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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 20, 2020)
BUSINESS A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020 EOT expands, merges with Gorge Networks By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR Hermiston-based East- ern Oregon Telecom has expanded its reach through a merger with Gorge Net- works of Hood River. Joe Franell, CEO of East- ern Oregon Telecom, is now president of the newly formed Blue Mountain Net- works. He said eventually everything might use the Blue Mountain Networks name, but for now custom- ers of both companies will continue seeing the name they are familiar with on communications from their internet provider. He said EOT has been talking with small internet providers throughout East- ern Oregon for years about combining forces to create more economies of scale, and Gorge Networks was a “perfect” fi t. ZRF Partners, a private investment fi rm, assisted with the fi nancing. “It’s all positive, all excit- ing news,” Franell said. “We’re still local. We’re not selling to some big corporation.” HH fi le photo Eastern Oregon Telecom of Hermiston has merged with Gorge Networks of Hood River. Eastern Oregon Tele- com covers Umatilla and Morrow counties in Oregon and Benton County, Wash- ington, while Gorge Net- works covers communities in Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties in Oregon and Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington. EOT recently extended fi ber internet to Athena, Weston and Adams and is working on Fossil, Spray and Mitchell. Vietnamese cuisine coming to Hermiston this summer Bringing a reliable inter- net connection to tiny rural towns is a passion for Franell, who chairs Ore- gon’s Broadband Advi- sory Committee, and he said he hopes to solve “dig- ital inequities” in the Blue Mountain Networks cover- age area within fi ve years. That includes not only serv- ing small towns for the fi rst time, but also expanding fi ber to more neighborhoods in cities, such as Hermiston and The Dalles. He said in the past the Broadband Advisory Com- mittee has struggled with some “passive” attitudes from the Oregon Legisla- ture about the importance of equity in internet access across the state, but COVID- 19 has demonstrated exactly why it is something that should be a funding priority. “I think that argument is over with,” he said. Franell said members of the committee are reporting growth in industries, such as telemedicine, online educa- tion and telecommuting, for work that had been expected to take decades. The demand has kept internet providers busy. “Everyone wants inter- net, and they want it yester- day,” he said. WORSHIP COMMUNITY By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR It will come a little later than expected, but Herm- iston will get a new Viet- namese restaurant this summer. Pho Quan, located in the old Walker’s Farm Kitchen building at 920 SE Fourth St., plans to open in mid- June. Co-owner Micheal Dang said the original plan was to open for Easter Sunday, but complications from the pandemic delayed everything. It was harder to get the needed permits, supplies and services from contractors with so many offices shut down. “We met a few obsta- cles along the way and had to handle everything head-on,” he said. “Every- thing is a learning experi- ence and you just get bet- ter going through it.” The restaurant will be a “little sister” to Pho Mignon of Kirkland, Washington, and Ox Pho & Grill in Federal Way, Washington, that were started by Dang’s parents. They emigrated from Viet- nam in 1981, Dang said, with the dream of open- ing a restaurant, but it took them a couple of decades to feel comfortable enough with the English language and their business skills to go into business for themselves. Dang said when Pho Quan does open next month, everything will be done in accordance to proper social distancing guidelines to keep employ- ees and customers safe. LANDMARK BAPTIST CHURCH 125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232 Pastor David Dever Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm www.hermistonlmbc.com Staff photo by Jade McDowell A sign outside the future Pho Quan Vietnamese restaurant advertises its expected June opening. “WE MET A FEW OBSTACLES ALONG THE WAY AND HAD TO HANDLE EVERYTHING HEAD-ON” — Micheal Dang, co-owner of Pho Quan “We will most likely have a limited menu upon opening due to the after- math of COVID-19, but everyone can expect us to carry our traditional bread and butter items, such as Pho and Banh Mi,” he said. Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup, while Banh Mi is a sandwich made on a baguette. Dang said Vietnamese food has “a lot of French influence in it, which makes it really unique and healthy to try.” “Especially in an area like this with an untapped market, we’re really inter- ested to see how everyone will respond to it,” he said. DECISIONS You can count on us to help you plan a personal, lasting tribute to your loved one. We’ll carefully guide you through the many decisions that must be made during this challenging time. Family owned and operated since 1946. Follow us on Facebook! BURNS MORTUARY of Hermiston & Hermiston Crematory 685 W. Hermiston Ave. Hermiston, Oregon (541) 567-6474 www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com Can’t come in for an appointment? Set up a virtual visit with us on the internet through The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church 565 W. HERMISTON AVE. DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday ...............................English 7:00 am Thursday...............Spanish 6:00 pm SATURDAY:.........English 5:00 pm ...............................Spanish 7:00 pm SUNDAY:..............English 9:00 am ..........................Bilingual 11:00 am ..............................Spanish 1:00 pm Office..............................567-5812 First Christian Church “Proclaiming the Message of Hope, Living the Gospel of Love” St. Johns Episcopal Church Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus. Scripture, Tradition and Reason Family service 9am Sunday N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston t. PH: 567-6672 We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all. NEW BEGINNINGS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP May 19th-24th Children’s Church 10:45 am Please wear a mask for your protection & ours or call ahead and use our Drive thru. 567-3013 Worship Service 10:30 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM Pastor J.C. Barnett Children’s Church & Nursery Available 700 West Orchard Avenue P.O. Box 933 Hermiston, Oregon 775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston 541-289-4774 541-567-0272 2150 N. First St., Hermiston Purchase a face mask inside for $5-$7 20 % OFF • Books & Bibles • Meta-Gen CBD Oils 30 % 50 % OFF • doTerra Balance Blend Sunday School...9:15 am Worship Service...10:30 am Seventh-day Adventist Church Saturdays Sabbath School........9:30 a.m. Worship Service......11:00 a.m. English & Spanish Services 567-8241 Hermiston Jr. Academy 1300 NW Academy Lane, • Hermiston OFF Clearance Items (sale price is off of regular retail) $1.00 OFF Take & Bake Pizzas Robert B. Hopp, M.D. & Associates TELEMEDICINE TELEMEDICINE To share your worship times call 541-278-2678
