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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 2020)
FROM PAGE ONE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A11 Display: While some musical light displays merely cause entire strands of light to blink on and off, every light on the Johns Avenue display can work individually, forming pictures and designs. To do that, Dircksen and family members who helped out had to install every bulb in its place by hand, includ- ing the hundreds that work together to create a sort of movie screen on the garage door. They then select songs, purchase the rights to use them, choreograph the show for that song and go through a detailed computer programming process that includes inputting the exact number of bulbs on each strand after Dirksen counts them. The program needs to know there are 150 lights per strand on the giant metal Christmas tree, for example, to know that if the direc- tions say to light up the top half blue, it knows to light 75 bulbs. Smith, Dircksen’s girl- friend, said even though it’s a lot of work, the pay- off is the happiness it brings to people who come by and watch the show. In past years they just let it spread by word of mouth, but this year they created a “Miracle on Johns Ave- nue” Facebook page, where they promote not only the light show but also encour- age people to pick up some movie theater popcorn or takeout from a local restau- rant to eat in the car while watching. “It does require a lot of work, but it’s defi nitely something people need this year, and so we wanted to do a little extra to get the word out,” Smith said. She said her parents used to set up a Christmas light display in Stanfi eld that required an electrician to install an extra electri- cal box and ran up the elec- tricity bill signifi cantly. The new LED pixels that Smith and Dircksen are using are far more energy effi cient, however, and Smith said people are always surprised to hear that their electricity bill only went up by “maybe $30” last December. Dircksen said he appreci- ated how patient the neigh- bors have been with the extra traffi c each night, and he is encouraging every- one to be as considerate as possible, including turn- ing off their headlights and not parking in front of driveways. He has programmed a version of the show with non-Christmas songs he plans to run around New Year’s. scheduled to go to Oregon Health & Science Univer- sity and Kaiser Permanente Airport Way Center, both in Portland. St. Alphonsus Medi- cal Center, in Ontario, will receive the fi rst doses out- side the Portland Metro area. Most medical facilities that registered to be vac- cine provider sites are slated to receive the Pfi zer vaccine within two weeks. Oregon is scheduled to receive addi- tional doses on Dec. 22 and Dec. 29. Because the vaccine requires two shots given about 19 days apart, the ini- tial doses will all be used as the fi rst shot, with the fol- low-up doses later in the month being used primarily for second shots. A similar vaccine made by Moderna could arrive beginning Dec. 22. The FDA released data on the vaccine on Dec. 14 as part of its review process. The New York Times reported the FDA intends to make a deci- sion on emergency authori- zation of the Moderna vac- cine by Friday, Dec. 18, and if approved the vac- cine would be shipped out immediately. Hermiston Herald News Editor Jade McDowell con- tributed to this report. Continued from Page A1 Avenue in Hermiston is one of the biggest. The home has featured a musical light display for three years now, but this year is bigger and more elaborate. Dircksen said he has been working on it since January, spending hours cre- ating custom metal props and programming the songs. “I like being different, and this is something you can’t just go downtown and buy,” he said. The computer program- ming is the hardest part, he said, and songs take as much as 12 hours to program. This year he has been using a free online platform called xLights. Dircksen said the xLights online com- munity has been of great help, as users all over the world chat with each other — troubleshooting, critiqu- ing and sharing ideas. Since Dircksen works the night shift and sleeps during the day, he often talks to peo- ple from Australia, where he has been surprised to dis- cover elaborate Christmas light shows are a popular hobby. One Australian rigged up fl amethrowers to shoot pillars of fl ames above his roof, but accidentally caught his roof on fi re at one point. Dircksen said the fl ames looked cool but he didn’t think his home- Vaccine: Continued from Page A1 Oregon is still a distant goal. “The vaccine is the light at the end of the tunnel, but we will be in this tunnel for several months,” said Ore- gon Health Authority Direc- tor Pat Allen. Allen urged Oregonians to wear masks, physically distance, avoid gatherings, and staying home if sick in the meantime. The initial doses will go to what health offi cials Ben Lonergan/Hermiston Herald A variety of Christmas lights adorn the home of Craig Dircksen and Lori Smith on West Johns Avenue in Hermiston on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. Ben Lonergan/Hermiston Herald A sign in the yard of Craig Dircksen and Lori Smith’s Hermiston home advises drivers to tune to 88.1 FM for music to accompany their Christmas light display owner’s insurance would go for that. around the country have said are the most important initial targets. “Starting with the front- line health care workers who have been our fi rst line of defense against COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, and the long-term care facility residents who are among the most vulner- able, each day,” Brown said. For the facility residents and staff, the pharmacy companies CVS, Walgreens and Consonus Healthcare will offer on-site, no-cost COVID-19 vaccines to more than 680 long-term care facilities in Oregon. The next group to receive vaccines will be “essential workers,” followed by peo- ple with underlying health conditions, and those older than 65 are next in line as they are identifi ed by OHA’s Vaccine Advisory Committee. Receiving the initial doses on Dec. 14 were Leg- acy Health Holladay Park, Portland and Legacy Health Meridian Park in Tuala- tin, just south of Portland. On Dec. 15, doses were Latest Phones Free with no hidden requirements, all season long. Holiday on Your Terms. No required phone trade-ins. No plan restrictions. No activation fees. PETS OF THE W EEK ET ME BABY & LILY Google Pixel 5 Baby & Lily are sisters who tend to squabble even though they do care for each other. Baby is a marshmallow girl who is brave, curious, and loves to go for walks. Lily, however, is timid at first and loves to be the star of the show. She can tend to be quite possessive of her things and has become interested in her foster family’s rabbit. The both love belly rubs. Navigate Wireless 1565 N. 1st St., Hermiston, 541-289-8722 Requires a new line and Smartphone postpaid plan, port-in, credit approval, qualified Smartphone purchase and comes via monthly bill credit on a 30-mo. RIC. 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See store or uscellular.com for details. ©2020 UScellular Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM Robert Thonney, DVM • Jana Parks, 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
