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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 2017)
INSIDE LOCAL STARS TAKE DANCE STAGE | PAGE A4 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017 HermistonHerald.com $1.00 INSIDE LIGHT TIME HERMISTON CELEBRATES HOLIDAYS DOWNTOWN WITH MUSIC AND LIGHTS PAGE A2 BUSTED COM E V ISIT H E R M ISTON ? SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR DRUGS, SEX CRIMES PAGE A5 HIGH ACHIEVER HHS JUNIOR CANDEN GUTIERREZ SETS HIS SIGHTS ON THE IVY LEAGUES PAGE A8 BY THE WAY Santa stranded, still jolly after tree ceremony If you were driving around Hermiston on Thursday night, you may have noticed Santa Claus traveling without his reindeer. The man in red, played by city councilor Doug Primmer, arrived at the city’s tree lighting festival to great fanfare while riding on a fi re truck. But Primmer noted that no one had remembered to arrange for Santa’s ride back to the fi re station after two hours of picture- taking with his young fans. So he hoofed it the quarter of a mile back. Other than that, city councilors and city staff agreed during Monday’s city council meeting that the festival was a success that kept people around watching the entertainment and getting pictures with Santa far longer than in previous years. (For more on the story, see Page A3) Parks and recreation director Larry Fetter said the tree and surrounding lights will be lit each evening until Christmas, with a fl ashing light show for about 10 minutes at the top of every hour from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. • • • Desert Rose is expanding its downtown offerings yet again. See BTW, Page A16 A discarded idea for a county tourism tax highlighted the diff erent approaches to tourism taken by Pendleton and Hermiston By JADE MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER A EO FILE PHOTO (TOP) The Hermiston Family Aquatic Center is one of the city’s few recreational facilities, and is at the base of the city’s most recognizable landmark, the Hermiston Butte. proposed Umatilla County tourism tax was rejected last week, but not before the discussion surrounding it highlighted different approaches to tourism in Hermiston and Pendleton. The proposed 2 percent tax, added to hotel customers’ room bill, would have been earmarked to promote tourism in Umatilla County via grants, product development and marketing. But after county commissioner Bill Elfering listened to concerns from hote- liers and others during a meeting in Hermis- ton on Thursday, he announced at a second listening session on Friday that the idea had been shelved. One of the main reasons was a feeling in Pendleton that Hermiston wasn’t interested in tourism promotion. Travel Pendleton, a tour- ism arm of the Pendleton Chamber of Com- merce, maintains a comprehensive online guide to Pendleton tourism and puts money toward promoting events such as the Pendle- ton Whisky Music Fest and attractions such as Pendleton Underground Tours. There is no Travel Hermiston equivalent. Greater Hermiston Area Chamber of Commerce board chair Josh Burns said the chamber approached the city about starting one but was told the city wasn’t interested. “We’d love to help Hermiston,” Tracy Bosen of the Pendleton House bed and breakfast responded. “We know if Hermis- ton picks up on things, we’re going to ben- efi t. But Hermiston needs to be in the driv- er’s seat fi rst.” Hermiston assistant city manager Mark Morgan said Hermiston is working to get there. But the city needs some time to build up its tourism assets before it jumps to marketing. See VISIT, Page A16 Chamber moves to Cornerstone Plaza By JADE MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER After a months-long search for a new home, the Greater Hermis- ton Area Chamber of Commerce will be moving into the Corner- stone Plaza in early 2018. The chamber offi ces will be closed the week of Christmas, re-opening in the new location at 1055 S Highway 395 Suite 111 on Jan. 2. Board chair Josh Burns said the plaza will not be the chamber’s permanent home, but will allow them to continue providing ser- vices for chamber members and the community as they look for the best fi t. “We’re excited to continue to do what we’re doing for mem- STAFF PHOTO BY JADE MCDOWELL The Greater Hermiston Area Chamber of Commerce is moving its offi ces to the Cornerstone Plaza, two doors down from Kobe Hibachi Sushi. bers,” he said. The chamber’s offi ces have been located at the Hermiston Conference Center as the organi- zation managed the building under a contract with the city of Herm- iston. In April, however, the city council voted to end the contract with the chamber on Dec. 31 and transfer management of the con- ference center to the city’s parks and recreation department. According to reasoning given by the city at the time, the change was spurred by a 35 percent decrease in revenues for the con- ference center, likely due to com- petition from the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center. By taking over management of the confer- ence center the city hopes to better leverage both resources, directing smaller community events and rec- reation classes to the conference center and larger events meant to bring in tourism to EOTEC. Mov- ing the parks and recreation offi ces See CHAMBER, Page A16