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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2020)
NEWS WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2020 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 Church leaders respond to mask requirement By NADA SEWIDAN STAFF WRITER Some Hermiston churches have ramped up their church service pro- tocols following rising COVID-19 numbers in Umatilla County. In light of increasing COVID-19 cases and the recent Lighthouse Pente- costal Church outbreak in Island City, some churches said they have been pro- ceeding with more caution. Pastor Patty Nance at Hermiston First United Methodist said the church is not open for service cur- rently and that it does not feel safe to reopen anytime soon. “I don’t think we’re going to reopen anytime soon,” she said. “COVID- 19 is rising every day. Everybody should want to keep people safe. We have to be responsible for mak- ing that happen.” In response to rising COVID-19 cases in Ore- gon, Gov. Kate Brown’s new guidelines released on Monday, June 29, require all Oregonians statewide to wear a face covering in indoor public spaces start- ing Wednesday, July 1. Kay Edwards, offi ce administrator at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church Hermiston church will provide virtual services HERMISTON HERALD Staff photo by Ben Lonergan A bird rests atop the steeple at Gospel Home Church in Hermiston on Friday. in Hermiston, stated the church will work with wor- shipers to comply with the new restrictions. “We will post the gov- ernor’s restrictions on the doors and we will work to be in compliance with those restrictions,” she said. Edwards said they have also modifi ed their services and traditions since reopen- ing to ensure safety, such as the way they receive communion. She said that prior to COVID-19, churchgoers received communion in two lines. Now it’s a sin- gle-fi le line, 6 feet apart, to maintain social distanc- ing. They’ve also elimi- nated singing and the sign of peace, a time during ser- vice when everyone shakes each other’s hand as a greeting. Services are also much shorter now. “We are taking every major precaution to be socially responsible in pro- tecting anyone that’s com- ing to one of our services,” she said. The church also keeps exterior and interior doors propped open so people don’t have to reach for the handles. They have marked seating that is 6 feet apart, with every other pew blocked off. Hand sanitizer is also available throughout the church. According to Edwards, 50% of attendees are back Due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church ELCA of Hermiston is meeting virtually at this time and believing, “When two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Mat- thew 18:20). Two services, led by Pastor Weston Walker, are available weekly on attending Mass since reopening, while others remain watching the lives- tream version. Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church at full capacity can hold 850 peo- ple total, but with social distancing restrictions, the church can hold approx- imately 150 people — a combination of individ- uals, couples and family units. Edwards said ushers seat and direct everyone to make sure people are dis- tancing safely. The Lighthouse Pen- tecostal Church in Island City outside of La Grande Facebook, Zoom and YouTube. Sunday morn- ing services are live at 9 a.m., and Holden Evening Prayer is live Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. and can be viewed at your convenience. All are welcome. Grace and Mercy is a member of the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call 541-289-6543 or email gandmlutheran@ gmail.com. is now the site of the largest outbreak in Oregon since the pandemic began. The church is linked to at least 236 people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Hermiston Assembly Associate Pastor Alex Val- le-Lopez said since the Union County outbreak, his church has been debating if they should remain open or temporarily close. “As we’ve seen cases go up, there have been conver- sations among our staff,” he said. “We are thinking of closing as a preventative measure.” Valle-Lopez said that conversations with other members of the church have ramped up and that although views may be polarizing on whether to go to church or stay home, there is no denying that cases are spiking. He said that although the church is following the CDC-recommended guide- lines, including social dis- tancing measures, section- ing off pews and limiting the number of families in the church, he is still unsure if they’ll remain open. “We want to be proac- tive in ensuring health and safety in our building and staff,” he said. “We do not want that to be our case here.” A since-deleted video of a church service in the Lighthouse Pentecostal Church showed members worshiping in close prox- imity to one another. Valle-Lopez said one way to help mitigate close contact in his congrega- tion is to limit the number of people who can be in the church building. While the space can usually house about 500 people, they are now limiting it to 60 people at a time. “For us, it’s whatever keeps people safe is what we’re going to do,” he said. Migrant Education Program honors 2020 graduates The InterMountain Education Service District celebrated 51 students on June 27 By ALEX CASTLE STAFF WRITER Already facing educa- tional disadvantages and hurdles to begin with, not even