Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 2004)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 4, 2004 - FIVE Eastern Oregon comes unwired The "W aterm elon Capital of the World” is now one gigantic High Tech WiFi sweet spot. Phase I of the largest region-w ide w ireless broadband d ig ita l communications (WiFi) system in the U.S. will be activated Feb. 5 in “ wire cu ttin g ” ceremonies to be held in Boardman and Hermiston. Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR). EZ Wireless CEO Fred Ziari and other dignitaries will begin the “un wiring” of the 600 square mile w ireless network at 12:30 p.m. at the Port of Morrow headquarters in Boardman. Several federal, state and local public officials. H om eland S ecurity and em ergency m anagem ent personnel and global technology com pany executives will also be a part of the festivities. The system is being developed through a unique joint public/private partnership with EZ Wireless, LLC, a global leader in application developm ent, design and engineering for broadband w ireless and m obile em ergency m anagem ent solutions and the Chemical S tockpile E m ergency P reparedness Program (CSEPP) being administered by the Morrow County Office of Emergency Management. “A ccess to secure ‘real time’ data for emergency responders that are mobile has historically been difficult and expensive. We were asked by C SE PP to address this challenge and we were able to solve it,” says EZ Wireless President Fred Ziari. "We developed a unique, highly secure 256-bit encrypted approach using w ireless broadband that gave the em ergency m anagem ent people the capability they had. until now. only dreamed of. The big difference with our broadband wireless is we can cover a whole city or an entire region, not just a building or a city block. That means one can stay connected while walking or driving around town.” Judge Terry Tallman, Chairman of the Morrow County Commissioners adds, “But. the really exciting by product was the creation of the nation’s largest ‘hot spot’ that opens ex citin g o p p o rtu n itie s for o th er agencies, businesses and consumers using universal wireless access to high speed internet connections.” A new sophisticated system c alled . Incident Response Information System (IRIS) will also be unveiled at the wire cutting ceremonies. IRIS allows first responders and emergency management personnel to have accurate mobile information in real time as they resp o n d to any emeigency. ‘This exciting wire cutting not only allows our rural region to leap-frog the ‘digital divide,’ it proves that when working together in a public/private partnership, g o v ern m en t can be an innovator,” said Casey Beard, Director of Morrow County Emergency Management and the C h em ical S to ck p ile Em ergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). Congressman Walden and the other dignitaries will be shown a mobile demonstration of the high-speed broadband w ireless (W iFi) internet connection capabilities. While driving around Boardman (and later in Hermiston ) they will be able, from any location in the city, to get a w ireless connection to the internet that is about 5 to 10 times faster than a normal T1 or DSL connection. Officials will then visit the Hermiston Safety Center before arriving for a reception at the Hermiston Community Center. Hermiston Chief of Police Dan Coulombe has ex p an d ed the w ireless capabilities of the CSEPP system to include intelligent traffic control applications and improved efficiencies for the deployment and paperwork challenges of his officers. He will demonstrate the local Hermiston “smart policing” capabilities to Congressman W alden and the o th er dignitaries before they go to the Hermiston Community Center for a follow-up “unwiring” celebration with Hermiston M ayor Bob Severson and Hermiston City Manager Ed Brookshier scheduled for 3 p.m. “This kind of unique opportunity for our rural communities to be the first in the nation to have universal high speed wireless access to the internet is analogous to the first city to get telephones or electricity or even running water.” Rod Davis, Hermiston C ham ber o f C om m erce Manager said. W hen co m p leted , Phase I will encompass a geographical area more than four times the area of Portland. OR and six times larger than the C ity o f Seattle. The 6(XFksquare mile “cloud” will feature broadband wireless communications technologies (WiFi) for emergency services, public safety, transportation and economic development for the region. The project includes parts of Oregon and Washington; four counties, and, seven entire cities. Phase II, planned for the summer of 2(X)4 will cover an additional seven cities in Eastern Oregon. WiFi, GPS and digital security experts such as. Chameleon, Trimble and YD1 Wireless were part of the tech n o lo g y team o f EZ Wireless in the development of the hardware and software of the W i-Fi system . Representatives from many of the companies will be on hand at the recep tio n at the Hermiston Community Center. Other attendees to the day’s activities will include officials from FEMA’s Region Ten, U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Oregon’s Office of Em ergency M anagement, Oregon State Police. Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon State senators and representatives, area county commissioners and mayors, high tech industry representatives and many local civic and business leaders.IRZ C o n su ltin g , Inc. and its subsidiary, EZ Wireless, LLC are leaders in the engineering and installation of secure broadband wireless systems for Emergency Management and Homeland Security. IRZ has been involved in cutting edge digital communications, GPS and in fo rm atio n technologies for nearly two decades. In addition to the co m p leted d esig n and installation of the CSEPP network. IRZ and EZ Wireless are working with several agencies and municipalities in designing and developing secure broadband wireless communications systems for first resp o n d ers and emergency personnel as well as businesses and consumers. E arly stu d ies of emergency preparedness of the communities near the eight chemical agent stockpile sites, in clu d in g the U m atilla Chemical Depot in Hermiston, showed the need to improve existing emergency plans, train in g , equipm ent and facilities. The purpose of the C h em ical S to ck p ile Em ergency Preparedness Program (C S E P P ) is to im prove the em erg en cy resp o n se c a p a b ilitie s o f communities that surround the chemical stockpiles. CSEPP re c o g n ize s that each co m m u n ity has its own particular needs for emergency preparedness. Emergency services, for the communities surrounding the Umatilla Chemical Depot, are provided by local fire and police d ep artm en ts; w ho train annually to test their response capabilities. The IRIS was d ev elo p ed w ith these em ergency responders in mind. Ensuring their safety was the impetus. With a handheld RECON, first responders are able to view the “ risk envelope” in relation to their location, via global positioning sy stem s (G PS ), and to retrieve, collect and send data from the field. WiFi has a M otor Vehicle. He was was at a location in Boardman, already lodged at the Umatilla in violation of his conditional release agreem ent. Juan County Jail. allowed the IRIS to work in -MCSO received a Artemio Martinez, 37, was the field, building confidence report from a caller that she arrested for V iolation of and ensuring the safety of our thought a male subject was at C o n d itio n a l R elease first responders. a farm in Boardman. Agreement and lodged at the -MCSO received a Umatilla County Jail. report of a panic alarm at S ep t. 13: M CSO Gregg’s Tavern in Irrigon. The deputy cited Joseph Lorin owner called and advised it LaChappelle, 47, for Driving The Morrow County was a false alarm. while Licease Suspended Vi -MCSO received a olation, Violation of the Ba Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) re ports handling the following request for a deputy at Huwe’s sic Rule, 72 mph in a 55 mph in Irrigon for an unwanted zone and Driving Uninsured. business: m ale subject both erin g The vehicle was impounded. S e p t. 1 0 : M CSO customers. -MCSO deputy cit -MCSO received a ed a juvenile for Curfew Vi received a report of an audible intrusion alarm at Bigfoot report from the Umatilla Police olation. Industries in Boardman. The Dept, that Robert Brehm, 32, -MCSO received a was arrested on an Irrigon alarm was cancelled. re p o rt from a c a lle r in -MCSO received a Justice Court warrant for Heppner that the neighbor’s report of a residential burglary Forgery II and Failure to dog was on her porch. It was alarm in Boardman. A deputy Appear/Driving while Licease an on-going problem. determined that no one was Suspended. He was lodged at -MCSO deputy ar home and the building was the Umatilla County Jail on rested Christopher A. Buffo, secure. A neighbor advised the local charges with a hold 18, on an Irrigon Justice homeowner left just prior to placed for the warrants. Court warrant for Failure to S e p t. 11: M CSO Appear/Criminal Mischief D. the deputy's arrival. -MCSO received a receiv ed a request from The juvenile was cited and request for a deputy contact Intertribal for a deputy to released. from the Morrow County check an Intertribal building on -M CSO d ep u ties Road Dept, regarding the