REGION
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
East Oregonian
A3
Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance hires new ED
By MAX ERIKSON
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
MILTON-FREEWATER
— The Milton-Freewater
Downtown Alliance has hired
a new executive director to lead
in the growth and expansion of
new and existing businesses
and to bring more opportuni-
ties to the residents of this city.
Maryelizabeth Garcia, a
native of Walla Walla, took
over the reins in mid-July.
She said she is quickly getting
acclimated to the position and
is ready to start making a posi-
tive impact.
“I’m an idea machine, and
I love bringing people together
to start something from
scratch,” Garcia said. “We have
a great base of volunteers who
are passionate about the proj-
ects going on, and I love help-
ing people to be successful.”
Garcia said she was not
aware of the executive direc-
tor position until a friend told
her about it. Garcia looked at
the job posting and knew she
would be a good fi t.
“I like community outreach
and fundraising and working
with volunteers; it was a good
fi t for me,” she said.
Garcia’s goals as direc-
tor will be to bring more
recreational opportunities, ness in Milton-Freewater, the
higher-paying jobs, expand opportunity is here, we only
campgrounds and even add a have room to grow.”
zip line to the area, to
Garcia is open to
name a few.
expanding and grow-
She also has ambi-
ing the community
tions of bringing new
events at the new Free-
business into the area
water Square that was
and inviting existing
recently completed,
businesses in Walla
by adding more live
Walla to do pop-up
music and a possi-
events in Milton-Free-
Garcia
ble stand-up comedy
water and create a busi-
night.
ness-friendly environment.
Freewater Square is a
“If I can help anyone with community gathering area
anything with starting a new that hosts Thursdays Rock
business, I’m here for that,” events with food trucks and
Garcia said. “If people are live music.
looking to start a small busi-
Garcia said she grew up
in a family of small business
owners and understands the
importance small businesses
bring to a city. It also taught
her the power of civic duty and
the importance serving your
community.
Relationship building is one
of her best skills, she said, and
she has experience in commu-
nity organizing and manage-
ment.
After graduating from
Walla Walla High School in
2005, Garcia spent four years
in the U.S. Navy. She later
received a Bachelor of Science
in social work from Walla
Walla University in 2015.
Garcia has a long record
of volunteerism including
with the Walla Walla Rotary
Club and the Walla Walla Cub
Scouts Pack 306. She is vice
president of Volunteers Love
Serving Veterans.
Garcia also volunteers with
The Honor Project, a nonprofi t
that gives veterans and active
service duty members a ride in
a 1942 Boeing Stearman.
Her personal interests
include outdoor activities
such as rafting, hiking and
skiing. She also like crafting
and scrapbooking and enjoys
spending time with family
and friends.
EOC3 to debut new website M-F police arrest teen for
multiple graffi ti incidents
By ANTONIO
ARREDONDO
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The
Eastern Oregon Climate
Change Coalition is set to
debut its new website in
the coming weeks, hoping
the added accessibility will
allow for more education.
Jeff Blackwood, chair-
man of EOC3, said although
the group has been active on
Facebook, a new website
will greatly help spread the
message.
It’s a process that has
been many years in the
making for EOC3. After
starting in 2012 as a local
focus group, the nonprofi t
disbanded and reformed
before fi nding its footing. It
grew from eight people to a
300-person group thanks to
a series of meetings.
“We started with our
climate conversations,”
Blackwood said. “They’re
intended to bring in region-
ally respected experts and
academics, and have a
conversation for an hour.”
At first, the meetings
were at the Prodigal Son
Brewery & Pub, Pendleton,
with EOC3 staff enticing
residents with the prom-
ise of beer and food. This
strategy worked well until
the pandemic struck, eff ec-
tively shutting down the
program.
During that time, the
coalition switched its meet-
ings to the online platform
Zoom, a move that proved
bountif ul. Now, EOC3
could bring in some of the
region’s top climate experts
without them even stepping
foot in Pendleton.
W hile the in-person
meetings may not return
soon, the group is hopeful
the Zoom meetings and the
new website will work as an
access point to get climate
change information.
As of Friday, Aug. 5, a
trip to eoc3.org brings a
background tree with the
text “Website coming soon
to a place near you!” on the
page. Blackwell said that will
change in the coming weeks,
fi nally giving links to climate
change information to all.
Puppy mill suspect in the wind
East Oregonian
HERMISTON — The
woman who the Umatilla
County Sheriff ’s Offi ce was
investigating on a report of a
puppy mill north of Hermis-
ton now is in the wind.
The sheriff’s office in a
press release Friday, Aug. 5,
reported it has turned over its
investigation to the Umatilla
County District Attorney’s
Office for possible prose-
cution in an animal neglect
case. The investigation began
when the sheriff ’s offi ce on
July 30 responded to a trailer
on the 2300 block of North
First Place, Hermiston, after
receiving a report of a possi-
ble puppy mill.