the COVID-19 pan- demic could stop 51 stu- dents graduating from this year’s Migrant Education Program in the InterMoun- tain Education Service District. Unable to hold a large celebration due to the virus that already altered high school graduation around the country, the program held a small celebration at Umatilla’s West Park on Saturday, June 27, to honor the Class of 2020’s success in wake of unprecedented challenges. “Usually other stu- dents have their parents to do their FAFSA for them and all the other paper- work,” said Brenda Flores, the program’s gradua- tion specialist, who previ- ously graduated from Stan- fi eld High School in 2014 and became a fi rst-gener- ation college graduate at Western Oregon Univer- sity. “But for me and for others, we have to do it all ourselves.” Migrant students are youths whose parents move between school dis- tricts and throughout the country for seasonal work, often either in the agricul- tural or fi sheries indus- tries, and many are looking to become fi rst-generation high school and/or college Staff photo by Alex Castle Rosy Madrigal (from left), Lisette Sanchez, Elizabeth Andrade, Kimberly Renteria, Eliana Esparza and Briana Duron pose for a picture during a celebration for graduating members of the InterMountain Education Service District’s Migrant Education Program on Saturday, June 27, 2020, in Umatilla. “THEY REALLY HELPED ME EXPLORE MY OPTIONS AND BECOME AWARE THAT THEY WEREN’T LIMITED.” Elizabeth Andrade, Irrigon High School graduate graduates. Flores said locally that can mean many students whose parents are gener- ally unfamiliar with the American education sys- tem and can be challenged by how to fi ll out col- lege admissions, fi nan- cial aid and scholarship applications. While par- ents are generally support- ive of their kids pursuing a diploma and a higher edu- cation, Flores said, these challenges can leave many migrant students trying to fi gure things out on their own. “As a graduation spe- cialist, I help them nav- igate that,” Flores said. “And I help the parents understand the importance and what steps they need to take so they also can start learning about the system.” Elizabeth Andrade was one of the students hon- ored June 27 after grad- Wishing you a Happy Retirement Dr. Rolen! Dr. Dave Drotzmann and Dr. Kollan Arritt would like to congratulate Dr. Rob Rolen for over 35 years of service to his profession. May all the years ahead bring you great joy and relaxation with family and friends. For Dr Rolen’s current and past patients, Lifetime Vision Source has your files. They’d like to build on the quality care you’ve come to expect from Dr Rolen for over 35 years 541-567-6623 1160 W. Elm Ave., Hermiston www.lvseyedoc.com uating from Irrigon High School this year. She plans on attending Eastern Ore- gon University in the fall to study business admin- istration and credited the Migrant Education Pro- gram for both helping her realize what opportunities were available to her and helping her take advantage of them. “They really helped me explore my options and become aware that they weren’t limited,” Andrade said. Rosy Madrigal gradu- ated as a co-valedictorian of Umatilla High School and is headed to the Col- lege of Idaho, where she’s entering as a psychology major though she’s not set- tled on it quite yet. “I think it was really helpful to have their sup- port,” Madrigal said of the Migrant Education Program. Briana Duron, also a graduate from Umatilla High School, spent some of her high school educa- tion enrolled in classes at Blue Mountain Commu- nity College and already earned an associates degree to go with her diploma. “It was really stress- ful at times and took a lot of patience,” Duron said while highlighting how Flores and the dis- trict helped by establish- ing study groups for her to attend. After her intensive stud- ies these past years, Duron is taking some time off before attending a college or university in hopes of exploring the rest of the country fi rst. “I want to travel and do things that I didn’t do when I was so focused on school,” she said. For Flores, it’s a joy to return to the area and help students achieve similar success that she did just years ago. “With everything that I’ve learned through my experience, it’s nice to be able to help them to suc- ceed,” Flores said. “I tell the students my story so they know what they can achieve as well.” 541-567-0272 2150 N. First St., Hermiston June 30th-July 5th Call ahead and use our Drive thru. Purchase a face mask inside for $5-$7 $1 off Take & Bake Pizzas 20 % OFF • Oregon Wild Harvest Chastetree 90cap • All Gluten Free Bulk Pastas 1 DAY SALE! Friday, June 26 th 8am-6pm 40 % OFF ANY RED WHITE OR BLUE GIFTS OR DÉCOR (some exclusions apply) Please maintain 6 feet social distancing while in the store. Neighborhood Books & Gifts • Used books • Audio books • Homeschool • Book related gifts • Much more! Michael and Judy Gormley, Owners 279 E. Main Street • Hermiston, OR 97838 (541) 626-3504 • neighborhoodBG@yahoo.com NeighborhoodBooksandGifts HAVE RECENT WINDSTORM DEBRIS ON YOUR PROPERTY? FREE COMPOSTING JUNE 16 - JULY 19 IN STANFIELD, OR • All Umatilla County Residents: may bring storm debris to the Stanfield Compost Yard - FREE for a limited time. • Only tree storm debris are accepted (limbs, trunks, branches, stumps) • The public can use access code 7777#, daily 7am to 7pm. • Other rules and restrictions may be posted at the gate. d sore Spon by:
