OPINION READER’S FORUM
Founded in 1906
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020
A4
EDITOR’S DESK
Let’s handle reopening right
L
ocal retailers, salons and bars
rejoiced Friday after reopen-
ing for the fi rst time in 67
days.
However much peo-
ple may have missed
getting a haircut or a
drink, business own-
ers and their employ-
ees were hit harder by
the shutdown than mere Jade
McDowell
inconvenience.
NEWS EDITOR
Last week, I spoke
of supporting businesses that had
closed. This week, let’s talk about
what we can do to help them as they
reopen.
The most important thing that
everyone in our community can do is
to help Umatilla and Morrow coun-
ties reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The state’s plan for reopening,
crafted by public health experts,
includes moving counties through
a series of phases. To move on to a
new phase, a county must see declin-
ing numbers of confi rmed COVID-
19 cases, declining numbers of hos-
pitalizations for respiratory illnesses
and suffi cient hospital capacity to
handle an increase. If a county sees a
surge in cases, it can be bumped back
down to a lower phase or complete
reclosure.
Moving into Phase One does not
mean that COVID-19 is not still cir-
culating in our community. It means
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
A sign in front of Nookie’s Restaurant and Brewery in Hermiston advertises that the restaurant
is open for business.
that if you get it, the county now has
the means to contact everyone who
you exposed to the virus before you
knew you had it, and local hospitals
will have a bed for you if you’re one
of the people who gets really sick.
It also means that if you decide
to hold a barbecue to celebrate your
child’s graduation, and the next day
you start feeling sick, and it turns
out you had COVID-19 and passed
it on to several guests, and some of
them passed it on to their families,
and now two of those people are in
the hospital, your actions may lead
to businesses across the entire county
having to close again.
You may not like that idea, and
you may not agree that’s how it
should be handled, but that’s the real-
ity we live in.
Now is the time for us to be con-
siderate members of society by
doing our part to stop the spread of
COVID-19 as we begin to be able to
reopen parts of the economy. That
means following guidelines put in
place for our safety, including stay-
COLUMN
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Answers are available for
businesses in need of help
M
any business owners have
applied for or received funds
from the Paycheck Protec-
tion Program (PPP) and/or Economic
Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). We have
received the following questions and
want to share information we hope will
be helpful.
I have applied for the EIDL or the
PPP and have heard nothing back
yet. What do I do?
You may call the cus-
tomer service line, but
be aware there are long
wait times. The num-
ber is 800-659-2955. For
questions regarding PPP
applications you may try
contacting your lender.
Greg
Unfortunately, you may
Smith
just have to wait, as there
are tens of thousands of applications,
limited staff and amounts of money.
I did not apply during the fi rst
go-round of applications for the
EIDL. Can I apply now?
At this time, the EIDL is accept-
ing applications only from agricultural
businesses. Keep monitoring the web-
site to see when (and if) they open it
up again to other businesses.
I applied during the fi rst round
of funding but did not hear anything
from SBA. Do I need to reapply?
No. Existing applications will be
processed on a fi rst come, fi rst-served
basis.
I have applied for the EIDL and
the loan amount I have received
requires collateral. I already have
assets mortgaged or with a UCC fi l-
ing. Do I still qualify for the loan?
Yes, the SBA will take a subordi-
nate position and if there is no collat-
eral available, borrowers will not be
denied the loan.
I heard the maximum EIDL loan
has been decreased. Is this true?
Yes, the most current information
we have is that the maximum loan
amount for the EIDL has been reduced
to $150,000.
I received no notifi cation from the
EIDL regarding the loan advance
(grant), but the money just showed
up in my account. Is this normal?
Yes. They are just depositing the
loan advance into your account so
monitor it frequently.
I obtained a PPP loan and want to
hire back my employees. However,
they are collecting more on unem-
ployment and do not want to return.
What should I do?
Those collecting unemployment
who turn down work stand a strong
chance of losing their benefi ts except
under certain circumstances. As long
as you have documented their refusal
to return to work you should not be
penalized and can hire new employees
to meet the required 75% threshold for
loan forgiveness.
I have not received either the PPP
or EIDL and am self-employed. Can
I apply for unemployment?
Yes. Under the new Pandemic
Unemployment Insurance Program
(PUA), those who are self-employed,
are independent contractors or “gig
workers” can apply for unemployment
benefi ts. Visit www.workinginoregon.
org and click the Cares Act link in the
yellow banner at the top of the page to
learn about the program and to apply.
What documentation does the
PUA require to apply?
You are not required to provide doc-
umentation at the time of application,
but will complete and sign a certifi ca-
tion stating the information you pro-
vided is true and correct. However,
in case your application is reviewed,
you will need to have proof of your
income. This would include your tax
return, 1099s, etc.
