Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 24, 2017)
REGION Tuesday, October 24, 2017 East Oregonian ECHO Page 3A PENDLETON Oktoberfest draws world-traveling guests Police chase ends with arrests in field By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Echo’s second Oktoberfest garnered international atten- tion. Three Germans plunked themselves into the midst of the small town’s big fund- raiser Saturday night. Sarah Weimer, Julia Friess and Liona Schmid said they were heading back to Vancouver, Washington, after visiting just about every sight they could cram into a three-week West Coast trip, from San Fransisco to Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. Weimer said they pulled into Echo to find a place to rest for the night when the horse-drawn wagon advertising the town’s Oktoberfest caught her eye. They had to check it out, she said. Each member of the trio sported smiles and a pint of beer. Friess said the glasses in Germany, however, hold a liter of beer — a tad more than a quart. The Germans were a smash at the downtown scene, which drew about 150 locals and started at 4 in the afternoon while the rain still was coming down. The downpour, though, didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits, though the crowd size was smaller than 2016’s. Echo Kiwanis members started the Oktoberfest last year. Kiwanis member Phyllis Shovelski of Echo said the East Oregonian Staff photo by Phil Wright Liona Schmid, Julia Friess, and Sarah Weimer, all from Germany, take a moment Satur- day evening with Hermiston’s Blake Bettencourt during the Echo Oktoberfest. The trio of travelers have been on a West Coast trip and found themselves in the small town. inaugural event drew more than 400 and raised $6,000, and this year’s festival sold 150 tickets in the weeks before. She said the proceeds benefit scholarships and the St. Peter’s Catholic Church restoration project. The Hermiston Brewing Co. provided the beer for the party, giving locals the opportunity to take a step outside their safe zone. That’s just what Alan Kitchen and Micheal Fielder wanted. Kitchen is the head brewer at Hermiston Brewing, and Fielder is the assistant brewer. They craft 21 beers and brought 10 of the brewery’s top sellers, plus one mass-pro- duced domestic beer. Kitchen said craft brewing still has a small footprint in Eastern Oregon, so some beer drinkers are comfortable staying with what has been on tap here for decades. Kitchen and Fielder, however, tried to steer folks to try something with a bit more local flavor. And if customers ask ques- tions about the beers, that’s all the better. “I can find you a beer you like,” Kitchen asserted. Chris Klein of Hermiston said he has tried several of the brewery’s beers, so he went for something new — the Dunkle, for “dad’s your uncle.” After a few sips, he said, the dark concoction just might be his favorite. The Dunkle and a Hefe- weizen were the two more traditional German brews on the menu. Kitchen said they even used hops from Munich to craft the Dunkle. Weimer and Friess said they found the brews were pretty good, even if they were not German. BRIEFLY Cyclist hit by vehicle, taken to hospital HERMISTON — A man riding a bicycle was struck by a vehicle Monday afternoon at the corner of Highway 395 and Jennie Avenue in Hermiston near Dutch Bros. He was alert and talking with police officers at the scene, then loaded into an ambulance. According to the police scanner the man was complaining of a broken ankle. Park celebration set for Wednesday HERMISTON — Hermiston residents are invited to celebrate winning a grant for new playground equipment for Sunset Park on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The grant comes from a contest sponsored by Moda Health and the Portland Trail Blazers. Hermiston won more than $16,000 this summer after beating out Tillamook and Portland in an online voting contest. The celebration at Sunset Park, 11 N.E. Fourth St., will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. and refreshments. Senior vice president Robin Richardson will represent Moda Health and vice president of social responsibility Christa Stout will represent the Blazers. Hermiston parks and recreation director Larry Fetter said the playground equipment paid for by the grant was ordered in July Staff photo by Jade McDowell Personnel from Umatilla County Fire District load a man onto a stretcher after he was reportedly struck by a car Monday afternoon while riding his bicycle at the corner of Highway 395 and Jennie Avenue. but has not yet arrived, and he does not have a firm date for when it will. He said it was disappointing the equipment wasn’t in place in time for the celebration but it is “beyond our control.” BMCC students invited to EOU transfer day Nov. 9 Blue Mountain Commu- nity College students looking to transfer to Eastern Oregon University can skip their application fees and get their questions answered during transfer day on Nov. 9. Students can speak to Wendy Sorey, regional advisor for EOU’s Pendleton center, on the Pendleton BMCC campus in Morrow Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can also speak to Hermiston/Pendleton center director Kerry Thompson at the Eastern Oregon Higher Education Center in Hermiston from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Students who bring their official transcripts to the Nov. 9 event and meet admission requirements may get instant admission to the university without paying application fees. All students who attend will be able to ask questions and get guidance on transferring credits, online programs, time to graduation and scholarship opportunities. For more information visit eou.edu/transfer-day, call 541-278-5777 or email soreyw@eou.edu. Morrow County deputy recognized for crisis work HEPPNER — Morrow County sheriff’s deputy Todd Siex was among five nominees for the law enforcement officer of the year award from the Northwest Regional Crisis Intervention Team. Undersheriff John Bowels said Siex earned the nomination for his ability to work well with people in crisis. Siex in one case helped get a person treatment, Bowels said, then checked back on the person in subsequent days. Bowels credited the deputy for making that extra effort. The Northwest team held its seventh annual awards ceremony Oct. 4 in Bend, the first time an Oregon city held the event, according to the organization’s written statement. Attendees came from Oregon, Washington and Idaho and included public safety professionals, clinical providers and professionals involved in assisting individuals in crisis. While the officer of the year award went to Roseberg police officer Anthony Powers, Siex received a certificate to note his accomplishment. Bowels added the deputy does fine work for the citizens of Morrow County. According to the list of nominees, Siex was the lone person from Eastern Oregon. Police made two arrests following a car chase Friday near Pendleton. Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts in an email reported an officer Friday at 11:08 p.m. observed a 2002 black Cadillac Escalade pull into the parking lot of a mini-mart on the east end of town. The officer knew Smith the driver had a suspended license and approached the Escalade. The officer saw four people inside, but not the original driver, and confirmed one of the occupants, Jordan Ryley James Smith, 28, of Adams, had a felony arrest warrant. When the officer attempted to get Smith to step out of the car, a back seat passenger, 19-year old Frances Alexandria James, climbed into the driv- er’s seat and started the car. “The officer verbally advised James if she attempted to leave she would be arrested,” according to the email. James drove away, fleeing the parking lot heading east, the report stated, and the officer pursued the Escalade onto Interstate 84 to South Market Road to Spring Creek Road. Oregon State Police joined and a trooper got in front of the pursuit and set spike strips on the road. The Escalade ran over those before crashing into an open field near 43921 Rockwell Road. The four occu- pants attempted to flee, but police detained them. Oregon State Police trooper Jeremy Gunter arrested Smith on warrants, while Pendleton police arrested James for the following: unauthorized use of vehicle; felony attempt to flee; hindering prosecution, also a felony; and on misde- meanors of interfering with a peace officer, trespassing, reckless driving and reckless endangering. Police booked James and Smith into the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton. Roberts reported police interviewed and released the other occupants. Saturday fires burn homes in Stanfield, Irrigon, Lexington East Oregonian Fires damaged or ruined a few local homes Saturday. The Umatilla County Fire District responded at about 1:30 p.m. for a fire at 230 Willow Drive, Stanfield. No flames were coming from the single story wood home, according to a written state- ment from the district, but “low velocity gray smoke” escaped from the eves and gable ends of the roof. Firefighters found no visible fire inside the home, where temperatures were high and the smoke heavy. Fire Lt. Matt Dodge said the fire has burned itself out by the time the crews was inside, but the blaze was active before that. Firefighters made sure the flames were out, then ventilated the home by 1:51 p.m. Dodge said two people live in the home, but they can’t stay there now. The home was worth $170,000 before the fire, and the district estimated it lost $110,000 in value from the damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Dodge said, but evidence points to the living room as the starting point. The district reported 23 personnel, including members of the Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District, four engines and four other emergency vehi- cles responded to the fire. No one suffered any injuries. Fire also burned in a house Saturday afternoon on the 200 block of Southeast Fourth Street, Irrigon. Fire agencies from Irrigon and Boardman responded, along with the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office. The American Red Cross Cascades Region reported it sent disaster responders to the single-family fire that affected one adult. The char- itable organization provided resources to meet immediate basic needs. Firefighters Saturday morning also responded to a report of flames shooting from a roof on North D Street, Lexington. Volunteer departments from Hepper and Lexington put down the blaze. OUT OF THE VAULT: Historical Vignettes from the East Oregonian By Renee Struthers A second look at the first draft of Umatilla County’s history, from stories of crime and punishment to natural disasters to the odd and absurd. NOW AVAILABLE IN THE AMAZON KINDLE STORE. I NTRODUCING P HONAK D IRECT C ONNECTIVITY H EARING A IDS • Direct connectivity to any cell phone * • Hearing aids used as a wireless head- set for hands-free calls • Excellent TV sound quality1 with hearing aids turned into wireless TV headphones Phonak direct connectivity hearing aids offer universal connectivity to any cell phone* regardless of the brand or operating system. With direct connectivity hearing aids, Phonak offers a solution that provides true hands-free functionality just like a Bluetooth® wireless headset. The hearing aids utilize it’s built-in microphones to pick up the clients voice for phone calls. A call can be heard ringing directly in the hearing aids and with a simple push of a button, can be answered or rejected. This can be done at distance from the telephone e.g. while a client is positioned on the other side of a room. Direct connectivity also extends to media playing with automatic connectivity to any TV or stereo system through a new and compact, multimedia hub called TV Connector. It delivers excellent stereo sound quality up to 15m away and does not require any additional streaming device. With Phonak direct connectivity hearing aids, clients can enjoy the freedom of universal connectivity RENATA ANDERSON M.A. 2237 Southwest • Court Place Pendleton, OR 97801 541-276-5053 November 9th, 2017 • 5:30 pm - 8 pm Pendleton Convention Center 1601 Westgate, Pendleton • Live & Silent Auctions • See the New PHS Food Truck! BBQ Tri-Tip, Baked Beans, Hearty Potato Salad, Fresh Green Salad, Dinner Rolls, Cheesecake Advance tickets: $25 each Available at Pendleton Chamber of Commerce, Pendleton School District Offi ce, Pendleton Art + Frame & from EFP Board Members
