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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2022)
OFF PAGE ONE Tuesday, February 1, 2022 East Oregonian A9 Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File Mike Thorne delivers a few remarks to attendees after receiv- ing Pendleton’s 2019 Man of the Year award Jan. 17, 2020, at the 64th Annual First Citizens Banquet at Wildhorse Resort & Casino, Pendleton. Thorne recently won a seat on the board of directors for the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Mu- seum, Oklahoma City. Museum: Continued from Page A1 Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Community members gather Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, for the annual Pendleton Chamber of Commerce’s First Citizens Ban- quet at the Pendleton Convention Center. Banquet: Continued from Page A1 the presentation. Cambier’s favorite hobby is his grand- children. One fi nal accolade came from another nominator: “He is someone I try to emulate and someone my children can look up to. He is not just a leader but a teacher who is laying the groundwork for the next generation. I look forward to watching this man make Pendleton a better place for years to come. He still has a lot to teach us.” The chamber presented other awards to showcase the best and brightest of Pend- leton. The President’s Award The President’s Award went to Cheri Rosenberg, Pendleton Chamber of Commerce executive direc- tor. The President’s Award is given at the discretion of the Chamber president, Velda Shelter: Continued from Page A1 cold. This past winter, when temperatures dropped below freezing, existence became uncomfortable, they said. Seeing this, multiple community-minded people stepped up to help to open and maintain a daytime warming shelter in Hermiston. The warming shelter opened Jan. 3 at the former Sears building on Highway 395 in Hermiston. Cots, food and board games were available to people in need. At fi rst, it was open during hours when the Hermiston Warming Station was closed. Some people trav- eled from one station to the other, avoiding the cold. In recent weeks, the shelter has been open from 6:30 a.m. to noon, daily. Organizers said they lacked enough volunteers to keep it open all day. It is clos- ing for good at the end of Janu- ary. Organizers reported 37 individuals stayed at the shel- ter during January, and many Credits: Continued from Page A1 quality permit. According to DEQ, Threemile Canyon used excess natural gas at the digester to dry leftover solid manure, which is recycled as animal bedding. The viola- tions occurred from June 2019 to September 2020, for which the farm was fi ned $19,500. Tyler Lobdell, staff attorney at Food & Water Watch, said companies that participate in the LCFS must comply with all environmental laws. Even as CARB was review- ing Threemile Canyon’s LCFS application, Lobdell said the farm was using excess natu- ral gas. “Under these circum- stances, CARB should have never granted Threemile’s LCFS application,” he said. “But the agency has the oppor- Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Pendleton City Councilor Dr. Jake Cambier delivers his ac- ceptance speech Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, after winning Man of the Year at the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce’s First Citizens Banquet at the Pendleton Convention Center. Arnaud, who chose Rosen- berg for her unwavering dedication to the Pendleton community and our local businesses. Arnaud in a statement described Rosenberg as hardworking, dedicated, committed, positive, ener- getic and innovative. She of them stayed multiple days. Kris Barnum was among the people who helped make the shelter possible. She cred- ited multiple people in the community for their work. Cathy Lloyd, of Stepping Stones, also thanked people for their help. “We’ve really appreciated all of the people the volunteers who have given hours and the people who have donated supplies, food and drink,” Lloyd said. “And the cities who have come through with volunteers, they’ve been great. People have been very positive and helpful.” Barnum and Lloyd said Mike Atkinson, of Atkinson Staffi ng, was important to the station’s existence because he provided the building. He was planning renovations for the structure, but had no other use for it during January. In addi- tion, he off ered electricity and supplies. Others helped, too. Umatilla and Hermiston city governments provided staffi ng during the early days of the daytime warming station. And the city of Umatilla tunity and obligation to correct that error now.” Jennifer Maleitzke, a spokesperson for R.D. Off utt, said Threemile Canyon takes environmental compliance seriously and corrected the situation immediately after receiving the notice from DEQ in October 2020. The farm has paid the fi ne, she said. Maleitzke said the complaint filed by Food & Water Watch ignores the fact Threemile Canyon is turning a waste product into renewable energy. Renewable natural gas is considered carbon neutral and is fully compatible with the existing gas distribution infrastructure. “We are proud to provide RNG as an alternative fuel for transportation vehicles