Pool sales increase amid coronavirus pandemic
HERMISTON, Ore. -- Businesses are seeing an increase in pool sales as public pools remain closed throughout Oregon and Washington. The owner of Inland Pool and Spa Centre in Hermiston said…
Umatilla County
Wildhorse casino reopens following months-long closure due to pandemic
PENDLETON, Ore. -- Wildhorse Resort and Casino reopened to the public Thursday following a months-long closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. The popular casino located just outside Pendleton closed down operations on March 18 has remained closed since then. Nearly…
Library services look different in Hermiston as Umatilla County begins reopening
The Hermiston Public Library is getting creative with services to keep staff and readers safe as Umatilla County launches Phase 1 of Oregon's reopening plan. The library stopped…
F-15 Eagles to fly over eastern Oregon hospitals in honor of frontline workers
The Oregon Air National Guard will be flying F-15 Eagles over hospitals in eastern Oregon this Friday to salute workers on the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. The flyovers are a joint effort between Oregon’s 173rd Fighter Wing, based in…
Overnight showers flood roads in Umatilla, Walla Walla counties
SALEM - Overnight showers have caused flooding in parts of Umatilla and Walla Walla counties. On Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for both counties that is in effect through 9 a.m. Thursday. Below is a list…
Oregon faces 11% drop in revenue; GOP leader blames Brown
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon faces an 11% drop in revenue from the previous biennium as the coronavirus pandemic triggered a shutdown order and a consequent drop in tax payments, state economists reported Wednesday. General Fund and other major revenues…
Oregon high court keeps state virus restrictions in place
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Supreme Court has kept statewide virus restrictions in place by halting a judge’s order to end them in a lawsuit claiming the governor exceeded her authority when she shut down in-person religious services. Baker…
About 75% of Umatilla Co. residents diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered
UMATILLA COUNTY, Wash. -- About 75% of Umatilla County residents who've been diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered, according to a news release from Umatilla County Public Health. On Tuesday, health officials reported confirmed four new cases, bringing the countywide total…
Judge tosses out Oregon’s coronavirus restrictions
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A county judge has declared Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s coronavirus restrictions “null and void” because she didn’t have her emergency orders approved by the Legislature following 28 days. Baker County Circuit Judge Matthew Shirtcliff made the…
Oregon Department of Corrections to eliminate death row
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Department of Corrections officials said Friday the agency will eliminate the state’s death row area of incarceration. Death row inmates live largely together in a unit at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, Oregon Public…
Umatilla County to enter phase one of reopening on May 15
UMATILLA COUNTY, Ore. -- Umatilla County has been approved to enter phase one of Gov. Kate Brown's reopening plan on Friday, May 15. Under phase one, restaurants and bars will be open for sit-down service with conditions that include physical…
Hermiston police search for driver in deadly hit-and-run
HERMISTON, Ore. - A man was hit and killed while crossing a Hermiston street early Tuesday. Now police are looking for the driver, who left his car and took off after the crash. Hermiston police report the crash happened on…
Umatilla County man, 64, dies of COVID-19 complications
UMATILLA COUNTY, Wash. -- A second Umatilla County resident has died of complications from COVID-19, health officials announced Sunday. The patient was a 64-year-old man with underlying health conditions who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 29. He died at…
Treasury to begin distributing virus relief money to tribes
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department said Tuesday that it will begin doling out billions to help tribes respond and recover from the coronavirus more than a week after a congressional deadline and after being sued over who…
Protestors in Oregon rally at the Capitol against the stay-at-home order
SALEM, Ore. -- Hundreds opposed to Oregon’s stay-at-home order demonstrated at the state Capitol on Saturday as health officials announced dozens more cases and five additional deaths from COVID-19. Most of the protesters did not wear face masks, but they…
Health officials report first coronavirus death in Umatilla County
UMATILLA COUNTY, Wash. -- Health officials on Friday announced the first death attributed to COVID-19 in Umatilla County. The patient was a 76-year-old woman with underlying health issues. She tested positive on April 14 and died on April 30 at…
Hermiston High marching band selected to represent Oregon at Fourth of July parade in Washington DC
HERMISTON, Ore. – Gov. Kate Brown has nominated the Hermiston High School Marching Band to represent Oregon in the 2021 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC, on July 4, 2021. The governor’s recommendation was directed to Oregon Congressman Greg…
Employees at the Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Wallula tested for the coronavirus
WALLULA, Wash. -- Employees at the Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Wallula were tested for the coronavirus on Friday. An employee at the plant said that he had to show up to work Friday morning, work for five hours so…
Oregon is among five states that is expected to have fewest deaths per capita
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon is in its fourth week of lockdown. Residents can’t enter state parks in mountains and in valleys now blooming with springtime flowers, or go to the state’s trademark wineries and microbreweries. With many businesses closed,…
Milton-Freewater's drive-in movie theater to reopen April 17
UPDATE (4/15): M-F Drive-In will be back open April 17, 18 and 19. The theater is already sold out for the weekend. Updates will be posted on the theater's Facebook page. --- MILTON-FREEWATER, Ore. -- At a time when movie…
Oregon schools closed for rest of school year due to virus
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday that Oregon’s K-12 schools will remain closed through the academic year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Health authorities say there are more than 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state and…
Trump approves flood disaster declaration for northeast Oregon
PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency says Oregon will receive federal help for flooding and storms that happened in February in the northeastern section of the state. Federal disaster assistance will supplement state, tribal and local recovery…
Oregon Health Authority: Two new COVID-19 cases reported in Umatilla County
UMATILLA COUNTY, Ore. -- Two new coronavirus cases have come back positive in Umatilla County. According to the Oregon Health Authority, there are now seven COVID-19 cases in Umatilla County. The state has 1,068 cases and 27 deaths. The Umatilla…
Hermiston urgent care center closes due to COVID-19 exposure
HERMISTON, Ore. – A family medicine office in Hermiston has closed its doors due to recent COVID-19 exposure. On Facebook, the Hermiston Family Medicine and Urgent Care Center said they will shut down and quarantine for two weeks. It’s unclear…