A deputy contacted a 70-
year-old woman living in a
travel trailer at the location,
and she stated she bred York-
shire terriers, according to the
sheriff ’s offi ce. There were
several adult dogs — possi-
ble Yorkshire terriers — in
cages inside the trailer with
puppies of various ages. The
woman initially volunteered
to surrender some of the dogs
to a local animal rescue facil-
ity.
During the investigation,
deputies contacted the woman
again, and she eventually
voluntarily surrendered a total
of 12 dogs into the custody of
a local animal rescue facility.
When a detective returned
Aug. 4 to the site, however, the
woman and trailer were gone.
“Her whereabouts are
unknown at this time,” the
sheriff ’s offi ce reported.
The Umatilla County
Sheriff ’s Offi ce also did not
identify the woman. Sheriff ’s
Capt. Sterrin Ward explained
the investigation remains
active, and the district attor-
ney’s offi ce is looking over
the case for possible prosecu-
tion. While the sheriff ’s offi ce
knows who she is, Ward said
it’s not prudent at this time to
identify her to the public.
LOCAL BRIEFING
MCSO catches
homicide,
kidnapping suspect
IRRIGON — Morrow
County sheriff ’s deputies the
night of Thursday, Aug. 4,
caught a Washington homi-
cide and kidnapping suspect.
Franklin County Sher-
iff ’s Offi ce in Washington
reported its deputies the
evening of Aug. 4 received
a third-party report of a
missing female who may
have been dead in the area
of First Avenue in the hamlet
of Mesa, Washington.
Deputies found the body
near a residence and discov-
ered two children younger
than 12 were missing from
the home and likely in
danger.
“Deputies quick ly
suspected foul play and detec-
tives were activated,” accord-
ing to the Franklin County
Sheriff ’s Offi ce.
That night at about
11:30 p.m. Morrow County
sheriff ’s deputies near Irri-
gon located a vehicle related
to the homicide and kidnap-
ping investigation in Mesa.
Inside the vehicle, deputies
discovered a suspect and the
two missing children, who
were unharmed.
Deputies took the female
suspect into custody, Frank-
2022 Chevrolet
Equinox LT
$33,310.00
lin County also reported, and
she will make an initial court
appearance in Oregon.
The sheriff ’s offi ce handed
over the two children to the
Oregon Department of
Human Services until author-
ities can locate their relatives.
The Washington State Patrol
Crime Scene Response Team
will be assisting detectives
with processing the crime
scene in Mesa, and Oregon
State Police is assisting with
the vehicle in Irrigon.
Franklin County Sheriff ’s
Offi ce also asked anyone with
information related to this
case to contact detectives at
509-405-5131 or 509-792-2448.
— EO Media Group
2022 GMC
Canyon AT4
$44,890.00
1740 Washington Baker City, Oregon
1-800-399-3912 www.bakercitygmsales.com
By JEREMY
BURNHAM
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
MILTON-FR EEWA-
TER — Milton-Freewa-
ter police offi cers arrested
a 14-year-old boy they
suspect in “15 to 20” graffi ti
cases, MFPD Chief Doug
Boedigheimer reported in
an email.
Because Oregon law
does not allow juvenile
suspects to be placed in
juvenile detention for this
off ense, police released the
child to his mother’s custody
pending further investiga-
tion, Boedigheimer said.
Officers on Tuesday,
Aug. 2, observed the teen
and recognized him from
surveillance video from a
graffi ti case they were work-
ing.
According
to
Boedigheimer, the teen had
a can of black paint on him,
as well as a backpack.
Boedigheimer said offi -
cers confi scated the back-
pack, but it was not opened
on the spot while offi cers
waited for a warrant.
Greg Lehman/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, File
Graffi ti mars a building Feb. 16, 2022, on Robbins Street in
Milton-Freewater. Police reported arrested a 14-year-old
on Aug. 2 in connection to 15-20 graffi ti cases.
The boy is “is strongly
suspected of committing 15
to 20 incidents of defacing
property in Milton-Free-
water by painting the word
‘SOOK’ on both public and
private properties,” accord-
ing to Boedigheimer.
Graffi ti has been a big
problem in Milton-Freewa-
ter this year.
In May, MFPD arrested
three minors and an adult,
Harry D. Shaul, 19, of
Milton-Freewater, for graf-
fi ti. Boedigheimer said at
the time the arrests were
part of a multi-agency eff ort
also involving Umatilla
County Sheriff’s Office
and the Milton-Freewater
School District to address
the graffi ti problem.
Boedigheimer reported
in April that a lot of the local
graffi ti is not gang related.
“Someone sees painting
on a wall, and they assume it’s
gang related,” he said. “We
see an awful lot that isn’t.”