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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 2017)
TRUMP CONDEMNS HATE GROUPS TWO DAYS LATER FARM-CITY WRAPS UP 30 TH YEAR NATION/7A SPORTS/1B 85/56 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 141st Year, No. 216 WINNER OF THE 2017 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD One dollar HERMISTON Graduation may move next door, or out of state School board considers EOTEC, Kennison and Toyota Center By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian The Hermiston School Board will soon consider whether to move the high school graduation ceremony after several years of growing graduating classes have limited the number of family members who can attend the ceremony. At its meeting on Monday night, the board heard a presentation from Hermiston High School Principal Tom Spoo and Athletic Director Larry Usher about the different options available to the district. Spoo and Usher presented four options: staying in the current venue, moving outside to Kennison Field, to the new EOTEC rodeo grounds, or to the Toyota Center in Kenne- wick. At this year’s graduation, students were given fi ve tickets each for guests, one fewer than last year’s allotment. Usher estimated that with the projected senior class size, 2018 would see a reduction to four tickets per student. The high school gymnasium seats about 1,800 people, not including graduates. This year, the district also streamed gradua- tion in the auditorium, which seated about 500 more, and in the high school commons. Additionally, Spoo said, the current venue has limited handicap access and visibility. “We are over capacity,” he said. The two administrators presented the advantages and challenges that would result from each venue change, but many of the same issues lingered. Kennison Field, they said, provides about 200 more seats, but is outside, and weather issues could interfere with the ceremony. The EOTEC rodeo grounds seat about 3,400 but, as an outdoor venue, still could present challenges with the weather. Both the outdoor venues, Spoo said, would increase the workload for district staff — as the gymnasium would still have to be set up in case of bad weather. Spoo and Usher asked board members to consider the Toyota Center in Kennewick, which seats 5,000 and is indoors. No tickets See GRADUATION/9A Staff photo by E.J. Harris Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, McNary Dam operations manager Dave Coleman and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., tour the McNary Dam on Monday in Umatilla. Perry mum on BPA sale Energy secretary tours McNary Dam; Walden confi dent agency will remain public By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris Secretary of Energy Rick Perry speaks about hydro electric power at a press conference after touring the McNary Dam with Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., on Monday in Umatilla. “George A. Hash is somewhat of a World War II hero.” — Randy Hash, son of former Umatilla Mayor George Hash Former Umatilla mayor, POW turns 95 By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian As family members celebrate former Umatilla mayor George Hash’s 95th birthday, his son Randy is hoping that his father’s legacy is not forgotten. Hash, who will turn 95 on Tuesday, was mayor from 1991 to 2004. But many years before Hash worked to promote economic development in western Umatilla County, he was being honored for his heroics during World War II. Randy said his father never really shared stories from the war with his family until later in life, when Randy was a parent himself. He eventually learned that his dad, a member of the 101st Airborne Division, was one of the fi rst Americans to parachute into Normandy behind enemy lines ahead of the D-day invasion. He later became a prisoner of war in Holland, but eventually escaped. “George A. Hash is somewhat of a World War II hero,” Randy said. “He’s featured in the Smithsonian.” In a video interview with George online, featured with other veterans’ oral histories on a website called “Mr. K’s pages,” he said he chose to be a paratrooper when he enlisted because he wanted to put on an outfi t “that was going over there to do some U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry was noncommittal Monday when asked about a proposal in the president’s budget to privatize the Bonne- ville Power Administration transmission grid following a tour of McNary Dam along the Columbia River. Perry, who was joined by congressmen Greg Walden (R-Oregon) and Dan Newhouse (R-Washington), met briefl y with reporters outside the dam where he said hydroelectricity will continue to play an important role in America’s energy strategy. The Trump administration, Contributed photo by Randy Hash business.” “I fi gured that was the best choice if I wanted some combat,” George said. He also said he was “no kind of a hero,” just one of thousands of soldiers following orders. Randy said one of his father’s brothers-in-arms called him out of the blue years ago to tell him about the day his father was captured. The Germans had killed several members of their company, and George grabbed a gun and went off by himself to ambush the Germans that had been picking them off. The man told Randy they saw George from a distance keep shooting Germans until he had taken too many bullets to his arm and shoulder to continue re-loading. At that point, they thought George was dead. They later found out he had been loaded into the same fl atbed truck as the injured Germans he had just shot and taken to Stalag 3C, a camp that held more than 1,500 American POWs, for interrogation and imprison- ment. See HASH/9A See PERRY/9A Get ready for the eclipse rush Center saw traffi c backing up from East Airport Road to Highway 395. While the fair Umatilla County Emer- hammered that out, Roberts gency Manager Tom Roberts said a similar situation could advised locals to prepare for occur as highways fi ll up. For those heading south the infl ux of tourists coming for Monday’s total solar to see the moment of total darkness Monday morning, eclipse. R o b e r t s “If there’s suggested they anything they need take enough to do as far as shop- supplies of food ping, fuel, special SOLAR and water, and needs, do that early ECLIPSE maybe some in the week,” he extra fuel. 2017 said. They also Northern 6 days left should contact Umatilla and the U.S. Forest Morrow counties are not in the path of totality, Service to get up-to-date he said, but eclipse viewers maps to know what forest coming through the area to roads are open and closed. reach that path will hit gas Banking on GPS systems, stations and grocery stores on he said, could lead drivers the way. That rush, he said, to places their vehicles can’t will have an effect on goods handle. Fire season is going strong, and services. While he said he has not so Roberts said travelers need heard of businesses antici- to take extra precautions not pating they will run dry, but to start a blaze. Don’t park, for an extra level of preparedness example, where hot exhaust pipes can brush against dry never hurts. Local driving also could grass. People also need to be feel the crush. Roberts just aware of their surroundings. “Know you way out from worked the Umatilla County Fair, where its new home where you are at,” he said. at Hermiston’s Eastern “Have an escape plan and Oregon Trade and Event escape route.” By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian George Hash in 2017 and as a paratrooper during World War II. however, has proposed selling off transmission assets owned by BPA, which markets electric power generated by the Columbia River system — including McNary Dam. Northwest lawmakers have roundly criticized the plan, saying it will raise rates for consumers and affect reliability in rural areas. In fact, both Walden and Newhouse signed on to a letter sent June 5 to Perry and Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House Offi ce of Management and Budget, urging them to support the BPA. “We believe divesting BPA’s transmission assets
