FOOTBALL | HERMISTON’S PLAYOFF HOPES HINGE ON FRIDAY’S GAME >> PAGE B1
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2018
HermistonHerald.com
$1.00
INSIDE
GOOD CAUSE
Hermiston’s agricultural
community rallied together
to send truckloads of
potatoes to the Oregon Food
Bank.
PAGE A3
WITH CANDY,
COSTUMES AND HOLIDAY CHEER
EARTHQUAKE
Hermiston students spent
time under their desks last
week practicing for a natural
disaster.
PAGE A9
LOCAL ARTIST
Jean Christofori Howton of
Hat Rock has shown her
art in galleries in the Pacific
Northwest and Europe.
PAGE B4
BY THE WAY
Hermiston school
board postpones
appointing new
member
The Hermiston School
District has postponed its
decision to appoint a new
board member until its
November board meet-
ing. Mark Millard had
applied for the position,
but due to a work com-
mitment could not be at
the group interview ear-
lier this month. The board
allowed Millard to come
back at Monday’s meeting
and have his interview. He
was asked the same ques-
tions posed to other candi-
dates, which spanned his
interest and vision for the
district, and his views on
what the role of a board
member in the commu-
nity should be. The exist-
ing board members will
appoint a new member on
Nov. 12. The other can-
didates are Kris Lerten,
Brent Pitney, Trish Ros-
sell and Mike Todryk.
The board is filling a posi-
tion vacated last month by
Jason Middleton.
• • •
Local nonprofits are
invited to a nonprofit
board training hosted by
the Greater Hermiston
Area Chamber of Com-
merce and sponsored by
the Hermiston Holiday
Inn Express on Tuesday,
HH FILE PHOTO
Sisters Alexis Smith (Thing 1) and Hailee Smith (Thing 2) enjoy candy they receivied from a nearby shop during Treats on Main on Halloween last year.
By TAMMY MALGESINI
COMMUNITY EDITOR
Costumes featuring everything from super heroes and princesses to
pirates and dinosaurs will be featured as Halloween offers several area
safe trick-or-treating opportunities, community parties and other fright-
fully fun activities next week.
HERMISTON
•Put on your dancing shoes for the annual The Arc Halloween Dance.
Groove to the sounds of Desert Sounds Mobile DJ Sunday from 2-3:30
p.m. at The Arc Building, 215 W. Orchard Ave. Admission is $5 and
includes snacks. People are invited to wear costumes.
The Arc advocates for people with intellectual and developmental dis-
abilities, including offering activities to help individuals connect with
the community. For more information contact Kristi Smalley at 541-571-
0997 or smalleys@eotnet.net.
•Follow the specially marked pumpkin path on Halloween for Treats
on Main & Beyond. Kids can collect a cache of candy as downtown
Hermiston businesses provide safe trick-or-treating from 3-5 p.m. Partic-
ipating establishments with signs in their windows welcome little ghouls
and goblins.
And, after all the candy has been collected, go “Beyond” as the fun con-
tinues from 4-7 p.m. at the Hermiston Community Center, 415 S. High-
way 395. Hermiston Parks & Recreation invites kids of all ages to par-
See HALLOWEEN, Page A10
See BTW, Page A10
Students quiz Wyden on issues
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
STAFF WRITER
In his two-hour town hall meeting
with students and staff at Hermiston
High School, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
said there wasn’t a specific issue that
drove the session, but it all boiled
down to one idea.
“They feel it’s more important
than ever before that government be
accessible,” he said.
The Tuesday morning event drew
about 250 students and 30 commu-
nity members, and was open to all
residents in the area. Unlike Wyden’s
last visit to Umatilla County in April,
where students overwhelmingly
wanted to discuss gun control, there
wasn’t a focused line of question-
ing at this meeting. Instead, students
and community members asked him
about his stance on issues such as
immigration, health care costs, grad-
uation rates, and some of his specific
votes in the Senate.
When a student asked him point-
blank his opinion of Donald Trump,
Wyden acknowledged that he has
some gripes with the president, but
steered clear of bashing him.
“I agree with him on some issues,”
Wyden said. “The question of fight-
ing those who cheat on international
trade — I agree with him on that.”
He frowned on Trump’s praise this
week of Montana Rep. Greg Gian-
forte, who body-slammed a reporter
while on the campaign trail last year.
“I’m for freedom of the press —
See WYDEN, Page A10
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Hermiston High School senior Alexis Perez asks U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
about high school graduation rates on Tuesday during a town hall meeting
at Hermiston High School.