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THREE MINUTES WITH …
COMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
HERMISTON HISTORY
Western senators try to save train service
ALEX ARROYO
Umatilla
What is your profession?
I’m a realtor.
What are your favorite hobbies?
25 YEARS AGO
Sept. 24, 1996
75 YEARS AGO
Sept. 26, 1946
“If Amtrak is to be a national rail
system, it cannot ignore the western
states.”
That’s what Sen. Ron Wyden,
D-OR, and other western senators,
have argued to Amtrak. Due to low
passenger counts and fi nancial cut-
backs (because of less federal fund-
ing), Amtrak’s planning to cut its
train service along the Pioneer route
(which goes from Chicago to Seattle
and passes through Denver, Boise,
Eastern Oregon and Portland) in
90 days.
A letter sent to Amtrak offi cials,
signed by senators Wyden, Alan
Simpson and Craig Thomas, both of
Wyoming, and Larry Craig of Idaho,
argued that the Pioneer route should
be kept open for at least another year.
They claimed that this delay would
give the government time to fi nd
funding for the line, since most of
the aff ected states don’t even meet
until January. Wyden also stated that
it would be unfair to western state
citizens to continue subsidizing the
train company with their tax dollars
while receiving less service. Passion-
ate about this rail route, Eastern Ore-
gon offi cials have even gone as far
As power demands increase,
several dams have been forced to
generate more energy than their
rated capacity until additional gen-
erators are installed.
Several northwest substations
have already done so this year; Che-
halis, Washington, has delivered
103,000 kw with a rated capacity
of 10,000 kw; Salem 45,000 with
40,000; and Walla Walla 12,000
with 10,000.
Several possible solutions include
raising the Bonneville pool from
72 to 78 feet, increasing generating
capacity at Rock Island Dam near
Wenatchee, Washington, and uti-
lizing steam plants in Seattle and
Tacoma that were built during World
War II but never used. One thing
that will defi nitely help supply the
growing power demand, though, is
a sixth Grand Coulee generator that
will be back in service Oct. 15 after
needing repairs.
100 YEARS AGO
Sept. 22, 1921
Oregon’s famous Cleanup Squad,
which is touring the states at the
I like kayaking. I do some biking, hiking and swim-
ming. I like to explore the outdoors.
You seem like a fun-loving person. Is
that right?
Sometimes, I am. Yeah.
What is the biggest adventure you’ve
ever had?
Swimming with whales in Puerto Vallarta, where
I’m from.
Joyce Hensley/Hermiston Herald, File
Betty Noack, 67, of Hermiston showed that age is just a number by completing
the Hermiston High School Ropes Course in September 1996. The longtime
Hermiston resident died at the age of 79 in January 2009 at Good Shepherd
Medical Center.
What’s your favorite thing about traveling?
I love meeting people and learning more about them
and their ways of thinking. People talk diff erently
in diff erent places. I like to hear the diff erent ways
people talk.
What languages do you know?
Only Spanish and English, for now.
Which of those languages is harder to learn?
Whichever language you don’t want to learn. As
long as you like something, you will be good at it.
Who is your favorite celebrity?
Maggie Rodriguez. She is a top agent in the area.
What is the last movie you have seen?
I saw “Pirates of the Caribbean.” It was good.
What’s the last restaurant you visited?
Nookie’s in Hermiston. I had a hamburger, a mon-
ster hamburger, and it was good.
as the nation’s capital to argue their
case; Baker City Mayor Larry Grif-
fi th testifi ed before the transportation
committee earlier this month, stress-
ing the need for rail transportation in
Eastern Oregon — especially as win-
ter draws nearer.
50 YEARS AGO
Sept. 23, 1971
Hermiston High School senior
Victoria M. Bunsen has become a
semifi nalist in the 1971-72 National
Merit Scholarship Program.
The program examines high
school grades, accomplishments,
leadership qualities, extracurric-
ular activities and the National
Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(NMSQT) scores to determine recip-
ients of the annually-given scholar-
ships. The test was taken by more
than 655,000 students last February
in about 16,000 schools nationwide,
and those who pass (the semifi nal-
ists) constitute less than 1% of gradu-
ating secondary school seniors in the
United States.
The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ted
Bunsen, Victoria will be competing
against approximately 15,000 other
semifi nalists for one of 3,000 schol-
arships given. To become a fi nalist,
she’ll need to receive the endorse-
ment of her school, sustain her high
NMSQT performance on a sec-
ond examination, and provide infor-
mation about her achievements
and interests.
insistence of the United States gov-
ernment, will be in Hermiston
Wednesday Sept. 28.
