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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 24, 2019)
Odds mostly favor above-average temps in region this winter | NORTHWEST, A2 E O AST 143rd Year, No. 265 REGONIAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019 $1.50 WINNER OF THE 2019 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Gen Z looks for work Eastern Oregon Career Summit brings students and employers together By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian PENDLETON — The formula for career day is tried and true — a school invites a diverse group of professionals to speak to students and inspire their future career aspirations. Potential employers spend a lot of time telling students what they need from them to get hired, but less is spent on what younger job seekers are looking for in a workplace. Umatilla County, Eastern Oregon Busi- ness Source, and the Pendleton and Herm- iston chambers of commerce attempted to change that by organizing the Eastern Ore- gon Career Summit. While students at Pendleton High School went through a traditional career day Wednesday morning, Eastern Oregon Business Source President Susan Bower led a class of personnel from human resources departments and workforce assistance pro- grams at the Pendleton Convention Center about the best way to hire the next genera- tion of workers. Contrary to popular opinion, Bower said millennials and their younger cohorts weren’t especially lazy, narcissistic, or enti- tled compared to previous generations. “Just because we have a certain birth- day doesn’t mean we fi t into a certain cate- gory,” she said. Bower added that while many employ- ers desire soft skills like communication and professionalism, many young jobseek- ers are unaware and need to be trained up on them. Bower said millennials were now the largest generational group in the work- force, and the next generation, “Generation Z,” would soon join them. Later that afternoon, a crush of Genera- tion Zers from eight school districts across Umatilla County fi lled the convention hall to hear pitches from potential employers. A group of students huddled around the Washington State Department of Correc- tions booth to hear a pitch from employees from the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. Sgt. Howard Thornhill ran through all the careers students could pursue at the penitentiary beyond correctional offi cer, while also highlighting the department of corrections benefi t package and overtime pay. Pilot Rock High School seniors Aus- tin Drake and Ty Dick listened intently to Thornhill’s pitch, but they already had their minds set on a different career track. The pair said they both intended to attend WyoTech in Laramie, Wyoming, to study diesel mechanics, and they were mostly using the job fair to get an idea of what other options were out there. See Work, Page A7 RIVOLI RESTORATION Staff photo by Kathy Aney NEARS END OF FIRST ACT The foyer to the historic Rivoli features the theater’s name in tile. The tile will be incorporated into the new foyer. Sealing of roof likely saved theater from water damage during fi re By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian ENDLETON — The fi rst and most unglamorous phase of the Rivoli Theater renovation is nearing an end. During the demolition process, workers removed almost 150,000 pounds of debris, including a balcony and the 3,250- pound beam that held it in place. What’s left is a cavernous space that will house Rivoli 2.0 — an hom- age to the historic theater’s original design with modern upgrades, such as an elevator, steel framing and sprin- kler system. The venue will function as a multi-purpose entertainment cen- ter for the community. P Staff photo by Kathy Aney Sally Franklin and Nick Nash paint the facade of the Rivoli during a workday on Saturday at the historic theater. See Rivoli, Page A7 Staff photo by Kathy Aney A large beam that once spanned the width of the Rivoli sits in pieces on the historic theater’s dirt fl oor during Saturday’s open house and workday. BMCC diesel technology students repair SWAT rig Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce approached school about repairing vehicle By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian PENDLETON — Stu- dents at Blue Mountain Community College’s diesel technologies program have one burly police rig ready to roll. Umatilla County Sher- iff’s Deputy Stephen West- fall contacted BMCC’s die- sel technologies instructor Jeremy Pike in the spring to see if his students would be interested in servicing the law enforcement agency’s armored vehicle. Pike said Westfall is familiar with the program because he brings his own vehicles to the col- lege for work, and the stu- dents were keen to dig in. Sheriff’s Sgt. Josh Rob- erts said the 1983 GMC beast cost nothing for the Staff photo by Ben Lonergan See Swat, Page A7 Members of the Blue Mountain Community College diesel technology program pose for a por- trait with a 1983 GMC armored vehicle that they repaired for the Umatilla County Sheriff ’s Offi ce.