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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 2015)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 COMMUNITY Hermiston crime rates on par with last year years until this year. “Of the 100 incidents, we cleared the matter via arrest 65 times, which is an incredibly high clearance rate,” Edmiston said. “Per the FBI, the na tional average for clearance of lar BY SEAN HART ceny is 21 percent, so we are three HERMISTON HERALD times that.” Last year, 35 percent fewer total He said he was encouraged by crimes were recorded in Hermiston the burglary incidents, which were than the previous year, and statistics also the lowest in the last 10 years. IURP WKH ¿UVW WKUHH PRQWKV RI WKLV Nine burglaries were recorded this year show a continued reduction. year, compared with 16 last year and According to Hermiston Police D\HDUDYHUDJHRI 'HSDUWPHQW¶V ¿UVWTXDUWHU VWDWLVWLFV “We have focused resources on for eight index crimes reported to burglaries and solid investigations, the FBI, 125 total incidents occurred HQVXULQJ RI¿FHUV KDYH WKH WLPH WR from January through March, com dot the I’s and cross the T’s, the last SDUHGZLWKIRUWKHWKUHHPRQWK three years,” he said. period last year. Auto thefts increased 500 percent With one homicide, one rape, from last year’s two to a total of 12 one aggravated assault and no rob LQWKH¿UVWTXDUWHUWKLV\HDUEXWWKDW beries so far this year, the three vi ¿JXUH LV VWLOO OHVV WKDQ WKH ROHQWFULPHVHTXDOODVW\HDU¶VQXP year average of 13. ber, when only three robberies were “This category is historically recorded. On average over the last very cyclical and is evident by the 10 years, no homicides, one rape, previous year’s numbers, with a three robberies and six aggravated \HDUORZRIWZRDQGDKLJKRI assaults were recorded during the IRU WKH ¿UVW TXDUWHU FRPSDUD ¿UVWTXDUWHU tively,” Edmiston said. “Of the 12 Hermiston Police Chief Jason we experienced, we cleared four Edmiston said he is encouraged by via arrest, which is a 33 percent the property crime statistics. clearance rate. Per the FBI, the Of the 122 total property crimes, national average for clearance of 100 were larceny cases, compared auto theft is 12 percent.” ZLWKODVW\HDUDQGD\HDUDY One arson case was recorded, erage of 133. The 2014 number was compared with two last year and the lowest on record in the last 10 D\HDUDYHUDJHRIRQH Total crimes 34 percent less than 10-year average (GPLVWRQVDLGRWKHU¿UVWTXDU ter department statistics show calls for service were 37 percent less than 2014 and 30 percent OHVVWKDQWKHVL[\HDUDYHUDJH “This does cause me concern because the decision to consoli date our dispatch center may be a variable in play,” he said. “We have made our stance to the Uma WLOOD&RXQW\6KHULII¶V2I¿FHYHU\ clear: If a citizen wants to speak ZLWK D +HUPLVWRQ SROLFH RI¿FHU a call for service is to be created DQGDQRI¿FHUZLOOKDQGOHLW´ With the reduction in calls for service, Edmiston said of ¿FHULQLWLDWHG DFWLYLW\ KDV LQ &LW\UHTXHVWLQJHQKDQFHPHQW project recommendations through the city, water tower painting, decora WLYH ZD\ILQGLQJ VLJQV enlarging Hodge Park by assuming control of an The city of Hermiston existing train display and is looking for ways to en installing and maintain hance the aesthetics and ing decorative plantings livability of the commu in existing median boxes nity, and people can sub on Highway 395 south of mit their own ideas. town. The full draft list of The Community En recommendations can be hancement Committee found at www.hermiston. has developed a prelim or.us/news. inary draft of ideas for The “Enhance Herm projects to enhance the iston” plan is intended to community and is solicit provide a logical, system ing additional ideas from atic and financially viable the public before making approach to implementing a recommendation to the projects to improve the City Council, according visual appeal of the city, to a city press release. according to the press Residents may submit release. City officials re their ideas through the ceive many recommenda city’s website at www. tions for various projects hermiston.or.us/feedback to benefit the community, by 5 p.m. May 7. and many of them are ex Enhancement projects cellent ideas, but the costs currently in the “Enhance and planning necessary Hermiston” draft phase to implement them often LQFOXGH D UHGHVLJQHG prevent them from gain downtown entryway, in ing traction. The Enhance creasing pedestrian path Hermiston plan will get ways through the city, viable projects onto a list creating visual buffers with preliminary project near railroad right of way scope, intention and cost Proposals to beautify town due May 7 estimates. Creation of this list of viable projects then will allow the city to plan for future funding or PRYH TXLFNO\ WR WDNH DG vantage of opportunities if they arise because much of the initial planning has already taken place. The enhancement plan was one of several proj ects the City Council gave to the Community Enhancement Committee when it was created in 2014. The committee has since been brainstorming and vetting various proj ects for the plan but has not yet made a formal re port to the City Council because the group want ed to get some additional public input first. After public proposals, or comments on existing proposals, are received, the committee will review them and discuss adding them to the draft plan at the May meeting. Once a draft plan is finalized, it will go to the City Coun cil for consideration. creased 81 percent and reports taken have increased 33 percent from last year. He said total arrests have also increased 38 percent from last year, which is a “good sign of an active department trying to posi tively impact the livability of our citizens.” Financial report wins another award The city of Hermiston KDV UHFHLYHG WKH &HUWL¿ cate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Gov HUQPHQW )LQDQFH 2I¿FHUV Association for the city’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the 23rd year in a row, accord ing to a city press release. 7KH FHUWL¿FDWH LV WKH highest form of recog nition in governmental DFFRXQWLQJ DQG ¿QDQFLDO reporting, and its attain PHQW UHSUHVHQWV D VLJQL¿ cant accomplishment by a government and its man DJHPHQW 7KH ¿QDQFLDO report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a construc tive “spirit of full disclo sure” to clearly communi FDWHLWV¿QDQFLDOVWRU\DQG motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. Current and historical ¿QDQFLDOUHSRUWVDUHDYDLO able for review under the Finance Department tab of the city of Hermiston’s website, www.hermiston. or.us. THEY KNOW what’s going on in state government Mother’s Day Brunch Train! Sunday, May 10 Make her day special! Departs Elgin at 10 a.m. ĞĂƵƟĨƵůƐĐĞŶĞƌLJͲĚĞůŝĐŝŽƵƐďƌƵŶĐŚ͊ 800.323.7330 eaglecaptrainrides.com VETERANS BENEFITS ROUNDTABLE Isn’t it time YOU did? O regon Ca pita l In sider is con cise origin a l reportin g on sta te govern m en t a ctivity, people a n d tren ds delivered w eek ly via e-m a il FREE THREE-WEEK sample subscription OregonCapitalInsider.com • 844-297-8634 WED., APRIL 22ND • 9:30 AM IRRIGON SENIOR CENTER Topics Of Discussion: • Veterans’ Benefits Morrow County Veterans Services RSVP - 541-922-6420