BUSINESS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2020
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
New publisher takes the reins at the Hermiston Herald
By ALEX CASTLE
STAFF WRITER
A familiar face is tak-
ing on new roles within EO
Media Group.
Andrew Cutler, who has
spent the last 13 months as
editor of the East Orego-
nian, is stepping into the
duties of publisher of the
East Oregonian and Herm-
iston Herald, taking over
the role from Chris Rush.
Cutler takes over as pub-
lisher on Wednesday, July 1.
“Sometimes you have
good luck and don’t have
to look very far to fi nd
the right person,” said EO
Media Group Chief Oper-
ating Offi cer Heidi Wright.
“It’s critical to be able to
have someone with the
past experience of Andrew
to maintain our role in the
communities we serve and
keep a relevant, refl ective
and credible connection to
those communities.”
Cutler said the past year
as editor of the East Ore-
gonian has
been
eye
opening but
he’s excited
to assume
the new role
managing
Cutler
operations
and to help
the paper moving forward.
“It’s incredibly hum-
bling and gratifying,” Cut-
ler said of being named
publisher. “The company
and its east side papers have
a long, proud history, and I
don’t take my position and
responsibility of continuing
it lightly.”
Rush is leaving after a
little more than two years in
Pendleton to move to Ama-
rillo, Texas, with his wife at
the end of July to be closer
to their family in the region.
“I am hoping to lever-
age my many years of expe-
rience in the news indus-
try into a possible teaching
career at the college level,
as well as some other pro-
fessional projects,” Rush
said of his next steps while
speaking highly of his
replacement. “Andrew Cut-
ler is a consummate jour-
nalist and one of the best
editors I’ve ever had the
privilege to work with. He
places high value on accu-
racy and telling the full
story.”
During his time, Rush
helped lead the company
through its regional transi-
tion when it purchased the
La Grande Observer and
the Baker City Herald in
2019.
“These last couple of
years — and especially these
last few months — have
been a challenging time
for the newspaper industry,
and Chris Rush has been
an integral part of helping
EO Media Group navigate
through these times,” said
EO Media Group Vice Pres-
ident Kathryn Brown. “We
will miss his wisdom and
experience, but he leaves
the East Oregonian and our
sister papers in the region in
good hands.”
In addition to the pub-
lisher duties, Cutler will
also serve as the regional
editorial director overseeing
the East Oregonian, Herm-
iston Herald, Blue Moun-
tain Eagle, Wallowa County
Chieftain,
La
Grande
Observer and Baker City
Herald.
Cutler will team with
Karrine
Brogoitti,
the
regional publisher of the La
Grande Observer and Baker
City Herald, to oversee the
company’s east side pub-
lications. In March, Bro-
goitti was named regional
sales director for EO Media
Group’s east side operations.
Born in Pocatello, Idaho,
and raised in Fruitland,
Idaho, Cutler, 48, has long
had his roots in the North-
west and spent fi ve years as
the editor of the La Grande
Observer prior to joining
the East Oregonian.
Cutler got his start in
journalism as a senior
sportswriter for Ontario’s
Argus Observer in 2000
before being promoted to
sports editor shortly after in
2001. He then spent time on
the Boise State University
sports beat for the Idaho
Press-Tribune before return-
ing to the Argus Observer in
2004 in a dual role as sports
and news editor.
Cutler later spent time
as managing editor of the
Capital Journal in South
Dakota, where he and his
newsroom were awarded
the 2008 South Dakota
Newspaper
Association
General Excellence Award
for the state’s daily news-
papers with a circulation
under 16,000. It was the
fi rst time the Capital Jour-
nal had earned the award in
126 years of existence.
Cutler was also a part
of
general
excellence
award-winning newsrooms
at the Argus Observer and
Rapid City Journal, and he
led the La Grande Observer
to a second-place fi nish in
general excellence for the
Oregon Newspaper Publish-
ers Association Division C
category.
While in La Grande,
Cutler spent three years in
a joint role as editor and
publisher.
“Andrew Cutler’s knowl-
edge of Eastern Oregon, and
his experience as both an
editor and publisher, made
him the logical successor to
head up the company’s edi-
torial team in this region and
take on the publisher role
here in Umatilla County as
well,” Brown said.
A 1990 graduate of Fruit-
land High School, Cut-
ler joined the U.S. Army in
1991 and served as a com-
bat medic in Germany, Fort
Stewart, Georgia, and Hon-
duras before his discharge
in 1995. He went on to earn
an Associate of Arts degree
from Treasure Valley Com-
munity College in 2000 and
a Bachelor of Arts degree
in multidisciplinary studies
from Boise State University
in 2016.
Dr. Robert Rolen retiring
after 35 years in Hermiston
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
HH fi le photo
Umatilla businesses can qualify to receive a one-time grant from the city if they were impacted
by COVID-19.
Umatilla establishes
small business grants
HERMISTON HERALD
The city of Umatilla has
established a grant pro-
gram for small businesses
impacted by COVID-19.
The Umatilla Small
Business
Emergency
Assistance Grant Program
will provide one-time
payments to businesses
and sole proprietors with
fewer than 25 employ-
ees. According to a news
release by the city, it is
funded in part by funding
from the state’s general
fund and Lottery Funds
administered by the Ore-
gon Business Develop-
ment Department.
