East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, June 14, 2019, Image 1

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    BASEBALL: DUST
DEVILS OPEN SEASON
WITH A MIX OF YOUTH,
EXPERIENCE
SARAH SANDERS
LEAVING WHITE
HOUSE
NATION/WORLD, A8
SPORTS, B1
E O
AST
143rd year, no. 172
REGONIAN
Friday, June 14, 2019
$1.50
WINNER OF THE 2018 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Your Weekend
Umatilla prison super under investigation
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
• Summer, Saint-Saëns & A
Symphony, Pendleton
• Pendleton Men’s Chorus
Pendleton High School
• Inland Northwest Musi-
cians Anniversary Concert,
Hermiston
uMaTiLLa — The super-
intendent of Two rivers Correc-
tional Institution is out of the office
pending a human resources inves-
tigation in the wake of scathing
accusations.
Jennifer Black, communi-
cations director for the Ore-
gon department of Corrections,
reported that Troy Bowser is “duty
stationed” at home
as of Wednesday.
The investigation
began april 15,
Black
reported,
due to an employee
Bowser
complaint.
Three
days
before, corrections director Colette
Peters received an email from
robert Hillmick, president of the
non-security unionized employees
at the prison in umatilla, accus-
ing Bowser of disparaging vet-
eran employees, making a sexist
comment to a woman employee
and ignoring the sexual assault of
another employee.
Hillmick sent the message to
fellow members of the american
Federation of State, County and
Municipal employees, as well as
to other corrections staff and to
eight state lawmakers, including
rep. Greg Smith, r-Heppner, and
Sen. Bill Hansell, r-athena.
“Mr. Bowser stated in a meet-
ing in front of approximately 15-20
employees that our Military Veter-
ans are the cause of the problems
here at TrCi,” Hillmick wrote,
“and they are also the reason we
have so many problems here at
TrCi.”
Hillmick did not get into what
“the problems” are, but he defended
military vets, calling them “an
See Prison, Page A10
FOR TIMES AND LOCATIONS
CHECK COMING EVENTS, A6
Weekend Weather
FRI
SAT
SUN
83/51
85/55
90/58
Whisky
Fest adds 50
Cent to its
lineup
East Oregonian
PendLeTOn — Pendle-
ton Whisky Music Fest dou-
bled down on hip-hop acts
this year, announcing that 50
Cent would join Post Malone
at the round-up grounds as
a performer at the July music
festival.
Whisky Fest organizer andy
McAnally confirmed Thursday
that the new york rapper was
joining the concert lineup.
Born Curtis Jackson, 50 Cent
rose to fame in 2003, when his
debut album “Get rich or die
Tryin’” produced hits like “in
da Club” and “Candy Shop.”
50 Cent would go on to
release four more albums and
has received several music
awards.
Jackson has also done some
acting, starring in a fiction-
alized biographical film, also
called “Get rich or die Tryin’”
and “Power,” a television show
that’s set to end its five-year run
later this year.
50 Cent’s booking contin-
ues Whisky Fest’s focus on
attracting big name acts. Pre-
vious years have included
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Keynote speakers Amanda Tobin, left, Jose Romero and Monica Silva shared their life stories with their fellow graduates on Thurs-
day during the BMCC commencement ceremony in Pendleton.
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
O
n one of the most joyous days
of their young lives, three
Blue Mountain Community
College graduates went up to
the podium at the Pendleton Conven-
tion Center and shared some of their
most private and painful memories.
But the pain had a purpose at the
BMCC graduation ceremony Tues-
day, as each student speaker wanted
to demonstrate how far they had
come and hopefully inspire some of
the hundreds of people who filled the
bleachers.
For Jose romero, his message was
told through the story of how he came
to this country.
in an interview before the cere-
mony, romero couldn’t quite remem-
ber the name of the affliction that filled
his airways with phlegm and mucus
when he was really young.
See Graduation, Page A10
See Whisky Fest, Page A10
Lamb Weston cuts ribbon on expanded facility
new project adds 150
jobs to Hermiston area
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
HerMiSTOn — More french
fries than ever will come out of
Hermiston after Lamb Weston cut
the ribbon on a $250 million expan-
sion of its processing plant.
The 300,000-square-foot expan-
sion increases the facility’s capac-
ity and adds 150 full-time jobs to
what was already Hermiston’s larg-
est employer.
Chief Executive Officer Tom
Werner told the audience at Thurs-
day’s celebration that the facil-
ity was a very important part of
Lamb Weston’s operations around
the world, and represented one of
many investments the company is
making toward its future.
“it’s an exciting time to be with
Lamb Weston,” he said.
according to a news release,
the company is the “leading global
supplier of frozen French fries and
other potato products to restau-
rant customers around the world.”
it employs more than 7,000 people
at 25 manufacturing facilities in
north america, China and europe.
at the Hermiston plant, 570
employees make approximately
750 million pounds of potato prod-
ucts per year. Other Hermiston
residents commute to the compa-
ny’s Boardman or Tri-Cities sites.
rick Martin, chief supply chain
officer for Lamb Weston, told the
East Oregonian that the company
looked at a mix of factors, includ-
ing the availability of raw product
and the labor market, when choos-
ing Hermiston for its expansion.
Potato growers in the area, who
partner with Lamb Weston, played
See Expansion, Page A10
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.