INSIDE
JOHN WAMBEKE AND FRIENDS PREPARE THEIR 10TH CABIN FEVER SHOW IN JANUARY » PAGE A4
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017
HermistonHerald.com
$1.00
INSIDE
AUTO ATTACK
A UMATILLA MAN WAS
STABBED IN A FRIEND’S CAR
AND THEN THROWN OUT
OF IT.
PAGE A3
COUNCIL
CONTROVERSY
AN ECHO CITY COUNCILOR
WAS CONFRONTED OVER A
PAST CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
CONVICTION.
PAGE A8
HOMELESS
HOLIDAY
HERMISTON ADULTS AND
YOUTH FACE HOMELESSNESS
AS THE HOLIDAYS APPROACH
PAGE A11
BY THE WAY
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
By the way: Indian
buff et coming to
Hermiston
The former Stock-
man’s Steakhouse build-
ing won’t be empty for
long. A combination steak-
house and Indian food buf-
fet is planned for the build-
ing at 1530 N First St. in
Hermiston.
Owner Gaurav Bha-
tia said the restaurant,
India Steakhouse and
Kitchen, should open near
the beginning of January.
He admitted the combina-
tion of foods was unusual
but said it should provide
something for everyone.
Bhatia also owns East-
side Market in Hermis-
ton. He said he has heard
from many people in
Hermiston that they would
be interested in a local
restaurant serving Indian
cuisine.
• • •
Don’t be alarmed if
you see a man in a tent on
the roof of Fiesta Foods
in Hermiston — it’s for a
good cause.
Gaudencio Felipe, sta-
See BTW, Page A16
People queue in a line with their children to see Santa Claus underneath the Christmas tree at the tree-lighting festival on Thursday in Hermiston.
Your guide to
enjoying a Hermiston
Christmas
The holidays come and go so
fast it can be hard to catch your
breath long enough to enjoy
them.
As our gift to you, we’ve pro-
vided a day-by-day guide with
pointers for getting the most
out of Christmas week without
packing too much in.
We’ve also asked people in
the community about their own
holiday traditions, which we’ve
included with each entry.
We hope you have a merry
Christmas.
4
5
Thursday: Enjoy the
sights and sounds of
Christmas
Friday: Popcorn,
hot chocolate and
a Christmas classic
As the weather gets chilly
(temperatures expected in the
teens this week!) Friday is a per-
fect day to settle in and enjoy a
movie.
We did an informal poll of
Hermiston Herald Facebook users
to fi nd out your favorite Christ-
mas movies, and of the 20 or so
mentioned, fi ve were the over-
whelming favorites. Here’s a look
at what’s playing in your home
this week with a suggestion of
which one fi ts you.
• “It’s A Wonderful Life,”
for the soul searcher. What bet-
ter way to refl ect on the holiday
spirit than with a story about a
man burned out, depressed and
questioning his purpose on Earth?
As George Bailey (played by
James Stewart) works through
his personal crisis with the help
of an angel, the audience is given
the perspective to face their own
doubts and fears and remember
what’s truly important.
PHOTO BY JADE MCDOWELL
A drive around town to look at
all the holiday lights can serve as Christmas decorations light up a
a free way to keep the kids enter- yard on Southwest Seventh Street
tained or an easy date night idea in Hermiston.
as anticipation grows for Christ-
mas Day.
canes 15 times.”
One of the most popular dis-
If you’re looking to hit up a
plays in Hermiston is at 629 East few of the more well-lit neighbor-
Newport Avenue, where Denise hoods on your drive, try the High-
and Bill Medlock have added land Summit neighborhood, sur-
strand upon strand of light across rounding Highland Park at 134 NE
trees and fences and rooftops.
13th St. A loop around the park
The Medlocks hand out candy and some of the side streets reveals
canes to children who come see several large houses decked from
the lights with their parents, and roof to ground level in lights.
last weekend Santa Claus even
Next, try driving down South-
made a couple of visits.
west 7th Street heading south from
“We’ve had 700 to 800 kids so Highland Avenue. The street fea-
far,” Denise said on Friday. “I’ve tures a number of colorful houses
gone to the store for more candy and several of the side streets
• “How the Grinch
Stole Christmas,” for the cyni-
cal. Everyone has a little Grinch
in them sometimes, and the best
way to get it out can be to revel
in the mayhem. Be honest: Watch-
ing the green anti-Santa sneak
from house to house to ruin Who-
ville’s holiday does something for
you, doesn’t it? Whether it’s in
the original book by Dr. Seuss or
the 1966 television special or the
2000 adaptation starring Jim Car-
rey, watching the Grinch’s heart
swell with love is all the payoff
you need.
• “Elf,” for the inner child.
Will Ferrell, at the height of his
comic powers, brings the child-
like wonder of Christmas into the
ultimate fi sh out of water story.
Endlessly quotable and pure of
heart, this movie brings Christ-
mas cheer as well as singing loud
for all to hear.
• “A Christmas Story,” for
the nostalgic. Whether you grew
up in the 1940s when it was set,
the 1980s when it was released,
or any other generation, the fi lm
precisely describes the struggle
between good and evil, played
out in the mind of a boy. And of
course there’s the major award,
the frozen fl ag pole, the pink
nightmare and many more relat-
able and memorable moments
that feel like they could be pieces
of your own life.
• “National Lampoon’s
Christmas Vacation,” for the
dysfunctional. If Ralphie is the
kid every American can relate
to, Clark Griswold might just be
his future self. His drive to cre-
ate a perfect holiday for his fam-
ily is constantly derailed by both
them, his own ineptitude and pos-
branching off are also particularly
well-lit this year.
To liven up the tour, consider
passing around Christmas cookies
or peppermint bark in the car and
singing carols together or listen-
ing to Christmas music while you
drive.
For more pictures of decorated
homes, see our Features on Page
A15.
———
“We have the annual holiday
football game. All the kids and
all the adults, anyone who’s
over, we go out and throw
around the ball.”
— Annette Kirkpatrick,
Hermiston Irrigation District
manager, on a favorite family
Christmas tradition that plays
out in their backyard.
sibly the gods themselves. It’s a
reminder that the chaos of Christ-
mas is sometimes what it’s all
about.
———
“I don’t know how it started,
but on Christmas Eve we all
sleep in the living room around
the Christmas Tree together
and then wake up together on
Christmas. (My wife) Heather
may have boycotted it a few
times, but we’ve always done
that as a family.”
— Tim Beal, family ministries
pastor at New Hope
Community Church. He and
his family also read the Jesus
Storybook Bible each night
from Dec. 1-25.