I’m starting to come down with something. Don’t worry, it’s not the ‘rona — I have a severe case of cabin fever.
Someone once said that a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.
More than 35 years ago, Oregon’s rural communities experienced an economic downturn of epic proportions when the timber economy collapsed. While state and federal governments responded with si…
As we’ve lived through a global pandemic together these past few months, the strange new situations it has created have prompted us to think more deeply about some aspects of our society.
One of the side effects of being a reporter is you get to know a lot of politicians.
I would like to write my fellow non-Black East Oregonians as to why I feel we must engage in difficult conversations regarding race in America. No longer can small towns be tucked away only en…
The answer to the above question is, quite a lot, actually.
Hermiston is at its best when people are working together. In the school district, we value any opportunity for our students to better understand how this community works, and what role they p…
When someone submits an idea for a story to us, they often preface it with, “I’m not sure if this is newsworthy, but ...”
Homelessness is one of those perennial topics in the newspaper that we cover decade after decade, often with not much news to report beyond “Locals say something needs to be done.”
Looking for work during a pandemic isn’t an easy job. Not only have there been limited opportunities, but my age and an underlying health condition limit my options.
I’m not usually someone who is at a loss for words, but it took me more time to decide what the first sentence of this column should be than it takes me to write an entire column some weeks.
The federal agencies that operate 14 dams in the Columbia River Basin just spent more than three years and a lot of money to look at dam breaching as a possible solution to salmon recovery. Th…
Dear graduating seniors,
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization (EOCCO) and its partner, Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc., (GOBHI) are honored to join our providers th…
Many business owners have applied for or received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and/or Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). We have received the following questions and wan…
Local retailers, salons and bars rejoiced Friday after reopening for the first time in 67 days.
As I have written dozens of stories about COVID-19 over the past two months, I’ve heard a wide variety of opinions on the pandemic during my interviews.
Who are senior citizens? There is no clearly defined age when an American becomes a “senior.”
Dear readers,
The Hermiston School District has an excellent track record of planning for the future. But as we have learned in the last eight weeks, even the best-laid plans can go awry.
It’s been nearly a decade since my husband and I had internet at home.
The first 13-year-old has died two days prior to me writing this. With no overall health conditions, while being young and healthy, COVID-19 caught up to her and she passed away in Panama, Sou…
Growing up in a small town, you look forward to big exciting events and new things happening.
Living through a pandemic has many side effects, but one particularly relevant to 2020 is knowing what the inside of professional acquaintances’ homes look like.
In a column last week I teased that exciting new changes are coming for the Hermiston Herald, and this week I’m ready to announce it:
All small business owners, to some degree (many severely), are being negatively affected by the overnight economic shutdown due to the COVID-19 virus. Fortunately, there are programs to assist…
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a column titled “Things to be grateful for in the age of COVID-19.”
Norma Paulus would be proud. And she would be amazed. As secretary of state from 1977 until 1985, Paulus was the prime mover of Oregon’s voting by mail. Other states have been slow to follow O…
A lot comes to my mind as we all struggle to come to terms with the current situation regarding COVID-19.
These past few weeks have been bewildering. Tiring. Worrying. I’m sure you can think of plenty of other adjectives.
So, the coronavirus is here.
While driving along Highway 395, my partner and I noticed something different about Hermiston’s welcome sign recently. For one, it’s adorned with a brightly colored watermelon, and I am all ab…
When a natural disaster the size of last week’s flood hits, the information comes flooding in as fast as the water.
I recently read a Discover magazine story that indicated a lifespan is a billion heartbeats.
It’s no secret that my Democratic colleagues in the state Senate want to pass a cap-and-trade bill this year (SB 1530). They tried last year with HB 2020, but were unsuccessful. They’ve been w…
The past decade brought us many wonderful things, from life-changing advances in technology and medicine to worldwide decreases in poverty and illiteracy.
Question: Given the current time of the year, with icy roads and sidewalks, I shovel my sidewalks every time it snows. I do the same for my two elderly neighbors. So my question is, “Is a home…
Editor’s note: This is the first answer in our new “Ask a Lawyer” column series with Hermiston attorney Blaine Clooten of Clooten Law. To submit questions for future columns, email editor@herm…
A Facebook post by a former college roommate of mine gave me a little laugh recently.
I have a confession to make — I’m already full steam ahead with the Christmas spirit.
When I was in college, I stopped liking Thanksgiving.
It’s a humbling experience to be entrusted with nearly $90 million to build new schools for a generation of Hermiston students. The Hermiston School District is grateful to this community for …
When a local business announces they are closing their doors for good, the announcement is often greeted with a flood of comments from people sad that it is closing.
A bit of an adrenaline junkie, I like things that get my heart pumping — including scary stories and even ghost hunting. A couple of recent trips with friends have featured things that go bump…
As I approached college graduation, my goal was to eventually become a boss with my own office where I could hang posters on the ceiling.
For the past 17 years, it has been my honor and privilege to lead Eastern Oregon Mission and its two outreaches Agape House and Martha’s House. It is now time for me to turn over the reins and…
Every school year in Hermiston begins with the promise of new opportunities for our students and staff. New friendships are formed, new experiences pursued, and we set out to learn new ways to…
Everybody seems to have an opossum story. My favorite is we thought it was an ugly cat until we tried to put a flea collar on it.
Recent road construction has altered my preferred route to work.
When I was a kid, my parents’ unfinished basement held dozens of milk jugs filled with water and shelves of large silver cans with words like “rice” and “oats” written across the side in black…
It’s that time of year again.
It seems like it was only a few days ago that we were wrapping up the spring sports season and crowning state champions in track, baseball, softball, golf and tennis.
As National Dog Day approaches I would be in the doghouse if I didn’t brag on our canine kids — both German shepherds.
Less than three months ago, I was fresh from college and spending my days pouring lattes at a fast-paced coffee shop in downtown Portland. Next door to a nice hotel, fielding tourists at work …