A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
COMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2021
HERMISTON HISTORY
Hat Rock State Park threatened with closure
KAREN SHERMAN
Hermiston School District
Board of Educators Chair
When and why did you move to Hermiston?
I moved to Hermiston in August of 1970 to teach at
Hermiston Junior High.
Where is your favorite place to eat in
Hermiston?
We try to support all of our local restaurants, espe-
cially through all of the issues during the COVID
closures.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Read and do needlework.
What surprises you about Hermiston?
Even though we are growing at a fast rate our com-
munity supports those situations where there is great
need. I am also proud of the support that is given to
the school district, so that we can provide a quality
education to each student.
What was the last book you read?
“The Return” by Nicholas Sparks
What website or app do you use most other
than Facebook?
YouTube
If you could travel anywhere, where would you
go?
I would return to the mission station in Zimbabwe,
Africa, where I spent most of my elementary years.
What is the funniest thing that’s ever hap-
pened to you?
There are too many to count, but when I was
teaching, I was the lead vehicle for the mid-
dle school band that was going to march in the
Cherry Festival. We were encouraged to leave the
staging area quickly, so I jumped on the bus that
was right behind me and began to order everyone
to get their instruments. When I took a good look
at the adults and students on the bus, I realized I
didn’t know any of them. A bus from The Dalles
had gotten ahead of our buses, so I was on the
wrong bus but I did it with such authority, every-
one got off .
What is one of your goals for the next 12
months?
I hope to continue to be a contributing member of
the school board, to ensure that each child receives
the education that he/she deserves to reach their full
potential.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Without a doubt my daughter and all of her accom-
plishments, one of them being a teacher in the Herm-
iston district. Also, Ric and I have just celebrated
our 48th wedding anniversary, having met at Herm-
iston Junior High.
Hermiston Herald, File
City of Boardman employee Benny Sanchez installs irrigation pipes for a new soccer fi eld in 1996.
25 YEARS AGO
June 25, 1996
Plans for a new locomotive main-
tenance facility at Hinkle are on the
right track.
According to Aaron Henson,
manager for the Hermiston Area
Enterprise Zone, nearly all of the
four required signatures have been
obtained to grant Union Pacifi c
Railroad a fi ve-year property tax
exemption for the planned facility.
The planned shop is expected
to employ 200 new people and is
estimated to cost $30 million. In
its application for the exemption,
Union Pacifi c stated the facility
could be built by 1999.
2) Over the objections of a legis-
lative budget committee, Hat Rock
State Park, and 64 others like it may
close in September.
On Friday, the committee sent a
message to state parks offi cials to
delay plans to close as many as 65
parks and waysides because of bud-
get problems.
Lawmakers on the Emergency
Board said they began getting pro-
tests this week when the Parks and
Recreation Commission announced
plans to close parks after Labor Day.
Hermiston Herald, File
People fi sh at Hat Rock State Park in the 1990s.
50 YEARS AGO
June 24, 1971
Charles and Joseph Burns, own-
ers and operators of Burns Mortuar-
ies in Hermiston and Pendleton, have
invited the public to view their newly
remodeled and expanded facilities
at 685 Hermiston Ave., at an open
house Sunday from 1-5 p.m.
Joe Burns, who manages the
Hermiston offi ce, said his grandfa-
ther and father, Frank and John Wil-
liam Burns, came to Condon from
Ohio in 1900 to open their funeral
home. They were preceded by about
fi ve years by his uncle, James Burns.
75 YEARS AGO
June 20, 1946
Ray Shaw is recovering in the
Hermiston General hospital from
burns received last Thursday after-
noon at Umatilla Ordinance Depot
while destroying unserviceable
smokeless powder. Dr. F.B. Belt
dressed the burns the fi rst time
Sunday.
Cause of the fi re is believed to
have been caused by static electric-
ity which ignited the powder when
Ray jumped from the truck near the
piles of material. An electrical storm
accompanied by strong wind struck
later in the afternoon.
2) The Oregon traffi c death toll
for the month of May stood at 36
fatalities today, an increase of 16 per-
cent over the toll of 31 killed in May
of 1945, Secretary of State Robert
Hermiston Herald, File
Joseph and Charles Burns stand in front of their newly renovated mortuary in
Hermiston in 1971.
S. Farrell Jr., disclosed. During the
fi rst fi ve months of 1946, a total of
180 persons lost their lives in Ore-
gon traffi c, an increase of 50 percent
over 120 fatalities reported for the
fi rst fi ve months of 1945.
100 YEARS AGO
June 21, 1921
Governor Olcott a few days ago
received the following letter from
G.G. Nunn, editor of the Reporter,
published at Wheeler:
“This has been fi re-prevention
week and unless a newspaper man
refers to his fi les he thinks that he
has been giving publicity to some
organization, relief committee or
other space grabbers for the past two
years. The country press of Oregon
has cooperated cheerfully to aid the
other fellow and much of the suc-
cess of the various undertakings can
be traced directly to the good work
and free publicity given by the loyal
press of Oregon.
“Why not a week designated as
‘Subscribe to your local paper’?
Every editor has cheerfully and with-
out thought of remuneration given
space and time to every one need-
ing it and by the designation of such
a week as suggested some of these
people who have been helped could
show their appreciation by help-
ing those who have so nobly aided
them.”
“There is much merit in what
Mr. Nunn has to say,” said Gover-
nor Olcott. “People have little real-
ization of the numerous requests
that are made of this offi ce for the
aside certain days or weeks for cer-
tain purposes. For every one of these
requests that is granted there are
probably from 10 to 20 that are not.
“The press of this state at all times
certainly has responded very gener-
ously and liberally to every demand
that has been made upon it. The
enormous success of the various
patriotic movements during the war
must be, to a large measure, credited
to this very generous response and
the same is true of every successful
eff ort since, and the state of Oregon
is to be commended upon the patri-
otism and loyalty of those who pub-
lish the newspapers in Oregon; and
I will go Mr. Nunn one better by
suggesting that every week be des-
ignated as ‘Subscribe to your Local
Paper’ week.”
BY THE WAY
Hermiston Warming Station looking for a new home
The Hermiston Warming Station has announced it is
looking for a new home.
The winter shelter spent several years in a house on
South Highway 395 before temporarily using the ARC
building at McKenzie Park this past winter to allow for
more social distancing. Now, the nonprofi t’s board is in
need of a location for the upcoming winter that will pro-
vide sleeping areas for men, women and families.
The Hermiston Warming Station can be reached at
hws1075@gmail.com.
• • •
Fish hatcheries open to visitors
Outdoor areas at Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife’s more than 30 fi sh hatcheries are back open for
visitors — including the Umatilla and Irrigon hatcheries.
Hatcheries across the state closed to visitors in March
2020 because of the global pandemic. Some areas of the
hatcheries will remain closed for now, including pic-
nic areas, drinking fountains, indoor areas and any out-
door areas with close quarters that don’t allow for social
distancing.
Most hatcheries are open to visitors daily from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. A few remain closed to visitors, including
Klamath Hatchery in Chiloquin and Rock Creek in
Idleyld Park, which were damaged in last year’s fi res.
Trask River Hatchery in Tillamook is also closed to
visitors due to construction but should reopen later in
summer.
For a visitor guide to the hatcheries with tips on
what you can see and do, visit https://myodfw.com/
visit-odfw-hatcheries. For questions about the Irri-
gon Hatchery, call 541-922-2762 and for Umatilla, call
541-922-5659.
• • •
Local Walmart remodel is fi nished
The Hermiston Walmart reported this week that it
has completed its remodel of the store.
According to a news release, the remodel included new
fl ooring and signage, fresh paint, updated restrooms, an
expanded self-checkout area, expanded grocery pickup
services, and expansion of certain departments, such as
beer and wine.
• • •
Senior meals include spaghetti
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, June 24, is spaghetti, garlic bread, fruit and
dessert.
The menu for Tuesday, June 29, is baked chicken,
potato wedges, veggies 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 11:30 a.m. and noon.
The Boardman Senior Center now is providing meal
delivery. Meals are $4 paid upon delivery. Call 541-481-
3257 to order.