25 YEARS AGO

May 25, 1999

Luther Fitch, 65, was retired from a life of farming, distance running and working for Oregon State University extension offices. McKayla Thompson, 4, loved her horse, dolls, singing and coloring. Something these seemingly distinct individuals had in common was cancer.

McKayla was diagnosed at 7 months old with neuroblastoma, a cancer that targets the nervous system of infants and children. After two surgeries and chemotherapy treatment, she was cancer-free. Fitch was diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 61, and with limited treatment options, was still battling the disease.

Both McKayla and Fitch would be grand marshals during Hermiston’s third annual Relay for Life. Coordinated by the American Cancer Society to raise awareness and funds, this event would start June 18 at the Hermiston High School track. It would continue through the night, concluding with awards and a celebration the next day.

McKayla participated in past Relay for Life events, carried on the shoulders of her parents, Bruce and Lindy Thompson, but this was the first for Fitch. Event chair Lou Ann Wolfe said making Fitch and McKayla the grand marshals was intentional.

“Cancer doesn’t care,” she said. “It doesn’t care who you are or how old you are or how much money you have.”

50 YEARS AGO

May 23, 1974

• Hermiston’s Lamb Weston employees rejected union representation.

During the past six months, union representatives had attempted to organize workers in the potato processing plant. This prompted the National Labor Relations Board to conduct a vote for union representation, in which 80% of the 700 eligible employees participated.

The results included 406 workers voting against the idea. Of the 147 interested in unionization, 133 workers voted to be represented by Teamsters Local No. 670 and 14 wanted the Operating Engineers Union No. 280 to represent their group.

• Although a recent state statute prohibited gambling, City Attorney Rusty Brewer pointed out it also authorized cities to regulate social games.

With this in mind, the Hermiston City Council adopted a city ordinance related to social games, which allows activities like church raffles and 25-cent bets during card games. Rather than supporting gambling, Mayor L.P. Gray said this ordinance officially legalized social games, which many residents already took part in privately or with their church or fraternal organizations.

75 YEARS AGO

May 26, 1949

Tired of traffic, mail and utility complications, a settlement near Hermiston would finally be named.

The district sat three miles north of Hermiston and about one mile west of McNary, just south of the highway junction known as McNary Y. It had more than 200 residents and 15 business establishments, with several new buildings under construction.

H.R. Ramsey, member of a citizens committee seeking to dignify the district with a name, explained the significance of this act. Ramsey said it would manage traffic and improve safety, as the state highway department had not put up a “slow” traffic sign because they did not know what to call the area.

Another consequence of being nameless was that the residence’s mail was routed to both the Hermiston and Umatilla post offices. Complicating matters even more, telephone services came from Umatilla while electric services came from Hermiston.

As a solution, the residents held a “Name Our Town” contest. The winner would be awarded $300, to be announced at an upcoming dance in the Plamor Pavillion.

90 YEARS AGO

May 24, 1934

The end of school often sees students enthusiastically running out of school doors. Teachers were excited for summer break, too.

Many Hermiston teachers had already made plans to savor the summer vacation. Mary Petri and Margaret Elliot would leave in mid-June for Portland, where they would embark on a University of Tours trip to the Chicago World Fair, Washington, D.C., Niagara Falls, New York City and other national sites. This tour program was specifically designed for teachers and even included credit benefits. Along the way, Petri and Elliot might run into Magdalene Buck and Catherine McBain. These two had left for Vancouver, Washington, where McBain would visit for a bit before heading to South Dakota.

The remaining teachers would visit their families at home before taking trips to areas like Yellowstone National Park, Idaho and California. They all wanted to take advantage of the time off before the next school year began.