A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015
COMMUNITY
Herald launches
PARTY:
new features, seeks
community advisors
continued from page A1
Follow the
Herald
GARY L. WEST
SHADES OF GRAY
T
oday,
a
new
chapter
begins
for the Hermiston
Herald. The issue you
see today marks the start
of multiple changes we
will be implementing on
the pages of the Herald
and on our website in
the coming weeks and
months.
In today’s issue we an-
nounce two new features
that will be added to the
lineup on a regular ba-
sis. One is a feature we
call Hermiston History,
which will look back at
interesting items from
our community’s past
that shaped the commu-
nity we live and work in
today.
Also today we an-
nounce that we will add a
new type of milestone an-
nounce-
COLUMN m e n t s
that we
publish.
Along with engagements,
weddings, military ser-
vice promotions, major
anniversaries, etc., we
will also start publishing
quinceañera announce-
ments.
Quinceañera is the Span-
ish word for a 15-year-old
girl and quinceañera cere-
monies mark the transition
into womanhood in Latino
culture.
You can submit a
quinceañera announce-
ment online through our
website at http://www.
hermistonherald.com/hh/
submit-quinceanera
Today we also an-
nounce plans to form
a community advisory
committee. We will seek
applications from com-
munity members to help
us shape future changes
to the Herald and advise
us on issues of impor-
tance to the community
that we may not be aware
of through our traditional
news coverage channels.
The committee will
meet once a month so
committee members can
share with us their views
on how the Herald can
best serve the greater
Hermiston community.
You don’t have to be
a subscriber to apply
for a spot on the adviso-
ry board. In fact, one of
the keys issues we will
be looking to address is
how to make the Herald
more useful to people
who don’t currently sub-
scribe or advertise in the
Keep up with news, commu-
nity events and the changing
Hermiston Herald online through
the following resources:
Website: www.HermistonHer-
ald.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
HermistonHerald
Twitter: @HermistonHerald and
for sports follow @hheraldsports
Email newsletter and e-Edition:
Sign up for our free email
newsletter on our website and
print subscribers can log into
our website to see our digital
e-Edition at www.Hermiston-
Herald.com
Herald.
To apply for a posi-
tion on the Herald’s ad-
visory committee, email
us a letter of interest to
editor@hermistonherald.
com with the subject line
of Advisory Board. Mail
applications can also be
sent to 333 E. Main St,
Hermiston OR 97838.
In your letter of interest,
tell us a little about your-
self and why you are in-
terested in being part of
our advisory panel.
Going forward, the
news staffs of the Herm-
iston Herald and East
Oregonian will be work-
ing together, particularly
in our Hermiston office,
to maximize our ability
to cover the things most
important to Eastern Or-
egon’s largest communi-
ty. The Hermiston-based
news team of Tammy
Malgesini, Jade Mc-
Dowell, Sean Hart, Sam
Barbee and I are work-
ing on coverage plans
and will be learning new
roles and responsibilities
through this transition.
We want to hear from
you early and often.
On a more bittersweet
note, today we also say
goodbye to Jessica Keller
who has been the Her-
ald’s editor and champi-
on for the last two years.
I want to offer my per-
sonal thanks to Jessica,
who has kept the Herald
humming along as we
prepare to make many
changes and has worked
to look out for the Herald
staff and readers.
Gary L. West is editor
of the Hermiston Herald
and Hermiston editor
for the East Oregonian.
Reach him at gwest@
hermistonherald.com or
follow him on Twitter @
GaryLWest or on Face-
book at www.facebook.
com/journalist.glwest.
few friends.
“It was a little more dis-
creet,” she said. “It wasn’t
big. It wasn’t for me some-
thing that I was looking for-
ward to. It was me just my
birthday.”
Beas Fitzgerald said, her
quinceañera stemmed from
her parents’ desire that she
have one.
“It was just something
that my parents wanted
to do for me,” she said.
“They didn’t want it to be
another birthday for me,
but, at the same time, they
didn’t want it to be a big
ball.”
Beas Fitzgerald said
quinceañeras were some-
thing that parents worked
hard for their children to
have when she was grow-
ing up.
“It has taken a differ-
ent dimension here in the
States,” she said.
Sanchez, who is in her
early 40s, conceded the at-
titude about quinceañeras
has shifted.
“Back then it was real-
ly a privilege if you were
able to have a quinceañera
because it was hard for the
parents to do that,” San-
chez said.
While the cost of
quinceañeras has not gone
down, parents don’t feel
so much of a pinch be-
cause of “padrinos,” spon-
sors — often friends of the
family — who help pay for
traditional quinceañera el-
ements, such as the dress.
“Their people who help
out monetarily to help you
ful¿ ll that dream for your
daughter,” she said.
