LOCAL
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAy, MARCH 6, 2019
The Alebrije brings tamales and more to Hermiston
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
The owners of Tacos
Xavi have branched out.
Gabriela Rodriguez said
the taco truck business will
continue, but this week they
also opened a brick-and-
mortar restaurant known as
The Alebrije. It is located at
230 S.W. 11th St. in Hermis-
ton, next to the Last Chance
Tavern.
“The opportunity came
because we saw this was
for renting, and my hus-
band and I were thinking
to do something different,”
Rodriguez said.
The large menu includes
varieties of tamales, alam-
bres, mariscos, chilaq-
uiles, sopes, tacos and other
home-style Mexican food.
The owners are also apply-
ing for a liquor license.
For now The Alebrije is
open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
seven days a week with the
exception of Sundays, when
the restaurant closes at
7 p.m. Rodriguez said they
serve breakfast burritos in
the mornings and hope to
eventually start opening up
earlier in the day.
The business is named
after alebrijes, which are
colorful creatures in Mex-
ican folklore made up of
elements from several ani-
mals. Alebrijes are featured
in the popular children’s
movie “Coco.” The Herm-
iston restaurant has several
hand-carved wooden ale-
brije sculptures from Oax-
aca and Rodriguez said one
day they may start import-
ing alebrijes to sell in the
store.
The Alebrije opened this
week in the newly remod-
eled and repainted building
that until recently housed
Tacos San Pedro. Rodriguez
said the sit-down restaurant
has had a good response so
far from word of mouth and
they hope word continues to
spread.
“Come and see and try
what we have,” she said.
BMCC picks
new president
the college, such as social
media platforms, and
explore how to increase the
Blue Mountain Com- number of Native Ameri-
munity College board can and non-traditional stu-
members voted unani- dents. He would push for a
mously Monday to hire formal agreement between
Dennis Bailey-Fougnier BMCC and Eastern Ore-
as the college’s next gon University where
financial aid could be used
president.
Bailey-Fougnier,
the at both institutions. He
seventh person to hold the plans to cultivate numer-
position, emerged from a ous relationships in the
pool of 44 applicants and community. He said he has
a passion for bringing edu-
four finalists.
The veteran administra- cation to rural, first-gener-
tor comes to BMCC from ation and underrepresented
students.
Colorado where he
At the forum,
grew up on a farm,
Bailey-Fougnier
a cow-calf and
didn’t duck ques-
sugar beet opera-
tions about his res-
tion owned by his
ignation from his
family. He most
last job in January.
recently worked
He said the deci-
at Colorado Mesa
sion came after
Bailey-
University
in
Fougnier
Colorado
Mesa
Grand Junction as
University Presi-
vice president of
community college affairs dent Tim Foster asked him
and chief executive at to fire two of his best com-
Western Colorado Com- munity college employees
munity College. He led after they took President
efforts to reverse declin- Foster to task at a commu-
ing enrollment at West- nity meeting.
ern Colorado by rebuild-
“It was a matter of eth-
ing, adding and expanding ics,” he said. “I felt like
what I was asked to do was
programs.
“Dennis brings a strong not right. I stepped aside.”
background in commu-
Bailey-Fougnier said
nity colleges, and the abil- he looked forward to the
ity to develop and fos- opportunity of guiding
ter relationships with the BMCC.
community,” said board
“I am honored to be
chair Chris Brown. “We the new president of Blue
are excited to bring his Mountain
Community
expertise and leadership College,” Bailey-Fougnier
to BMCC as we enter this said. “I am very excited to
new chapter.”
join the exceptional team
Bailey-Fougnier (pro- at BMCC and to work
nounced four-near) him- with them and the commu-
self attended a community nity to enhance the educa-
college. Later he earned a tional opportunities for our
bachelor’s degree at the students. I am looking for-
University of Oregon, ward to working with the
a master’s in education community to find new
from Wichita State Uni- avenues to grow our econ-
versity and a doctorate in omy and workforce.”
The board selected Bai-
community college lead-
ership from Oregon State ley-Fougnier over three
other finalists including
University.
During his time at the Anthony Rosilez, execu-
UO, he got to know Pend- tive director of the Ore-
leton during frequent trips gon Teacher Standards and
there with his two best Practice Commission; Jeff
Sherman, assistant direc-
friends, who lived there.
