REGION
Friday, September 28, 2018
Pendleton woman becomes
temporary D.C. cancer lobbyist
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
A member of the Pai-
ute-Shoshone Tribe of the
Fallon Reservation and Col-
ony in Nevada, Karen Mal-
colm wears a horse medal-
lion during trips to the
Longhouse or ceremonies
where she’s wearing regalia.
She inherited the medal-
lion from her stepmother,
who died from breast can-
cer, and it was with her when
she traveled to Washington,
D.C., to lobby Oregon’s
congressional delegation on
cancer legislation.
The Pendleton resi-
dent joined hundreds of fel-
low cancer advocates from
across the country, as a part
of the American Cancer
Society Cancer Action Net-
work Leadership Summit
and Lobby Day.
Malcolm’s memories of
her friends and family were
the primary motivators for
her to attend the D.C. event,
which ran from the weekend
through Wednesday.
Before retiring in 2011,
Malcolm spent decades
working as a dispatcher,
including stints working
for Pendleton and Umatilla
County.
During her time, she said
she built up a friendship
with Pendleton police offi-
cer Jim Schweigart, who
would die in 2007 from peri-
toneal cancer, a rare disease
that affects a thin layer of
tissue that lines the abdomen
and other organs.
Malcolm started getting
Photo courtesy of the American Cancer Society
Pendleton cancer research advocate Karen Malcolm
poses with Rep. Greg Walden in his office.
involved with American Can-
cer Society when she hap-
pened to pass by the Relay for
Life booth at the Altrusa holi-
day bazaar in 2009.
She eventually used her
time volunteering at Relay
for Life as a springboard to
get more deeply involved
with cancer research advo-
cacy, including going on
trips to lobby the Oregon
Legislature in Salem.
Although she had wanted
to make the trip to Washing-
ton, D.C., before, she hadn’t
been able to set aside the
time until this year. Malcolm
was selected by the Amer-
ican Cancer Society to rep-
resent Oregon Congressio-
nal District 2, which spans
eastern, central and parts of
southern Oregon.
Once she arrived in the
capital, Malcolm began
lobbying Oregon’s delega-
tion on various pieces of
cancer legislation, includ-
ing a bill that provided $2
billion increase for medi-
cal research at the National
Institutes of Health and the
Palliative Care and Hospice
Education and Training Act,
a bill that increased federal
funding for palliative care
and establish a palliative
care education program for
doctors, nurses, and other
health care professionals.
Malcolm met with Rep.
Greg Walden, District 2’s
representative and the chair-
man of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee,
which handles health care
bills.
Malcolm had already
built up a rapport with
Walden by the time she vis-
ited his office in D.C., and
she said they spent part of
their meeting talking about
their own experiences hav-
ing loved ones with cancer.
“I came away from
the meeting feeling really
good,” she said.
Although she wasn’t able
to meet with them face-to-
face, Malcolm and other
society
representatives
spoke with staff members
from the offices of Sens. Jeff
Merkley and Ron Wyden.
Overall, Malcolm felt
like it was a successful trip:
the House passed the NIH
funding bill on Wednesday,
sending it to the President’s
desk for a signature, and the
palliative care bill is cur-
rently being considered by
the Senate after the House
passed it in July.
Besides lobbying, Mal-
colm attended other events
sponsored by the society.
She heard speeches from
prominent people like for-
mer NBA coach PJ Carles-
imo and “American Ninja
Warrior” host Matt Iseman,
who both shared their own
experiences with cancer.
On Tuesday, Malcolm
participated in “Lights of
HOPE,” where hundreds of
bags of candles are released
on the National Mall in honor
of those who have died from
cancer or who have been
affected by cancer.
“I did perfectly well until
they started playing the bag-
pipes,” she said.
As she returned to Pend-
leton Thursday, Malcolm
already started musing about
returning to future lobby
days in Washington, D.C.
Malcolm now works
security at St. Anthony Hos-
pital, but if time allows for
it, she’ll commit to doing it
again.
Umatilla County offers free flu vaccines in October
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Opportunities for free
flu vaccines are plentiful in
Umatilla County after the flu
killed an estimated 80,000
people in the United States
last year.
Good Shepherd Health
Care System is doing a free
clinic on Oct. 10 from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m. in the hospital’s
conference rooms, 610 NW
11th St., Hermiston. Mar-
keting and communications
director Nick Bejarano said
the clinic is open to all ages
— no insurance required —
and will have the specialized
doses for infants and the
elderly on hand.
