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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2019)
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 REGION East Oregonian A3 Rainy day leaves Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Stagnant air hangs over the downtown blocks of Southwest Court Avenue on Nov. 7 in Pend- leton. The National Weather Service lifted an air stagnation advisory Tuesday that had been in place since Nov. 1. Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Raindrops coat a pile of leaves fl oating in the Umatilla River following rainfall in Pendle- ton on Tuesday morning. According to the National Weather Service, the last measurable rainfall in Pendleton prior to Tuesday fell on Oct. 19, 2019. Oregon prison nurse accused of starving inmate faces discipline Linda Gruenwald of Hermiston accused of starving patient at TRCI By NOELLE CROMBIE The Oregonian SALEM — The Oregon State Board of Nursing has proposed suspending the license of a nurse practi- tioner accused of essen- tially starving an inmate who then collapsed and later won a $1.5 million settlement from the state over his care. The agency plans to impose a 90-day suspen- sion for Linda Gruenwald, of Hermiston, for her treatment of Steven Fox, a 54-year-old former inmate at Two Rivers Correctional Institution in Umatilla. Gruenwald, 48, was hired by the Oregon Department of Correc- tions in 2001 and contin- ues to work at Two Riv- ers, corrections offi cials said. Her annual salary is $120,264. Barbara Holtry, a spokeswoman for the nursing board, said this week that Gruenwald has requested a hearing, which is scheduled to take place next April. A hearing offi - cer will then issue a pro- posed order for the board to consider. Gruenwald declined to comment through a corrections department spokeswoman. Last year, the state set- tled a 2016 lawsuit fi led by Fox. He alleged he had been essentially starved with an improper liquid diet and fell down, which resulted in a critical spinal injury. Fox’s lawsuit alleged the corrections agency violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act in denying medical care and a nutritional diet. He named the medical direc- tor, Dr. Steve Shelton, who has since retired, and Gruenwald. Fox, whose lawsuit said he had been in and out of prison since the 1980s, claimed his fall resulted in “full or partial paraly- sis” and that he was con- fi ned to a wheelchair and requires round-the-clock care as a result. The nursing board noted a malpractice claim had been fi led against Gru- enwald, alleging that she ordered a liquid diet for an unidentifi ed patient, failed to monitor his weight and blood pressure and that he fell and injured himself. Fox’s lawsuit alleges he entered prison in 2010 with medical conditions that at times made it diffi - cult to swallow. When his conditions fl ared up, the prison provided him with soft or pureed foods with a protein drink to prevent weight loss. In May 2015, he was placed in a disciplinary unit and requested a liq- uid diet. He was placed on a “full liquid diet” for 48 hours but, the lawsuit alleges, was not given a nutritional supplement. Gruenwald, the lawsuit says, then placed him on a “clear liquid diet” with milk for six months. In July, Fox experi- enced lightheadedness and fainting spells, then passed out “due to being malnourished,” according to the suit. He was taken by Life Flight helicopter to OHSU Hospital. The law- suit alleges he spent nearly three weeks in the Port- land hospital and a month at a rehabilitation center. The suit alleges he had lost 60 pounds since the previ- ous April. His lawsuit says he requires a wheelchair, lives in a handicap-acces- sible home and requires extensive care. Helicopter drops rodent poison in Milton-Freewater yards Walla Walla Union-Bulletin M I LTON-FR EEWA- TER — The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce received a report on Friday morning from a woman who lives on Triangle Sta- tion Road in Milton-Free- water that a helicopter had fl own over her property and dumped an unknown substance. Sheriff’s Lt. Sterrin Holcomb wrote in an email that a deputy responded and the woman gave infor- mation on the helicopter company. “Blue Mountain Heli- copter company was con- tacted by the deputy and it was explained the prop- erty was not targeted ... however perhaps a hopper was not shut properly and mouse bait fell out,” Hol- comb wrote in an email. Laura Pumphrey told the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin that the helicopter fl ew directly above her house and she felt small pellets fall on her and on her deck, hot tub cover and kids’ trampoline. “I called to report this to the Umatilla County Sher- iff’s department on Friday. They made some phone calls and advised me it was Blue Mountain Helicop- ter that was out fl ying and they were dropping Zp Ag bait, a potent rodenticide.... poison,” Pumphrey wrote to the U-B. She said one of her chickens died and her neighbor lost seven chick- ens and two turkeys. “There have been no reports on the mat- ter,” said Andrea Can- tu-Schomus, director of communications for the Oregon Department of Agriculture. But the department has heard of this issue and is working with an investi- gator. They will have more information of what hap- pened and the potential environmental risks. Morrow County planning director resigns Carla McLane unexpectedly resigned early November By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian MORROW COUNTY — Longtime Morrow County Planning Direc- tor Carla McLane has resigned. McLane worked for the county’s planning depart- ment for about 18 years before unexpectedly turn- ing in her resignation at the beginning of the month. County Administra- tor Darrell Green said the county had already been planning on creating a new community devel- opment director position that would take on some of the duties previously handled by McLane, such as economic devel- opment, transportation planning and the Morrow County Fair. He said the added posi- tion will allow for more time to be dedicated to those functions. “I think these will be positive changes in the county, to have more resources to do those things,” he said. The position, being advertised on the county’s website now, states that it could include a wide range of duties from grant writing to code enforce- ment. The salary is listed at $6,861 