At a public forum last tor for Oregon State Uni-
month at the college, Bai- versity Extension Ser-
ley-Fougnier shared his vice and George McNulty,
leadership philosophy and vice-president of student
vision for the college. To affairs at Colby Commu-
answer a question about nity College in Colby,
his leadership style, he Kansas.
Connie Green will con-
quoted Apple CEO Steve
tinue to serve as interim
Jobs.
“It doesn’t make sense president
until
Bai-
to hire smart people and ley-Fougnier begins May
tell them what to do,” Jobs 1.
The board made the
once said. “We hire smart
people so they can tell us selection after multiple
interviews and consider-
what to do.”
BMCC’s new president ing feedback from faculty,
said he, like Jobs, under- staff, students and com-
munity members. During
stands his role.
“I’m not the smartest the March 13 meeting,
person in the room,” Bai- board members will con-
ley-Fougnier said. “I’m sider compensation con-
good at building a team tract details.
Contact Kathy Aney
and staying out of their
at kaney@eastoregonian.
way.”
He said he would look com or 541-966-0810.
at creative ways to grow
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
The Alebrije, a new restaurant, has opened on Southwest 11th Street.
Street crew keeps air ambulances moving
HERMISTON HERALD
By KATHY ANEY
STAFF WRITER
Contirbuted photo by Rolf Leirvik
Emergency personnel prepare to transfer a patient from
a ground ambulance to an air ambulance at Hermiston
Municipal Airport last week.
The Hermiston street
department’s diligence at
the Hermiston Municipal
Airport has been a boon for
medical transports.
Rolf Leirvik, airport
manager, said city staff have
worked hard to clear ice and
snow off the runway and
taxiway during bad weather,
allowing Life Flight planes
to take off and land.
While most people think
of air ambulances as heli-
copters, Leirvik said small
planes can navigate many
weather conditions helicop-
ters can’t. Last week, he
said, there were two trans-
ports that flew seriously
injured or ill patients out of
the airport when a helicop-
ter wouldn’t have been able
to make it.
Without the work of city
staff and airport staff, Leir-
vik said, there wouldn’t
have been a place for the
airplanes to land or the
ambulance to come out
to the plane. The ground
had to be especially clear
between the ambulance
and plane for emergency
workers to roll the patient’s
stretcher smoothly between
transports.
“The city put an awful lot
of effort in, and we put a lot
of effort in,” he said.
Local legislators talk about redistricting reform
By ANTONIO SIERRA
STAFF WRITER
From his home in Hep-
pner, Greg Smith has rep-
resented various swaths of
eastern and central Oregon
without having to move.
Thanks to multiple
rounds of redistricting,
the Republican legislator
has represented Wallowa
County to the east, Crook
County to the south, parts
of Wasco County to the
west and a lot of the space
in between — including
Hermiston — over his 10
terms in the Oregon House
of Representatives.
And in a state where the
Oregon Legislature draws
its own districts, Smith
BTW
Continued from Page A1
16. On-site registration
begins at 10 a.m., with the
plunge at 11 a.m. at Willow
Creek Dam, located on Wil-
low Creek Road, just out-
side of Heppner. The cost to
plunge is $20. In addition,
T-shirts will be available at
the event. Plungers can reg-
ister in advance at www.
eventbrite.com.
A small nonprofit animal
rescue based in Hermiston,
Fuzz Ball focuses on sick,
injured and stray animals in
and around the Hermiston
area. Animal foster homes
are needed. In addition,
donations, which are tax-de-
ductible, are welcome. Cur-
rent needs include financial,
pet supplies, blankets, beds,
food and toys.
For more information,
contact Deona Siex at 541-
561-3337 or deonasiex@
gmail.com. For more about
Fuzz Ball, search Facebook
or visit www.fuzzballrescue.
com.
• • •
The former Carlson’s
Drug in Umatilla, which
was purchased by Colum-
bia River Health and
renamed Columbia River
Pharmacy last fall, is clos-
ing out its selection of gifts
expects his constituency
will change again once the
U.S. Census delivers its
2020 population count.
“There’s nothing more
political than redistricting,”
he said.
A coalition of civic
organizations is banding
together to try to take the
politics out of the process.