and contribute to carbon reduction goals,” Maleitzke said. “The path of innovation isn’t perfect but it is necessary if we are to continue to meet the nutri- tional needs of our population also continues to add to “other duties as assigned” in creative ways. Tourism Excellence Award The Get Wild in Pendle- ton Collaboration Team rode off with the Tourism Excel- lence Award. covered the costs of cab service to the shelter. The Hermiston Warm- ing Station provided cots, Joe Sharon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent volunteers, local businesses and individuals sent food. This was a group eff ort, according to Lloyd. “People were really good about stepping up,” she said. Two people who stepped up recently were at the daytime warming station and spoke of their time there. Michelle Sanders and Lua Seteni both were volunteers. Ready to provide for needy people, they sat at tables that were fi lled with food and supplies. “I have a friend who does it, and they said they didn’t have enough people,” Sanders said. This being the case, she decided she would help. A member of the LDS Church, she said she is responsible to assist other people. Seteni said she also is a member of the church, and she said she feels aiding others is something she should do. “It means a lot,” she said, “to serve other people.” as well as ensure the long-term sustainability of our planet.” Stanley Young, commu- nications director for CARB, said the agency is looking into the matter and will do its own fact-fi nding before taking any action. At stake is a potentially valuable revenue stream for large dairies such as Threemile Canyon. The USDA Economic Research Service wrote in 2011 that, even with moderate carbon off set prices, the sale of credits could substantially increase revenue for farms with digesters. For example, a dairy with at least 2,500 animals could generate $419 million in reve- nue over 15 years with credits valued at $13 per ton of carbon. That is about 46% of the total value of dairy digesters. At $13 per ton, it would not be profi table for dairies with fewer than 250 head to adopt a digester, the researchers deter- mined. Tourism is a large part of Pendleton, and while the pandemic has limited the ability of visitors to travel here, locals have not stood back to wait for the end of this pandemic. Instead, many people have been innovative in trying to bring in tourists, according to the chamber, but the collaborative team that put together Get Wild in Pendleton took it over the top. Rounding out the list of award winners are the following: Volunteer of the Year: Andy VanderPlaat, Pend- leton Cattle Barons Board president. Employee of the Year: Ronda Thornburg, execu- tive secretary of the Pendle- ton School District. Boss of the Year: Kelli and Rodney Bullington, owners and operators of Oregon Grain Growers Brand Distillery. Business of the Year: Pendleton Underground Tours. “They not only bring a wealth of experience in diverse fields but also a passion and commitment to the history and lifestyle of the American West that will surely benefi t our museum,” Shirley said. Thorne had multiple conversations spanning a six-month period with John Wroten, chairman of the nominating committee. The Texas man, Thorne said, expressed interest in diver- sifying the board’s member- ship. With most of the members hailing from Okla- homa, Texas and California, as well as some representa- tion from Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and a smattering of other states, Thorne said his election to the board makes him the lone representative from the Pacifi c Northwest. “There’s more to the story of the American West than the stereotypical high plains cowboy,” Shirley said. “Bringing on board members from all corners of the nation helps cultivate different perspectives.” Shirley said Thorne brings a wealth of information and experience to the board, including as a businessman, a leader and “as a true west- erner.” “We’re excited to see the ideas he, and all members of the board, bring to the table in the coming years and how they all help us continue to lead The Cowboy forward,” she added. A family wheat farmer born and raised in Pendleton, Thorne’s grandfather was a homesteader. Thorne served on the Pendleton Round-Up Board of Directors from 2006-10, which included chairing the committee for the Centennial Grandstand Project. “I have tremendous inter- est in putting forward Pend- leton and the community and how it plays into the Western heritage this country enjoys,” Thorne said. “The museum also focuses on Native Amer- ican culture and that fi ts right in with what we have in our area with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.” Shirley said the museum’s board, curators and team members work hard to show the history of the American West from all perspectives. For those who can’t make a trip to Oklahoma, she said a wealth of online and social media content is available. “No matter where you are in the world, we try to make it possible for people to expe- rience The Cowboy,” Shirley said. For more information, visit www.nationalcowboy- museum.org or search www. facebook.com/ncwhm. 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