Hermiston
Herald
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015
ABOUT TOWN
SPORTS
www.HermistonHerald.com
PAGE 7
$1.00
Page 4
S E A S O N IS H E R E
Local ag teachers honored
PAGE 3
DUST DEVILS TEACH
BASEBALL BASICS
FUNFEST REVS UP THE WEEKEND
School district
updates its
Internet
connection
The Hermiston School Dis-
trict is updating its local Internet
speed this week, upgrading from
0.4 gigabits per second to up to 10
gigabits per second.
The upgrade is intended to im-
prove Internet access and service
for faculty, students and commu-
nity members.
The upgrade process started
Monday. During the upgrade, the
public will have limited access to
school district websites.
Full functionality should return
no later than 6 a.m. today.
Music, movies
entertain on
Friday nights in
McKenzie Park
FILE PHOTO BY SEAN HART
George Kenny, Shelton, Washington, carves an eagle out of red cedar with a chainsaw at last year’s Funfest. He will be returning for this year’s event
Saturday in downtown Hermiston.
10th annual event provides fun family experience
BY SEAN HART
Saturday events
include 20th annual
Cool Rides Car Show
STAFF WRITER
From the roar of chain-
saws sculpting to the revved
up lawn mower dragsters, the
sounds of Funfest will echo
through downtown Saturday.
With a full lineup of lo-
cal musicians and entertain-
ment, a variety of vendors
and a collection of children’s
games and activities, the 10th
annual event aims to provide
a fun-¿ lled day for the entire
family.
Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce Executive Di-
rector Debbie Pedro said the
free festival on East Main
Street has become a local tra-
dition.
“We’re excited about
having an event that brings
the families out, and there’s
something really for every-
body,”
she said.
EVENTS
“ T h a t ’s
w h a t
Funfest is really all about:
bringing out the community
together and providing a fun
day.”
The Hermiston Parks and Rec-
reation Department is hosting a
lineup of music and movies in
McKenzie Park, 320 S. First St.,
on Fridays.
The musical part of the summer
program kicks off Friday.
Bands are scheduled to perform
from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the next
three Fridays.
On the bill are Rusty Roe and
the Outsiders on July 10, Brass
Fire Band on July 17 and Latin
Fusion on July 24.
The movies roll starting at
dusk, or about 8:45 p.m., for three
weeks.
The movie Paddington is on the
bill for July 31, Back to the Future
rolls Aug. 7 and Cinderella takes
her turn on the screen Aug. 21.
Neon Nights 5k set for 10 p.m.
BY SEAN HART
STAFF WRITER
FILE PHOTO BY SEAN HART
Spectators look on as Outlaw Lawn Dragsters member Billy
Loftin, right, New Plymouth, Idaho, races member Lisa Olson,
New Plymouth, at Funfest last year. The lawn mower drag races
will be back for this year’s event Saturday, with races scheduled
for 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The Hermiston Rotary
Club will start the festivi-
ties with a breakfast from
7:30-9:30 a.m. on North
Second Street near Main.
Pedro said “all kinds of great
eats” would also be available
throughout the festival from
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
East Main Street will be
blocked to traf¿ c from High-
SEE FUNFEST/A14
Funfest main stage
entertainment
8:30 a.m.: Parks & Rec Dancers
9 a.m.: Totally Elite Cheer
9:30 a.m.: Round Up City Cloggers
10 a.m.: Jacob Looper (music)
11 a.m.: Dallin Puzey (music)
Noon: Dakota Brown (music)
1 p.m.: Fiesta Foods Mariachi Band
2 p.m.: Masonic Lodge raffl e drawing
2:10 p.m.: Chainsaw wood carving auction
Cold storage
warehouse opens
at Port of Morrow
BY GEORGE PLAVEN
STAFF WRITER
A new freezer warehouse is open at
the Port of Morrow in Boardman, where
food processors can store frozen pota-
toes and vegetables
shipping their
BUSINESS before
product to stores.
The $14.5 million
project includes both the warehouse
and a 2,500-foot rail spur on Lewis and
Clark Drive in the port’s East Beach In-
dustrial Park.
Port of¿ cials will hold a ribbon-cut-
ting ceremony Wednesday, though the
facility actually began operating June 2
with 24 employees and enough capacity
for 40 million pounds of frozen foods.
Jim Barnes, general manager of the
SEE STORAGE/A14
Saturday is full of events in Herm-
iston.
A short walk from Funfest, nestled
in the shade at McKenzie Park, Herm-
iston Classics Car Club’s 20th annu-
al Cool Rides Car Show offers a trip
down memory lane — or a glimpse
into another era when classic muscle
dominated the roadway.
More than 85 cars were on display
at the free show last year, and club
President Gordon Blankenship said he
hopes even more will attend this year.
The event begins Friday evening
with a poker run and barbecue for
the people showing cars, followed by
Hermiston’s ¿ rst Music in the Park
SEE EVENTS/A14
Legislature writes
check to EOTEC
The end of the 2015 legislative session
came with a $1.5 million gift for the East-
ern Oregon Trade and Event Center.
EOTEC board chair Ed Brookshier said
the money was “absolutely critical” to ¿ ll-
ing some funding gaps to make sure the
project will be ready to
host the Umatilla County
EOTEC Fair and Farm-City Pro
Rodeo in 2016.
“We could not be
happier, we really couldn’t,” he said.
Brookshier said the board has been
in touch with Rep. Greg Smith, R-Hep-
pner, and his staff during the session,
watching as he fought for funding for
the project.
Brookshier said without the money it
would have been dif¿ cult to get everything
done by early 2016. With the money, the
board is con¿ dent that EOTEC will be fair
and rodeo ready by next summer.
— Jade McDowell
Rep. Smith
Brookshier
HERALD PHOTO
Class of 1980
reunion
this month
The Hermiston High School
Class of 1980 is hosting its 35th
class reunion Friday, July 17, and
Saturday, July 18, in Hermiston.
Friday’s event is a 1980s theme
night for socializing and bowling
at Desert Lanes Bowling Alley
in Hermiston. Festivities begin
at 7 p.m. Saturday will feature a
golf tournament at Big River Golf
Course in Umatilla. It begins at 8
a.m. and costs $40 for 18 holes
and a cart. At 9 a.m. Saturday, a
walk starts at Hermiston’s River-
front Park.
The ¿ nal event Saturday, July
18, is dinner and dancing at Stet-
son’s Steakhouse in Hermiston.
The social hour begins at 6 p.m.
and runs for an hour. At 6:30 p.m.
is a class picture, and dinner be-
gins at 7 p.m. with a choice of
prime rib or chicken buffet. The
dinner includes a memorial and
awards presentation, followed by
dancing.
The registration deadline is
Tuesday, July 7. The cost, exclud-
ing golf, is $40 per person or $20
person without dinner. Checks
may be mailed to Di Fordice,
29723 Minnehaha Road, Hermis-
ton, or people can register at www.
debbibaioa.com.