WRESTLING » MEET ALICE TODRYK, HERMISTON’S CHAMPION FEMALE WRESTLER
SEE SPORTS, PAGE A10
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018
HermistonHerald.com
$1.00
INSIDE
DÉJÀ VU
Stanfield dehydration plant
catches on fire for fourth time
in just over a year.
PAGE A3
OFFICER INJURED
HERMISTON POLICE CPL. DOUG
GILL RECEIVED 15 TO 20 STICHES
AFTER BEING DRAGGED BY A
SUSPECT’S CAR.
PAGE A6
PREPPERS
UMATILLA COUNTY MAKES
PROGRESS ON PREPARATIONS
FOR POTENTIAL MEGA-
EARTHQUAKE.
PAGE A8
BY THE WAY
DMV moving
next to Shari’s
Nobody will be
waiting in line at the
Hermiston DMV office
on March 7-9. The office
will close those days as
the DMV moves to a
larger office nearby.
The new office is in
the Hermiston Plaza at
810 S. Highway 395,
next to Shari’s Cafe &
Pies, and will have both
a bigger lobby and more
parking space.
The old office will
close at 5 p.m. on March
6 and the new one will
open at 8 a.m. March 12.
The DMV opened in
its current location in
1981 with four counters
to serve customers and
added a fifth counter in
1999. Over the following
two decades, the area’s
customer needs outgrew
the office’s lobby and
parking lot capacity,
according to a press
release.
Customers can visit
OregonDMV.com to
find office hours and
locations and renew your
vehicle registration, file
a change of address or
file notice of the sale of
your vehicle.
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Chris Finley laughs while being presented with flowers from Dorothy Smith after being named Woman of the Year at the Hermiston Distinguished
Citizens Award Banquet on Wednesday in Hermiston.
TOP OF THE LIST
Hermiston Woman of the Year
a staple at local farmers markets
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
STAFF WRITER
H
ermiston Woman of the
Year 2018 Chris Finley was
so surprised by the award,
it didn’t quite register until
after she’d left the stage.
“I’m stunned,” she said. “I’m still
shaking.”
Finley was honored last week for her
involvement with the Hermiston Farmers
Market, the Victory Baptist Church and
various city organizations, as well as her
presence as an avid Hermiston Bulldogs
fan.
Finley moved to Hermiston in 1979 as
a single mother of two boys. She married
her husband John in 1994, and has been
involved in community-wide endeavors,
inlcuding several years as a city coun-
cilor and an active Chamber of Com-
merce member.
Finley was also recognized for her
work and presence at the local farm-
ers market. She and her husband started
Finley’s Fresh Produce in 2008, grow-
ing pesticide-free fruits and vegetables.
While her husband handled the farm-
ing aspect, Finley dealt with most other
aspects of the business — working farm-
ers markets in Hermiston, Pendleton,
Walla Walla and Tri-Cities; delivering
produce; managing the office and doing
publicity. The Finleys grow melons and
corn, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, potatoes
and string beans, among other crops.
The couple are in the process of sell-
ing a portion of the business to another
family, but will remain part-owners and
retain some involvement in the farm’s
operations.
Finley said while she will miss see-
ing her regular customers, she’s start-
ing to enjoy retirement. She now fills her
time with volunteering at Victory Baptist
Church, and with part-time work at Sev-
erson Accounting during tax season.
Other awards
Finley wasn’t the only who expressed
shock at being recognized with one of
Hermiston’s top awards last Wednesday.
When Roger Bounds was honored as
Man of the Year, he said there must have
been some mistake.
Bounds said his father would always
tell him that Hermiston was in the per-
fect place to succeed, located along the
river, railroads, and highway — benefits
Bounds said are only possible because
of the people that live here. Bounds has
seen the community grow, arriving when
he was five years old. After coming back
from Vietnam, he worked in banking and
real estate, and has also volunteered in
the community, including as a coach and
as a Boy Scouts troop leader.
A new award this year was presented
to a Hermiston booster, even though he
See LIST, A16
SEE A15 FOR MORE PHOTOS
See BTW, A16
Question, Persuade, Refer: helping those at risk for suicide
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
STAFF WRITER
When in doubt, ask.
That’s the message those attend-
ing the QPR suicide prevention train-
ing Thursday learned.
About 85 people attended one
of five sessions at Good Shepherd
Medical Center, where they learned
how to identify signs of someone
who may be at risk for suicide, and
learned methods for de-escalating
the situation and referring them to
someone who can help.
The training, called QPR, stands
for “Question, Persuade, Refer” —
the three steps that people can take
to help a person they think may be
suicidal.
Trainings were led by Umatilla
County Health Prevention Educa-
tion Coordinator Amanda Walsborn.
It included information about how to
recognize warning signs as well as a
role-playing session.
Walsborn led the class through
an exercise where they were asked
to recognize myths and facts about
suicide. A common myth, she said,
is that talking openly with some-
one about suicide will put the idea in
their mind.
“It’s a really common fear,” Wals-
born said. “But the majority of folks
feel relieved that someone has rec-
ognized they’re suffering, and cares
enough to reach out.”
She added that someone is either
thinking about suicide or not —
See SUICIDE, Page A16
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Brandon Hammond, Erin Stocker, Tyson Stocker, 14, and Ron Gibbs
participate in a role-playing activity while taking a suicide prevention
training Thursday at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston.