OPINION / NEWS
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
HeRMIsTOnHeRaLd.COM • A7
Umatilla celebrates new Wanapa Road, six years in the making
LETTERS
By JESSICA POLLARD
STAFF WRITER
Thank you
groundskeepers
On June 4, the city of Umatilla
celebrated the opening of the new
mile-long Wanapa Road with a
ribbon cutting ceremony.
The road was funded by a $3.5
million in lottery bond money in
a legislative effort spearheaded
by Rep. Greg Smith in 2013, and
opens up access to 500 acres of
industrial land to governmental
entities.
“If you look at the government
to government appropriation, the
number of parties involved, and
the challenging geology we had
here, this still happened in a timely
fashion,” said Kim Puzey, general
manager of the Port of Umatilla.
“When I was first elected
to Umatilla City Council sev-
eral years ago, the city was hard
pressed to maintain existing city
streets,” Mayor Mary Dedrick told
the crowd gathered at the entry of
the road on Tuesday. Mayor Ded-
rick thanked the landholding enti-
ties for their collaboration.
The city of Umatilla will own
and maintain the road, which
heads east from Beach Access
Road and ends at a 120-acre
industrial land site owned by the
Confederated Tribes of the Uma-
tilla Indian Reservation. The Port
of Umatilla will now have access
to 300 acres of land.
The Department of Correc-
tions provided the land to con-
struct Wanapa Road, and will gain
access to 150 acres of land just
east of Two Rivers Correctional
Institution.
The industrial parcel could
To the editor:
Congratulations to the Hermis-
ton High School groundskeep-
ers! The campus looks abso-
lutely beautiful. It makes me
proud to see our community
investment is so well cared
for.
Thanks for your efforts on our
behalf.
Mike Mehren
Hermiston
Thank you
Washington
To the editor:
Instead of so much negative
feelings about the “tax” law
that we have been privileged
to not have to pay in Washing-
ton, we should be saying thank
you for the many years we did
not have to pay sales tax.
Think of what we have saved.
It has never been a law that
said we did not have to pay it.
We were privileged for many
years to be exempt.
Thank you Washington! Ore-
gonians say thank you!
Marilyn Spears
Hermiston
staff Photo by Jessica Pollard
Umatilla Mayor Mary Dedrick receives assistance at the ribbon ceremony on Wanapa Road.
land.
“It’s all growing,” he said.
Dyer says that one of the trick-
iest parts of constructing the road
was blasting the thick layer of
basalt beneath the few inches of
topsoil on the land.
Holes were drilled every 18
inches along the road and explo-
sives were used to excavate utility
trenches for the project, according
to DeGrofft.
“It’s really stable ground
that’s good for some industries,
but it sure makes construction
expensive and time-consuming,”
DeGrofft said.
be used for future growth of the
prison, according to a recent press
release. Two Rivers Correctional
Institution is the largest employer
in Umatilla, according to the city’s
website.
The land is eligible for enter-
prise zone benefits — tax cred-
its for capital investments — and
other benefits as well, according
to Ryan DeGrofft, economic plan-
ner with the CTUIR.
Duane Dyer worked on the
water line along the road for the
project and looks forward to the
possibility of job growth in Uma-
tilla thanks to the new industrial
Many thanks were passed
around during the ceremony,
including to the CTUIR.
“I especially want to thank our
tribal partners for my education
into who each of you are and what
your values are,” Puzey said.
For Umatilla City Manager
Dave Stockdale, Wanapa Road is
more than two lanes stretching a
mile.
“This road symbolizes the col-
laboration of Tribal, State, Port
and City governments work-
ing together to enhance commu-
nity and economic development,”
Stockdale said in a press release.
MORE WINNERS. MORE OFTEN.
START YOUR SUMMER ADVENTURE WITH
$10,000 CASH
ercedes enz
Drawing on Saturday, June 29, 10pm
DIESEL MOTORHOME!
Grand Prize Drawing on Sunday, July 28, 10pm
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, June 16
PING ® G400
DRIVER GIVEAWAY
Tickets for all events on sale now in person at Wildhorse Gift Shop or wildhorseresort.com
P A Q U I T rr A i o
One automatic entry for every 16 points
earned starting June 1st! Drawing at 5pm.
la d e l B a
FATHER’S DAY
BUFFET
11am – 9pm
$
26 95
FRIDAY
JULY 26
PER PERSON
FREE TRAVEL
TOOL SET
when you earn 500 points on
Father’s Day!
FE AT UR IN G
’
TONY! TONI! TONE !
SATURDAY
Limit one per person. While supplies last.
JULY 27
FREE G LF
For dads golfing with their
immediate family on Father’s Day!
Valid only on Sunday, June 16. Maximum one free round per foursome.
LIVE MUSIC!
Every Friday and Saturday 8pm–Midnight
June 1
June 7-8
June 14-15
June 21-22
June 28-29
Raucous
Fun Addicts
Nash Brothers
Guy Johnson Band
Marlin James
Variety
Variety
Country
Country
Country
®
CASINO • HOTEL • GOLF • CINEPLEX • RV • MUSEUM • DINING • TRAVEL PLAZA
800.654.9453 • PENDLETON, OR • I-84, EXIT 216, wildhorseresort.com. Owned and operated by CTUIR
Management reserves all rights to alter, suspend or withdraw promotions/offers at any time.