ABOUT TOWN
School
District seeks
distinguished
alumnus
CELEBRATE THE SEASON
STAFF PHOTO BY TAMMY MALGESINI
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HOLIDAY GATHERINGS PROVIDES FESTIVE FUN, CHANCE TO CONNECT
By TAMMY MALGESINI
Community Editor
T
he holiday season provides a perfect oppor-
tunity for people to get together, have fun
and renew friendships.
“We just get so busy with life that we
don’t always take time to see people,” said
Deana Cordell. “I’m glad we have the holi-
days to remind us to do that.”
The Hermiston woman recently held a pot-
luck and Christmas sock exchange in her home.
Attending the Dec. 12 event were women Cordell
has met over the years at an informal coffee klatch.
Preparation for the party, she said, was fair-
Irrigon utility
fees to increase
See PARTIES, A18
HOLIDAY PARTIES
Ugly Christmas Sweater Party
•Wednesday, Dec. 23; 9 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston
No cover. Dancing, karaoke and lip sync your favorite tunes.
Bad Santa Costume Party
•Saturday, Dec. 26; 9 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main St., Hermiston
No cover. Prizes for best costume, DJ music, beer pong and other games.
STAFF PHOTO BY TAMMY MALGESINI
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Christmas Express, assemble!
Volunteers fi ll
an estimated 500
food boxes in less
than an hour
By GARY L. WEST
HERALD EDITOR
The Christmas Express is
rolling, feeding families in
Hermiston for its 46th year.
Staff from the Hermiston
Police Department and oth-
er city departments gathered
with their families Wednesday
night at Thompson Hall on the
Umatilla County Fairgrounds
See FOOD, A18
Hermiston School Dis-
trict is seeking nominations
for its 2016 Distinguished
Alumnus award.
The award is granted an-
nually to recognize excep-
tional Hermiston graduates
who went on to become
leaders in their chosen pro-
IHVVLRQDO¿HOG
Last year’s Distinguished
Alumnus was Stuart Al-
len, who graduated from
Hermiston High School in
1980. In 2001 he founded
Allen Trust Company and
Allen Capital Management
and serves as president and
CEO.
Nominees must have
attended Hermiston High
School for at least two
consecutive years prior to
graduation, be considered a
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with least 15 years of veri-
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be active in community ser-
vice, have a clean criminal
background, have strong
references and be willing to
serve as a mentor to youth in
the community.
The 2016 Distinguished
Alumnus will be revealed
during Hermiston High
School’s Evening of Ex-
cellence on May 10, 2016,
and will speak at the high
school’s commencement
ceremony on June 4, 2016.
Applications are avail-
able at Hermiston High
School, the Hermiston
6FKRRO 'LVWULFW RI¿FHV DQG
online at hermiston.k12.
or.us.
STAFF PHOTO BY GARY L. WEST
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Irrigon residents will
see a slight increase on
their sewer and water
bills next year after the
City Council voted to ad-
just minimum rates.
The council approved
lowering bond fees for
sewer and water as more
users gradually come
onto the system. The dif-
ference, however, was
shifted to the basic utility
charges, resulting in an
overall increase of $1.67
per month for single-fam-
ily homes.
City Manager Aaron
Palmquist said the reve-
nue will be dedicated to
building reserve funds for
infrastructure projects. In
particular, Palmquist said
the city’s water pipes are
decades old and in need
of attention.
³:H¶UH DOUHDG\ ¿QDQ
cially strapped in debt,”
Palmquist said. “We’re
WU\LQJ WR EH JRRG ¿VFDO
managers.”
For a single-family
home, the basic utility
charge for sewer will be
$46.17 and $14.88 for
the bond fee. The basic
utility charge for wa-
ter will be $23.63 and
$15.32 for the bond fee.
All changes will take ef-
fect July 1.
Local
businesses
should contact Irrigon
City Hall at 541-922-
3047 for their adjusted
fee schedule.
— GEORGE PLAVEN