100 years ago

Woolgrowers of Oregon attending the state convention now being held in Pendleton were entertained at a dinner by the Pendleton Commercial association Saturday evening. For the occasion the lodge room of the Elks building was filled to capacity.

During the evening a program was given including various features of entertainment. Radio messages of strange import were received from many personages of note including President Harding and Governor Walter M. Pierce. It was noticeable, however, that those talking all spoke in the same voice.

Archibald Blakeley, impersonating an Egyptian ballet dancer “from Spokane” produced much merriment especially when his disguise was thrown off. The Exchange Club quartet also delighted the growers with take off songs.

50 years ago

Kathi Hansell will compete again as Miss Umatilla County in the Miss Oregon pageant, Hermiston Jaycees announced today.

The Miss Umatilla County pageant will be staged in June instead of February, from now on.

The reason, said the pageant cochairmen Dick Green and Don Skeen, is to give the county’s choice a year to prepare for the Miss Oregon pageant.

“Most counties are turning to this schedule now,” Green said. The winner of the county pageant in June will compete in the 1974 Miss Oregon pageant.

Miss Hansell, Athena, fourth runner-up in the 1972 Miss Oregon contest, says she is ready for another try.

“I’m enthusiastic about this,” she said. “I’ve seen it work well in other counties and the girl chosen in June by Umatilla County will take over as queen right then, so she will miss none of the activities.”

25 years ago

Soon the injured birds Lynn Tompkins and the volunteers with Blue Mountain Wildlife look after will have a much bigger place to call home.

Tompkins, who is the director of Blue Mountain Wildlife, a non-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating injured raptor such as owls and hawks, is nearing completion on a flight pen for the birds. Measuring 30 feet by 92 feet, the flight pen was built near her home, south of Pendleton.

Volunteers have worked since the first Saturday in November on the project, which will replace Blue Mountain Wildlife’s old pens along East Birch Creek near Pilot Rock.

If everything goes according to schedule, this Saturday a heavy, dark shade cloth will be draped over the flight pen, giving injured birds shelter and a place to exercise, which, Tompkins said, “is the whole point of being out here.”

Once complete, the pen will be home to birds such as red-tail hawks, American kestrels, a great horned owl and a golden eagle that has gone partially blind.