COMMUNITY A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM THREE MINUTES WITH … WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020 HERMISTON HISTORY Arson suspected in cabin fi re 25 YEARS AGO June 13, 1995 BRUNA CUCOLO College student When and why did you move to Hermiston? I moved to Hermiston when I was 6 years old from Brazil. My mom met her husband who’s from here, so we moved when she got married. Where is your favorite place to eat in Hermiston? Defi nitely Ixtapa. Their chicken enchiladas are amazing! What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to lie on my bed with my Christmas-type lights on while listening to music through a physical form: record vinyl, CD, or cassette. What surprises you about Hermiston? How rapidly it’s been growing these past few years. It seems insane to me but it’s also really neat to see the community grow. What was the last book you read? To be completely honest, I don’t quite remember, so I’ll just go with “What Editors Do.” It’s one of my required texts for my Book Editing class this spring term. What website or app do you use the most? Twitter, I’ve had it since 2009. Yes, I have a problem. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I’d love to go to Italy someday. What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you? One time when I was bowling and it was my turn to bowl, I swung my arm back and the ball fell right out of my hand. I’m not sure how that happened. What is one of your goals in the next 12 years? A goal of mine by then is to have been copy editing long enough and well enough to work for Pitchfork in New York City. What is your proudest accomplishment? Getting my work published on Vortex’s website. Vor- tex is a Portland-based music magazine that I intern at, so to have something of mine be on their site is pretty cool. Arson is strongly suspected in a fi re that gutted an abandoned cabin on Southeast Fourth Street south of Highway 395 yesterday. Fire crews spent several hours extinguishing the blaze, which threw fl ames as high as 50 feet. Of particular concern for the fi refi ght- ers were tall trees and power lines near the property. Since the incident, evidence turned up indicating the fi re was deliberately set. “We got information last night that a young man was bragging he set the fi re,” said Fire Marshal Pat Ward. The culprit, he said, is a junior high aged boy not living near the cabin. The long-vacant house, owned by Wallace Mayfi eld of Walnut Creek, Calif., had become a haven for chil- dren sneaking a smoke or engaged in other activities, Hermiston Fire Chief Jim Stearns said. HH fi le photo Firefi ghters work to control a house fi re in Hermiston in 1995. 50 YEARS AGO June 11, 1970 All of the major construction jobs in Hermiston, totaling nearly $2 mil- lion, are well underway or com- pleted with the exception of Good Samaritan Center. P.A. “Al” Fredrickson, Good Samaritan administrator, said work on the $152,000 addition is expected to begin in the near future. The fi rst job planned will be a new fl oor for the existing kitchen. Golden Manor, a turnkey housing project under construction on West Hermiston Avenue, is progressing on schedule, according to contractor Walt Eiring of the Timber Co. Work on the Good Shepherd Hospital addition is well into the “visual” stage. The contractors are having to work around existing facilities that must remain in opera- tion, slowing them down somewhat. Gilbert Gettman’s Smitty’s Pan- cake House, under construction by The Timber Company, promises to add much to the looks of downtown Hermiston. HH fi le photo Adam Schwartz, 13, takes advantage of a free fi shing day at the McNary Ponds in 1995. 75 YEARS AGO June 14, 1945 Thirty-six individuals and nine departments were presented awards Wednesday for their “no lost time accident” record at the Umatilla Ordnance Depot during the past year at a ceremony at the post theater. Col. A.S. Buyers, commanding offi - cer of the depot, made the presenta- tions for the Chief of Ordnance. Lost time accidents per month have dropped from 26 in 1942 to three for the 1945 record to date. In 1943 the statistics showed 13 lost time accidents per month, 1944 having a very low rate of four, due largely to the safety campaign results. Included among the supervisors receiving awards were nine gang bosses in the explosive area, who handle large crews and are subjected to accidents more frequently than other departments. 2) Electric service was inter- rupted in part of the business section of Hermiston on Saturday morning for about half an hour as a result of a meter at the Frank Pierson wreck- ing offi ce being accidentally pulled off the building by a passing truck. The transformer in the alley “kicked out” a fuse and no serious damage was suffered. HH fi le photo Agustin Posada, left, an exchange student from Colombia, listens as farmers Glenn Rohde and Marsh Meyers give a tour of a farm outside Hermiston in 1995. 100 YEARS AGO June 12, 1920 Messers Jackson and Rod- kin shipped a load of hogs on the Steamer Northwestern last Tuesday to the Benson Commercial company of Portland. It is very convenient for the farmers of this section who desire to ship livestock to the yards in Port- land to load them on the Northwest- ern at Umatilla where they are taken direct to the packing plant. The trip down the river is cool and the animals do not suffer from heated cars and arrive at their destination in much better shape. 2) The smoker given by the Amer- ican Legion last Friday night was well attended and the show was well put on. The boys deserve great credit in the way they handled the affair and the fans went away voting it a good evening’s entertainment. The fi rst event was a wrestling match between McKeen of Hermis- ton and Dorn of Echo. McKeen won the event with one fall in six and a half minutes in the fi rst round, the second being a draw. Next on the card was another wrestling match between George Mathay and Harry Kelley, both of Hermiston. This affair was a stem- winder and both boys showed con- siderable knowledge of the sport, both getting into tight places and surprising his opponent by cleverly untangling himself. However, Kelley got a fall in seven minutes in the fi rst round, the second going to a draw. BY THE WAY Hermiston Herald reopening its offi ces The Hermiston Herald and East Oregonian will reopen our offi ces to walk-in customers on Monday, June 15. The lobby of our offi ce, at 333 East Main St., will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday for the time being. To prepare for the reopening we are installing a plexi- glass barrier on our front desk and will be placing signs reminding customers to observe social distancing and not enter the premises if they are sick. • • • More than 30 park trees lost to heavy storms Hermiston’s city parks lost more than 30 trees during the recent severe storm, according to Larry Fetter, the city’s parks and recreation director. Fetter called the loss “heartbreaking” and said many of the trees were mature trees that were several decades old. He said if anyone would like to sponsor the planting of a new tree in a park, they can contact the department at 541-567-5018. Sponsors of trees can pick out the type of tree and where it will be planted, and can designated it in honor of a loved one if they choose. • • • Kayak is running local routes again Kayak Public Transit is back up and running along local routes, including the HART in Hermiston. The regional transit service had been interrupted since March 23 due to COVID-19. According to a news release, passengers are required to wear face coverings, and keep 3 feet of distance from other passengers along and 6 feet from the driver. The transit service is also only meant to be utilized for essen- tial trips. • • • Baked fi sh on Thursday 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. The menu for Thursday, June 11 is baked fi sh, Carib- bean veggies, rice pilaf and dessert. The menu for Tues- day, June 16 is BBQ chicken, baked beans, macaroni salad 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.