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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 2018)
REGION Saturday, November 3, 2018 East Oregonian Falling bricks prompt sidewalk closure in downtown Pendleton East Oregonian High winds on Friday afternoon cast chunks of brick from Sister’s Cafe onto Main Street in down- town Pendleton. The pieces fell from the two-story roof of the build- ing, but they did not hit peo- ple or vehicles. Restaurant owner Rose- mary Ramirez jumped. She said she contacted one driver to move their car from the front of the restaurant and had her staff set out chairs to block parking spaces. She also said she called city hall to report the problem. “I don’t want people to get hurt,” she said. “We want people to be safe.” City engineer Wayne Green agreed with that take and led a crew to set out bar- riers and block the sidewalk at the establishment located at 308 S. Main St. Ramirez also was on the phone to her insurance com- pany and had a contractor make repairs within a couple of hours. The high winds led the National Weather Service to issue a wind advisory until 7 p.m. on Friday. The forecast called for gusts in excess of 40 mph on Friday afternoon in Pendleton. The blustery conditions were expected to ease on Saturday with gusts as high as 18 mph. Staff photo by Phil Wright Rosemary Ramirez, left, talks with city engineer Wayne Green about the bricks that fell Friday from the build- ing of her downtown Pendleton restaurant during high wind, prompting the closure of the sidewalk and park- ing spaces for public safety. Airport hotel proposal back to the bargaining table Each time a lease agree- ment and incentive pack- age for the Horse Valley hotel project went before the Pendleton City Council, members sent City Manager Robb Corbett back to the negotiating table. This time, Corbett thinks he’s negotiated a contract that will elicit support from the council. “I think I got all of their concerns addressed,” he said. While voters across Ore- gon finish casting their bal- lots, the Pendleton City Council will be at city hall focused on a 75-room hotel proposal at the Eastern Ore- gon Regional Airport. Cor- bett said most of the dis- cussion will happen behind closed doors in an execu- tive session, but if the coun- cil makes a decision, it will be in front of the public and details will be publicly available. Unlike other land leases at the airport, the city will be unusually invested in the hotel’s success. Instead of a monthly flat fee, the hotel will pay Pend- leton a percentage of its gross revenue as rent, a per- centage that will grow from 0.25 percent in 2021 to 2 percent starting in 2028. The council will also be asked to approve an incen- tive package that includes civil and environmental engineering work, water and sewer connection fee waivers, and up to a 50 per- cent permit fee reduction. Not including the waiver and discount, Corbett esti- mates the incentive package is worth about $57,500. Corbett said the council had issues with the rental agreement, which changed from a percent to “fair mar- ket rental value” after 30 years. Corbett said the pro- posed lease now includes the revenue percentage throughout the life of the 50-year lease. The hotel would be placed at the airport’s cur- rent long-term parking lot, leading to the council’s other major complaint, Cor- bett said. To avoid a reduction in parking, Corbett said the hotel’s developer, Makad Corp., will build a new parking lot before it starts construction on the project. 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CusterShows.com 509.924.0588 HERMISTON Zuwala pleads guilty to two stabbings went to the hospital. She said Piercy was favorably disposed toward Zuwala, and said he would like to A Hermiston man have contact with him if accused of stab- Zuwala was open bing two others to the idea. Zuwala spoke last June pleaded briefly at the end guilty on Friday of the hearing, to two counts saying only that of attempted he regretted his murder. actions. Aaron Mar- “I can’t tin Zuwala, 34, believe this all who appeared by happened, and video in Hermis- Zuwala ton Circuit Court, I’m really sorry,” had previously pleaded not he said. “It’s kind of a mys- guilty to stabbing Harold tery to me why I did it, Lloyd Piercy and Richard too.” Zuwala’s defense attor- James Rukaveno in June, but changed his plea on ney, Dan Stephens, said Friday. Four other counts, he had his client evaluated two of assault in the first by a physician after the degree and two of unlaw- incident. ful use of a weapon, were “Mr. Zuwala only has dropped. Zuwala will serve one little misdemeanor in two, 90-month sentences his past,” Stephens said. “I concurrently, minus the was concerned about psy- five months he’s already chological issues. It’s very bizarre that this would spent in jail. He is not eligible for occur the way it did.” But he said a doctor a reduction of sentence, and will have a three-year, found no psychological post-prison supervision issues. “This was kind of a per- period. The court also sug- gested that he receive men- fect storm of things going tal health services after on in Mr. Zuwala’s life,” prison. Stephen said. “There was Zuwala was arrested some substance abuse. Mr. June 4 for stabbing Piercy Zuwala’s been very apolo- and Rukaveno at a resi- getic about everything that dence near a storage unit happened.” on Hermiston’s Kelli Bou- According to court levard. He knew both of records, Zuwala has not one but several misde- the victims. Though Zuwala was meanors, including crimi- ordered to have no con- nal mischief in the second tact with Rukaveno, he degree, theft in the sec- was only ordered to have ond degree, and furnishing no offensive contact with alcohol to a person under Piercy, at Piercy’s request. 21. Both Jenkins and Ste- Jaclyn Jenkins, the Umatilla County lead dep- phens said they did not uty district attorney, said want to comment further she had been able to speak about the incidents leading with Piercy, but the state up to the stabbing, or why was never able to track Piercy was favorably dis- down Rukaveno after he posed to Zuwala. By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian PENDLETON By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian Page 3A lar to deals he studied at the Port of Portland and the Port of Morrow. While the city has the potential to reap a much higher amount of money than the estimated $2,100 it would take home with a standard land lease, there’s also a significantly lower floor if the hotel doesn’t work out. Corbett said he’s not worried about possible risk from the lease because Makad Corp. has already secured financing from a bank that scrutinized the project’s viability. If the council does approve the lease, Corbett understood that the city might receive criticism of favoring the airport hotel. “That might be a problem,” he said, before adding that the city needed to focus on generating revenue for oper- ations like the airport. Although Corbett said action isn’t likely until the next meeting, Corbett said the council will also use its next executive session to discuss a new deal with Pendleton Heights devel- oper Saj Jivanjee. The council rejected his last proposal — a debt repayment plan that con- verted a flat fee paid when the developer acquires building permits for a 20-unit apartment addition to Pendleton Heights to a percentage that’s paid out after each individual unit is built — in September. Based on the coun- cil’s private conversations, Corbett said he’ll decide whether to negotiate further with Jivanjee or present a revised proposal at the Nov. 20 meeting. Another housing deal is being negotiated with I & E Construction to build a 200-unit apartment complex on city-owned land near Blue Mountain Community College. Corbett said both sides are still trying to “get on the same page,” but he expects to present an agreement for council approval on Nov. 20. For a complete listing of regional events, visit easternoregonevents.com
