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COMMUNITY
School board discusses expansion projects
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
THREE MINUTES WITH ...
By JAYATI
RAMAKRISHNAN
Staff Writer
At its Monday night
meeting, the Hermiston
School Board heard updates
on several major expansion
projects that the district will
tackle in the future.
The board unanimous-
ly approved plans to
move forward with the
construction of the Har-
kenrider Center, the new
senior center that will be
built at Ridgeway Avenue
near the Hermiston Public
Library.
The school district owns
the property and signed a
50-year lease with the city
for that property, at $1 per
year.
Construction is sched-
uled to be fi nished by Au-
gust of this year.
Facilities Director Mike
Kay gave the board a pre-
sentation on the Hermiston
High School site expansion
plans. Demolition work on
the current Umatilla Coun-
ty Fairgrounds, onto which
Hermiston High School
plans to expand, is sched-
uled to start in June.
A portion of the former
fairgrounds will be used for
student parking that can be
accessed off Orchard Ave-
nue.
Kay presented on the
scope of the project, and
the timeline. After a bid
on May 15, demolition is
scheduled to begin June 12
and the project should be
mostly completed by Sept.
22.
Work will include clear-
ing the site of several build-
ings, except for Thompson
and Hoeft halls, before lay-
ing the groundwork for a
parking lot and an irrigation
loop to water the grass.
Kay also provided an
update to the economic im-
pact study of the school’s
athletic facilities.
The athletic economic
impact study reviewed how
Hermiston’s athletic facili-
ties are used throughout the
region, and tried to answer
several questions: what is
the economic impact of
HSD facilities on the local
economy, the impact from
the district hosting outside
events, and potential im-
pact of adding more events
at those facilities.
The study, conducted
by Eugene fi rm EcoNW,
found that in the past three
years, the district had host-
ed 1,228 events, with total
attendance of 485,186. All
but 159 of those events
were district-related. Atten-
dance at those events gen-
erated an estimated $13.2
million spent on goods and
services in the community,
and supported about 256
full-time jobs.
HERMISTON HISTORY
Residents urged to list rooms available
in the community 75 years ago today
25 YEARS AGO
APRIL 14, 1992
• The Hermiston Bull-
dogs (8-4 overall, 2-0 in the
IMC East Division) swept
La Grande, 7-3, 6-2, at La
Grande in a doubleheader.
“I was happy to come away
with two wins,” summed
up fourth-year head coach
Rob Phillips. “Our kids re-
ally battled. We’re playing
better, but we’re still not
where we want to be.”
• Fines issued in the
Hermiston
Municipal
Court will increase July 1.
Municipal Judge Dan Hill
said that “the average traf-
fi c ticket with a $45 bail
will be raised to $52 due to
the increased state assess-
ment.” Of these amounts,
$29 is the city portion of
the fi ne and the rest goes
out to the state and county
for distribution to various
fi nancial accounts. The in-
crease comes after a change
in the legislation govern-
ing municipal fi nes. The
legislation created a new
account called the unitary
assessment which “is hard-
ly unitary,” Hill said. “Uni-
tary implies one account,”
he said.
50 YEARS AGO
APRIL 13, 1967
• Col. Herman P. Hop-
lin, commanding offi cer of
the Umatilla Army Depot
for the past two years and
a highly esteemed fi gure in
local affairs, will be leaving
his present assignment the
fi rst week in July, it was
announced at a press con-
ference held at the Depot
on April 11. Col. Hoplin
will report to his new as-
signment, as General Wil-
liam Westmoreland’s Spe-
cial Assistant for Material
Readiness, in Vietnam, in
August. He will be replaced
at the depot by Col. Wil-
liam J. Whelan, a 45-year
old Ohioan now attending
the Industrial College of
the Armed Forces at Ft.
McNair in Vail, Colorado.
Whelan is slated to take
command of the Depot in
early July.
• Fast sprinters and
smooth hand offs between
runners brought in a fi rst
for Hermiston in the 880
yard relay Friday at the
Mac-Hi Carnival of Speed.
The time for the fl ying
four was a tape breaking
1:36.8, a tenth of a second
faster than the team from
Pendleton. The members
of the cinder-burning relay
team were as follows: Jer-
ry Vasquez, Jim Helmstet-
tler, Tom Ditton and Bry-
an Hendrickson. The team
won a fi rst-place trophy for
the 880-yard relay.
75 YEARS AGO
APRIL 16, 1942
• Every man between 20
and 44 years of age who
registered for Selective Ser-
vice on February 16 must
fi ll out an occupational
questionnaire, which the lo-
cal Selective Service board
will send to him within a
few days. The form must
be returned to the Selec-
tive Service board within
10 days after receipt. The
purpose of this occupation-
al registration, according to
the United States Employ-
ment Service, is to provide
the government with a com-
plete occupational invento-
ry of its manpower. This in-
formation, it was said, will
avoid induction into the
armed forces of men more
urgently needed in war pro-
duction and will also speed
the output of war materials
by prompting the transfer
of workers from non-essen-
tial to essential work.