Vaccines are also avail-
able through primary care
providers and are often cov-
ered 100 percent by insur-
ance.
Good
Shepherd
administers the vaccine to
emergency room patients
during flu season. Busi-
nesses can also arrange for
the hospital to come and
host a flu shot clinic for
employees.
“Statistically speaking,
(the vaccine) is very help-
EO file photo
ful to prevent the flu,” Beja-
rano said.
In Pendleton, St. Anthony
Hospital is offering a free flu
shot clinic for anyone over
18 (no insurance necessary)
on Oct. 16-17 from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. at the Pendleton Con-
vention Center, 1601 West-
gate in Pendleton. Flu vac-
cines are also available from
primary care providers in
Pendleton.
Local pharmacists around
the county also offer flu vac-
cines, including the pharma-
cies at Walmart, Safeway,
Rite Aid and Bi-Mart.
Alisha Southwick, school
health and community well-
ness supervisor for Umatilla
County Public Health, said
people can get the flu shot
wherever is most conve-
nient for them — the import-
ant thing is that they get the
shot.
The public health depart-
ment encourages people to
get the vaccine through their
pharmacist or primary care
provider but the department
does have regular flu vac-
cines for adults and children
on hand. People should call
ahead and make an appoint-
ment, but the Hermiston
office at 435 E Newport St.
is taking walk-ins on Oct.
26.
Southwick said children
and the elderly are most at
risk of serious complications
from the flu, and she highly
encourages they get a vac-
cine before flu season gets
into full swing.
“We don’t know what
this season will bring,” she
said.
According to the Associ-
ated Press, last year’s sea-
son was particularly deadly.
About 80,000 Americans
died, compared with 12,000
to 56,000 in a normal year.
The flu can increase the risk
of heart attacks, strokes and
other deadly complications.
The flu vaccine is more
effective some years than
others, because scientists
developing each year’s vac-
cine have to guess which
strains will take off. But
even in less effective years,
people who get the vaccine
are statistically less likely
to get the flu and usually
have more mild symptoms.
The vaccine takes about two
weeks to become effective,
so doctors recommend not
waiting until friends, family
and co-workers are already
sick.
East Oregonian
Page 3A
BRIEFLY
Two die in I-84
crash outside
Baker City
BAKER CITY — A
husband and wife from
Goldendale, Washington,
died Wednesday in a crash
on Interstate 84 in Baker
County.
Oregon State Police
reported troopers at about
10:10 a.m. responded to a
commercial vehicle crash
on I-84 westbound near
milepost 301.
Eugene Rowley, 65,
was driving west in a GMC
pickup pulling a U-Haul
trailer, and his wife, Ellen
Rowley, 63, was the pas-
senger. The pickup passed
a 2013 Freightliner semi-
trailer when the vehicles
collided, went through
the median and came to
rest next to the eastbound
lanes.
The driver of the semi-
trailer, Alexandr Ciubuc,
58, of Tumwater, Wash-
ington, suffered non-life
threatening injuries. An
ambulance took him to St.
Alphonsus Medical Cen-
ter, Baker City.
The Rowleys died at
the scene.
State
police
also
reported the crash closed
the eastbound and west-
bound passing lanes for
about five hours.
Redmond
motorcyclist
dies in Wheeler
County crash
CONDON — Ore-
gon State Police reported
a Redmond man died
Wednesday in Wheeler
County after losing con-
trol of his motorcycle on
Highway 207.
State troopers and
emergency
person-
nel at about 12:40 p.m.
responded to milepost
27.5 on Highway 207
near Spray for a collision
between a motorcycle and
a semitrailer. According
to state police, the pre-
liminary
investigation
revealed Gregory Vibbert,
26, was traveling south
on a 1987 Harley-David-
son Heritage motorcycle
as David Belyea, 63, of
Hermiston, was driving a
2001 Peterbilt semitrailer
north. Vibbert lost control
of the motorcycle and laid
the machine on its side,
colliding with the semi-
trailer near the centerline
on a curve.
State police reported
Vibbert died from his
injuries.
Two Rivers
inmate dies in
custody
UMATILLA — An
inmate serving a murder
sentence at Two Rivers
Correctional Institution
died Thursday morning.
