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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 2015)
NEWS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 Hansell looks to next legislative session Senator also gives his assessment of session STAFF PHOTO BY JADE McDOWELL City staff have removed the six-foot security fence topped with barbed wire that lined the south side of Sunset Park and now plan to remove the driveway pictured in the background, connecting the park to the lot on the other side. Sunset Park expansion begins By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer Children and families vis- iting Sunset Park in Hermis- ton will have twice as much room to play after city em- SOR\HHVDUH¿QLVKHGUHQRYDW- ing the park. Work began last week to tear out shorter chain link fences in front of the park and the forbidding six-foot security fences that previ- ously lined the south side of the park. Before winter weather hits, the city will also tear out the asphalt driveway leading into the Public Works depart- ment from Fourth Street to move it to Elm Avenue, con- necting the current Sunset Park area with an adjacent empty lot that the city recent- ly purchased. Parks and Recreation di- rector Larry Fetter said the effect will be a larger, more welcoming park. “It will feel twice the VL]H´KHVDLG He is currently pursuing grants to put new playground equipment at the park and to add a basketball court or oth- er sport court. Right now Sunset Park, located east of Northeast Fourth Street between Elm Avenue and Willow Court, doesn’t give off the friend- liest vibe, Fetter said, which discourages some potential use. In addition to major im- provements like new park equipment he said replacing chain link fence with attrac- tive landscaping, improving irrigation, adding a deten- WLRQSRQGWRDGGUHVVÀRRGLQJ and working to signalize the crosswalk leading to the park should increase the number of people using the park. “All of that combined should make it a much more LQYLWLQJSDUN´KHVDLG Fetter said the extra lot purchased to expand the park only cost the city $20,000 and he is using in-house Parks and Recreation staff to perform the work of reno- vating the park to keep costs down. Walkways and extra land- scaping will be added to the park in the spring. Presidio Brass kicks off Desert Arts season down memory lane. The high-energy performance, Corp said, features many Celebrating the world familiar tunes with new ar- of Hollywood, audience rangements. members can enjoy famil- &DOOLQJ LW ¿UVWFODVV HQ- iar songs as Presidio Brass tertainment, Shovelski said opens the 2015-16 Desert people can expect a big Arts Council season. dose of humor, creative The group presents jazz artistry and sensitive mo- and classical music used in ments. PRYLHV ¿OP VRXQGWUDFNV “The music evokes a lot and musicals with a brass PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY DESERT ARTS COUNCIL RIPHPRULHV´&RUSDGGHG quintet, piano and percus- sion instruments. Presidio Brass opens the 2015-16 Desert Arts Council season “And they are very engag- ing with the audience, so “There are going to be Saturday in the Hermiston High School auditorium. WKDW¶VDOZD\VIXQ´ songs that are recogniz- Ticket packages or sin- DEOHWRSHRSOH´VDLG0DU\ St. Tickets purchased in said, can learn more about Corp, past president of advance are $35 for adults career possibilities in the gle show tickets can be and $17.50 for students. music industry and are en- purchased at www.deser- Desert Arts. The unique sound of the Tickets bought at the door couraged to attend the eve- tartscouncil.com. In addi- tion, people can buy Pre- ning performance. San Diego-based group are an additional $5. “We’re trying to in- sidio Brass tickets at the Corp and the rest of the captivates audiences, add- ed Phyllis Shovelski, Des- Desert Arts Council are crease the participation Hermiston Chamber of ert Arts president. People hoping more youths will RI WKLV DJH EUDFNHW´ VKH Commerce, 415 S. High- will be tapping their toes attend the performance. To said. “We really enjoy the way 395, or Hermiston and cheering for more, she help expose them to high youthful audience. It adds Parks & Recreation, 180 N.E. Second St. caliber musicians, Presidio DORW´ said. For more information, The program, titled Presidio Brass performs Brass will present a mas- Saturday at 7 p.m. in the ter’s class for Hermiston ³6RXQGV RI WKH &LQHPD´ visit www.facebook.com/ Hermiston High School High School band mem- provides an opportunity desertarts or call 541-567- auditorium, 600 S. First bers. The students, Corp for the audience to walk 1800. By TAMMY MALGESINI Community Editor City puts potential pot-growing property owners on notice The city of Hermis- ton has mailed more than 1,700 notices to commer- cial property owners about the effects of a proposed ordinance banning all commercial marijuana ac- tivity within the city limits. The legal notice, re- quired as part of the pro- cess to change the city’s land use codes, states that the ban “may affect your SURSHUW\YDOXHV´ A news release from the FLW\FODUL¿HGWKDWWKHHIIHFW if any, would come from no longer being allowed to grow, process or sell mari- juana on the property. During its Aug. 24 meeting the city council directed staff to begin the process to update Hermis- ton codes for all zones to outlaw any land use not in compliance with state or federal laws. While mari- juana was legalized in Ore- gon last year through Mea- sure 91, it is still illegal at the federal level. “Hermiston voters, and Umatilla County voters as BREASTFEEDING CLASSES One class covers breastfeeding benefits, pumping and