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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 14, 2017)
REGION Tuesday, November 14, 2017 PENDLETON VFW auxiliary lends an assist to Veterans Day ceremony By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian If behind every man in is a strong woman, it’s certainly true for veterans and their significant others. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 922 held a Veterans Day ceremony in front of the Pendleton Pioneer Chapel Saturday morning, a gath- ering where the wives of former servicemen filled an important role. The ceremony included music and a speech by World War II veteran Bob Stangier, who told the approximately 75 people assembled about the significance of Veterans Day. At the center of the program was a laying of the flowers in front of the stone monuments to every Umatilla County soldier who was killed since World War I. But the individuals who walked solemnly to each marker weren’t members of the post, but the female- driven VFW auxiliary. Auxiliary member Maxine Tangney laid down her bouquet of red, white and blue flowers in front of the Korean War memorial. The wife of Tom Tangney, Maxine said she brought flowers to that particular stone because of her husband’s brother Clarence, Staff photo by Antonio Sierra Veterans of Foreign Wars auxiliary member Maxine Tangney, left, carries a bouquet of flowers to a monument of Korean War casualties as Dinah Hemphill stands in silence at a Veterans Day ceremony at the Pendleton Pioneer Chapel Saturday. who died during the Korean War. Dinah Hemphill, the wife of Vietnam War veteran Chuck Hemphill, also took part in the flower ceremony, laying her bouquet in front of the list of Vietnam casu- alties. “I always get tears in my eyes,” she said. Both women are members of the VFW auxil- iary, a club for women who are direct relatives of VFW members. Maxine said that the auxiliary helps with VFW’s various functions and fundraisers, like the Cowboy Breakfast during Round-Up. The auxiliary also spearheads its own activities like trying to stoke patriotism in schoolchildren by distributing pencils with the Pledge of Allegiance on them. Tom said he and his wife supported each other throughout their tenures in the VFW, noting that Maxine has been recognized by the Oregon VFW for her work. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0836. HERMISTON Sacrifices recognized at annual breakfast By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Pastor Dean Hackett had tears in his eyes as he tried to tell the veterans in front of him how much their service meant to him. “I appreciate you more than I can say for the sacri- fices you have made,” he said, his voice breaking. Hundreds of people — mostly veterans and their families — had crowded into the Hermiston Conference Center Friday morning for a breakfast and program honoring veterans. Hackett conducted the program, wrap- ping up the speeches with a passionate recounting of the attack on Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star Spangled Banner” when he saw that the American flag still stood over the fort at dawn. “She was severely torn and tattered by the cannonade, but Old Glory was still flying,” Hackett said, thanking the veterans for continuing the defense of the flag and the freedoms it stands for. Rep. Greg Smith also thanked the veterans for their service, asking them to stand as he praised them for their valor and unselfish sacrifices. “They were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways,” he said of all the men and women Staff photo by Jade McDowell Army artillery veteran William Hill, left, and former Army paratrooper Kenneth Elliot, right, join in a salute of the flag at the Hermiston Veterans Day breakfast. who have answered the call to defend their country since the first shots of the Revo- lutionary War were fired in Lexington. Smith also had the military spouses, children, parents and siblings stand, thanking them for their own sacrifices as they kept the home fires burning and spent countless nights fearing for their loved ones’ lives. Veterans Al Rafferty and David Gallagher spoke about their own experiences serving, and their gratitude for the support they received after coming home. “I lost my best friend there and I lost a lot of good friends,” said Gallagher, who fought in the Vietnam war. He said the other day when a tire on a truck blew he immediately dove for cover, because 49 years after his service those wartime experiences were still with him. Rafferty, a Marine Corps veteran involved in Desert Storm, said joining the VFW and Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association had provided him with cama- raderie and support, and he encouraged other veterans present to seek out similar groups. “Being able to talk to other veterans who have been in similar situations has really helped me cope with some of the things I’ve struggled with,” he said. East Oregonian Page 3A OSP releases names of six injured in crash East Oregonian Oregon State Police reported six people suffered injuries in a multiple car crash Thursday on Interstate 84 in Morrow County. The crash occurred at approximately 12:06 p.m. near milepost 156 in