COMMUNITY
A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021
HERMISTON HISTORY
Runaway horse collides with car
SCOTT SMITH
Educator and author
Hermiston Herald, File
When and why did you move to Hermiston?
I moved to the area in 1979 to teach in Umatilla,
then to Hermiston in 1985 and continued to teach in
Umatilla until 2008. I then started teaching for East-
ern Oregon University at Blue Mountain Community
College in the teacher preparation program retiring
in 2017.
Where is your favorite place to eat in
Hermiston?
Kobe Hibachi Sushi in Cornerstone Court.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
My wife and I enjoy traveling and camping.
What surprises you about Hermiston?
How much Hermiston has grown in the last 40
years.
What was the last book you read?
“Faith After Doubt” by Brian McLaren
What website or app do you use most other
than Facebook?
Amazon
If you could travel anywhere, where would you
go?
I would like to go back and spend more time in
Israel.
What is the funniest thing that’s ever hap-
pened to you?
Teaching kindergarten art. The students were creat-
ing an art project and I had brought feather boas for
them to use the feathers on their projects. No feath-
ers made it onto their projects and there were no
feathers on the boas, just a string! There were col-
ored feathers fl oating all over the room and on the
fl oor. When they kicked them those feathers went
everywhere. We found feathers for months.
What is one of your goals for the next 12
months?
To be able to travel again and fi nish my next book
I’m writing.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Thirty six years of marriage, seeing my daughters
become successful and enjoying their families along
with the completion of my Doctorate in Education.
Local COVID-19
numbers updated
Umatilla County saw
51 new known COVID-19
cases in the past seven days
between Wednesday, March
17, and Tuesday, March 23.
That represents a slight
uptick from 48 new cases in
the seven day period before.
There were no new deaths of
individuals with COVID-19
announced.
Morrow County saw just
one new case in the past
week and no new deaths,
according to the regional
COVID-19 dashboard found
on the Umatilla County Pub-
lic Health website.
Oregon has seen 162,016
cases and 2,367 deaths
since the pandemic began,
according to Oregon Health
Authority, while the United
States has seen more than
29.7 million cases and
540,503 deaths, according to
the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention.
State Rep. Chuck Norris addresses the crowd at the opening of the Army’s new outreach offi ce to provide information on
disposal of the Umatilla Chemical Depot’s weapons in 1996.
25 YEARS AGO
March 19, 1996
In the last year, the Hermiston
area has seen three stabbings, a
major rape, shootings, a Thanks-
giving murder and two armed bank
robberies.
Add this to the almost daily
reports of burglaries and domes-
tic assaults, and casual onlookers
might get the impression that this
small town has a big city crime
problem.
But that may not be the case.
Hermiston Police Chief Andy
Anderson says there’s plenty of
violence crime to go around. But
he doesn’t think there’s a defect
with Hermiston.
“In Hermiston our violent
crimes are rising, albeit slowly,”
he said. “I think it’s on the rise all
over.”
When news broke last week
about a third stabbing in as many
months, some people were left
asking, why stabbings?
“I don’t see any trend of people
using knives over guns,” Anderson
said. Rather, he said, violent crime
seems to be on the rise in America.
Hermiston Herald, File
Mrs. Della Carter, Mrs. Homer Scott and Mrs. C.T. Ward were installed as offi cers
in the Emblem Club in 1971.
100 YEARS AGO
March 25, 1921
50 YEARS AGO
March 25, 1971
A loose saddle on a horse was
the apparent cause of a minor dis-
turbance near Hermiston Junior
High School Tuesday afternoon.
Hermiston police said Dixie
McEwen and Kay Kostechka were
riding the horse double along the
junior high football fi eld when the
saddle turned and Miss McEwen
lost control of the animal.
Then the trouble started. The
horse reportedly jumped over a
wire fence, throwing both girls off ,
ran onto North First Street and col-
lided with an automobile.
Robert Loyd Boatright, 16,
driver of the car, said he was south-
bound when the horse ran into the
vehicle and was knocked down.
He said the horse got up and began
running south.
