visit local facilities. And, they even provide opportunities for people to do so. After Donna Meade — the couple’s longtime elf — died several years ago, they coaxed Helen McAfee to join them as Santa and Mrs. Claus’ helper. Receiving a basic outfit from the couple, McAfee has added her own personal touches with a blinking light necklace, Christmas bulb earrings and curly- toed shoes. Although this is just her second season as an elf, the 73-year-old has excelled in the role — she’s even been asked to wear the costume during a pair of upcoming performances with the Hermiston Chris- tian Center. “I’m normal most of the time,” McAfee said with a laugh. “I just love to see the people smile. It brings out the kid in everyone.” For the past 10 years, The Has Been Wanna Bees, a group of singing octo- genarians, joined Scarlett and Hunt when they visited facilities in Hermiston. However, as the members continued to age and some passed away, they recently bowed out of the perfor- mances. Always wanting to get more people involved, Hunt called Hermiston High School to see if some choir students could come and sing. Music teacher Jordan Bemrose-Rust was thrilled by the invitation. Tuesday morning, two busloads of band and choir students crowded into the lobby of Brookdale Hermiston. Ruby Halvorson, Bob Warmuth and Nick Demos were among the residents who wore bright smiles throughout the hour- long performance. The 91-year-old Halvorson glee- fully sang along during the final set of Christmas carols. “I love it,” she said. “This is so great. I love all the equipment — the piano, the horns and the drums. And, the singing was wonderful.” Like Santa’s elves, who happily do their part in spreading holiday cheer, Scarlett, Hunt and McAfee enjoy seeing the fruits of their labor. McAfee summed up the central theme shared by many who give of their time and talents during the holiday season. “It’s making people smile,” she said. “It’s all about spreading joy.” ——— Contact Community Editor Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastoregonian. com or 541-564-4539 Two festival street designs ready for review Two different designs for Hermiston’s planned festival street will be examined by the Downtown Festival Street Committee on Thursday. The project — planned for 2017 — will transform two blocks of Northeast Second Street next to city hall into a landscaped, pedestrian-friendly gath- ering area that can be blocked off to vehicle traffic during events. According to a city news release, both designs that will be considered on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at city hall include interactive water fountains, shade trees, large off-street gathering areas and a mechanism for closing off the street. Clint Spencer, city planner, said in the release that the interactive water feature will provide a constant attraction for Page 3A Recovering commissioner leaves Gilliam court shorthanded on the court’s agenda, he said there needs to be a full court in place. “By and large, just two The Gilliam County Court has found itself short- (on the court) isn’t going to handed going on six months do the county a whole lot of as longtime commissioner good,” he said. Specifically, Gilliam Dennis Gronquist, of Arlington, recovers from a County — population 1,947 — is working to set stroke suffered in July. Gronquist, 69, remains aside money for a fiber at a care facility in Portland, and broadband internet leaving Gilliam County project in Condon, and Judge Steve Shaffer and could also see a decrease in fees collected commissioner from solid waste Michael Weimar brought into to carry on his the Columbia absence. Ridge Landfill It remains — should the uncertain how Portland metro the situation will area decide to play out. Despite send more of its his current condi- trash elsewhere. tion, Gronquist, Shaffer admits a Democrat, being without one won re-election Gronquist commissioner, after running unopposed in the both May a part-time position, has primary — two months been challenging, but so far before his stroke — and there haven’t been any real November general election. contentious issues resulting The only way he can lose in a deadlock. No decisions his seat while in office, have been tabled, he said, according to Shaffer, is if he though it has increased workload and influenced dies, resigns or is recalled. Shaffer said he is unsure the people’s perceptions of of Gronquist’s long-term county government. “I would prefer that we health, but is willing to give him more time to decide if have three,” he said. “It’s a and when he will return to lot easier for three people to gather all the information the court. “Time is something we needed to make a long-term can afford to offer,” Shaffer decision.” Mike McArthur, said. Gronquist has served executive director of the a combined 20 years as Association of Oregon Gilliam County commis- Counties, said he is aware sioner, representing the of the situation in Gilliam north end of the county. County. The court’s hands He was also the mayor of are tied, he said, though he is confident Shaffer and Arlington for seven years. “He is just what I Wiemar can continue to consider to be an impec- hold down the fort. “I’m not the least bit cable leader,” Shaffer said. they can’t While Shaffer said there concerned is no rush for Gronquist to handle it. It just makes their make his decision, others workload greater,” McAr- feel the county needs to thur said. Laura Pryor, who lives move forward quickly. Les Ruark, who works in Salem and served as as a farmhand south of Gilliam County judge for Arlington, recently wrote nearly 20 years before she an open letter to Gron- retired in 2006, said a recall quist’s family urging them could be “very damaging” to submit a resignation on in such a small community, and it may ultimately fall his behalf. “It’s reached a point on the family to act. Like McArthur, Pryor where this cannot continue,” Ruark told