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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 2018)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 143rd Year, No. 3 One dollar WINNER OF THE 2018 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Stampede in the sky PENDLETON NASA to join testing at range Hot air balloons take off from Walla Walla for 44th year Drone company working to integrate airspace By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian Amid a year of growth in operations at the Pendle- ton Unmanned Aerial Sys- tems Range, drone com- pany PAE ISR signed a deal with NASA to develop and demonstrate sensory tech- nology on its Resolute Eagle drone. Jake Jacobs, the chief technology officer at PAE ISR, said the company is expected to utilize the drone’s sense and avoid capabilities for a demonstra- tion in 2020. Pendleton UAS Range Manager Darryl Abling said a drone’s ability to either autonomously avoid or send information to a pilot about other potential aircraft or obstacles will be critical to the integration of UAS into the national airspace. While the Federal Avi- ation Administration has usually been the primary agency involved with bring- ing unmanned aircraft into See NASA/8A The Walla Walla Balloon Stampede is a five-day event featuring dozens of hot air balloons. Takeoff is at 7:15 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day at Howard-Teitan Park, and Friday features a 7 p.m. Nite Glow Spectacular. On Sunday, all 30 balloons will attempt to launch in 30 seconds at 7:15 a.m. Top: Ballooning enthusiasts take to the skies on Thurs- day for the 44th annual Walla Walla Balloon Stampede. Left: Balloons rise into the morning air over downtown Walla Walla. Above right: Keenan VanOrden, left, of Col- lege Place and Lauren Larsen of Walla Walla hold open the balloon envelope as pilot David Burr of Salt Lake City, Utah, fires the burner to fill the ballon. Right bot- tom: Balloons are inflated Thursday morning. Staff photos by E.J. Harris INSIDE: More photos from Thursday’s launch / 8A Weekend Weather Fri 69/41 Sat 69/40 Sun 68/40 Watch a football game Grant Union at Heppner Friday, 7 p.m., Morrow County Fairgrounds For more weekend events, visit eastoregonian.com VIDEO: See the flight from the air at eastoregonian.com Great Shakeout points to preparation Hermiston schools learn about earthquake preparation with statewide drill By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian On Thursday morning, students at Highland Hills Elementary School scrambled under their desks and waited for instructions. As Princi- pal Jake Bacon directed them, they learned important tips for what to do in an earthquake. Students throughout Hermiston School District participated Thurs- day morning in the “Great Ore- gon Shakeout,” a statewide drill to encourage schools to prepare their students for an earthquake. At 10:18 a.m., Bacon came on the intercom and talked students through the drill, telling them that if a real earthquake happens, things might be different. “An earthquake is likely to cause damage to the intercom,” he said. “Things may fall off the walls. Remain calm, and when the earth- quake stops, be prepared to evacuate the building.” He added that there may be after- shocks, and that if they are outside, to go to a clear area away from power lines and buildings. “You need to be alert,” Bacon said. Students listened, crouching under the desks. When the drill ended, they emerged, and discussed with their teachers other things to be aware of during earthquakes. Teacher Emily Adams told her first-grade students the most import- ant thing to do in an earthquake is to protect their heads. “What do you do when an earth- quake happens?” she asked students. “Get under a table, and don’t move anything.” Earthquake preparation has become more of a focus across the state recently — from drills to seis- See SHAKEOUT/8A