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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2019)
2A — THE OBSERVER MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 LOCAL School district responds to threat D aily P lanner TODAY Today is Monday, Nov. 18, the 322nd day of 2019. There are 43 days left in the year. By Sabrina Thompson The Observer TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On Nov. 18, 1999, 12 people were killed when a bonfire under construction at Texas A&M University collapsed. ON THIS DATE In 1883, the United States and Canada adopted a sys- tem of Standard Time zones. In 1916, the World War I Battle of the Somme pitting British and French forces against German troops ended inconclusively after 4-1/2 months of bloodshed. In 1963, the Bell System introduced the first com- mercial touch-tone tele- phone system in Carnegie and Greensburg, Pennsyl- vania. In 1978, U.S. Rep. Leo J. Ryan, D-Calif., and four others were killed in Jonestown, Guyana, by members of the Peoples Temple; the killings were followed by a night of mass murder and suicide by more than 900 cult members. In 1991, Shiite Muslim kidnappers in Lebanon freed Anglican Church en- voy Terry Waite and Thomas Sutherland, the American dean of agriculture at the American University of Beirut. In 1999, a jury in Jasper, Texas, convicted Shawn Al- len Berry of murder for his role in the dragging death of James Byrd Jr., but spared him the death penalty. In 2003, the Massachu- setts Supreme Judicial Court ruled 4-3 that the state constitution guaranteed gay couples the right to marry. LOTTERY Megabucks: $6.2 million 9-14-16-17-21-30 Mega Millions: $192 million 12-19-34-35-68-20-x2 Powerball: $80 million 14-22-26-55-63-26-x3 Win for Life: Nov. 16 7-27-44-59 Pick 4: Nov. 17 •1p.m.:7-3-1-6 •4p.m.:4-3-1-4 •7p.m.:4-9-7-0 •10p.m.:9-0-4-5 Pick 4: Nov. 16 •1p.m.:9-3-6-9 •4p.m.:9-6-7-2 •7p.m.:6-8-9-6 •10p.m.:9-8-5-7 Pick 4: Nov. 15 •1p.m.:8-1-4-5 •4p.m.:0-6-8-0 •7p.m.:6-7-5-1 •10p.m.:4-3-9-9 NEWSPAPER LATE? Every effort is made to de- liver your Observer in a timely manner. Occasionally condi- tions exist that make delivery more difficult. If you are not on a motor route, delivery should be before5:30p.m.Ifyoudonot receiveyourpaperby5:30p.m. Monday through Friday, please call 541-963-3161 by 6 p.m. If your delivery is by motor carrier, delivery should be by 6 p.m. For calls after 6, please call 541-975- 1690, leave your name, address and phone number. Your paper will be delivered the next business day. QUOTE OF THE DAY “Few people can see genius in someone who has offended them.” — Robertson Davies, Canadian author Courtesy photo Elgin native Jennifer McClure-Spurgeon and her care team as she goes through her cancer treatment. McClure- Spurgeon is the daughter of retired Union County Commissioner Steve McClure of La Grande and Jackie McClure of Wallowa. Elgin alumna battles cancer By Trish Yerges For The Observer Taco feed, auction raise funds for McClure-Spurgeon WESTON — Jennifer McClure- Spurgeon knows what it’s like to battle cancer. She’s been struggling with the disease since her first diag- nosis in February 2013 when it was discovered she had stage 1B cervical cancer. McClure-Spurgeon’s most recent recurrence of cancer was diagnosed last December. Her treatment was a laparoscopic radical hysterectomy with the removal of nearby lymph nodes. Since then, McClure-Spurgeon, 46, has been going to her exams as ordered by her oncologist and receiving a clean bill of health. “At my five-year checkup, I was con- sidered statistically normal,” she said. “I was no more likely to have a recur- rence than someone having cancer for the first time.” It certainly looked like a victory for her. However, four months later, she ex- perienced severe abdominal pain and an intestinal blockage. That’s when it was discovered there was a 6 centime- ter tumor pushing against her colon. This came as a surprise to her and her care team. “This led me to believe that (re- sidual) cancer cells were left there due to the kind of surgery I had, or maybe I was just unlucky,” she said. “New studies show that patients who have the laparoscopic hysterectomy have a 5% greater chance of cancer recurrence than those who get an open abdominal hysterectomy.” A biopsy last December revealed recurring cancer. “With tumor sizes over 3 centime- ters, survival rates are really poor,” said McClure-Spurgeon, who is the mayor of Weston. “But because it hadn’t spread