Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2022)
REGION Thursday, April 21, 2022 East Oregonian A3 Stanfield mayor Asparagus farmer loses week’s crop to frost dies of heart attack, leaves grieving city MILTON-FREEWATER By EMRY DINMAN Walla Walla Union-Bulletin M I LT ON - F R E E WA- TER — On a 13-acre patch off Stateline Road near Milton-Freewater, farmer Felipe Jimenez examines asparagus stalks that had pushed their way up through frost-cracked earth, only to be ruined by unseasonable cold weather. Successive freezing nights have blackened the purple asparagus — a sweeter, thicker and more tender vari- ety that commands a higher price than green spears. The three green varieties Jimenez produces have yellowed and shriveled, frozen in place. Jimenez Farms has oper- ated in the Walla Walla Valley for around 10 years, selling primarily to area groceries and direct to consumers from the farm. Every year around this time, Jimenez said he loses some portion of his crop to a late-season freeze. But as the frosty nights continued to add up last week and into the Easter weekend, he said this is the worst he’s seen in at least the last five years. “This is the worst,” Jimenez said. “They just been coming up and then to be frosted up — we lost all this harvest. We lost all of it.” While the plant itself will eventually rebound with Greg Lehman/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Milton-Freewater farmer Felipe Jimenez checks some temperature-damaged asparagus in his fields, Friday, April 15, 2022, near Stateline Road. warmer weather, the ruined spears have no commercial value, costing both Jimenez and the fieldworkers that would otherwise be outside harvesting daily. Optimally, Jimenez’ aspar- agus can be harvested contin- uously for two and a half months, he said. Between a series of below-freezing nights and the time it will take the plants to recover, he esti- mates he’s lost over a week of that harvest time. With the entire region experiencing a mid-April bout of winter weather, many crops have been in danger of cold damage, from stone fruit to berries, tomatoes to eggplants. While asparagus roots are better insulated against the cold, the spears that would make their way to the dinner plate are partic- ularly sensitive to freezing temperatures, Jimenez said. “These plants don’t survive in cold at all.” Unable to make money from the current crop, Jimenez said he won’t bother paying to have the frozen asparagus cut and thrown away. “I just let it fall down, wilt down completely, and it will die out,” he said. “It’s not worth putting money into it. Too much money. The price went up for labor, and it’s not easy.” In a smaller patch of ground across Jimenez’s driveway, rows of Walla Walla sweet onions stood tall, having apparently with- stood the cold weather these last few nights. But a neigh- boring row of garlic was not as lucky, with the leaves of around half of the plants having shriveled up. Still, dealing with bad weather is part of being a farmer, Jimenez said. “I’m happy, because, even if you lost so many pounds, we’ll survive when they start coming back,” he said. “But this is the worst one for the past five years,” he added, pointing east to the Blue Mountains. “You don’t see snow like this in April up there.” HERMISTON DEQ: Lamb Weston plant polluted groundwater BY ALEX BAUMHARDT Oregon Capital Chronical HERMISTON — Lamb Weston’s French fry produc- tion plant in Hermiston has been discharging too much nitrate-loaded water onto area farms, according to the Oregon Department of Envi- ronmental Quality. The wastewater flowing from the plant has contami- nated the groundwater, caus- ing nitrate levels in some nearby wells to measure four to seven times the safe limit set by the federal Environ- mental Protection Agency, according to DEQ. The state agency on March 31 war ned the company that it faced enforcement action for contaminating the ground- water. It was the second such notice issued to the company in recent months. In Novem- ber, DEQ told the company it had been discharging too much tainted water on area farmland and faced enforce- ment action for that as well. The agency doesn’t disclose such notices on its website or otherwise publicize the findings until an enforce- ment has been made. The notices ask the company about what steps it intends to take to cure the violations. For the most recent notice, Lamb Weston has 45 days. The agency then will consider whether to require corrective action or fine the company, accord- ing to Laura Gleim, public affairs