After more than a decade of providing free local news to our region, Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS) and Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC) have jointly announced that GSHCS will acquire UEC’s majority share of Northeast Oregon Now (NEON).
As a result, GSHCS will become the sole owner, assuming full control of the online news platform moving forward.
The NEON partnership began in 2012, when the boards of both organizations approved the joint venture for the purpose of offering non-biased, timely news for the Northeastern Oregon region. Since that time, and with UEC as the managing partner, NEON has provided regional news through an entirely free-access website. Michael Kane, former editor of The Hermiston Herald, has written, photographed, and edited NEON since its inception, and will continue leading its news coverage as part of GSHCS’s acquisition.
“Good Shepherd Health Care System is excited to continue providing local and regional news through Northeast Oregon Now,” said GSHCS President & CEO Art Mathisen. “I want to thank Robert Echenrode and UEC for running NEON so well the past 12 years. We look forward to continuing this positive trend while finding ways to increase our viewer base making NEON the premier online regional news source. One of the many ways we can fulfill our mission is to deliver important health information to our patients and community, while also supporting access to local and regional news.”
“For more than a decade this partnership has brought timely, unbiased local news to our region,” said Umatilla Electric Cooperative General Manager/CEO Robert Echenrode. “As this chapter of our collaboration evolves, we are deeply grateful to Good Shepherd Health Care System for their dedication to serving our community and for their commitment to maintaining this news platform. While UEC transitions away from its majority role, we remain steadfast in our support of their efforts to meet the media and information needs of Northeast Oregon. Together, we will continue to share the commitment of strengthening the bonds of our community and ensuring its access to quality, locally focused news for years to come.”
GSHCS will become the sole owner of Northeast Oregon Now effective Jan. 1, 2025.
To learn more about GSHCS, visit www.gshealth.org. To learn more about UEC, visit www.umatillaelectric.com. Visit www.northeastoregonnow.com to subscribe for free to local and regional news.
