REGION Tuesday, December 26, 2017 East Oregonian Page 3A Man shot, alleges New Year’s Eve mystery for Agape House he was kidnapped HERMISTON By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian As the last few minutes of 2017 tick away, someone isn’t going to live long enough to join revelers in raising a glass to toast in the new year. A New Year’s Eve theme is featured during the upcoming murder mystery dinner theater event presented by Agape House. In addition to the meal and whodunnit — “As the Ball Drops on Times Square” — those in attendance will enjoy a chance to ring in the new year in New York City fashion. “We’ll have a projection screen and watch the ball drop in New York City,” said Dave Hughes, Agape House executive director. “As the Ball Drops on Times Square” is Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at the Maxwell Siding Event Center, 145 N. First Place, Hermiston. Guests can enjoy a catered meal by Nookie’s Restau- rant, which features prime rib or lemon chicken, veggies, rolls, dessert and drinks, including coffee, tea and lemonade. Also, the New Year’s Eve celebration is complete with party favors and sparkling cider to toast in the coming year. The cost is $45 per person. With limited seating, people are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. Although not required, those attending are encouraged to wear formal attire. The idea for presenting an alcohol-free New Year’s Eve-themed murder mystery, Hughes said, was suggested by Monica Todd of Nookie’s and Maxwell Siding. Agape House has worked with the local restaurant and event center during its past couple of murder mystery fundraisers. Hughes said it’s been a great partnership that makes putting on the benefit events a lot easier. The murder mystery centers around socialites East Oregonian File photo Trish Rosell of Hermiston participates in a past Agape House murder mystery dinner theater fundraiser. A New Year’s Eve theme is planned during Sunday’s event at Maxwell Siding Event Center in Hermiston. “We’ll have a projection screen and watch the ball drop in New York City.” — Dave Hughes, Agape House executive director File photo Tina Ridings looks on while Boyd Sharp tries to shift blame to another character during a past murder mys- tery fundraiser for Agape House. A New Year’s Eve theme is featured during Sunday’s event at Maxwell Siding Event Center in Hermiston. ringing in the new year at a New York City hot spot. Among the party guests are actors, top chefs, singers, powerful CEOs, and other movers and shakers. And for one reason or another, Reece Vaughn has turned people the wrong way — and he ends up dead. “Everyone has a motive to do him in,” Hughes said. “He’s pretty much unliked by a lot of people.” A “B” movie actor, Vaughn is a shady character who is known for seedy activities. From trying to influence his rich grand- mother in changing her will and attempting to interrupt a major business deal with a big corporate CEO to destroying a Las Vegas lounge performer’s career and blackmailing a wealthy entrepreneur — Vaughn has given many people reasons for wanting him dead. Guests at the murder mystery events, Hughes said, seem to enjoy tapping into their inner Sherlock Holmes as they try to figure out who committed the deathly deed. The popular fundraisers, which are held several times a year, typically net about $1,000 for Agape House. The nonprofit organization provides assistance to people in need in Hermiston and the surrounding area. For more information, to purchase a ticket or learn ways to support Agape House, call 541-567-8774. ——— Contact Community Editor Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastoregonian. com or 541-564-4539 Police believe a man was kidnapped and shot Thursday in rural Morrow County. The 48-year-old man from Eugene was discov- ered about 7:30 a.m. in a vehicle at Love’s Truck Stop, west of Boardman. He was suffering from a single gunshot wound and was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston, for treatment. According to Oregon State Police, a preliminary investigation revealed the victim was shot at another location and transported to Love’s by a citizen who was waved down by the victim on Interstate 84 near milepost 151. The victim alleges to have been kidnapped and dropped off near that area by abductors in a maroon van who fled the scene in an unknown direction. According to police, there is no evidence at this time indicating there is a threat to the general public regarding this incident. Anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious circumstances or observed the victim and suspect vehicle on Interstate 84 near milepost 151 on Thursday are asked to call the Oregon State Police Southern Command Dispatch Center at 1-541-664-4600 and reference case number SP17461025. BRIEFLY IMAC plans benefit breakfast IRRIGON — A pancake breakfast to benefit the Irrigon Multicultural Arts Center is planned this weekend. The meal will be served Saturday from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at Stokes Landing Senior Center, 150 Columbia Lane, Irrigon. The cost is $4.50 per person. The money raised will help the nonprofit group in developing a regional arts center and preserving Irrigon’s 1921 school building. For more information, call Peggy Price at 541-567-3806. Croatia trip offered to travel buffs HERMISTON — Travel enthusiasts are invited to learn about an opportunity to visit Croatia with the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce Travel Club in October 2018. An informational meeting is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 4 p.m. at the Hermiston Chamber office, 1055 S. Highway 395, Suite 111, in Cornerstone Plaza. The nine-day adventure includes round-trip airfare from Portland, first-class hotels, 12 meals, a professional tour director, motor coach transportation, admission to all sites on the itinerary, comprehensive sightseeing and baggage handling. Stops on the tour include Old Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Zadar, Split and Plitvice. The trip begins Oct. 30, 2018. The informational meeting is open to everyone, but RSVPs are requested. Contact Debbie Pedro at 541-567- 6151 or debbie@hermistonchamber.com. ——— 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. Man sues Wallowa County, state for issuing birth certificate Claims he is resident of Kingdom of Heaven By STEVE TOOL EO Media Group One man’s hope of becoming a billionaire at the expense of Wallowa County and the state of Oregon taxpayers was quashed at a dismissal hearing at Wallowa County Circuit Court Nov. 29. Ricky Tippett filed a rambling and somewhat incoherent tort against the state for $973 million and Wallowa County for $250 million for perpetrating a number of alleged crimes against him, including intentionally causing him emotional