Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 2019)
HOOPS: Huge wins keep Bucks alive | SPORTS, B1 E O AST 143rd Year, No. 94 REGONIAN TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019 $1.50 WINNER OF THE 2018 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD HERMISTON Winter is back for more City to sample pod of food trucks Storm drops another layer of snow on Eastern Oregon By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian Snowstorm, thy name is Ryan. Winter Storm Ryan — the sobriquet bestowed on the lat- est Northwest snowstorm by The Weather Channel — has dropped serious precipitation since snow started falling Sat- urday night. Pendleton already blew by its previous snowfall records by Valentine’s Day. The only question remaining is how much higher the new bar will be set. National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Smith said the service has measured 7.1 inches of cumulative snowfall at the Pendleton airport and 3 inches in Hermiston. From 4 a.m. Monday to 4 a.m. Tuesday, the service is anticipating snowfalls ranging from 4.9 inches in Boardman to 7.6 inches in Tollgate, with the rest of Umatilla and Mor- row Counties falling some- where in between. As of midnight Mon- day morning, Pendleton has recorded 24.4 inches of snow- fall so far for February while Hermiston has gathered 12.1 inches. Their previous records for February were 16.8 inches and 9 inches, respectively. The service forecasts the precipitation to taper off once its winter storm warning ends early Wednesday morning. But the snow and ice may stick around for a while longer even as the moisture dimin- ishes. Smith said the service’s 8- to 14-day forecast antici- pates below average tempera- tures and above average precip- itation into early March. The service is also project- ing that March as a whole will feature average temperatures and precipitation. That sug- gests that much of the snow Staff photo by E.J. Harris See Winter, Page A8 McKay Elementary custodian Jesse Kantz uses a snowblower to clear a sidewalk near the school in southwest Pend- leton. By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian New possibilities have opened up for lunch breaks in Hermiston. On Monday the city council approved an agree- ment with Monica Todd to run a food truck pod from April to October. The pod will include four to eight food trucks in the city-owned parking lot across Orchard Avenue from the Hermiston Post Offi ce, as well as portable restrooms, trash receptacles and seating. Todd has food industry experience, including pre- vious work as general man- ager of Nookie’s Restau- rant in Hermiston. She will recruit vendors, manage the site and cover expenses for utilities, trash pickup and portable restroom mainte- nance. In return she will be able to charge rent to the vendors and keep any profi ts. “This is intended to be a pilot program for this year, and it’s pretty much, ‘What you make you can keep,’” city planner Clint Spencer said. He emphasized that at the end of the year the city could sign a new contract with Todd for the same arrange- ment or go in a different direction. See Food Trucks, Page A8 Food pod site plan The city of Hermiston is planning to create a gathering space for food trucks starting this spring. Play ball? Forecast says ‘not quite yet’ to high school athletes Monday was the fi rst day of practice for spring sports in the Columbia Basin, but instead of hear- ing the crack of the bat or does this. It is what it is.” With no school Monday, Haguewood couldn’t hold practice, but when he can, the Bucks are fortunate to have an indoor facility across from the school they can use. “In 2005, the parents got together and put together an indoor facility,” he said. “We share it with softball and a few other teams.” Sunday and Monday’s snowfall added to the already deep layer cover- ing ballfi elds and tracks, more than teams can shovel to make their fi elds usable. “Larry (Usher, ath- letic director) is amazing,” Hermiston track coach Emilee Strot said. “Last week he worked with the maintenance crew to clean off the track and fi eld. Fri- day, they were out there, and then we got hit with more snow last night and today. If he hadn’t had that done, we’d have over a foot of snow out there. As it is, we now have 5 or 6 inches.” Strot said she will have her team in the gym for practice until the snow is gone. “We have worked out a schedule to get every team time in the gym,” she said. “I’m thankful my sport doesn’t have tryouts.” While the sprinters and Food pod vendors t ocus W . L u e Aven BI-MART lace rst P S. Fi By ANNIE FOWLER East Oregonian feet pounding on the track, Mother Nature threw ath- letes a curve ball in the form of a few inches of snow. “It was just about to be off the fi eld, and now it’s back,” Pendleton base- ball coach T.J. Haguewood said of the snow. “Satur- day was beautiful, and then it turned to this. That fi rst day, the kids are anxious to get out there after a long wait, then Mother Nature . d St Thir S.W. Local teams are taking practice indoors until weather improves d Avenue rchar W. O Parking MCKENZIE PARK Hermiston Post Office 100 feet Alan Kenaga/EO Media Group See Sports, Page A8 Longtime DHS worker killed in Highway 11 crash Driver of other vehicle charged with DUII By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian A woman who had worked for the Department of Human Services for 26 years was killed on Friday night by an alleged drunken driver. While driving a state vehicle on Highway 11 around 7 p.m., Adelaida “Lolly” Solis Torres, 52, a Self-Suffi ciency Programs manager for DHS, was hit by another vehicle, driven by John Mattila, 24. Solis Torres died at the scene. Mattila had hit her car nearly head-on, and drove away from the scene, according to police. Mattila was located a few hours later and arrested on charges of driving under the infl uence of intoxi- cants, failure to perform duties of a driver, third-de- gree escape, resisting arrest and manslaughter. He was also arrested on two out- standing warrants of fail- ure to appear, second-de- gree escape and fi rst-degree theft. Mattila was also charged with interfering with a peace offi cer, by fail- ing to put his hands behind his back when ordered. State and regional DHS employees issued state- ments about Solis Torres on Monday. “Lolly was compassion- ate about people and will- ing to do anything for any- one. She did extraordinary See Fatal Crash, Page A8 CHI St. Anthony Hospital Family Clinic is recognized as a Patient -Centered Primary Care Home. What does that mean for you? • Better-coordinated care. • Healthcare providers who will help connect you • Listening to your concerns and answering with the care you need in a safe and timely way. questions. • Healthcare providers who play an active role in your health. • After-hours nurse consultation. 844.724.8632 3001 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton WWW.SAHPENDLETON.ORG Mon through Thurs, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat and Sun, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are preferred.
