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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2018)
REGION Thursday, January 11, 2018 East Oregonian Page 3A HERMISTON Pendleton man Man smashes police department window arrested for poaching professed the landmark Butte of Hermiston was in Umatilla County actually a living person A Hermiston man broke East Oregonian the glass window in front of the Hermiston Police Department Wednesday night then demanded to be arrested. Hermiston police obliged and arrested Peyton F. Hobbs, 24, of Hermiston for criminal mischief. According to a press release from Hermiston police, at about 5:45 p.m. Capt. Scott Clark heard the loud crashing sound of the window being smashed. He walked out and encountered Hobbs, who has a history of mental illness and is well known to the police and the Hermiston community. In his press release, Edmiston expressed displea- sure that Hobbs’ problems have not been addressed. “I am not a politician as I am appointed in my position and I often walk a fine line of trying to ensure I am not projecting any of my personal beliefs into messages that disseminate from this agency,” he wrote. “However, Mr. Hobbs is very well known to this department, other police departments, and many city departments within Herm- iston. He has an extensive history of creating distur- bances triggering certain procedures to take place with our city hall and library Photo courtesy Hermiston Police Department A man with mental health issues was arrested for breaking the glass in front of the Hermiston Police Department Wednesday. staff should he arrive at their locations. He is a person who has severe issues that are not being addressed.” Edmiston noted that he “can say with 100 percent absolute certainty this crime could have been prevented if we had adequate mental health services in Umatilla County.” Edmiston said that Hobbs has disrupted multiple city council meetings and “makes outrageous claims about having associations with people in the music industry and most recently waiting to arise to fend off alien invaders.” Edmiston wrote that he is not targeting Hobbs or the family, but he is “incredibly frustrated with the lack of accountability on display with certain social services. The family member I spoke with was very receptive, sad, and just as frustrated with the “system” as well because they know how kind and respectful Peyton is when on the medication he so desperately needs.” Edmiston said he has looked to other organizations for help with Hobbs, but “there comes a point where a person must say enough is enough. I instructed our officers to request a mental health provider respond to our station to assess Peyton tonight. Instead, we were told he would be evaluated tomorrow at the jail.” Edmiston said he spoke with Umatilla County Sheriff Terry Rowan, who said he agreed Hobbs does not belong in jail. But Rowan said that Hobbs needed to be taken there for an evaluation scheduled for Thursday. According to the release, the specialty glass will cost between $1,000-$2,000 to replace. In the meantime, the window has been boarded up. Martin Luther King Jr. Day events unite community By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian Several local entities in Pendleton and Herm- iston invite the public to participate in celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, Jan. 15. In Pendleton, a program featuring spoken words and music takes center stage at 6:30 p.m. at Great Pacific Wine & Coffee Co., 403 S. Main St. Coordinated by the Baha’i Community in Pend- leton, the organizers invite everyone to join the musical celebration of King’s life and beliefs. One of the fundamental principles of the Baha’i faith, said Dan Haug, is unity of mankind. He said King was an amazing indi- vidual who stood firm in addressing racial inequality. “We’ll sing a lot of songs that most of the people know,” Haug said. “Politically, there’s a lot of divisiveness — we hope to focus on what brings us together.” In its third year at Great Pacific, Haug is grateful that Carol Hanks and Ken Schulberg are again opening the doors to host the event. He said the neutral venue is non-threatening. Some- times, Haug said, it’s harder to bring people in when events are held at a church. “We’re all about music, anyway,” Schulberg said. “And especially with music that brings people together.” Also in Pendleton, a Martin Luther King Day of Service is planned at Pend- leton Center for the Arts, File photo Kathy Beck, Erin McCusker, Margaret Mayer and Geor- gina Johnson perform “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” during a 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Pendleton. This year’s event, also hosted by Great Pa- cific Wine & Coffee Co., is Monday and features spoken word and music. 214 N. Main St. People ages 12-and-older are invited to help. The bulk of the activ- ities are taking place from 10 a.m. to noon, however, additional skilled labor is needed earlier. Service opportunities include cleaning walls and baseboards, washing windows, scrubbing tables, patching and painting walls — basically sprucing up the place. Materials and supplies will be provided. Those planning to help are encouraged to wear comfortable work clothes and close-toed shoes. A complimentary pizza lunch will be served at noon. To ensure there’s enough food, those planning to participate are asked to RSVP via director@pend- letonarts.org or 541-278- 9201. In Hermiston, the Black International Awareness Club is heading up a Peace Walk and program to help bring awareness to the principles Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, said John Carbage, the group’s president. “If you don’t remember our history, we are doomed to repeat it,” he said. “We don’t even want to go back to that time in history.” The event begins with a Peace Walk at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 191 E. Gladys Ave. The short stroll will end in front of Hermiston City Hall. The gathering will include the singing of the national anthem and a short speech, Carbage said. Then, the group will return to the church for an indoor program featuring several local pastors, as well as Rev. Robert Eadie of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church. BRIEFLY Blue Mountain trails plan to be