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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2019)
REGION Wednesday, January 16, 2019 East Oregonian A3 MLK Day events encourage unity By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian C elebration, remem- brance and building a sense of community are the focus of a pair of local Mar- tin Luther King Jr. Day events. Groups of people in both Pend- leton and Hermiston invite the public to join them during the Monday, Jan. 21 gatherings. In Pendleton, the event is coordinated by a commit- tee, including representatives from the Pendleton Baha’i Community. The program fea- tures music and the reading of writings of King, said Ellen Wardell. “The words of MLK are powerful, motivating and mov- ing,” Wardell said. “Music is a way, a unique way, to celebrate and unify people.” Open to all ages, the gath- ering runs from 6-8 p.m. at Great Pacific Wine & Coffee Co., 403 S. Main St. People are encouraged to bring their smartphones, as there will be links provided to access words for songs included in the sing-alongs. The third Monday in Jan- uary was designated as a fed- eral holiday in King’s honor by President Ronald Reagan. More than merely a day off, Wardell encourages people to recognize and celebrate the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. A social activist and civil rights leader, King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. EO File Photo Georgina Johnson sings “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize” during a 2018 Martin Luther King Day event in Pendleton. The public is invited to an all-ages celebration Monday, Jan. 21, at Great Pacific Wine & Coffee Co. EO File Photo A group of people turn onto Main Street during the 2018 Martin Luther King Day march in Hermiston. This year’s march and program is Monday, Jan. 21, at the United Methodist Church. BRIEFLY Truck driver dies after hitting gas line A man driving a pickup truck Tuesday morning hit a gas main line on Feedville Road, and succumbed to injuries from the crash. Michael Patrick Gallegos, 47, was alone in the car when he rolled his vehicle, and was found unresponsive with apparent head trauma, according to a news release from the Hermiston Police Department. The Pendleton man was pronounced dead after being transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center. The department said there were no known witnesses, and speed may have been a factor in the crash, but there were no obvious signs of impairment. They said the investigation is ongoing. Umatilla County Fire District battalion chief Ed Clark said employees from local businesses, including Circle C Equipment and New Holland Agriculture, were evac- uated for the rest of the day, and that Cas- cade Natural Gas had turned off the line by about 10 a.m., limiting any further dan- ger to the public. Walden cancels town halls in Pendleton, Boardman PENDLETON — U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, is canceling sev- eral stops on a town hall tour through Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, including events in Umatilla and Morrow counties. In a press release, Walden attributed the cancellations to a schedule change made by Democratic leaders. While Congress was originally supposed to be out of ses- sion the week of Jan. 21, business will now restart on Jan. 22. “It is disappointing that the Demo- cratic Leader made last minute schedul- ing changes in the House that interfere with my town hall schedule as it currently stands,” Walden said in a statement. “We will reschedule the town halls impacted by the revised House calendar next week and will announce the details for those town halls as soon as we can.” The cancellations include Jan. 23 town halls at the Pendleton Convention Center and the SAGE Center in Boardman. State withheld discovery, dismisses theft case against convicted drug dealer HERMISTON — Former big-time drug dealer Carlos Joaquin Barragan of Hermiston is out of jail and no longer fac- ing theft charges. Barragan, 40, was on the hook for steal- ing jewelry worth more than $1,000 in November from residents at the Country Squire Estates, the trailer park at 1500 N.E. 10th St., Hermiston. That was until Friday, when Daniel Pachico, Umatilla County deputy district attorney, revealed the state withheld discovery — reports, documents and other evidence — from defense attor- ney Herman Bylenga. Bylenga credited Pachico with coming forward. “Mr. Pachico is one of the most honest men I know,” Bylenga said. “He has integ- rity and brought this to my attention.” Circuit Judge Christopher Brauer dis- missed the case without prejudice, mean- ing the state can bring charges again, and freed Barragan. Barragan in the late-2000s ran an ille- gal drug operation that reached through- out northeast Oregon, and in 2011 he ended up serving almost six years in a fed- eral prison for his role in the largest illegal marijuana crop in Grant County. Hermis- ton police arrested him in November after he allegedly ripped off the Hermiston Classics Car Club. Larry Storment, recent club president, said Barragan stole and cashed checks from the club. The Umatilla County Dis- trict Attorney’s Office charged Barragan on Nov. 19 with multiple counts of forg- ery and theft. The judge dismissed that case after the parties reached a civil com- promise. Storment said Barragan’s fam- ily made restitution and gave the club the $1,000 it was out. Also a pastor and author, he was assassinated in 1968 on the balcony of a motel in Mem- phis, Tennessee. “His life work to end racial segregation and for racial equality in the United States left lasting effects on all citi- zens,” she said. John Carbage, president of the Hermiston Cultural Aware- ness Club, is equally enthusi- astic about an upcoming cel- ebration. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day March begins at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 191 E. Gladys Ave. The program ends at 1 p.m. Drawing inspiration from King’s strong faith, Carbage believes the key to a better world is to return to the teach- ings of the gospel. “We need for the nation as a whole to be more Christ-like.” The Hermiston event begins with a short march and then continues with music and spe- cial speakers, including city manager Byron Smith and rep- resentatives from Wake Up Nation. Carbage describes the Kennewick-based group as a spiritual movement. “They are trying to wake up the nation to get closer to Christ, to pray and give thanks more,” he said. John Witherspoon will per- form a couple of rap songs, including gospel rap. Isaac Butts will share reflections about King’s life and how he found success with his move- ment because he was close to Christ. The hope of the Hermis- ton Cultural Awareness Club is to bring people of different cultures together. Club mem- ber Virginia Rome-Garcia said in order to make a differ- ence in our community, people need to get involved. In addi- tion, Carbage said it’s import- ant to engage the younger generation. “Our young people are our future,” Carbage said. “And there are quite a few young people that need some guid- ance and direction.” Local United Way to join Columbia, Walla Walla counties local presence in both mar- kets will be a priority. The The United Way of Uma- organization, she said, will tilla and Morrow Coun- continue to seek exten- ties will merge with the sive, local stakeholders and involvement United Way of Walla Walla community and Columbia Counties to throughout the region. In become the United Way of addition, Lieuallen said that much of the office functions the Blue Mountains. The change, which coin- can be shared in a more cides with the retirement efficient way. Merging the of Kricket Nicholson, will two operations benefits the occur this summer, said respective communities by Christy Lieuallen, who will streamlining operations, lead the regional creating efficiencies nonprofit. Nichol- and reducing dupli- cation of effort, she son has been the added. executive director of With a new the United Way of regional board of Umatilla and Mor- row Counties for directors including 12 years. Lieuallen representatives from Nicholson is the current exec- each county, Lieual- len said that local utive director of United Way of Walla Walla steering committees will drive fundraising and com- and Columbia Counties. “We feel confident the munity investment within time is right,” Nicholson the respective communities. “What won’t change said. “More importantly, Umatilla and Morrow coun- are those things that make ties will benefit from the United Way such a vital continued local presence resource in our local com- and focus, with the added munities,” she said. “As capabilities and support that always, monies raised will United Way of Walla Walla be invested within the com- munity where they were County brings.” Lieuallen stressed that donated.” East Oregonian Combined, the two United Way operations invested more than $385,000 last year to support multi- ple nonprofit partner agen- cies and local initiatives. United Way’s mission is to empower donors, volun- teers, advocates and agen- cies to improve the health, education and financial sta- bility of people in the Blue Mountain region. Nicholson previously worked for The Salvation Army for 10 years, served for more than eight years as executive director of Domestic Violence Services and ran her own business for a couple of years, which included grant writing and consulting. “I love helping people see their options and sup- porting them through the process of growth and pos- itive change, so I sort of fell into a career in social ser- vices,” she said in a past interview. The new regional United Way will maintain offices in both Walla Walla and Pend- leton. For more information, call Lieuallen at 509-529- 1183 or 541-276-2661. St. Anthony Provider Spotligh t Dr Kargar is now accepting new patients. 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