OFF PAGE ONE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2021
Express:
CHRISTMAS EVE
SERVICES
Continued from Page A1
Hermiston Herald
All services in Hermiston on Christmas
Eve — Friday, Dec. 24
Christmas Eve Service
• 4 p.m. & 6 p.m., New Hope
Community Church
• 1350 S. Highway 395
A bilingual time of worship
and celebration or via https://
newhopeon395.online.church (541-
567-8441)
Christmas Eve Worship
• 5 p.m., Grace Baptist Church
• 555 S.W. 11th St.
A time of worship and celebration.
(541-567-9497, harmony59@msn.
com)
Christmas Eve at ZEAL Church
• 5 p.m. & 7 p.m., ZEAL Church
• 730 E. Hurlburt Ave.
An evening of carols, a special
message, goodies and more. (541-
567-5831)
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
• 5:30 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church
• 485 W. Locust Ave.
No service on Sunday, Dec. 26. (541-
567-6471, drpathall@gmail.com)
Christmas Eve at Oasis Vineyard
• 5:30 p.m., Oasis Vineyard Church
• 1255 S. Highway 395
Caroling and a candle lighting
ceremony with a brief time of
refl ection. (541-567-5834)
Christmas Eve at HermNaz
• 6 p.m., Hermiston Church of the
Nazarene
• 1520 W. Orchard Ave.
Candlelight communion, special
music and an inspirational message.
(541-567-3677)
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
• 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church
• 191 E. Gladys Ave.
Candlelight communion and music
with special guest appearance by
oboist Mary Kienzle and Linda Turner
playing hand bells. Safety protocols in
place, with free Christmas masks for
all. (541-567-3002)
First Mass of Christmas
• 7 p.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church
• 665 E. Gladys Ave.
Includes carol singing and worship.
No service on Christmas Day. (541-
567-6674, chuckb@eotnet.net)
Decorations:
Continued from Page A1
trees back in stock as of Dec.
20. In Hermiston, the stock of
Christmas supplies remains
relatively healthy, though the
supply of artifi cial trees was
dwindling.
The price for consumer
goods — including Christ-
mas decorations — also has
increased due to global prob-
lems with shipping costs,
labor shortages and fuel
prices, according to numer-
ous reports from The New
York Times, The Washington
Robbery:
Continued from Page A1
munity Federal Credit Union,
Kennewick, and robbing the
Oregon Central Credit Union
in Portland three times.
Federal court records show
Uptegrove was serving time at
the Federal Correctional Insti-
tution, Otisville, a medium-se-
curity prison near Otisville,
New York, and had a release
date of March 17, 2022. But
Uptegrove in 2020 sought
compassionate release.
Uptegrove suff ered from
asthma, according to court
documents, and was at an
increased risk of developing
COVID-19.
According to the order for
his release, the court found
Uptegrove took “commend-
able strides to grow and
change while in prison, com-
pleting a number of self-help
and educational programs in
anticipation of his eventual
release and maintaining a
clean disciplinary record for
the last nine-plus years.”
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9
Umatilla County fi refi ght-
ers are grateful to have been
included in the Christmas
Express, said Nickolas Oatley,
Umatilla County Fire District
No. 1 recruitment and retention
coordinator. On behalf of the
district, he expressed apprecia-
tion to the local community, the
police department and the city
of Hermiston.
Oatley was careful not to
make too much out of the fi re
district’s involvement. He
said Hermiston police remain
the leaders of the eff ort; fi re-
fi ghters played a supporting
role. Jim Forquer, the fi re dis-
trict’s deputy chief of admin-
istration, teamed with Tim
Miears, police training offi cer,
to involve fi refi ghters.
Ten member of the fi re dis-
trict plus their family members
helped at the Dec. 15 packing
party, and it donated a large box
of toys from community mem-
ber donations, according to
Oatley.
“We hope to be a part of this
event in the coming years,” he
said.
Hermiston City Manager
Byron Smith was at the Hermis-
ton Community Center as well
and packed food boxes. He said
in addition to police, fi refi ghters
and other community members,
the large group of volunteers
included other city employees.
“The Christmas Express is a
longtime tradition that started
with the police department,
and a number of years ago we
expanded as an opportunity for
the whole city staff and their
families to participate in a great
community project,” he said.
There were two things that
he especially liked about Christ-
mas Express, Smith said. For
one, he said he likes to help the
community. For another, he said
he likes to see city staff come
together.
“It gives me a chance to
know people from departments
that I don’t see on a daily basis,”
he said. “We work side-by-side,
and I get to meet them and their
families.”
In past years, Smith said, all
the food boxes have been fi lled
in 40 minutes. This year, volun-
Post and Reuters.
Those self-same sup-
ply chain woes haven’t done
much to hurt the inventory of
Christmas goods at secondhand
stores, however, which stock
their shelves primarily through
donations by individuals and
estates. That means as supplies
dwindle at the box chain retail
stores, customers of all ages
fl ock to the secondhand stores
in search of Christmas goods.
“There are new faces
we’ve never seen before,”
Stauff er said. “We’re having
the younger generations come
in and get more Christmas stuff
too.”
The court also ordered
him to live with his sister
in Yakima, where he could
“rehabilitate in a smaller com-
munity with family nearby,
while off ering his sister, who
is struggling with lymphoma,
the help she needs.”
