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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 2017)
NEWS A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2017 Holiday events spread cheer Saturday By JADE MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER E cho celebrated an early Thanks- giving while Hermiston celebrated Christmas even earlier on Saturday. At Hermiston Public Library on Saturday morning, children sat at tables with small “Christmas bell” tree ornaments made from plastic cups, stu- diously sticking Santa, snowman and penguin stickers to their crafts. Guadalupe Thomas said she brings her children Aviana Thomas, 6, Ana Ramirez, 10, and Jerasiah Thomas, 3, to the library “a lot” to participate in crafts, reading activities or just to browse the books. “It’s really nice the library puts on so many fun things for kids,” she said. The children said they were excited for Christmas and they were having a good time making ornaments. “It’s fun and then we get to keep them and put them on our tree,” Ana said. Dena Hill said she brought her daughters Genelle and Jacenda to make ornaments because they loved to do crafts. She has been trying to bring them to the library more often lately. “It’s family-friendly,” she said. Some places may have been jump- ing straight into Christmas events, but at Echo Community Methodist Church at noon it was all about Thanksgiving. Young families, elderly couples and single people all mingled in the base- ment of the church for Echo’s annual community Thanksgiving meal. Women and children were allowed to go first after a volunteer said an opening prayer, but Daniel “Buster” McClinton, who has lived in Echo for 13 years, was in line shortly behind them with a cookie sheet, ready to use it as a make-shift tray to deliver plates of turkey and stuffing to those who were in a wheelchair and would have difficultly navigating the line. McClinton said as “the only black Isaiah Hindman, 4, of Irrigon, places a sticker on a bell made from a plastic cup on Saturday at the Hermiston Public Library. Isaiah’s bell and others made at the hourlong workshop will go on Hermiston’s community Christmas tree. STAFF PHOTOS BY KATHY ANEY Santa greets a little boy Saturday during the Altrusa Annual Holiday Bazaar at the Pendleton Convention Center. Wade Waterland, 7, chats with Santa about his Christmas wish list Saturday during the Altrusa Annual Holiday Bazaar at the Pendleton Convention Center. person in Echo” he felt he should get to know everyone in the community, so he volunteers around town and helps Sierra Hermsen, 5, laughs Saturday at the annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Echo Community Church as her father, Rudy Hermsen, concentrates on eating. elderly residents with things like get- ting wood for their wood stoves. He said he enjoys the community meal each year. “Even people who don’t go to this church seem to show up,” he said. “This is the gathering.” Patsy Gehrke, who was keeping an eye on the pie table to make sure the children running around didn’t sneak too many slices, said they expected about 70 people on Saturday. She attends the “close-knit” Echo Commu- nity Church and said she likes helping out with their events. John Marcum, the church’s pastor, said as Echo’s only active church, they try to serve the community as much as possible. It helps that the mayor and several city councilors are congregants and were serving food in the hot line Saturday. “We’re trying to do good things,” he said. Linda Nelson enjoyed the meal, particularly the sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes with turkey gravy. “They always have such good Thanksgiving dinners,” she said. Councilor’s mother killed by impaired driver Police reported that Austin Haynes, 22, of Chiloquin was southbound in a Dodge Ram pickup when he crossed into The fight against drunk the northbound lane and into driving has new meaning a blue 1996 Ford Aerostar to Hermiston city councilor van driven by Melquiades John Kirwan after his mother Ibarra, 57, whom the family was killed by an impaired described in Paulette’s obit- uary as her “soulmate” and driver just over a week ago. The call came “longtime partner in shortly before 6 p.m. life.” on Nov. 10. Kirwan’s Haynes was not sister told him their injured and Ibarra mother, Paulette Kir- sustained some inju- ries, but Paulette, wan, 66, had been riding in the front involved in a serious Paulette seat of the van, was crash on Highway Kirwan killed. 