LOCAL A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAy, DECEMbER 12, 2018 EO file photo/East Oregonian Tyler Knight of Pilot Rock rides the Echo chair with ski instructor Kyle McFarley of Weston at the Spout Springs Ski Area in Tollgate in Dec. 31, 2015. Spout Springs, Bluewood to open this winter Staff photo by Kathy Aney /East Oregonian Santa, a.k.a. Hermiston City Councilman Doug Primmer, chats with Landry and Evelyn Christensen Thursday after the Christmas tree lighting on Festival Street. Christmas kicks off with tree lighting By JADE MCDOWELL Staff Writer L ights and smiles lit up Hermiston’s new fes- tival street Thursday night. The tree-lighting cer- emony brought crowds downtown for entertain- ment, food and a chance to get a picture with Santa Claus. City manager Byron Smith said the city was excited about the chance to hold the event for another year as it “grows and gets more popular all the time.” While the city has placed a giant tree on Second Street every year since 2015, this is the first year since the block was transformed into a more pedestrian-friendly “festival street” with brick- work, trees, benches and other features. This year’s tree is the tallest so far, at 40 feet, and is decorated with approximately 2,000 lights. Greater Hermiston Area Chamber of Commerce director Debbie Pedro asked the crowd if they noticed the extra lights, flowers and other improve- ments to downtown that the city and Hermiston Down- town District have been adding throughout 2018. “I hope you guys are really proud of what you’re seeing down here,” she said, prompting applause. Staff photo by Kathy Aney /East Oregonian Hermiston’s Christmas tree glows on Thursday night on Festival Street shortly after Santa switched it on during the tree lighting ceremony In addition to Christmas lights, businesses decorated their storefronts for a holi- day decorating competition. Pedro announced Hermis- ton Drug & Gift as the win- ner of the contest. After the tree-lighting, families listened to Hermis- ton High School’s Majazzty choir or stood in line for pictures with Santa. Mallory Rehmke, 10, said she was going to ask for a unicorn. The adults in her group told her that prob- By JADE MCDOWELL Staff Writer Spout Springs Ski Area will open this season after a two-year hiatus. Hill manager Richard Murray said the ski area in the Blue Mountains isn’t open quite yet, but should be soon. “We’ve got 18 inches of pack and we need another good storm to open,” he said last Wednesday. He said when the ski area opens they will announce it on their Face- book page and their web- site, www.spoutspringssk- iarea.com. Murray said he will be taking applications for jobs at Spout Springs on Dec. 14 from noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. Positions include lift operator, gen- eral labor, restaurant jobs and a rental shop tech. Interested applicants can visit the rental shop during those days. The family-owned and operated business, located on Highway 204 between Weston and Elgin, has not opened some years due to insufficient snow pack, and last year did not open due to health problems faced by owner John Murray. Murray said Spout Springs sometimes opens later in the season than other ski resorts because they want to make sure there is enough snow to protect skiers. ably wasn’t going to hap- pen, but she had faith. Standing with her were Isabelle Newton, 5, who had her heart set on a “big doll house” in pink, and Aurora Rojas, 6, who wanted a skateboard. “I’m gonna learn with my dad,” she said. Some children in line were still thinking about what they want most to appear under the tree on Christmas morning — JT Hudson, 7, finally decided on a Nintendo, while Rea- gan Hudson, 4, wants a Bar- bie Dream House. But oth- ers came prepared. Audrey Wright, 5, wrote her list down in a letter to Santa to make sure she didn’t forget anything. “I want a special dolly, and candy cane, and a sled ....” she listed. Once the big moment arrived, some children hopped right up on San- ta’s lap. Others were more shy. A small girl in a bright pink coat resisted getting too near, but did consent to reaching out for a dainty high five. The Christmas tree and other lights in the festi- val street area, located on Northeast Second Street between Main Street and Gladys Avenue, will be part of a light show performed each Monday through Fri- day at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. until Christmas. “We want everyone to be safe,” he said. According to the ski area’s website, it first opened in the late 1920s. Since then it has played host to competitions hosted by the Blue