REGION
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
East Oregonian
Polar Plunge raises more than 60 coats for kids
NCFS earns
U.S. Treasury
certifi cation
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Angie Cooke, left, leads a pack of polar plungers out of the water Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, at the Umatilla Marina
Swim Beach during the Coats for Kids Polar Bear Plunge in Umatilla. The event collected more than 60 coats for the
program, according to organizers. If your family is in need of a winter coat, contact Rita Campos at 541-969-3338 or
rcampos@umchs.org.
Port of Morrow and BMCC
launch new forklift program
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
BOARDMAN — On
Monday, Jan. 10, the Port of
Morrow announced a new
partnership with Blue Moun-
tain Community College to
offer free forklift training
classes in Boardman.
“We have heard from
employers and job seekers that
there is a need for short term
bilingual training,” Port of
Morrow Director of Workforce
Development Kalie Davis said
in a statement. “We are excited
Snowpack boosted
by wet December
UMATILLA COUNTY
— After a relatively warm
fall, colder temperatures are
having a restorative eff ect
on the snowpacks that feed
the basins that supply water
to Umatilla and Morrow
counties.
In its monthly Oregon
Basin Outlook Report, the
U.S. Department of Agri-
culture’s Natural Resources
C on se r vat ion Se r v ic e
reported recorded snow-
pack levels for the Umatilla,
Walla Walla and Willow
basins. As of Jan. 1, the
three basins’ snowpack was
111% of the median, jump-
ing up from 30% the month
before.
December precipitation
remained strong, the USDA
reporting it 124% of normal
for the basins, an increase
f rom 103% the month
before. But reservoir storage
remains below their normal
levels: McKay Reservoir
was 66% of the median and
Cold Springs Reservoir was
47%
These totals do not
to partner with Blue Mountain
Community College to make
these opportunities easily
accessible and free.”
The noncredit classes will
be at the BMCC Workforce
Training Center and won’t
require students to be enrolled
at Blue Mountain to attend,
according to a port press
release.
The curriculum will
include courses in Microsoft
Word and Excel off ered in both
English and Spanish. A fork-
lift simulator also is available
during the center’s business
hours and can be accessed in
a number of languages.
The new programming
also got plaudits from BMCC
Workforce Training Center
Director Anne Morter, who
said the college’s Boardman
campus is now a “regional
training hub” for Morrow
County residents.
As BMCC looks to grow
enrollment and boost its pres-
ence across the region, its
sought out partnerships with
other organizations. Last
summer, the college launched
a new unmanned aerial
systems by starting a noncredit
program with the Volatus
Group, a company based at
the Pendleton UAS Range.
And in December, Blue Moun-
tain signed an agreement with
Washington State University
Tri Cities to make it easier
to transfer between the two
schools.
Morning and evening class
times have been set through
May. More information on
the courses and registration
info can be found at www.
portofmorrow.com/work-
force-training/home.
A3
M I SSION — T h e
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reserva-
tion announced the U.S.
Depa r t ment of Trea-
sury on Jan. 3 certified
Nixyaawii Community
Financial Services as a
Community Development
Financial Institution.
Nixyaawii is a trib-
ally owned nonprofi t that
provides loans, homeown-
ership assistance, busi-
ness development services
plus fi nancial education to
CTUIR members, reser-
vation residents and tribal
employees. According to
a press release, the Trea-
sury’s certifi cation means
Nixyaawii will be recog-
nized as an institution that
helps communities typi-
cally left out of banking
and investment. There are
more than 1,000 Commu-
nity Development Finan-
cial Institutions and about
70 are associated with
American Indians.
“This is truly a mile-
stone for our organization
and the Tribal commu-
nity,” Nixyaawii Board
President Kelly George
said in a statement. “ So
many people have worked
hard and held confi dence
that an economic devel-
opment tool such as this
could happen.”
Nixyaawii Community
Financial Services has
been years in the making,
but only opened last year.
In 2015, the CTUIR
b ega n explor i ng t he
concept of star ting a
loan fund and created a
business plan under the
direction of Wildhorse
Resort & Casino CEO
Gary George. In February
2020, the tribes’ board
of trustees approved the
plan, which called for the
consolidation of several
tribal services, including
business development, the
homeownership program
and tribal credit under one
entity. Although Nixy-
aawii offi cially opened for
business on July 1, 2021,
and held a ribbon cutting
ceremony the next month,
staff stayed at their prior
workplaces due to the
pandemic and supply
chain issues.
In individual state-
ments, Oregon Sens. Ron
Wyden, chair of the Senate
Finance Committee, and
Jeff Merkley congratu-
lated the tribes on its new
certifi cation.
“Big congratulations to
the Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Indian Reser-
vation for earning this
designation as a formal
Community Development
Financial Institution and
their work to establish this
fi nancial mainstay to help
tackle historic injustices
that have blocked credit
for Native communities,”
Wyden said.
“CDFI’s like Nixy-
aawii Community Finan-
cial Services are crucial to
building equitable econ-
omies and opening the
doors of opportunity to
all,” Merkley added, “and
I am so pleased to see them
receive this formal certifi -
cation from the Treasury.”
LOCAL BRIEFING
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING
OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES
with the East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald’s
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Snow covers the Tollgate Store Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, as a
snowstorm blows through the Weston Mountain region in
Umatilla County.
include the several snow
storms that hit the region
after New Year’s Day, which
FEEL THE SPEED,
EVEN AT PEAK TIMES.
coated many areas with
several inches of snow.
— EO Media Group
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2 CHALLENGE
$
SHOP LOCAL
By trading in $100 at Columbia Bank or US Bank for $2 bills
and spending those bills locally, you showed your support!
CONGRATULATIONS TO TERRY D! Terry is the winner of
a $100 gift certificate to a local business of his choice!
Terry D. used $100 in $2 bills from Columbia Bank in
stores around the area in December, including:
Pendleton Art Center, Buckin’ Bean, Bi-Mart
and El Charrito Mexican Restaurant
Thank you to Erika M and Angel A,
who also participated in the $2 Challenge
E rika M . wrote:
TRUCKS IN STOCK!
PLENTY ON THE WAY!
INQUIRE TODAY!
1740 Washington
Baker City, OR 97814
1-800-399-3912
399
www.bakercitygmsales.com
“I spent $50 at Cecilia's Art and Crafts, $30 at Rae's Dayz
Diner and $20 at Java Junkies.
We love our local businesses!”
A ngel A . wrote:
"Participating in this challenge was a great experience all
together. I spent my money on gifts at local businesses
and meals at restaurants, as well as a haircut. I had the
pleasure of going to multiple businesses including Ranch
& Home, Hales Restaurant and Zila’s Salon.”
Thanks for your support
of the $2 Challenge!
We’re proud
of our
community.