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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 31, 2019)
NEWS Wednesday, July 31, 2019 HeRMIsTOnHeRald.COM • A3 Economist talks growth at regional summit By ANTONIO SIERRA STAFF WRITER Two emerging employers in Eastern Oregon sought to either fulfill or defy the region’s economic projec- tions Friday. As a part of a presenta- tion during the inaugural Eastern Oregon Economic Summit in Hermiston, Chris Rich, a regional economist for the Oregon Employ- ment Department, explained to a room full of local busi- ness leaders and govern- ment officials at Hermiston High School how Eastern Oregon (which the state defines as Baker, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, and Wal- lowa counties) was trending economically. The employment depart- ment looked at various industries in the region and projected where they would be through 2027. They pre- dict that there will be 7,500 jobs added to the economy during that time, and nearly nine out of 10 of those jobs will come from the private sector. Health services was expected to see the biggest increase, followed by trans- portation, warehousing, and utilities. Other growth indus- tries include construction, manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality. “Is that growth outra- geous?” Rich said. “It’s actu- ally a little tame.” staff photo by Kathy aney Business leaders from around the state gathered Friday for the Eastern Oregon Economic Summit at Hermiston High School. At left, Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, speaks Friday during a Legislative panel at the economic summit. At right, Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, responds to a question during the summit at Hermiston High School. Smith is flanked by Rep. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, and Rep. Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis. He then flipped to a slide that showed that many of the anticipated growth industries had shown more dramatic growth from 2007 to now than their future projections. Eastern Oregon has come a long way from the reces- sion, when unemployment peaked at 7.9% and more than a third of the region’s unemployed were without work long term. Unemploy- ment has now fallen to 5.1% and long-term unemploy- ment has been cut in half. With the economy recov- ered, representatives from the lumber and drone indus- try highlighted their fields. Lindsay Warness, the safety and environmen- tal manager for Woodgrain Millwork, a Fruitland, Idaho, wood products manufacturer that recently bought lum- ber mills in Pilot Rock and La Grande, said she thought Woodgrain could play a role in the projected growth in the manufacturing sector. “It’s dirty work, but there’s a lot of satisfaction and we get a lot done at the end of the day,” she said. Warness said the North- east Oregon timber industry has been hit hard by environ- mental regulations, losing 1,800 jobs since 1997. While the state’s employ- ment department didn’t anticipate much growth in the region’s tech indus- try, Ken Bisconer, the West Coast director of flight oper- ations for PAE ISR, a Vir- ginia-based defense con- tractor that tests its Resolute Eagle drone at the Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems Range, was optimistic that PAE and its growing work- force would prove the pro- jection wrong. Bisconer said most of the people he works worth are ex-military, but he’d like to recruit more people outside the armed forces by training students in high school and Blue Mountain Community College. “It’s a job you can hang your hat on,” he said. “It’s a retirement job.” Bisconer estimated that his employees contribute a total of $80,000 to $100,000 to Pendleton per month, and they could continue to do so as PAE prepares to bid on several nine- and 10-figure government contracts. One area of the Eastern Oregon economy that isn’t seeing growth is the number of young and middle-aged workers. “As a share of the work- force, we’re seeing a loss of the 45- to 54-year-olds in Eastern Oregon. That cor- responds with changes in population as well,” Rich said. “We’re seeing older age groups work longer, but we’re seeing a drop in the younger age groups.” While Rich said his pre- sentation just scratched the surface of the data at the employment department’s disposal, he made his pitch in front of an influential crowd. In addition to govern- ment officials and business leaders, the audience for the daylong summit eventu- ally swelled to include sev- eral legislators, the Oregon state treasurer, and former congressional candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner. Panels during the event included topics such as water, infrastructure, hous- ing, broadband and business recruitment. Police investigating death after man’s body found By PHIL WRIGHT STAFF WRITER Contributed photo by Bernie sanderson Smoke billows from a fire that closed Highway 395 on Saturday and burned multiple structures. Fire burns vehicles, two homes A grass fire along High- way 395 in Hermiston burned several vehicles and two homes on Saturday morning. Umatilla County Fire District 1 was first to respond to the blaze, which was between Theater Lane and Punkin Center Road, shortly after 10 a.m. The fire was under control by 1:40 p.m. Umatilla, Irrigon, Boardman and Pilot Rock rural fire protection districts offered mutual aid. Umatilla County Fire District Chief Scott Stan- ton said the fire was likely caused by an illegal burn on a nearby property. “When it’s hot and windy like that the prob- ability of an ignition is up to 90 to 100%,” he said. “That’s why we have the burning season closure.” Stanton said firefight- ers faced access problems when trying to contain the fire as it spread from one residence to another. The fire caused closures on Highway 395 for sev- eral hours. No major inju- ries were reported, but the department did report two “minor medical issues” resulting from the inci- dent. According to a Face- book post by UCFD1, Lt. Jeremy Gillette, who was off duty at the time, was driving past when the fire first started and was able to evacuate a disabled resident who would not have been able to leave on her own. The fire district also put out a tractor and grass fire that was reported shortly before 5:30 p.m. Sunday on Brown Lane near East Loop Road in Hermiston. The cause is under investigation, and Stanton said that the fire district is unsure whether the fire ini- tiated on the tractor, or on the surrounding land. The fire district also responded to a railroad fire shortly after 1 a.m. Mon- day near Cascade Street in Hermiston. Stanton said it appeared that several rail- road ties had caught fire. and the fire was contained. Edmiston added that likely will take place early next week. Smith also said he had a probation violation hearing earlier that day, but the judge postponed the sentencing so he could present evidence he was following the probation requirements. If the judge had not postponed the hear- ing, Smith said, he would have been in jail for 30 days and not have found the body. Hermiston police are investigating the death of a man after a transient discov- ered the body. Brandon Smith said he is homeless and late Fri- day was walking the edge of the One Stop Mart at 1050 S. Highway 395, Herm- iston, looking for cans or loose cash when he passed the air machine at the ser- vice station and headed up a small path to the back of the Previously Known as: bushes. Backyard By Design “I took a few steps into Same Owners & Products, the bushes and saw a per- Just a New Name! son with bad scratches and Enhancing the Art of Outdoor Living blood,” Smith stated in a social media message to the 541-720-0772 or PATIO COVERS·PERGOLAS East Oregonian. PATIO & SUN SHADES 509-308-1354 Smith said he thought wn Free Es�mates! RETRACTABLE AWNINGS a person was sleeping, so VISIT OUR SHOWROOM! SCREEN ROOMS he yelled and asked if they 102 E Columbia Dr. Kennewick 99336 (Call for hours of operation) needed help. When no reply SOLAR SCREENS & MORE! www.nwshadeco.com License #188965 came, he said, he called 911 and reported he found a body or an injured person. You Never Know What You’ll Find At A Collectors West Gun & Knife Show! 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