Mountain Ski Club, served as the Nor- dic training center for the United State Olympic team and Norwegian jump team in the 1950s and 1960s, and provided a place for the U.S. Forest Service to hold a ski school. Bluewood Bluewood, a ski area outside Dayton, Wash., will also open this season. Its 2018-2019 season begins Friday. It will run Dec. 14-16 and then daily Dec. 20 through Jan. 1, except Christmas Day. In January it will run Wedne- say through Sunday and on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. According to a news release from Bluewood, as of Dec. 5 there were 20 inches of snow at the base and 23 inches at the sum- mit. The ski area is also expecting fresh snow early next week. The Bluewood ski area has added new conveyor lifts in the beginner area and a new yurt at the sum- mit where guests can get a snack or warm drink. The Skyline Express and Easy Rider conveyor lifts are scheduled to run on opening day, while Tri- ple Nickel is yet to be determined. County health department offers defense against STD surge By KATHY ANEY Staff Writer In the lobby of the Uma- tilla County Health Depart- ment, among the Christ- mas decorations, is a sign that announces “FREE CONDOMS.” This isn’t Christmas cheer gone wild, but rather part of an effort to reduce STDs. The United States is experiencing what the Cen- ters for Disease Control and Prevention calls “steep and sustained increases in sexu- ally transmitted diseases.” The report shows gonor- rhea, chlamydia and syph- ilis all trending alarmingly upward. “Oregon is following the national trend,” said Tim Menza, who manages the state’s HIV/STD prevention program. “We logged 6,000 cases of gonorrhea in 2017, up from 1,000 in the year 2000.” The gonorrhea spike is especially alarming. The CDC received reports of 555,608 cases in 2017, an increase of 75.2 percent since 2009 and 18.6 percent over the previous year. The increase involved both men and women, and all racial and ethnic groups. Gonorrhea can lead to scarring, infertility, arthri- tis, heart valve damage and inflammation in the lining of the brain. The last time gon- orrhea rankings came out in 2017, Umatilla County had the third highest rate in the state. “Our rates were pretty low, but in 2013, they started picking up,” said Joe Fiumara, director of Uma- tilla County’s public health department. Umatilla County had four cases in 2012, increasing to 88 by 2016, then dropping to 67 the next year. With 82 cases so far in 2018, Fiu- mara said, the county is on pace to equal or slightly sur- pass 2016 numbers. Chlamydia and syphi- lis also increased nationally and statewide last year. Chlamydia is most com- mon. The CDC received reports of 1.7 million cases of chlamydia, compared with 1.6 million in 2016. In addition, syphilis diagnoses rose from 17,375 cases to 30,664. Umatilla County isn’t exactly following the wider trend. Instead of increasing, numbers dipped a bit. Last MEDICAL DIRECTORY To advertise in the Medical Directory, please call: Jeanne at 541-564-4531 or Audra at 541-564-4538 year, the county reported 323 cases of chlamydia compared with 264 cases so far this year. There were zero cases of syphilis in 2018, compared with seven in 2017. However, not all cases are reported, not by a long shot. Many affected people don’t know they’re walking around with an STD. “It’s common to have no symptoms,” Fiumara said. “Someone can go for quite a while before they know there’s a problem. He urged regular screen- ing for those at risk. In Umatilla County, when the health department gets a positive report of an STD, a communicable disease nurse contacts the affected person via phone or text. “We talk about the risk Staff photo by E.J. Harris A basket full of free condoms sits in the restroom at the Umatilla County Health Department in Pendleton. factors and provide an opportunity for treatment,” Fiumara said. “We try to get contact information and do followup with partners. We FAMILY DENTISTRY hope they listen and take heed.” Testing and treatment for gonorrhea and chlamydia is fairly cheap, he said, while treating syphilis is more expensive. However, he said, “we don’t turn anyone away for lack of ability to pay.” Prevention is the better and less-risky way to go. Those condoms available at the Umatilla County Pub- lic Health Department aren’t for decoration — they pro- tect against STDs. “They’re not 100 per- cent,” Fiumara said, “but they’re close.” He urged routine screen- ings, available by appoint- ment at the Pendleton office on Mondays and Tuesdays and Hermiston on Thursday and Fridays. 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