WEEKEND EDITION
THE
WEEK IN
PHOTOS
HERMISTON’S COMMUNITY GARDEN
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SPORTS, B1
REGION, A3
APRIL 24-25, 2021
145th Year, No. 81
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WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Oregon increase in COVID-19 cases leads country
More than half
state’s counties
are considered
‘high risk’
By BRADLEY W.
PARKS
Oregon Public Broadcasting
SALEM — Oregon’s seen
the biggest increase in COVID-
19 cases the past two weeks of
any state in the country.
“A few weeks ago, I came
before you to say that we were
concerned we would have a
fourth surge of COVID-19 in
Oregon,” Gov. Kate Brown
said at a Friday, April 23,
press conference. “Unfor-
tunately, today, that surge is
here.”
Not enough people have
been vaccinated and adher-
ence to public health guide-
lines has fallen off a cliff,
giving rise to virus transmis-
sion rates rivaling the worst
days of the pandemic this
winter.
Oregon state epidemiol-
ogist Dr. Dean Sidelinger
called it the “most pessimis-
tic scenario.” COVID-19 has
continued its rapid spread
this spring and, once again,
threatens to overrun hospitals
throughout the state.
“Our newest modeling
indicates that the rate of trans-
mission surpassed the most
pessimistic scenario of three
weeks ago,” Sidelinger said.
“And if that spread continues
unabated, our hospitals risk
being swamped by virus-
stricken patients.”
More than half the state’s
counties are now considered
“high risk” for COVID-19
transmission. Hotspots range
from metro counties like
Washington and Multnomah
to more sparsely populated
ones like Grant and Klamath.
Spread is so bad in some
counties that they qualify for
Oregon’s “extreme risk” cate-
gory, in which indoor dining
is banned and indoor capac-
ity at gyms, retail stores and
EO SPOTLIGHT
‘SERIOUS AND COMMITTED’
Umatilla County
offi cials again push
for jail renovations
amid concerns for
mental health,
addiction treatment
PENDLETON — Change is
coming to the Pendleton School
Board.
With incumbents Gar y
George, Debbie McBee and Steve
Umbarger all retiring at the end
of June, nearly half of the board
will change hands after the May
18 election. A wide fi eld of candi-
dates entered their names to fi ll
the open seats, and for the fi rst
time in decades, each election
will be contested.
All three races are at-large,
meaning any voter living in the
Pendleton School District will get
a chance to weigh in on each race.
Over a series of interviews,
the candidates not only shared
their thoughts on how Pendle-
ton schools have been aff ected
by the COVID-19 pandemic, but
also how they plan to address
long-standing issues, such as
school funding and student
equity.
P
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Umatilla County Jail Cpt. Thoren Hearn indicates a transport holding cell
that will be converted back to a sallyport under proposed renovations at
the Umatilla County Jail. The transport holding cell would be relocated
into a renovated part of the facility with a purpose-built room.
new detox, holding and medical cells,
as well as cells that would accom-
modate inmates entering the facil-
ity in a transport situation and other
upgrades to the jail’s prebooking and
intake area.
The renovations would also allow
for a variety of social services like
mental health and addiction counsel-
ing and treatment, offi cials say.
“I think it’s going to be an incredi-
ble asset,” Umatilla County Commis-
sioner Dan Dorran said. “And I think
it’s going to leave an extreme void if”
the project isn’t completed.
Murdock was set to testify in
front of state lawmakers at the Joint
Ways and Means Subcommittee on
April 17 regarding the jail renovation.
The meeting was held remotely, and
because of this, neither Murdock nor
Shafer were given a chance to testify.
The commissioners submitted
written testimonies for the projects
meant to be presented, and now,
“we’re blowing up the phones of our
legislators,” Shafer said, adding the
project is now up against others that
are vying for state funding, including
local projects.
The county has already invested
approximately $250,000 into the proj-
ect, offi cials say.
“We’re shovel-ready,” Murdock
said. “We’ve done all the preliminary
work. It should be clear to them that
we’re serious and committed.”
Position 1
Beth Harrison and Rodney
Thompson are at diff erent stages
of their involvement with the
Pendleton School District, but
each thinks their experiences
will make them a good fi t for the
school board.
