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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2020)
A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM THREE MINUTES WITH … WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 HERMISTON HISTORY Manslaughter results in four-year sentence 25 YEARS AGO May 9, 1995 KRIS BARNUM Semi-retired When and why did you move to Hermiston? I came here for a position with Blue Mountain Com- munity College that my wonderful daughter, who lives here, encouraged me to apply for. She kept tex- ting me openings at BMCC and eventually I decided that sounded like a good idea. I started in the fall of 2016. Where is your favorite place to eat in Hermiston? It would have to be between Veg Out and Delish Bistro. What do you like to do in your spare time? Now that I’m supposedly, partially, retired, in my spare time I’m fi nding more time to sew, and to spend time with my grandchildren, and connect vir- tually with the ones that don’t live here. What surprises you about Hermiston? I knew Hermiston, because I had visited a lot before I moved here, but what surprises me is how much that it has what I need. I don’t need to go to bigger places very often, because it has a little bit of a lot of different things, and that suits me just fi ne. What was the last book you read? The last book I read was a birthday present, because my children know where my interest is. It was “The Faraway Horses” by Buck Brannaman. It was funny because at the beginning of the book he talks about growing up in the Northwest, and he had an experi- ence with his brother at a children’s talent show in Spokane, and I was in that talent show myself once. What website or app do you use most other than Facebook? I would say Instagram, but the only people I connect with is my children. It’s my favorite way to stay con- nected to what they’re all doing. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I would say Japan. I’ve hosted quite a few exchange and international students from Japan in the past. They were wonderful young women who shared their beautiful culture. What is one of your goals for the next 12 months? To move into retirement, and get back to visiting family and making fun trips to visit friends. I also have a goal to get more seriously and productively into family history. What is your proudest accomplishment? My children, absolutely. All four of my wonderful children and their families. John Ralph Crespin Jr. will spend the next four years in prison for the June 6 shooting death of Jose Tige- rino Perez. Although he said he was sure that Crespin had led “an exemplary life,” Umatilla County Circuit Court Judge Robert Abrams said he could not ignore the crime. “This is not easy for the court — it is very diffi cult — but I also have an obligation to society,” Abrams said. “We cannot allow people to take the law into their own hands.” Crespin was found guilty of man- slaughter in a March trial. Ken Mor- row, his attorney, contended the killing was manslaughter, not mur- der, because Crespin experienced extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the killing. On June 6 Crespin chased Perez through east Hermiston before shooting him three times with a .22 caliber revolver at Southeast Second and Highway 395. Perez, who was involved with Crespin’s wife, Darla, had been liv- ing with the Crespins at their East Newport home. 2) Stafford Hansell, innovative farmer and respected statesman, died at his home in Boardman Fri- day of cancer. He was 81. A native of Athena, Hansell and his brother, William, purchased the town of Ordnance near the Umatilla Army Depot and established what would be by 1960 the largest hog farm in the free world. The use of buildings intended for humans led to innovations that assured the broth- ers’ success. He is better known throughout Oregon as a public servant of the highest integrity. HH fi le photo Maria Guadelupe Mendoza, 17, of Hermiston, dances at the Cinco de Mayo festival in McKenzie Park in 1995. 50 YEARS AGO May 7, 1970 An explosive fi re in Stanfi eld Monday afternoon destroyed the trailer home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gaustad and their six children. The fi re started about 4:22 p.m. when three of the Gaustad boys were in the home with a jug of gas for the lawn mower. Fire Chief Jim Nyman said some of the gas apparently spilled and ran under the gas stove where it was ignited by the pilot light. The three youths immediately ran out of the trailer before the explosion occurred and none were injured. The intense heat destroyed the trailer home in about eight min- utes, the time it took to put the fi re out, according to Chief Nyman. The 55-foot mobile home was a total loss, including all the furniture and most of the family’s clothing. 75 YEARS AGO May 10, 1945 V-E day came to Hermiston in a quiet and subdued manner. Very lit- tle hilarity was shown — so many families still having sons, husbands, or brothers in the service who either now are fi ghting the Japanese in the Pacifi c or perhaps may be trans- ferred to the Pacifi c with their fi ghting in Germany at an end. As was general in most communities located near war industries, Hermis- ton business houses remained open, with only the beer parlors and other unessential business houses closing their doors. Hermiston schools continued classes with appropriate program touching on the signifi cance of the day were held. 2) Mr. and Mrs. Vern Daugherty probably were the happiest couple in Hermiston on V-E day Tuesday. HH fi le photo Students get ready for prom at Stanfi eld Secondary School in 1995. In addition to receiving word that hostilities had ceased in Germany, they were in receipt of a letter from their son who has been a prisoner in Germany for many months: “Well I am a little closer to home now. Rode in a plane from Germany to France. Am now waiting for transportation to get to the States. It won’t be long now. Should be home on furlough in about a month. I hope! “It sure is nice to be a free man again. Am getting plenty to eat now. That is also swell. Had my fi rst bath and new clean clothes in two and a half months last night. What a relief. No more lice now. Well, I will write again in a few days. There isn’t any use in answering back because I probably won’t get any return mail. Hope you are well and happy. See you soon.” 100 YEARS AGO May 8, 1920 Tuesday evening of this week, Harry M. Straw had the misfor- tune of having his Ford car partially burned. After fi lling the gasoline tank at the Hermiston Auto Com- pany’s gasoline station, Mr. Straw noticed sparks issuing from the gas- oline tank and before he could sum- mon assistance the car was afi re. With the combined efforts of the garage men and several passerby the car was shoved away from the build- ing into the middle of the street, where, with the aid of shovels and sand, the fi re was subdued. The foot- board and cushions on front and rear seats were badly burned, the damage estimated to be about $40. BY THE WAY City taking applications for new councilor The Hermiston City Council is looking for a new mem- ber after former councilor John Kirwan resigned April 27 after accepting a career opportunity in another city. Kirwan was one of the council’s four at-large members who do not represent a specifi c zone of the city. The four seats are up for reelection in November. The applicant cho- sen by the city council will serve through the end of 2020 and must run and win in November if they want to keep their seat in 2021. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on May 18 to city recorder Lilly Alarcon Strong, and can be found online at hermiston.or.us. • • • U.S. Census continues The U.S. Census is still ongoing, despite the diffi cul- ties presented by COVID-19. Participation in the census is required by law, and the results of the census are used to calculate everything from how much federal grant money a community receives to how many seats Oregon gets in Congress. Everyone can respond to the census by phone, by mail or online. Taxpayer-funded census takers will work to track down those that haven’t responded yet later in the year. For more information, visit 2020census.gov. • • • Virtual storytime with a fi refi ghter Umatilla County Fire District 1 is hosting story time with a fi refi ghter each Friday on Facebook. Each Friday night, a different staff member will read a children’s book out loud. The district is also posting vid- eos throughout the week with tours of the fi re stations and demonstrations of their vehicles and special equipment. New videos and ones from previous weeks are avail- able on the Umatilla County Fire District #1 Facebook page. • • • Senior center continues with meal delivery and takeout The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center continues to be closed to the public during the COVID-19 outbreak, but the senior center is still providing meals by delivery or takeout to senior citizens every Tuesday and Thursday. Thursday’s menu is meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables and dessert. Next Tuesday’s menu is pork loin, stuffi ng, vegetables and dessert. For a Meals on Wheels delivery, call 541-567-3582 before 10 a.m. to place an order. To pick up a meal from the center at 255 Northeast Second St., call the same number before 11 a.m. Meals are $4 and can be picked up between noon and 12:50 p.m.
