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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 2017)
Friday, March 24, 2017 CRITFC announces new executive director Pinkham will take over April 24 Center, a nonprofit providing technical support to tribes in Minnesota, North Dakota and South East Oregonian Dakota as they redesigned their government systems. Prior to that, Pinkham A new executive director is coming to the Columbia spent two decades in the River Inter-Tribal Fish Pacific Northwest advo- cating for tribal sovereignty Commission. Jaime Pinkham, a and treaty rights, including member of the Nez Perce a stint at CRITFC from 2005 to 2008 as Tribe with more watershed devel- than 30 years of opment manager. experience in Pinkham has a American Indian degree in forestry affairs, will take from Oregon over at CRITFC State University. beginning He has twice April 24. The been elected to Portland-based the Nez Perce commission Tribal Executive works on behalf Pinkham Committee, and of four tribes, led its natural including the Umatilla, Warm Springs, resources program focused Yakama and Nez Perce, to on salmon restoration, land enforce treaty fishing rights acquisition, wolf recovery and influence fisheries and water rights negotia- tions. management. CRITFC chairman With his selection, Pinkham becomes the 10th Leland Bill said Pinkham’s director of CRITFC in 40 work on tribal sovereignty and natural resources stood years. “As a treaty fisher and out among the field of hunter, I am humbled to candidates for executive work with the member director. “We look forward to tribes of CRITFC,” Pinkham said in a state- working with Jaime as we ment. “CRITFC plays an face a number of current important role working issues that impact salmon at the intersection of each and tribal treaty fishing tribe’s individual autonomy rights, including climate and their unified voice. change, an altered federal Healthy and harvestable government landscape and salmon runs are funda- the renegotiation of the mental to the sovereign Columbia River Treaty.” Pinkham succeeds Paul identities and cultures of Lumley, who served for the four member tribes.” For the last eight years, eight years before leaving Pinkham has served as to lead the Native Amer- vice president of the Bush ican Youth and Family Foundation in Saint Paul, Association in Portland. Minnesota, where he led the Rob Lothrop will continue Native Nations program. to serve as interim execu- His work led to the creation tive director until Pinkham of the Native Governance arrives. BRIEFLY Warrant sweep nets nine arrests MILTON-FREEWATER — The local police inter- agency drug team arrested nine people Tuesday morning in the Milton-Freewater area. The Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team, Umatilla County Community Justice Department, Milton-Freewater police and other agencies conducted a warrant sweep through the area, according to a statement from Milton-Freewater Police Chief Doug Boedigheimer. Police arrested five people on probation detention warrants, according to the statement, one person on two felony Umatilla County warrants, one person on a felony warrant from Washington, and another on a felony warrant from Idaho. Police also arrested one man on a Umatilla County warrant for multiple charges, but the information nor court records revealed what they were at this time. Officers also knocked on about 20 doors to talk to speak with people “for various reasons,” according to the statement. Hermiston police will start ticketing for illegal stopping in roadway HERMISTON — The Hermiston Police Department will start issuing tickets Monday for drivers illegally stopping in the roadway. Police chief Jason Edmiston said the problem has been most pronounced at the Dutch Bros. coffee shop at East Jennie Avenue and Highway 395, but the rule will apply everywhere. “Over the course of the last several months, members of the Hermiston Police Department have attempted to educate people on the dangers involved with inappro- priately stopping in the roadway waiting for access to a drive-through entrance,” he said. The department tries to use ticketing as a last resort, Edmiston said, but has found it necessary as stopping in the roadway has become a major safety issue. “We are now at a point where enforcement must take place since our education efforts are falling on deaf ears,” Edmiston said. Edmiston said officers will issue $110 tickets to offenders, but the amount may vary depending on how the courts choose to handle each case. Activity night features spring fun HERMISTON — Crafts, an egg hunt and snacks are featuring during The Arc Umatilla County Activity Night. Open to the public, the event is Tuesday from 5:30- 6:30 p.m. at The Arc Building, 215 W. Orchard Ave., Hermiston. There is no admission charge. The Arc Umatilla County is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They work to connect families and community members and improve services for people with disabilities. For more information, call541-567-7615 or visit www.thearcumatilla.org. REGION East Oregonian Page 3A PENDLETON Local stars to dance for charities By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian A night of glamour and glitz is planned as local stars team up with professional dancers to raise money for local charities. Sponsored by Community Action Program of East Central Oregon, Dancing With Your Pendleton Stars connects local celebrities with members of the Utah Ballroom Dance Company. They will present a fun evening of entertainment that also provides a boost to the budgets of local nonprofit organizations. Local stars include Danny Bane, Donna Biggerstaff, Mike Ciraulo, Scott Fairley, Debbie McBee and Kristin Swaggart. A Pendleton native, Bane is known for his work with children, including with Lost & Found Youth Outreach, as an adverse childhood experience trainer and youth engagement consul- tant. Bane, who will cut a rug for United Way of Umatilla and Morrow Counties, chose the organization as a way to say thank you for their support of Lost & Found. “No other organization in Pendleton supports grassroots action like United Way,” he said. Growing up in Pendleton, Bigger- staff has owned a downtown business, worked for the Round-Up and currently is employed by the city of Pendleton. She will be dancing for Pendleton Younglife. Biggerstaff supports youth sports and activities and hopes to highlight the mission of the faith-based Pendleton Younglife program. “Younglife is about building solid relationships with kids, with the under- standing we just love them where they are, hiccups, hurts and hang-ups,” she said. A newcomer to town, Ciraulo moved to Pendleton a little more than a year ago to become chief of the Pend- leton