NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 CTUIR now vaccinating all residents of 11 counties in Oregon and Washington HERMISTON HERALD With more doses than appointments, the Confed- erated Tribes of the Uma- tilla Indian Reservation expanded its eligibility to include not only all of Uma- tilla County, but also several neighboring counties. The tribes held a two day clinic on Monday, April 12 and Tuesday, April 13, at Wildhorse Resort & Casino, open to the 11 counties that span the CTUIR’s ceded territory. In Oregon, all residents 16 years old and older that live in Umatilla, Morrow, Union, Baker, Wallowa, Grant and Malheur coun- ties were eligible for the vaccine. In Washington, the new rules applied to Benton, Walla Walla, Columbia and Garfi eld counties. In a statement, Yel- lowhawk CEO Lisa Guz- Veterans Services to hold free presentation man explained why the Tribes made the last-minute expansion. “We have more than 1,700 fi rst doses to pro- vide, but as of this morn- ing only 600 appointments are fi lled,” she said before the clinic took place. “We are eager to support our sur- rounding counties and get more people in the door.” The Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla’s territory used to include much of North- east Oregon and Southeast Washington before a 19th century treaty between the U.S. government and the Tribes shrunk their footprint to a much smaller piece of land in Umatilla County. The CTUIR’s ceded terri- tory doesn’t fi t cleanly with modern county lines, and the ceded land’s boundar- ies cover only a small por- tion of some counties. But all residents of the 11 coun- ties are eligible for the vac- cine, regardless of whether they live on the ceded land. HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9 UEC returns $4 million in capital credits HERMISTON HERALD HERMISTON — Uma- tilla Electric Cooperative will return $4 million to cooperative members in April as part of the utility’s Capital Credits program. According to a news release, 10,265 refund checks will be issued to members who purchased electricity during 2019. Checks will be mailed on April 7, and the amount will be based on the member’s energy usage. Amounts of less than $10 tal Credits refl ects UEC’s fi nancial strength and stability and provides a means to inform mem- bers about the coopera- tive diff erence,” Robert Echenrode, UEC Gen- eral Manager and CEO, said in a statement. “One of the best features of a rural electric coopera- tive is being able to invest in and support our local communities.” For questions, call 541- 567-6414 or email cus- tomer.service@umatil- laelectric.com. Chamber of Commerce PO Box 1 • 101 Olson Rd. • Boardman, OR 97818 • 541-481-3014 www.boardmanchamber.org • email: info@boardmanchamber.org This newsletter proudly sponsored by the following businesses: HERMISTON HERALD Morrow County Veteran Services is partnering with Community Counseling Solutions to hold a free pre- sentation about constructive ways to talk about mental health and suicide, accord- ing to a press release. The 45-minute presen- tation will cover stigmas surrounding mental health and defi ne and identify the causes and treatments for mental health conditions. It will also share guidelines about how to talk about mental health and suicide, and how speak to survivors of suicide loss, the press release said. “By subtly shifting the way we talk about mental ill- ness and suicide,” the press release said, “we can help reduce the stigma around them, leading to normalized and candid conversations so those experiencing them can confi dently ask for help without fear of judgement.” The presentation will be held over Zoom on Tues- day, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Those interested in attending can call 541-922- 6420 to learn more. Cattlemen’s association off ers conference HERMISTON HERALD The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) has announced the opportunity for six young ranchers to attend the OCA Mid-Year Conference on July 11-13 at the Salishan Coastal Lodge. This scholarship oppor- tunity is available to young ranchers interested in learn- ing more about the work of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, according to a news release. The money awarded will cover the expense of lodging and event registration. Candidates must be able to attend the full conference and be willing to participate in all facets of it. “The conference is an opportunity for young ranchers to immerse them- selves in the work and mis- sion of the Oregon Cattle- men’s Association for the future of the cattle industry,” the news release stated. The application can be found at www.orcattle.com. For questions, call the Ore- gon Cattlemen’s Association offi ces at 503-361-8941. will not be mailed now, but will be added to a future refund check for the cus- tomer once their total cred- its surpass $10. As a not-for-profi t, mem- ber-owned company, UEC operates at cost, with net revenues returned to mem- bers in the form of Capital Credits refunds. The coop- erative has returned more than $92 million to mem- bers since 1960, accord- ing to UEC, including $11.6 million during the pandemic. “The return of Capi- A friendly reminder that the Boardman Chamber of Commerce office will be closed until further notice to the public. Torrie Griggs, CEO: torrie@boardmanchamber.org Kelsey Salata, Asst. Director: kelsey@boardmanchamber.org Renee Maenle, Communications Specialist: renee@boardmanchamber.org If you are a Boardman Chamber member and would like to help sponsor this Chamber newsletter page, contact Kelly Schwirse - 541-564-4531 or kschwirse@hermistonherald.com