REGION Wednesday, July 10, 2019 East Oregonian REAL Oregon accepting applications for Class 3 East Oregonian SALEM — A program designed to incubate new leaders in Oregon agricul- ture and natural resources management is seeking applications for its third class, scheduled to begin in November. REAL Oregon (Resource Education and Agricultural Leadership) is seeking applications from natural resource professionals from around the state for Class 3. Par- ticipants have the chance to learn about farming, fishing and forestry over a series of five sessions held statewide, while also networking with profes- sionals in the field. REAL Oregon is designed to help mem- bers grow into leaders through training in board governance, communica- tion, conflict resolution, public policy work, criti- cal thinking, government interaction, media rela- tions, public speaking and presentations. Greg Addington, REAL Oregon’s direc- tor, expects continued interest in the program Capital Press Photo/George Plaven, File Greg Addington, director of REAL Oregon, says the lead- ership program is recruiting applicants for its third class, which begins in November. this year. “The application dead- line for program consid- eration is July 25 and we expect it to again be com- petitive,” he said. The cost of the pro- gram is $2,500. Addington said it’s important for interested parties not to wait until the last minute, adding, “Applicants need to give themselves some time. A short essay is required as well as reference letters.” Application packages and additional informa- tion can be found on the organizations website at www.realoregon.net. The REAL Oregon board of directors will review application materials in August and announce members of Class 3 in September. REAL Oregon alumni are serving on various boards and commissions and have been recruited for other industry and service-related organiza- tions. In addition, many alumni have pledged their support to help with future classes and even serve on the organiza- tion’s governing board. “I hope it’s a testa- ment to what we put together that people want to come back and help make this program even better,” said Bill Buhrig, REAL Oregon board chair. Hermiston City Council votes to pursue local improvement district By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian HERMISTON — The Hermiston City Council voted Monday to begin the process of pursu- ing a local improvement district that would pay for improvements to the South Hermiston Indus- trial Park. The LID would cover neighboring properties along Campbell and Pen- ney drives, requiring them to pitch in to pay to pave the remainder of Campbell Drive, install water and sewer mains in the area and create what would essentially be a new road — called Southeast 10th Street — connecting East Penney Avenue to Highway 395 across from Bellingers. The road, which would create access to a piece of industrial land owned by the Port of Umatilla, only exists on paper right now. The city plans to pur- sue a federal grant to pay for about half of the proj- ect and the city and Uma- tilla County will contrib- uted a combined total of 10%, leaving prop- erty owners to contribute about 40% of the cost. Assistant city manager Mark Morgan said if the city fails to get the grant it does not plan to pursue the district after all. If 60% of affected property owners for- mally reject the plan before or during an Aug. 12 hearing, it would also be blocked from going forward. On Mon- day, no property own- ers expressed opposi- tion and Port of Umatilla manager Kim Puzey expressed support. The city council also adopted a strategic plan on Monday for the East- ern Oregon Trade and Event Center. Some of the priorities in the plan include securing water rights for the site, updat- ing the overall site plan, beautification, improv- ing security, building storage and office space for the Umatilla County Fair, improving the RV park, adding a multis- ports facility and devel- oping a marketing plan. SUPPORT GROUPS WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 OPEN AA MEETING, 12 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 241 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. Coff ee is provided. (Ed 541-207-2548) OPEN AA MEETING, 12 p.m., complex, 680 W. Harper Road, Hermiston. (800-410-5953) AL-ANON, 5-6 p.