REGION
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
UMATILLA
Grad students gather feedback from
residents on downtown revitalization
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Walking trails along the
river, a marina and a nation-
ally recognized robotics
team were all strengths
listed by Umatilla residents
at an open house Friday
night.
The event, held at
Umatilla High School,
encouraged residents to
draw pictures, write on
posters, put stickers on
maps and add to a photo
album to show what are
their favorite things about
Umatilla. The information
is being gathered by
Portland State University
graduate students who are
writing a downtown revital-
ization plan for Umatilla as
a final project.
“We’re working really
hard to create a document
by the community, for the
community,” PSU student
Laura Voss said. “We have
our own ideas, but we want
to hear from people who
live here.”
Voss said the plan might
focus on the Sixth Street
area, but the group wants to
tie the best parts of Umatilla
to downtown and help the
community be more cohe-
sive. They plan to follow the
open house up with focus
groups and interviews that
reach out to various demo-
graphics in the community
Amber Ayers, project
manager, said the students
have been working with city
staff to look at what work
has already been done, and
they got an extensive tour
of the city.
“I spent my morning
walking around Umatilla,
taking photos,” she said.
“What a beautiful site.”
One of the stations that
people were encouraged
to stop at on Friday was a
large map of the city, where
stickers were available to
place on favorite locations.
“Definitely the marina
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Matt Tsui makes a collage about his favorite parts of Umatilla during an open
house event Friday.
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Sam Roberts, left, shows Umatilla residents a map
where they can place stickers to indicate their favor-
ite place in the community.
park is a popular choice,”
technical lead Sam Roberts
said, pointing to the map.
“We have Java Junkies, and
we’ve got a lot of runners
marking the trail.”
Umatilla resident Tina
Ridings said she attended
Friday’s event because she
is “highly vested in the
community.” She said some
people have a negative
perception of Umatilla.
“We are so much more,”
she said. “Robotics has put
us on the map. Our after-
school programs are used
as a model for the nation.”
City councilor Mark
Ribich was one of several
city officials who attended.
He said he was pleased
with the event’s turnout and
hoped the Portland State
students were able to get
“mass involvement” as they
work on their revitalization
plan over the next few
months.
“This is going to
happen,” he said. “We are
going to make changes
to downtown one way or
another, so we want it to be
something the community
wants.”
At
Tuesday’s
city
council meeting, the council
approved a contract with
the students, all pursuing
a master’s degree in urban
and regional planning,
making the relationship
official. City manager Russ
Pelleberg said the group,
under the name Confluentis
Planning, is the only group
of students that chose a city
in Eastern Oregon to focus
on. He said their work will
dovetail with downtown
revitalization work that
he and Ribich have been
doing, and with a future
community development
department.
“We’re pretty excited
about it,” he said.
———
Contact Jade McDowell
at jmcdowell@eastorego-
nian.com or 541-564-4536.
Steelheaders call for Buckmaster’s removal from fish commission
By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — In the latest develop-
ment in the feud between sports anglers
and commercial fishermen over the
use of gillnets in the lower Columbia
River, a sports angling group is peti-
tioning the governor to remove a state
fish and wildlife commissioner who
voted with three others to continue to
allow the practice in late January.
The Association of Northwest
Steelheaders submitted a petition last
week signed by nearly 6,000 people
calling on Gov. Kate Brown to remove
Commissioner Bruce Buckmaster.
Buckmaster, a Brown appointee,
has served on the Oregon Fish and
Wildlife Commission since 2015.
Detractors argued at the time he was a
lobbyist for the commercial gillnetting
industry, a claim which Buckmaster
denied.
Buckmaster, who is described
as an advocate for “equitable use of
natural resources” in his biography on
the commission’s website, declined
to comment on the petition Monday.
The Governor’s Office also declined
comment on the petition.
