A tale of two motels during Round-Up: MotoLodge and the former Marigold Hotel
Two downtown Pendleton hotels had very different experiences for the recent Round-Up. MotoLodge was nearly fully booked the entire time. “We had 100% occupancy,” Elizabeth Hodson, MotoLodge manager said. “Except for one day at 95%.” The Marigold, under new ownership and management with renovation and upgrades currently underway, was not fully occupied from Sept. 9-17. “It’s not all the way back yet,” desk clerk Jared Mount said. “We had to pull the sheetrock out of some rooms. We had to tear one bathroom out. The previous owner hadn’t maintained the place. People might have stayed away, considering its reputation, too.” (John Tillman/East Oregonian)
Gresham’s Homeless Services Team leads with compassion
Christine and her husband, Jason, are an Oregon couple who have been through a lot. One bad decision led to a four-year addiction, years of homelessness and the loss of a mother’s children. While living in Eastern Oregon they became addicted to meth. That addiction led to their children being placed in foster care and feelings of hopelessness. Both wanted to find a way, but they needed help. That’s when the Gresham Homeless Services Team came in. One phone call later and Christine connected with Willie Shaw, a homeless services provider. “I don’t know how many times Willie has come to our rescue,” Christine said. “Without him, we would have turned back to addiction.” (Christopher Keizur/The Gresham Outlook)
Apples of the past: UI organic orchard preserves heritage fruit
The heritage apple orchard is the heart of the University of Idaho’s Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center. However, harvest is about two to three weeks behind schedule. Superintendent and operations manager Kyle Nagy and assistant operations manager Kent Youngdahl are racing against a hard frost. “We thought it was going to be a real bumper crop year, but it was so cool, there weren’t a lot of pollinators active,” Nagy said. “We had some torrential rains in the middle of our bloom, so I’m wondering if a lot of our pollen ended up on the ground.” On a sunny morning Oct. 3, they estimated they had harvested 21 of the 68 apple varieties growing on 640 trees. Most of the orchard’s varieties date back to colonial times, as early as 1598. (Matthew Weaver/Capital Press)
Gresham man pleads guilty to stealing COVID-relief funds
Justin Allen Cunningham, 40, of Gresham, created a fake company in an effort to steal more than $77,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Cunningham was found guilty of wire fraud for stealing the loans, which were meant for small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. (Christopher Keizur/The Gresham Outlook)
Critical shortage of vet techs endangers Portland-area pets
Portland-area pets could be harmed by a critical shortage of certified veterinary technicians that is limiting access to care. In an area where there would ideally be 4,000 certified veterinary technicians, there are roughly 2,200. The worker shortages are contributing to a feedback loop, as technicians are overworked at understaffed animal hospitals and therefore burn out faster. “It’s currently in a crisis situation, especially in Portland. If you’re having emergencies outside your vet’s regular hours, it can be really a challenge to have your pet seen. You can only do so much with the staff you have,” said Sarah Harris, a veterinary technician since 2011 who specializes in emergency care at DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency Specialty Hospital, a nonprofit in Northwest Portland. (Dillon Mullan/The Portland Tribune)
Quilters and kids stitch up a good cause
Nine-year-old Ben, 7-year-old Wyatt and their mom Michelle are making soft stuffed Worry Monsters to send to Uvalde elementary schools and other kids in stressful situations. The Oregon City trio has made about 700 cuddly monsters so far, with the help of donated supplies from Skip-A-Week Quilt Club. Ben and Wyatt draw the designs, Michelle sews them and Wyatt stuffs them. They say the purpose of the monsters is to eat nightmares. They also have a zippered mouth where kids can write down their worries to feed to the monster. (Teresa Carson/Estacada news)
