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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2017)
REGION Wednesday, June 7, 2017 East Oregonian Page 3A HERMISTON PENDLETON EZ Mini Storage adding 195 units Big bail in new cases keeps Lybrand in jail By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Finding a storage unit to rent in Hermiston should be easier soon. EZ Mini Storage is in the process of adding 195 units to their 479-unit facility at 2315 S. Highway 395 across from the Wal-Mart Distribution Center. And another storage project by a different developer is in the works in southwest Hermiston. Owners Bill and Mary Cole of Bend said storage is in very short supply in Hermiston, and their business has a waiting list. “We’re turning an average of two to four people away every day,” Bill said. People’s reasons for wanting to rent some extra storage are varied, he said. Many of the larger units house a boat or RV, or are used by commer- cial contractors to store equipment. Some businesses use the units to store filing cabinets full of records they are required to keep but don’t have room for in-house. Smaller units might keep camping gear and bicycles during the winter, then skis and snow blowers in the summer. Some baby boomers choose to store items after downsizing to a more manageable one-story house. Or the storage units often hold family heirlooms, such as the hand-carved oak furniture that the Coles are storing in a unit of their own because it doesn’t fit with their current house. “When it’s been in the family for so long, people want to hold onto it,” Mary said. Bill said the delinquency rate on units is fairly low, despite what televi- sion shows would have you believe. “Don’t believe everything you see By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Staff photo by Jade McDowell Owners Mary and Bill Cole (left) and on-site manager Pamela Minton stand outside some of the units at EZ Mini Storage in Hermiston. on TV about ‘Storage Wars,’ ” he said. “It’s not like that. We have a great clientele.” EZ Mini Storage offers a manager who lives on site and a number of other security measures, plus it is in the city’s urban growth boundary and is served by Umatilla County Fire District 1. Bill said with mini storage units in high demand, it felt like a good time to expand. Work has already been done to pour concrete pads and erect fencing over the new 2.5-acre expansion, and construction of the actual units is expected to start June 19 and last less than 60 days. Units will range in size from 5 feet by 10 feet to 12-by-30. Another mini-storage project for Hermiston is also in the works, separate from what the Coles are doing. Steve Richards of Eastern Oregon Devel- opment has applied for a conditional use permit to construct a mini storage facility at 1330 Highland Avenue south of Northwest 11th Street that will include more than 300 units. A public hearing in front of the Hermiston Planning Commission on Richards’ application will be held June 14 at 7 p.m. at city hall, 180 N.E. Second St. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4536. Plane searching for fault lines, geological clues By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian A Cessna 180 airplane will spend the next few months flying over Pend- leton and the Umatilla Indian Reservation as part of a project by the U.S. Geological Survey to study the region’s geothermal resources and earthquake hazards. Residents should not be alarmed if they spot the low-flying plane, which will be recording measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field to glean information about fault lines and geological formations deep under- ground. Flights may begin as early as Thursday. The plane will be flown by specially trained pilots following all guidelines established by the Federal Aviation Administration. Rick Blakely, a research associate emeritus for the USGS, said similar surveys have been conducted around eastern and central Washington since 2008. Photo contributed by USGS A Cessna 180 will log 21,200 miles flying over Pend- leton and the Umatilla Indian Reservation as part of a project to study the region’s geothermal resources and earthquake hazards. This latest examination will encompass a 5,000-square- mile area including Pendleton, La Grande and portions of the Blue Mountains and Wallowa Mountains. The Cessna will be flying just 200 meters off the ground, making passes back and forth along parallel lines spaced a quarter mile apart. All told, the plane is expected to log roughly 21,200 miles — the equiva- lent of four round trips from San Francisco to New York. “It will take several months to complete the flying,” Blakely said. “When we put it all together, we will have a map of the area that shows the magnetic field and attraction coming from the Earth’s crust.” One-tenth of the magnetic field humans experience on Earth actually comes from the ground, Blakely explained. This is created by differences in the under- lying geology; for example, basalts tend to have a much stronger magnetic signature compared to sediments. The plane will be fitted with a device known as a magnetometer to read magnetism and USGS researchers will use the data to learn more about faults, changes in rock type and pockets of geothermal energy not previously recorded. “We can learn something about the geology beneath the ground,” Blakely said. “It’s part of the framework that I hope will be useful for the area long after I’m gone.” The study is being done in cooperation with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reserva- tion. The plane will be oper- ated by a company based in Lakewood, Colorado. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. PENDLETON City council approves $74.6 million budget By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian The Pendleton City Council officially budgeted money for improvements to the fire department, parks and recreation, the airport and more at a meeting Tuesday. The council unanimously approved a $74.6 million budget, which includes a $16.8 million discretionary budget. Other significant expen- ditures include money for police department repairs and vehicles, improvement to the city hall complex and $7 million for water utility work and repairs. The council also unani- mously approved re-entering negotiations with the Mack- enzie group of Portland to provide final design work and engineering services for the new Southeast Court Avenue fire station. The fire station was approved by voters in May as part of a $10 million bond. Public Works Director Bob Patterson explained that since Mackenzie was already familiar with the project through earlier design work, it could mean cost savings for the city. Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Penninger said city staff would compare Mack- enzie’s design proposal to similar fire station projects across the Northwest to determine if their contract price was fair. He added that any design contract would come before the city council before going forward. On the campaign trail leading up to the ballot measure election, Mayor John Turner said some citi- zens were dissatisfied with Mackenzie’s previous work. “One of the comments that was heard fairly often was that the design of the new station was too elegant, too costly, too grandiose, if you will,” he said. If Mackenzie was awarded the contract, Turner said the cost should reflect the money the city has already invested into the initial design work. Penninger said a bond oversight committee is being formed and could have a citizen representative as one of its members. Design is only one part of some of the early work being done on the new fire station, which is projected to open within the next 20 months. MORE HD CHANNELS FASTER INTERNET AND UNLIMITED PHONE. CALL TODAY AND PAY LESS 800-718-0153 • Speeds up to 100Mbps • Unlimited data – no data caps BEST INTERNET OFFER AS LOW AS 34 99 $ /per mo. for 12 mos FREE ACCESS TO WiFi HOTSPOTS * The MOST HD | SUPERFAST Internet | SUPERIOR Voice 125+ CHANNELS UP TO 100MBPS UNLIMITED CALLING Triple Play Select $ TV, INTERNET AND PHONE from 89 99 /mo each for 12 mos when bundled* Turner said the city is also in the process of selling the bonds and negotiating with St. Anthony Hospital to acquire the Court Street property. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. Umatilla County pros- ecutor Jacklyn Jenkins claims Jason Lybrand told the victim in his sex crimes case to lie to police or duck the grand jury. Lybrand sent the message in a letter, the deputy district attorney told the court Tuesday, telling the 17-year-old girl her testimony was crucial to obtaining an indictment. Lybrand, 46, appeared via video from the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton. The Pendleton business owner faces two counts of witness tampering and four of second-degree sexual abuse, all class C felonies in Oregon. And the state charged him Tuesday in three new drug cases: • Using a minor on May 8 to manufacture or distribute marijuana items and for delivery and possession of meth; • Using a minor on May 12 to manufacture or distribute marijuana items and for delivery and posses- sion of meth; • Conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine on April 12 and May 3. All of the crimes allegedly took place after Lybrand pleaded guilty April 4 to possession and delivery of drugs. The minor is the same girl the state alleges is the victim in the sex crimes case. Attorneys for Lybrand entered not guilty pleas to all charges, which are felonies. Michael Breiling of Pendleton represented Lybrand on his original drug case from 2016, and he is representing him on the drug cases involving the girl. But Breiling said he was not taking the others. Public defender Jody Vaughan of Pendleton handled those for Tuesday’s proceeding. Circuit Judge Jon Lieuallen presided and set Lybrand’s total bail for the four new cases at $790,000. Breiling told the court he doubted Lybrand has the money to make bail. But if he does, the judge prohib- ited contact with the girl. The next hearing in all cases is June 27. MILTON-FREEWATER Man charged with rape of ‘incapacitated’ victim By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Jakob Raymond Kerby, 18, faces a charge of first-degree rape. Circuit court records show the district attorney’s office on Friday arraigned Kerby on the single count. The state alleged Kerby on May 22 committed the crime when he Kerby had sex with “a person who was incapable of consent by reason of mental incapacitation.” District Attorney Dan Primus said that applies when someone cannot give consent because of a mental defect, for example, or physical helplessness. Primus said he would not say how that element of the law applies in this case. Jacklyn Jenkins, chief deputy district attorney, is prosecuting the case, which has a hearing Friday in Pendleton. Judge Christo- pher Brauer will preside over that matter. Jakob Kerby has been in the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, since Thursday in lieu of $50,000 bail. Court records show if he bails out, he is not to have contact with the victim or others associated with the case. ——— Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0833. ODOT to invest in road sign upgrades along Highway 395 East Oregonian Road signs along Highway 395 between Ukiah and John Day are getting some much-needed attention. The Oregon Department of Transportation will spend roughly $525,000 replacing several hundred signs along the route, including speed, road and informational signs. Work will take place from the junction of Highway 244 near Ukiah, south to Highway 26 at Mount Vernon. From there, signs will also be replaced from Mount Vernon roughly seven miles to the western city limits of John Day. The project is expected to go to bid in August, and all work will be completed by summer 2018. Traffic impacts will include shoulder and lane closures with flaggers, and possible delays up to 20 minutes. Construction activities will take place during daylight hours, Monday through Friday. Some signs along the highway have degraded due to typical wear and tear, while others may be damaged due to weather or vandalism. The project is part of a multi-phase effort to ensure all signs meet current standards in Eastern Oregon.
