OFF PAGE ONE
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
East Oregonian
A9
Pets:
Spike:
Continued from Page A1
Continued from Page A1
“This is a surprise for me,”
Bradshaw said.
Her family told her of the event,
and they brought her along to help
pick out a new dog. She was happy
to be there, she said, because she
had adopted a dog at other shel-
ters. It worked out well for her, and
she was hopeful for another loving
fur-baby.
She said she sees her role with
the new dog as similar to any
grandparent’s position with a new
baby. That is, she will enjoy the
dog, but the parents will have to
do the hard work.
The “parents” would include
the second generation of Brad-
shaw/Winterton family, who
were looking to pick up a dog to
fi ll a hole in their hearts. A pair
of their other dogs recently died,
both of old age. They were espe-
cially happy to get a dog that was a
rescue dog, a canine obtained from
a shelter.
“We’re going to give a dog a
second chance, and they make us
happy,” Katie Bradshaw said. She
is the sister of Callie Winterton,
who brought her children.
One of those children, Shay
Winterton, said she was happy to
get a dog, but she really wanted a
cat, or even a horse.
“Do they have horses here?”
she asked her mother.
When she learned she could not
get a horse or a cat, she asked if she
could get two dogs.
Her mother said she might have
to think about two dogs, though
she added they have plenty of room
for additional pets. The family
lives on 5 acres, and they consider
themselves a “dog family.”
She said she might even add a
horse sometime in the near future.
OHSU said the drop is being aided
by an increase in vaccinations, includ-
ing those motivated by the dead-
lines for state and federal employee
mandates.
The state’s “immunity index”
shows that 22% of Oregonians remain
vulnerable to the virus, having neither
been vaccinated or exposed to the
virus by others.
“A lot of people have gotten
infected over the past three months,
and it’s become harder for the virus to
fi nd susceptible people,” Graven said.
And while there remains a large
pool of unvaccinated Oregonians who
could end up in the hospital, Graven
said the worst likely is over.
“The severe strain on hospitals
should ease as the virus finds an
ever-shrinking pool of susceptible
hosts,” Graven said. “It’s going to be
increasingly diffi cult to generate a new
surge in hospitalizations.”
Patients with COVID-19 accounted
for 24% of all cases in intensive care
units statewide as of Oct. 12. At the
peak of the spike, they took up more
than 50% of ICU capacity.
The OHSU report said the timeline
could be slowed by the trend of Orego-
nians tiring of preventative measures
such as wearing masks and avoiding
gathering indoors with those outside
of their household or outside in large
groups.
While a high number of deaths have
been reported recently, deaths are the
last indicator to rise or fall in a spike.
The current numbers are projected
to decrease, as hospitalizations and
infections already have gone down.
Test positivity continues to slowly
decline. OHA reported the statewide
rate at 7.3% on Oct 15. OHA offi-
cials say a rate below 5% is when the
number of new infections is within
manageable limits.
Erick Peterson/East Oregonian
Angela Bradshaw of Hermiston and her granddaughter Rowan Winterton check out Throwback, along with
Winterton’s aunt, Katie Bradshaw, on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at the Loves Pets adoption event in Hermiston.
Dog owner Veronica Lopez
brought her daughter, Katherine
Lopez, to adopt a pet that would
take the place of their small dog,
which died after a car ran it over.
This was upsetting to the entire
family, they said.
By the time they left the shel-
ter, however, they were all smiles.
They brought home Shatner, a new
small dog that would join a larger
dog waiting at home.
Katherine said she would soon
give Shatner a tour of his home,
plus teach him new tricks.
“This is a happy day,” she said.
The day also was happy for
Donna Lutz, even though one dog,
Ogano, urinated on her. Actually,
Lutz decided to adopt the dog, a
husky, because it urinated on her.
She took it as a sign.
Mandate:
Continued from Page A1
Hospitals
Emily Smith, a spokesperson for
CHI St. Anthony in Pendleton, said
in an email that 88% of the hospi-
tals’ staff are vaccinated. She said
approximately 60% of employees
who requested an exemption got
one, and some requests are pending.
Those who are not vacci-
nated and who have not received
an exemption “will be placed on
unpaid administrative leave for 90
days, during which time they can
reconsider vaccination,” Smith said.
Unvaccinated employees who get
the shot later “will be eligible for
rehire at a later date,” Smith added.
Smith said in an email the
mandate prompted an 18% increase
in the hospital’s vaccination rate.
She added the hospital is “adjust-
ing staff so that operations will be
minimally impacted.
The East Oregonian sought that
information from Good Shepherd
Medical Center, Hermiston.
“I love huskies,” she said.
“They’re special.”
