Milt Reynolds: Thinking Out Loud

Plain-Talk versus 10-Code The Hermiston Police Department has recently changed their policy regarding emergency communications, returning to the time-honored, traditional yet inconsistent, 10-Code System . I'll bet a couple of doughnuts that the only people vitally interested in this news will be police officers, firefighters and medics . Oh, and all of us scanner-radio addicts. This earthshaking news hit the newspaper just a week ago, meriting one 24-word sentence. After briefly describing Acting Chief of Police Jason Edmiston's summary of the year's crime events, the reporter added this tantalizing tidbit : "He also reported HPD will revert back to the 10-code, a standard communication system used by police, that was changed after Sept. 11, 2001." (Source: Hermiston faces 'anemic' revenue for 2011-12 , Holly Dillemuth, Hermiston Herald, January 24, 2012) I realize that the news is tantalizing only to a narrow slice of Hermiston's popu

Scavenger Hunt Photography Contest Aspiring photographers can hone their skills this spring by participating in this year's Hermiston ArtWalk Scavenger Hunt Photo Contest . The Desert Arts Council invites photographers to submit five images of "art objects" located in and around Hermiston. Images must be digital and of high resolution, although the submitted photos need only be 4x6 print photos. Winning photographs will be published in a brochure to be featured in a walking tour scheduled for May 4-5, 2012. The event will encourage the public to discover art and features of downtown Hermiston . Suggested subjects might be architectural details of a building, a close-up of a sculpture, or more. The council wants to encourage creativity and artistic excellence . Rules of the contest: Photos must be postmarked by March 1, 2012. Submit five original 4x6 photos, color or black and white. Object photographed must be permanently in place and viewable by the gen