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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2020)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020 HermistonHerald.com $1.50 INSIDE DANCE OFF 2019 full of ups & downs This year’s lineup of Hermiston “stars” dancing for the mirror ball trophy is revealed. Page » A4 NEW LAWS Oregonians will face new regulations and protections in 2020. Page » A6 FOOD STAMPS Tightened requirements for SNAP eligibility will aff ect an unknown number of Umatilla County residents. Page » A9 HH fi le photo Union Pacifi c Railroad announced in March that it would lay off 500 additional employees for the Hinkle Rail Yard outside of Hermiston. BY THE WAY SAIF to hold ag safety seminar SAIF, Oregon’s not- for-profi t workers’ com- pensation insurance com- pany, is offering a free, half-day seminar on agri- cultural safety and health in Hermiston on Jan. 14 in English and Jan. 15 in Spanish. The seminars will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Hermis- ton Conference Center, 415 South Highway 395. Lunch is included. This year’s seminars will focus on four topics: respiratory personal pro- tective equipment, work- ing at elevation, safety leadership for anyone, and incident analysis Anyone can attend, even if they are not insured by SAIF, but reg- istration is required. Reg- istration details and other See BTW, Page A12 Hermiston residents vote for their top stories of the year HERMISTON HERALD 2019 was a year of highs and lows for Hermiston. A major employer closed its doors, residents were furious about a water rate increase and the city lost a beloved playground to arson. But the top headlines also tell a story of hope a growth, from major new investments in the community to voters passing a new bond to pay for new schools for Hermis- ton children. Below are our top 10 stories of the year, which we ranked with assistance from a reader poll on our website: 1) Union Pacifi c lays off most of its Hermiston employees The railroad played a central role in Hermiston’s origin story and was a reli- able source of family-wage jobs for decades, but that chapter came to a close in 2019. In March, employees told the Hermis- ton Herald that Union Pacifi c had laid off at least 80 employees at the Hinkle Rail Yard over the past few months and closed the yard’s hump. In May, the company announced it was laying off an additional 195 employees, leaving only a skeleton crew at the yard and closing the supply warehouse and mechanical shop. Oregon’s senators called for answers from Union Pacifi c in a letter stating it would “devastate this rural community by See Year in Review, Page A12 HH fi le photo Supporters of the Hermiston School District Bond react to learning of the passing of the bond during an election party in November. INSIDE More photo highlights of 2019 and a list of more than 20 “honorable mentions” from our readers, Page A12 Helping hands continue after the holidays By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER 8 08805 93294 2 Each holiday season, fundraisers and donation drives aid the missions of nonprofi t organizations through- out the community. But what hap- pens when the season of giving is over? “A lot of people during the hol- idays are reuniting with family, they have a sense of community and feel the need to donate,” said Kathryn Chaney, executive direc- tor of Domestic Violence Services in Umatilla County. “After the hol- idays, there might be a lull.” But the ebb and fl ow isn’t a bad thing for an organization provid- ing support to domestic violence survivors. After all, the amount of clothing needed to support people through the winter months is a lit- tle higher than what’s required other times of the year. “We always need things through- out the year — underwear, sanitary products, blankets,” Chaney said. “This time of year, we also need coats and hats.” She added that because holidays can be cold, and a particularly emo- tional time of year, the need for shel- ter away from a domestic violence situation can be heightened. “It’s emotionally gratifying to have a place to go this time of year,” HH fi le photo See donations, Page A12 Volunteer Doug Alvarez loads a box of food into the back of a vehicle during the Christmas Express on Dec. 17, 2018, at Agape House in Hermiston.
