NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2019
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3
Retailers prepare to lose plastic bags
By JADE MCDOWELL
STAFF WRITER
T
hose hundreds of
plastic grocery bags
stuffed under your
kitchen sink are about to
become a rare commodity in
Oregon.
Gov. Kate Brown signed
House Bill 2905 on Thurs-
day, banning single-use
plastic grocery bags from
stores and restaurants start-
ing in 2020. The bill also
requires stores to charge
at least 5 cents per bag for
paper bags instead of giving
them out for free.
Area stores are still con-
sidering how they will adapt.
Dave Mead, manager of
Harvest Foods in Umatilla,
said they had already been
offering paper bags as an
option and selling reusable
bags. They also just pur-
chased mesh bags that cus-
tomers can use for produce.
“We’re not sure yet
how we’ll handle the meat
department yet,” he said,
noting the potential sanita-
tion concerns of raw meat
products leaking onto other
groceries.
The new law will likely
drive a large increase in
demand for paper bags,
which Mead said he hoped
would not cause a short-
age. He said he understood
the environmental concerns
behind the law, but most
stores have been using plas-
tic because it’s cheaper.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
A single-use plastic bag sits in a drainage ditch on Thursday in Hermiston. The Oregon House approved a statewide ban on
single-use plastic shopping bags.
“This is a cost of doing
business, and it gets passed
on,” he said.
Plastic bags are a major
source of waterway pollu-
tion and often turn up in the
stomachs of dead sea tur-
tles, dolphins and whales.
Concern about their effects
on wildlife and the envi-
ronment in general have
led 127 countries to ban or
tax single-use grocery bags,
according to the United
Nations.
In the United States, Cal-
ifornia, Hawaii and New
York have already enacted
bans. Some individual cit-
ies in Oregon, such as
Hood River, had previously
banned the bags via city
ordinance.
Brandt Koo, owner of the
11th Street Market in Herm-
iston, said he questioned
how much the ban would
really decrease pollution.
“It inconveniences peo-
ple to make them feel bet-
ter,” he said.
His market uses sin-
gle-use plastic bags now,
but he said they would prob-
ably switch to paper. A lot
of the neighborhood mar-
ket’s customers walk to the
store, however, and he said
he had yet to fi nd a paper
Drowning victims remembered for loving life
By PHIL WRIGHT
STAFF WRITER
T
he Umatilla County
Sheriff’s Offi ce is
investigating what led
to the deaths of two people
June 15 while boating on the
Columbia River.
Divers on June 17 recov-
ered the bodies of Janice
Arsenault, 44, of Umatilla,
and Trenton Williams, 20,
from Idaho, in the river near
Bobby’s Beach, a small site
along Highway 730 north
about 10 miles east of Uma-
tilla. Sheriff Terry Rowan
said afterward that with the
recovery complete, the focus
can shift to fi nding out what
happened.
According to the initial
reports from the sheriff’s
offi ce, Arsenault and Wil-
liams fell off a boat. The
driver of the boat, Richard
Kirkendall, 41, of Hermis-
ton, reported the pair were
riding on the dive step of
the boat and he noticed
they were missing when he
arrived on shore. Rowan
said the case presents plenty
of questions, including
whether alcohol or other
drugs played a role, which
will be a matter for Dr. Rudy
Stefancik, the county med-
ical examiner. Rowan also
said Williams did not pop
up on local police databases,
and the investigation will
look into why he was here
as well as the relationships
between the three.
He also expressed his
admiration to members of
the Umatilla Rural Fire Pro-
tection District, which lost
one of is own with Arse-
nault’s death. She was a
volunteer fi refi ghter for the
local department.
“That was pretty hum-
bling to watch them stand-
ing at attention on the dock
waiting for the boats to come
in, and then the procession
from Hat Rock to Burns (the
mortuary in Hermiston),”
Rowan said.
Janice Arsenault
nault on its
Facebook
page:
“It is dif-
fi cult
to
write
this
through the
Arsenault
tears
and
heartache, as
we continue to process this
sudden and tragic loss for us
all. Janice’s positive outlook
on life, contagious laugh,
and her desire to live life to
its fullest will be missed. We
are glad that she was part of
our family too.
“Words alone cannot
express the appreciation and
gratitude we have to all of
those individuals and groups
who stepped forward to help
up our agency, our family, in
our efforts to bring home our
sister. You stood steadfast
by our side in our greatest
moment of need. Thank you.
“May we all fi nd solace
in knowing that Janice is in a
better place and will forever
be watching over us.”
Last week an impromptu
memorial started as peo-
ple began leaving fl owers
and other items outside the
Umatilla fi re station.
Arsenault was a stu-
dent and employee at Blue
Mountain Community Col-
lege. Jacelyn Keys, director
of BMCC’s Hermiston Cen-
ter, was Arsenault’s supervi-
sor. She recalled Arsenault
as a dynamic and outgoing
personalty.
One of Arsenault’s joys
outside studying was riding
her Harley Davidson motor-
cycle. She recently returned
from a rally with family and
friends, Keys said, but Arse-
nault did not let blood lines
draw the boundaries of who
she called family.
“I don’t know if that
woman actually knew a
stranger,” Keys said.
Arsenault’s
defi nition
of relaxing left folks in the
dust. She earned her GED
at the college, took classes
to become a volunteer fi re-
fi ghter and this spring earned
her national EMT creden-
tials. She also worked full
time as an offi ce assistant
and was a mother of four.
