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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2021)
WEEKEND EDITION NOVEMBER 13-14, 2021 146th Year, No. 12 INSIDE $1.50 WINNER OF 16 ONPA AWARDS IN 2021 HEPPNER, WESTON-MCEWEN MEET IN 2A QUARTERFINALS, B1 A United States fl ag fl utters in the late afternoon sun Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, along Midco Lane at Pendleton High School. Students in the high school’s leadership class placed the fl ags along the driveway leading up to the school in honor of Veterans Day. HEIDI WRIGHT LIBRARIES PROVIDE — COUNT Y WIDE! Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Tax credit will keep a light on our democracy I magine this page was blank except for one question: “What if there were no local reporters?” That was the front- page question posed by our friends at Pamplin Media last week. It’s a good question and regard- less of how you get local news — by watching TV, listening to local radio or reading a story in the newspaper or on a news organiza- tion’s website — it’s not hyperbole to say communities suff er when there is no local news coverage or when independently owned media companies are gobbled up by hedge funds that gut newsrooms. And it’s a timely question because there is a bipartisan provision in the federal budget reconciliation bill working its way through Congress that will give media companies a tempo- rary payroll tax credit to hire and retain journalists. Oregon’s Sen. Ron Wyden, D, chairs the Senate Finance Committee that will have a great deal of say on whether this provision makes it through to the fi nish line. Wyden is a co-sponsor of the bill written by Sen. Maria Cant- well, D-Washington. Being the son of a prominent journalist, he is a longtime champion of a free press. In a recent interview with the Seattle Times, Wyden responded to a question about the potential for some to dislike government helping the press. He said, “This is not the government putting its hand on certain types of speech. This is about generally empowering local journalism in a big way. By the way, there are plenty of local journalism outlets that span across the political spec- trum, left, right, center, you name it.” On the House side, the bill was co-authored by Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, and Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ari- zona, and is strongly supported by two key Oregon representatives — Peter DeFazio and Earl Blume- nauer. For anyone who follows the challenges of media companies and the reality of growing news deserts around the country, this temporary tax credit known as the See Democracy, Page A10 DAY FOR OUR VETERANS Flag displays, breakfast, parade and solemnity mark Veterans Day By BRYCE DOLE AND ERICK PETERSON East Oregonian U MATILLA COUNTY — Pendleton High School students lined the fi elds outside their school with dozens of United States fl ags on Wednesday, Nov. 10, in a gesture of appreci- ation and support for local veter- ans. Roughly a dozen leadership students took part in the activity celebrating Veterans Day. They walked along the roads, staking the small fl ags into the ground while laughing and chatting on the clear, sunny fall afternoon. This was one of several local Veterans Day events to recognize those who served. Students with family members who served in the armed forces shared what the federal holiday means to them. Sauren Garton, a senior at the high school, said she felt it was important to recog- nize the people who fought for the country. “I’m about as American as they get,” Sauren Garton, a senior at the high school said. “I think it’s really important that kids get reminded that we didn’t get all Kathy Aney/East Oregonian A member of the Hermiston VFW plants a POW MIA fl ag at the start of a Veterans Day breakfast on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, at the Hermiston Community Center. these things for free.” Curt Thompson, assistant prin- cipal at Pendleton High School, said placing the fl ags instills in students a sense of pride in their country after years of political division. “Things like this are a good reminder to all of us that we’re all part of the same country and we need to be working together and support each other,” Thompson said. Sam Jennings, a senior leader- ship student and track athlete, said serving in the armed forces is an important part of his family. He struggles to count how many of his family members have served, but estimates there are at least six. “It’s nice to have a day for them, to honor their willingness to serve,” Jennings said. “They deserve it.” Jennings said the flags this year are a step-up from eff orts the school has made in the past to show support. He said he gladly would have dug trenches and staked 10-foot fl ags, “but this is just as good.” Rylee Demianew said the fl ags are a physical reminder for students leaving school that Veter- ans Day isn’t simply a day off . To her, it’s a day to show veterans the students are thinking of them. Breakfast and camaraderie In Hermiston, Aaron Wetter- ling and around 140 other veter- ans shared food and camaraderie during a breakfast. “It’s always a great time,” Wetterling said about the annual event, and he credited Hermiston Parks and Recreation Depart- ment employees, including Diana Picard, recreation coordinator, and Kelly Schwirse, clerk, for a “fantastic job helping us.” Brandon Artz, the parks and recreation department’s interim director, explained that his department took over the break- fast to keep it from being a drive- thru event. His department got together with sponsors, includ- ing Hale’s Restaurant, the Pheas- ant Blue Collar Bar & Grill and Vern’s Food Service, he said. He added that volunteers, such as the Hermiston Kiwanis Club, helped make the breakfast possible. Wetterling, who served in the Marines from 1966 to 1970, told stories of his service during the Vietnam War. His service made a lasting impact, he said, which included 20 years of “jungle rot” on his feet that mostly went away. The larger eff ect was on his personality, he said. Wetterling described a “military bearing,” which to this day even infl uences how he dresses. His service, he said, also links him to other service members, whom he interacts with as “old friends,” even when he does not know their names. Wetterling said he talks with these friends about family members and shared acquaintances, reminiscing over old times and discussing life events. One of these fellow vets at the event was William Hill, 74, of Hermiston, who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He said he is proud to have served and he is happy for oppor- tunities such as the breakfast, which allow him to meet other veterans. An honor guard member for American Legion Post 37, Herm- iston, Hill said he is not accus- tomed to talking about his Army days. “It was a million-dollar expe- rience,” he said, “but I’d hate to have to spend a million dollars to do it again.” Artz said he hopes next year’s event can include more people. Pre-pandemic, the Veterans Day Breakfast did not try to limit the number of attendees, he said. See Veterans, Page A10 Worshipping behind the mask Some local churches continue to take precautions against the coronavirus By ERICK PETERSON East Oregonian HERMISTON — On Sunday, Nov. 7, Pastor Patty Nance and two young children in suits began a morning service by walking up to the front of their church and light- ing candles. They were all wear- ing masks, trying to reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission, and they were not alone in their mask wearing. Every single person in Hermis- ton First United Methodist Church, 191 E. Gladys Ave., Hermiston, was wearing a mask. During the entire service, the only time anyone removed a mask was when speaking at the front of the church, behind a lectern or at the altar. This comes at a time mask-wear- ing has become politicized, and some television evangelists have decried both masks and vaccina- tions. First United, however, has sided with precautions, accord- ing to the pastor. For not only was everyone masked, but the church had other signs of the seriousness by which they are taking COVID-19. See Masks, Page A10 Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian A stained glass window illuminates churchgoers Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, at the Hermiston First United Methodist Church in Hermiston, where all of the congregants continue to wear masks for services.