The Oregon Depart-
ment of Corrections
reported Daniel Holter-
man died at a hospital
and not at the state prison
in Umatilla. He was 80.
There are no known next
of kin. As with all in-cus-
tody deaths, according
the department, prison
officials notified Oregon
State Police and the med-
ical examiner will deter-
mine cause of death.
Holterman
entered
state prison custody on
March 25, 1983, from
Clackamas County. His
earliest release date was
Feb. 1, 2024.
He was serving time
for aggravated murder
and attempted aggravated
murder, according to
records from the Oregon
Court of Appeals. He used
a shotgun to shoot one
woman and kill another
while robbing them at an
illegal gambling establish-
ment where the women
were dealers.
SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS
Submit information to: community@eastorego-
nian.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.
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
WEDNESDAY
9:52 a.m. - Oregon State
Police began an investigation
into the poaching of a deer
on Cunningham Sheep Co.
property off Gurdane Road, Pilot
Rock. State police examined
and photographed the carcass
and took a meat sample for
future comparison.
11:25 a.m. - The Morrow
County Sheriff’s Office received
a report of a man driving in
Heppner with his infant daughter
on his lap.
12:01 p.m. - Pendleton
police responded to a report of
drug activity at Sunridge Middle
School, 700 S.W. Runnion Ave,
Pendleton.
1:21 p.m. - A caller told the
Morrow County Sheriff’s Office
he received a text from an
Irrigon man that stated: If the
law can’t do their job, I will do it
for him. I have talked to lawyers,
as long as I am protecting my
family and property I am fine.”
2:33 p.m. - Oregon State
Police opened an investigation
after its Firearms Instant Check
System denied a Pendleton
resident a gun purchase.
4:19 p.m. - A Heppner
woman told the Morrow County
Sheriff’s Office a male will not
stop calling her and harassing
her. A deputy contacted her and
talked to her about her options.
4:51 p.m. - Hermiston police
received a report of one woman
stalking another.
5:02 p.m. - A resident
of Country Club Manor
Apartments, 605 Umatilla Ave.,
Umatilla, reported another
resident of the complex has
been harassing her.
6:41 p.m. - Pendleton police
responded to a 911 report
of a domestic disturbance at
Southwest Frazer Avenue and
10th Street.
9:09 p.m. - The Morrow
County Sheriff’s Office received
a second complaint about the
Irrigon resident sending a threat-
ening text. The sheriff’s office
talked to the texter and warned
him for telephonic harassment
and told him to stop the contact.
9:12 p.m. - Callers reported
two to four males fighting in the
gazebo at Victory Square Park
on Southwest 10th Street.
ARRESTS, CITATIONS
Wednesday
•Oregon State Police
arrested Elliot John Black, 35,
of Pendleton, for driving under
the influence of intoxicants
(alcohol).
•Oregon State Police
arrested Jarrod Allen Bankston,
29, of Hermiston, for unau-
thorized use of a vehicle and
driving while suspended or
revoked.
Thursday
•Pendleton police arrested
Michael Von Vertrees, 41, of
Hermiston, for second-degree
trespass and felony metham-
phetamine possession.
•Umatilla County Sheriff’s
Office arrested Michael
Osvaldo Cervantes, 24, for
felony methamphetamine
possession, second-degree
trespass, second-degree theft
and unauthorized entry into a
vehicle.
•Boardman police arrested
Jose Gutierrez, 33, no address
available, for DUII.
9/28 - 30
Cineplex Show Times
$5 Classic Movie
10/3 • 12pm
A Face in the Crowd
SMALLFOOT (PG)
11:20* 1:50* 6:50
4:20 9:20
THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK
IN ITS WALLS (PG)
11:50* 2:20* 4:50 7:20 9:50
THE PREDATOR (R)
11:40* 2:10* 4:40 7:10 9:40
A SIMPLE FAVOR (R)
11:30* 2:00* 4:30 7:00 9:30
LIFE ITSELF(R)
11:10* 4:10 9:10
WHITE BOY RICK (R)
1:40* 6:40
* Matinee Pricing
wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850
Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216
FREE Drive-Thru
Flu Shot Clinic
October 16 & 17
9AM to 2PM
Pendleton Convention Center
Parking Lot
Flu shots are offered free of charge
(no insurance necessary)
and available to everyone
ages 18 and older.
For more info call
541-278-3262
2801 St. Anthony Way
Pendleton, OR 97801
www.sahpendleton.org