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
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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-
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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
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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.
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“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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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opinion of Gov. Kate
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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
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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
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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. Deschutes Ave.
Kennewick, WA
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