The petition also calls for Oregon’s
commission to adopt rules that align
with a previous plan to phase out
gillnetting altogether, as
Those on the commer-
Washington’s commission
cial
fishermen’s
side
voted to do in January.
— including the Coastal
Bob Rees, executive
Caucus, a collection of both
director of the Association of
Democratic and Repub-
Northwest Steelheaders, said
lican state lawmakers
Monday that his group was
— say that the legislation
“not opposed to the commer-
also called for optimizing
cial fishing industry” and
economic benefits to the
recognized that the industry
state and maintaining
played a role in Oregon’s Buckmaster
the economic viability of
economy.
commercial fishing as well
“The Steelheaders want to grow as sports fishing.
sport-fishing opportunities all across
Recreational anglers are repre-
rural Oregon, and Buckmaster has sented on the commission, but the
shown he is not committed to that by Steelheaders say that the body is still
attempting to derail the reforms,” Rees “unbalanced.”
Jim Bittle, who was praised by the
wrote in an email.
A gillnet is a net that traps fish by Steelheaders in their petition as “an
the gills and capable of drawing in effective voice for recreational anglers
throughout Oregon,” was appointed to
large hauls.
The commission voted in late the commission in late December.
Gov. Brown warned the commis-
January to allow commercial gillnet-
ters to continue to capture a certain sion in a letter Feb. 9 that she expected
percentage of the hauls of certain the members to adopt rules in line with
species, with those portions depending the bi-state agreement by April 3.
However, it is not explicit what the
on the season.
Sports anglers and environmental consequences for the commission are
groups argue that gillnets can’t distin- if they vote otherwise — a spokesman
guish between wild and hatchery fish, for the governor did not respond when
and that state legislation passed in asked if the governor would remove
2013 called for eventually disallowing Buckmaster from the commission if
commercial gillnetting in accordance they did not adopt rules in accordance
with the bi-state agreement.
with an agreement with Washington.
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by fax to 503-371-2935 or
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Pendleton man arrested
for rape, child abuse
East Oregonian
subjected to physical abuse for
the last 10 years,” Roberts said.
Roberts said it’s difficult
A 49-year-old Pendleton
man was arrested Friday by to estimate how many cases
Pendleton police for rape in the of abuse have occurred as
first degree and several other the family has moved around
Oregon and to other
charges related to
states.
rape and assault.
Roberts
said
The case against
Calvert physically
John
Harmon
abused all the chil-
Calvert
began
dren, but directed
March 3, according
more at one of them.
to Pendleton police
“Striking the kids
chief Stuart Roberts,
with hands and feet,
when a third party
throwing objects to
contacted the Depart-
inflict physical inju-
ment of Human
ries,” Roberts said.
Services concerned Calvert
“He went so far as to
about the potential
physical abuse of five children, allegedly threaten to kill them.”
Roberts said the Pendleton
all in Calvert’s custody.
Roberts said DHS went to Police Department has had
the home where the alleged a history with Calvert since
abuse was occurring and deter- 2010, but did not have prior
mined the children should be records of this type of abuse
from him.
put in guardian care.
“He had a restraining order
The children were brought
before a grand jury on Friday in place, but the person who
and a warrant was issued for had the restraining order, his
Calvert, who was arrested on wife, never reported that he
charges of assault, criminal was in violation,” Roberts said.
mistreatment and menacing of He said children also don’t
the children, as well as rape, always know to report abuse.
unlawful sexual penetration “As egregious as (these acts)
and assault of his significant may seem, for young kids, this
other. Calvert also was found is their ‘normal’ — they’re not
to have a .22 rifle in his posses- always (aware) it’s not right.”
Roberts said the report of
sion, and was arrested as a
felon in possession of a firearm. suspected abuse came from one
The children range in age of the local schools.
Calvert is currently lodged
from five to 12, Roberts said.
“They have allegedly been in the Umatilla County Jail.
BRIEFLY
Agape House hosts
parking lot sale
HERMISTON — A
parking lot sale is planned at
Agape House.
