COMMENTARY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
New year provides opportunities to connect
T
he end of one year people.
and the start of
Yes, we have had to deal
another provides an with the permanent loss
opportunity for reflections that death brings, but we’ve
and setting goals for the also lost some staff mem-
bers that have moved on to
new year.
other opportunities.
On the reflective
We miss their pres-
aspect of turning the
ence, their humor and
calendar page, 2016
their friendship.
proved a difficult year
Change can be
for the Hermiston
hard. But some-
Herald family. Many
times it brings new
members of our staff
colleagues into our
suffered losses in the
Gary
family, like our new-
year just ended.
L. West
est colleague, Jayati
Most notably, we SHADES
Ramakrishnan, who
were forced to say OF GRAY
joined our team in
goodbye to G.M.
“Jerry” Reed, the former December. We look for-
owner/publisher of the Her- ward to working with her
ald and father to current and getting to know her
Hermiston office manager better in 2017.
I’m not prone to mak-
Shannon Paxton.
I used to think in order ing predictions. I prefer
to be a good journalist I fact-based reporting. But
would have to learn to be some trends for 2017 can
dispassionate, unemotion- safely be foreseen. Herm-
al or at the very least, hide iston, and the surrounding
and control those emotions. area, will continue to grow.
I never learned the Vulcan There will be new busi-
trait to control emotions so nesses, new opportunities.
completely and effectively. Some will succeed. Others
I no longer want to, either. may not, but the area and
I’ve had the opportunity to it’s people will adapt.
Growth is in our com-
work with a lot of journal-
ists in a 28-plus year career, munity’s DNA. And here,
many of them highly intelli- at the Herald, we are look-
gent, professional, talented ing for ways to adapt, and
journalists who were also hopefully grow, too.
In the coming weeks we
thoughtful, compassionate
will be adding some new
features or expanding some
existing ones.
For example, we will
start adding some staff
picks to our coming event
calendar, to feature some
events we think are worth
some extra attention and
notoriety.
We will also start includ-
ing an upcoming meeting
calendar to let area res-
idents know when local
agencies will be meeting to
provide more opportunities
for civic involvement.
We are also looking
for local people willing to
write regularly about top-
ics we may not get to often
enough with our staff cov-
erage. For example, if you
have an interest in youth
or recreational sports,
we’d love to feature cov-
erage of youth soccer, Lit-
tle League, local softball
leagues, bowling leagues,
etc. Or maybe your inter-
ests and expertise lies in en-
joying our great outdoors,
with activities like fishing,
hunting, cycling, etc., we
could ad a regular column
about that if we had some-
one willing to share some
of their time and expertise.
Just tell us what we are
missing and how you can
help us fill that need. Ideal-
ly, we’d like to get at least
four regular contributors,
and rotate the contribution
on about a once a month
basis. We’ll love contribu-
tions of various ages and
interests.
I, too, plan to contribute
regular weekly columns,
but instead of my past prac-
tice of sharing with readers
what’s going on inside the
Herald, we will look out-
side in the wider communi-
ty and sharing more infor-
mation about what people
are saying and doing that
made our community spe-
cial.
We also plan to start a
regular Q and A feature,
giving us all a better chance
to know one of our neigh-
bors each week.
Those are some of our
ideas for new features com-
ing in 2017. We’d love to
hear your suggestions for
ways to make the Herald
a trusted and valued news
source. If you have ideas
for who we should reach
out to as possible contrib-
utors for columns you’d
find interesting, or sugges-
tions for who would make a
good Q&A subject, or have
other ideas, write to me at
editor@hermistonherald.
com or call me at 541-564-
4532.
We need you, and your
neighbors, as readers, sub-
scribers and advertisers in
2017. In exchange we will
prove you a trustworthy, re-
liable source of information
about upcoming events and
recent happening that will
affect you, your family and
your work life. We are firm
believers that information
is key to making rewarding
life and lifestyle decision
on how to spend your time
and money.
We lost some of our
closest supporters of the pa-
per in 2016, we would love
to welcome some new ones
into the fold in 2017.
Gary L. West is editor
of the Hermiston Herald
and Hermiston editor for
the East Oregonian. Reach
him at gwest@hermiston-
herald.com or follow him
on Twitter @GaryLWest
or on Facebook at www.
facebook.com/journalist.
glwest.
GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4
HERMISTON AIRPORT ADVISORY
COMMITTEE, 4 p.m. Hermiston
Airport lounge, 1600 Airport Way,
Hermiston (541-567-5521).