the East Orego- said she is confident in the nian. “The family needs to court to conduct business, recognize there’s a public but it won’t necessarily be service aspect to this that easy. Not only do they have needs to be put forward.” to be careful of stalemates, Gronquist’s son, Kelly but make sure both the ends Gronquist, did not return of the county feel they are being represented. calls seeking comment. “It’s a tough issue for Ruark said he met Gron- quist in 1984, describing those folks,” Pryor said. him as open-minded and “I don’t envy that court forward-thinking. It is a figuring out what to do with delicate situation, Ruark this.” ——— said, since nobody wants to Contact George Plaven be seen as forcing the fami- ly’s hand. But with several at gplaven@eastoregonian. significant matters looming com or 541-966-0825. By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian HERMISTON By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian East Oregonian families to come downtown during warm weather, but will also be able to be turned off and used for an off-street vendor area or for the Christmas tree in the annual Winter Festival. Both designs would redistribute parking spaces in the lot across from city hall; one would add three spots and another would reduce the total number of parking spaces by two. The city is also looking at adding eight spots to downtown by changing some spaces from parallel parking to diagonal spaces. The designs by Green- Works Landscape Archi- tects are available online at hermiston.or.us. Assistant city manager Mark Morgan said in the release that the festival street is the centerpiece of Hermiston’s urban renewal plan, which uses property tax money gathered from the city’s Urban Renewal District. “The number one ‘to-do’ currently listed on the website for the new Holiday Inn Express which just opened in downtown Hermiston is to, ‘explore the wild west with a trip to nearby historic Pendleton,’” Morgan said. “If a hotel just spent $6 million to bring 50-100 people per night in to our downtown, and they’re telling their guests to make an hour round-trip out of town for something to do, then we obviously need to provide them with a better reason to stay.” The Urban Renewal District also uses money for facade grants in the downtown area. After Monday’s city council meeting, the council met as the Urban Renewal Agency and approved a $3,507 facade grant for Julissa’s Meat Market. The new business is renovating the former Napa Auto Parts on 292 W. Hermiston Ave. and will use the money to make improvements to the portion of the building facing Herm- iston Avenue. The money represents a 40 percent match for the total project. On Monday city council also adopted an ordinance adopting more unified rules for city committees. Among the changes, the ordinance clarifies that elected officials (namely city councilors and the mayor) are merely liai- sons to the committees they serve on and are not voting members. It also requires basic background checks for committee members, changes the maximum number of committees a person can serve on from one to two and reduces the number of Hispanic Advi- sory Committee and Faith Based Advisory Committee members to five. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. Columbia Grange, Pendleton Bird Club cancel events East Oregonian As a precaution due to the National Weather Service’s winter storm warning, a couple of area gorps have canceled upcoming events. The Pendleton Bird Club canceled their Thursday program and meeting and Columbia Grange canceled its Friday night turkey dinner event due to inclement weather. For more information, contact the bird club at pendletonbirdclub@gmail. com or 541-215-0761 and for the grange, call Doris at 541-567-8663 or Clare at 541-278-0615. BMCC board seeks to fill vacancies East Oregonian Blue Mountain Commu- nity College hopes to fill vacant positions on its Board of Education and budget committee. The board positions include Zone 3 in Pendleton and Zone 5 in Hermiston. Vacancies come following recent resig- nations of Eddie De La Cruz and Ed Taber. Zone 3 includes Pendleton precincts 107, 110, 112, 113, 114, 115, 117, 137, 141, 142 and 143. Zone 5 includes Hermiston precincts 103, 126, 127 and 128. Interested citizens may apply for the board positions until Jan. 5. The BMCC Board of Education plans to screen and appoint applicants at the next meeting. Those selected will serve in the positions through June of this year. To be considered, a candi- date must be a registered voter in Umatilla County, as well as a resident of one of the precincts in that zone. Applicants must submit a letter of interest to the BMCC Board of Education, P.O. Box 100, Pendleton, OR 97801, by January 5. The budget committee position runs for a three-year term. In an effort to provide geographical representation across BMCC’s three-county district, community members from the Hermiston and Morrow County areas are encouraged to apply. The committee consists of the seven elected members of the BMCC Board of Educa- tion, as well as seven appointed community members. Members are eligible to serve two three-year terms on the committee. Newly appointed members will receive an orientation sometime during April and May. Interested applicants should send a letter of interest with a description of their fiscal background and experi- ence to the BMCC President’s Office. Appointments to the committee are made by the board. The Budget Committee will begin its review of the proposed budget in May, and normally meets twice for two to three hours. For more information, please contact the BMCC President’s Office at 541-278- 5951. 1100 Southgate Suite 6 541-215-1564 Harrison Family Medicine is excited to welcome Linda Harries PA-C to our team. If you would like to continue seeing Linda, or establish care with her, please call or stop by our NEW LOCATION! www.harrisonmedicine.com Accepting ts new patien