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church, 665 E. Gladys Ave., Hermiston. GRIEFSHARE, 6-7:30 p.m., New Hope Community Church, 1350 S. Highway 395, Hermiston. (Terri or Beth 541-667-3543 or 541-564-2595) NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS, 6:30 p.m., Helping Hand, 346 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. WOMEN’S OPEN AA MEETING, 6:30 p.m., complex, 680 W. Harper Road, Hermiston. (800-410-5953) NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS, 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 241 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. OPEN AA MEETING, 7 p.m., Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, 73265 Confederated Way, Mission. (800-410-5953) H.O.W. OPEN AA MEETING, 8 p.m., complex, 680 W. Harper Road, Hermiston. (800-410-5953) THURSDAY, JULY 11 OPEN SUPPORT GROUP, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Bowman Building, 17 S.W. Frazer Ave., Pendleton. (541-276-6671 or 541-379-1589) NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS, 10:30 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 241 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. OPEN AA MEETING, 12 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 241 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. Coff ee is provided. (Ed 541-207-2548) AS BILL SEES IT AA MEETING, 12 p.m., complex, 680 W. Harper Road, Hermiston. LOST AND FOUND YOUTH OUTREACH, 3 p.m., Pendleton Rec- reation Center, 510 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. Help for youth 12-18 facing challenges. (Leslie 541-276-3987) HEALTHY CHOICES AA MEETING, 5-6:30 p.m., St. Anthony Hospital conference room 1, 2801 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton. (541-207-2548) WOMEN FOR SOBRIETY SUPPORT GROUP, 5:30-7 p.m., First Christian Church, 516 S. Main St., Milton-Freewater. New mem- bers welcome. (Kimberlie Krieg 541-861-3283) TOPS, 6 p.m., Peace Lutheran Church, 210 N.W. Ninth St., Pendle- ton. 6 p.m. weigh-in, 6:30-7:30 p.m. meeting. (Heather Endersby 541-969-6997) CELEBRATE RECOVERY, 6-9 p.m., First Assembly of God Church, 1911 S.E. Court Ave., Pendleton. 6-7 p.m. large group, 6-8 p.m. Cel- ebration Place (children K-5), 7-8 p.m. open share group, 8-9 p.m. Solid Rock Cafe social time (all ages). Christ-centered 12-step pro- gram for those with hurts, habits and hangups. Childcare is avail- able for children ages 1-5. (541-276-6417) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT WOMEN’S SUPPORT GROUP, 6-7:30 p.m., call for location, Pendleton. Sponsored by Domestic Violence Services. (541-276-3322) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT WOMEN’S SUPPORT GROUP, 6-7:30 p.m., call for location, Hermiston. Sponsored by Domestic Violence Services. (541-567-0424) NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS, 6:30 p.m., Helping Hand, 346 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. A3 Heppner man in Baker County Jail after vehicle thefts Colby James Hedman faces multiple charges after alleged vehicle thefts East Oregonian BAKER CITY — A Heppner man arrested near Baker City Monday night on charges of stealing two vehicles and attempting to elude police is a suspect in a Walla Walla, Washing- ton, murder investigation, according to a press release issued this afternoon by the Walla Walla Police Department. Colby James Hedman, 23, is being held at the Baker County Jail on two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude police, reckless driv- ing, two counts of criminal trespassing and one count of hit and run with property damage. Walla Walla police iden- tifi ed the homicide victim as Kyle Jordan Martz, 35, an employee at Whitman College. An autopsy will be scheduled by the Walla Walla County Coroner’s offi ce to determine cause of death, the press release said. The Walla Walla inves- tigation began around 6 p.m. Monday when police responded to a report of a missing roommate from a residence in the 300 block of South Fourth Avenue in Walla Walla. While search- ing the property, Martz’s body was located and his vehicle was found to be missing. Approximately fi ve hours later, Oregon State Police notifi ed Walla Walla investigators that the vic- tim’s vehicle had been found in the Baker City area and that Hedman was being held at the Baker County Jail. Walla Walla Police detectives responded to Baker City and determined that Hedman was a suspect in the homicide. Hedman is believed to be a transient, the press release stated. Police do not believe Hed- man and Martz knew each other. Hedman was arrested in Baker City after Rob- ert