COMMUNITY
A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021
HERMISTON HISTORY
Boardman farmer uses fi eld to propose
XOCHILT JUAREZ
Teacher at Rocky Heights Elementary
When and why did you move to Hermiston?
I moved to Hermiston about 20 years ago because
my parents wanted us to have more opportunities.
Where is your favorite place to eat in
Hermiston?
My favorite place to eat at currently is La Palma. (I
enjoy Mexican food!)
What do you like to do in your spare time?
During my spare time I like to spend it with my fam-
ily or at home with my dog.
What surprises you about Hermiston?
What surprises me about Hermiston is how much
the population has grown and how diverse it has
become.
What was the last book you read?
The last book I read was “Tuesdays with Morrie,”
by Mitch Albom.
What website or app do you use most other
than Facebook?
It is between Pinterest or Instagram. Pinterest is one
I use now that I am a teacher. I can fi nd ideas for my
class or inspirational quotes to get me through the
week. On Instagram, I like seeing everyone’s updates
— friends having babies, graduating, what my fam-
ily who live far away have been up to, etc.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you
go?
If I could travel anywhere around the world I would
have to say Europe. I would love to try the food in
Europe, visit the most beautiful destinations and just
create new memories.
What is the funniest thing that’s ever hap-
pened to you?
The funniest thing that has ever happened to me
(well, embarrassing) would probably be falling in
front of a lot of people and pretending I was looking
for something.
What is one of your goals for the next 12
months?
One of my goals for the next 12 months is to go back
to school for my master’s degree.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment is being the fi rst in
my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree and
being a teacher today.
COVID-19 numbers updated
Umatilla County saw
48 new cases of COVID-
19 confi rmed from March
10-16 and no new deaths,
according to the regional
dashboard maintained by
Umatilla County Public
Health.
The dashboard shows
only two new cases
announced for Morrow
County in the past week and
no new deaths.
Umatilla
County
remains in the state’s high
risk category for COVID-
19 spread, while Morrow
County has dropped down
to low risk.
Umatilla County Pub-
lic Health updated the look
of its website in the past
week, with more promi-
nent sections for COVID-
19 information and vac-
cine information. For more
information, visit www.
ucohealth.net.
Hermiston Herald, File
Stephanie Fialka, Cari Ann Bakker and Crystal Bevan were selected to the 1996 Umatilla County Fair Court.
25 YEARS AGO
March 12, 1996
Deciding just how to ask for
someone’s hand in marriage is no
easy task. When is the right time? Do
you get down on one knee?
Joseph Taylor of Boardman had
no problem fi nding a unique way. He
used his fi eld.
Cheryl Hausinger didn’t know
what she was in for when Taylor
asked her to accompany him to fl y
over the fi eld. Since farmers rou-
tinely fl y over the crop circles located
at Three Mile Canyon, Hausinger
thought nothing of it when Taylor
invited her along.
“I just thought we were going to
look at the circles,” she said.
As the plane went over Taylor’s
fi eld, the pilot slanted the plane for
the two to get a good view.
“At fi rst I didn’t want to look,”
said Hausinger. “But he (Taylor) was
pushing me to look out the window.”
Upon fi nding the courage to look,
Hausinger saw more than just Tay-
lor’s fi eld. Taking up roughly 12
acres, and written in script was the
message, “Cheryl will you marry
me?”
Taylor gave her the ring up in the
air and she accepted the proposal.
Hermiston Herald, File
First responders work on rescues after a 12-car pileup on Interstate 84 near
Arlington in 1996.
50 YEARS AGO
March 18, 1971
The question of a kindergarten for
Hermiston School District 8R has
been raised again.
Superintendent Armand O. Lar-
ive said at the meeting of the school
board Monday that if the fi rst grade
enrollment is down sharply next year
as anticipated there could be enough
teachers and classroom space for
the district to establish a kinder-
garten with little added cost other
than for extra busing and additional
equipment.
With 100 kindergarten pupils,
Larive said, the district would need
two classrooms and two teachers,
each one to handle a class of 25 in
the morning and a class of 25 in the
afternoon.
With normal enrollment, he said,
the total cost of initiating the pro-
gram would be about $15,000. The
superintendent said it is “the fi rst
time I have seen that Hermiston
could start a kindergarten program.”
75 YEARS AGO
March 14, 1946
Two boys, 11 and 12 years old,
staged a minor crime wave in Herm-
iston last Thursday night when they
Hermiston Herald, File
A Hermiston High School track athlete practices hurdles in 1996.
broke into four business establish-
ments and removed a number of arti-
cles from at least three places.
May’s Associated Station, oper-
ated by Louis May, was entered by
breaking a small hole in a window
on the west side of the building and
unlatching it. They took a box fi lled
with cigarettes, candy, pop, pen-
nies from the cash register and other
small items. Most of these things
were discovered by two boys Fri-
day afternoon while playing near the
irrigation water outlet in back of the
American Legion building. The box
had been placed inside the outlet and
some of the candy bars shoved into
the pipe.
The boys were caught by the local
police but disposition of their case
will not be made until later.
100 YEARS AGO
March 18, 1921
The Socialists held a very suc-
cessful meeting last Friday when
R. Snow of Chicago was the prin-
cipal speaker of the evening. The
attendance was not as large as was
expected, but those who attended
were well repaid, for Mr. Snow gave
a very creditable lecture on the sub-
ject “Shall the Things We Use in
Common be Owned in Common.”
Mr. Snow is a very capable orator,
and impressed his audience with the
earnestness in which he handled his
subject.
2) A treat is in store for the theat-
rical goers next Monday night when
Jack London’s great novel, “The
Sea Wolf,” which is acknowledged
the best picturization of all of Lon-
don’s works, will be shown under
the auspices of the Library at the
Play House.
Novel vaudeville stunts will also
be given which will make an eve-
ning’s entertainment seldom seen in
Hermiston. There will only be one
show, commencing at 8 p.m. sharp,
so be on hand early and get a good
seat.
BY THE WAY
Tribal offi cial Chuck Sams tapped for role on state council
A longtime administrator with the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation has been
tapped for a job with broad infl uence over regional energy
and environmental conservation. But an even bigger job
could be in store for him.
The CTUIR announced on Monday, March 8, that
Chuck Sams was leaving his role as the interim execu-
tive director of the Tribes to fi ll a seat on the Northwest
Power and Conservation Council.
Gov. Kate Brown appointed him to the council, but
she’s also backing him for another appointment: a job in
the Biden administration as the director of the National
Parks Service.
• • •
Dog training classes off ered
Hermiston Parks and Recreation has brought back
dog and puppy training courses.
According to the department, residents can join an
instructor from Paws Off Obedience for a six-week
course “to create an obedient, loving companion.” The
fi rst session will be April 17.
Registration is available at bit.ly/hermistonrecreation.
A free preview of the class will also be available on
March 26, when the city holds a grand opening for the
new Bark Park dog area at Butte Park.
Check the Hermiston Parks and Recreation Facebook
page for announcements about other spring recreation
classes, including line dancing and youth sports.
• • •
County fair prep begins
The Umatilla County Fair is already gearing up for
the 2021 fair, and held a steer weigh-in on Saturday,
March 13, at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event
Center.
According to the schedule posted online, future
weigh-ins for sheep, goats and hogs will be held
in Hermiston at EOTEC on June 6. Locations
will also be available in Pendleton, Athena and
Milton-Freewater.
• • •
Senior meals include meat loaf
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, March 18, is meat loaf, mashed potatoes, veg-
gies and dessert. The menu for Tuesday, March 23, is ham
and yams, peas and carrots, Jell-O and dessert.
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.