As she was leaving the event,
she was giggling, beaming with
joy over her new pet.
The value of pet adoption
Jackie Alleman, once owned
the shelter, which her mother built.
Now a volunteer, Alleman said it
was “super important” to hold
adoption events.
“We have so many dogs who
are abandoned,” she stressed. “The
best way to take care of them is
with shelters until they can fi nd
regular homes.”
Beau Putnam, shelter director
and Alleman’s son-in-law, said this
work means a lot to him. He said he
fi gures the shelter has given homes
to thousands of animals. Dogs and
Caitlin Cozad, a spokesperson
for Good Shepherd, said in response
to questions, “Good Shepherd is
compliant with the state mandate
and fully operational.”
The Oregon Health Authority
has not updated its public dash-
board showing vaccine uptake
among health care workers in
individual counties since Oct. 4.
But the two-week-old data shows
that roughly 30% of all health
care workers in Umatilla County,
and 24% of health care workers in
Morrow County, were unvaccinated
at that time.
In all, 18% of Oregon’s health
care workers are unvaccinated,
according to state data.
More than 1.1 million Orego-
nians work in jobs that are under the
mandate, or 3 out of every 5 work-
ing residents, Oregon Public Broad-
casting reported.
The website guidestar.org
specializes in collecting public
information about nonprofits. A
2020 tax return available through
the website shows St. Anthony had
412 employees in 2019. Tax returns
Five vie for four city council
cats are the most common, he said,
but they sometimes fi nd homes
for others, such as a peacock and
bunnies.
The shelter obtains its animals
from local city governments,
which pick up strays. Also, some
people bring their own animals to
the shelter, giving them up when
they cannot care for them.
Even outside of adoption days,
Putnam said, the shelter is open to
guests Tuesday through Saturday,
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adoption fees are
$125 and up for dogs, $30 for cats.
A driver’s license is required.
Putnam pointed out the on-site
thrift store is open during shelter
hours. Profi ts benefi t the shelter.
The store also accepts donations
of used goods.
filed in May 2021 shows Good
Shepherd has 887 employees.
The Morrow County Health
District, which includes Pioneer
Memorial Hospital in Heppner,
did not respond to a list of ques-
tions prior to press time. An offi cial
in the county’s human resources
department on Oct. 18 was unable
to provide data before deadline
on how many workers the health
district employs.
Schools
In public education, Eastern
Oregon’s two largest school districts
won’t face any labor shortages as a
result of the vaccine mandate and
have already fi lled the vacancies it
created.
In Hermiston, Superintendent
Tricia Mooney reported 85% of
district staff were vaccinated as of
Oct. 15. Another 14.5% had secured
a medical or religious exemption
while three Hermiston staff, or
0.5%, left the district as a result.
Mooney said the district is fi lling
those positions with a combination
of substitutes and temporary hires.
Pendleton Superintendent Chris
Fritsch said his district’s vaccina-
tion status hadn’t changed too much
since he shared a preliminary report
with the Pendleton School Board
earlier this month. About 90% of
Pendleton’s staff is vaccinated,
with most of the rest obtaining
exemptions to stay employed while
remaining unvaccinated.
Fritsch on Oct. 18 said one staff
member resigned as a result of the
mandate, and the district placed
another on unpaid leave. He added
that a third employee resigned
several weeks ago perhaps because
of the mandate, but he couldn’t
confi rm it.
According to Fritsch, no employ-
ees were terminated for noncompli-
ance with the mandate. Fritsch said
the district already has fi lled all of
its vacancies with permanent hires.
“We’re pretty happy with the
quality of candidates,” he said.
Prisons
Two of the largest employers in
Umatilla County are its state pris-
ons.
Eastern Oregon Correctional
Institution, Pendleton, employs
425 prison staff , according to Lind-
sey McKnight, the facility’s human
resources manager. The Oregon
Department of Corrections reported
Two Rivers Correctional Institu-
tion, Umatilla, has 468 employees.
Both prisons reported high
vaccination rates among their staff s.
TRCI reported 35 of its 325 secu-
rity offi cers have not notifi ed the
state they have gotten vaccinated.
At EOCI, 25 out of its 290 offi cers
have reported having gotten the
shot, according to Jennifer Black,
communications manager for the
corrections.
Black said unvaccinated staff
who inform the prison during the
work day on Oct. 18 that they have
begun the vaccination process “will
have a grace period until Nov. 30th
to become fully vaccinated.” This
only applies to AFSCME Security
and Security Plus employees, Black
said in an email to the newsroom.
“Now, the majority of Depart-
ment of Corrections employees
have more time to comply with the
governor’s vaccine mandate,” she
said.
