Appeal Tribune Wednesday, November 22, 2017 3B Salem Sen. named GOP minority leader CONNOR RADNOVICH SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL USA TODAY NETWORK Salem Republican Sen. Jackie Win- ters was elected by her peers Nov. 15 to serve as the new Republican Leader, presenting herself as a collaborator will- ing to listen and compromise to get goals accomplished. Winters is one of the longest-serving members of the state Senate, having first assumed office in 2003, and has built relationships in the House, Senate and Governor's office that she says will help her succeed in her new role. "Leadership requires that you have the capability of working across the aisle and working with others," she said dur- ing a news conference after her selec- tion. Winters was elected to replace Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, who was con- firmed to an executive appointment ear- lier in the day. Initially, Winters didn't seek out the leadership position, but colleagues be- gan pushing her to run, she said. "It's an honor to have your colleagues elect you to lead them," she said. "It's really an honor when they actually reach out to you to ask you to do this." Four of the top six leadership posi- tions in the Legislature are now filled by women, as is the governor and attorney general. One of the relationships Winters has built during her time in government is with Senate President and Salem Demo- crat Sen. Peter Courtney. The two are good friends, but Winters said they both understand their roles and she antici- Sen. Jackie Winters, R-Salem, speaks to reporters after her election as Senate Republican Leader at the Oregon Capitol Building in Salem, Oregon, on Nov. 15. CONNOR RADNOVICH / STATESMAN JOURNAL pates there will be times when they don't agree at all. But relationships are critical to keep- ing everything running properly, she said. "I don't think that our friendship will suffer as a result of this," Winters said. "We both know that this process func- tions best when we actually have built re- lationships in this building, and where we built trust." In a statement, Courtney praised Win- ters for her toughness and "inner strength." "She’s a true Republican and a true Or- egonian," Courtney said. "Jackie’s wis- dom and sense of fairness will make her an exceptional leader and will help make the Legislature work." One of the reasons Winters was initia- lly hesitant to run for Republican Leader is her health; in August she began rounds of chemotherapy for "localized" lung cancer. But she announced Wednesday that she is off chemo and her cancer is in remission. Looking forward to 2018's short ses- sion, Winters said the Legislature should spend the month on non-controversial, achievable legislative tweaks, not major bills. Democrats are looking to pass a carbon "cap and invest" bill in 2018, which Republicans have said is too much to address in the limited time available next year. Lawmakers will be missing two of their most senior members after Ferrioli and Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, were both confirmed Wednesday to an executive appointment to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. "I'm hoping that we will still be cohe- sive and still put forward some very good public policy," she said. Senate Majority Leader Ginny Bur- dick, D-Portland, said reading out the names of Ferrioli and Devlin as among dozens of appointments confirmed by the Senate Wednesday was "bittersweet." "(They) will leave a huge gap in our body. I go back many years with both of them, I wish them all the best in their fu- ture endeavors," she said. "I don't know if there's anything sweet about it," Courtney quipped. "I'm not hap- py with either one of you two." Still undetermined is which senator will replace Devlin as co-chair of the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee, a powerful committee due to its influence on state spending. Both Senate spots also need to be filled and appointments for the remain- der of the term are made by county com- missioners in each district. Republicans also elected Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton, as Deputy Senate Re- publican Leader and Sen. Dennis Linthi- cum, R-Klamath Falls, as Senate Repub- lican Whip. Contact the reporter at cradnov- ich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399- 6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnovich. Winter is a great time to share joys of writing COMMENTARY WENDY RICHARDS As the holiday season approaches, including time off from school, it’s a good time for parents to consider learning activ- ities children can do to keep sharp, especially in writing. Kids look forward to time off from classes and families have busy schedules, but there are opportunities to help students im- prove writing skills during winter break. Writing takes imagination and time. As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved writing. Although I’ll add that it was hard when I was younger — I had so many thoughts about what I wanted to write about, and getting them down on paper was difficult. Many students and grownups would rather visit the dentist than write some- thing. However, there are techniques you can use to inspire your children to practice writing skills over winter break. Holiday letters, thank you notes, cards Some feel letter writing is a lost art, but your children can learn otherwise. Encourage them to write letters to friends and relatives over winter break, or send that important, and well–crafted, note addressed to the North Pole. Students can also personalize holiday greeting cards, and write thank you notes for gifts received. These exercises enhance social development and help children sharpen their geography skills while researching recipients’ addresses. Family folklore and fables Encourage your children to explore their family’s heritage by creating a family tree or writing about your fam- ily’s history. They can interview rela- tives, perhaps asking questions