much more. Come to this FREE class taught by a certified lactation consultant, & learn techniques that make for a successful experience. Free, but please pre-register. October 7 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm GSMC Conference Center 3 & 4 BABYSITTING BASICS 101 a whole, opposed Measure E\ SHUFHQW´ %\URQ Smith, the city manager, said in the news release. “The proposed ban there- fore uses the allowances in Measure 91 to strengthen our existing marijuana pro- KLELWLRQV´ The Planning Com- mission will hold a public hearing on the proposed or- dinance at 7 p.m., Oct. 14, at City Hall, and the City Council will hold a public hearing on the issue at 7 p.m., Oct. 26, at City Hall. The full notice to proper- ty owners is available at www.hermiston.or.us. Providing the Most Advanced Digital Hearing Technology A family run business for over 50 Years 541-276-3155 1-800-678-3155 29 SW Dorion Pendleton 236 E Newport Hermiston www.ruhearing.com Meet Your Cancer Crushing Team Sue Mandell, MD Medical Director Radiation Oncologist Your Tri-Cities Cancer Center has invested in the latest radiation technology: the Edge™ radiosurgery system from Varian. Juno Choe, MD, PhD Radiation Oncologist For babysitters ages 10-15. Learn childcare techniques, children's developmental ages and what to expect, basic first aid and infant and child CPR. October 3 • 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Guy Jones, MD Radiation Oncologist GSMC Conference Room $30 - includes lunch & all class materials. Must pre-register & pre-pay. Saving Lives Everyday... For information or to register for a class, call (541) 667-3509 or email healthinfo@gshealth.org funding package that will increase agricultural irriga- tion in the Umatilla Basin. He also said veteran colleagues told him it was By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer the most partisan session As Sen. Bill Hansell they had ever seen. “We passed bills I don’t 5$WKHQD SHUIRUPV D ¿- nal round of postmortems think are good for busi- on the 2015 legislative ses- ness; we passed bills that sion, he also has an eye on were not good for family the future. YDOXHVDQGSDUHQWDOULJKWV´ During a town hall at he said. Nookies Restaurant in Hansell said unfor- Hermiston on Mon- tunately it seemed day, he said he hasn’t like many west-side decided for sure what Democrats didn’t issues he will address care that new regula- during the short ses- tions, like mandatory sion in February, but sick leave, hurt small he is interested in businesses. creating a bill that In response to a would ask Union Hansell question about his 3DFL¿F WR SD\ PRUH opinion of Gov. Kate WRZDUG¿UHVXSSUHVVLRQ Brown, Hansell said obvi- Hansell said constitu- ously from a policy stand- ents in Morrow County point Brown is much more recently alerted him to the liberal than he is. However, fact that the railroad com- he also said she had prov- pany is exempt from pay- en very accessible and he ing property taxes toward admired how she handled lighting districts, road im- being suddenly thrust into SURYHPHQWGLVWULFWVDQG¿UH the role of governor during districts. the middle of a legislative “We all know trains session when the “ship of VWDUW¿UHV´KHVDLG VWDWH´KDGDOUHDG\VHWVDLO Hansell said his of- Hansell said one of ¿FH ZDV LQ WKH SURFHVV RI Brown’s early speaking researching the original opportunities as gover- reasoning for exempting nor was brought about by 8QLRQ 3DFL¿F IRU SD\LQJ Umatilla County growers’ WD[HV WR VXSSRUW ¿UH GLV- donation of almost 40 tons tricts, but it didn’t seem of potatoes and several fair that an entity that often hundred pounds of onions FDXVHG¿UHVZDVQ¶WKHOSLQJ for what he plans to make SD\UXUDO¿UHGLVWULFWVWRSXW WKH ³¿UVW DQQXDO´ 6SXG them out. Day at the capitol. Each senator gets only Hansell said the Sen- two bills to introduce ate and the House com- GXULQJWKH³VKRUWVHVVLRQ´ pete annually to see which which is intended to make chamber can raise the most tweaks to the budget and food for the governor’s ¿[ XQIRUHVHHQ SUREOHPV food drive for charity and caused by new laws rather the House always wins be- than to introduce sweeping cause it has so many more changes. Hansell said he members. was considering introduc- When a Senate col- ing wolf-related legislation league joked this year that for another bill and has they should just bring in set up a visit to Wallowa a truckload of potatoes to County for Sen. Chris Ed- beat the House, Hansell wards, chair of the Senate said he took him at his Environment and Natural word and helped arrange Resources Committee, to the donation from Bud discuss it. Rich Potato and Amstad In response to questions Farms. about what bills that failed “Needless to say the in 2015 might come back Senate absolutely walked in 2016, Hansell said he be- DZD\ ZLWK WKH KRQRUV´ lieves raising the minimum Hansell said. wage will end up being de- He said he made sure cided by a ballot measure, each of his colleagues got a not a bill in February. He ¿YHSRXQGEDJRISRWDWRHV also said legislative leaders DQG¿YHSRXQGEDJRIRQ- have indicated the 35-day ions on their desk remind- session isn’t enough time ing them that the produce to try to resurrect the trans- was a product of irrigation portation package but that in the Umatilla Basin. it “will be in the forefront Despite the partisan na- RI´ ture of the 2015 session, Hansell characterized Hansell said the donation the 2015 session as the from Umatilla County “good, the bad and the growers involved in Farm- XJO\´ +H KDLOHG DFFRP- ers Ending Hunger created plishments like the water ³XQEHOLHYDEOHJRRGZLOO´ 7350 W. 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