REGION
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3A
HERMISTON
HERMISTON
Consul general talks U.S.-Mexico
relations at Cinco de Mayo
Shooter in August
confrontation sentenced
to almost six years
Francisco Maass Peña looked rather
at home striding in Hermiston’s Cinco
de Mayo parade. It was all in a day’s
work.
Sunday marks 10 months since
Peña stepped into the post of Mexico’s
consul general for Oregon. Saturday
he donned the sash noting he was the
parade’s grand marshal. Jose Garcia,
chair of Hermiston’s Hispanic Advisory
Committee, and Clara Beas-Fitzgerald,
Hermiston city councilor, walked beside
Peña as he led the parade the few blocks
to Butte Park.
Hermiston Mayor Dave Drotzmann,
Umatilla County Sheriff Terry Rowan
and county commissioners Bill Elfering
and George Murdock were key local
luminaries who also participated in the
celebration, which helped kick off the
two-day celebration at Butte Park.
Hermiston
Hispanic Advisory
Committee member Mark Gomolski
sent an invitation a few months ago
asking Peña to come. Peña, gracious
and diplomatic, said accepting provided
him the opportunity to build more
bridges with the local community.
The consul general handles vital
services for around 400,000 Mexicans,
from providing official documents,
including passports, birth certificates
and identification, to offering legal
advice. The consulate’s headquarters
are in Portland, but the service area
spans most of Oregon and three coun-
ties in southwest Washington (Oregon’s
most eastern counties fall under the
Consulate of Mexico in Boise).
“As you can imagine, there’s a lot of
work,” Peña said.
He talked up the office’s “mobile
consulate,” which he said takes services
right to migrant labor camps and rural
parts of the state. And he said he is
working toward increasing tourism
between Oregon and Mexico.
Before taking on consul general,
Peña worked for three years as Mexico’s
undersecretary of tourism. Plenty of
people know about tourist hot spots like
Cabo San Lucas and Cancun, he said,
but Mexico has much more to offer.
Likewise, he said, Mexican tourists
would enjoy Oregon’s natural beauty.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Francisco Maass Peña, Mexico’s consul general for Oregon, speaks to a
crowd gathered Saturday for the Hermiston Cinco de Mayo celebration at
Butte Park.
But connectivity between Oregon
and Mexico is a hurdle. Portland Inter-
national Airport has one direct flight to
Guadalajara. Peña said he wants to help
find a way to have direct flights from
Portland to Mexico City. The metropolis
of 20 million is a hub, he said, for access
to the rest of Mexico.
Peña took the main stage at Butte
Park and delivered a short dedication in
Spanish. After the events, he addressed
the effects of the anti-immigrant climate
in the U.S. on the consulate’s work. He
said there may be a culture of prepara-
tion emerging.
“I think this is an excellent moment
for people to have their Mexican papers
in order,” he said, and to seek the
consulate for help with “immigration
diagnostics.”
“I’m sure there are a lot of people
with real possibilities for immigration,
but they don’t know it,” Peña said, and
the consulate can help them explore
those options.
Garcia of the advisory committee said
the consulate’s services are invaluable
to the area’s Hispanic population. The
office really serves as a “consultant” to
the Mexican community, he said, even
working with families in distress when
loved ones face deportation.
Garcia also said Peña’s participation
in the local Cinco de Mayo event acts as
a sign of reassurance at a time of rising
anti-immigration sentiment and actions.
Peña also said whatever difference
the governments of Mexico and the
U.S. have, the two countries remain
allies with deep economic bonds. The
Office of the United States Trade Repre-
sentative estimated the nation’s goods
and services trade with Mexico totaled
$579.7 billion in 2016.
“At the end,” Peña said, “the links
between Mexico and the United States
are so, so, so, so strong.”
———
Contact Phil Wright at pwright@
eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0833.
BRIEFLY
Pedestrian struck,
taken to Pendleton
hospital
PENDLETON — A
man was struck by a Ford
sedan and taken to the
hospital Monday afternoon
on Southwest Court Avenue
near Oxford Suites.
According to Lt. Charles
Byram with the Pendleton
police, witnesses said
the man stepped into the
road. An ambulance took
the victim to St. Anthony
Hospital, Pendleton, but
neither he or the driver
were immediately identi-
fied.
Traffic was blocked on
the road for about an hour.
Pendleton and Oregon
State Police responded, and
the case remains open.
Teachers honored
this week in
Hermiston
HERMISTON — At
Monday’s school board
meeting, the Hermiston
School District declared
May 8 through 12 as Teacher
Appreciation Week. The
board encouraged students,
parents and community
members to thank teachers
for their dedication to their
jobs.
“Each of us can look
back in our lives to see the
influence of teachers who
shaped and molded us,”
said superintendent Fred
Maiocco. “Please take time
to recognize their incredible
work.”
The Hermiston School
District has about 314
licensed staff members,
including classroom
teachers, specialists,
instructional coaches and
librarians.
thinking he was in danger
of being shot.
Rodriguez and Lemus,
Eduardo
Rodriguez
Barriga, 26, was sentenced who had been childhood
Monday to prison time and friends, had argued over a
restitution fees to his victim, woman that morning and
had previously
Daniel Carranza
had
arguments
Lemus.
but had not been
Rodriguez
on speaking terms
was charged with
for several years.
assault in the
The morning
second degree,
of the incident,
and two counts of
Rodriguez said
unlawful use of a
his
girlfriend
firearm after an
received a call
August 24, 2016
from Lemus, after
incident. He has
which Rodriguez
been sentenced Rodriguez
told him not to
to 70 months in
prison and three years post- call her. The two then ended
prison supervision, and is up at Butte Park, with their
ordered to have no contact cars parked next to each
with the victim. Rodriguez other. Rodriguez said he
will also have to pay thought Lemus was rolling
$1,407.20 to Lemus, and down his window, and
$600 to the court — $200 thought he had a gun, so he
picked up a gun he had on
for each count.
