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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2017)
RAINBOW FAMILY TO GATHER NEAR SENECA HEIMLICH WON’T JOIN BEAVERS IN OMAHA NORTHWEST/2A SPORTS/1B Pendleton Coffee Bean shuts down REGION/3A FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017 141st Year, No. 174 Your Weekend One dollar WINNER OF THE 2016 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Learning from adversity BMCC grad overcomes health challenges, addiction to fi nish college • • • Ural Thomas & The Pain in Pendleton on Main Inland Northwest Musicians concert Pendleton Men’s Chorus Concert at BMCC For times and places see Coming Events, 5A Catch a movie Disney-Pixar via AP In a world populated entirely by anthropomorphic vehicles, one car deals with the harsh realities of getting old, in Disney-Pixar’s “Cars 3.” For showtime, Page 5A Weekend Weather Fri 67/49 Sat 74/55 Sun 84/57 HERMISTON High school looks at new venues for graduation By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian Christopher Smith looked out at a sea of fellow gradu- ates, family and friends and smiled a nervous smile. Smith, a speaker at the Blue Mountain Community College commencement ceremony on Thursday night at the Pendleton Convention Center, had surmounted some daunting barriers on the way to this podium. Now 38, he started life with multiple health challenges, including brittle bone syndrome and an autoimmune disease that ate away the enamel on his teeth, eventually requiring all of them to be pulled. He weathered dozens of ear and knee surgeries. He endured teasing from other kids. “I was constantly bullied and told that I was stupid, dumb or even a freak of nature,” Smith said. “There was one thing that I always dreamed about, and that was having the opportunity to go to college and to do some- thing more with my life. I used to fantasize about being one of the few people with the privilege to say something inspirational at graduation.” That moment had come. The Seaside native described how he struggled with dependence on prescrip- Staff photo by E.J. Harris BMCC graduate Christopher Smith fi rst bumps fellow classmate Sydney Saxton-Siaki before a commencement ceremony on Thursday at the Pendleton Convention Center. tion drugs that progressed to heroin addiction. “Unfortunately, growing up there was nothing positive for me to look forward to,” Smith said. “My mind was stuck focusing on all the negative things that I had gone through and I could never hold onto anything positive long enough to make a change. Eventually, I just needed an outlet to stop thinking.” See BMCC/10A “Anyone can change the course of their life, anyone can achieve what they set out to accomplish and dreams can save lives.” — Christopher Smith, BMCC graduate By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian Hermiston High School boasted a record number of graduates this year — but with that came unprecedented crowds fi lling the gym, auditorium and commons to watch those students walk across the stage. In the coming months, the Hermiston School District will look at options to better accommodate those crowds, which will likely keep growing. The district is examining three new venues in which graduation could be held: the school’s Bulldog Stadium at Kennison Field, the rodeo grounds at the new Eastern Oregon Trade and Events Center, and the Toyota Center in Kennewick. Hermiston superintendent Dr. Fred Maiocco said the See HHS/10A Staff photo by E.J. Harris Staff photo by E.J. Harris BMCC graduate Samantha Ball wears the phrase “Follow Your Heart” on top of her mortar board during the commencement ceremony on Thursday in Pendleton. Elainna Howland of Pilot Rock holds a cutout of her daughter, BMCC graduate Megan Matthews, during the commencement ceremony on Thursday in Pendleton. HERMISTON HERMISTON Chamber turns down library space City looks for ways to afford road projects By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian The Greater Hermiston Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for a new home after offi cially turning down the city of Hermiston’s offer to use the basement of the old Carnegie Library on Gladys Avenue. Board chair “The fact Josh Burns said the chamber that the city is hoping to offered us fi nd something more visible. any location “We need adequate space illustrated that that says ‘We’re the city wants a thriving busi- to keep work- ness commu- ing with the nity.’” he said. T h e chamber.” chamber must — Josh Burns, move out of Greater Hermiston the Hermiston Area Chamber of Conference Commerce board chair Center, which it has been operating under a contract with the city, by the end of the year after the city council voted in April to turn management of the center over to its parks and recreation department. The Considers increasing fee for utility providers By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Staff photo by Jade McDowell New diagonal parking spaces have replaced parallel parking on the north side of Gladys Avenue, including the front of the Carnegie Library. city is planning to remodel the base- ment of the former Carnegie Library to create offi ces, a reception area and a conference room and had offered to let the chamber move in after the remodel is complete. Instead, the chamber is striking out on its own. Burns said they’re looking to lease something visible from a main thoroughfare like Main Street or Highway 395 that has offi ce and storage space, a lobby and hope- See CHAMBER/10A As the Oregon legislature looks to raise revenue for transportation projects, the city of Hermiston is working on a plan of its own. The city’s public infra- structure committee has been working to put together a comprehensive capital improvement plan, and recently moved on to the street department portion of the project. That could include a plan to raise franchise fees on providers of electricity, See HERMISTON/10A
