By The Hermiston Herald

HERMISTON As Boone Elliott recently completed a KOHU radio interview with Assistant City Manager Ray Jones, he asked a question of the city official.

When are the signs going up?, referring to signs commemorating the recent Hermiston Bulldog state wrestling championship.

The answer it seems is as soon as Elliott can get the money raised. Elliott has become the first to spearhead an effort to erect commemorative signs.

As soon as I got off the air, Elliott said, Joe (Thompson), John Herrera and Joe Delgado all called and said, ?are you serious?. I said yeah, and they said well help contribute.

With that Elliott was the chairman of what he has called the Build The Signs Committee. He is seeking the $1,100 it will take to have three signs erected by Jan & Bobs Signs.

The proposed signs will read: Welcome to Hermiston, wrestling capital of Oregon. Home of the 2001 state champion wrestling team.

Elliott said that at least two of the signs should be ready to go up in two weeks. As of Monday afternoon, Elliott said he had raised nearly half of the funds needed. A sign is proposed to be placed on Westland Road, west of town. A second sign will go on North 395 and a third on South 395. Elliott said he would be working with the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce to ensure that the sign on the south end of town will mesh with the chambers existing sign.

(For the complete story, see the March 13 edition of The Hermiston Herald)