In his hearing, Rodri- the floor of his vehicle and
guez admitted to firing a fired without aiming.
Further investigations
gun, the bullet from which
hit Lemus in the leg. But he revealed that Lemus did not
said he fired in self-defense, have a gun.
East Oregonian
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
Staff photo by Phil Wright
Pendleton police Monday afternoon investigate a ve-
hicle versus pedestrian collision at Southwest Court
Avenue near Oxford Suites.
Barbara Ceniga
to discuss Pioneer
Relief Nursery
PENDLETON —
Barbara Ceniga, executive
director of Pioneer Relief
Nursery, will share about
the organization’s mission
at the upcoming Roundup
Republican Women meeting.
Everyone is welcome to
attend the no-host luncheon
gathering. The meeting is
Thursday at 11:45 a.m. at
the Red Lion, 304 S.E. Nye
Ave., Pendleton. The cost is
$11 for members and $13 for
non-members.
The relief nursery is
dedicated to the prevention
of child abuse and neglect.
It provides families
with support to help in
creating safe and healthy
environments to raise
children.
Those planning to
attend are asked to confirm
by Wednesday morning.
To RSVP, for more
information or to submit
questions for Ceniga,
contact Marcia Stewart at
rounduprepublicanwomen@
hushmail.com or 541-276-
1206.
Senior center to
change meal venue
HERMISTON — The last
day for meals in the current
Hermiston Senior Center is
Thursday, which features a
special Mother’s Day meal.
The menu for Thursday
includes ham, yams, baked
potato, vegetable and a
special cake provided by
Sun Terrace Hermiston. A
special invitation is extended
to residents in local assisted
living facilities. Thursday’s
meal is at the current
Hermiston Senior Center,
435 W. Orchard Ave.,
located at the old Umatilla
County Fairgrounds.
Starting Tuesday, May
16, meals will be held at the
Our Lady of Angels Catholic
Church parish hall, 565 W.
Hermiston Ave. The meals
are served each Tuesday and
Thursday at noon.
The cost is $4 for adults
and Meals on Wheels. It’s free
for kids 10 and under. There
is a 50 cents fee for utensils
and dishes. Transportation
to the senior center can be
arranged for a donation.
For more information
or to schedule a ride, call
541-567-3582.
Happy 90th Birthday
RAYMOND FRENCH
MAY 18TH
Greetings may be sent to
Sun Ridge Retirement Community
3234 SW Nye Avenue No. 18
Pendleton OR 97801
PENDLETON
Downtown association
hires executive director
East Oregonian
In the span of about eight
months, Molly Turner of
the Pendleton Downtown
Association has gone from
intern to director.
According to a Saturday
press release, the association
has named Turner
its first executive
director.
A University
of
Oregon
graduate,
the
association
brought Turner
to Pendleton as
an intern from
AmeriCorps’
Resource Assis- Turner
tance for Rural
Environments
program in September,
serving as the nonprofit’s
program manager.
“I am absolutely blown
away by Pendleton,” Turner
said in a statement. “This
area is gorgeous and I see
a huge potential. I am eager
to continue the work we
have started and truly see an
impact downtown.”
Fred Bradbury, a down-
town business owner and
the president of the associ-
ation, heaped praise on the
nonprofit’s only employee.
“Molly has been instru-
mental in creating new
promotion events in the
Downtown Core, grant fund
raising, and assisting the
Board and PDA Members
as we move forward on a
wide array of design and
economic projects,” he said.
The association’s oper-
ations are primarily funded
through the Pendleton
Development
Commission, a
city governing
board that over-
sees the urban
renewal district.
Although
Turner
signed
a
three-year
contract,
the
commission
agreed to pay
$55,000
for
Turner’s salary
and other operational costs
for only one year while
encouraging the association
to find an alternative source
of funding.
In an interview Monday,
Turner said the association
was
working
toward
identifying other sources of
funding.
Turner will begin her
new contract Aug. 1.
The Pendleton Down-
town Association is a
member of the Oregon
Main Street program and
a member organization
dedicated to supporting the
downtown area.
SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS
Submit information to: community@eastoregonian.
com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at
333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211
S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-
966-0818 with questions.
MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS!
JEWELRY • PURSES • CLOTHING • CANDLES
UNIQUE GIFTS & SO MUCH MORE
Put a smile on the heart with
the power of flowers.
HWY 395, HERMISTON
541-567-4305
Mon-Sat 8am-6pm • Sun 12pm-5am
www.cottagefl owersonline.com
LET US MEAT
YOUR NEEDS
Celebrate
Mother’s
Day
Sunday May 14th
,,
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%&'()*(*+
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BBQ season in fast approaching. Call today
to order your X-tra thick steaks for grilling!
If you order in time you can even have them
for the weekends!
“Serving Pendleton for 40 years”
261 S. Main • Pendleton, OR 97801
(541) 276-9440
541.567.2011
Your local Pendleton Florist
253 W. Hermiston Ave.
Hermiston
pendletonfl owers.com
