The Hat Rock Fire burns in June 2023 near Hermiston. The wildfire started June 13 and grew to almost 17,000 acres before fire crews had the burn 100% contained on June 17.

PENDLETON — Coming up with a list of just 10 top news stories is never easy.

We started weeks ago looking at the news we reported in 2023 and made a big list, enough to have a story a week.

We then used data from our website to see what stories drew the most readers. We weeded out quick hits, such as interstate closures and stories that blew up because of the subject matter, such as crime reports that made few waves beyond the event itself.

From there, we complied a top-10 list for 2023 for Umatilla and Morrow counties. The list includes summaries of related news, ongoing serious situations and the biggest public safety event of the year.

Here are the top 10 stories of the year in no particular order:

Hat Rock Fire blows up to 17,000 acres

HERMISTON — What started as a small grass fire June 13 near Hat Rock State Park in northern Umatilla County progressed to a massive wildfire requiring help from virtually all local fire departments and more.

The blaze grew to almost 17,000 acres.

The Hat Rock Fire prompted the closure of Highway 730 near the state park, and the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office would issue an evacuation notice for areas in Juniper Canyon along Hartle, Wallula and Hatchgrade roads.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek the evening of June 13 invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act in response to the Hat Rock fire burning east of Hermiston and the Mount Hebron fire burning northeast of Pendleton. That fire, however, would spread to approximately 500 acres.

The State Fire Marshal mobilized six task forces and the OSFM Green Incident Management Team to the Hat Rock Fire as well as the Mount Hebron Fire in Pendleton.

The Hat Rock Fire at its height threatened 243 structures, 65 of those being homes, the state fire marshal reported, but no structures were damaged or lost.The state agency announced its task force turned over management of the fire to local authorities at 7 a.m. June 17.

— East Oregonian

Umatilla police sergeant didn’t investigate girl’s sexual assault

UMATILLA — A former Umatilla Police Department sergeant remains on the hook in a $26 million federal civil rights lawsuit accusing him of gender discrimination for his failure to investigate the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Hallman in October ruled the discrimination claim can go to trial and qualified immunity offers no protection to former Sgt. Bill Wright. Hallman also dismissed suits claiming discrimination, negligence and due process against Umatilla police Chief Darla Huxel, police Lt. Keith Kennedy and the city.

Huxel retired after 26 years on the job. She joined Umatilla police in 1996, becoming the first female officer in the department’s history. The city hired Ronald Bridge as the new police chief. He stepped into the role Dec. 27 and takes his oath of office Jan. 2.

Wright did little to investigate the crime in 2018, leading the victim’s mother to call the FBI. The federal investigation led to the arrest of Michael Wayne Lyon, 39, of Florida, and in 2022 a jury found Lyon, 39, guilty of using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct. He is serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison.

— East Oregonian and The Oregonian

Project PATH opens its doors

HERMISTON — A little more than a year since its groundbreaking, Project PATH — a transitional shelter for the homeless — had its grand opening Dec. 7 at its location on Lind Road, Hermiston.

“This is a project that we’ve been working on for a long time,” Hermiston Mayor Dave Drotzmann said. “I’m super excited to see the community rally around the people who have the least among us.”

The shelter is designed to provide Practical Assistance through Transitional Housing. The intent is to bring together services to assist individuals and families facing homelessness with the objective of moving them into and through transitional housing to permanent housing.

Project PATH is one of eight pilot projects selected by the state to develop services for the homeless. Each pilot project is receiving $1 million from the state to develop the program. Another project partner, Stepping Stones Alliance, has also received an additional $1.1 million in private and state funds for the project.

Stepping Stones Alliance, a Hermiston-based nonprofit, is managing the facilities and will provide 24-hour, seven-days a week onsite staffing to support the project.

— Northwest Oregon Now

Hansell not seeking fourth Senate term

SALEM — Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, announced March 2, he would not seek a fourth term in 2024.

“I did not realize it at the time, but in the fall of 1981, Margaret and I made a decision that would set the course of my life for the next 42 years,” Hansell said. “Now we are making another decision that will set another course for us.”

Hansell has served more than four decades in local and state government positions, with eight terms as a Umatilla County commissioner and is finishing his third term in the Oregon Senate, representing a large rural district in Eastern Oregon

So far, four Republicans and one Democrat have declared they are seeking the open Senate District 29 seat.

The first to declare were cattle ranchers with county government experience — Wallowa County Commissioner Todd Nash and former Morrow County Commissioner Jim Doherty. Hermiston Mayor Dave Drotzmann entered next, then came Wallowa County resident Andy Huwe. Each is seeking the Republican Party nomination.

The latest entry is Democrat Tania Wildbill of Pendleton.

Drotzmann’s move set changes in motion for Hermiston city government.

Hermiston City Councilors Nancy Peterson and Jackie Linton declared their candidacies to succeed Drotzmann as mayor. If either one of them is elected, the winner will make history in more than one way.

Both would be the first female mayor in Hermiston’s history. If Peterson wins, they also will make history as the first mayor who identifies as nonbinary, as well as the first mayor who is disabled. If Linton wins, she would be Hermiston’s first mayor who is Black.

— EO Media Group and Northeast Oregon Now

Big property sales in Pendleton

PENDLETON — The real estate market in 2023 in Pendleton saw major private property transactions, and the biggest came last.

The Community Action Program of East Central Oregon bought the East Oregonian building, 211 SE Byers Ave., for $2.15 million. CAPECO took over the building effect Friday, Dec. 29. The 23,000 square foot building had been the East Oregonian’s home since 1956.

The newspaper is leasing 2,800 square feet of office space at 1100 Southgate, Suite 6, in Pendleton.

Other big property sales took place in the fall.

Sandy & Izzy LLC, registered in Idaho, bought the LaDow Building on the 200 block of Southeast Court Avenue for $650,000. And Grain Craft sold the Pendleton flour mill to United Grain Corp. for $1.25 million.

— Rick Haverinen, East Oregonian

Pendleton opens doors to massive development

PENDLETON — Pendleton has set the stage for new development on hundreds of acres.

The city council at its meeting May 16 annexed 48.76 acres contiguous to the city limits off Goad Road north of Interstate 84. The land was in the city’s urban growth boundary but outside the city limits.

The council also unanimously approved acceptance of a property dedication from the Goad family members under Soaring G LLC for the future site of the East End Booster Pump Station. The city paid $720 for purchase of the property and all associated closing costs.

The station will pump water from the gravity system into an 18-inch domestic water line, according to the staff report to the council, and this will assist with opening up about 250 acres or future housing as well as provide better fire flow to existing development within the pressure zone.

The city identified this project as a replacement of the booster pump station on Southeast Seventh Street. The city received approval from Business Oregon for a Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund of about $6.9 million for the total project.

In a third move, the council voted unanimously to form a reimbursement district for the expansion, which will allow the city to invest in the area and develop critical infrastructure the development needs.

— East Oregonian

Feds fund investigation of contaminated wells

BOARDMAN — Umatilla and Morrow county officials learned in October the Environmental Protection Agency was awarding $1.7 million in aid to address nitrate contamination in private wells.

As of Dec. 21, the counties were ready to accept bids for a contract to develop and carry out a work plan.

Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, both Democrats, announced the funding. Kristin Anderson Ostrom, Oregon Rural Action executive director, said she was pleased the senators delivered on a promise to fund long-term solutions for safe water in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area. But she also said it’s shameful taxpayers are left with the bill instead of agribusiness and industry that have profited while initially contaminating the groundwater.

Water for Eastern Oregon Chairman Michael Graham said seeing federal, state and local leaders working together for solutions gives him and other H2OEO officials hope.

Earlier this year, the Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services, along with public health departments and community organizations, teamed to alert domestic-well households in the two counties about nitrate levels and free water testing.