specialist at DEQ. The Hermiston french fry plant is Lamb Weston’s second largest plant in the Columbia River Basin. As of 2019, the plant had more than 500 employees who made nearly 750 million pounds of frozen potato products annually, according to Lamb Weston’s website. Company officials could not be immediately reached Monday, April 18, for comment. The violations were discovered when the plant applied to renew its water discharge permit from DEQ. The permit allows the plant to recycle water used to wash and process potatoes, which come into the plant covered in soil and fertiliz- ers. The facility distributes the wastewater to nearby farms as a source of nutri- ent-rich water for irrigation. But Lamb Weston over- applied the water on farms 75 times between 2016 and 2020, according to compli- ance reports that DEQ reviewed. During that time, 189 tons of nitrate in excess of permitted levels were applied in an area already deemed a vulner- able groundwater manage- ment area. Such areas receive extra resources and planning from DEQ and designated committees in the area to reduce groundwater contam- ination. DEQ said in its notices that wells down slope from where Lamb Weston’s nitrate-rich wastewater was applied had levels of nitrate between 36 and 79 parts per million. EPA limits for safe drinking water are no more than 10 parts per million. Nitrate is difficult and expensive to remove from water, and for those who rely on wells for their drinking water, getting rid of nitrate requires filters that cost thousands of dollars. BOARDMAN Gunfire leads to standoff, three surrender to SWAT East Oregonian BOARDMAN — A call Monday night, April 18, about gunshots in Board- man led to a standoff and subsequent arrest of three suspects. Miguel Gutierrez, 26, of Boardman, Noe Francisco Sanchez, 21, of Boardman, and Joseph Daniel Simpson, 18, of Pendleton, now are in the Umatilla County Jail. Boardman police in a news release reported Morrow County Dispatch at 10:14 p.m. April 18 received a report of gunshots in the area of Northwest Board- man Avenue and West McCann brought many projects to his city. “Most recently, we’ve STA N F I E L D — been working through our Thomas McCann, Stanfield downtown repaving project mayor and beloved commu- with (the Oregon Depart- nity leader, died Saturday, ment of Transportation),” April 16, of a heart attack. Burgener added. “The He was 84. improvements, which we’re “He had a really lengthy still undergoing, will bring service to the public,” Stan- in lights, add sidewalks and field City Manager Benja- make for a better business min Burgener said. and community environ- The city of Stanfield ment for the city.” McCann also website has a list of McCann’s public was a “big propo- work. He was pres- nent” of a proposed ident of the Oregon veterans memorial, A s s o ciat ion of Burgener said. “He was beloved Chiefs of Police, president and board by all, probably one chairman of the of the best mayors McCann Oregon Special I’ve ever served around,” Burgener Districts Associa- tion, Stanfield Fire District said. “He loved the city, got firefighter, Stanfield chief involved and did everything of police, Umatilla County he could for the city.” Marine Patrol deputy sheriff This death was unex- and more. pected, Burgener said. The website states he McCann had heart issues, had 37 total years of law he added, but he and others enforcement experience, were shocked by his pass- as well as crediting him for ing and were not ready for being a family man. Mayor it. McCann’s death is hitting McCann was married to Stanfield hard, he said. his wife Sharone McCann Always ready for more than 50 years and to step up had five children, as well as many grandchildren and Jerry Carlson, Stanfield finance director, recalled great-grandchildren. On Tuesday, April 19, his years of working with Sharone McCann shared McCann. recollections of her husband. “I started a little bit after His favorite restaurant was he started with the city in El Erradero, she said, and 1979, when he was police “he always looked forward chief and I was hired to be to the annual Fourth of July city recorder,” Carlson said. celebration and announcing “So I’ve been working with the parade.” him as mayor and as police “He meant everything to chief for a lot of years.” me,” she said. He said McCann was a Sons Travis McCann and hard worker, who would Terry McCann said they “dive in and do what was were hurting, only days necessary” to complete a after their loss. task. Tom Pollard, the mayor’s “When the city was eldest