Hermiston
T-WOLVES
TIE
DOWN
TITLES
SPORTS Page 9
Herald
ld
HermistonHerald.com
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016
Bulldogs
battle
for sweep
$1.00
ABOUT TOWN
Corrections staff celebrated
at Two Rivers
Hermiston
taxi company
out of service
Page 3
SPORTS Page 9
By JADE McDOWELL
celebrando la cultura
Staff writer
HERMISTON CINCO DE MAYO
STAFF PHOTO BY JENNIFER COLTON
Children walk in the Hermiston Cinco de Mayo parade, Sunday in Hermiston.
HERMISTON EVENT CELEBRATES LATINO CULTURE
By JENNIFER COLTON
Staff Writer
O
n paper, Hermiston’s popula-
tion is 37 percent Hispanic,
and the actual numbers could
be higher. Many of those res-
idents have called Hermiston
home for two or three gener-
ations, and celebrations like Cinco de
Mayo keep their history and culture
alive.
“This is a very symbolic event for
our community,” said organizer Eddie
de la Cruz. “This is an event that has
gotten bigger and better every year, and
we feel very privileged to have the sup-
port of the community.”
Cinco de Mayo, offi cially on Thurs-
day, May 5, recognizes the day the
Mexican Army, outnumbered and with
limited technology, defeated the French
Army in 1862. Sunday, Hermiston’s
celebration of the holiday included a
parade through downtown, a carnival,
vendors, food and live entertainment
across from Hermiston City Hall.
Held for almost two decades at
See HERMISTON, A14
STAFF PHOTO BY JENNIFER COLTON
A mariachi band plays while horses — and their riders — compete in the caballo bailando
competition Sunday in front of Hermiston City Hall.
Boardman plans sizzling Cinco de Mayo event
By TAMMY MALGESINI
Community Editor
The weather is heating
up and organizers of the
Boardman Cinco de Mayo
festival are getting ready to
serve up a sizzling time this
weekend.
Music, food and fun are
featured during the event,
which is Saturday from
4-10 p.m. at Boardman Ma-
rina Park, located off Ma-
rine Drive. Sponsored by
the Morrow County Unifi ed
Recreation District, there is
no admission charge for the
festival.
Maria Richards, one of
the event organizers, said
the celebration is a little
See BOARDMAN, A14
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Folkloric dancers provide a colorful display during the 2015 Boardman Cinco de Mayo
festival. This year’s event is Saturday from 4-10 p.m. at Boardman Marina Park.
A year after the Herm-
iston City Council voted
to open up taxi service in
the city to competition,
Hermiston is down to one
taxi company again.
The phone number for
Hermiston Transit Ser-
vices was disconnected
about a month ago, and
a message returned via
the company’s Facebook
page confi rmed they are
no longer in service.
Umatilla Cab Compa-
ny, the other service pick-
ing up riders in Hermiston
since the city did away
with Hermiston Transit’s
exclusive franchise, has
seen its call volume shoot
up in the last few weeks,
owner Sundi Marquez
said.
“It’s a little bit over-
whelming,” she said.
The company is work-
ing on adding more driv-
ers and cars to its six-per-
son staff to handle the
increased client load, but
Marquez said hiring qual-
ifi ed drivers and putting
them through the city’s
background check pro-
cess takes time. People in
the meantime might have
to wait longer than they’re
used to for a cab.
“We appreciate the pa-
tience while we iron out
the wrinkles,” she said.
She said calling ahead
to arrange rides instead of
saying “I have a doctor’s
appointment in 15 min-
utes” helps. She also said
contrary to rumor, Herm-
iston Transit has not com-
bined with Umatilla Cab
Company, so she doesn’t
have any answers for the
people who have called to
ask why Hermiston Tran-
sit’s dispatch line no lon-
ger works.
Assistant city manager
Mark Morgan said Herm-
iston Transit Services still
has a license from the city
to operate, so if the busi-
ness is no longer taking
calls, it is a decision on
their end.
In October, however,
the city revoked Hermis-
ton Transit’s contract for
the senior and disabled
ride program. The pro-
gram allows senior and
disabled residents to pur-
chase one-way ride tickets
for $2 apiece, which cab
companies can redeem at
city hall for $6.15.
City staff at the time
said Hermiston Tran-
sit broke the contract by
giving a client a ride in
a vehicle without proper
insurance, while the cab
company’s staff contend-
ed the ride was a per-
sonal favor and no ticket
changed hands.
Morgan said after that
incident, Hermiston Tran-
sit continued to offer long-
time senior and disabled
clients a $2 ride on its
own dime, which caused
a “signifi cant” drop in the
amount of money the city
was spending to subsidize
the senior and disabled
ride program, still running
through Umatilla Cab
Company.
Taxi companies in larg-
er cities are increasingly
seeing competition from
ride-sharing companies
such as Uber, which uses
an app to connect people
needing rides with nearby
drivers willing to use their
own car to pick someone
up in exchange for pay-
ment.