Committed to excellence for our readers
seats in Hermiston | REGION, A3
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1,
First Place Awards
2020
News Photo -"Embracing Disaster" by Ben Lonergan
A large crowd of Black Lives
Matter
protesters link arms and march
through downtown Pendleton
on
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020.
144th Year, No. 191
WINNER OF THE 2019 ONPA
Proactive
approach
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BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTE
$1.50
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200 march through
streets of Pendleton
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Lives Matter protest
THE WEEK
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HANDED
UMATILLA COUNTY SENTENCE WALLA times with organizers
IN
RESIDENTS WANTED DOWN MURDER prior to Aug. 29 march
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WALL
By ALEX CASTLE
FOR COVID-19 STUDY
East Oregonian
A2
NORTHWEST,
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Protest draws a crowd
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REGION, A9
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
GENERAL EXCELLENCE
LIFESTYLES, A10
By ALEX CASTLE AND
ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
P
ENDLETON — Pendleton
Police Chief Stuart Roberts
praised the proactive safety
planning of organizers with the
Black Lives Matter protest on
Sat-
urday, Aug. 29, as a key in keeping
the event peaceful.
And aside from a few minor
incidents between some protesters
Counterprotesters watch
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
and counterprotesters, the plan-
from across the road as Black
Lives Matter protesters lay
Park in Pendleton to pay tribute
down at Roy Raley
ning paid off.
to George Floyd on Saturday,
Aug. 29, 2020.
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$1.50
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new
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JULY 25-26, 2020
144th Year, No. 175
PENDLETON
Downtown
association
director
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By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
See Approach, Page A8
Pend-
PENDLETON — The n is
leton Downtown Associatio
execu-
now looking for its third g the
tive director since establishin
position in 2017.
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announced that Executive resign-
tor Wesley Murack was
“personal
ing immediately for
reasons.”
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native,
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nt
2018 for his tourism developme
lly and
experience, both domestica
abroad.
Murack replaced Molly Turner,
intern to
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to
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nity College,
a busi-
tion needed someone with
ness background.
In a press release, association
high-
President Angela Thompson nts
lighted some of the developme
including
in Murack’s tenure,
Oregon
obtaining a grant from the
ren-
Parks and Recreation to cover
Audito-
ovation costs at the Vert
rium and the old Eagles Lodge.
One of the last events Murack
departure
organized before his
concerts
was a series of outdoor
stoke
on South Main Street to help but
business during the pandemic,
COVID-
the series was cut short as
Umatilla
19 cases rose throughout
County.
reached
be
Murack could not
and
for comment, but Thompson
Pendleton Chamber of Commerce
about
CEO Cheri Rosenberg talked future
’s
the downtown association
Develop-
at a July 21 Pendleton
meeting.
on
ment Commissi
gap
Given the three-month
predeces-
between Murack and his
it would
sor, Thompson anticipated a new
take three months to hire mean-
executive director. In the exec-
time, she planned to assume she
utive director duties, although
please
Masks complicate
businesses asking
for identification
from customers
Pendleton on Wednesda
A truck fl ying a “Trump 2020”
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
July 22, 2020.
fl ag drives by a line of counterprot
ter during a protest at Roy
esters and shouts at Black
Raley Park in Pendleton
by Ben Lonergan
Lives Mat-
Staff
on photo
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020.
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bleed resulted from a congenital
abnormality called arteriovenou
malformation (AVM), a tangle s
of
abnormal blood vessels connect-
ing arteries and veins in the
By KATHY ANEY
brain.
The knot of vessels impedes normal
East Oregonian
EORRGÀRZ
The abnormality is rare in chil-
LEXINGTON — Kelly Boyer
dren. People with AVM sometimes
doesn’t see her grandson
much go their entire lives
without a rup-
these days. COVID keeps the
Lex- ture. The average age
ington woman away.
of diagnosis
It’s a frustrating reality, espe- is 31 and the risk of hemorrhage for
cially since this spring 5-year-old untreated AVM is between 2% and
4% yearly.
Evan Kates suffered a brain
aneu-
rysm and several strokes that
left
See Grandmother, Page A8
Business or Economic Story - "A reopening plan 173
years in the making" by Antonio Sierra
Feature Photo - "Comet NEOWISE" by Ben Lonergan
Contributed photo
Brothers Cole, left, and Evan
Kates pose for an undated
photo. Evan, who
is now 5 and has a rare congenital
brain abnormality called AVM,
ering after a ruptured aneurism
is recov-
and several strokes this spring.
