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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 2019)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 HermistonHerald.com $1.50 INSIDE Holiday Guide Find schedules for area holiday events, decorating tips and more in this year’s Home for the Holidays guide. Inside Big tree TOY RUN REVS UP HOLIDAY SPIRIT Hermiston’s biggest Christmas tree yet arrived downtown on Monday. A3 Concert photos Photos tell the story of this year’s Highland Hills Elementa- ry School winter concert. A16 BY THE WAY Macklemore and Eric Church coming to Whisky Music Fest Country music star Eric Church and Seattle rapper Macklemore will headline the 2020 Whisky Music Fest at the Pendle- ton Round-Up Grounds. The two performers will hit the stage on Sat- urday, July 11. Church is a three-time Coun- try Music Association and six-time Academy of Country Music Award winner who released his critically acclaimed album “Desperate Man” atop the Billboard Coun- try Albums chart in late 2018. The North Carolina native is nominated for two Grammy awards for best country album and best country song. Grammy award-win- ning artist Macklemore will also take the stage to perform several Bill- board hits and enter- tain the crowd with his high energy show. HH File photo Al Sells leads the pack during the 2009 Echo Toy Run. In its 16th year, the Dec. 7 event is being held in the Stanfi eld man’s memory. 16th annual event honors longtime organizer By TAMMY MALGESINI COMMUNITY EDITOR T he Echo Toy Run wraps up the spirit of the season by pro- viding gifts to kids in the hospital. In its 16th year, this year’s event will be special. It is being held in memory of longtime organizer, Al Sells, after he died Aug. 1 in a motorcycle crash. Sells led the pack each year, as anywhere from dozens to more than 100 bikers from across the region rode the approximate 10 miles from Echo to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermis- ton. Straddling Cooter, his 2004 Harley Wide-Glide, the Stanfi eld man always had stuffed animals strapped to the front of his bike and on the back, a large American fl ag waved in the wind. “I appreciate Al’s efforts to organize and keep the toy run going,” said Kelly Sanders, vice president of human resources at Good Shep- herd Medical Center. “He was always the fi rst to arrive and last to leave and seemed to do it all out of the kindness of his heart.” See BTW, Page A11 See Toy run, Page A16 Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini A display of photos and motorcycle memorabilia graces a table at the August celebration of life gathering for Al Sells. Friends and family of the longtime organizer of the Echo Toy Run are holding the 16th annual event in the Stanfi eld man’s memory. Hermiston city council approves annexation for new subdivision By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR Staff photo by Ben Lonergan 8 08805 93294 2 A 36 acre parcel between Diagonal Boulevard and East Elm Avenue was annexed into the City of Hermiston by council vote Monday night. The annexation allows for development of the site into a multi-use neighborhood that includes single and multi-family dwellings as well as “neighborhood” businesses. The Hermiston City Council approved an annexation and zoning changes Monday that could trans- form the northeast entrance to town. Developers Lloyd and Lois Piercy of Hat Rock, who have com- pleted projects around Hermiston in the past and helped revitalize down- town Echo, hope to turn 36 acres at the intersection of Elm Avenue and Diagonal Road into a multi-use neighborhood. Their vision includes 25 acres of “moderate” single family homes, plus walking trails, a few “neigh- borhood” businesses such as a mar- ket or hair salon, and a selection of duplexes and triplexes providing approximately 45 accessible units designed for residents age 55 and older. They plan to start construction in the fall of 2020. “There is a fair supply of usable land for housing (in Hermiston) but very few tracts large enough to cre- ate a community,” Lloyd Piercy told the council. Part of the project would include an off-road pedestrian trail along Northeast 10th Street and improve- ments to the road. City planner Clint Spencer said studies included in the application materials show there is See Council, Page A16
