REGION
Saturday, November 6, 2021
East Oregonian
A3
Hermiston projects on schedule, more or less
By ERICK PETERSON
East Oregonian
HERMISTON — Two major
Hermiston construction projects
are facing material cost or supply
chain or issues, though they are not
suff ering great setbacks.
Offi cials with each project said
they are adapting to changes and are
either on their schedule for comple-
tion or just a couple of months
behind.
Hermiston City Hall
The nearly $8.7-million proj-
ect for a new Hermiston City Hall
began in March with the demolition
of the old building and then foun-
dation work for the new building
in June. Mark Morgan, Hermiston
assistant city manager, expressed
satisfaction with the progress of the
project.
“Construction continues to move
forward at a good pace,” he said.
Workers have poured the concrete
fl oor for the ground fl oor, also referred
to as the second fl oor, Morgan said,
and workers soon would pour the fl oor
for the basement.
Meanwhile, crews were install-
ing steel framing, and plans were in
place to install prefabricated stairs
and third fl oor sheeting, Morgan
said.
“The schedule remains on-track
for opening in late 2022,” he said,
though the back-end completion
and open date are “a bit squishy.”
A fl exible deadline helps the city
“absorb changes,” he said. He
added he will have more details
about a deadline later, possibly in
summer 2022.
Morgan said steel is becom-
ing costly, which has caused some
change in plans. Project planners
have substituted steel components,
which were expected for the proj-
ect, for other materials, according
to Morgan.
Meyer Distributing
warehouse
The new Meyer Distributing
warehouse is progressing, though
a couple of months off deadline,
according to Jeff Braun, Meyer
CEO. On Nov. 3, in an email to EO
Media Group, he cited supply chain
issues with building materials.
“We are experiencing quite a few
materials delays, from HVAC units
to glass sprinkler equipment that are
setting back the timeline,” Braun
stated. He added he was “hoping for
a soft opening in December and then
full hiring starting up early 2022.”
Meyer’s construction for an
$11-million warehouse began with
a building permit in March. At that
Erick Peterson/East Oregonian
Laborers are hard at work Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, on the construction of the new Hermiston City Hall.
time, Braun said he expected oper-
ations to begin in December 2021.
The company’s plan at the time was
to hire 75 to 100 new employees.
CTUIR chair speaks on
climate panel about bringing
Indigenous voices forward
of the solution, we will be a part of the prob-
lem, because we will not be protecting our
natural resources for our children’s children.”
PENDLETON — Kat Brigham, chair
Brigham spoke about how, for decades,
of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla salmon runs depleted across the region. The
Indian Reservation Board of Trustees, sat local tribes consider the fi sh are essential,
alongside a prestigious panel on Wednesday, so Brigham fought alongside local leaders
Nov. 3, discussing how Indigenous knowl- to restore habitats and bring salmon back,
edge can help mitigate the eff ects of
building irrigation systems and hatch-
climate change.
eries for the Umatilla and Walla Walla
The presentation, held over Zoom
basin. She emphasized the efforts
by the Wilson Center in Washington
benefi tted not only tribal members,
D.C., occurred alongside the 26th
but people living across the region.
United Nations Climate Change
Tribal eff orts made to restore natu-
Conference of the Parties summit
ral resources show how collabora-
this week, where world leaders gath-
tion can lead to meaningful change,
ered in Glasgow, Scotland, to discuss
Brigham
Brigham said. Such eff orts also will
what still needs to be done
prove especially important
“WHEN WE HAVE to addressing how climate
to mitigate the eff ects of a
warming world.
change impacts communi-
NO CLEAN AIR,
“It is here,” Brigham
ties who are most vulnera-
said of climate change.
AND WE HAVE NO ble to its eff ects, Brigham
“And we are seeing
and Dorough said.
CLEAN WATER,
things we have never seen
Recent actions by the
before.”
Biden
Administration,
WHERE ARE WE
A vocal proponent
including the appoint-
and longtime advocate of
GOING? WE HAVE ment of Deb Haaland to
environmental preserva-
lead the Interior Depart-
NO PLACE TO
tion, Brigham has fought
ment as the nation’s fi rst
for years to ensure the
Native American to lead a
GO. WE HAVE
sustainability of the natu-
cabinet-level agency, show
TO PROTECT
ral resources that are the
how the federal govern-
backbone of tribal life.
ment is making eff orts to
OUR NATURAL
Joining Brigham on the
bring Indigenous leaders
panel was Dalee Sambo
forward, Brigham and
RESOURCES
Dorough, chair of the Inuit
Dorough said.
FOR TODAY,
Circumpolar Council.
