Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2019)
LOCAL / OPINION A10 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAy, AuguST 7, 2019 PHOTO OF THE DAY Hermiston spreads goodwill with watermelon giveaway Contributed photo by City of Hermiston Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Chloe Wilson bathes her pig Mario during load-in for the Umatilla County Fair on Monday afternoon. Faring well during the Umatilla County Fair Weather will be near the hundreds for part of this week By JESSICA POLLARD and ALEX CASTLE STAFF WRITERS Fair-goers be warned: This week is predicted to be a scorcher. The hottest registered temperature in Hermis- ton this year, said National Weather Service fore- caster Rob Brooks, was 98 degrees on July 23. The number could very well be eclipsed by Wednesday. According to the ser- vice, temperatures in Uma- tilla County could rise near the triple digits throughout the week with the week- end potentially bringing thunderstorms from the mountains. Brooks said the warm and dry weather poses the usual risks of fire, dehydra- tion and other heat-related ailments. For the workers with Davis Amusement Casca- dia — which has been pro- viding the fair carnival for over 50 years — the hot weather is not unfamiliar. “When we’re working in heat like this, one of the most important things — worker or customer — is food,” said manager and owner of Davis Amuse- ment Michael Davis. The company schedules in breakfast, lunch, and even a light dinner to keep their workers full. “We try to coach our employees away from energy drinks and sug- ary soda toward healthier drinks,” Davis said. Visitors might get a lit- tle wet if they visit the large animal barn in the mid-af- ternoon. Humans aren’t the only ones seeking relief from the heat. “We’ll spray them down sometimes,” said Carson Davis, 13, Pendleton, who shows sheep. Exhibiting livestock at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center means shaded barns and built-in water misting systems for the larger animals. “The beauty of being in a new location is there was a lot of forethought into this,” said 4-H Agent Anna Browne. “The barns are really shady. At the old fair- grounds, a lot of that was out in the open.” Smaller animals, like rabbits and chickens, will have frozen water bottles in their cages so they have something cool to lean up against. Browne said that the ani- mals tend to acclimate to the high temperatures fairly well, but that with this year being so hot, extra precau- tions will be taken. Kelly Shelton, fire- fighter and paramedic with Umatilla Fire District 1, said they don’t deal with overheating too often at the Umatilla County Fair. “It’s usually when peo- ple haven’t been drink- ing enough water,” Shelton said. “The first thing we’ll do is take them out of the heat.” “Try to stay in the shade as much as possible,” Shel- ton added. According to the Mayo Clinic, heat exhaustion can be characterized by faint- ness, cool skin and goose- bumps during heat, fatigue, nausea, and headache. Heatstroke, which is the most serious heat injury, happens when the body’s temperature goes above 104 degrees, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some- one with heatstroke might stop sweating, experience confusion and disorienta- tion, have flushed skin and headaches. First aid can be found by the small animal barn at the fair. Fair attendees can find nearly 20 different water-misting stations scat- tered around the grounds to help alleviate the stress of the heat. In addition to that, some vendors bring their own stations. “Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate,” said EOTEC gen- eral manager Al Davis. “We have water fountains in the center and back by the barns. There’s places.” In addition to keep- ing up on water consump- tion, a little planning can make unbearable heat more tolerable. Those looking to cool off in the shade during peak heat, which usually occurs around 3 p.m., can save their carnival rides for after dusk, when the tem- perature drops to more tol- erable levels. They can opt instead for events in the barns — where fans and shade are plentiful — or at the air-conditioned event center. Ambassadors from Hermiston hand out watermelons to Portland residents on Friday at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Hermiston residents handed out 5,000 pounds of Hermiston watermelons in about 15 minutes as part of the annual giveaway, which seeks to spread goodwill and knowledge about Hermiston agriculture and provide opportunities to network between the two cities. The watermelons were donated by local farms. After opening remarks by Hermiston Mayor David Drotzmann, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz, officials from both cities took part in a watermelon seed-spitting contest. Rep. Greg Smith, who represents Hermiston in the state legislature, won the contest with a distance of 29 feet, 8 inches, beating contestants from both cities. LETTER Shame on flag thief To the editor: I’m more than disappointed. Someone stole my American flag that was presented in my front lawn. It was on a PVC stand and 3’ x 5’. I’m on Social Security and 92 years old. The flag was a gift from my son. I’m not sure what this world is coming to. Shame on whoever is guilty. Marjorie Brewer Hermiston Save with Frontier Internet Bundles Pay one price for two great services: high-speed Internet Serious speed! and a full-featured home phone Bundle and save today The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com Simply Broadband Max BROADBAND ULTRA + PHONE + SECURE 19 99 Per Month With Qualifying Phone Service 6 Mbps + Free Wi-Fi Router + 1 Year Price Lock Call today and pay less 67 97 Per Month 12 Mbps + Free Wi-Fi Router + 2 Year Price Lock Protect Your Identity, Devices & Files 855-972-6641 You can’t get BS from a buffalo. *Internet access service and charges not included. Frontier does not warrant that the service will be error-free or uninterrupted. Nest products: Additional $9 shipping fee per Nest device. Nest products must be purchased with new Internet service or eligible Frontier Secure services. Taxes, governmental and Frontier-imposed surcharges, minimum system requirements and other terms and conditions apply. Nest®, Nest Learning Thermostat™, Nest Protect™, Nest Cam™ and the Nest logo are trademarks or service marks of Nest Labs, Inc. ©2017 Frontier Communications Corporation COMFORT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY SAVE UP TO $3,000 ON A NEW HEAT PUMP When you invest in home energy improvements, everyone benefits. To help you make your next upgrade, Energy Trust of Oregon and Eastern Oregon Heating and Air Conditioning LLC are proud to offer discounts of up to $3,000 on a heating and cooling system. Why upgrade? You can: • Stay cool during hot dry summers and warm during winter • Save 40 to 60 percent on your heating and cooling costs* • Improve indoor air quality for a safer, healthier home + To see if this opportunity is right for you, please call 541.314.4348 or visit www.easternoregonheating.com today. *Actual savings depend on equipment being replaced and new system configuration. Serving customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista.
