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.
Mendoza remains in the
county jail in Pendleton in lieu
of $520,000 bail.
— EO Media Group
11/13
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