REGION
SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2022
THE OBSERVER — A3
Hundreds lose jobs in aftermath of processing plant fi re
Shearer’s Foods
lays off employees
of destroyed
Hermiston plant
said she expects more to join.
Some participating companies,
which will be looking for new
employees, are Lamb Weston,
Amazon, Tillamook, Rogers
Toyota of Hermiston and Two
Rivers Correctional Institution
in Umatilla.
The job fair is March 16,
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Herm-
iston Community Center, 415 S.
Highway 395.
Hoxie said Workforce will
be present, too, as representa-
tives will be on hand to answer
questions about unemployment
issues.
By ERICK PETERSON
East Oregonian
HERMISTON — The dev-
astating fi re last month at the
Shearer’s Foods facility in Herm-
iston has led the company to
end employment of the men and
women who worked there. And
the city is without a sure sign the
company will rebuild.
Shearer’s Foods CEO Bill
Nictakis made the announce-
ment in a press release Tuesday,
March 8.
“After assessing the damage,
it’s clear that the destruction is
too great to quickly rebuild and
begin production in the near
term,” according to Nictakis.
“Unfortunately, it would take
at least 15-18 months before we
could resume production. We
have not yet decided the future of
the Shearer’s Hermiston site. This
has led to the very diffi cult deci-
sion to end employment for our
team members.”
The company has reported it
employed 230 people at the plant.
Nictakis stated the company is
“exploring opportunities to relo-
cate team members interested in
working in our other plants” and
has “provided a severance and
benefi ts continuation package to
recognize the eff ort and tenure
that has gone into making the site
successful over the past years.”
He continued, “We will do
everything we can to support
our Shearer’s family during this
transition.”
According to the press release,
Shearer’s Foods has been teaming
up with community organizations
on projects, including food drives,
family activities and job fairs, to
benefi t its former employees.
“We will continue to pro-
vide counseling services to those
aff ected and will do what we can
to help them fi nd other employ-
ment,” the release stated.
Nictakis ended the statement
with thanks to local businesses
and government representatives
for their support, adding, “Please
continue to put our Shearer’s
Hermiston family in your thoughts
through this diffi cult time.”
Dealing with the fallout
This is a situation that has driven
people to tears, according to Mark
Employees are entering
a strong job market
Erick Peterson/East Oregonian, File
Two days after an explosion and fi re, the wreckage of the Shearer’s Foods facility continues to smolder Feb. 24, 2022. Shearer’s
Foods CEO Bill Nictakis announced Tuesday, March 8, the company cannot quickly rebuild the facility and ended the employ-
ment of the 230 people who worked there.
“There are some
really large companies
out there that are
literally begging for
employees.”
— Craig Smith, of Food Northwest
Erick Peterson/East Oregonian, File
Shearer’s Foods was virtually unrecognizable Feb. 23, 2022, following the explosion
and fi re Feb. 22. On Tuesday, March 8, a statement from the company said it is
“exploring opportunities to relocate team members interested in working in our
other plants” and has “provided a severance and benefi ts continuation package to
recognize the eff ort and tenure that has gone into making the site successful over
the past years.”
Gomolski, Agape House director.
Gomolski said Shearer’s sup-
plied Agape House with a list
of all of the Hermiston plant
employees, and the nonprofi t held
a food drive Friday, March 4, for
them. Gomolski said CAPECO —
Community Action Program of
East Central Oregon — and the
Oregon Food Bank supplied the
food for the laid-off employees.
Large pallets of food lined the
west end of the building going
around to the east end on March
4, Gomolski said. The Shearer
workers arrived at the Agape
House, opened their vehicles and
had them fi lled.
There were 35 volunteers,
Gomolski said, and seven of the
volunteers came from Shearer’s.
The event, which ran from
8 a.m. to 2 p.m., provided food to
127 Shearer’s families, and many
of these people seemed very
upset, Gomolski said.
“There were people crying as
they were getting food here,” he
said.
Gomolski said there is a pos-
sibility of holding another food
drive in April.
Job fair coming next week
Since the start of the fi re,
local government has been in
communication with Shearer’s
to see what can be done. Mark
Morgan, Hermiston assistant city
manager, is one of those offi -
cials who has expressed a desire
to help.
“We’ve been in coordination
with the Shearer’s folks, as well
as all of our other partners here
on the state, local and federal
level,” he said.
Morgan said the city has been
working with the Hermiston
Chamber of Commerce on its
planned job fair. He said plan-
ning for the fair was delayed
while waiting to fi nd out whether
Shearer’s would hold on to is
employees and rebuild. Now
that Shearer’s released those
employees, the city and the
chamber are pushing forward
with the job fair.
“I’ve been in touch with all
the wonderful companies in
Hermiston,” Val Hoxie, execu-
tive director of the Hermiston
Chamber of Commerce, said, as
she helped organize the fair.
On the afternoon of March 8,
she said 14 employers confi rmed
participation at the fair, and she
Former Shearer’s workers
may not be looking long for
work, according to Craig Smith
of Food Northwest.
He said Food Northwest did
not have an association with
Shearer’s. It does, however,
have connections with sev-
eral other local food processors
around the region. Already,
he said, he has heard a lot of
eagerness in hiring the Shear-
er’s workforce.
“We have a lot of companies
in that area that are looking
for people,” he said, including
Lamb Weston, Port of Morrow,
Boardman Foods, Tillamook
and Oregon Potato.
“There are some really large
companies out there that are lit-
erally begging for employees,”
he said.
He said the misfortune
of losing jobs could become
opportunities for people to find
something new and better.
Hermiston looks to the
future and recovery
Morgan expressed confi dence
the displaced laborers would fi nd
new work at the upcoming fair.
“I know there’s been signif-
icant interest from employers
looking to hire some of these
folks coming out of the Shearer’s
facility,” Morgan said.
The assistant city manager also
articulated his belief the commu-
nity will recover.
“We’re strongly committed to
making sure that we can see some
reinvestment here in the commu-
nity and that type of operation
here as quickly as possible,” he
said.
He also plugged Hermiston as
an excellent place for business.
“I think it’s proven that our
region has some of the best work-
force,” he said, “as well as assets
in the form of water and utilities
needed for processing operations.”
Hermiston students earn national recognition for TV program
By ERICK PETERSON
East Oregonian
HERMISTON — An
Armand Larive Middle
School teacher and a
handful of students busied
themselves earlier this
month with the production
of a TV broadcast.
They set up lights,
turned on a teleprompter
and took to their spots.
When everyone, and
everything, was ready, a
young producer cued her
anchors, and they began
presenting the news.
“Good morning, Bull-
pups,” one student anchor
announced.
Thus, Armand Larive
Television, the stu-
dent-created program of
the Hermiston middle
school, started another
show.
ALTV produces and
broadcasts morning stu-
dent announcements,
which it transmits to all
of the school’s students in
their classrooms. On occa-
sion, ALTV livestreams
Bullpup sporting events.
The students also create a
monthly storytelling show
in which they interview
interesting people and
present these interviews
as in-depth stories.
“You can call it a mid-
dle-school version of ‘60
Minutes,’” Rob Doherty,
Armand broadcasting
adviser and teacher,
said of the storytelling
programs.
Recently, ALTV did
more than present the news;
it became the news. The
Student Television Network
Convention awarded ALTV
with second place in the
Broadcast Excellence com-
Erick Peterson/East Oregonian
Armand Larive Television broadcasters pose with their recent award
March 1, 2022. Back row from left: Juliette Goyer Rondon, Sofi a
Rodriguez, Aspyn Inners and Naima Velasco. Front row from left:
Jaideny Orozco and Matea Sepulveda.
Erick Peterson/East Oregonian
Armand Larive Middle School students and their instructor, Rob Doherty, begin a broadcast recording
March 1, 2022. The class recently won national recognition for one of its shows.
petition for a Christmas
program.
The episode included
stories on Christmas
spirit, women in science
and foster parents who are
making a difference.
“This is a big deal,”
Doherty said of the
placing.
ALTV’s history began
in 1997, starting as a
school club that created
weekly announcements for
students. It has undergone
changes since, growing in
recent years. Doherty said
the second-place victory
was the highest placing
ever for ALTV. He said
he has more than 150 stu-
dents a day involved in the
program. These students
rotate in and out to study
and practice journalism,
the adviser said.
In addition to adding
students, ALTV has accu-
mulated technology.
Doherty said in 2012,
ALTV had only one
camera. Now, it has 12,
as well as other equip-
ment — microphones and
a formal setup for the
broadcasts.
The shows, dating to
2012, are available to
watch on the ALTV web-
site, altv.us.
Doherty expressed
pride in his students,
Union County Business Grants Available
The 2022 Union County Business Assistance Grant Program is currently
accepting applications from small businesses financially affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible applicants may receive up to $10,000.
Applications, eligibility requirements, and additional information is available
on the Union County website at www.union-county.org or by calling 541-963-
1001. Completed and signed applications packets must be received via email
at bizgrant@union-county.org or hand delivered to
1106 K Avenue by 12:00 noon on Friday, April 1, 2022.
This grant program is being made available due to federal funding received from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund.
who not only created an
award-winning product;
they did it on their own.
“I didn’t help the stu-
dents put that show
together,” Doherty said
of the particular program
that won second place.
“They did it entirely by
themselves.”
Mobile
Mobile Service
Service
Outstanding
Computer Repair
Fast &
& Reliable
Reliable
Fast
Open
for
all 24/7
your
Call or Text
Call or Text 24/7
Dale Bogardus 541-297-5831
Dale Bogardus 541-297-5831
Stay up-to-date
Microsoft’
If your with
computer
is s most
advanced
operating
system to date,
in despair
call Outstanding
Windows
11
Computer
Repair!
Desktops and laptops in stock
www.outstandingcomputerrepair.com
Or upgrade yours today for the best security!
Refurbished Desktop & Laptops For Sale
House calls (let me come to you!)
Drop Offs & Remote Services are Available
All credit cards accepted