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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2017)
REGION Saturday, July 1, 2017 Storm helps shatter average June rainfall By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian Monday’s severe thunderstorm that rumbled over northeast Oregon and prompted flash flood warnings across the region set a record for rainfall and helped to shatter the monthly average for June precip- itation, according to the National Weather Service. The storm dumped 1.1 inches of rain in a single afternoon around Pendleton, raising the total precipitation for the month to 2.15 inches. That’s exactly 1 inch more than the area usually experi- ences throughout the month of June. Janet Koch, who lives on a ranch near Rieth, said the storm made a mess of their property, knocking down tree branches and throwing patio furniture all the way across the street. It took multiple trips with a loaded 14-foot trailer to finish clearing out the mess. Fortunately, Koch said they did not sustain any property damage or vehicle damage. “This is a wind funnel through here anyway, all the time, but this was something different,” Koch said. With wheat harvest just Staff photo by George Plaven A severe thunderstorm Monday, June 26 knocked down tree branches and threw patio furniture at a ranch near Rieth. “This is a wind funnel through here anyway, all the time, but this was something different.” — Janet Koch, lives on a ranch near Rieth around the corner, it does not appear the storm produced any widespread crop damage. “If anything did happen, it’s probably pretty local- ized,” said Don Wysocki, extension soil scientist for Oregon State Univer- sity Extension Service. “Certainly, there’s no wide- spread effect.” July and August are typi- cally the driest months of the year for Pendleton, with just a half-inch of precipitation for both months combined on average. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-564-4547. A Wallowa rancher accused of killing 24 elk on his property received a hefty fine and supervised probation after he pleaded guilty to six of the killings in Wallowa County Circuit Court Wednesday. Judge Thomas Powers presided. Larry Michael Harshfield, 69, pleaded guilty to six counts of taking, angling, hunting, or trapping in violation of wildlife law or rule. The incidents occurred between Dec. 1, 2016 and Feb. 11 of this year when Oregon State Police game wardens appeared at the Harshfield ranch after receiving an anonymous tip about the killings. On April 14, Harshfield was charged with the killings. Law enforcement officials arrested him, but he was released on his own recognizance later in the day. After Harshfield’s plea, Powers ordered the rancher to pay $18,000 in total restitution. The rancher lost his hunting privileges for three years and received 24 months of supervised probation. He will also work with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Wallowa County District Attorney’s office to make three public presentations on programs available in the county for landowners to deal to with the elk population. Judge denies release of Hermiston rape defendant s en’ dr hil eum of Easte Mus rn Motorcycle race coming to Round-Up Grounds One ejected in fatal Irrigon crash IRRIGON — An Irrigon man died and a woman was injured Thursday in a single car crash in Irrigon, according to the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s dispatch reported the vehicle was traveling west on Columbia Lane around 5:20 p.m. Thursday when the driver lost control for unknown reasons near the intersection with West Eighth Road. The vehicle rolled twice, and the crash ejected one person, according to the latest information from the sheriff’s office, which Thursday night reported two people were ejected. The victim was not wearing a seatbelt. Rafael Garza, 23, of Irrigon, died at the scene. Katelyn Tolar, 18, also of Irrigon, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston. The sheriff’s office said the crash remains under investigation and would not specify who was driving or what caused the crash. State penalizes contractor for violations in Gilliam County ARLINGTON — Eugene Graeme and his company WCI Construction of Madras agreed to pay $20,000 for wage and payroll violations while working on Arlington High School. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries also announced Friday the company and Graeme are ineligible to receive public works contracts in the state for 10 years. The bureau previously recovered $9,257 in wages after a worker filed a complaint in December 2015. BOLI wage compliance specialists found prevailing wage violations and failure to maintain timely, accurate and complete payroll records, according to the announcement. “It’s critical that contrac- tors on taxpayer-funded projects follow the rules, pay fair wages and keep accurate records for their workforce,” said Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian in the written statement. “Today’s settlement bars a repeat offender from public projects for a decade after it once again failed to meet its basic requirements.” BOLI placed Graeme’s previous company, Wrangler Construction Inc., on the debarment list from May 2012 to May 2015 for other wage and hour violations. The state agency currently has barred 52 businesses, contractors and individuals from receiving payment on public contracts. M-F man avoids rape charge in deal MILTON-FREEWATER — A Milton-Freewater man facing charges of rape filed a plea to lesser crimes. Richard Frank Duran, 26, filed a petition Friday with Umatilla County Circuit Court to plead guilty to two counts of coercion, a class C felony in Oregon. He also agreed to serve five years in prison. Duran has been in the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, since Milton- Freewater police arrested him in mid-February on a warrant stemming from a grand jury indictment on two counts each of first-degree rape and coercion. Duran’s hearing to change his plea is Monday at 10 a.m. before Circuit Judge Chris Brauer at the Umatilla County Courthouse, Pendleton. According to the court schedule, the hearing is three days before he would start trial on all the charges. ——— Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press releases. Email press releases to news@ eastoregonian.com Sale In Progress Saager’s