OFF PAGE ONE
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Service:
Continued from Page A1
“The needs of the districts
have changed over time, to
where my skill set more
closely matched the most
recent job description,” she
said, noting that her knack
for legal research is partic-
ularly useful when applying
for modernization grants.
With a system of feeder
canals, ditches and lines
that date back to 1906, Kirk-
patrick and her team are
working to modernize the
district’s infrastructure,
improve water delivery and
supply for Hermiston resi-
dents and surrounding farms.
The Hermiston Irrigation
District serves 1,286 patrons
and approximately 10,000
acres of irrigated land in and
around the city of Hermiston.
It’s become one of the most
lucrative agricultural regions
in Oregon.
Irrigated crops such as
vegetables, grains, alfalfa
hay, pasture and grass seed
dominate the area’s agricul-
tural production, bringing
along with it a substantial
livestock industry. One of the
region’s most lucrative crops
is watermelon, with around
45,000 tons produced annu-
ally.
One of the district’s larg-
est ongoing projects is piping
the B-Line. According to
Kirkpartrick, the project
will save an estimated 2,000
acre-feet of stored water
from Cold Springs Reservoir
every year.
Kirkpatrick dubbed the
most recent modernization
plans as the biggest highlight
of her 20 years at the district.
After hearing conversation
about piping the B-Line for
the last two decades, it’s been
a long time coming.
<To û nally see that come
to realization is very exciting
for me,” she said.
The B-Line project is in
the scoping period and soon
will transition into the public
commenting period, when
the public, patrons and other
entities can learn more about
the potential project.
Kirkpatrick noted this
coordination period is an
important step in maximiz-
ing the project9s beneû t for
the community. The district
also has discussed install-
ing new û ber optic lines and
û re hydrants as the project
progresses through more
rural portions of the district.
“It’s a good time to install
new utilities in that same
area,” she said.
The district also has
completed other modern-
ization projects, including
converting hundreds of acres
of from û ood irrigation to
sprinkler systems. Projects
such as this have resulted
in signiû cant water savings
and eû ciency improvements
within the region.
The district also partici-
pates in the Umatilla Basin
Project, an eû ort that began
in the 1980s to restore
instream û ows and improve
conditions for threatened
and endangered fish. The
project supplies water from
the Columbia River for
the Hermiston district, in
exchange for the district
leaving an equal amount of
water in the Umatilla River.
Kirkpatrick also serves
on many local boards and
committees, including on
the executive board of the
Oregon Water Resources
Congress.
This year, she began her
û rst term on the city of Herm-
iston’s planning commission.
Kirkpatrick said she felt the
position gave her the chance
to help coordinate land use
planning in the city with the
urban modernization eû orts
of the district.
“It just gives me a really
good opportunity to be in
the room and make those
connections,” she said.
Looking forward, Kirk-
patrick said she hopes to
continue modernizing the
district’s systems, with an
emphasis on eû ciency and
water conservation.
“I think it’s just really
exciting to see the city
continue to grow,” she said,
“and to see the district
continue to provide the
resources that our farming
community needs.”
East Oregonian
Perkins:
Continued from Page A1
continued to affect him.
Still, he described himself as
a happy, optimistic person
who tried to share his posi-
tivity with others.
He wed Jeanne R. Otis in
Pendleton in 1970. He cred-
ited his wife with encour-
aging his pleasant outlook.
From the beginning of their
relationship, he said, she
was a steadying inû uence.
Perk ins worked as
an electrician for Union
Paciû c Railroad at Hinkle
from 1976 to 1986, then
as an electrical supervisor
for Ash Grove Cement in
Durkee. He retired in 1998,
Burns Mortuary of Hermis-
ton reported.
Perkins served as mayor
of Stanû eld from 1980 to
1984 and as Local Inter-
national Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers No. 112
president from 1984 to 1986.
A member of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, he described himself
as a religious man who
believed in community. He
also worked as a volunteer
û reû ghter and was active
in Milton Lodge No. 96 of
the Masons and Shriners
East Oregonian, File
John Perkins, as Santa Claus, throws the switch to light the
Hermiston Christmas tree Dec. 2, 2021. Perkins, who had
pancreatic cancer, died July 27, 2022, at the age of 70.
and rode motorcycle escort
in the Oregon Food Bank’s
caravan.
He was a member of
Oregon Motorcycle Riders
Association and the Veter-
ans and Friends of Oregon
motorcycle clubs, organiz-
ing poker runs and raising
money for Shriners Hospi-
tal. Perkins loved riding
motorcycles, camping, û sh-
ing, crabbing, boating and
photography.
He obtained his high
school diploma and walked
in cap and gown with the
Hermiston High School
Class of 2010, he said.
He served as Santa for
13 years, 2008-21, through-
out Umatilla County, the
Tri-Cities and Walla Walla.
Perkins picked up the
mantle of Santa to honor his
father-in-law, Roy Otis, who
had been Santa but died. His
wife, Jeanne Perkins, made
him the costume he still
wore. It is a suit made with
love, he said.
Other trademarks of the
role were his prior to becom-
ing Santa. The white hairs,
he said, started coming in
while he was a high school
student, and the beard was
fully û ushed out before he
ever put on the Santa outû t.
Playing Santa through
the years, he has toured the
region, appearing in and
A9
around Hermiston, even
going to Walla Walla. The
role crept into his daily life,
he said, as children recog-
nize him as Santa year-
round.
He first noticed some-
thing wrong in March 2021,
when he saw a bruise on his
belly, he said. It grew, so he
saw a doctor. After tests,
Perkins learned he had stage
four pancreatic cancer, he
said. Chemo weakened him,
he admitted.
“I made a commitment to
the city of Hermiston, and I
will do everything I can,” he
said before the tree lighting.
“I would be happy if I can
do this.”
Perkins was in the midst
of stage four pancreatic
cancer on Dec. 2 when he
lived up to his commitment
and brought Santa Claus to
Hermiston’s Christmas tree
lighting ceremony.
Perkins is survived by his
wife of 51 years, a daughter
and son, three grandchil-
dren, a sister and numerous
nieces, nephews and cous-
ins. He was preceded in
death by his parents, stepfa-
ther and brother.
His funeral service is
scheduled for Aug. 4, at
10 a.m. at the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints,
850 S.W. 11 St., Hermiston.
Art:
Continued from Page A1
“As we’ve heard said so
often, for a community the
size of ours, there is truly
such large-scale work taking
place,” Rosenberg said. “It’s
impressive to see.”
The hard work that Lava-
dour has put in has not gone
unnoticed by community
members either.
“These types of world-
wide artists don’t just stumble
across us on the map,” Rosen-
berg said. “Roberta and her
team should be commended
for their hard work and
dedication, to not only the
community but the passion
behind what they do.”
Pat Mazzera/McEvoy Foundation for the Arts
Mexican-born American artist Enrique Chagoya poses for a Portrait at McEvoy Foundation
for the Arts in San Francisco. The Pendleton Center for the Arts is hosting Chagoya and an
exhibition of his works starting Friday, Aug. 5, 2022.