Fire Department. Falling in love with the community, Ciraulo feels all people are called to help those in need, which is why he’ll be hitting the dance floor for Pregnancy Care Services of Pendleton. The organization provides emotional support and services for people making decisions regarding an unplanned pregnancy. “They serve a cause that is close to my heart,” he said. Fairley serves as the Eastern Oregon coordinator for Gov. Kate Brown’s office. He is also a member of the Pendleton City Council and has served on many committees and commissions. Bane Biggerstaff Ciraulo Fairley McBee Swaggart Dancing With Your Pendleton Stars Saturday, April 8, at 7 p.m. The Vert Auditorium, 480 S.W. Dorion, Pendleton Tickets: $20 In addition to dazzling his wife with his newly acquired dance skills, Fairley hopes to provide some relief for Pioneer Relief Nursery. The orga- nization offers support and resources to at-risk families. “All children deserve safety, love and the opportunity to realize their full potential,” he said. A Pendleton resident for more than two decades, McBee has served on numerous boards and volunteered in many capacities. Among the causes she has championed over the years is the Children’s Museum of Eastern Oregon, which she proudly worked with hundreds of people to help make the nonprofit play space a reality 20 years ago. Because of that, she’ll be making some moves on the dance floor to help support the Children’s Museum. “I have been blessed to be able to watch the Children’s Museum grow and support the development of children,” McBee said. “As a thriving facility for families, it is near and dear to my heart.” Swaggart likes to cook things up. A culinary arts instructor and coach of the culinary team at Pendleton High School, she also shares her skills with others. With a heart for giving back to the community, Swaggart’s students prepare and serve food weekly during the winter months at the Pendleton Warming Station. She hopes to sizzle on the dance floor to raise money for the warming station. “We are very connected to the charity,” she said. The event is Saturday, April 8 at 7 p.m. at the Vert Auditorium, 480 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. Tickets are $20 and are available at CAPECO, Dave’s Chevron, Pendleton Chamber of Commerce, each dancer and their charities. Money from ticket sales supports CAPECO programs. Money donated on behalf of each dancer goes to the charity of their choosing and counts for their overall score. For more information, call 541-276- 1926 or stop by the CAPECO office, 721 S.E. Third St, Suite D, Pendleton. ——— Contact Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539. PILOT ROCK State clears former officer of dishonesty By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Pilot Rock hired Gary Thompson as a police officer in February 2015, and nine months later he was accused of lying and fired by the city council. Thompson maintained throughout that he did not lie, and a state investigator for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training in January concluded there was not enough evidence to show Thompson was dishonest. “The bottom line is, I didn’t lie,” Thompson said this week. Teri Porter, the Pilot Rock city recorder, was integral in pursuing Thompson’s termi- nation. She said in an email the city “has a clear policy not to discuss personnel matters, so I must decline offering a statement.” Pilot Rock relied on Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts to investigate whether Thompson lied about ordering activity book- lets and stickers for children in the community. Roberts in an email said he had not seen the recommendation that the state close the matter and he would not comment. Thompson said their responses did not surprise him. But the findings from the state came as a relief. “The bottom line is, I didn’t lie.” — Gary Thompson “It’s been a hard road with this,” Thompson said. “You think you did something wrong and you start to believe it — until I got this.” He pointed to the investi- gator’s memo. The one-page document from Kristen Hibberds, the state’s professional standards investigator and coordinator, states Pilot Rock terminated Thompson on what it perceived as his dishonesty for not admitting to placing the order. The memo states Thompson told Porter he spoke to a company about ordering the items and he told Umatilla County commis- sioners he ordered them. “Thompson stated he never lied at any point in being questioned about the incident,” according to the memo. Porter initially told the investigator there were two witnesses to the conversation between her and Thompson. “Upon speaking to one of the witnesses,” the memo goes, “she stated she couldn’t remember anything at all about the conversation, just what had been relayed to her by [Porter].” The other witness initially seemed unsure about the meeting, then said she remem- bered Thompson denying he made the purchase. According to the memo, the second witness still worked in city hall with Porter at the time of the investigation. The company that sold the items provided the city with a recording of Thompson placing the order, which the city council and key staff heard. The investigator’s memo states the recording was the company calling to confirm the order, and Thompson reported it did not record his first call in which he said he did not have authority to approve the purchases. The investigator also noted the police department previously bought the items, and the company contacted Thompson regarding the department’s supply and need. Hibberds concluded this was a case of “he said/she said” that lacked enough evidence to prove Thompson was dishonest under state administrative rules and recommended closing the case. Thompson said this means he and his wife, Valoree, have some closure. They said losing the job forced Gary to travel to the Great Lakes to work as a mariner with the Merchant Marines, where he had previ- ously worked for a decade. Valoree is a corrections officer at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, Pendleton, and said the East Oregonian’s coverage of the firing made her job all the more difficult as inmates confronted her about her husband. He is now back home in Pendleton working nights as a truck driver, which he said is a good job. He also said he still has his police certifica- tion, although it has lapsed. The couple said they considered suing Pilot Rock, and their attorney, Michael Breiling of Pendleton, told them the outcome would be getting the cop job back. Thompson said he had no desire to work again for Pilot Rock. ——— Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0833. March 25th 7PM No Cover CH11115 541-276-6111 • Red Lion Lounge • 304 SE Nye, Pendleton