97 outside Klam- ath Falls, where she According to lives. Less than half an hour the news station, Haynes later the Oregon State Police showed “signs of impair- notified the family that Pau- ment” and was lodged in lette had died at the scene. the Klamath County Jail on “You just don’t think charges of manslaughter, you’re going to get that call,” reckless endangering, assault John said. III and driving while under According to news sta- the influence of intoxicants. tion KDRV, the Oregon State John said his fam- By JADE MCDOWELL and PHIL WRIGHT STAFF WRITERS The support you need to find quality SENIOR LIVING SOLUTIONS A Place for Mom has helped over one million families find senior living solutions that meet their unique needs. There’s no cost to you! ily, including two broth- ers, two sisters, Paulette’s grandchildren, her twin sis- ter and other members of a large family were all “tak- ing it pretty rough,” as were his mother’s co-workers and friends. “All of these people were affected permanently by someone’s decision to get behind the wheel and drive,” he said. Paulette worked for Klamath and Lake Commu- nity Action Services, help- ing the area’s struggling resi- dents with things like getting their heating bill paid. John said she was a loving, gen- erous person who “would bend over backwards to help anybody.” The family can’t have a funeral until Dec. 2 because they have to wait for an autopsy that will aid in the criminal investigation into her death. John said it was difficult on the family to not have closure right away. They’ve also spent time thinking about the conse- quences of impaired driving. “People think, I have no way home, I can’t leave my car here, I can’t call some- one,” John said, “but I would urge anyone who has had too much to drink to find another way home.” Hermiston Police Depart- ment has seen a big drop in DUII arrests, with 50 so far this year compared to 90 for 2016, but Chief Jason Edmis- ton said that doesn’t neces- sarily mean a drop in drunk driving so much as a hectic year for the department. “We have had two retire- ments, one new officer at the academy, one new lat- eral officer (an officer from another agency), two extended medical leaves of FAMILY DENTISTRY 541-567-8161 995 W. Orchard Ave., Hermiston MOFE HD CHANNELS, FASTEF INTEFNET AND UNLIMITED VOICE. Ryan M. Wieseler, D.D.S . COUNSELING AS LOW AS 29 99 $ /per mo. for 12 mos when bundled* 331 SE 2nd St., 595 NW 11th St., 866-343-4473 Pendleton, OR 97801 Hermiston, OR 97838 Office: 541-276-6207 WWW . LIFEWAYS . 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But Hermiston police catching impaired drivers could take a quick tick up. “Even though we had a lot of change, we will be out there in an overtime capacity working on grants specific to impaired driving this holiday season,” Edmiston said. “It’s still important for us to be proactive.” Oregon law enforcement • Adult, Child and Family Therapy • Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment • Mental Health and Crisis Services • Confidential and Professional Care LIFEWAYS PENDLETON Crisis Phone: LIFEWAYS HERMISTON • Speeds up to 60Mbps • Unlimited data – no data caps 125+ CHANNELS *Through Nov. 15 LET US BE THE ONE THAT HELPS! ~ N ew Patients Welcome~ ! We’re paid by our partner communities 2014 — 103 2016 — 90 2015 — 83 2017 — 50* agencies made 3,915 arrests for DUII through the second quarter of this year, accord- ing to the “State Of Oregon Report Of Criminal Offenses And Arrests.” The statewide total for 2016 was 8,484 and 2015 was 7,987. Crashes involving drunk drivers increases this time of year. According to the National Highway Traf- fic Safety Administration, 37,461 people died in traffic crashes in 2016, and 28 per- cent (10,497) of those fatal- ities were in crashes with a driver who had a blood alco- hol level over the legal limit of .08 percent. That same year, 781 peo- ple died in drunk-driving-re- lated crashes in December alone. During Decembers from 2012-2016, the NHTSA reports 28 percent of crash fatalities — 3,995 people — involved a drunk driver. MEDICAL DIRECTORY Family Dentistry CALL (855) 864-4711 Hermiston DUII arrests 89 $ from 97 /mo each for 12 mos when bundled* 115 W. Hermiston Ave. Suite 130 541-567-1837 CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED RETAILER 855-613-2321 *Bundle price for TV Select, Internet and Voice is $89.97/mo. for year 1; standard rates apply after year 1. Available Internet speeds may vary by address. WiFi: Equipment, activation and installation fees apply. 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