Police said no persons were
injured and the horse, soon recov-
ered, suff ered only a few scratches.
75 YEARS AGO
March 21, 1946
Umatilla County public health
unit has issued a warning of an
increased incidence of whoop-
ing cough in the Stanfi eld, Herm-
iston and Umatilla areas. Dr. R.H.
Wilcox, county offi cer, suggests
Hermiston Herald, File
Rebecca Ramirez, 4, plays at Victory
Square Park in 1996.
immunization for all preschool
children by their family physician.
He also advises that immuniza-
tion after exposure is not as eff ec-
tive as a well planned immuniza-
tion before.
All children out of school
because of coughing or upper
respiratory infection should stay
home and should have a doctor’s
excuse before returning to school.
2) Kenneth Athey and his French
bride, the former Jacqueline Bour-
zeis of Paris, France, were reunited
Tuesday evening when Mrs. Athey
arrived at Stanfi eld by train.
Athey met his wife while sta-
tioned in Paris and they were mar-
ried there. He reports that she
stood the trip quite well.
She left France about the fi rst
of March, the trip taking about 19
days altogether.
They are at present living with
his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs.
O.T. Lockridge, and plan to make
their home in Hermiston.
Excerpts from the society
pages:
The home of Mr. and Mrs.
S.L. Lochrie was the scene of a
delightful dinner party Tuesday
evening on the occasion of the
birthday anniversary of the host.
Covers were laid for eight at a
daintily appointed table. After
dinner the guests enjoyed a pleas-
ant round of cards and on depart-
ing extended many hearty wishes
for many happy returns of the day.
The St. Patrick’s dance given at
the Bungalow Auditorium Thurs-
day evening by Mrs. F. Ralph and
Miss Marjorie Watson was a big
success in every particular. The
hall was appropriately decorated
for the occasion, the color scheme
of green, white and orange being
very much in evidence.
Music was furnished by
Coe’s orchestra of Echo and a
large throng of merry dancers
tripped the light fantastic till the
wee small hours of the morn-
ing. At midnight dainty refresh-
ments were served by the com-
mittee in charge of the evening’s
entertainment.
Howard Parrish was the victim
of a pleasant surprise party last
Friday evening when a number of
his friends and classmates walked
in and reminded him of his seven-
teenth birthday. The young peo-
ple spent a jolly evening at music
and cards and delicious refresh-
ments were served by the self-ap-
pointed hostesses.
BY THE WAY
Tax deadlines extended until May 17 for state, federal
Procrastinators will have more time to get their taxes
in after the Internal Revenue Service announced it
was extending the federal income tax fi ling due date
for individuals for the 2020 tax year from April 15,
2021, to May 17, 2021.
Oregon’s Department of Revenue followed the
IRS’s lead and extended the deadline for state fi lings
to May 17 as well.
Individual taxpayers can also postpone federal
income tax payments for the 2020 tax year due on
April 15 to May 17 without penalties and interest,
regardless of the amount owed, according to the news
release.
This relief does not apply to estimated tax pay-
ments that are due on April 15, 2021, however.
Most taxpayers automatically have those taxes
withheld from their paychecks and submitted to the
IRS by their employer.
• • •
Hermiston Police Department was recognized by
Lexipol Connect for achieving their gold level for
“consistently and eff ectively disseminating policies to
offi cers, issuing timely policy updates as laws change,
and ensuring offi cers are trained on policies,” accord-
ing to a news release from Chief Jason Edmiston.
Lexipol is a policy and training platform for public
safety agencies.
“Policy — and regularly training on policy — is
crucial to the success of the department,” Edmiston
said. “We are proud to be recognized by Lexipol Con-
nect for continuously improving professionalism and
safety.”
• • •
Gov. Kate Brown’s latest submission of names for
state Senate confi rmation includes Michael Erickson of
Hermiston.
Erickson’s name was submitted for a four-year term
on the Respiratory Therapist and Polysomnographic
Technologist Licensing Board.
He would replace Tony Garberg.
• • •
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, March 25, is spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and
dessert. The menu for Tuesday, March 30, is baked fi sh,
peas, cole slaw 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.