to $9,654 a month with “excellent” benefi ts. Green said the county will fi ll McLane’s plan- ning duties with a job title, such as senior plan- ner or planning manager. NWS ends air stagnation warning for Northeast Oregon By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian UMATILLA COUNTY — A relatively smoke-free summer couldn’t prevent worsening air quality in East- ern Oregon during the cold weather months. Following more than a week of low winds and wors- ening air quality, the National Weather Service lifted its air stagnation advisory Tues- day for much of northeast Oregon. Weather service meteo- rologist Mary Wister said the advisory has been in effect since Nov. 1, only lift- ing once a cold front and pre- cipitation helped dilute some of the sitting air. Wister said another system that’s set to roll through the region later in the week should prevent the air from stagnating again. Wister explained how air stagnation works: During periods of low wind and sta- ble weather, air pollutants like dust and vehicle exhaust hang in the atmosphere rather than cycle out of the area. Frigid temperatures tend to inten- sify air stagnation, Wister said, meaning the condition tends to be more prevalent during the fall and winter. Combined with natural fog, air stagnation can create the hazy effect seen through- out the region. Besides low visibility, air stagnation also lowers air quality. Worsening air quality can lead to respi- ratory problems, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. Air circulation isn’t the only new development expected this week. In Pendleton and Herm- iston, the weather service is forecasting high temperatures ranging from the high 40s to the mid-50s. While chilly temperatures are expected to remain, most evenings should see the low temperature stay just above freezing. Friday could also bring more rain, although, as of Tuesday afternoon, the fore- cast states that the chance of showers is slight. BRIEFLY Regional real estate magazine relaunched this month PENDLETON — EO Media Group has relaunched its monthly real estate maga- zine to include all of its mar- kets in northeast Oregon. Beginning with the November issue publish- ing this week, East Ore- gon Real Estate will now be inserted into all six Eastern Oregon publications owned and operated by EOMG: The East Oregonian in Pendle- ton, Hermiston Herald, The Observer in La Grande, the Baker City Herald, the Wal- lowa County Chieftain and the Blue Mountain Eagle in John Day. “With this co-publish- ing among our six publica- tions, our Real Estate maga- zine is now a truly regional product with extensive reach and readership in Morrow, Umatilla, Wallowa, Union, Baker, and Grant counties,” said EOMG Regional Pub- lisher Chris Rush. “In addi- tion to our combined news- paper circulation, thousands more copies of the expanded magazine will also be distrib- uted at advertiser and rack locations throughout Eastern Oregon.” The company will dis- tribute 25,000 copies on a monthly basis and is also sup- ported with an online com- ponent, eastoregonrealestate. com, which can be accessed from any of the six member newspapers’ websites. Two arrested for home invasion with a weapon IRRIGON — Two Irri- gon men face multi- ple charges stemming from a home invasion. The Mor- row County Rodriguez S h e r - iff’s Offi ce reported its communica- tions center received a call Sunday at 7:01 p.m. from an Irri- Barajas gon resident who said two individuals had entered his home uninvited and one pointed a fi rearm at him, then both left. Seven minutes after that call, Sgt. Todd Siex and dep- uty Tanner Cooney con- ducted a high-risk traffi c stop on the vehicle the sus- pects were in on Depot Lane, Irrigon. After investigating, the sheriff’s offi ce arrested Abraham Barajas, 20, and Juan Rodriguez, 24, both of Irrigon, and booked each into the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, on the following charges: fi rst-degree bur- glary, second-degree crimi- nal trespass, carrying a con- cealed weapon (fi rearm) and unlawful use of a fi rearm. Barajas faces an addi- tional count of unlawful possession of a fi rearm. He remains in the jail in lieu of $78,500 bail. Rodriguez faces a count of felon in possession of a fi rearm. The sheriff’s offi ce also reported Rodriguez is a parole and probation client with Morrow County Com- munity Corrections, which placed a no-bail detainer on him. The sheriff’s offi ce also stated the Boardman Police Department and Oregon State Police assisted with this case. Biggs Junction man dies in collision with semi BIGGS JUNCTION — Oregon State Police reported an instance of misidentifi ca- tion on Interstate 84 at Biggs Junction that led to the death of a pedestrian. Oregon State Police troop- ers and other emergency per- sonnel Monday at 5:45 p.m. responded to the report of a single vehicle crash involv- ing a pedestrian on I-84 near milepost 104. The preliminary investi- gation revealed Keith Allen Hille, 31, of Moscow Mills, Missouri, was driving a red and white 2016 Peterbilt semi westbound in the slow lane when he noticed a refl ective vest moving around in the lane of travel. “He initially thought the vest was blowing around,” according to state police, “then realized the vest was being worn by a pedestrian.” That was Alejandro Lozano Rivas, 33, of Biggs Junction, according to state police. Hille swerved to avoid Lozano Rivas but was unable to avoid striking him. Lozano Rivas suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. State police also reported Hille stopped imme- diately after the collision and is cooperating with the investigation. The Sherman County Sheriff’s Offi ce, the Sherman County District Attorney’s Offi ce and personnel with the Oregon Department of Trans- portation assisted state police. Woman arrested for attempted murder in Hermiston HERMISTON — The Umatilla County Sher- iff’s Offi ce arrested Cris- tine Luzette Mendoza, 46, on charges of attempted Mendoza murder, assault, men- acing and unlawful use of a weapon. Sheriff’s Lt. Sterrin Hol- comb said deputies at about 5 p.m. Sunday responded to 31092 N. Baggett Lane, Hermiston, for a domestic violence call. “There’s a history of domestic violence at the res- idence, and she has some reported mental health issues,” Holcomb said. The lieutenant also reported there was one victim. 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