For her daughter’s
quinceañera, rather than
having to buy all the
food to feed the 300 or so
guests, Sanchez said her
mother and brother agreed
to provide the meat for the
meal, which also includ-
ed rice and beans, while
a few friends made sal-
ads. As well, Sanchez said
a friend of hers made a
small cake for her daugh-
ter and cupcakes for the
rest of the guests.
Another big cost for
quinceañeras, is the ven-
ue, and Sanchez said her
daughter’s
quinceañera
was at Thompson Hall at
the Umatilla Fairgrounds.
While the minimum cost
for renting Thompson Hall
is $925, the cost at other
venues is greater. For ex-
ample, the Hermiston Con-
ference Center is a popular
venue for quinceañeras,
Sanchez said. According
to the Hermiston Cham-
ber of Commerce website,
the conference center great
room can be reserved for a
minimum cost of $2,450.
There is also a $500 depos-
it, but that is refundable.
Sanchez said, howev-
er, some quinceañeras are
even grander, with bands
and caterers and limou-
sines for the transporta-
tion.
“It depends really on
the family and what they
want,” she said.
STAFF PHOTO BY SEAN HART
This display of smoking accessories at Smoke City in Hermiston indicates the products are for tobacco use, and employee
Dakota Ballard said she is not sure whether the tobacco language would be removed now that possession and use of marijuana
is legal for adults 21 and older, with certain restrictions.
POT:
continued from page A1
employees and retain em-
ployees. I hope it doesn’t.”
Other businesses could
potentially bene¿ t from the
new law, even if they do
not become marijuana dis-
pensaries.
Dakota Ballard, an em-
ployee at Smoke City in
Hermiston, which sells
pipes and other smoking
accessories, said she be-
lieves pot legalization is
long overdue, but she is not
sure the effect it will have
on the business.
“It’s going to be inter-
esting,” she said. “I wonder
if it’s going to get really
busy. Everyone’s so curious
about (marijuana) already.
I de¿ nitely think they’re
going to get into action and
check it out.”
The Oregon Liquor Con-
trol Commission, which was
tasked with implementing
the law, has launched a cam-
paign to help educate people
about what is now legal.
People 21 and older can
possess up to 8 ounces of
usable marijuana at home
and up to 1 ounce outside
of the home — but public
use is still illegal. People
can grow as many as four
plants per residence, but the
plants must not be in public
view. People can share or
give away pot to others 21
and older but cannot sell or
buy it until licensed retail
shops open in 2016.
People can make or re-
ceive gifts of edible mar-
ijuana, but it must be con-
sumed in private places.
And driving under the in-
À uence of marijuana is still
illegal.
Hermiston Police Chief
Jason Edmiston said he
anticipates the department
will receive more calls for
service regarding impaired
drivers on the road now
that people can legally use
marijuana. He said, as an
appointed law enforcement
of¿ cial, his personal feel-
ings about the new law are
irrelevant.
“Our job is to simply
follow the law, or any law,
as written,” he said. “Make
no mistake, this will impact
the livability of the citizens
of Hermiston. People who
want nothing to do with it
will be subjected to it in
some way, shape or form.”
Edmiston said Herm-
iston Police Department
would increase its efforts to
educate people about mar-
ijuana, including younger
students, if requested by the
school district. He also said
many speci¿ cs about the
law are still unknown, as
legislators are still working
on bills to ¿ ne tune the law.
According to informa-
tion from the Association
of Oregon Counties, House
Bill 3400A would provide
options for cities and coun-
ties, including Umatilla
County, that voted against
Measure 91 to opt out of al-
lowing marijuana business-
es, along with several oth-
er provisions. Senate Bill
460A would allow medical
marijuana dispensaries to
sell recreational pot on a
limited basis before recre-
ational dispensaries are es-
tablished next year. House
bill 2041A would change
the way marijuana is taxed.
Senate Bill 844A and House
Bill 2668B would provide
rules for hemp and other
miscellaneous provisions.
McKay Creek Estates
presents:
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Join us as we host a lecture series to
increase safety awareness on fall prevention,
common home injuries and provide solutions
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S
FIRST
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TUESDAY, MAY 26, 3:30PM
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TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 3:30 PM
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Fun Run/Walk 5k (7am) • Fireman’s Breakfast • 3-on-3 Basketball Tourney (10am)
Blues Cruise Car Show • Children’s Games (11am) • Parade (1pm)
TALENT SHOW (3:30pm) • Live Music (6:30pm) • Food Vendors • Beer Garden
FIREWORKS and So Much More!
* NO DOGS ALLOWED IN PARK
www.CityOfIoneOregon.com/FourthOfJuly or check us out on Ione 4th of July Facebook
Music funded in part by Morrow County Unified Recreation District
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 3:30 PM
Are you at risk for diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases? Learn about
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1601 Southgate Place
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