Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 14, 2017)
OH GOD, HAGFISH EVERYWHERE NORTHWEST/2A OH NO, CRICKETS TOO NATION/10A FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017 141st Year, No. 194 Your Weekend • • National Ice Cream Day Event at SAGE Center Solar eclipses lecture at the Prodigal Son WINNER OF THE 2016 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD One dollar ONE MORE NIGHT Pendleton prepares for whisky music fest weekend For times and places see Coming Events, 3A Weekend Weather Fri Sat Sun 96/63 95/59 85/51 Wind farm to change hands Wheatridge rights sold to Florida company By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian On the brink of construc- tion, a 292-turbine wind farm slated for Umatilla and Morrow counties is changing hands. NextEra Energy, based in Juno Beach, Florida, has purchased the development rights for the Wheatridge Wind Energy Facility and is now working to transfer the project’s site certifi cate through the Oregon Depart- ment of Energy. Wheatridge was pioneered by Ione farmer Jerry Rietmann before the facility sold to NextEra in April, according to documents. One month later, the Energy Facility Siting Council issued its site certifi cate for the wind farm, giving developers the go-ahead to start building. A request to transfer the certifi cate from Swaggart Wind Power LLC to NextEra Energy was fi led June 14. But fi rst, an informational hearing will be held before the council Thursday, July 27 at the Best Western Plus Inn in Hood River. Rietmann did not return calls for comment. A spokesman for NextEra See WIND/10A Staff photo by Kathy Aney Crews transform a semi-truck into a sound stage on Thursday morning at the Round-Up Grounds in preparation for Saturday’s Pendleton Whisky Music Fest. The process took several hours. Large crowds expected for sold out Maroon 5 performance “You need to have some connections in this industry to get the big acts.” By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian Bob Romeo wanted Doug Corey to meet someone. Corey was in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with the Round-Up Court for Frontier Days, and the promoter wanted to introduce the Eastern Oregon contingent to a musical act he booked for the rodeo. This was as the young musician was becoming the best-selling solo album artist in the United States, going from a bar singer in Oklahoma to one of the biggest names in country music — Garth Brooks. Corey and Romeo formed a working relationship after that, with the Romeo Entertainment Group eventually booking acts for the Round-Up kickoff concert. When Corey and business owner Andy McAnally decided to start the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest, they turned to the promotion agency to help them book the talent. Corey’s connection to Romeo is paying especially big dividends for the second annual whisky fest, which is attracting an audience to match the city of Pendleton’s population to see — Doug Corey, co-creator of the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest Staff photo by Kathy Aney Crew members set up the sound stage Thursday morning at the Round-Up Grounds in preparation for Saturday’s Pendleton Whisky Music Fest. headliners Maroon 5. “You need to have some connec- tions in this industry to get the big acts,” Corey said. McAnally announced Wednesday that Whisky Fest was offi cially sold out and had sold 30 percent more tickets than it had the year before for the Zac Brown Band-headlined concert. With the talent booked and ready to go, Corey and McAnally will rely on another hired hand to handle the production. Production manager Johnny Setser traveled from Pueblo, Colo- rado, to coordinate the set-up and tear-down of the show. A longtime member of the industry, Setser said he oversees productions around the country, including the Academy of Country Music Awards. Looking out onto the verdant grass of the Round-Up Arena, Setser said the venue shouldn’t pose any major challenges to staging a large- scale concert. See MUSIC/10A Free summer meals program keep children fed, active Averaging 55 lunches per day all summer long By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian Staff photo by Jayati Ramakrishnan Alfredo Mendez, 4, enjoys some carrots at the Umatilla-Morrow County Head Start summer lunch program. School doesn’t start up again for more than a month, but students and families still can access free meals and activities around Umatilla and Morrow counties, thanks to several summer meals programs throughout the area. Umatilla-Morrow County Head Start offers meals Monday through Friday, serving an average of 55 lunches per day to students all summer long. Four-year-old Alfredo Mendez was enjoying carrots and a banana at lunch on Thursday, but said he was most excited about something else. “I’m coming to get a toy,” he said, beaming. The students get a punch card and receive a toy if they return for fi ve meals. People come to the free meals for lots of reasons: to get a balanced meal, to give their kids a chance to socialize, or to do the activities many of the free lunch venues provide. “This year, we added a new side, having activities with the meals,” said Rikkilyn Larsen, the child nutrition director for the Umatilla School District. Four locations in Umatilla offer meals throughout the week and one, McNary Heights See MEALS/10A