Shoe Shop Up to 50% Off Milton-Freewater, OR The rumble of Pendleton Bike Week is getting a little extra thunder this year. To complement the Nitro in the Blues hill climb event, a promoter is adding Thunder in the Blues, a July 21 flat-track motorcycle race in the Round-Up arena. Ron Dillon of Boise- based R&R Promotions said this was the first motorcycle race at the Round-Up since 1940. Dillon started organizing the hill climb event last year and thinks the motorcycle race will be a good compli- ment to Pendleton Bike Week, which will be head- quartered at the Pendleton Convention Center next door. Although the race isn’t officially affiliated with Pendleton Bike Week, Dillon said it should be a mutually beneficial relationship — Pendleton Bike Week has another event it can send attendees and Thunder in the Blues has a built-in audience of motorcycle enthusiasts. “They’re going to kind of scratch our back and we’ll scratch theirs,” he said. Dillon anticipates 3,000 people will watch 150 contestants race around a hardened track in the Round-Up arena, with the “sacred” grass remaining off limits. The race will be divided between amateurs in the day and professionals in the evening. From 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., amateurs will be competing in several categories, including races for kids, women and vintage bikes. As the sun begins to set, the professionals will come out to race for a $10,000 LE VE NTH ANN UA L PLATINUM SPONSORS: 50% OFF Hundreds of Men’s and Women’s Shoes to select from • Bussola • Earth • Ghibi • Kanna • Pikolino • Tamaris • Johnston & Murphy • Taos • Brooks • Birkenstock • Wanda Panda • Dansko • Arcopedico • Vibram FiveFingers • Altra • Keen • Chaco • Jafa • Teva • Klogs • Bueno Smartwool Socks 50% OFF 613 N. Main Street, Milto n Freewater, OR 541-938-5162 www.saagersho esho p.co m Advanced Pediatric Dentistry of Hermiston Hill Law Offi ce Wildhorse Resort Casino GOLD SPONSORS: Breiling & Van Kirk, Attorney at Law Columbia Orthodontics Dr. McBee East Oregonian ISU The Stratton Agency Les Schwab Tires Main Street Cowboys Master printers O N L Grocery Outlet Hallman Law Offi ce NW Construction Supply Pediatric Specialists of Pendleton Pendleton Quicky Lube PFLAG SILVER SPONSORS: Prodigal Son Brewery Birch Creek Trophies & Pub Bissnet insurance Inc. Round Up Athletic Club Coldwell banker - Safeway Whitney and Associates Stan Henderer - D&B Supply Stare Farm Agent Dr. Donald R. Benschoter Vision Source Pendleton Dynamic Computer BRONZE SPONSORS: Consulting Gordon’s Electric Bank of the West Grable, Hantke & Chiropractic Associates Hansen, LLP Dr. Oyama & Dr. Walker Great Pacifi c Kline Landscaping and Irrigation Landmark Tax & Financial Planning McLaughlin Landscaping Northwest Farm Credit Services Pendleton Veterinary Clinic Vintage Court Antiques Wheatland Insurance AUCTION DONATIONS: Abby’s Legendary Pizza Bi Mart Cynthia Nelson East Oregon Symphony Man Cave New York Richie’s Oregon Grain Growers Pendleton Art and Frame Pendleton Athletic Pendleton Center for the Arts Pendleton Country Club Pendleton Fire Department Pendleton Round Up Pendleton Tire Factory Saucy Mamma Shari’s Restaurant Sorbenots Tamastslikt Cultural Institute Tasha Bow Basha All proceeds from this event will be use to maintain and update the exhibits at the Children’s Museum. F 50% O F Wo men's The CMEO would like to thank all of our sponsors and the local businesses that contributed to the success of the 11th Annual Dogtona 400. Northeast Oregon Surgical Clinic Rotary Club of Pendleton St. Anthony Hospital Umatilla Electric Cooperative up to Sav ings Clearanc e Apparel THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE D A C H S U N D S SALE Starts July 5th 8:00 a.m. We will be c lo sed July 1st - 4th to prepare fo r sale. 2017 DOGTONA 400 GREAT! E purse. From 7:30 to 10:30, professionals will race in contests divided between motorcycles with engines 750 cubic centimeters and below and an unlimited class. The professional portion of the contest will also feature “hooligan” races, which are centered around larger, street-legal motorcy- cles from brands like Harley Davidson, Triumph and BMW. With the explosive motors and vehicles that will reach speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, Dillon expects it to be a unique event. Thunder in the Blues adds another event to a busy July event calendar that also features the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest on July 15. Pendleton Public Works Director Bob Patterson recently wrote to the Oregon Department of Transpor- tation to determine how the road work on Westgate might affect some high congestion events. Tyrel Burns, ODOT assistant project manager, wrote back that all paving work on Westgage from Airport Road to Southwest 19th Street should be completed by July 14. ODOT will continue to work on Interstate 84 ramps through the evening of July 15, but Burns wrote that ODOT is instructing the contractor to focus on the eastbound on-ramp and westbound off ramp on Exit 207, which would create the least amount of impact for concert attendees coming from west. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0836. CLEARANCE Or eg on C HERMISTON — Rape defendant Jose Marvin Antonio Perdomo Funez of Hermiston will remain behind bars. Funez, 31, has been in the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, since Hermiston police arrested him on Nov. 30, 2016. He has filed two requests seeking release from jail, the most recent on May 18, according to court records. The Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office objected to his release. Circuit Judge Dan Hill presided over Tuesday’s hearing in Hermiston on Funez’s release. Hill denied the request. The state accused Funez of committing first-degree rape and first-degree sexual against one woman on Aug. 5, 2016. His next court appearance is Oct. 30 for a trial readiness hearing. Editor’s note: An April 3 story on Funez incorrectly stated he had been released from jail. Page 3A PENDLETON By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian BRIEFLY Wallowa County rancher sentenced for killing elk East Oregonian Family Fun! Rotary Breakfast Vendor Booths Classic Car Show in the Park Eastern Oregon Art Show Club 24 Glow Run Chain Saw Wood Carvers KOHU/The Q Cash Machine Kids Zone Cultural Event to follow Fun Fest