Local Column - Kathy Aney
Special Section - "Sidelined"
Third Place Awards
General Excellence
Feature Story - "At the brink: Local COVID-19 survivor
remembers how close virus came to killing him" by
Antonio Sierra
Spot News - "Community mourns: Colleagues mourn
Pendleton city councilor" by Antonio Sierra, Kathy
Aney
Photo Essay - "Banjo Man" by Ben Lonergan
Enterprise Reporting - "Stuck in the middle: Police
officers of color describe experiences in law
enforcement" by Jade McDowell
Small size belies big
COVID-19 problem
2020 Oregon Newspaper
Publishers Association
Better Newspaper Contest
Awards
Sports Photo - "Pickup Men" by Ben Lonergan
Page One Design - Andy Nicolais
See Director, Page A12
when it
the pair are neck-and-neck .
comes to the virus’ prevalence took a
Morrow County’s surge
the county
twist on July 15 when
at the pub-
announced that a worker
had tested
lic health department
, and two
positive for COVID-19
presumed
other staff members were
positive after falling ill.
11,600
Overseeing a county of
Admin-
people, Morrow County said the
istrator Darrell Green
department
county’s public health
a
isn’t large enough to coordinate So
itself.
response to the virus by
See Problem, Page A12
Second Place Awards
Headline Writing - Andrew Cutler
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MORROW COUNTY — have
than 1,400 cases of COVID-19
national
earned Umatilla County Morrow
g
attention, but neighborin
County hasn’t been spared.
as of
Morrow County’s 207 cases to the
n
July 21 pales in compariso but the
Umatilla County case count, means
former’s smaller population
See Crowd, Page A8
CROSSING THE DIVIDE
Jacob Bryant just wanted to
chat —
peacefully, and quietly, with
someone
associated with the Pendleton
Black
Lives Matter protest. Page A8
5-year-old suffers
life-threatening brain
aneurysm, strokes
at
and a plastic sneeze guard lay-
the counter provide other
ers of protection.
lit-
“The masks do make it a
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complicated when people far, he said, they hav-
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everyone is wear-
seen anyone trying to use
ing a mask, but en’t
mask to get away with using
local businesses say a
else’s ID.
someone
they’re making it work.
For anyone who is opposed
Brandon Krenzler at Kind to wearing a mask or is wor-
peo-
of shop-
Leaf Pendleton said most
from ried about the risk
ple are still recognizable
business now
their ping indoors, the
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
their photo, even with But offers a walk-up window where
y in
to Kind Leaf Dispensar
mouth and nose obscured.
people can be served outside Signage on a plexiglass shield at the entrance
a mask and
they are required to wear
if staff do have a question,
advises customers that
y, July 22,
cus- the building.
the people Pendleton 21 years of age to enter the facility on Wednesda
they’re allowed to ask the and
said
Krenzler
be at least
tomer to step back 6 feet
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By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
Counterprotesters joined in
chants
of “Blue lives matter,” “All
lives mat-
ter” and “USA” as roughly 200
ers against police brutality and protest-
injustice trickled into the park racial
to
to community speeches at 4 p.m. listen
At least one protester on the
Lives Matter side of the street Black
trading barbs with counterprote began
and organizers told them to stop sters,
engag-
ing or leave.
“We will not acknowledge them.
We
will not be them. Ignore them,”
Spencer, one of the protest’s Briana
organiz-
ers, said at the opening of the
event as
attendees donning masks and
carrying
signs circled around the park lawn.
Spencer, a Black, Puerto
Rican
woman of the Confederated
Tribes of
Grandmother raises funds
for her ailing grandson
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Morrow County tries
to navigate its own
way through pandemic
P
ENDLETON — Despite a pal-
pable sense of anger, a Black
Lives Matter march in Pendleton
remained peaceful and unim-
peded on Saturday, Aug. 29.
By 3:30 p.m., about 150 peo-
ple had gathered opposite
of
Roy Raley Park on Southwest
Court
Avenue with an array of American,
Confederate, “Trump” and “Thin
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cers with the Pendleton Police
Depart-
ment stationed themselves at
the street
corners.
Feature Story Personality - "Finding peace: Pendleton
man coming to grips with trauma of Las Vegas
shooting" by Kathy Aney
The Astorian
East Oregonian
Bend Bulletin
Capital Press
LaGrande Observer
Baker City Herald
Wallowa County Chieftain
Blue Mountain Eagle
Hermiston Herald
Seaside Signal
Redmond Spokesman
Chinook Observer
Coast River Business Journal
Education Coverage - "Dashed dreams: $3.6 million in
Oregon Promise Grants revoked" by Kathy Aney
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan,
to increase
in Boardman is working
Columbia River Health
of a rapid testing machine.
ty through the acquisition
File
its testing capaci-
Lifestyle Coverage - "A spike in calls" by Kathy Aney
EASTOREGONIAN.COM