The state-led coalition attempted to reach the identified 3,300 domestic homes in the LUBGWMA for well testing. According to the OHA, 1,001 wells were tested, while 1,200 households were deemed inaccessible. However, the latter residences were identified for follow-up via specialized mailing campaigns.

The OHA said about 500 households refused the outreach services and the coalition made about 5,400 overall attempts to reach the 3,300 households with domestic wells.

According to the OHA, drinking water of 235 homes tested above 10 milligrams of nitrates per liter, and treatment systems have been installed in 28 homes while 341 households receive water delivery.

Oregon Rural Action also continued to draw attention to the crisis, and in late November three Oregon House Democrats who are members of the House Black, Indigenous and People of Color Caucus visited the community to view the crisis firsthand.

— EO Media Group

Pendleton speakeasy opens for business

PENDLETON — Crabby’s Underground Saloon & Dance Hall, one of Pendleton’s long-operating water holes, closed for good early in 2023. That opened the door for Tim and Markus McFetridge to remake the space at 220 SW First St. into the Flying X Speakeasy Lounge.

McFetridge said the lounge is named after his family ranch.

The Flying X opened Oct. 5. The McFetridges did almost everything themselves in creating the restaurant and lounge space.

The couple said they hope their bar will add to the community and draw in tourists from out of town, as it plays into the historical aspect of Pendleton’s culture. They want to work with the city’s underground tours, too, which they believe will support the city’s economy.

“We don’t want to compete really with our neighbors, other restaurants and bars in town,” Tim said of the speakeasy lounge. “We want it to be something different.”

— East Oregonian

Man in custody after police standoff, car chase in Pendleton

PENDLETON — Pendleton police the morning of Sept. 2,arrested a Milton-Freewater man following a standoff with officers and a short car chase that ended with a crash in a ravine.

Pendleton Police Chief Charles Byram said officers came across Ricky Lee Ellison, 36, at 5:30 a.m. in a vehicle parked at the Super 8 by Wyndham hotel at 601 SE Nye Ave. When officers approached, Ellison showed a gun and claimed he would not be taken alive and would have a shootout with police, beginning an hours-long standoff.

Police requested assistance from the Oregon State Police SWAT. Once SWAT was on the scene, Byram said, the man, who found a car key, started the vehicle and drove away, leading police in a short pursuit that included the black SUV Ellison flying about 40 feet over the hill next to the Best Western. Once the SUV landed, Ellison fled and attempted to run down the hill, tripping over a fence.

Police told Ellison over a loudspeaker they would release a dog on him if he did not stop running, and that’s what police did. The dog caught Ellison and Pendleton officers arrested him.

Ellison faces a 12 criminal charges, including felonies for unlawful use of a weapon and misdemeanors for pointing a firearm at another. According to state court records, he is at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem for psychological evaluation. Umatilla County Circuit Judge Daniel Hill in November found Ellison was unable to assist his lawyer. The court set a hearing for Feb. 6 to consider his mental fitness to proceed.

— Krista Kroiss, East Oregonian

Goodbye El Charrito, hello Los Chilaquiles

PENDLETON — El Charrito, a popular Mexican restaurant in Pendleton, closed at the start of 2023, and before the end of January the establishment at 212 SW Dorion Ave. reopened with new owners as Los Chilaquiles.

Martha Gomez and her husband Victor Zavalza own Los Chilaquiles and kept El Charrito classic staples on the menu, along with the same kitchen crew and much of the staff. But the new owners also reinvented and redesigned.

“My husband worked for Carmen and Rigoberto Amaral, the owners of El Charrito, here a long time ago,” Gomez said. “We are close friends. A year ago, Roberto told my husband he was tired and had to retire, so he offered us the restaurant, and we agreed.”

Zavalza previously was a cook for El Charrito for a period of eight years, but he and Gomez had long left Pendleton and relocated to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. When they got the call from Rigoberto Amaral a year before, they decided to come back.

The most immediate change, Gomez said, is Los Chilaquiles made a breakfast menu and opened daily at 7 a.m.

— East Oregonian