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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 2019)
NEWS Wednesday, July 17, 2019 HeRMIsTOnHeRald.COM • A7 Contributed photo by IMesd Students from the Milton-Freewater Unified School District explore river habitat at Outdoor School in May 2019. IMESD receives grant for Outdoor School improvements Wildfire risk picks up in parts of NW T HERMISTON HERALD By BRAD CARLSON CAPITAL PRESS estern wildfire risk is increasing in spots following a slow start to the season, the National Interagency Fire Center reported. An exception is Alaska, where fires are already active. “From what I am hear- ing from the field, the fine fuels across the Great Basin are now cured and able to support fire activity should it occur,” said Bryan Henry, NIFC Predictive Ser- vices acting national fire weather program manager. “The higher elevations are delayed still. The only sur- prise out there nationally is how wet the Northern Rockies have been and con- tinue to be.” Much of the North- west has normal risk, NIFC reported. But areas west of the Cascade Crest in Washington and Oregon, and north along the Cana- dian border, likely have above-normal risk as heavy fuels remain drier than usual. Moderate to severe drought remains across much of Washington and Oregon, particu- larly in western portions. Above-normal tempera- tures are expected espe- cially west of the Cascades, W where below-average sum- mer rainfall is likely. Pre- dicted above-average pre- cipitation for the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin may extend into Eastern Oregon and Washington. In the Northern Rock- ies, NIFC expects nor- mal significant large fire potential, except across the northern Idaho panhandle and northwestern Montana, where the potential should be above normal through early September in part because of continued mod- erate drought. Temperatures likely will be above average in much of the region. Lower elevations in the Great Basin have seen grasses cure in most areas below 5,000 feet except in northeastern Nevada and parts of eastern Idaho and western Wyoming. Boi- se-based NIFC said fine- fuel loading is well above normal in many lower ele- vations, though some brush is yet to dry; when that live- fuel moisture drops, large- fire potential will increase quickly in July. The region has above-normal poten- tial for large fires in August and September at lower ele- vations in western Nevada, and normal potential elsewhere. Northern California has above-normal July potential for significant large fires, except in the higher-eleva- tion Mendocino National Forest near the central coast. NIFC said factors include dead and down fuels in the northern Sacramento Val- ley, heavy brush growth and a robust, mostly cured crop of fine fuels. Rainfall was well above average in the 2018-19 season. Risk likely is below normal in the Northern Sierra above 6,000 feet. High-elevation snowpack was above aver- age entering July. Snow- melt likely will conclude by late July, though soil and fuel moisture should linger. Conditions that are warmer and drier than average are expected through October. Alaska’s season began slowly but by mid-June intensified on contin- ued drying and numer- ous fire-igniting lightning strikes. NIFC’s July-Oc- tober National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook said the warm, dry pattern at the end of June “suggested that the state will continue to be active well into July before the season begins to wind down with the arrival of late-sum- mer rains in August.” Much of the state likely will have above-normal risk of significant fires, with burned acres exceeding the 10-year median, until September. Presence of ICE confirmed in the Hermiston Area By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER S ome Hermiston res- idents are still on high alert follow- ing sightings of Immigra- tion and Customs Enforce- ment agents in the area this weekend. Last Friday, President Trump reported that ICE was planning raids across the country to arrest thou- sands of undocumented immigrants. “It’s a major operation. So if the word gets out, it gets out. It starts on Sun- day,” Trump told report- ers. “And they’re going to take people out, and they’re going to bring them back to their countries, or they’re going to take criminals out — put them in prison or put them in prison in the coun- tries they came from.” Since then, CNN reported people in major cities across America have been unable to confirm many reports of ICE activ- ity. No details about arrests are currently available, but Hermiston residents reported sightings on social media. A sergeant from the Hermiston Police Depart- ment who spoke with an ICE officer was led to believe that there was a small operation occurring in the Eastern Washington and Oregon area, HPD Chief Jason Edmiston said. “We cannot enforce immigration law and will not. Our involvement will only be to assist an officer that is in need of immediate help due to distress. This is something we would do for [any] entity or agency,” he stated. Zaira Sanchez, exter- nal communications direc- tor with the grassroots orga- nization Raices in Umatilla County, said the organiza- tion had received reports of sightings in the area last week and this weekend. She said on Monday or Tuesday, ICE officers had been spotted questioning people in a van outside of Lorena’s on 11th Street in Hermiston. “That invoked a lot of fear,” Sanchez said. “Peo- ple were quick to check in on family members in vans that day.” Sanchez said that the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition hotline had received eight calls from the Hermiston area recently. The hotline (888-622-1510) takes reports of sightings and interactions with ICE in Oregon, and has volunteers trained to verify those sight- ings and provide resource referrals. “ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately,” stated Tanya Roman, a pub- lic affairs officer for ICE. “ICE’s enforcement actions are targeted and lead-driven. ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy.” Sanchez said Raices hopes to form a rapid response team for immigra- tion rights, but that the orga- nization currently lacks the capacity. Stuck in a payday loan? Know before you owe he InterMountain Education Service District will make improvements val- ued at $30,000 at its Outdoor School location, Buck Creek, this summer. The agency received a $20,000 grant from the Gray Family Foundation. The IMESD will contribute $10,000 worth of labor to accomplish several projects. The biggest project is abatement of asbestos-containing materials in the cook- house, including flooring and countertops. The cookhouse will also be painted, and new appliances will be installed. Other sum- mer improvement projects are construction of new campfire benches and picnic tables, a new water heater in the shower house, grounds/brush cleanup and new signage. “Everybody loves the historic Outdoor School buildings, but there comes a time when deferred maintenance really needs to be addressed,” said Larry Glaze, IMESD’s director of operations and facilities. “Accomplishing these projects will really update and improve the facility.” School districts throughout the region have been taking part in Outdoor School at Buck Creek since the early 1970s. The IMESD has leased the 654-acre Outdoor School property from the U.S. Forest Ser- vice since 2001. Pendleton’s Kiwanis Club held the prop- erty lease for the first few decades. The location can accommodate up to 120 stu- dents at a time and is used by several East- ern Oregon school districts. In spring 2019, almost 500 students participated in Outdoor School there. The Gray Family Foundation is located in Portland and “is founded on the belief that fostering an understanding and appre- ciation of our natural world is a crucial part of a child’s education.” Hermiston School District wins financial accountability award was used and recorded for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Saul said that the metrics make it easier for HSD to compare its expenditures to that of other school districts in the area. Saul has been working at HSD since 2009, and has been the director of business services since 2016. “Saul and her team are responsive and make sure everyone is engaged, which fosters a culture of account- ability,” Superintendent Tri- cia Mooney said in a recent press release. The district first submit- ted to the GFOA after the 2004-2005 school year, and has won the award 13 times total. “It just really goes to show the consistency of the district being mindful of the taxpayers’ funds,” Saul said. District. “While this is an award that looks at just one finan- cial document, it’s really a culmination of the entire school and fiscal year,” Director of Business Ser- vices Katie Saul said. “Not just the business office, but the entire district. Every- body within the district takes financial responsibil- ity very seriously.” The CAFR Program, established in 1945, assesses transparency and disclosure, rather than financial health. Last year’s results named over 4,000 different public entities nationwide that won the certificate. The district’s financial reports, debt management practices, per-student fund- ing, and reimbursed spend- ing were some of the metrics used to examine how money By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER ermiston School District recently received the Certif- icate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Govern- ment Finance Officers Asso- ciation for the 12th year in a row. The certificate was issued for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2018. Public entities can elect to submit their financial information to the GFOA to seek review and become eligible for the certificate, which is the highest rec- ognition for government accounting and reporting, according to a press release from the Hermiston School H Previously Known as: Backyard By Design Same Owners & Products, Just a New Name! The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for wn our communities. 541-720-0772 or 509-308-1354 eomediagroup.com www.nwshadeco.com Enhancing the Art of Outdoor Living PATIO COVERS·PERGOLAS PATIO & SUN SHADES RETRACTABLE AWNINGS SCREEN ROOMS SOLAR SCREENS & MORE! Free Es�mates! VISIT OUR SHOWROOM! 102 E Columbia Dr. Kennewick 99336 (Call for hours of operation) License #188965 PET OF THE W EEK Roscoe is a middle aged sweet shy boy who came to rescue after he was found with several other dogs in a house with his deceased owner. He was quite shut down as his owner was the only person he had known, but has warmed up and bonded to his foster. Roscoe prefers women and will usually hide from men. He can become possessive of his person and it leads to spats with the other dogs. Although he is currently being fostered with dogs and came from a home with 11 others, he would do best in a home with no other dogs that he has to compete with. He loves to snuggle under the covers and be in your lap. He is crate trained but hates it and will be vocal. He is working on leash training. He is potty trained but you need to watch his cues. Neutered, vaccinated, microchipped. Roscoe needs someone who will say; let me love you as you are. His world has been shattered with the loss of his owner so he needs someone who can be unconditional in their love for him and patient while he learns to feel safe with you. E O C S RO 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 MEET 80489 Hwy 395 N Hermiston www.oregontrailvet.com PLACE YOUR AD HERE! Contact Audra at 541.564.4538 Today! dfr.oregon.gov If interested please go to fuzzballrescue.com and fill out an application. If you are not able to adopt, but would like to foster or donate, visit fuzzballrescue.com or you can mail in donations to Fuzz Ball Animal Rescue, PO Box 580, Hermiston, OR 97838