Brigham called recent
Together, they emphasized
actions
by the Biden
TOMORROW, AND administration
the need to bring Indige-
to amplify
nous voices and perspec-
ALL OUR FUTURE Indigenous voices in
tives to the forefront of
climate change
GENERATIONS.” combatting
climate action.
a “turning point.” The next
“Action is what is
move, she said, will be to
— Kat Brigham, CTUIR board chair
needed,” Dorough said.
educate and empower
The two spoke about
youth to protect the land.
treaty rights for Indigenous people, the need
“When we have no clean air, and we
to bring forward the perspectives of Indige- have no clean water, where are we going?”
nous women, the trauma and psychological Brigham said. “We have no place to go. We
impact environmental degradation has on have to protect our natural resources for today,
their communities, and what recent action by tomorrow, and all our future generations. I
want to be able to say, when our grandchildren
national leaders means to them.
“It’s important that the tribes are there ask, ‘What did you do?’ I want to be able to
from the very beginning to help,” Brigham say we spoke up. We fought for your rights and
said. “We want to help … When we’re not part your children’s rights.
By BRYCE DOLE
East Oregonian
The company, which has its
headquarters in Jasper, Indiana,
claims 82 U.S. locations, includ-
ing several distribution centers,
according to its website. The
website also states Meyer, which
started in 1937 as Meyer Body Inc.,
off ers 700 product lines.
LOCAL BRIEFING
Nine more Umatilla County
residents die from COVID-19
PENDLETON — Umatilla County Public
Health in the span of two days reported nine
more residents died from COVID-19.
The health department announced the
deaths Thursday, Nov. 4, and Friday, Nov.
5. The nine fatalities increase the county’s
pandemic death toll to 164.
The health department reported 11
COVID-19 deaths this week alone. The
victims include a 28-year-old and a 36-year-
old, the health department reported.
According to Umatilla County Public
Health, the nine deaths are:
• A 56-year-old woman who tested posi-
tive July 21 and died Oct. 10 at Legacy Good
Samaritan, Portland. She was the county’s
156th victim of the disease.
• A 70-year-old man who tested posi-
tive Aug. 19 and died Aug. 24 at Provi-
dence Portland Medical Center, Portland.
He was the county’s 157th victim of the
disease.
• A 78-year-old woman who tested posi-
tive Oct. 11 and died Oct. 26 at Good Shep-
herd Hospital, Hermiston. She was the
county’s 158th victim of the disease.
• An 89-year-old woman who tested posi-
tive Oct. 11 and died Oct. 27 at Guardian
Angels, Hermiston. She was the county’s
159th victim of the disease.
• An 89-year-old woman who tested
positive Oct. 11 and died Oct. 29 at Good
Shepherd Hospital, Hermiston. She was the
county’s 160th victim of the disease.
• A 54-year-old woman who tested posi-
tive Aug. 3 and died Sept. 20 at the Portland
Veterans Aff airs Medical Center, Portland.
She was the county’s 161st victim of the
disease.
• A 36-year-old man who tested positive
Sept. 14 and died Oct. 28 at Providence St.
Vincent Hospital, Beaverton. He was the
county’s 162nd victim of the disease.
• A 79-year-old man who tested posi-
tive Oct. 6 and died Oct. 31 at Providence
St. Vincent Hospital, Beaverton. He was the
county’s 163rd victim of the disease.
• An 85-year-old man who tested positive
Oct. 13 and died Oct. 29 at CHI Franciscan
Health, Tacoma. He was the county’s 164th
victim of the disease.
Umatilla County Public Health on Nov. 4
and 5 also reported 62 new cases of COVID-
19, bringing the county’s total number of
cases to 14,819 since the start of the corona-
virus pandemic.
Pendleton police arrest
19-year-old for rape, more
PENDLETON — A 19-year-old Pendle-
ton man is in jail on felony sex crimes.
Pendleton Police Chief Chuck Byram said
the arrest of Markus Paul Davis stemmed
from a report in September.
The police department on Sept. 26
received a report of a sexual assault that
occurred on the Pendleton River Parkway
near Southwest Seventh Street, according to
a press release from Pendleton police.
Through the course of the investigation,
offi cers identifi ed the suspect as Davis.
The Umatilla County District Attorney’s
Offi ce presented its case against Davis to a
grand jury on Oct. 28, which handed up an
indictment of felony charges of fi rst-degree
rape, fi rst-degree sodomy, fi rst-degree sexual
abuse and third-degree sodomy.
Pendleton police detectives on Nov. 3
contacted and arrested Davis and booked
him into the Umatilla County Jail.
The district attorney’s offi ce arraigned
Davis on the charges on Nov. 4. According
to state court records, the district attorney’s
offi ce has accused Davis of raping and abus-
ing a 16-year-old girl.
Pendleton police in its press release also
stated it would direct further questions about
the case to the Umatilla County District
Attorney’s Offi ce.
— EO Media Group
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