U.S. Senior District Judge
Marsha J. Pechman signed the
release order Nov. 17, 2020,
freeing Uptegrove from prison
14 days after and immediately
placing him under supervised
release.
Edmiston said as far as
the Hermiston robbery goes,
police were planning on
obtaining a search warrant for
Nickolas L. Oatley/Contributed Photo
Hermiston City Councilor Phillip Spicerkuhn packs food boxes Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, at the Hermiston
Community Center as part of the annual Christmas Express.
Nickolas L. Oatley/Contributed Photo
Food donations sit ready for packing into boxes Wednesday, Dec. 15,
2021, at the Hermiston Community Center.
teers were not nearly as fast, he
said, laughing.
“I think we were a bit slow
this year,” he said.
Still, they got all the work
done in a single night, just like
Santa Claus. And Smith said
A manager with People
Helping People in Pendleton
corroborated the increase in
businesses as seen at the La
Grande store, stating the staff
has also seen an infl ux of cus-
tomers fi lling the store look-
ing for Christmas deals. That
trend has only increased in the
run-up toward the holiday.
“And still — people are
still getting Christmas trees,
they’re still getting the sup-
plies — the Christmas lights
(sales) have not stopped,”
Stauff er said. “We’ve proba-
bly sold the most Christmas
lights we’ve ever had over the
year, this year.”
the vehicle Uptegrove drove to
look for money from the bank
and the gun he may have used.
Uptegrove next court hear-
ing is Dec. 28 at 8:15 a.m.
On Tuesday, Dec. 20,
Umpqua Bank issued the fol-
lowing statement: “Umpqua
Bank acknowledges and
appreciates the swift action of
local and state law enforce-
ment in apprehending the
suspect. All bank associates
are safe. However, from Dec.
20-24, the Umpqua Bank at
450 N. First St. will operate
its drive through window only,
returning to normal lobby
hours on Dec. 27.”
their hard work shows there are
people in this community who
care and are trying to help.
Even with all of the other vol-
unteers, Edmiston said Christ-
mas Express remains special to
the Hermiston police.
“Everyone at the police
department inevitably has some-
thing to do with the program
each year,” he said. “Myself,
Cpl. Tim Miears, chaplain Terry
Cummings and communications
manager Amanda Hartsteen
start the planning each year in
September.”
Edmiston said Agape House
is also a major partner, as that
organization hands out the
boxes and presents to people
from Dec. 17 to Dec. 20. Left-
over presents are saved for the
following year. And Agape
House uses any remaining food.
Mark Gomolski, Agape
House executive director, said
while volunteers were busy at
the community center, he also
was busy, working with 30 mis-
sionaries who were getting the
food distribution center ready.
He said there was a lot of
work to do, which included set-
ting up tables, retrieving stored
gifts from last year and making
room for food boxes. He added
he was looking forward to the
distribution, which would bene-
fi t many people.
3 3 rd A N N UA L
LIGHT UP
A LIFE
FUNDRAISER
Vange John Memorial Hospice
Invites the community to support your local hospice through this
fundraiser which takes place during the month of December.
Your contribution to Vange John Memorial Hospice will illuminate a
symbolic light in a window display area provided by Victory Baptist
Church on Main Street. You may dedicate your light in honor of someone
you admire or in memory of someone you miss.
All memorials and honoree names received during the campaign will be read
January 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. on our local radio station, KOHU 1360 AM and will
be shared on Good Shepherd Health Care System’s Facebook page. An MP3
recording is available upon request.
A meaningful gift, your contribution will help you celebrate the life of loved ones
during the holiday season and help us meet the needs of our hospice patients and
their families all year long.
Join us for the Light Up A Life
Memorial/Honoree Reading of the Names
Broadcast on KOHU 1360 AM or
@gshcsnews
January 9, 2022 | 6:00 p.m.
*Also, join us this spring for a Community Memorial Service in the park!
HAPPY
HOLIDAYS
Veterans!
1411 6th St, Umatilla, OR | 541-922-3001
Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution of $ ____________________________
Name ______________________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip ___________________________ Phone ______________________
* Suggested donation for each memorial/honoree: $15
Please mail check payable to: Vange John Memorial Hospice
645 W. Orchard Ave., Suite 500 | Hermiston, OR 97838 (541-667-3543
Your canceled check will be your receipt. (A Division of Good Shepherd Health Care System)
Please place a light & ornament in the window display to celebrate the life of:
Holiday Specials: December 19-24
• 40%
Christmas
Décor and
Baby Items
• 20% Meta Lab
Feel Great, Live it Up!
541-567-0272
2150 N. First St., Hermiston
WE ARE OPEN TO SERVE YOUR HEALTH NEEDS
• 20%
Hyaluronic
Acid with
Acai, 8oz
0
F
F
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT
SMOOTHIE
DAILY LUNCH SPECIAL
$ 1
• WATCH FOR OUR IN STORE SPECIALS •
$7.95
CALL AHEAD AND USE OUR DRIVE THRU!
FACE SHIELDS & MASKS $5-$7
1. __________________________________________________________________
Send acknowledgement of this gift to: Name ______________________________
Address ____________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
Send acknowledgement of this gift to: Name ______________________________
Address ____________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
Send acknowledgement of this gift to: Name ______________________________
Address ____________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________