“Janice did everything
big,” Keys said. “She loved
big. She laughed big.”
But something small
from her friend was really
sticking with Keys who said
she is not a morning person.
While she arrived at work at
8 a.m., she would be content
not to engage with anyone
until 10. Arsenault told her
she needed to hear Keys tell
her, “Good morning.” Arse-
nault pushed for her work
day to begin on a positive
note. Keys said over time
she gave in.
“I think the last two
mornings,” Keys said, “I
miss that the most.”
Trenton Williams
Jared Warren of Hermis-
ton recalled his friend Wil-
liams as a life-loving buddy
ready for just about any
adventure.
“That guy was never
stuck at his house,” Warren
said. “He was always look-
ing for something to do.”
Warren said Williams
hailed from Kuna, Idaho,
and moved to Eastern Ore-
gon for work. “He and I were
hired out together at the rail-
road last March. We were
good friends since then.”
Williams lived in Pend-
leton but came to Warren’s
home to enjoy video games
and barbecues. Williams
recently got into rock climb-
ing, and earlier this year
bought a motorbike. Warren
said Williams “absolutely
loved” the machine and
recounted the fun they had
when he rode on the back
with his friend.
“It was just so funny,”
he said. “Two bigger-sized
guys riding a motorbike.
They had to videotape it, it
was so funny.”
The past few weekends,
Williams took to spend-
ing time on the Columbia
River and hanging out with
Arsenault. Warren described
Williams and Arsenault
as friends. He said it was
unfortunate his friend died
so young.
“Trent was a good kid,”
Warren said. “He always
had a smile on his face.
He was just positive about
everything. He might have
been ornery about it, but he
was always positive.”
bag with good enough han-
dles to allow them to carry
home more than one bag at
a time.
“We sell a lot of beer and
drinks that are pretty heavy,”
he said.
Major retail chains, such
as Walmart and Safeway,
have already been deal-
ing with such a ban in other
states and cities.
“Walmart is aware of
Hermiston resident
injured in crash
OREGON CITY — A
Hermiston woman suffered
serious injuries June 19 in a
head-on crash near Oregon
City. Oregon State Police
also reported three other
crashes that day claimed
four lives statewide.
Lucia Smith, 28, was
southbound on High-
way 99E near milepost 16
when a northbound Toy-
ota Tacoma crossed the
centerline, smashing into
her Jeep Commander. An
ambulance took Smith to
Oregon Health & Science
University in Portland.
State police received
a driving complaint at
3:53 p.m. about the Toyota
just before the crash. The
driver, Hosein Reslmn, 36,
of Milwaukie, also suf-
fered serious injuries, and
an emergency aircraft fl ew
him to Legacy Emanuel
Medical Center, Portland.
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1055 S. Hwy 395, Suite 313
Hermiston, OR 97838
541-289-5454 • Fax: 541-289-5456
www.hermistoncornerstone.com
State police reported
two Arizona residents died
Wednesday in a crash near
Crane. Joyce and Arnold
Arends were driving east
in a GMC Yukon when it
went off the road and onto
the shoulder, came back
onto the road and rolled
multiple times before com-
ing to rest on its top.
The Arends died at the
scene.
Two other crashes also
were deadly.
Randy Darnell, 61, of
Bay City, died when his
Mazda left Highway 6 near
Tillamook and hit a tree.
Carol Sedano, 65, of
Waldport, was heading
south on Highway 99W
near Junction City when
her Toyota Corolla crashed
into an oncoming Buick
Rea, which then smashed
into a tree.
Jeffrey Taylor, 68, of
Corvallis drove the Buick.
He died at the scene.
HERMISTON HERALD
PET OF THE
W EEK
The fi re district posted
this message about Arse-
CORNERSTONE
the legislation and will be
ready to comply with any
new laws,” Tiffany Wil-
son, director of communica-
tions for Walmart, said in an
email.
In February, the company
announced new initiatives
to reduce plastic waste not
only from the bags people
use to carry their groceries
home, but also in the pack-
aging for products. One of
its goals is to “achieve 100
percent recyclable, reusable
or industrially compostable
packaging for its private
brand packaging by 2025.”
It also set up bins at stores
for people to drop off their
used bags to be recycled into
new ones, and is developing
alternatives to plastic prod-
ucts like single-use forks.
“This
announcement
sends a positive signal
to the marketplace, espe-
cially in the United States,”
Steve Alexander, CEO of
the Association for Plas-
tics Recyclers, said in a
statement.
“We applaud Walmart for
establishing such a strong
recyclable packaging goal
and encourage others to pur-
sue similar ambitions.”
Oregon’s plastic bag
ban is also joined by a bill
requiring restaurants to only
give plastic straws to cus-
tomer who specifi cally ask
for them. A third bill, which
would have banned styro-
foam take-out containers,
did not pass.
Please contact Big River Golf Course to reserve a cart at 541-922-3006.
(carts are not included in the entry fee)
For more information, contact Dave Hughes at 541-571-7293.
Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM
Eugenio Mannucci, DVM, cVMA • Jana von Borstel, DVM, cVMA
Small and Large Animal Care
Mon: 8-6
Tue - Fri: 8-5
Sat: 8-12
Emergency Service
541.567.1138
80489 Hwy 395 N
Hermiston
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or you can mail in donations to Fuzz Ball Animal Rescue PO Box 580 Hermiston, OR 97838