As the economy opens, where can
I fi nd information on the guidelines
required for my business?
Visit https://govstatus.egov.com/
or-covid-19. It will provide you all the
latest information specifi c to your busi-
ness. We will continue to provide busi-
ness owners the most up to date infor-
mation we have and are here to assist
you.
———
Greg Smith is the executive advi-
sor of the Umatilla Electric Coopera-
tive Business Resource Center located
at 1475 N. First St., in Hermiston. To
contact the center for free, confi dential
advice on applying for aid call 541-
289-3000 or email uecbrc@gmail.com.
CORRECTIONS
Printed on
recycled
newsprint
VOLUME 114 • NUMBER 18
Chris Rush | Publisher • crush@eomediagroup.com • 541-278-2669
Jade McDowell | News Editor • jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4536
Jeanne Jewett | Multi-Media consultant • jjewett@hermistonherald.com • 541-564-4531
Audra Workman | Multi-Media consultant • aworkman@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4538
To contact the Hermiston Herald for news,
advertising or subscription information:
• call 541-567-6457
• e-mail info@hermistonherald.com
• stop by our offi ces at 333 E. Main St.
• visit us online at: hermistonherald.com
The Hermiston Herald (USPS 242220, ISSN
8750-4782) is published weekly at Hermiston
Herald, 333 E. Main St., Hermiston, OR 97838,
(541) 567-6457.
ing 6 feet apart, wearing a mask in
public, washing our hands frequently,
staying home if we have a cough and
continuing to reduce the number of
people we are in contact with.
It’s not fun, but it will save lives.
And don’t bother telling me that
some lives don’t matter as much
because they’re over the age of 60
or have an underlying condition like
heart disease.
Some of those people who are
at high risk for complications from
COVID-19 are now put in a diffi cult
position as their workplaces reopen.
A rallying cry for those pushing for
reopening is “If you’re scared, stay
home,” but not everyone can work
from home. And those with underly-
ing health conditions, like diabetes,
are often the least able to quit their
jobs because they need the health
insurance provided by their employer
to cover the exorbitant cost of insulin
and other treatments.
So when you’re out and about,
remember that while you may be cel-
ebrating the chance to get a manicure
or sit down at a restaurant, the per-
son serving you is putting their health
at risk to do so. They may be scared,
but feel unable to stay home. So be
polite. Don’t whine about rules you
don’t like. Give others plenty of per-
sonal space. Tip well. And consider
ordering your food to go.
We’re not out of the woods yet.
Periodical postage paid at Hermiston, OR.
Postmaster, send address changes to
Hermiston Herald, 333 E. Main St.,
Hermiston, OR 97838.
Member of EO Media Group Copyright ©2020
It is the policy of the Hermiston Herald to correct errors as
soon as they are discovered. Incorrect information will be
corrected on Page 2A. Errors commited on the Opinion page
will be corrected on that page. Corrections also are noted in
the online versions of our stories.
Please contact the editor at editor@hermistonherald.com or
call (541) 564-4533 with issues about this policy or to report
errors.
SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letters Policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for the
Hermiston Herald readers to express themselves on local,
state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer
letters should be kept to 250 words.
No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person.
The Hermiston Herald reserves the right to edit letters for
length and for content.
A funny story
Somehow I got some of that bright pink road paint
on the side of my truck and stopped by Rogers Toy-
ota to see if they could tell me what to use to remove
it. The gentleman in the service department came over
and took a look at it and all of a sudden I noticed him
scratching it and off came the paint.
Oh well, modern chemicals aren’t always the
answer, and I gave the guys in the service department
a good laugh.
Mike Mehren
Hermiston
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
STATE REP. GREG SMITH,
DISTRICT 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Email: Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
———
STATE SEN. BILL HANSELL,
DISTRICT 29
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Email: Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
———
GOV. KATE BROWN
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
Email: www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/
share-your-opinion.aspx
———
MAYOR DAVID DROTZMANN
180 NE Second St.
Hermiston, OR 97838
ddrotzmann@hermiston.or.us
Letters must be original and signed by the writer or writers.
Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include
a telephone number so they can be reached for questions.
Only the letter writer’s name and city of residence will be
published.
OBITUARY POLICY
The Hermiston Herald publishes paid obituaries. The
obituary can include small photos and, for veterans, a
fl ag symbol at no charge. Expanded death notices will be
published at no charge. These include information about
services. Obituaries may be edited for spelling, proper
punctuation and style.
Obituaries and notices may be submitted online at
hermistonherald.com/obituaryform, by email to obits@
hermistonherald.com, by fax to 541-276-8314, placed via the
funeral home or in person at the Hermiston Herald or East
Oregonian offi ces. For more information, call 541-966-0818 or
1-800-522-0255, x221.