REGION
Thursday, December 30, 2021
East Oregonian
A3
Cold weather continues to blast Eastern Oregon
By ALEX WITTWER
EO Media Group
PENDLETON — The
National Weather Service
in Pendleton reported an
Arctic air mass will hold its
grip on much of the Pacific
Northwest through the
remainder of the work week
with prolonged subfreezing
temperatures and bouts of
snow.
Daytime highs could
reach into the 20s and low
30s while lows will be in the
single digits and low teens.
Meteorologist Colby
Goatley said a series of
low-pressure systems orig-
inating as continental air
masses rather than marine air
masses is pushing through,
bringing temperatures more
arctic in nature.
He also said the pattern
is typical and doesn’t bear
the characteristics of a polar
vortex. Still, the tempera-
tures will drop significantly
overnight.
Friday, Dec. 31, looks to
have the coldest tempera-
tures, with Pendleton dipping
to 4 degrees overnight,
Hermiston hitting 8 degrees
and Milton-Freewater drop-
ping to 6.
Areas in the moun-
tains, and those that receive
heavier snowfall in the lower
elevations, may even see
temperatures slip below zero
overnight and in the early
morning hours, the Weather
Service reported, which also
is warning people to be wary
of wind chill.
While winds should
remain light, even winds of
10 mph will make single-
digit wind chills common,
with some areas seeing wind
chills below zero.
“These extremely cold
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Hoyt McEwen blows snow off the road behind his driveway Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, on the North Hill in Pendleton. The National Weather Service reports a
series of low-pressure systems are pushing through the region and bringing cold air that will drop temperatures into the single digits for lows on New Year’s Eve.
temperatures can lead to
rapid onset of frostbite and
hypothermia for those with-
out adequate clothing and
protection from the cold,”
according to the Weather
Ser vice. “If outdoors,
remember to dress in layers
and cover exposed skin. Due
to the prolonged nature of
sub freezing temperatures,
uncovered pipes will be
susceptible to freezing and
bursting. Take steps to ensure
pipes are protected and
outdoor faucets are covered.”
Installing pipe sleeves
or simply running water
through the night — even just
a trickle — can prevent pipes
from bursting, according to
the American Red Cross.
Goatley also said drivers
should take precautions and
wind chill can harm animals
as well.
“Make sure any animals
have adequate shelter or are
brought indoors,” he said.
The heaviest of the snow
with the current weather
system already occurred, the
Weather Service reported.
OUR NEW NEIGHBORS
Victory Baptist pastor, family arrive in Hermiston
By ERICK PETERSON
East Oregonian
HERMISTON — Coming
to Hermiston from the
outskirts of the Portland area,
Nick Coleman, 39, is new to
Eastern Oregon.
Coleman is the new lead
pastor for Victory Baptist
Church, 193 E. Main St.,
Hermiston. He has been
in Hermiston only since
Dec. 18. Still, he said he had
seen enough of the town
to be impressed. Also, he
added, his family was enjoy-
ing the area. Coleman’s wife
and two children are with
him in Hermiston.
“We have loved it so far,”
he said. “We come from a
small town, and we’ve come
to appreciate the community
of a small town, the feel and
the pace of life.”
Colema n ha s been
married for 16 years. His
children, ages 15 and 12, soon
will enter Hermiston public
schools.
He admitted he has an
advantage not shared by all
newcomers to town. As a
pastor, he immediately enters
a community of people who
support him and give him
direction. When placing his
children into schools, for
example, he has spoken with
members of his congrega-
tion who are teachers in the
district.
“We’re getting to know
people in the church, and they
have been awesome,” he said.
After only a few days in
Hermiston, Coleman had
been shown around town.
The meal at Hale’s Restaurant
& Lounge was “really, really
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Pastor Nick Coleman poses for a portrait Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at Victory Baptist Church
in Hermiston. He is the new lead pastor at the church having arrived Dec. 18.
good,” he said, and the omelet
was so big he could not finish
it. He said Shiki Hibachi
Sushi was “outstanding.”
Coleman also said he soon
plans to hike the Hermiston
Butte and looks forward
to exploring Funland Play-
ground, local parks, golf
courses, the McNary Dam
and more. He even said he
would be open to going fish-
ing, though he said he does
not have much experience
with it.
Born in Olympia, Wash-
ington, he is not a complete
stranger to the area; Eastern
Oregon is not like a foreign
planet to him, he said. His
family did move to Vienna,
Austria, for a while, though,
before returning stateside to
live in the Tri-Cities, where
he attended Richland High
School.
He spoke of finding his
religious path in high school.
He had a religious retreat in
which he felt “convicted”
of his sin, and he suddenly
experienced a need to change
his life and follow God. He,
then, started leading religious
groups.
Coleman attended Corban
University, a private Chris-
tian university in Salem,
before going on to do gradu-
ate work in theology, minis-
try and biblical studies.
Victory Baptist is his first
church as lead pastor. He said
he likes the church, which he
said regularly pulls in around
100 congregants for a typical
Sunday service. He said many
are committed to volunteer-
ing and making things work.
