NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Judge finds Freel incapable
of proceeding in murder case
PENDLETON
Boutique soars past 2016 boarding numbers
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
By ANTONIO SIERA
East Oregonian
A little more than
halfway through 2017,
Boutique Air has already
surpassed the previous
year’s boarding numbers at
the Pendleton airport.
The Eastern Oregon
Regional Airport recorded
3,051 boarding through
July, easily breezing by
the 2,380 enplanements
the airport reported for the
entirety of 2016.
The 495 people who
boarded Boutique planes
in July is highest figure
from this year and last.
And if Boutique maintains
its current pace, it would
represent a nine-year high
in annual boarding figures.
“We’re pretty pleased
with Boutique,” Pendleton
Airport Manager Steve
Chrisman said Friday.
Boutique
has
one
advantage its predecessor,
SeaPort Airlines, didn’t —
it doesn’t look like it will
declare bankruptcy in the
latter half of the year and
cease operations in Pend-
leton.
But SeaPort also strug-
gled before it’s sudden
end, posting weak boarding
numbers that eventually
put Pendleton in jeopardy
of losing its Essential Air
Service subsidy.
SeaPort ceased opera-
tions shortly after the city
chose Boutique as its new
airline, meaning the airport
recorded no boardings in
September, October and
The prosecution of Evan
Freel of Milton-Freewater
for murder of his infant
child is on hold while Freel
undergoes treatment for
competency.
Circuit Judge Christo-
pher Brauer on Aug. 11
ordered the suspension
of proceedings in the
case, according to court
documents. Brauer found
Freel “lacks the fitness to
proceed” under Oregon law.
He based his order on the
reports of clinical psycholo-
gists Laura Zorich and Terri
Femandez-Tyson, as well as
representations from Freel’s
defense attorney, Kara
Davis of Pendleton.
Freel, 17, faces the
charges of murder and
first-degree
criminal
mistreatment. The state has
accused Freel of killing his
Photo contributed by Boutique Air
A little more than halfway through 2017, Boutique Air has already surpassed the
previous year’s boarding numbers at the Pendleton airport.
November.
“It was a pretty lonely
place for 3-4 months,”
Chrisman said.
Since launching service
from Pendleton to Portland
in December, Boutique’s
introductory $49 airfare
price has been a selling
point for the airline and
Chrisman hasn’t received
any word that they intend to
raise it.
If Boutique continues
to post strong boarding
numbers, Chrisman said he
would advocate to increase
the number of flights from
Pendleton.
While switching from the
eight-seat Pilatus to a larger
plane, he said airlines have
mostly moved away from
medium sized planes that
seated 19-50 passengers,
and bringing in a plane any
larger would probably limit
the number of flights to and
from Pendleton.
Instead, he would like
to use the existing planes
to perform more than three
trips per day.
Boutique’s initial success
also has the city and the San
Francisco-based company
discussing new destina-
tions, like Seattle and San
Jose, California.
Michelle
McNulty,
Boutique’s marketing and
community manager, did
not return multiple requests
for comment.
The California Bay area
is the home of A^3, a Silicon
Valley Airbus subsidiary
that is testing an air taxi
concept at the Pendleton
Unmanned Aerial Systems
Range.
Chrisman
said
the
airport’s commercial air
service has been an asset to
the UAS industry, with one
drone company specifically
citing that fact as one of the
reasons it came to Pend-
leton.
———
Contact Antonio Sierra
at asierra@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0836.
BRIEFLY
Mosquito control
district plans
aerial sprays
The West Umatilla
Mosquito Control District
will be conducting aerial
mosquito control sprays at
sunset Monday in response
to three confirmed positive
West Nile virus samples
this year.
A press release states
that the district will target
10,240 acres north and east
of Hermiston and along
U.S. Route 730 between
the city of Umatilla and
the Umatilla-Morrow
county line that have high
populations of vector
mosquitoes, although no
areas within city limits are
set for spraying.
The district initially
detected West Nile on
June 21 and two more
samples were confirmed
last week by the Oregon
State University Veterinary
Diagnostic Lab in
Corvallis. The positive
samples were collected
on U.S. Route 730 near
the county line, Umatilla,
and east Hermiston near
Highland Hills.
Search underway for new Morrow County administrator
Cutsforth named interim administrator
Jerry Sorte was hired as
the county’s first admin-
istrator, but resigned last
month to accept a new job
as community and economic
development director with
the city of Sweet Home.