son, spoke of his flooded, it required people grief, too. to stay up all night,” Carl- “There are no words for son said. what I’m feeling right now,” McCann was one of he said. those people who was up Other loved ones are all night, only to work the voicing their heartache, too, next day. as many people are leav- Carlson spoke of other ing comments on Sharone times when McCann went McCann’s Facebook page. the extra mile. When the They express deep feelings, city was short various offi- using words like “kindness,” cials, Carlson said, McCann “dear friend,” “special,” stepped in. “gentle,” “lovable” and more “He was never shy about to describe the man and his helping out,” Carlson said. He added he will miss his behavior. “My heart hurts,” one friend, but that the rest of the post reads. town will miss him, too. By ERICK PETERSON East Oregonian Second Street, Boardman. The caller reported hear- ing eight to 12 gunshots and seeing a dark-colored sedan leaving the area. Boardman police and Mor row Cou nt y sher- iff’s deputies checked the area and found the vehicle. During the investigation, officers found a vehicle in the area had been shot multiple times. Officers located three suspects at a residence on Allen Court, Boardman, according to the news release, and as law enforcement approached, one suspect ran inside the residence. Officers made multi- Celebration of Life for Ryan Neal The family of Ryan Neal has been touched deeply by the outpour- ing of love, care and concern after our loss. Thank you for reaching out; we have been up- lifted by hearing from each and every one of you. A celebration of life will be held outdoors on May 7, 2022, at 3 p.m. at the Marker 40 Golf Club, 78873 Toms Camp Road, Boardman, Oregon. Gary, Kathy, Rochelle, Ari and Sonja ple attempts to get them to surrender, but they refused, Boardman police reported, so local law enforcement contacted Oregon State Police SWAT and asked for its help. “The suspects refused to surrender for approximately five hours,” according to the news release, but they even- tually gave up to the SWAT team. Boardman police then arrested Gutierrez, Sanchez and Simpson and booked the trio into the jail in Pendleton on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree criminal mischief and reck- less endangering of another person. According to the online jail roster, police also arrested Sanchez for felon in possession of a weapon and for a felony probation violation, while Gutierrez faces an additional charge of fourth-degree assault. Coming to Stanfield to serve Selecting a new mayor According to Burge- ner, McCann came to Stan- field in 1977 from Arizona, where he served as a narcot- ics officer,. In 1992, he left the Stanfield police and became mayor in 1995. “His life was in public service,” Burgener said. “He looked for ways to serve the community, protect the community and improve the community his whole life.” McCann had more than two years left on his term. Burgener said the Stan- field City Council will discuss options for selecting a new mayor at the city council meeting Tuesday, April 19. According to Burgener, the council will discuss whether to appoint a fellow coun- cilor to fill the role or select a different person from their community. WILDHORSE RESORT & CASINO PRESENTS THE 8TH ANNUAL Cineplex Show Times Price changes: Adults: $10.00 • Child: $8.00 Senior: $8.00 • Matinees (before 4:00pm): $8.00 The Bad Guys (PG) 3:50p 6:30p 9:10p extra 1:10p show 4/22-4/24 The Northman (R) 4:50p 7:50p extra 1:50p show 4/22-4/24 Shotgun start at 1pm Wildhorse Resort Golf Course $380/team, $95/player TAMÁSTSLIKT CULTURAL INSTITUTE 4/23-4/28 PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER MAMMOTH CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022 SIGN UP TODAY! • Great tee prizes! • Excellent golf course! • Fun side bets! • Free sack lunch! Sign up online by May 10 at tamastslikt.org/shop THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS Pepsi/Admiral Beverage, Wenaha Group, Nixyáawii Community Financial Services The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (R) 4:20p 6:50p 9:20p extra 1:40p show 4/22-4/24 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (PG13) 4:30p 7:30p extra 1:30p show 4/22-4/24 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (PG) 3:40p 6:20p 9:00p extra 1:00p show 4/22-4/24 wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 For more information, contact Randy at 541.429.7720 or at randall.melton@tamastslikt.org. Pendleton, Oregon | www.tamastslikt.org | 541.429.7700