As it stands now, the ini-
tial process of drawing leg-
islative maps is handled
like any other bill that goes
before the Legislature: law-
makers deliberate on a draft
version of the map, vote on
it, and then forward it to the
governor for a signature.
If the process hits a road-
block — legislators can’t
agree to a map, the gover-
nor vetoes the proposal, or
a judge overturns it — the
power of creating legisla-
tive districts is ceded to the
Oregon Secretary of State.
After the recent death of
Secretary of State Den-
nis Richardson, it remains
to be seen who will fill the
position.
According
to
state
law, every district must
have contiguous boundar-
ies, contain equal popula-
tion, use existing political
or geographic boundaries,
keep common communities
of interest intact, and main-
tain connection through
transportation links.
The law also prevents
the Legislature from con-
sidering favoring a political
party or incumbent when
drawing districts.
But in practice, poli-
tics comes into play often
whenever lawmakers are
tasked with redoing the
political map.
Northeast Oregon’s three
legislators — all members
of the Republican minority
— had mixed views about
the upcoming redistricting
cycle. Rep. Greg Baretto,
of Cove, said he was “pes-
simistic at best.”
Smith, the Heppner
Republican whose district
includes Morrow County,
Hermiston and Milton-Free-
water, said he wants to
make sure local residents
are heard when the redis-
tricting process starts.
and accessories.
Cathy Putnam, who
owned the drugstore and
now works as a pharmacist
there, said everything is 50
percent off and she is donat-
ing all of the money from the
sales to the Agape House
nonprofit in Hermiston.
• • •
The American Red
Cross blood drive held Feb.
18 at Good Shepherd Med-
ical Center collected 28
units from 41 donors. Vol-
unteer Patti Perkins said
the Hermiston community
should be proud to have a
number of regular donors.
Each blood donation, she
said, can save up to three
lives.
Also, Perkins expressed
appreciation to the Commu-
nity Women of Irrigon and
Boardman, who provided
canteen. The service groups
that volunteer, she said, help
in the success of the donor
drives.
With the continual need
for a sustainable supply of
blood products, people are
urged to make sure to take
time to donate. A blood
donation event is held the
third Monday of each month
at Good Shepherd. The next
one is March 18 from 12:30-
5:30 p.m. While walk-ins
are welcome, Perkins said
it’s helpful for volunteers if
people make an appointment
by calling 1-800-448-3543.
For more information, visit
www.redcross.org.
• • •
The Umatilla County
Cultural Coalition recently
awarded $14,385 to 16 cul-
tural projects, including
Inland Northwest Musi-
cians and the Echo Heri-
tage Association.
According to board chair-
person Norma Barber,
funding comes from dona-
tions to the Oregon Cul-
tural Trust. That money is
then allocated to regional
coalitions, who select local
projects to fund. The grants
help support everything
from museum tours and cul-
tural events to restoration
projects and art projects.
For more information,
contact Karen L. Hill at
umatillacountyculture@
gmail.com.
• • •
A number of local resi-
dents participated in the 27th
annual Walla Walla Kara-
te-do Invitational. The Feb.
16 event in Touchet, Wash-
ington, was held by sense
Dave Lybbert.
Events included Kata,
weapons, and 3-point spar-
ring (Kumite) and featured
participants from age 4
through more than 40.
Out of 15 students that
participated, Eastern Ore-
gon Family Taekwondo
made a very good showing,
said Erwin Watson. The
local group was the only tae-
kwondo school that partici-
pated, as the rest were karate
schools from across Ore-
gon, Idaho, Washington and
California. The local school
brought home 17 trophies
and two medals.
The local contingency
included Lorry Watson,
Erwin Watson, Kionna
Idris, Anna Rivera, Edwin
Torres, Jordan Robert-
son, Adrian Wedam, Lisa
Wedam, Nathan Sedan,
Rob Cox, Jordan Velasco,
Amauri Black, Jezly Hig-
areda, Isiah Diaz, Max
Gustufson, Lukas Har-
mon, Ruth Vaderstelt and
Ervin Higareda.
• • •
The menu for the Har-
kenrider Senior Activ-
ity Center on March 7 will
be ham and yams, broccoli
salad, a vegetable and des-
sert. The menu for March
12 is a baked potato with
chili and condiments, salad
and dessert. Lunch is served
every Tuesday and Thursday
from noon to 12:30 p.m.
———
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