100 years agoA good rain followed by a promise of fair weather with warmer temperatures than have prevailed is responsible for a smile on the faces of fathers and stockmen of Umatilla county.

The condition of the wheat crop has had growers guessing for several weeks. Recently a good shower fell but the weather has been cold and unfavorable for growth of the crop. Further precipitation last night however, and warmer weather promises to cause grain which has not yet come up to germinate and grow.

The open weather is a boon for which sheep and cattle men are praying. This time last year all stock was on winter feed. With a continence of the present weather, feeding stick may not become necessary for several weeks.

The rain which fell last night measured .22-of an inch, according to Major Lee Moorhouse, official weather observer

50 years agoOne hundred and fifth Free Methodist youths are expected to be in Pendleton Thursday for the Columbia River Conference Thanksgiving Youth Convention, according to Jerry and Connie Reed, Pendleton, local conference cochairpersons.

The youth will represent churches from Bonners Ferry, Sanders, Priest River, Caldwell, Deer Flat, and Fruitland in Idaho; Colville, Cheweleh, Spokane First, Spokane Queen Avenue, Spokane Opportunity, Walla Walla, and Cloverland, in Washington, and Pendleton.

Reed said Pastor Kirby Bertholf, conference president, Spokane, would be director of conference activities. He said the feature speaker would be Bryce Townley, director of campus in Spokane Valley.

Mrs. Reed said the young people would begin arriving and registering Thursday afternoon. She said the convention would officially start that night with a sing-spiration lead by the Seattle Pacific Singers.

25 years agoThe city’s newest downtown park should be complete by the end of the month, barring weather problems or other unfortunate delays.

Brownfield Park has taken shape at the corner of Southeast Main Street and Byers Avenue over the past three months. Until last week, however, many observers apparently were not sure what construction crews were building there.

“With most of the calls we got, people were having a hard time understanding what is was going to look lilke,” said Pat Dunham, parks and recreation director.

City Manager Larry Lehman said he also got “lots of calls” about the park’s construction.

Dunham said in retrospect, they might have avoided the public confusion by posting a copy of the park plan at the site.