INSIDE
2017-2018 LOCAL WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017
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HermistonHerald.com
INSIDE
DEAR BILL
A countdown to Christmas
READ LETTERS TO BILL
CLINTON FROM HERMISTON
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS 25
YEARS AGO
PAGE A2
LITTLE TOWN
BEHIND THE SCENES AT
JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM
PAGE A6
LOGGING IN
REPORTER JAYATI
RAMAKRISHNAN DESCRIBES
HER FEELINGS ON FINALLY
JOINING FACEBOOK
PAGE A8
BY THE WAY
Chamber hoping
search almost over
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Rev. John Hurty of Stanfi eld
reads from “Christmas Crazy
to Jesus Joy!,” an advent
devotional book written by
his wife, Maria Hurty
Stanfi eld family creates
traditions without
breaking the spirit
By TAMMY MALGESINI
COMMUNITY EDITOR
Anxiety and pressure from the
holiday season can put a damper on
the true meaning of Christmas.
Sources of stress include every-
thing from fi nancial burdens and
being overwhelmed with social
engagements to feelings of loneli-
ness and pressures to compete with
the neighbor’s light display
“If you’re feeling stressed out
about Christmas, you’re doing it
wrong,” said Maria Hurty.
And, the Stanfi eld woman knows
fi rsthand what it’s like to get caught
up in trying to create the perfect
Christmas. Hurty said her turning
point took place several years ago
when she was crying and hiding in
the closet — hoping that her family
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
“Christmas Crazy to Jesus Joy!” is an advent devotional book by Maria Hurty
of Stanfi eld.
would just do Christmas without her.
“A few years back, I was really
convicted that it wasn’t honoring to
God,” she said.
Hurty said it’s important to pause
and remember why Christmas is
See CHRISTMAS, Page A16
Time is ticking for the
Greater Hermiston Area
Chamber of Commerce
to fi nd a new home, but
board chair Josh Burns
said an announcement
should be coming later
this week.
The chamber’s offi ces
have been located in the
Hermiston
Conference
Center, but Hermiston
Parks and Recreation
plans to take over man-
agement of the building
starting Jan. 1. The cham-
ber has been searching for
a new location after turn-
ing down the city’s offer
earlier this year to use the
basement of the former
Carnegie Library across
from city hall.
News of the cham-
ber’s new location will
be posted on www.herm-
istonherald.com when it
becomes available.
• • •
If you get a call from
541-276-4455 with caller
ID “East Oregonian Pub”
— do not answer, this is a
scam. The caller is some-
one with a foreign accent
indicating he is calling
about your credit card
debt. This is not an East
Oregonian number, and
both the East Oregonian
and Hermiston Herald
have absolutely nothing
to do with credit card debt
collection.
• • •
A fi re that engulfed
a backhoe on property
behind the former Herm-
See BTW, Page A16
Recycling unrest
As China shuts down
recyclable imports
from U.S., local
disposal companies
change procedures
By JADE MCDOWELL
STAFF WRITER
A chain reaction caused by
Americans’ sloppy recycling hab-
its has thrown the recycling mar-
ket into disarray, and companies
are encouraging everyone to think
twice about what they’re tossing
into collection bins.
“A little contamination turns
a recyclable into waste,” said
Bill Kik, maintenance supervi-
sor at Sanitary Disposal outside
Hermiston.
Much of the western United
States’ paper and plastic has
been shipped to China for recy-
cling in the past. But in July
China announced it would cease
importing 24 types of solid waste,
including several categories of
paper and plastic, by the end of
the year and require a less than 0.5
percent contamination rate for the
rest. Chinese offi cials complained
U.S. companies were sending
loads that were up to 20 percent
contaminants, ranging from food
See RECYCLING, Page A16
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Bill Kik, maintenance supervisor at Sanitary Disposal, pulls Styrofoam
someone put in a cardboard recycling bin in front of the offi ces of
Sanitary Disposal in Hermiston.