beyond the abdominal cavity, that changed that prognosis (to something more hopeful).” Surgery in January removed the tumor. She started chemotherapy in March — once a week for six weeks — followed by 32 sessions of radio- therapy in the Tri-Cities. The side effects of the radiation therapy were hard to endure, McClure-Spurgeon said. She experienced intestinal burning, required two kidney sur- A taco feed will be held at the Elgin Community Center between 5 p.m. and 6:30p.m.Nov.23followedbyapieauctionat6:30p.m.withallproceedsgo- ing to support McClure-Spurgeon, an Elgin alumna. Her friends Connie and Glen Carter offered to organize the taco feed and pie auction benefit at the Elgin Community Center. This is just their latest demon- stration of loyal friendship, McClure-Spurgeon said. “The whole process is humbling, to know you are that well cared for,” she said. “I can’t begin to describe the gratitude I feel for Connie and Glen for wanting to put this together.” Connie Carter especially has a deep-rooted connection with Jennifer. “I went to Elgin High School with her,” she said. “We’ve been friends forever.” Connie Carter planned the taco feed and pie auction at an opportune time for the public. “It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving, so who doesn’t need a pie for Thanksgiving, right?” she said. The Carters are planning on an attendance of 200 people, “so it will be first come, first serve.” The $1 hard-shell beef tacos will be served buffet style, where people can add their own choice of toppings, including lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and onions. There will also be Pepsi beverages on hand for pur- chase. Following the meal will hold the pie auction. “We’d like people to donate pies to auction off,” Connie said. “If you would like to do that, please bring them to the Elgin Community Center between noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, and then we’ll know how many we have to auction off.” All of the proceeds will go toward the exorbitant costs of cancer treatment, especially the medical deductibles that compound over time, and medical transportation costs to and from Seattle, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla. “All those things just add up quickly,” Connie Carter said. “We invite everybody to come out and support Jennifer and her family as she goes through this difficult time in her life,” Glen Carter said. — Trish Yerges, For The Observer geries and suffered dangerous bacte- rial infection in the colon. “It was just an agony to drag myself to radiation treatments,” she said. A follow-up CT scan in July showed no evidence of disease, but two weeks after her six-month checkup, she was back in the hospital when subsequent imaging revealed a 10-centimeter tumor on her liver with lymph node involvement and a small spot on her lung. Her oncologist started her on a new course of chemotherapy this month with breaks as needed. McClure-Spurgeon will have chemo- therapy infusions every three weeks in Seattle and blood tests 10 days after each infusion to monitor liver and kidney function. If this goes well, the oncologist may gradually add two other drugs to her treatment proto- col. “I have to believe that I can be one of those 11% who survive,” she said. Traffic stop lands two in jail on drug charges Observer staff ISLAND CITY — A traf- fic stop Friday in Island City led to the seizure of drugs and guns and two arrests, including a Stanfield wom- an wanted on a warrant. The Union County Sher- iff’s Office in a news release reported deputies and detec- tives stopped the vehicle at 11:20 p.m. on the 11600 block of Island Avenue near the Walmart store. The team searched the vehicle and seized heroin, methamphet- amine and oxycodone and two firearms. Deputies arrested the two occupants: Matthew Carter Coote, 30, of La Grande, for carrying a concealed firearm and possession and delivery of heroin; and Josie Lee Pritchard, 30, of Stanfield, for possession and delivery of methamphetamine, hero- in and oxycodone plus felon in possession of a weapon and giving false information to law enforcement. The sheriff’s office also arrested Pritchard on a Umatilla County warrant. State court records show Pritchard in August cut a deal in Umatilla County and pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to de- liver heroin, a Class A felony. Circuit Judge Jon Lieuallen sentenced her to five years of probation. But on Oct. 7, accord- ing to