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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2020)
A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM THREE MINUTES WITH … COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2020 HERMISTON HISTORY Gas station crash spills 440 gallons of fuel BEN LONERGAN East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald photographer When and why did you move to Hermiston? Although I don’t live in Hermiston, I moved to Pend- leton to work at the East Oregonian in June 2019 and I work in Hermiston several times a week tak- ing photos for both the East Oregonian and Hermis- ton Herald. Where is your favorite place to eat in Hermiston? While I don’t eat many meals in Hermiston, I enjoy grabbing lunch at Southern Twain BBQ on occasion. What do you like to do in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy shooting photographs and exploring the Eastern Oregon countryside. What surprises you about Hermiston? I am always surprised by the tight-knit community in Hermiston and the surrounding Eastern Oregon towns. Having come from a large city, I admire how closely people can work together and support each other. What was the last book you read? The last book I read cover to cover was Ernest L. Crockatt’s book “The Murder of Til Taylor: A Great Western Sheriff,” while researching for the East Oregonian‘s Til Taylor special section earlier this summer. What website or app do you use most other than Facebook? In addition to Facebook and other social media sites, my most commonly used application is most likely Photoshop. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I love traveling through the national parks and would love to continue to explore the National Park system. What is one of your goals for the next 12 months? I would love to get the chance to get outside and hike more often and continue to learn the intriguing details that make Eastern Oregon what it is. What is your proudest accomplishment? I have always been interested in pursuing photog- raphy as a career and my proudest accomplishment was getting the opportunity to join the East Orego- nian and work as a photographer day in and day out covering Eastern Oregon and the people that live here. Hermiston Herald, File Firefi ghters keep an eye on a gasoline spill at Jerry’s Fuel Shop outside Umatilla in 1995. 25 YEARS AGO Nov. 14, 1995 Two Umatilla businesses were closed when a van ran into a gaso- line pump, spilling more than 440 gallons of fuel at the intersections of Highways 395 and 730 Saturday. Karen Strong, operator of Jerry’s Fuel Stop at the intersection, had gone out to the pumps to fi ll an older GMC van with regular. However, Strong said the driver went past the pump. She said she asked him to back up so the nozzle could reach. He did so, but turned into the pump, knocking it from its foundation, she said. The automatic shutoff valve built into the pump did not work, and gas began to fl ow onto the ground. “From the bottom, it was pouring like a gusher,” Strong said. She asked the driver, Vincente Flores Rodriguez, 57, for his license and insurance information. “The only good thing is the guy has got insurance,” she said. She then called her husband, Jerry Flores, then the fi re department. The gas was shut of in about 15 minutes. By then, it had mixed with rain pud- dles that were standing throughout the property. Hermiston Herald, File Students from Bob Mansfi eld’s life science class at Clara Brownell Middle School in Umatilla learn about aquatic insects on a fi eld trip in 1995. on two buildings in Ocean Lake, Oregon. Comm. Designer Hugh Cook, recently released as a lieutenant commander from the Navy, will work in cooperation with the con- struction fi rm. Associated with Hugh Cook will be Laurence C. Wiggins, who will handle the contract and fi nancial end of the business. Beveridge and Hart plan to visit Hermiston and other cities in the vicinity of the McNary Dam site within the next two weeks. They will study needs for both hous- ing and commercial structures. 50 YEARS AGO Nov. 19, 1970 Opening of the Golden Manor, a 50-unit housing project for the elderly at 980 Hermiston Ave., is scheduled for Sunday between 2-4 p.m. The fi rst turnkey project ever in Umatilla County, the low-rent quar- ters include 22 effi ciency units, 26 one-bedroom units and two two-bed- room units. 2) Two persons were injured Sat- urday morning when the house in which they were staying became one of three objects in the Hermis- ton area to be destroyed by fi re in the past week. Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Conner were occupying the Stewart resi- dence, just off Diagonal Boulevard, when a propane explosion began to engulf it at 5:45 a.m. According to Assistant Fire Chief Bill Hibbard, Conner said he smelled gas and heard a hissing sound, arose and shut off one valve adjoining the furnace. The pilot light to the range apparently was still on, however, and the gas soon ignited. Mrs. Conner is in Good Shepherd Hospital recovering from severe burns received in the fi re. Hibbard Hermiston Herald, File Amy Johnson, 18, of Milton- Freewater, holds her 2-month-old daughter, Karen, at a Teen Parent Summit in 1995 in Hermiston. quoted her as saying she was burned because she stayed inside to tele- phone the fi re department instead of escaping as soon as the explosion had occurred. Conner broke a toe in the process of running out of the house, Hibbard said. 75 YEARS AGO Nov. 15, 1945 Beveridge-Hart Construction Co., a new fi rm which will specialize in the erection of commercial stores and structures, has been incorpo- rated at Salem and becomes the fi rst construction company to publicly announce intentions of gunning for building contracts in the potential boom area of the proposed $87 mil- lion McNary Dam near Umatilla. The fi rm will soon start work 100 YEARS AGO Nov. 19, 1920 All in all, Saturday was a red letter day for the Hermiston High School, for they demonstrated that they were the liveliest, most hospi- table school in the county, and this impression was carried away by the Pendleton boys. The following is a short squib from the East Oregonian printed about the game: Pendleton’s high school’s second team football men came home from Hermiston Saturday evening feel- ing mighty friendly toward the high school folks of the west end city for their hospitality. After taking a 13 to 7 defeat from the local boys, the Hermistonians entertained at a banquet which was served at the local hall by the girls and their mothers. A dance was also held that evening, but most of the local boys had to come home early in order to get transportation. Talk at the Pendleton high school today centers about the good spirit displayed by the west end people. BY THE WAY Echo Thanksgiving meal canceled because of fl ooding The community dinner planned for Saturday, Nov. 28, at Echo Community Church has been canceled due to fl ooding at the church. For more information, call Jerry Gaunt at 541-571-4419. Hermiston will still be offering drive-thru pickup of free Thanksgiving meals for the annual Community Fel- lowship Dinner at Hermiston High School on Thurs- day, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. People who are picking up meals are required to stay in their vehicle and wear a face covering. • • • Kayak Public Transit’s bus routes, including the Hermiston Hopper and the HART in Hermiston, will be closed on Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, for Thanks- giving. Buses will resume normal operations on Nov. 28. For updates on bus routes, particularly during inclem- ent weather, visit the Kayak Public Transit Facebook page or call the dispatch line at 541-429-7519 Monday through Friday from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. • • • The Hermiston Herald will be delivered on its usual Wednesday delivery date during the week of Thanksgiv- ing, but will be printed a day early, on Monday, Nov. 23, instead of Tuesday, Nov. 24. As a result, letters to the editor, press releases and sub- missions should be submitted by 5 p.m. the Friday prior, and the obituary deadline for the week will be noon on Nov. 23. The East Oregonian’s Thursday edition will be delivered on Wednesday, Nov. 25, instead of on Thanksgiving. • • • Umatilla County Fire District #1 has had a busy year, according to its report for the fi rst three quarters of 2020 presented at the Hermiston Rotary Club recently. The report shows 5,517 calls for service so far this year, at an average of 15.11 calls per shift, compared with 11.54 calls in 2016. The year has included 197 fi re calls, 3,339 emer- gency medical transports, 31 hazardous materials calls, 215 calls for extraction/rescue and various other calls for service. • • • The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center’s takeout and delivery menu for Thursday, Nov. 19, is baked fi sh, coleslaw, rice pilaf and dessert. The menu for Tuesday, Nov. 24, is turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, vegeta- bles and dessert. The senior center will be closed on Nov. 26, for Thanksgiving. For a Meals on Wheels delivery in Hermiston, call 541-567-3582 before 10 a.m. to place an order. To pick up a meal from the center at 255 N.E. Second St., call the same number before 11 a.m. Meals are $4 and can be picked up between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. The Boardman Senior Center is now providing meal delivery. Meals are $4 paid upon delivery. Call 541-481- 3257 to order.