The event is Saturday from
8:30-11:30 a.m. at 500 Harper
Road, Hermiston.
Clothing, offered inside,
is three items for a dollar,
though the first five items of
children’s clothing are free.
Outside, weather permitting,
a selection of furniture,
bicycles, office furniture
and books will be priced as
marked. Knick-knacks, also
outside, are you-name-the-
price.
Agape House serves
individuals and families in
need. For more information
or to volunteer or make
donations to Agape House,
contact Dave or Jodene
Hughes at 541-567-8774.
BMCC choir
presents concert,
seeks members
PENDLETON — A free
concert featuring a series of
pieces evoking the idea of
home or returning home from
a journey will be performed
Friday by the Blue Mountain
Community College Concert
Choir.
“Homeward Bound” will
be presented at 7 p.m. in the
college’s Bob Clapp Theatre,
located in Pioneer Hall on the
BMCC campus, 2411 N.W.
Carden Ave. Featured soloists
include Alanna Ellis and
Hillary Edwards. Audience
members are encouraged to
wear green in celebration of
St. Patrick’s Day.
If you like what you hear
during the concert, consider
joining the choir, which is
looking for new members.
The concert choir meets
Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays at noon in room 122
in the McCrae Activity Center.
While choir experience is
preferred, it is not required.
For more information,
email choir director Jami
Moore at jmoore@bluecc.edu.
Website features
Sherman County
history
A former Sherman County
commissioner and volunteer
for the Sherman County
Historical Society wants to
get the word out about a new
website that highlights history
of the area.
Sherman County, Oregon:
A Historical Collection —
www.shermancountyoregon.
com — recently introduced
by Sherry Kaseberg, shares
her 1965 cemetery survey
and stories, time lines,
photographs and information
about businesses, churches,
government, military service,
places and towns. The website
honors the people who lived
in Sherman County, kept the
records, preserved the stories
and encouraged Kaseberg’s
interest in the county she grew
up in.
Kaseberg said the
information presented is “truly
the work of many, and will
appeal to history enthusiasts
and genealogists.”
The result of a lifetime
journey with local storytellers
and record keepers, Kaseberg
said it doesn’t include
everything. She encourages
people to also visit the
historical society’s museum,
which is located in Moro.
Open May through October, it
features interpretive exhibits,
publications and collections.
For more information,
contact 541-565-3232 or
info@shermanmuseum.org.
Request for Qualifi cations
Great work environment.
Super awesome team.
Good pay. Retirement plan.
Weekends off. Interested?
Architectural Design Charrette
East Oregonian has an
opening for multi-media sales.
No multi-media experience?
That’s fine, as long as you
understand the importance
of customer service, working
hard and a desire to
enjoy your job.
Could this be you?
Send resume and letter of
interest to
Page 3A
MULTI-MEDIA SALES
Press Position
Press person need-
ed at East Oregonian
newspaper. Our operation
prints an array of weekly,
bi-weekly and monthly
publications. To join our
team, you’ll need web
press operation skills, an
eye for color, mechanical
ability, be a good com-
municator and work well
with others. Must be able
to lift 50# and go up/down
stairs on a regular basis.
East Oregonian
Base wage plus commissions,
benefits and mileage
reimbursement. Benefits
include Paid Time Off (PTO),
insurances and a 401(k)/Roth
401(k) retirement plan.
For Historic Buildings in
Pendleton’s Downtown
The Pendleton Development Commission
is seeking an architectural fi rm to provide
design and consulting services for resto-
ration work on up to 13 historic buildings
in downtown Pendleton.
The Commission has funding to support
building owners with design and construc-
tion services and is assisting owners in
fi nding the services they need.
For a copy of the RFP document please
contact the Development Commission
at 541-966-0233 and leave your contact
information. The RFP will be emailed to
you.
Pendleton Development Commission
Pendleton, Oregon