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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017
HermistonHerald.com
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FIND OUT JAZMIN AVALOS’
FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN TOWN
PAGE A2
REST IN PEACE
AN AIRMAN FROM UMATILLA
WAS THE SECOND AMERICAN
SERVICEMAN TO DIE IN SYRIA
PAGE A3
SPADEFULS OF FUN
A WORK PARTY AT HERMISTON’S
COMMUNITY GARDEN WILL HELP
THE GARDEN BLOOM PAGE A4
PLEA DEAL
MICHAEL HOCKENSMITH WILL
SERVE FIVE YEARS OF PROBA-
TION AFTER LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEIZED NEARLY 200 HEAD OF
MALNOURISHED CATTLE
PAGE A14
FILE PHOTO
BRIEFLY
Walla Walla Ballet Folklorico dancers perform a traditional dance during the
2015 Hermiston Cinco de Mayo festival.
Presentation
explains the
Passover tradition
Cinco de Mayo
moves to Butte Park,
grows to two days
By JADE McDOWELL
who serves on the council, called
“disappointing” — to not allow
ermiston’s Cinco de a beer garden in the park during
Mayo celebration will be the event. She said the revenue
bigger this year after the from the beer garden would have
committee that runs the helped cover the cost of the bands
event decided to add a second day. and provided seed money for next
“Our vision is for it to be the year’s event. Instead, they will
largest Cinco de Mayo celebration have to step up their search for
in Eastern Ore-
sponsorships.
gon,” committee
The event has
chair Clara Beas
featured a beer
Fitzgerald said.
garden in the
This is Beas
past when it took
Fitzgerald’s fi rst
place on Second
year being in
Street
outside
charge of the
City Hall, but
event, which will
there is a city or-
run May 6-7 in
dinance against
Butte Park. The
alcohol in city
celebration will
parks.
include a parade,
“We’ve out-
a speech by Port-
grown Second
land’s
consul
(Street) and with
general of Mex-
breaking ground
ico, a carnival,
on the senior
food, entertain-
center, it just
– Committee chair
ment,
compe-
isn’t feasible,”
titions, a youth Clara Beas Fitzgerald she said. Con-
dance, an adult
struction on the
dance and fi reworks.
Eastern Oregon Trade and Event
Planning for the celebration has Center grounds also ruled that lo-
hit a few snags as it has gone along, cation out.
including a recent city council de-
See MOVE, A14
cision — which Beas Fitzgerald,
Staff Writer
Our vision is
for it to be the
largest Cinco
de Mayo
celebration
in Eastern
Oregon
FILE PHOTO
A competitor in the Dancing Horse Competition puts his
horse through the paces during the 2015 Cinco de Mayo
celebration in Hermiston.
FILE PHOTO
Food is plentiful during a past Cinco de Mayo celebration in
Hermiston.
Police identify cyclist killed Monday night
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
Hermiston Herald
The Hermiston Police Depart-
ment has released the name of the
cyclist who died Monday night in
a collision with a semi truck.
Javier Estrada Gutierrez, 55,
of Hermiston was traveling on his
bike north on Highway 395 across
East Elm Avenue when he collid-
ed with the back wheels of a semi
truck that was turning right onto
Elm Avenue from the highway. He
died at the scene.
The truck’s driver, Daniel
Rodelo, 54, is from out of state
and was driving a produce truck
bound for Pasco.
Chief Jason Edmiston of the
Hermiston Police Department
said the investigation is still on-
going. Rodelo provided a volun-
tary breath and urine sample, and
there is no indication that he was
impaired.
“Based on where Mr. Gutier-
rez (was) impacted by the truck,
there is a possibility the driver
was unaware of what took place
behind him,” he said. “The truck
driver began negotiating his turn
on a green light, and by the time
the collision took place, the light
was yellow.”
Edmiston said the investigation
may take a while, but part of it will
include looking at the driver’s log
book to see whether he was taking
adequate rest breaks and examin-
ing whether there are other factors
that could have contributed to the
collision.
Edmiston said Rodelo has vol-
unteered all the information police
have asked for, and it is not a crim-
inal investigation at this point.
Police are also reviewing video
footage from traffi c cameras at the
intersection.
The collision happened around
8:19 p.m. Monday night, and
Umatilla County Fire District 1
was at the scene within one min-
ute. Hermiston police arrived at
the scene shortly after, and the
Oregon State Police stayed at the
scene for a crash reconstruction.
Edmiston said Rodelo contin-
ued on Highway 207, and Oregon
State Police stopped him on High-
way 730 near the Washington bor-
der and brought him back to the
station. OSP also processed the
semi truck for evidence.
Family and/or friends of Guti-
errez also arrived was at the scene
within a half hour of the crash,
and police chaplains were on hand
to offer them counsel.
A re-creation of a tra-
ditional Passover service
will present the story of
Jesus’ death and resurrec-
tion.
“Christ in the Passover”
is Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30
p.m. at the Hermiston First
Christian Church, 775 W.
Highland Ave. There is no
admission charge.
Presented by Yoel Ben
David of Jews for Jesus, an
explanation will be provid-
ed as he sets a table with
items traditionally used at
a Passover meal. David
also will explain the con-
nection between events of
the fi rst Passover in Egypt,
the redemption that Jesus
accomplished and the deep
bond between the ancient
feast and the present day
Christian communion cel-
ebration.
Also, a DVD of the pre-
sentation featuring Jews
for Jesus executive direc-
tor David Brickner and
the book “Christ in the
Passover,” co-written by
the organization’s found-
er Moishe Rosen, will be
available at the event.
For more information,
call 541-567-3013. For
more about Jews for Jesus,
visit www.jewsforjesus.
org.
Columbia Grange
sets Saturday
meals, fl ea market
Breakfast, a lunch
spread featuring turkey
and a fl ea market provide
a full day at the Columbia
Grange.
Open Saturday from
7 a.m. to 4 p.m., break-
fast (price varies) will be
served as soon as the doors
open and lunch ($7) starts
at noon. The grange is lo-
cated at 32339 Diagonal
Blvd., Hermiston. Also,
there will be lots of addi-
tional goodies to eat.
Table space for the fl ea
market costs $8. For more
information, call Doris at
541-567-8663 or Pat at
541-567-5706.