• Residents are urged to
list rooms. A similar plan as
last year will be attempted
whereby all vacant rooms,
apartments or houses will
be listed in one central
place. Need for more hous-
ing facilities is becoming
more acute every day with
more workers expected dai-
ly. Mary Lou Johnson and
Jean Wilson have offered
their services at the USO
building for the plan. It is
urged that anyone having
any available space notify
this committee by phoning
2821. Inquiries hereafter
will be directed to the USO.
Residents are urged to co-
operate in this matter in
order that every nook and
corner can be fi lled again
this year.
100 YEARS AGO
APRIL 14, 1917
• At least 200 students ,
practically one-third of the
men of the University of
Oregon, will answer the call
to arms in case their country
needs them, according to an
estimate by Karl W. On-
thank, secretary to univer-
sity President P.L. Camp-
bell, who has kept in close
touch with student opinion.
Already 50 students have
enlisted in the Eugene com-
pany of the coast artillery,
while a number have for-
warded their applications
to Washington, D.C., sig-
nifying their willingness to
join the volunteer offi cers’
training camp. This offi cers
camp was authorized by a
recent act of Congress, and
permits college men after a
thorough training and pass-
ing of examination, to enter
the volunteer force as sec-
ond lieutenant.
• Wednesday evening
a meeting was held at the
Civic Center room to dis-
cuss the formation of an
organization of public safe-
ty and to foster patriotism,
working in whatever way
possible to uphold the na-
tion in this time of war.
With the election of Thos.
Campbell as temporary
chairman, the subject was
taken up from every angle
and the greater number of
those present participated.
As fi nally decided upon the
organization was complet-
ed with a view to uphold-
ing the government in all
ways possible, especially
to discourage remarks that
tend to show disrespect to
the nation, thoughtlessly
or otherwise. In a number
of instances these slighting
remarks have been made
in the presence of young
people and cannot help but
have some infl uence. It was
agreed that a group, com-
posed of responsible men
of the community, would
offset this effect and swing
the forming opinions of the
young people in the right
direction. To those few ex-
hibiting a tendency to do
these things it is believed
the organization will have
a good moral effect. If not
more effective steps will be
taken.
ALEX HOBBS
Student at Oregon State
University and ESL Family Liaison
for Umatilla High School and Clara
Brownell Middle School
1) When and why did you move to Herm-
iston?
I was born and raised here. I’ve moved away a cou-
ple times, however, and still came back.... Must be
something about it!
2) What’s your favorite place to eat?
Tacos San Pedro! But we’re spoiled with a lot of
good taquerias around here.
3) What is your favorite activity in your
free time?
Reading. I’m a bookworm.
4) What is the last book you read?
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. It’s a
non-fi ction book about Franklin Roosevelt’s am-
bassador to Germany during Hitler’s consolidation
of power. Defi nitely recommend!
5) What app or website do you use most
often, other than Facebook?
Duolingo. I use it to help with my Spanish.
6) What surprises you about Hermiston?
I’ve lived here my whole life and still manage to
meet new people every day who inspire me.
7) If you could travel anywhere, where
would you go?
Ukraine to see my great-grandparents’ village.
8) Describe the funniest thing that’s ever
happened to you.
It probably involves a toddler boy, some bodily
functions and it’s defi nitely not fi t for print!
9) Name one of your goals for the next 12
months.
Making a difference in the lives of families I work
with.
10) What is your proudest accomplish-
ment?
Finishing my bachelor’s degree while raising two
young boys.
Easter
Celebration Services
Easter Sunrise Service
Come worship with us in the Blue Mountains on Easter Morning!
Enjoy a wonderful complimentary breakfast buffet after the service.
Sunday • April 16, 2017 • 7 AM
At the Historic Meacham Hotel in Meacham, Oregon
Music will be provided by Lon Thornburg
Speaker will be Pastor Wayne Pickens
Service organized by Blue Mountain Christian Cowboys
For questions please call (541) 276-8540 or (541) 969-2677
Peter Rabbit Breakfast
S t A il 15 h th
Sat. April 15th th
7:30 - 10:30 AM
$5.00 for
Breakfast
5 & under
FREE
Face painting,
Easter egg
hunt, Crafts, &
Peter Rabbit
First UnitedÊMethodist Church
iÀÊ ÃÌ]Ê",ÊÊ££Ê°Ê>`ÞÃÊÛi°]Ê
Easter Day, April 16th
Sunrise Worship at the Cross on the Butte: 6:30 AM
Church Worship Services: 10:30 AM
Journey to new life!
Palm to Passion Sunday
April 9 at 10am
Maundy Thursday Supper & Tenebrae
April 13 at 6pm
Easter Celebration with Brass
April 16 at 10am
Holy Humor Sunday
April 23 at 10am
First Presbyterian Church PC(USA)
201 SW Dorion • 541-276-7681
www.pendletonpresbyterian.com
Listen on KUMA 1290 at 10am Sundays