“That gives us a lot of
potential to impact our
community,” he said. “We’re
downtown, and we want to
serve our community and
EDITOR’S NOTE
This story is part of an
annual series by the East
Oregonian called “Our New
Neighbors,” which intro-
duces the community to
people who have moved
here in the past year.
be a presence and act with
gospel love to our friends and
neighbors.”
Still, he has good feelings
for the place he has left. He
called it a fantastic commu-
nity, where he gained expe-
rience with church work,
made friendly connections
with community members
and raised his children.
“It was hard to leave, but
we thought that this move
was right for our family,”
Coleman said. “I think God
was calling us here.”
However, there will continue
to be light snow over the foot-
hills of the Blue Mountains
and the Blue Mountains
themselves.
The weather systems are
tapering off the morning
of Dec. 31. But the system
coming in Dec. 30 has the
potential to produce heavy
snow over the Blue Moun-
tains and the foothills, the
John Day highlands and
the Cascades, especially
in Washington, according
to the National Weather
Service, so more winter
storm warnings or winter
weather advisories are
likely to come.
— The East Oregonian
contributed to this report.
UEC brings on new VP
East Oregonian
H ER M ISTON —
Umatilla Electric Cooper-
ative on Monday, Dec. 27,
announced it hired an expe-
rienced utility professional
as vice president of power
supply, a new position at the
Hermiston-based coopera-
tive.
Robert Cromwell, origi-
nally from Tucson, Arizona,
will support
the creation
of U EC’s
P o w e r
Su p ply
team, help
meet the
power and
Cromwell
transmis-
sion needs
of the membership and help
position UEC for the future,
according to the press
release from the coopera-
tive. He begins his new role
Jan. 3.
“I am delighted to have
the opportunity to join
Umatilla Electric and look
forward to supporting the
cooperative’s member-
ship in meeting their power
supply and transmission
needs, now and in the
future,” he said in the press
release.
Cromwell spent 14 years
as an attorney practicing
law, including six years as
a utility consumer advocate
with the Washington State
Attorney General’s Office
and then with the Seat-
tle City Attorney’s Office,
where he represented both
the electric utility and the
water, sewage and solid
waste utility in transactional
and litigation matters. In
2007 he joined Seattle City
Light, where he worked for
the past 14 years.
During his time at Seat-
tle City Light, Cromwell
directed work ranging from
regional affairs, power and
transmission contracts,
including with the Bonne-
ville Power Administration,
and acquired renewable
resources.
He also has been
involved in regional solu-
tions to problems faced by
the Northwest power indus-
try, working with industry
partners and stakeholders
across the West. His most
recent role was as director
of the Customer Energy
Solutions team delivering
energy efficiency, renew-
able resources and related
programs to Seattle’s retail
customers.
Robert Echenrode, UEC
general manager and CEO,
said in the press release the
power provider is excited
about Cromwell joining the
team.
“His experience with
electric utilities and power
supply will prove to be
an asset to the organiza-
tion,” Echenrode stated.
“Robert’s experience and
skills will be utilized to
support the needs of our
membership.”
Cromwell holds a bach-
elor’s degree and a juris
doctorate in law from the
University of Arizona in
Tucson. In his spare time,
he loves to travel with
his family and serves on
his local school district’s
board.
12/31-1/6
Cineplex Show Times
Theater seating will adhere to social distancing protocols
Affordable Family
Eyewear has new owner
HERMISTON — Affordable
Family Eyewear, 298 E. Gladys Ave.,
Suite B, Hermiston, has changed
hands.
Marcia Lambert owned the down-
town Hermiston business for 14
years. Nick Page is the new owner.
According to Affordable Family
Eyewear’s website, Page is a Wash-
ington state licensed dispensing opti-
cian and graduate of Oregon State
University.
Page on Dec. 23 said business has
Every showing $7.50 per person (ages 0-3 still free)
LOCAL BRIEFS
been busy. People are trying to use
the last of their 2021 insurance bene-
fits and are visiting him more than
usual, he said.
County COVID-19
death toll rises to 187
UMATILLA COUNTY — The
total number of fatalities in Umatilla
County due to COVID-19 now stands
at 187.
The county’s public health
depar tment on Monday, Dec.
27, reported the 187th death is a
69-year-old man who tested posi-
tive Oct. 5 and died Nov. 1 at Prov-
idence Medical Center, Portland.
The county’s death toll increased
by around 10 in a little more than a
month. Most of the recent additions
were of older residents, including
an 89-year-old woman who was the
177th fatality, a 98-year-old man
who was the 180th death, a 96-year-
old woman who was the 184th death
and a 95-year-old woman who was
the 186th fatality.
The 89-year-old woman tested
positive Aug. 24 and died Sept. 20 at
a private residence. The 98-year-old
man tested positive on Nov. 10 and
died Nov. 18 at Good Shepherd Medi-
cal Center, Hermiston. The 96-year-
old woman tested positive on Nov.
3 and died Nov. 21 at a private resi-
dence. And the 95-year-old woman
tested positive Nov. 9 and died Dec.
14 at Guardian Angel Homes, Herm-
iston.
But COVID-19 also killed a
35-year-old woman who tested
positive Sept. 19 and died Nov. 19
at a private residence, according to
Umatilla County Public Health.
The total number of COVID-19
cases in Umatilla County was 15,371
as of Dec. 21.
—EO Media Group
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