revealed in Walla Walla After three rounds of meetings to collect input, the Walla Walla Community Council is ready to unveil its Blue Mountain Region Trails plan. The plan to connect northeast Umatilla County with Walla Walla and Columbia counties in Washington with hiking, biking and other non-motorized trails has been under development for the past year with collaboration from cities, counties, health departments, ports, state and federal agencies. According to a Community Council press release, the meeting will be at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds Community Building, 363 Orchard St., on Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m. Food and Spanish translation will be provided at the meeting as the Community Council gives a short presentation on the plan’s findings and recommendations. City schedules meeting for fire station update PENDLETON — With an architect, general contractor and construction manager already hired, the city of Pendleton is ready to share more information on the development of its new fire station. Attendees to a Feb. 6 community meeting will receive an update on the construction timeline, the floor plan and a rendering of the new fire station, which will be located in the old St. Anthony Hospital parking lot on Southeast Court Avenue. The audience will get presentations from Mackenzie, the Portland firm that’s designing the station, and McCormack Construction, the general contractor and construction manager for the project. The new fire station is the centerpiece of a $10 million bond the city passed last May that will replace the fire department’s aging main station on 911 S.W. Court Ave. The city expects to break ground on the new station in May. Pendleton Fire Chief Mike Ciraulo will also give an update on fire bond projects to the Pendleton City Council in an upcoming meeting on Tuesday. Both meetings will be at Pendleton City Hall, 500 S.W. Dorion Avenue. The Feb. 6 informational meeting will be in the Community Room at 5:30 p.m. while Ciraulo’s update on Tuesday will be in the council chambers at 7 p.m. ——— Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press releases. Email press releases to news@eastoregonian.com In addition, Don Rome, one of the club’s original founders, will serve as the keynote speaker. Little Angels, a youth choir, also will perform. Carbage is especially encouraged when youths attend and participate, saying they are the future of our communities. The event is the last one coordinated by the Black International Awareness Club, Carbage said, as the group is officially changing its name to the Hermiston Cultural Awareness Club. With the new moniker, he hopes the club will attract additional participants. “We want a more broad range of members,” Carbage said. “We want to bring awareness to all cultures in our community.” The group meets the second Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. at Starbucks, 1235 N. First St., Hermiston. People of all races and cultures are invited to attend. For more information, call Carbage at 541-701-7073. ——— Contact Tammy Malge- sini at tmalgesini@eastore- gonian.com or 541-564- 4539. East Oregonian A Pendleton man was arrested Saturday on multiple misdemeanor poaching charges, including illegally taking four deer and two elk in Umatilla County. Joseph Reide St. Pierre, 18, was the subject of a months-long investigation by the Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division in Pendleton, according to a press release from the agency. OSP was first alerted to possible illegal hunting by St. Pierre in September 2017. St. Pierre was booked into the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, and arraigned Monday on counts relating to animals killed, illegal hunting prac- tices and trespassing. The animals, killed as far back as the fall of 2016, include a large mule deer buck, three large whitetail bucks and two antlerless elk, according to the release. Below are the charges he faces and the number of counts of each: • Unlawful take of buck deer, closed season (4) • Unlawful take of antlerless elk (2) • Unlawful waste of game animal (2) • Hunting on the culti- vated lands of another (3) • Unlawful discharge of a firearm across a public way (2) • Hunting prohibited method: Shotgun with shot restrictions Photo courtesy Oregon State Police Joseph St. Pierre, 18, from Pendleton, has been charged with mul- tiple fish and game vio- lation for poaching ani- mals in Umatilla County. • Exceeding annual elk bag limit • Second degree criminal trespass • Criminal trespass while in possession of a firearm • Unlawful discharge of a firearm from a motor vehicle • Hunting with the assis- tance of artificial light • Aiding another in committing wildlife viola- tion, unlawful take of a buck deer (2) Anyone with more information that could help the investigation can call 1-800-452-7888 or talk to troopers Tom Juzeler or Ryan Sharp at 541-278- 4090. The Oregon Hunters Association offers financial rewards of up to $1,000 for tips that lead to arrests or citations of poachers. Kennewick woman in jail for embezzling $100,000 Attorney Dan Primus said Denney was first arrested in A Kennewick woman October 2017. Denney had an arraign- is in jail for embezzling more than $100,000 from ment on November 13 but her longtime Hermiston failed to appear. She was employer Columbia Chiro- re-arrested last week and has a hearing Jan. practic. 22. Ann Marie Primus said Denney, 48, was there no addi- taken into custody tional charges on Jan. 4 and were filed against charged with a Denney. variety of counts She was of theft. charged in Denney had October with worked at the seven counts of business for about identity theft, six 10 years and is Denney counts of theft believed to have taken the money over the in the first degree, and five course of several years. counts of aggravated theft in According to Hermiston the first degree. The dates of Police Captain Travis those incidents ranged from Eynon, the money was January 2014 to September discovered missing after 2016. Separate charges Denney left the company state that she stole money and the business conducted in increments of anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 or an audit of its books. Umatilla County District more during that time. East Oregonian