the east- bound lanes of the interstate. Those lanes were closed for more than three hours. Investigating troopers think traffic slowed or came to a stop due to construction work in the area when a semitrailer, a passenger car, a pickup and another pickup towing a trailer crashed. But according to OSP, “due to the complexity of the crash and the number of vehicles involved, investigators are still working to determine the exact chain of events.” Ground and air ambu- lance took six patients with injuries ranging from minor to critical to regional hospitals. According to police, Arthur O’Neal, 41, from Prichard, Alabama, was driving the semi. He was uninjured. Christopher Guthridge, 27, and William Guthridge, 65, both of Silverton, were in a 2012 Dodge pickup. Christopher Guthridge was Photo courtesy Oregon State Police Six people were injured in a multiple car crash Thursday on Interstate 84 west of Boardman. the driver and suffered serious injuries. An ambu- lance took him to Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston, which trans- ferred him to Oregon Health and Science University, Portland. William Guth- ridge was the passenger and suffered critical injuries. An air ambulance flew him to St. Charles Medical Center, Bend. Jamie Starboard, 37, of Baker City, was driving with three children in a 2001 Pontiac. She suffered minor injuries and went to Good Shepherd. A 12-year-old girl in the vehicle suffered serious injuries, and was transported to Mid-Co- lumbia Medical Center, The Dalles. Two other children in the car were taken to Good Shepherd for evaluation. Austin Pendell, 24, of Summerville, was driving a 2012 Dodge pickup and towing a flatbed trailer. He suffered minor injuries and was transported to Good Shepherd. Troopers from the Pendleton Area Command are heading up the ongoing investigation with assistance from the state police crash reconstruction unit. The Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, Boardman fire, and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene. BRIEFLY Woman arrested for DUII, jailed for attempted murder PENDLETON — Roxy Brook Pridgen of Weston went to jail for driving under the influence of intoxicants but stayed in jail for attempted murder. Oregon State Police trooper Sean Carothers at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday stopped a Dodge Dakota after a driving complaint on Highway 11 near milepost 9 southbound. Pridgen, 36, admitted taking prescription Pridgen medication, according to state police, and showed signs of impairment during a sobriety test. The trooper arrested Pridgen for DUII and took her to the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, where her breath sample for alcohol showed 0 percent. She consented to a drug evaluation, state police reported, and at the end Carothers cited Pridgen for DUII and released her to a sheriff’s deputy, who arrested her for attempted murder and first-degree assault. Undersheriff Jim Littlefield said Pridgen reportedly has a mental illness and “allegedly tried to poison another person.” He added the sheriff’s office still is investigating the case and will release a statement later. According to circuit court records, Pridgen tried to kill a relative on Oct. 29. The district attorney’s office charged Pridgen only with attempted murder during an arraignment Monday in Pendleton. Circuit Judge Jon Lieuallen set bail in the case at $250,000. Pridgen remains in the jail. County commissioners head to AOC conference PENDLETON — The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners is out of town this week. Commissioners Bill Elfering, Larry Givens and George Murdock are in the liberal stronghold of Eugene for the annual meeting of the Association of Oregon Counties. Givens is the immediate past president of the political lobbying organization that advocates for counties. The association’s annual conference at the Eugene Hilton runs Tuesday though Thursday. The commissioners are using Monday and Friday for travel. According to their meeting schedules, commissioners plan to take in conference sessions on topics of interest to the county, including best practices for jails, renewable energy, and enterprise zones and the state’s Strategic Investment Program, which the county uses to attract big developments, such as data centers. What is Diabetes? Melissa Naff RD, LD, CDE Diabetes Educator 541-278-3249 SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS Submit information to: community@eastoregonian.com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at 333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-966-0818 with questions. 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. What is Diabetes? Am I at risk? YOU WILL LEARN: • Signs and symptoms of Diabetes • The eff ects of high blood sugar on the body • Ways to control blood sugars to live a long. active life WHEN: Saturday, November 18 • 10:00 - 11:00 AM WHERE: St. Anthony Hospital • Conference Rooms 1 & 2 WHO: Anyone interested in learning about diabetes. Presentation will be in English with Spanish translation. This presentation is FREE. 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 2801 St. Anthony Way Pendleton, OR 97801 www.sahpendleton.org