about fa- vorite holiday traditions or memories. Each member of your household can also contribute to a family newsletter. Have everyone write a section about what they achieved over the past year, and what they are thankful for this sea- son. Expressing gratitude is beneficial for students and a great way to do so is through writing. Lead by example If children see their parents writing over the winter break, they’ll under- stand it’s part of daily life. Invite your children to collaborate on a story related to winter or the holidays. Together you can write a chapter every week, perhaps on a favorite seasonal custom like the Hanukkah Dreidel game, the candles of Kwanzaa, or mistletoe. As a parent, you know what kind of writing your children might enjoy. When you demonstrate writing can be fun, they’ll want to do more on their own. By making writing enjoyable at home you can show your children these are practical skills for everyday life outside school walls. While our world is driven by technology more and more, writing remains a key factor to success. An estimated 270 million emails are sent daily worldwide, so using written language to communicate has become even more important. Employers are also concerned about having a skilled workforce; according to a recent nation- al report, 44-percent of managers felt writing proficiency was the skill most lacking in college graduates. Computers are useful, but I recom- mend writing things down by hand. All my students submit a handwritten rough draft for every language arts portfolio project. Remember that even famous au- thors like J.K. Rowling started her fam- ous Harry Potter novels by drawing pic- tures of her characters and scribbling notes on scraps of paper. Even if your students choose to type their essays and short stories, they still should begin their idea with a rough draft. Writing down everything isn’t nec- essary, but the ability to write key ideas and facts for a future story is pivotal. I always suggest an idea web to get started, where my students write the " "- # #& && '#,& /#+& "- #! JOBS.STATESMANJOURNAL.COM VLOYHUWRQDSSHDOFRP +&" & #& /#+& ".* , main idea in the center with supporting ideas branching off. That way, they can jot their ideas down and add more details while writing their story. I encourage students to write about topics that inter- est them, activities they’re involved in, or places they’ve been. It doesn’t matter if your children use sticky notes or keep an idea list on a smartphone – like any skill, good writing takes patience and lots of practice. Writing also involves plenty of re- writing. Adults do it routinely on pro- jects at work, emails to friends, and more. Writing is a process that flows from brainstorming, drafting, and edit- ing, culminating in a final version. Even writing this commentary required many revisions. November is National Novel Writing Month, and the Young Writers Program (https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/) offers a fun “seat-of-your-pants” approach to the writing process along with some helpful tools for students. American author Henry Miller once said: “Writing is its own reward”. Utiliz- ing some of the activities I’ve suggested, hopefully your children will experience that reward over the “winter writing sea- son” this year. Wendy Richards of Oregon City is a second-grade teacher at Oregon Connec- tions Academy She can be reached at www.OregonConnectionsAcademy.com or by calling (800) 382-6010. +*#"' $*' '&,' '*+ **'!" #+&" %#!( ''' " $&"* "'/ *&#+ +"/ STATESMANJOURNAL.COM/HOMES TRUST THE HOMETOWN EXPERTS AT SILVERTON REALTY SERVING THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1975 Kristen Barnes Broker 503.873.3545 ext. 326 Marcia Branstetter Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 318 Mary Cam Broker 503-873-3545 ext. 320 Micha Christman Offi ce Manager 503-873-1425 Becky Craig Broker 873-3545 ext. 313 Michael Schmidt Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 314 Meredith Wertz Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 324 Ryan Wertz Broker 873-3545 ext. 322 Chuck White Broker 873-3545 ext. 325 Christina Williamson Broker 873-3545 ext. 315 Mason Branstetter Principal Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 303 SILVERTON NEW-SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON #A2439 READY FOR IMPROVEMENTS 3 BR, 2 BA 1388 SQFT CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $198,900 (WVMLS#725193) #A2442 GREAT LOCATION 3 BR, 2 BA 1534 SQFT 3.200 CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $298,600 (WVMLS#726272) #A2440 LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION 4 BR, 1.5 BA, 2247SQFT CALL MASON AT EXT. 303 $369,000 (WVMLS#725845) #A2402 WONDERFUL ESTATE 5 BR, 4 BA 3751 SQFT CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $539,900 (WVMLS#720151) #A2436 QUIET RETREAT 3 BR, 2.5 BA, 3273 SQFT CALL KIRSTEN AT EXT. 326 OR CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $549,900 (WVMLS#724403) NEW-SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON SALEM SILVERTON SILVERTON #A2424 GREAT COUNTRY HOME 3 BR 3 BA 2808 SQFT CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $645,000 (WVMLS#722233) #A2429 BUILDABLE 2.85 ACRES 2.85 ACRES CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $225,000 (WVMLS#724203) #A2441 HISTORICAL FARMHOUSE 5 BR, 1.5 BA, 2847 SQFT CALL KIRSTEN AT EXT. 326 OR CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $379,900 (WVMLS#726136) #A2416 #A2354 #A2435 3 HOME INVESTMENT PROPERTY LOTS OF POTENTIAL UPDATED 1950’S HOME 4 BR, 3 BA 1776 SQFT 5 BR, 6 BA, 6057 SQFT CALL 3 BR, 2.5 BA 1725 SQFT CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318 MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT $399,000 (WVMLS#711358) EXT. 322 $649,900 (WVMLS#721150) EXT. 322 $264,600 (WVMLS#724469) Brokers licensed in Oregon WWW.SILVERTONREALTY.COM | 303 OAK STREET | SILVERTON Call us today! 503.873.3545 | 1-800-863-3545 FOR RENT Call Micha at 503-873-1425 or see them on our website.