Harrison, who is vying with
Thompson to replace Umbarger
for the Position 1 seat, was born
on an Army base in South Korea
but grew up in Utah. After gradu-
ating with a master’s degree from
Housing those in need
Law enforcement used to drop
off arrestees suff ering from a mental
health crisis or addiction at facilities
where they can recover, like the Blue
Mountain Recovery Center. Many
of these individuals are arrested on
low-level off enses like trespassing or
criminal mischief, offi cials say.
But when the facility closed in
See Renovations, Page A9
COVID-19; the state had 283
COVID-19 patients in hospi-
tals as of April 23.
Inoculation for COVID-19
has hummed along in Oregon.
Half of the state’s adult popu-
lation has received at least one
dose, and more than 1 million
Oregonians are fully vacci-
nated.
That’s despite a nation-
wide pause on administra-
tion of the Johnson & Johnson
vaccine due to six cases of
See COVID, Page A9
Pendleton School Board
candidates make their case
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
By BRYCE DOLE
East Oregonian
ENDLETON — Umatilla
County officials are once
again pressing for state fund-
ing to renovate the Umatilla
County Jail amid growing
concerns of the jail’s ability to care
for people who are arrested while
suff ering from addiction or mental
health crises.
The project, aimed to better
accommodate inmates facing medi-
cal issues, drug addiction or mental
illness, was approved in 2020 to
receive about $1.6 million in state
funding provided by the sale of
lottery bonds. Due to the COVID-19
pandemic, however, lottery revenues
“went south,” according to Umatilla
County Commissioner George
Murdock.
Offi cials are now seeking more
than $2 million in state funding for
the project.
“We’re having to go back out and
say, ‘Hey, you guys already approved
this, approve it again,’” Umatilla
County Commissioner John Shafer
said. “But the problem is that in two
years we’ve seen the price of materi-
als skyrocket.”
The renovations include building
other businesses is extremely
limited. State health offi cials
said on April 23 they’re even
considering a pause on elec-
tive surgeries similar to the
pandemic’s early days.
Brown said she will
reopen the extreme risk
bucket as hospitals fi ll up —
and could put several coun-
ties in that category as soon
as next week.
The governor set the
threshold for reopening the
extreme risk category at 300
people hospitalized with
Eagleheart
Gregg
GrosJacques
Harrison
Spencer
Thompson
the University of North Carolina,
Harrison put her career aside to
focus on raising her family in
Pendleton.
She has seven children, fi ve
of whom still attend Pendleton
schools, and Harrison spends
some of her non-parenting time
volunteering in the classroom and
with various community organi-
zations.
“I really enjoy children and the
opportunities I’ve had to interact
with them and I hope that that
perspective could be useful,” she
said.
Thompson is a veteran and a
retired locksmith, and although
his children have long since grad-
uated out of Pendleton schools,
he thinks his experience working
for a foreign exchange program
See Election, Page A9
Giving the gift of life
Good Shepherd Health Care System receives Hope
Award from Pacifi c Northwest Transplant Bank
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
HERMISTON — Organ dona-
tions are often born out of a day of
deep sorrow for one family and great
joy for another.
When a hospital does outstanding
work in navigating such a diffi cult,
yet lifesaving situation, the Pacifi c
Northwest Transplant Bank awards
the Hope Award. Good Shepherd
Health Care System was recognized
on Thursday, April 22, for the work
staff did in facilitating such a gift of
life in November 2020.
Barbara Thompson, chair of the
PNTB board of directors, said organ
See Award, Page A9
Jade McDowell/East Oregonian
Staff from Good Shepherd Health Care System and Pacifi c Northwest Trans-
plant Bank show off the teardrop-shaped Hope Award, given to hospitals
that show outstanding work in facilitating an organ donation.
COVID-19 NUMBERS
IN UMATILLA COUNTY
RISK LEVEL
MODERATE
NEW
CASES
OVER 2 WEEKS
118
TOTAL
CASE GOAL
40
OR LESS
OVER 2
WEEKS
TOTALS FOR WEEK ENDING 4/22/2021
POSITIVE
TEST RATE
%
4.5
POSITIVE
1.7 TEST GOAL
%
%
5