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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2017)
INSIDE THIS WEEK FARM-CITY PRO RODEO SPECIAL SECTION FOR COWBOYS Hermiston Herald ld HermistonHerald.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2017 INSIDE THREE MINUTES WITH... MEET JAYSON PAKULAK, THE OWNER OF BRICKHOUSE COFFE AND BISTRO. PAGE A2 BY COWBOYS AUG. 9-12 2017 IN HERMISTON $1.00 FAIR-LY READY HEAT IS ON NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPS COULD BE SET THIS WEEK. PAGE A3 SHUTDOWN CONTROVERSIAL STANFIELD DEHYDRATION PLANT CLOSES TEMPORARILY FOR REPAIRS. PAGE A3 CHURCH OPENS DINER DESERT ROSE OPENS A RESTAURANT TO PROVIDE JOBS FOR PEOPLE GETTING BACK ON THEIR FEET. PAGE A8 BY THE WAY Moose award two scholarships Stanfi eld Lodge No. 920 Loyal Order of Moose awarded $1,000 scholar- ships to Laci Wiggins and Ryan Bailey. Wiggins, who graduated from Echo High School, plans to attend Blue Moun- tain Community College to study agriculture and busi- ness. Bailey, who graduat- ed as valedictorian of his class at Stanfi eld Secondary School, will continue his education at Eastern Ore- gon University with a focus on economy and politics. Members of the Stan- fi eld Moose Lodge con- gratulates the two youths and wishes them the best as they pursue future plans. • • • A Hermiston physician was surprised this past spring, as he was presented with a Quilt of Valor. Dr. Bruce Carlson re- ceived the quilt after Tina Newson, one of his patients, made arrangements for the presentation after contacting J. Marie Norris, Oregon state coordinator for Quilts of Valor. Newson was on STAFF PHOTO BY KATHY ANEY Volunteer Ryan Myers lays sod Saturday at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center arena. The facility’s fi rst major event, the Umatilla County Fair, will kick off next week. Volunteers adding fi nishing touches FAQ about new fair and rodeo facility Contractors get help from community in fi nal days before fair Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center gears up for fi rst fair and rodeo next week Rivera offered job as interim manager By JADE McDOWELL STAFF WRITER Roughly 300 volunteers donned work gloves Saturday to help en- sure Hermiston’s Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center is ready for the Umatilla County Fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo. They fi lled black garbage bags with brush and weeds. They painted Thousands of Umatilla Coun- ty residents are about to get their fi rst look at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center next week as the project hosts its fi rst Uma- tilla County Fair and Farm-City The candidate for interim man- ager of the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center has been iden- tifi ed — but he has yet to accept the job. During a special meeting called for Monday afternoon, the proj- ect’s board unanimously approved a motion to hire Hermiston Energy Services superintendent Nate Ri- vera to act as manager for a period “not to exceed” six months, and authorized board chair and Herm- iston City Manager Byron Smith to work out the terms with Rivera. See VOLUNTEERS, A4 See FAQ, A6 See RIVERA, A4 By PHIL WRIGHT STAFF WRITER By JADE McDOWELL STAFF WRITER See BTW, A4 Annual Portland watermelon giveaway Friday Several Hermistonians will head west this Friday for a spitting contest — watermelon seed-spitting, that is. Mayor David Drotz- mann will face off against Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler in this summer- time favorite, as part of the two cities’ annual wa- termelon giveaway on Fri- day at 11 a.m., at Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW Sixth Ave., Portland. The event dates back to the 1991, when former Hermiston Mayor Frank Harkenrider challenged then-mayor of Portland, Bud Clark, to a watermel- on seed-spitting contest. The event became an an- nual tradition that lasted until 2008. In 2015, the two towns revived the event, with Hermiston rep- resentatives returning each summer with truckloads full of produce to give to eager Portland residents. Local farms donate produce for the event, in- cluding Bellinger Farms, Walchli Farms, and other farms that chose not to be named. This year, Drotz- mann, Hermiston council- ors Jackie Myers and Rod Hardin will have dinner on Thursday night with Wheeler and Seraphie Al- len, the assistant for poli- cy and community affairs for the city of Portland. The group will discuss ways for the two cities to work together. The next day, the group, including council- or Lori Davis, and sev- eral representatives from the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce, including the group’s executive di- rector, Debbie Pedro, will gather at Pioneer Court- house Square for the seed-spitting contest, re- marks from both mayors, and to distribute produce. “This is a great event that continues to build on our relationship with our partners in Portland,” Drotzmann said. CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF HERMISTON Mayor David Drotzmann and other members of the Hermiston delegation pass out watermelons in 2016 during the annual watermelon giveaway at Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square. Hermiston offi cials return to Portland for the traditional event on Friday to promote Hermiston watermelons and other locally grown produce.