Sorte’s last day with Morrow
County was Friday.
In the meantime, county
commissioners on Aug.
16 hired Kim Cutsforth,
a former Heppner city
manager, to fill the adminis-
trator role on an interim basis
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The search is underway
for a new top administrative
officer in Morrow County.
A job posting was released
Tuesday for the position,
which was created two years
ago when Morrow County
shuffled its government
structure, eliminating the
longstanding county judge
position in favor of three
part-time commissioners.
until a full-time replacement
is found. Cutsforth will
begin Monday.
Karen Wolff, Morrow
County human resources
director, said Cutsforth was
a natural fit with her expe-
rience and knowledge of
the area. The county hopes
to have a new full-time
administrator in place before
the end of the year, Wolff
said. The first review of
applications will be Friday,
Sept. 29.
The county adminis-
trator reports to the board
of
commissioners
and
works with department
heads to provide general
management and oversight
of county government.
The position pays between
$95,000 and $125,000 per
year, depending on qualifi-
cations, plus benefits.
For more information,
contact Wolff at 541-676-
5620 or kwolff@co.morrow.
or.us.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255
before noon Tuesday through Friday
or before 10 a.m. Saturday
for same-day redelivery
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
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East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published daily except Sunday, Monday
and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. Postmaster: send address changes to
East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Single copy price:
$1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday
TODAY
SUNDAY
Pleasant with
plenty of sun
Sizzling sunshine
and very warm
90° 58°
97° 64°
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Mostly sunny and
very warm
Mostly sunny and
very hot
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
98° 66°
99° 65°
93° 62°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
98° 58°
92° 51°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
79°
85°
104° (1996)
46°
56°
34° (1910)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
0.07"
0.34"
11.37"
7.34"
8.29"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
Yesterday
Normals
Records
HIGH
LOW
80°
86°
103° (1958)
44°
55°
38° (2012)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
0.06"
0.16"
6.65"
4.99"
6.08"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
First
Full
Aug 29
Sep 5
6:09 a.m.
7:44 p.m.
11:27 a.m.
10:29 p.m.
Last
New
Sep 12
101° 65°
96° 61°
Seattle
80/59
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
99° 64°
Sep 19
Spokane
Wenatchee
84/57
87/61
Tacoma
Moses
81/53
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 88/53
85/51
77/55
83/51
90/54
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
84/56
90/62 Lewiston
91/51
Astoria
90/58
74/54
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
89/59
Pendleton 87/50
The Dalles 92/51
90/58
94/58
La Grande
Salem
87/49
92/58
Albany
Corvallis 92/53
92/54
John Day
92/59
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
95/56
90/52
89/53
Caldwell
Burns
94/57
92/50
REGIONAL CITIES
Today
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
Hi
74
91
89
70
92
87
90
88
92
92
91
87
85
100
67
69
95
90
90
89
91
92
84
86
88
90
90
Lo
54
47
53
56
50
50
52
56
51
59
52
49
46
62
50
52
56
51
58
59
48
58
57
47
57
62
54
W
s
s
s
pc
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Sun.
Hi
74
97
96
69
96
94
95
94
98
98
94
96
94
103
67
69
98
96
97
96
97
99
91
96
95
97
96
Lo
55
53
59
55
54
57
55
61
58
63
53
57
55
64
52
53
60
55
64
62
53
61
61
54
61
68
58
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
W
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
WORLD CITIES
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Hi
85
94
90
74
76
68
83
85
82
67
89
Lo
65
80
68
58
59
48
64
64
64
48
74
W
pc
t
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
s
t
Sun.
Hi
68
88
88
75
76
63
83
86
80
66
81
Lo
63
80
68
58
59
47
63
67
66
44
73
W
r
r
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
c
pc
r
WINDS
Medford
100/62
(in mph)
Klamath Falls
91/52
Boardman
Pendleton
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Sunny today; however, low
clouds followed by sunshine in the south.
Eastern Washington: Plenty of sun today.
Clear tonight. Mostly sunny tomorrow.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Plenty of
sunshine today. Hot; pleasant across the
north. Clear tonight.
Western Washington: Sunny today. Clear to
partly cloudy tonight.
Cascades: Warmer today with plenty of sun.
Clear tonight.
Northern California: Mostly sunny today;
hot in central parts. Mainly clear tonight.
