Dec 28 2020 thru Jan 3 2021

Cliff Bentz, an Ontario lawyer with a long political history, will be part of the new Congress that starts on Sunday. One of his first issues will be the expected challenges to the election of Joe Biden as the next president.

Unlike most schools in Malheur County, which have been closed due to the "extreme risk" of Covid, remote Jordan Valley School District has been hosting full days of class since the beginning of the year.

From school administrators to nonprofit leaders, those who help run Malheur County's organizations took time to share their thoughts about what hope they see for the year ahead.

Four organizations are planning demonstrations in Salem on Friday - New Year's Day. At least 100 officers from three police agencies will be on duty to keep the groups separate.

HUMAN TOLL: Joel Hernandez has sometimes worked around the clock -- doing 24- and 48-hour shifts - to care for emergency room patients at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. The stress has taken its toll but with years of experience in emergency rooms, he feels it's his duty to help as much as he can.

Gov. Kate Brown's decision to let school districts move toward reopening in the new year is great news. But people still need to adhere to Covid precautions to rein in the continuing risks to our kids, school workers and communities.

Norm Crume said he brought along a lot of preconceived notions about city government when he took office more than a decade ago. His tenure as a city lawmaker, he said, erased most of those views.

Here are key facts about the change in Oregon state policy regarding when public schools can return to more normal operations. See what is changing for Malheur County schools - and what isn't.

Gov. Kate Brown issued new guidance regarding in-person instruction last week and her announcement caught some education leaders off guard. Now, area school officials will meet with health authorities to craft a plan to put students back at their desks.

Public health officials from Baker, Grant, Harney, Klamath, Lake and Malheur counties seek more freedom regarding state-designated risk levels in an effort to help area restaurants and other businesses.

Positions include Salesman, Parts Dismantler, lifeways

The Ontario City Council allocated $12,000 worth of equipment to upgrade the local hospitality industry for outdoor dining, the only on-site dining currently allowed with pandemic restrictions.

Vale Senior Citizens Center, Estate of Glen Allen Schoeneman

Vale's skilled nursing center vaccinated 21 residents and 15 staff members at a clinic in the facility's dining hall last week. One of those vaccinated, Joan Ash, said she wasn't worried about the serum.

Elected leaders signed off on the distribution plan Wednesday and the county will immediately cut and send checks out to local merchants. The county received about $700,000 in state financial aid to help area merchants and others recover from the Covid pandemic.

Columnist Brianna Walker reflects on a treasured family keepsake, a tribute to great uncle who died in wartime, and why the flag means so much to her.

HUMAN TOLL: West Linn woman said she’s spoken with a lot of people, from doctors and nurses to bodybuilders, who’ve contracted the virus and battled symptoms for several months. Part of what makes it so hard for her to guess how long she’ll be sick, Gaither said, is that the virus is still so new with so many unknowns. Gaither posted about her COVID-19 diagnosis on social media and said the outpouring of support she’s received has helped keep her spirits up.