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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2021)
NEWS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 Friends, colleagues pay tribute to deputy NEWS BRIEFS Hermiston to break ground on $2.5 million project July 7 The city of Hermis- ton will break ground on a new industrial park project on Wednesday, July 7. The $2.5 million proj- ect will add roads, water and sewer to the South Hermiston Industrial Park. According to a press release, construction is expected to last about four months and create 16 new parcels of shovel-ready industrial land. The work by the city will coincide with development of a new 179,000-square-foot ware- house for Meyer Distrib- uting, which plans to hire approximately 70 full- time employees in the fall, according to the city. Funding for the infra- structure project at SHIP comes from a $1.46 mil- lion U.S. Economic Devel- opment Administration grant, a local improvement district made up of adja- cent property owners, the city and Umatilla County. “These new shov- el-ready lots will make it much easier for small light Industrial operations to set up and provide support services to our other large agricultural and industrial operations in the region,” Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said in a press release. The groundbreaking is scheduled for July 7 at 12:15 p.m. on East Penney Avenue. ODOT holding curb ramp open house The Oregon Depart- ment of Transportation is collecting feedback ahead of a project to increase accessibility to side- walks along state high- ways, according to a news release. Starting in 2022, ODOT will repair and upgrade HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A11 hundreds of sidewalk curb ramps along state high- ways in several commu- nities in Umatilla, Mor- row, Wallowa and Baker counties. The work is part of a statewide eff ort to bring curb ramps into compli- ance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards to improve mobility and safety. In 2018, a report found that only 3% of curb ramps on Oregon High- ways were completely in compliance with the ADA. The rest had problems that included missing ramps, overly steep inclines and telephone poles or other obstructions too close to the ramp. To provide updated information and collect feedback, ODOT is cur- rently holding an online open house through Fri- day, June 18. During this time, residents can visit https://tinyurl.com/East- ernOregonADA2022 to review project informa- tion, maps, photos and videos or submit questions and feedback after review- ing the information. Most projects are being designed this year, with construction beginning in 2022. Eastern Ore- gon communities that have planned upgrades are Pendleton, Pilot Rock, Ukiah, Milton-Freewater, Helix, Athena, Wallowa, Lostine, Joseph, Heppner, Ione, Lexington and Baker City. ODOT to chip seal 13-mile section of Highway 207 Travelers can expect delays, loose rock, fl ag- gers and single-lane traf- fi c as the Oregon Depart- ment of Transportation begins chip sealing a 13-mile section of High- way 207 through the end of the month, according to a press release. Work crews will be resurfacing roads and repainting markers and highway lines, ODOT reported in the press release. The department expects the work to wrap up by the end of June. Travelers can expect loose rock on the road- ways for several days after the chip seal, which requires spreading rock chips onto emulsifi ed oil and pressing rocks in with rollers. Work crews will sweep the roads, the state transportation department also reported, which could cause minor delays in the night and early morning hours. The route will be restriped after the project is complete. The crews will be working on Highway 207 from Exit 182 on Interstate 84 (at the Space Age sta- tion) to the intersection of Madison Road and Butter Creek at milepost 17, the press release said. They will also be working on the 320 Lexington-Echo Highway between Butter Creek at milepost 27 and the Morrow County line at milepost 19. ODOT said travelers also can expect delays up to 20 minutes, reduced speeds, fl aggers and pilot cars directing single-lane traffi c through work zones. The project will cause two short-term closures of the eastbound off ramp at Exit 182. Offi cials are asking travelers to watch for con- struction crews and equip- ment in these areas and to plan extra travel time. Cyclists should prepare to travel behind a pilot car on sections of highways cov- ered in rock chips with no usable shoulders. To avoid work zones, offi cials are asking travel- ers to use alternate routes or delay their plans, the press release said. To view state road conditions, visit www.tripcheck.com. Hermiston Herald Photos by Ben Lonergan/Hermiston Herald Law enforcement offi cers salute the casket of Umatilla County Sheriff ’s Offi ce deputy Jason Post during his funeral service Sunday, June 13, 2021, at the Pendleton Round-Up Grounds. The service drew more than 300 people, including roughly 100 law enforcement personnel from throughout the region. At the conclusion of the service, a parade of emergency vehicles escorted the casket to a private interment ceremony at Skyview Memorial Park in Pendleton. Umatilla County Sheriff ’s Offi ce vehicles escort the body of deputy Jason Post from his funeral service on Sunday, June 13, 2021, at the Pendleton Round-Up Grounds. House delays start of paid family leave By PETER WONG OREGON CAPITAL BUREAU Oregon’s new program of paid family leave would be delayed under a bill that has cleared the House. A vote of 33-19 on Tues- day, June 8 moved House Bill 3398 to the Senate. The starting date for con- tributions by employers and employees would be put off by one year, from Jan. 1, 2022, to Jan. 1, 2023. The starting date for benefi t pay- ments would be Sept. 3, 2023, instead of Jan. 1. The 2019 Legislature approved the program. Eight other states and Washington, D.C., have started or are pre- paring similar programs. Employers would con- tribute 40% and employees 60% of a new fund based on payroll deductions. Work- ers who earn at least $1,000 during the previous year would qualify for up to 12 weeks of paid family leave, the maximum benefi t set at $1,215 per week. Oregon’s program is more generous than a pro- posal by President Joe Biden for a federal program, which would off er up to $4,000 per month. Congress has not acted on the federal program, which is part of Biden’s American Families Plan. Acting Director David Gerstenfeld said the Employment Department sought the delay because it intends to integrate col- lections of employer and employee contributions into its computer modernization project, which will start its long-awaited fi rst phase in July. SWITCH & GET SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 5G FREE NO HIDDEN REQUIREMENTS Car trouble? Lost your license? Navigate Wireless 1565 N. 1st St., Hermiston, 541-289-8722 Requires Smartphone and postpaid service plan purchase, new line, port-in, credit approval. Paid via monthly bill credit on a 30-mo. RIC. Taxes, fees, and additional restrictions apply. 5G capable device required to experience 5G. 5G coverage not available in all areas. See uscellular.com/coverage-map for details. Things we want you to know: Purchase a Samsung GS21, GS21 Plus or GS21 Ultra via RIC and receive a $799.80 bill credit divided into 30 monthly credits. 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