Borders, of Baker City, reported the theft of a tan Ford pickup shortly before 11 p . m . M o n - day from his home, Hedman accord- ing to state court documents and a news release from Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash. Depu- ties responded to Borders’ home and found Hedman on the freeway side of Old Trail Road, where he failed to follow commands from the deputies and fl ed on foot. Oregon State Police and Baker City Police responded and helped deputies search for Hedman. But he circled around and returned to Bor- ders’ home, according to the sheriff, and took a yellow Jeep Wrangler. One of the deputies noticed the vehicle speeding away and followed it on Old Trail Road. Hedman drove through a fence separating the free- way and Old Trail Road, then drove to the free- way onramp at Chandler Lane crossing at milepost 298, about 5 miles north of Baker City. Ash reported Hedman tried to turn west onto the eastbound travel lanes, but two state police troopers used their cars to block Hedman’s progress down the highway. The police cars and the Jeep sustained minor dam- age in the collision, and Hedman suffered minor injuries from broken glass, according to Ash. The troopers took Hedman into custody without fur- ther incident at 11:10 p.m. Authorities rerouted east- bound traffi c through a short detour during the investigation. BRIEFLY Hermiston man dies in motorcycle crash HERMISTON — A Hermiston man died Mon- day when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a pickup. Oregon State Police also reported it is investigat- ing whether alcohol use was a factor in the crash. State police troopers from the Pendleton Area Command and other emer- gency personnel responded to the report of the crash at 4:21 p.m. on Highway 207 near milepost 4. The preliminary inves- tigation revealed David Wayne Morgan, 75, of Herm- iston, was driving north on the highway in a gray 2013 Dodge pickup towing a horse trailer when he turned left onto the Circle K con- venience store. Nathaniel John Bloomer of Hermis- ton was heading south on a 1984 Yamaha XT2 motorcy- cle and struck the side of the trailer. Bloomer died from his injuries at Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston, according to state police. He was 56. Personnel from the Ore- gon Department of Trans- portation, Umatilla County Fire District No. 1 and the Umatilla County Sher- iff’s Offi ce also responded. Authorities closed the high- way for approximately one hour following the crash. Hermiston police seek public’s help fi nding offender HERMISTON — Herm- iston police are asking the public for help fi nding Aus- tin Lonnie Black after he ran from offi - cers and dropped a gun that fi red. Police want to arrest Black on a pro- Black bation vio- lation warrant and weapon offenses, according to Herm- iston police Lt. Randy Stude- baker, but he took off Mon- day from police. “We believe that during the chase he either acci- dentally dropped or dis- carded a loaded fi rearm, which fi red when it hit the ground,” Studebaker reported. “Nobody was hurt and there was no property damage reported during this incident.” Black is 25, stands 6 feet tall and weighs about 170 pounds. He has a distinc- tive tattoo on his neck. Local police have arrested Black more than 20 times. Studebaker also warned there is the possibility Black remains armed. “If you see him, do not attempt to appre- hend him yourself,” Stude- baker advised. “Call 911 immediately.” 7/10 Cineplex Show Times $5 Classic Movie Showing Wednesday Iron Giant at 10AM and Sixteen Candles 12PM Spider-Man: Far From Home (PG13) 2D 6:30p 7:00p 4:10p 9:50p Midsommar - R 3:40p*, 6:40p, 9:40p Toy Story 4 (PG) 4:50p 7:10p 9:30p Annabelle Comes Home (R) 4:40p 7:20p 10:00p Men in Black: International (PG13) 3:50p* 9:20p * Matinee Pricing wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 July 12th-14th Athena Caledonian Games Featuring Celtic Band: Skweez the Weezle Friday July 12 Saturday July 13 9:00am - 8:00pm Parade starts at 9am Vendors, 7:00pm Entertainment, Candle lighting Dancing, ceremony and the Piping & Scottish Blessing of the Clans Athletic Competitions, Performing: Unforgettable Celtic Pipe Bands, Kids’ Games, Story Tellers, Fiddler, Anna Burgess Tattoo 5:30pm-7:00pm Dinner in City Park Sunday July 14 9:30am Church Service in the Park Blue Mountain Wildlife and Birds Ceud Mile Failte • 100,000 Welcomes A Family FREE Event with Scottish Music, Dancing & Sport www.athenacaledoniangames.org