Today
Sunday
NE 3-6
NNE 6-12
NE 4-8
N 6-12
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
2
A Hermiston man was
killed in a rollover crash
on Interstate 82 around
1 a.m. Friday morning,
according to Washington
State Patrol.
Kenneth Nichols, 45,
was driving eastbound on
I-82 about 11 miles south
of Kennewick. According
to police, Nichols lost
control of his vehicle
near milepost 124 and
over-corrected to the right.
His vehicle rolled, and he
was pronounced deceased
at the scene.
Nichols was wearing a
seatbelt. An investigation
is underway, and at this
time officers do not know
whether alcohol or drugs
were a factor. Nichols’
next of kin have been
notified.
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com
WEDNESDAY
Sunny and very
hot
Hermiston man
killed in rollover
crash on I-82
NEWS
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fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com
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email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian.
com/community/announcements
• To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel
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editor@eastoregonian.com.
• To submit sports or outdoors information or tips:
541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com
Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group
Forecast
The district is
encouraging the public to
take precautions to avoid
mosquito bites and report
sightings of dead birds so
that the district can track
the spread of the virus.
Classified & Legal Advertising
1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678
classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com
ADVERTISING
Advertising Director: Marissa Williams
541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com
Advertising Services: Laura Jensen
541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com
Multimedia Consultants:
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Subscriber services:
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5-month old son, Dominic,
on June 8, 2016. The search
warrant affidavit from
Milton-Freewater officer
Morgan Dunlap stated a
medical examination of
the baby’s body showed
multiple injuries consistent
with what Freel told police
he did to quiet his crying
son.
According to Brauer’s
order, Freel is a danger
to himself or others. He
requires commitment to
the Oregon State Hospital
“until capacity is gained or
regained.”
Under Oregon Law, the
maximum time Freel can
stay at the hospital for this
case is three years, according
to the order, and the hospital
shall provide the court with
progress reports at least
every 180 days.
Brauer set a hearing
for Sept. 9 to check on the
status of the case.
4
6
6
4
2
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017
-10s
-0s
showers t-storms
0s
10s
rain
20s
flurries
30s
40s
snow
ice
50s
60s
cold front
70s
80s
90s
100s
warm front stationary front
110s
high
low
National Summary: Harvey will slam southeastern Texas with life-threatening flooding
rain, damaging winds and coastal flooding today. Another tropical concern will drop locally
flooding downpours on southern Florida.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 110° in Needles, Calif.
Low 26° in Doe Lake, Mich.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Hi
88
87
77
78
89
87
95
74
88
80
77
75
85
92
76
88
66
75
88
79
79
86
84
105
83
87
Lo
65
71
64
59
56
72
62
59
72
61
62
56
71
59
56
67
46
57
73
74
59
74
66
84
68
68
W
t
pc
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
sh
s
pc
s
pc
pc
s
t
sh
c
pc
r
pc
t
pc
s
pc
s
Sun.
Hi
88
84
77
79
90
85
99
72
83
81
80
81
84
90
77
90
59
80
88
79
83
85
82
108
85
91
Lo
65
69
66
62
59
71
66
58
70
60
63
64
70
58
62
67
48
53
75
72
64
71
61
85
69
72
Today
W
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
s
pc
r
pc
t
s
pc
pc
c
t
sh
pc
s
r
pc
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t
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Hi
Louisville
84
Memphis
86
Miami
88
Milwaukee
73
Minneapolis
68
Nashville
87
New Orleans
90
New York City
76
Oklahoma City
86
Omaha
85
Philadelphia
79
Phoenix
110
Portland, ME
75
Providence
77
Raleigh
86
Rapid City
87
Reno
97
Sacramento
102
St. Louis
84
Salt Lake City
97
San Diego
77
San Francisco
76
Seattle
80
Tucson
99
Washington, DC 81
Wichita
87
Lo
61
69
75
64
61
62
77
63
66
66
62
87
52
56
65
56
64
65
64
69
68
59
59
76
66
67
W
s
pc
t
pc
r
s
sh
s
t
t
s
s
s
s
pc
t
s
s
s
pc
pc
s
s
s
s
t
Sun.
Hi
86
86
88
74
74
88
85
76
87
81
80
110
72
76
84
85
98
105
87
97
81
77
85
101
80
88
Lo
66
68
77
61
58
68
75
62
67
60
64
86
52
56
65
56
66
67
66
68
70
60
60
77
66
65
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
s
pc
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sh
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