UMATILLA RURAL FIRE PROTECTION
DISTRICT, 7 p.m. Umatilla Fire
Department, 305 Willamette St.,
Umatilla (541-922-2770).
MONDAY, JANUARY 9
HERMISTON CITY COUNCIL, 7 p.m.
Hermiston City Hall council
chambers, 180 N.E. Second St.,
Hermiston (541-567-5521).
HERMISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT,
6:30 p.m. district office, 502 W.
Standard Ave., Hermiston (541-
667-6000).
IRRIGON FIRE DISTRICT, 7 a.m.
Irrigon Fire Department, 705 N.E.
Main Ave., Irrigon (541-922-3133).
TUESDAY, JANUARY 10
PORT OF UMATILLA COMMISSION, 1
p.m. Port of Umatilla offices, 505
Willamette Ave., Umatilla (541-
922-3224).
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11
HERMISTON PLANNING
COMMISSION, 7 p.m. Hermiston
City Hall, 180 N.E. Second St.,
Hermiston (541-567-5521).
MORROW COUNTY COURT, 9 a.m.
Irrigon Public Library, 200 N.E.
Main Ave., Irrigon (541-676-9061).
S. Wilson Lane, Boardman (541-
481-3473).
HERMISTON PARKS & RECREATION
COMMISSION, 5:30 p.m.
Hermiston City Hall, 180 N.E.
Second St., Hermiston (541-567-
5521).
UMATILLA SCHOOL DISTRICT, 7 p.m.
Umatilla School District office,
1001 Sixth St., Umatilla (541-922-
6500).
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13
EASTERN OREGON TRADE & EVENT
CENTER AUTHORITY, 7 a.m. EOTEC
main building, 1705 E. Airport
Road, Hermiston (541-289-9800).
MONDAY, JANUARY 16
ECHO SCHOOL DISTRICT, 6 p.m. Echo
Community School, 600 Gerone
St., Echo (541-376-8436).
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17
IRRIGON CITY COUNCIL, 6 p.m.
Irrigon City Hall, 500 N.E. Main
Ave., Irrigon (541-922-3047).
STANFIELD CITY COUNCIL, 7 p.m.
Stanfield City Hall council
chambers, 160 S. Main St.,
Stanfield (541-449-3831).
OREGON TRAIL LIBRARY DISTRICT, 7
p.m. Oregon Trail Library District
office, 200 S. Main St., Boardman
(541-481-3365).
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18
PORT OF MORROW COMMISSION,
1:30 p.m. Port of Morrow, 2 Marine
Drive, Boardman (541-481-7678).
MORROW COUNTY COURT, 9 a.m.
Port of Morrow conference room,
2 Marine Drive, Boardman (541-
676-9061).
RIVERSIDE SITE COUNCIL, 5:30 p.m.
Riverside High School library, 210
N.E. Boardman Ave., Boardman
(541-676-9128).
BOARDMAN PLANNING
COMMISSION, 7 p.m. Boardman
City Hall, 200 City Center Circle,
Boardman (541-481-9252).
STANFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT, 7 p.m.
Stanfield School District office,
1120 N. Main St., Stanfield (541-
449-3305).
UMATILLA HOSPITAL DISTRICT, 7:30
p.m. Umatilla Medical Clinic, 1890
Seventh St., Umatilla (541-922-3104).
UMATILLA COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT
NO. 1, 7 p.m. Hermiston Safety
Center, 320 S. First St., Hermiston
(Reta Larson 541-567-8822).
ECHO CITY COUNCIL, 4 p.m. Echo
City Hall, 20 S. Bonanza St., Echo
(541-376-8411).
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12
BOARDMAN RURAL FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT, 1 p.m.
Boardman Fire Department, 300
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19
HERMISTON IRRIGATION DISTRICT, 4
p.m. Hermiston Irrigation District
office conference room, 366 E.
Hurlburt Ave., Hermiston (541-
567-3024).
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FREE class to work on balance, strengthen muscles,
improve posture and core strength. Great for all ages!
Monday & Wednesday Starting January 16th
Basic/Beginners class: 9-10am
Advanced Class: 10-11am
GSMC Wellness Center (behind the hospital)
Call 541-567-2185 or 541-667-3509 to register
BODY & BALANCE
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Monday & Wednesday Starting Jan. 4th
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call (541) 667-3509
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