100 Years Ago

July 1, 1921

There is no money for the McKay Creek project this year despite the fact $225,000 had been allotted for starting operations and though the project was authorized when the sundry civil bill was passed on the closing day of the last congress. This news was made known here last evening by E.P. Dodd in a talk at the dinner given at the Elks club to representatives of the commercial clubs of the county. In a phone interview this morning Project Engineer Schilling at Hermiston confirmed Mr. Dodd’s report. Owing to financial conditions funds anticipated by the reclamation service have not materialized. In May the allotment for the McKay project was reduced from $225,000 to $125,000 and it now seems hopeless that even this amount will be forthcoming.

50 Years Ago

July 1, 1971

Does anybody love tumbleweeds? Maybe the man who put a jingle in his head by composing “Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds.” But who else? Yet the tumbleweed, or Russian thistle, doesn’t appear to be anywhere near finding a place it’s appreciated. Maybe the answer is to find a use for it. Three employes of the Oregon Highway Department may have a clue for researchers. They notice that: 1. Tumbleweeds are numerous. 2. They give off a lot of heat when set afire. “It must be some kind of oil in them,” said Fred Dorn, Echo, as he, Nathan Thorpe and Bill Faucett, Hermiston, burned tumbleweeds along the Echo interchange of I-80N Wednesday. A column of greasy smoke billowed skyward as the men forked tumbleweeds into a fire. “Maybe you could make them into presto logs,” Dorn said.

25 Years Ago

July 1, 1996

Steve Jonas of Hermiston is proud of his “hot rod” of the sport helicopter field. Jonas has worked 275 hours over the past 1½ years on his Rotorway Homebuild. This weekend he finished painting it a sparkly shade of root beer in preparation for a final FAA inspection on Tuesday. “It will jump right up,” he says. “It has more horsepower per weight ratio than a Corvette. It weighs 934 pounds, but will carry 510 pounds.” With a cost of about $68,000, compared to $100,000 and up for an FAA-approved factory-built craft, “It’s the most affordable helicopter you can buy that’s not certified,” he says.