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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020
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TIGER
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Stanfi eld rallies for fi ve young
men injured in car crash
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
FUNDRAISERS
In a year that has pushed peo-
ple apart physically, tragedy in
Stanfi eld has brought the com-
munity closer together.
Five young men ages 14-20
— three current Stanfi eld Sec-
ondary School students and two
recent graduates — were injured
in a rollover crash on Sept. 29
outside Hermiston. Since then,
community
members
have
hosted several fundraisers for the
three most seriously injured.
“The outpouring of love
through all of the donations is
so greatly appreciated!!!” orga-
nizer Angie Hallgarth wrote on
a GoFundMe page for Gabriel
Monkus, who was transported
via Life Flight to Sacred Heart
Hospital in Spokane the night of
the crash. “Prayers are still very
much needed for Gabriel as well
as for his family. Thank you all
so very much!!!”
Another GoFundMe account
has been set up for Armando
Nunez, who was also seriously
injured and sent via Life Flight
to Spokane, Washington, and his
brother Eduardo, who, according
to the GoFundMe page, broke his
leg in the crash.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, about
100 community members gath-
ered for a candlelight vigil at
Bard Park for the young men.
It wasn’t the reunion that Stan-
fi eld Secondary School Principal
Steve Sheller had hoped to have
with his students, he said.
“Whatever you’re feeling now
— whatever it is — it’s OK,” he
told the crowd as the sun set. “If
you feel sad, that’s OK. If you
feel fearful, that’s OK. If you
Online fundraisers have been
set up for three hospitalized
victims of the Sept. 29 single
vehicle rollover that injured fi ve
young men from Stanfi eld.
To donate to Gabriel Monkus’s
medical bills, visit gofundme.
com/f/benefi t-for-gabe-
monkus.
To donate to Armand and Edu-
ardo Nunez, visit gofundme.
com/f/help-for-nunez-family.
Ben Lonergan/Hermiston Herald
Stanfi eld community members gather for a candlelight vigil at Bard Park in Stanfi eld on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2020.
don’t know what to feel, that’s
OK. ... What’s not OK is to do
it alone.”
According to Umatilla County
Sheriff Terry Rowan, deputies
were dispatched for the report
of a crash on North Loop Road
to the east of Hermiston at about
10:15 p.m.
The Oregon State Police and
its crash reconstruction unit is
assisting the sheriff’s offi ce in
the investigation, but statements
at the scene indicated a 2012
Toyota Camry lost control and
left the roadway while traveling
in excess of 100 mph.
The vehicle severed a power
pole and three of its occupants
were ejected, Rowan said.
All fi ve were then transported
from the scene to Good Shepherd
Medical Center in Hermiston
before three were fl own to Sacred
Heart Hospital in Spokane.
Rowan identifi ed the driver of
the vehicle as 19-year-old Edu-
ardo Nunez.
During the candlelight vigil,
Sheller directed his comments to
the students there, telling them
Ben Lonergan/Hermiston Herald
See Vigil, Page A9
Stanfi eld Secondary School Principal Steve Sheller pauses while speaking at a candlelight vigil on on Thursday,
Oct. 1, 2020, for a group of fi ve past and present Stanfi eld students injured in a car crash on Sept. 29, 2020.
Corn mazes, pumpkin patches ready for fall fun
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
For people worried the pan-
demic might have canceled their
favorite fall activities, several
options are back for another year.
The Echo Corn Maze opened
its fi fth season on Friday, Oct. 2.
The 8-acre maze is located at 100
N. Dupont St. in Echo. In addi-
tion to the main maze, which
takes approximately one hour
to complete, the property also
includes smaller mazes for young
children, a pyramid of hay bales
for climbing, a zipline, pump-
kin patch and fi re pits that can be
reserved for group gatherings.
Owner Gina Tyhuis said her
family started the maze fi ve
years ago to celebrate the adop-
tion of her son. Now, each year is
a celebration of that anniversary
for their family.
This year they had to do extra
work to bring the maze back,
after the entire property was cov-
ered by water during the exten-
sive fl ooding of the Umatilla
River in February.
“We fl ooded in the spring and
had to start over, so that’s what’s
pushed us back some,” she said
as she worked to wrap up prepa-
rations on the day before the
maze opened to the public.
INSIDE
Hermiston Herald, File
Hermiston residents Hope Smith and Angelica White, both 13, walk through the path at the Echo Corn Maze and
Pumpkin Patch in 2019. The maze has reopened for the 2020 season.
She said the community par-
ticipation is always “awesome,”
including sponsors and volun-
teers who help make it possible.
The maze opened Friday, Oct.
2 and will stay open through
A2 Video of candidate forums
available for upcoming races
the end of October, Tuesday
through Sunday. The haunted
Field of Screams version will
be available Oct. 17, 24, 30 and
31 from 7-9 p.m. Several spe-
cial events, including a pumpkin
A3 County commissioner candi-
date Dan Dorran says he will stay in
the race after DUII arrest
carving demonstration by artist
Roger Pope, are also scheduled
throughout the month.
In light of COVID-19, masks
will be required on the property
and hand sanitizing stations will
A7 Umatilla welcomes three new
businesses to town
be available. Guests are asked
to keep 6 feet apart from other
groups and not visit the site if
they are experiencing any symp-
toms of illness or have recently
been exposed to COVID-19.
For more information on the
maze, including hours and pric-
ing, visit echocornmaze.com or
call 509-528-5808.
Bellinger Farms and Gour-
met Shoppe at 1823 S. Highway
395 in Hermiston will be offer-
ing its pumpkin patch seven days
a week. This year’s experience
includes a hay bale maze and
games, such as corn hole, a photo
station and tractor rides. Visitors
can also buy food and drinks
from the shop and The Gathering
Place restaurant.
The pumpkin patch is offering
an outdoor pay station and san-
itation stations for COVID-19,
and is requiring social distancing
on the property.
For more information, includ-
ing times and prices, visit the
Bellinger Farms and Gourmet
Shoppe Facebook page or call
541-567-5870.
While Halloween events may
look different than usual this
year, most cities are still holding
socially distanced events.
See Fall, Page A10
A8 Hermiston RV park runs on
solar power