distress, conspiracy, fraud, construc- tive fraud, identity theft, arrest and “conversion.” Judge Thomas Powers presided over the case while attorney Bruno J. Jagelski, of Ontario represented the county and filed the motion for dismissal. Seth Karpinski, senior assistant attorney general, appeared for the state in the matter and joined the county in its motion. Tippett represented himself. All the parties, with the exception of Judge Powers, appeared by phone. According to the complaint filed Aug. 24, the charges resulted from the county having the audacity to issue his parents a marriage license and to list him as a citizen of both the state and county on his birth certificate. Tippett contended he was only a child of God and a resident of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the state and county had caused him harm by their description of his parentage and citizenship status. Jagelski, speaking first, told the judge that the motion to dismiss was based on what he called “an unintelligible complaint that is packed full of conclusions of law with no ultimate facts that support the alleged case for relief.” He added that after reading the complaint, he was unable to ascertain what the county did or how it would have damaged the plaintiff. The county’s attorney also stated that the tort violated the Oregon Tort Claims Act by failing to serve notice to the defendants, which would have allowed them time to investigate the complaint. He also asked Powers to dismiss the case with prejudice because of the lack of a valid claim or even a potential claim against the county. Karpinski said he had little to add to Jagelski’s state- ment, although he did say that the state had received an amendment to the complaint that didn’t include Wallowa County and a motion for summary judgment, which is a motion that contends that all necessary factual issues are settled or are so over- whelming they need not be tried. He added that both the summary judgment motion and the amended claim were equally unintelligible. Powers made clear that he had received notice of the aforementioned claims and motions and several others as well. “None of those filings, as I can see, have been accepted by the court,” he said. “They were not properly filed or properly served as far as we can tell, so those are not of record.” He told Tippett that the court was only examining the motion to dismiss. He asked that Tippett confine his remarks to the dismissal motion. Tippett ventured an argument that he had not received any evidence that he was an Oregon resident or that such evidence even existed. He said he was not in a valid contract with the state of Oregon, and if anyone disagreed, they needed to supply the contract so he could review it. He recited Saager's Shoe Shop a U.S. Supreme Court case that bore hazy connection to his case. Powers asked Tippett to ascertain whether he was a resident of Oregon. Tippett replied “no.” Powers then said as the complainant did not claim to be a resident of the state, which provided an additional reason to dismiss the case because of the court’s lack of jurisdiction. Tippett began to recite another case when Powers cut him off, telling him it was not an Oregon case and therefore irrelevant to the motion for dismissal. 50% off Men and Women's Shoes ! off 50%-70% Women’s apparel W INTER /F ALL COLLECTIONS INCLUDING SWEATERS , BLOUSES , TUNICS , DRESSES , AND JACKETS Taos • Jafa • Altra • Hoka One One • Brooks • Dansko • Teva • Keen • Pikolinos • Bussola • Eric Michael • Ahnu • Earth • Earthie • Merrell the entire hearing took less than 20 minutes from beginning to end, including Powers’ finding in favor of the county and state’s motion for dismissal because of its failure to follow the tort claims act. He also dismissed the complaint with prejudice, which means the case is dead. Tippet cannot refile, reamend or appeal. County commissioner Susan Roberts wasn’t sorry to hear of the demise of Tippett’s case. “It was an interesting concept but not very well fleshed-out,” Roberts said. PLASTIC IS NO LONGER RECYCLABLE WHAT: Mixed plastics #1-#7 is no longer recyclable. Our depot collection containers for this material near Fallen Field and at the Transfer Station will be removed on or before January 1, 2018. WHY: The only market for these materials was China. Eff ective January 1, 2018 China is implementing its “National Sword” policy to increase the environmental quality in its own country, which will stop all mixed paper and mixed plastics from being imported. This is a national and international issue, but the eff ects are very local. There are no markets to absorb what China has refused to accept. WINTER CLEARANCE SALE Up To Tippett tried to interrupt but Powers reiterated he wanted to hear a direct argu- ment pertaining specifically to the dismissal motion. The claimant essentially replied that the state’s tort act was invalid and that the book of Revelation 9:12 described the alleged deception of the state, and because the Bible is the Word of God, it is good enough for the circuit court. The verse Tippett used to make his case says: “One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.” Not surprisingly, perhaps, WHEN: By January 1, 2018 the plastics collection containers will be removed and these plastics must be placed in the trash. Plastic water bottles and many other drink containers may still be taken for the $0.10 redemption at grocery stores or redemption centers. WHO: All Pendleton residents and surrounding areas who use Pendleton Sanitary Service recycling collection containers. OTHER COMMUNITIES: Other communities that have “co-mingled” recycling (all recyclables in one roll cart at their home) will be very severely impacted by these market changes. Pendleton’s impact is small in comparison. WHAT CAN I DO?: Continue to recycle whenever and whatever is possible. Recycling is still the right thing to do – it saves energy, natural resources, and creates a sustainable future, but be very careful about contamination. If an item is questionable for recycling - “When in doubt, throw it out” is the best policy. For complete recycling information, please visit our website at pendletonsanitaryservice.com or call our offi ce at (541) 276-1271. Pendleton Sanitary Service, Inc. is committed to off ering a recycling collection program supported by our customers and turning this diffi cult situation into an opportunity to strengthen the future of recycling. If markets for recycled plastics become available in the future, we are committed to reinstate our collection of plastics and adapt to current market conditions. 613 N. Main St., Store Hours: Milton-Freewater, OR Mon - Sat: 8 AM - 6 PM www.saagershoeshop.com Sun: 12 PM - 4 PM 541-938-5162 LOCATION: 5500 NW Rieth Road • Pendleton, OR 97801 PHONE: (541) 276-1271 • OFFICE HOURS: Mon - Fri: 8 AM - 4 PM