100 years ago

From the East Oregonian

Dec. 17, 1920

Arrow head making is not a lost art among the Indians of our present generation despite their adaptation to automobiles. Arrow heads as perfect in shape and balance as those used by his forefathers in warfare are being fashioned for the curio market by Jim Billy, a Columbia river Indian, who resides on the Billy Parnhart ranch on the reservation. Three samples of Billy’s work have been sent by him to Major Lee Moorhouse, former Indian agent, collector of curios. The major declared the work to be of high order. Two deer bones are used in chipping the rock and glass substances. Some of the arrow heads are made from obsidian or volcanic glass, which is found in the John Day country. Obsidian is almost black and is declared to be harder than flint.

50 years ago

Dec. 17, 1970

The Pendleton area was swept by south winds Monday, with a peak gust of 34 miles per hour. A Pacific Power & Light Co. pole was blown down, a tree was blown over on some lines and a transformer was burned up, cutting service for rural customers nearly four hours. A resident on NE Riverside reported the wind blew over a small horse barn and took rocking chairs off the porch. Louis Umbargo, who owns a ranch on South Reservation near Pendleton, said “the strongest wind I’ve ever seen here” tore up several buildings. The wind lifted one end of a new barn; demolished a shed, rolled a two-ton feed bin more than 30 yards out of a feedlot; shifted a 12×57 mobile home three feet of its foundation, and ripped all the shingles off one side of the roof of Umbarger’s home. The wind also destroyed a hay barn on Dick Purchase’s ranch nearby.

25 years ago

Dec. 17, 1995

When Eric Flerchinger played high school basketball at Helix in the 1980s, his coach taught him what hard work and dedication can do for a man. Any good father would do that. And Stan Flerchinger, now in his 18th year as Head Coach of the Helix boys basketball program, must have made quite an impression on his son. Eric got his teaching degree and is now in his first year as head coach at Burnt River High School in Unity. Friday night, the two met for the first time on opposite ends of the bench. They didn’t have a bet on the game. The winner might have bragging rights, but nothing more will come out of this family feud. Or will it? “I might take his Christmas present back if he wins,” Stan joked. It may have been just a non-conference 1A basketball game for some, but for Stan and Eric Flerchinger, there was a little more to it. And for the record, it looks like Eric still hasn’t learned everything from his dad. Stan’s Helix team beat Burnt River 67-55.