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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2020)
OPINION READER’S FORUM Founded in 1906 WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 A4 EDITOR’S DESK Schools need our help this fall T here are still a lot of ques- tions about what school will look like when it resumes in the fall, but one thing is clear: It won’t look anything like what the rest of us expe- rienced when we were students. I don’t envy educa- tors, lawmakers, parents Jade and public health offi - McDowell NEWS EDITOR cials right now as they try to fi nd the best bal- ance between health and education. Solutions are going to look differ- ent based on each school’s circum- stances, but for as long as COVID- 19 remains a threat, students will be facing a less-than-ideal learning environment. During a Hermiston City Council meeting last week, I was glad to hear council members express an inter- est in offering up use of city facilities to Hermiston School District, if that would help the district offer more opportunities for in-person instruc- tion for students while maintaining social distancing. Nothing may come of the sugges- tion if logistics, such as transporta- tion, prove too diffi cult. But the “it takes a village” attitude refl ected in the discussion is one that we will need in the coming months. Busi- nesses, nonprofi ts, government enti- ties and service clubs may all be able to fi nd new ways to contribute to stu- Staff photo by Ben Lonergan, File Allyssa Sullivan organizes bags of student materials while distributing them to students in Umatilla on April 3, 2020. School districts are now working on new solutions for the 2020-21 school year. dents’ learning. Since most school districts are planning for a hybrid model of some days in the classroom and some days learning online, a lack of reliable internet access and electronic devices at home is a serious problem. Dis- tricts worked hard in the spring to address that by loaning out Chrome- books and setting up WiFi hot spots. Continuing that work of helping all students in our community be able to reliably access online learning should be a top priority. That may look like grants pro- vided to low-income families for internet access, similar to programs available for assistance paying util- ity bills. There could be a fund set up where community members could make a one-time donation or sign up to sponsor a student’s internet bill for the year. Or businesses may con- sider donating electronic equipment, books and other supplies that stu- dents can take home and use when they’re learning outside of a physical classroom. It may be that businesses can also assist districts in curriculum that can help prepare students for the work- force. At the high school level, I hope businesses can continue to fi nd ways to provide work studies and intern- ship opportunities for students. Our own summer intern at the Hermis- ton Herald, Nada Sewidan, is having a much different experience than her predecessors had, but we’re fi nding ways to make it work. Businesses that have in the past allowed for fi eld trips at their facili- ties might be able to offer a live tour via video chat, followed by a ques- tion and answer session with stu- dents. Or professionals might be able to send in video tutorials for classes, such as welding or animal science. In past reporting I have done about preparing students for the workforce, local employers have repeatedly stated that the hardest part of staffi ng their company is not fi nding someone who knows the quadratic equation or the plot of “The Scarlet Letter,” but fi nding applicants who are reliable and have a good work ethic. Teachers may not be able to get through as much curriculum as usual in the next school year, and students may not do as much homework or take as many tests. But whether a stu- dent is being home schooled, taught in the classroom or learning online, they can still learn problem solving skills and other important life lessons in the face of adversity. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Community stepping up to support local businesses To the editor: Since the beginning of the coro- navirus outbreak, Hermiston res- idents have shown a strong inter- est in making sure our local businesses have the support they need to navigate a quickly chang- ing environment. Whether by ordering carry- out when restaurants couldn’t pro- vide in-house dining, shopping local when stores opened back up, or simply being patient as busi- nesses implement new state man- dates, people have found ways to encourage and sustain our business community. Uncertainty is one of the biggest obstacles a small business faces, and these are uncertain times. Knowing your friends, neighbors, and community have your back is reassurance. Feeling confi dent that you will be able to survive even diffi cult times is critical to long- term planning. One of the roles local businesses take most seriously is providing a paycheck for their employees. Many of these workplaces are like families, and employers will go to great lengths to make sure their workers can pay their bills and pro- vide for their families even when doing their jobs is impossible. As the Hermiston Herald reported last week, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) saved nearly 1,600 jobs in the Hermis- ton ZIP code over a 60-day period in April and May. The Greater Hermiston Area Chamber of Com- merce and city of Hermiston staff responded quickly when the fed- eral funding became available, reaching out to more than 400 busi- nesses to make sure they had the information necessary to access it. The city has also partnered with Umatilla County to provide $1,000 grants to 38 businesses with fewer than 26 employees to help cover costs incurred by COVID-19. We’re fortunate to have active partners who are working toward the same goals as us — creating an environment where businesses can thrive to the benefi t of everyone. We’re continuing to look for ways we can support the busi- nesses that are the backbone of our community as we weather this storm together. Byron Smith, city manager Hermiston The Bridge shows how far Umatilla has come To the editor: Umatilla has long had a reputa- tion for being the “naughty” town in the area. They had the less than reputable shops, and they had all the strip clubs, and downtown was, well, run down and uninviting. Umatilla has been making great strides in revitalizing their down- town lately. They’ve gotten rid of the ridiculous boulders in the mid- dle of Sixth Street and are rework- ing the sidewalks and street park- ing to have more of a friendly and inviting appearance, and some of the businesses downtown are catching on and updating too. The fi re department has a beautiful new digital sign and a friendly bench to take a break on, the strip clubs are all gone now, with the Riverside being the fi rst to show and the last to go, and once the construction is complete, it will be a delightful downtown to drive through. With the pandemic, the owners of the Riverside, Daren and Pau- lette Dufl oth, decided to “go in a different direction.” The once-ris- que business has now been con- verted into a family friendly, upscale, mid-priced dining experi- ence. The new restaurant has been dubbed “The Bridge,” in keep- ing with the revitalization of the community and Umatilla’s historic landmark. My wife and I decided to go to The Bridge to check it out and try one of their pizzas. We ordered their “Butcher” pizza, basically a meat lover’s, all-meat pizza. It was amazing! This time, for some variety, we got the “Pit” pizza, a barbecued chicken pizza. I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to trying another pizza variety at The Bridge, because I just can’t bring myself to not get The Pit. The pizzas were there faster than you could get a drink refi ll in another restaurant. Don’t take my word for it, go to The Bridge and get a pizza (I rec- ommend The Pit, but you do you). I don’t think you’ll regret it. Rob Tooley Umatilla CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP U.S. SENATORS RON WYDEN U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GREG WALDEN STATE REP. GREG SMITH, DISTRICT 57 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 whitehouse.gov/contact/ ——— 221 Dirksen Senate Offi ce Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 La Grande offi ce: 541-962-7691 • 185 Rayburn House Offi ce Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6730 La Grande offi ce: 541-624-2400 900 Court St. NE, H-482 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1457 Email: Rep.GregSmith@state. or.us ——— JEFF MERKLEY STATE SEN. BILL HANSELL, DISTRICT 29 313 Hart Senate Offi ce Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753 Pendleton offi ce: 541-278-1129 900 Court St. NE, S-423 CORRECTIONS Printed on recycled newsprint VOLUME 114 • NUMBER 28 Andrew Cutler | Publisher • acutler@eastoregonian.com • 541-278-2673 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. 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. Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1729 Email: Sen.BillHansell@state. or.us ——— GOV. KATE BROWN HERMISTON MAYOR DAVID DROTZMANN 180 NE Second St. Hermiston, OR 97838 ddrotzmann@hermiston. or.us 160 State Capitol 900 Court Street Salem, OR 97301-4047 503-378-4582 Email: www.oregon.gov/gov/ Pages/share-your-opinion. aspx 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.
