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COMMUNITY
East Oregonian
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Wheatstock ready to rock Helix
Music festival
returns Aug. 21
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
HELIX — Just like the title of
Randy Rogers Band’s 2004 album,
“Rollercoaster,” things have been
up and down for DeWayne Dunlap,
founder and president of Wheat-
stock Music Festival.
The Helix man was absolutely
thrilled when talking about book-
ing the Texas-based group for the
2020 summer event. Then every-
thing went downhill as COVID-19
restrictions forced its cancelation.
Now, Dunlap is riding high as
Rogers and his bandmates — as well
as the rest of last year’s confirmed
lineup — are set to play Saturday,
Aug. 21, from 2:30-11 p.m. at Quan-
tum 9 Arena in Helix.
“They’re the best band coming
out of Texas playing real country
and red dirt music,” Dunlap said
about the Randy Rogers Band.
“We’re lucky to get them.”
Co-headliner Tylor and the Train
Robbers is a Boise-based band with
deep roots in Eastern Oregon. Along
with performing on the Wheatstock
stage during the festival’s early
years, Dunlap coached frontman
Tylor Ketchum in basketball during
his younger days in Helix.
Calling him a “wordsmith,”
Dunlap said Ketchum has Bob
Dylan-esque songwriting abilities.
As for the rest of the band, he said
people will be really amazed by
Wheatstock/Contributed Photo
Co-headliner Tylor and the Train Robbers of Boise are coming home to
play Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, at Wheatstock Music Festival Quantum 9
Arena in Helix.
their playing abilities.
“They are really stepping up
their game,” Dunlap said. “They are
really making a name for themselves
in the country music world.”
The rest of the lineup features
Wanderlost, Norman Baker and the
Backroads, Great American Train-
wreck and Hillfolk Noir. Dunlap
said many of them are headlining
acts in their own rights. Offering
everything from southern rock,
country and bluegrass to a unique
funk vibe, the audience will be
treated to a variety of sounds.
Wheatstock was founded with
the purpose of raising money for
the Helix School District music
program. It continues to support that
effort as well as donating proceeds
to Divide Camp, a wilderness retreat
for combat veterans in the Wallowa
Mountains. The festival is dedicated
to Army warrant officer Adrian
Stump, a Pendleton man who died
in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan
in 2005.
The event features free camp-
ing, food vendors, a beer garden
and bouncy castles. General admis-
sion is $40 and VIP passes are $149,
Wheatstock/Contributed Photo
The Texas-based Randy Rogers
Band is a co-headliner during
Wheatstock Music Festival on Sat-
urday, Aug. 21, 2021, at Quantum 9
Arena in Helix.
which includes admission, a limited
backstage pass and event swag.
Entry is free for active military
personnel and kids 12 and under.
For more information or tickets, visit
www.wheatstock.org.
———
Contact community writer
Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@
eastoregonian.com or 541-564-
4532.
COMMUNITY BRIEFING
part of Pacific Power’s effort
to strengthen communities
and provide opportunities
for the future by supporting
hands-on learning opportu-
nities for children, teens and
young adults.
The Library of Things
already offers patrons access
to free regional museums, a
telescope, a paddleboard and
bocce balls, as well as wifi
hotspots and Chromebooks.
The new items include a
programmable rover, Sphero
mini robot balls, drones and
more.
The Pendleton Public
Library is located at 502 S.W.
Dorion Ave. For more infor-
mation, call 541- 966-0380 or
visit www.pendleton.or.us/
library.
Til Taylor Park
feature offers
splashing good time
PENDLETON — The Til
Taylor Splash Pad opened
during the weekend. And if
the gleeful laughs Sunday
morning, Aug. 15, from
4-year-old Iden Harvill of
Pendleton are any indica-
tion, it’s a big hit.
The splash pad will oper-
ate daily from 9 a.m. to
9 p.m. at 700 S.E. Dorion
Ave., Pendleton. The control
system will automatically
shut off after hours, said
Liam Hughes, Pendleton
Parks and Recreation direc-
tor.
“City staff and contrac-
tors have been working
exceptionally hard to get
the park open to the public
as soon as possible,” Hughes
said. “There is still some
work to be done, but since
the playground and splash
pad are now complete, we
have made the decision to
open those so the kids can
enjoy the play areas while
we continue to work on the
rest of the park.”
People arriving at the
park will notice construc-
tion fencing still in place,
separating the playground
from areas currently under
construction. The entrance
to the playground will be
temporarily limited to the
Eighth Street side of the
park, while Seventh Street
is under construction. The
parks department is asking
parents to closely super-
vise their children and not
allow them to manipulate
fencing or access any active
construction areas for their
safety.
“We made the decision
Rogers Toyota revs
up with Show &
Shine
Marta Poulson/Contributed Photo
Iden Harvill, 4, of Pendleton, gets wet Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021, at the Til Taylor Splash Pad in
Pendleton. The newly completed park feature is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 700 S.E.
Dorion Ave.
to erect temporary fenc-
ing so that the kids could
get a chance to enjoy the
park while the weather is
still hot,” said Todd Kligel,
parks supervisor. “We will
continue to work on what we
can around the playground,
and we will come finish the
rest once we shut the water
off in the fall.”
The Pendleton Public
Work s Depa r t ment is
r e b u i ld i n g S o u t h e a s t
Seventh Street adjacent to
the park. The project will
include additional parking
spaces to service the park.
In the meantime, parking
is available on the Eighth
Street side and surrounding
streets, but the city is asking
patrons to not take up church
parking spots on Sundays
and be respectful of area
businesses and residences.
Hughes expressed excite-
ment in seeing the project
come together. He said it’s
been a joint effort with a
number of city departments
and outside contractors.
“Ever yone has been
really great about working
together to provide some-
thing great for the commu-
nity,” Hughes said.
For more information,
call the parks department
at 541-276-8100 or search
www.facebook.com/Pend-
letonParksRec.
Pendleton library
highlights its
‘Library of Things’
PENDLETON — The
Pendleton Public Library
unveiled its newest offer-
ings Friday, Aug. 13, during
a STEAM event.
Steve Lawn Jr., chief engi-
neer of the Pendleton UAS
Test Range, and his team
were on hand conducting
drone demonstrations. The
event highlighted STEAM-
themed activities and gadgets
that patrons now have access
to, which are as simple to
check out as a book.
The library added a series
of activities dedicated to the
STEAM fields of science,
technology, engineering, the
arts and math to its popular
Library of Things section,
thanks in part to a grant from
Pacific Power Foundation. It’s
HERMISTON — There’s
still time to get your car in
tip-top shape for the second
annual Show & Shine car
show at Rogers Toyota of
Hermiston.
The event is Friday, Aug.
20, from 4-8 p.m. at the
Hermiston dealership, 80364
N. Highway 395. Free regis-
tration begins at noon.
In addition to checking
out all the shiny cars, the
event features prize drawings
and live music by the Brass
Fire Band. Also, donations
will be accepted for Sweet
Potato’s Closet.
For more information,
visit www.toyotaofhermis-
ton.com or call 541-567-6461.
Local students
graduate from
EOU
LA GRANDE— East-
ern Oregon University
recently announced local
graduates from spring 2021
commencement exercises.
They are among 389 degrees
awarded during the 2020-21
academic year, including:
Adams: Maverick Beach, BS, business
administration.
Athena: Madison Carlin, MAT, elemen-
tary education; Niccole Harrison, MAT
secondary education; Malinda Swaf-
ford, BS, anthropology/sociology;
Keith Udy, MBA, business.
Boardman: Rosa Delgado, BS,
psychology.
Echo: Elizabeth Cox, BS, elementary
education.
Heppner: Patrick Collins, MBA,
business.
Hermiston: Monica Aguilar, BS, ele-
mentary education; Rileigh Andrea-
son, BS, biology; Megan Bunn, MAT,
elementary education; Stephanie
Duquette, MAT, secondary educa-
tion; Melissa Foster, MAT, elemen-
tary education; Kody Moss, MBA, busi-
ness; Edgar Navarrete Ruiz, BA, history;
Cecia Palacios, BS, early childhood
education; Tori Scott, MAT, second-
ary education; Daisy Victorio, MAT, ele-
mentary education; Luke Walchli, BS,
history.
Irrigon: Justin Lay, BS, psychology; Tif-
fany Locey, MAT, secondary education.
Meacham: Stefanie Buckley, BS, inte-
grative study (2 EOU minors).
Milton-Freewater: Eli Garlitz, BA,
English/writing; Kara Hoel, BS, inte-
grative study (2 EOU minors); Brendan
Smith, BA, English/writing; Amanda
Stewart, BA, English/writing; Celinda
Timmons, MBA, business.
Pendleton: Samson Beckman, BS,
business administration; Serena Bon-
temps, BS, multidisciplinary stud-
ies and elementary education; Haley
Bradley, MAT, secondary education;
Rebecca Emmons, MS, education;
Christopher Haselden, BS, informa-
tion tech management, BS, business
administration and certificate under-
grad; Kylisue Johnson, BS, elemen-
tary education; Hailey Kendrick, MAT,
elementary education; Adhal Marti-
nez, MAT, secondary education; Jeneal
Merriman, BS, biology; Nellie Nich-
oles, MAT, secondary education; Mad-
ison Parker, BS, multidisciplinary stud-
ies and elementary education; Krysten
Powell, BS, elementary education;
Trevor Prow, BS, psychology; Lauren
Roberts, MAT, elementary education;
Joseph Savage, BS, business admin-
istration; Erin Scionti, MAT, elemen-
tary education; Johnathan Stuvland,
BS, physical activity & health; Michael
Swanson, MAT, secondary educa-
tion; Jacey Wilson, BS, multidisci-
plinary studies and elementary educa-
tion; Julia Withers-Lyons, BS, business
administration.
Pilot Rock: Bailey Weinke, MAT, sec-
ondary education.
Stanfield: Veronica Coria, BS, physi-
cal activity & health; Scott Goff, BS, fire
services administration; Jade Martinez,
BS, business administration; Tyler Wat-
son, MAT, secondary education.
Umatilla: Yoshira Escamilla Barajas,
BS, elementary education; Alejandra
Garcia Coria, MAT, secondary educa-
tion; Rachelle Nycz, BS, English/writing
and theatre arts.
— EO Media Group
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Bailey Sitts/Pendleton Public Library
Steve Lawn Jr., Pendleton UAS Test Range chief engineer, prepares the Sphero RVR Program-
mable Robot before the Library of Things STEM event Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, at the Pendleton
Public Library.
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arts
event
events
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entertainmen