Tower Road. There was a cited Keith Axtell, 34, for No report of an alarm sounding. Insurance. Trie vehicle was dumping of dead animals. -MCSO received a The building was secure. impounded. -MCSO received a rep o rt from a c aller in -MCSO received a B oardm an that som eone report from a caller of a release rep o rt from a c a lle r in entered her property last night violation. The caller’s husband Pendleton that her daughter and left a gate open. Her went to her residence in was going to Bull Prairie and vehicle had also been entered Boardman and gotten his car was going to call from Anson and the door left ajar. An extra while she was at work. W right Park, but hadn’t -MCSO received a called yet. The subject was p atro l in the area was report from a caller who found located at Bull Prairie. requested. -MCSO received a one of his sheep dead in a field -MCSO received a relayed rep o rt from the in Irrigon; it was possibly a dog report from a caller in lone Oregon State Police of a attack. that a male subject went past -MCSO received a her residence and left after he motor vehicle accident on Highway 730 east of Irrigon. rep o rt from a c a lle r in saw her. The subject was to It was a non-injury, non- Boardman that a male subject be given a stalking order blocking accident. A tow truck had been leaving threatening when seen again. The caller was requested to remove the m essages on the c a lle r’s will call back if the subject mother's phone. vehicle from the ditch. returned. -MCSO deputy cited -MCSO received a -MCSO received a request for a deputy contact Dianna Garcilazo, 46, for rep o rt from a c aller in from a caller in lone regarding Careless Driving. Boardman who had a door -M CSO , H eppner taken off an RV. It was un the theft of an air compressor. -MCSO received a ambulance. Lexington EMTs known when it occurred or report from a caller in Irrigon received a request for an who took the door. that her parents were fighting. ambulance from a caller at the -MCSO received a -MCSO received a MCGG convenience store in rep o rt from a c a lle r in rep o rt from a c a lle r in Lexington for a 60-year-old Boardman of a theft of a bi Boardman that a vehicle rolled female who had fallen. The cycle. over on Tow er Road on patient was transported to -MCSO received a Boeing property earlier in the Pioneer Memorial Hospital in report that Action Towing day. There were no subjects Heppner. sold 10 vehicles for auction -MCSO received a or salvage. in the vehicle or in the area. -M C SO deputy report from a caller in Irrigon -MCSO received a arrested Curtis Ray Perkins, that someone shot through his request for a deputy contact 32, on a Morrow County window yesterday. in Irrigon regarding an un -MCSO received a wanted male subject at a lo w arrant for No A ngling request for a deputy at the cation in Irrigon. The subject License. -MCSO received a Irrigon Justice C ourt to was also involved in a distur request from a caller in lone co n tact a citiz en at the bance a few days ago. for a welfare check on a location. -MCSO received a -MCSO received a report of an audible burglar subject and his horses. The caller had not seen him in request for assistance from a alarm at a residence in several days. It was c a lle r w hose v e h ic le ’s Boardman. electronic doors would not determined all was okay. -MCSO received a close. A Chrysler dealer would rep o rt from a c a lle r in -MCSO received a report from a caller in lone of contact the caller. Heppner that he found a -MCSO received a scooter in some weeds near a male subject driving very fast on Main Street in lone. A request for deputy contact his residence. warning was given to the from a caller in Heppner -MCSO received a regarding her neighbor’s dog. report from UCSO that Hol subject. -M C SO , Irrigon ly H. Mack, 32, was arrest -MCSO received a report that Ross C. Van Etta, ambulance received a request ed on a Morrow County Cir 22, was arrested on a Morrow for an ambulance from a caller cuit Court warrant for Fail County warrant for Failure to in Irrigon who was feeling ill. ure to Appear/Possession of -MCSO, Boardman a Controlled Substance II, on Appear/Unauthorized Use of Police D ept, receiv ed a a UCSO warrant and a war request for an officer contact rant out of Multnomah Coun regarding a theft. ty. She was lodged at the -MCSO deputy cited Umatilla County Jail with a Lazaro Rodriguez-Ri vera, 41, hold placed for M orrow for Violation of the Basic Rule, County. 73 mph in a 55 mph zone. -M CSO, Heppner -M C SO deputy and lone Fire depts. received reported he found a bicycle at a relayed report of a fire from the Irrigon Sentry Market. a caller in lone. 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