Applications can be
submitted until July 15 at
5 p.m. and are available
at www.umatilla-city.org
or at Umatilla City Hall,
700 Sixth St. Funds will
be awarded on a fi rst come
fi rst served basis.
Businesses can qualify
for the grant if their prin-
cipal operations are within
Umatilla’s city limits, have
fewer than 25 employ-
ees and have not received
CARES Act funding,
including the Paycheck
Protection Program and
Economic Injury Disaster
Loan.
They must be able to
show that they were forced
to shut down under one of
the state’s executive orders
relating to COVID-19 or
they can demonstrate a
one month decline in reve-
nue grater than 50% in the
month of March or April
2020 as compared against
January or February 2020.
Nonprofi ts with 501©
(3) status can also qualify
under similar criteria. Inel-
igible applicants include
passive investments and
real estate holdings, busi-
nesses delinquent in taxes
that were due before April
1, businesses that do not
comply with laws, busi-
nesses not headquartered
and with principals opera-
tions in Oregon and busi-
nesses not registered to
do business in Oregon
through the Secretary of
State’s offi ce.
For more information
contact community devel-
opment director Brandon
Seitz at 541-922-3226 ext.
103 or brandon@umatil-
la-city.org.
Decades after he fi rst
set up shop in Hermiston
in 1985, Dr. Robert Rolen
has closed his optometry
business.
“I’ve been thinking
about optometry for about
40 years,” he said.
Now, he is retiring and
clearing out his former
offi ce at Grainary Square
in Hermiston. His patient
fi les have been entrusted
to Lifetime Vision Source,
where he said he is encour-
aging new patients to trans-
fer their care.
Rolen grew up in The
Dalles and got interested
in optometry while he was
in the U.S. Army work-
ing in the medical ser-
vices department and get-
ting exposed to all different
types of medical fi elds.
“The optometry depart-
ment seemed like they
were having the most fun,”
he said.
After he went back to
school and got his degree,
he decided he wanted
to return to Oregon and
become a family eye doc-
tor in a smaller town like
the one he grew up in. He
ended up in Hermiston,
Staff photo by Jeanne Jewett
Dr. Robert Rolen is retiring
from optometry.
and said there was plenty
to keep him rooted there,
from the outdoor recreation
to his church community.
“It’s a good place to
raise a family,” he said.
Rolen said a lot has
changed over his years in
the business, but one thing
that hasn’t changed his
the enjoyment he has got-
ten out of helping people
lead a better quality of life
through improved vision
and eye health.
Some optometrists spe-
cialize in certain types
of eye health, like treat-
ing glaucoma, but Rolen
described himself as a “gen-
eralist” who sees patients
young and old for all differ-
ent aspects of eye health.
“The one that most
immediately affects people
is they walk into the DMV
and can’t pass the eye test,
or their teacher says, ‘I
think you need some help
seeing the board,’” he said.
Rolen said he doesn’t
actually teach young chil-
dren to read, but he can
greatly help their ability
to read if he can fi x vision
problems that are keeping
them from being able to
see the words their teacher
is putting up at the front of
the room or showing them
on a printed page.
He said he had been
hoping to work one more
year before retirement,
but COVID-19 has placed
so many restrictions on
his ability to practice he
decided that it would be
better to retire now and
hand his patients off to a
bigger offi ce.
“A family eye doctor
is in it by himself, pretty
much, but the people at
Lifetime Vision Source
have plenty of resources
and people to help deliver
services to people during
COVID-19,” he said.
Lifetime Vision Source
is at 1160 W. Elm Ave.
and can be reached at
541-567-6623.
HOME
MAINTENANCE
CENTER
541-567-7534
2055 N First St. • Hwy 395
Hermiston, OR
BBQ GRILL
Daniel Boone
499
$
Green
Mountain
Grills
BBQ PELLETS
Apple • Gold Blend
Fruit Wood • Texas Blend
PET OF THE
W EEK
Reece is a very chill & sweet old man that is
about 10 years old. He loves to be around
his people, but not super cuddly, but he
loves to have his ears rubbed. He loves to sit
outside in the shade and feel the wind on his
face. Reece does have some aging issues, is on
a strict diet for his weight and will need regular
grooming. Due to his age and health, we prefer he
isn’t around young children.
EO AND HH OFFICES
MEET
REECE
Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM
Eugenio Mannucci, DVM, cVMA • Jana von Borstel, DVM, cVMA
Small and Large Animal Care
Mon: 8-6
Tue - Fri: 8-5
Sat: 8-12
Emergency Service
541.567.1138
80489 Hwy 395 N
Hermiston
www.oregontrailvet.com
Due to the
COVID-19
pandemic, animal
shelters need
our help more
than ever. Please
donate to your
local shelter, or
offer to foster an
animal in need.
If interested please go to fuzzballrescue.com and fill out an application.
If you are not able to adopt, but would like to foster or donate, visit fuzzballrescue.com
or you can mail in donations to Fuzz Ball Animal Rescue, PO Box 580, Hermiston, OR 97838
WILL BE CLOSED
JULY 3RD
HAVE A FUN AND SAFE
FOURTH OF JULY