REGION
Saturday, December 5, 2020
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Festival of Trees goes virtual
A3
East Oregonian
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Hermiston lights up the night
Pandemic chases
the gala online
By KATHY ANEY
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Most
years, the Festival of Trees is
a gala affair.
Typically, an auction of art-
fully adorned trees accompa-
nies dinner, drinks, music and
dancing. This time around,
COVID-19 had other ideas.
On Saturday, Dec. 5, one
can bid on an assortment of
trees, wreaths, gift baskets
and other items during a vir-
tual auction from 10 a.m. until
8 p.m. using a portal from the
St. Anthony Hospital website.
After signing up, bidders get
access to the virtual auction
hall where they can inspect
this year’s lineup. Proceeds
go to the St. Anthony Hospital
Foundation.
Foundation director Emily
Smith said the hospital hopes
to raise $30,000 at the virtual
auction, enough to purchase
two new glidescopes, which
help health care providers
see a patient’s airway during
endotracheal intubation via a
special video camera.
Different
organizations
began decorating their trees
on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the
Pendleton Convention Center.
On the west side of the main
room, Carol Farrow, Therese
Farrow and Laura Gauthier
decorated a tree with orna-
ments crafted by artists from
the Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Standing on a ladder, Carol
placed the tree topper, a young
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Carol Farrow (in black) and Laura Gauthier work to place a
topper on a Christmas tree on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, at
the Pendleton Convention Center. The CTUIR tree will sold
virtually during the Festival of the Trees to benefi t the St.
Anthony Hospital Foundation on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020.
A few small groups of people look as the lights go on on the Hermiston Christmas tree
amid the fog on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020. The tree lighting event was livestreamed by the
city of Hermiston due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings and events.
boy doing a traditional native
dance.
After climbing down the
ladder, she urged people to
take part in the auction, say-
ing the hospital plays a huge
role in the community, includ-
ing the reservation.
“Everybody uses the hospi-
tal,” she said. “Our tribal peo-
ple use the hospital. Everyone
needs to donate in some way,
shape or form.”
She said the tree contains
around $2,000 in ornaments
and other items.
On the north side of the
room, Janeen Reding put fi n-
ishing touches on an owl-
themed wreath she created;
Reding is the hospital’s vice
Air stagnation advisory extended
president of human resources.
Two fl uffy owls perched in the
wreath seemed to peer at Red-
ing as she worked.
Around the room, other
people fussed over addi-
tional trees, wreaths and gift
baskets. Most of the trees
included assortments of items
arranged artfully around their
bases.
Smith said the auction
lineup includes six large trees,
10 small trees, 10 wreaths and
about 20 gift baskets. She said
large trees will be delivered
the day after the event within
a 30-mile radius of Pendle-
ton. All other items can be
picked up on Sunday, Dec. 6,
between 8 a.m. and noon.
LOCAL BRIEFING
ODOT lowers
speed limit
near Athena
ATHENA — The Ore-
gon Department of Trans-
portation lowered a posted
speed limit along the Ore-
gon-Washington Highway
(Oregon Highway 11) near
Athena due to recent crash
history and safety concerns,
according to a press release
on Friday, Dec. 4.
The posting, which sits
between mileposts 16.18 near
Pambrun Road and 17.80
near Banister Road, was low-
ered from its previous speed
of 55 miles per hour to 50.
The previous posted
speed limit was raised in
2017 to match the speed of
the rest of the route. Since
that change, eight acci-
dents have been reported
and “numerous near misses
observed.”
Dense traffi c on the high-
way lead to crashes as driv-
ers swerve on and off the
highway, according to the
press release.
“We performed another
speed study of the area,”
ODOT Traffi c Investigator
Rick Stanton said. “Based on
that information and safety
concerns we’ve adjusted the
speed limit back to what it
used to be. Our goal is to
improve safety on the state’s
transportation system, and
we believe this will help
do that along this stretch of
(Highway) 11.”
— EO Media Group
Y our G enerositY C an H elp
t ransform o ur C ommunitY
Weak weather
system could be
moving through
over weekend
By BRYCE DOLE
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The
National Weather Ser-
vice station in Pendleton
announced on Thursday,
Dec. 3, that it is extending
its air stagnation advisory
to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec.
8, due to a weak weather
system moving through
over the weekend.
The advisory warns
that poor air quality could
cause issues for people
with respiratory problems
and recommends that those
who have respiratory ill-
ness follow their physi-
cian’s advice. State agen-
cies recommend people
refrain from outdoor burn-
ing and limit residential
burning.
The
announcement
came a day after the Oregon
Department of Environ-
mental Quality announced
the fi rst air stagnation advi-
sory that came due to a high
pressure system prevent-
ing low pressure air from
escaping, which makes
pollutants near the ground
incapable of escaping.
“Say if you were to burn
wood in your fi replace —
that smoke is not going
anywhere,” Brandon Law-
horn, a meteorologist with
the National Weather Ser-
vice in Pendleton said.
The system, which may
include precipitation in the
mountains, will be com-
ing in sometime late Sun-
day, Dec. 6, through early
Monday, Dec. 7, according
to Lawhorn.
The advisory applies
to Baker, Umatilla, Grant,
Gilliam, Harney, Jeffer-
son, Klamath, Lake, Mal-
heur, Morrow, Sherman,
Wasco and Wheeler coun-
ties. It includes the follow-
ing cities: Arlington, The
Dalles, Boardman, Herm-
iston, Ione, Long Creek,
North Powder, Ukiah, Day-
ville, John Day, Mitchell,
Monument, Spray, Pendle-
ton, Pilot Rock, Heppner,
Condon, Fossil, Dufur,
Maupin, Moro, and White
Salmon, Washington.
Offi cials advise resi-
dents to check their local
burn agencies for restric-
tions in their area.
Invitation
Invitation
to to
Invitation to
Participate
Participate
in in
a a
Participate in a
Focus Group:
Group:
Focus
Recruiting—
Recruiting—
Recruiting—
Focus Group:
Women
and
Men
Women
and
Men
Women
and
Men
(over 18)
18)
and
(over
18)
and
(over
and
Elders
Elders
Elders
Family
Violence
Services
has
a
Family
Violence
Services
has received
a expand
grant to expan
Family
Violence
Services
has received
received
a grant
grant to
to
expand
services
to
victims
of
sexual
assault,
sexual
abuse,
sex
services
to
victims
of
sexual
assault,
sexual
abuse,
services to victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and
and
sex and s
trafficking
in
the
CTUIR
community.
The
project
is
recruiting
trafficking
the CTUIR
community.
The is project
is recruiti
trafficking
in the in CTUIR
community.
The project
recruiting
participants from the community to help inform what a good
participants
the community
help what
inform
what a g
participants
from from
the community
to help to
inform
a good
systems response should look like. Snacks will be served and
systems
response
should
look
like.
Snacks
will
be
served
look like.
Snacks will be served and
a systems
$50 gift response
card will should
be provided
for participation.
a $50
gift card
will
be provided
for participation.
a $50
gift card
will be
provided
for participation.
December 7th-11th, 2020
December
7th-11th,
December
7th-11th,
2020 2020
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
10:00-1:00
Thursday
18-25 Tuesday
26-40
Monday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Wednesday
Thursday
11:30-2:30
Elders
Elders
10:00-1:00
10:00-1:00
18-25 18-25
26-40
CHANGES DUE TO COVID-19
G ive O utriGht , Or a P lanned G ift tO the
G reater h ermistOn C Ommunity f OundatiOn ’ s e ndOwment f und !
100% G oes to the F und • Y our d onation is n ever s pent
C all 541-567-5215 Or GO O nline fOr m Ore i nfOrmatiOn
www.GreaterHermiston.com
Friday
Thursday
Friday
26-40
Friday
Due to 5:00-8:00
Covid-19
event will
41-55 Restrictions
41-55
26-40 this
11:30-2:30
Elders 18-25
11:30-2:30
Elders Elders
Elders
be conducting
phone
interviews
or
for
5:00-8:00
26-40 Zoom,
18-25
5:00-8:00
41-55 41-55 41-55 41-55 26-40
18-25
Location
- Longhouse
at Mission
those who can access Zoom a link will be
If you are interested, please RSVP to Desireé Coyote @ 541-
sent to
you.
Interviews
will
hour
to the
1.5
Location
- Longhouse
at be
Mission
Location
- Longhouse
at 25,
Mission
429-7415
by
November
2020
or 1 show
up at
during
specified
time
according
to
your
hours. Longhouse
Appointments
are
available
8am-8pm
If you
are interested,
to Desireé
If you
are interested,
please please
RSVP to RSVP
Desireé
Coyote age
@ Coyote
541- @ 5
group.
Interview
options
available
if
you
are
not
able
to the
429-7415
by
November
25,
2020
or
show
up at
429-7415 by
November 25,
2020 or show
up at
the
Monday-Friday
December
7-11th,
2020.
Please
attend
in person
. during
Longhouse
specified
time according
to your age
Longhouse
during
specified
according
to your
age
contact
Desiree
Coyote
@ time
541-240-4170
to
group.
Interview
options
available
if you
are not
group.
Interview
options
available
if you are
not able
to able to
* Masks
and social a
distancing
will be required
ensure everyone’s safety.
schedule
time to
slot.
attend
in person
. and
attend
. day
Masks
will in
be person
available
on-site.
* Masks
and social
distancing
will be required
to ensure everyone’s
safe
* Masks
and social
distancing
will be required
to ensure everyone’s
safety.
Masks
will
be available
Masks
will be
available
on-site. on-site.