court documents, Lieuallen issued a warrant for her arrest after she violated multiple terms of her probation, including skipping out on drug abuse treatment and not using illegal drugs. Coote and Pritchard are in the Union County Jail, La Grande. Coote’s bail is $10,000, according to the jail’s online inmate roster, An Independent Insurance Agency Reed & Associates for excellent service LOCALLY! Nicole Cathey “Someone has to be part of that 11%, why not me?” McClure-Spurgeon is the daughter of retired Union County Commissioner Steve McClure of La Grande and Jackie McClure of Wallowa. She was raised in Elgin and graduated in 1990 from Elgin High School. She earned a degree in art history at Whitman College, where the 6-foot-3 athlete played basketball and became the first Whitman women’s player to earn the National Collegiate Athletic Associa- tion All-American honors. She and her husband, Dave, live in Weston, where they run a family busi- ness in real estate appraising. They have raised two daughters and have a son living at home, who is a freshman at Weston High School. In addition to the family business and her role as mayor, she has other community oc- cupations she put on hold while giving attention to her rigorous cancer treat- ment regimen. 10106 N. ‘C’ • Island Cit y 541-975-1364 and Pritchard’s is $50,000. The sheriff’s office also re- ported receiving assistance in this case from La Grande police, Oregon State Police and other agencies. School attendence dipped on Nov. 15 in the wake of a reported school threat. La Grande School District Superintendent George Men- doza said the recent threat against the high school was determined not to be credible. The concern came Nov. 7 when an anonymous mes- sage was found on a graph- ing calculator, indicating a student was unhappy with the school and warned people not to come to school Nov. 14. Mendoza said the school district launched an investi- gation with local law enforce- ment, per district protocol. Once the district receives or identifies a threat or concern- ing comments, staff then investigate and evaluate the seriousness to determine the danger it poses, recognizing that all threats are not the same. The district considers and implements interven- tions to reduce risk of harm or violence, shares resources and communicates with students and staff, and raises aware- ness for available support systems and reporting tools. Lastly, there is follow-up to assess, monitor and support all resources and interventions applied. “Our investigation process deals with facts that are dis- covered in real time,” Mendoza said. “We work hand-in-hand with law enforcement. We need evidence to support credible threats as well as concerning comments. We also need to take practical and reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of all staff and students.” The school district alerted parents of students there was no cause for concern and that school would go on as normal. However, according to La Grande Middle School Principal Kyle McKinney, ab- sences were double what they regularly are at the middle school on Nov. 14. High school Principal Brett Baxter did not respond to requests for com- ment before publication about the threat. While the school district and LGPD determined there was no danger to students and staff because the mes- sage did not indicate a spe- cific plan or threat of action, the investigation is ongoing. The district is asking anyone with additional information to come forward and share using the Safe Oregon tip line 844-472-3364 or by contact- ing the La Grande Police Department or the Union County Sheriff’s Office. As a precaution, the pres- ence of law enforcement throughout the district was increased in response to this threat, according to Mendoza. “The district needs to follow a reasonable and measured approach to all safety concerns,” Mendoza said. “(We) don’t want to overreact or underreact and need to keep safety as our para- mount duty and responsibility.” THANKSGIVING Dinner Community Connection Nutrition Department is once again providing Th anksgiving Dinners that will serve a family of 4 for $ 35.00. Th ese are designed for those families that are too busy to cook and there is no work for you! Th ese meals also make wonderful gift s for those families that are struggling. Contact Sydney Gleeson @ Commnity Connection 541-962 5851 Medicare, Auto, Home insurance and Annuities Toll Free 1-866-282-1925 www.reed-insurance.net Kevin Reed
