WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2020
HermistonHerald.com
EasternOregonMarketplace.com
UPDATES
Feds
release
$30
billion in
funding
for small
business
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
The
Small
Busi-
ness
Administration
announced on July 28
that nearly $30 billion
in new Paycheck Protec-
tion Program and Eco-
nomic Injury Disaster
Loan funds have been
approved to help small
businesses in the Pacifi c
Northwest.
According to the
news release, the SBA
approved $1.6 billion
in the Pacifi c Northwest
and $28 billion nation-
wide for all of 2019. So
far this year, Oregon has
received nearly $9 bil-
lion, spread out over
152,809 loans.
The last day the SBA
can accept new PPP
applications is Friday,
Aug. 8.
However, SBA Pacifi c
Northwest
Regional
Administrator
Jeremy
Field advises local busi-
nesses and eligible orga-
nizations to start the PPP
application process this
week to make sure they
have enough time to con-
nect with a lender, com-
plete the paperwork and
give the lender time to
submit the application by
that date.
Paycheck
Protec-
tion Program loans can
be forgiven if borrow-
ers follow the rules of
the loan, which include
limiting spending to pay-
roll, utilities and rent.
More information on
PPP forgiveness is avail-
able at www.sba.gov/
paycheckprotection.
The SBA also contin-
ues to accept EIDL appli-
cations as another fi nanc-
ing option for small
businesses and nonprof-
its impacted by the Coro-
navirus pandemic.
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
Hallways at Armand Larive Middle School and other schools throughout Hermiston will be empty to start the school year as the district looks to begin
the school year with distance learning.
ONLINE ONLY
Hermiston schools will start later to give staff time to prepare
By NADA SEWIDAN
and JADE MCDOWELL
STAFF WRITERS
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
In addition to an online-only
start, Hermiston School District
will also start school later than
usual in the fall.
During their Monday, July 27
meeting, the school board adopted
an updated 2020-21 school year
calendar that includes a few sched-
ule changes, including delaying
school starts from Monday, Aug.
24, until Tuesday, Sept 8.
The decision to delay the fi rst
day of school comes after the dis-
trict announced on Thursday, July
23, that it will begin the school
year with distance learning only,
as a result of Hermiston’s rise in
COVID-19 cases.
Hermiston School District
likely wouldn’t be able to start the
school year with in-person learn-
ing whether the board voted to
or not. On Tuesday, July 28, the
Oregon Department of Educa-
tion released new guidelines for
when schools are allowed to hold
in-person classes. The guidelines
state that counties must have a less
than 5% positive rate of tests, and
10 or fewer new cases of COVID-
More information will be
released at a later date on
how and when Chromebooks,
routers and Wi-Fi hotspots can
be checked out. For now, the
district asks everyone who
checked out devices in the
spring to return them for clean-
ing and upgrades. Devices may
be dropped off at the district
offi ces July 28-30 from noon to
7 p.m. or Aug. 3-6 from 8 a.m. to
7 p.m.
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
Student drop-off lanes at Armand Larive Middle School and other schools
throughout the Hermiston School District will be empty of cars as the
district transitions to distance learning for the fall.
19 over a seven-day period, three
weeks in a row, before in-person
classes will be allowed.
According to a spreadsheet
compiled by Rachel Alexan-
der of the Salem Reporter, Uma-
tilla County had 465.6 cases per
100,000 the week of July 21-28,
and 420 the week before that.
Oregon must also have a less
than 5% positive rate for COVID-
19 tests, which has not happened in
the month of July.
“The metrics released today
will give our public schools, pri-
vate schools, and communities the
opportunity to make sound deci-
sions based on the latest science
and health data,” Gov. Kate Brown
said in a news release. “They make
a clear connection between the
spread of the disease in a commu-
nity, and statewide, and when a
school may resume, or must halt,
in-person instruction.
Superintendent Tricia Mooney
said pushing the start day for
schools will give educators an
extra two weeks to prepare for the
shift in teaching style. Surveys pro-
vided to teachers will help identify
specifi c professional development
needs that can be addressed within
the two-week period.
See Schools, Page A10
Hermiston businesses try to
adjust to new restrictions
By NADA SEWIDAN
STAFF WRITER
Staff photo by Jade McDowell, File
The Union Club in downtown Hermiston announced it is closing for now in response
to new restrictions on operating hours for bars.
INSIDE
A3 City council awards bid for
$910,000 library remodel
The new government man-
dated restrictions under Phase
2 have affected some busi-
nesses in Hermiston.
Gov.
Kate
Brown
announced on Wednesday,
July 22, additional statewide
restrictions under Phase 2 of
reopening plans that went
into effect on Friday, July 24.
Some restrictions include clos-
ing restaurants and bars by
10 p.m. instead of midnight
and requiring a face covering
for all gym users during their
workout. According to Brown,
A7 Six deaths reported at
Regency Hermiston Nursing and
Rehabilitation Center
the decision to add restrictions
is a result of rising COVID-19
cases throughout Oregon.
Following the restrictions to
scale back hours, Union Club
in downtown Hermiston closed
its already limited hours of
operation.
“We’re closing the shop
due to the new COVID-19
requirements,” stated a July
23 Facebook post. “Union
Club will reopen to serve
you as soon as we are able to
resume business as usual. Stay
safe! See you on the other side
of the morning.”
Union Club is not open for
takeout either but people are
A7 Maxwell Market sees slower
season than usual
still able to inquire about rent-
ing the event space to host pri-
vate parties. There are currently
no plans for when the coffee by
day, bar by night establishment
will reopen.
People also are now
required to wear face masks
at the gym while working out.
Roger Adams, manager at the
newly-opened Hermiston Ath-
letic Club, said since the new
restrictions they have received
some resistance, but that for
the most part, everyone is
complying.
“We had some push back
See Adjust, Page A10
A8 Good Shepherd Health Care
System announces new CEO