Every ex-serviceman who has a
claim of any kind against the govern-
ment should not fail to take advan-
tage of the visit, which has been
authorized by the Veterans Bureau
to assist all ex-servicemen in the
state with their claims and to expe-
dite them.
U.S. Representative Wm. P. Wise,
Hermiston Herald, File
Victoria M. Bunsen, of the Hermiston
High School Class of 1972, is among
the less than 1% of graduating seniors
in the United States who are National
Merit Scholarship semifi nalists.
advance agent for the squad, was in
Hermiston this week to confer with
Carl Voyen, Floyd Ames, E.J. Kings-
ley and other members of the Legion
regarding arrangements for the
meeting.
“This is a golden opportunity for
every ex-serviceman in the vicin-
ity to carefully consider whether or
not he has any matter to discuss with
Uncle Sam concerning his service
in the Army, Navy or Marine Corps,
said Mr. Wise.
The visit means that the U.S.
government is coming to Herm-
iston to enable ex-servicemen to
straighten out any old claims or fi le
new ones. The scope of their work
includes claims for compensation,
vocational training, insurance, allot-
ments, back pay, liberty bonds, vic-
tory medals, etc. Every report sent
in will be marked “Cleanup Squad”
and will be given right of way when
it reaches the district offi ce in Seat-
tle or the central offi ce in Washing-
ton, D.C.
Dr. Morse of Seattle is the phy-
sician traveling with the squad. He
will be prepared to conduct exam-
inations while in Hermiston.
The idea of sending the govern-
ment to the ex-servicemen instead
of having the ex-servicemen hunt up
the government is a favorite one with
Colonel Forbes, newly appointed
head of the Veterans Bureau.
———
McKenzie Rose, a sophomore at
Echo High School, searched Herm-
iston Herald archives to compile
these article summaries.
Andrew Lyons/Hermiston Herald, File
In September 1996, Amtrak announced plans to cut the Pioneer route, which
provides passenger services to the western states, in 90 days, while senators in
Oregon, Wyoming and Idaho tried to postpone it for a year.
BY THE WAY
Hermiston seeks city councilor, municipal judge candidates
The city of Hermiston is accepting candidates for
its May 17, 2022, election. Four city council ward seats
are available as is a municipal judge position. These
offi ces are all nonpartisan and will be fi lled at the start
of 2023.
Candidates must fi le for offi ce by submitting their
completed declaration of candidacy no later than 5 p.m.
March 8, 2022, to Lilly Alarcon-Strong, elections offi -
cer/city recorder, at lalarcon-strong@hermiston.or.us or
Hermiston City Hall, 235 E. Gladys Ave.
Applications and qualifi cation information can
be obtained at city hall or www.hermiston.or.us/
citycouncil.
• • •
For an inside look at Hermiston Bulldogs football,
head to the Hermiston Linebacker Club‘s no-host
luncheon meeting. The gathering is Thursday, Sept. 23,
noon to 1 p.m., at the Desert Lanes Family Fun Cen-
ter, 1545 N. First St., Hermiston. Coach David Faae-
teete will talk about the Dawgs’ recent game with the
Chiawana Riverhawks and their upcoming game
against the Richland Bombers.
For more information, contact Flora Larson at 541-
567-5215 or fl ora@barnettandmoro.com.
• • •
The Morrow County Harvest Festival announced
a new activity — Pinewood Derby Races — and wel-
comes people to stop by the store at the SAGE Center
to purchase their car kits.
The festival is Saturday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at
the SAGE Center, 101 Olson Road, Boardman. Admis-
sion is free.
The Morrow County Harvest Festival is an annual
event with vendors, activities for children in the Kid’s
Corner, live music from Dallin Puzey, mule-drawn
wagon rides, food, beer and wine and more.
Its goal is to bring the entire community together for
a day of celebrating local artisans, produce and family
fun. See next week’s Hermiston Herald for a full story
about the event.
• • •
Paintings by Hermiston resident Amy Fuentes will
continue to be on display until the end of the month at
the Hermiston Public Library. People at the library
chose Fuentes to be the artist of the month.
Fuentes started painting in 2018 when she was 19
years old, but she has been an artist as long as she can
remember. Her current artwork is a refl ection on music,
as her paintings recreate rap album covers and portraits
of the music artists.
• • •
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, Sept. 23, is meat loaf, mashed potatoes &
gravy, spinach and dessert. The menu for Tuesday, Sept.
28, is ham, scallop potatoes, vegetables and dessert.
(In-house meals will be served from noon to 12:30 p.m.
People planning to dine in are asked to call by 11 a.m.)
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 before 11 a.m. Meals are $5 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.