CGCC’s pre-college program
offers support, opportunity
Non-traditional
students offered
paths to success
Janette Harrington teaches in the pre-college classroom at Columbia Gorge Community College.
Classes are now primarily held online via Zoom.
Contributed photo
some of the gaps by pro-
viding technical resources,
such as laptops and Wi-Fi
hotspots, to students in need
of them, as well as scholar-
ships of $152 for those who
require financial assistance
to pay for the test.
Upon successful comple-
tion of the GED test, students
are granted an eight-credit
tuition waiver to go towards
classes at Columbia Gorge
Community College.
The GED Program wants
potential students to know
that the staff recognizes the
challenges students may
be facing when trying to
decide whether or not to
participate in the program —
understanding the negative
associations students may
have with classroom envi-
ronments, and/or the lack of
time and resources (such as
childcare) working individu-
als can spare for homework
and classroom time.
With classes costing $25
dollars, regardless of the
number taken at one time,
program staff are willing
to work with them to find
solutions that will help them
through the course and gain
their certificate.
Alongside GED, another
prominent facet of the Pre-
College Program includes
the Youth Success Program
— a supportive resource
available to qualifying
students. Students who are
homeless or have a criminal
history can also be provided
with a multitude of resourc-
es such as job placement
assistance, pre-college skills
development (subjects such
as reading, writing, and
math), and soft work skills
development.
With built in incentives,
such as $100 gifts cards for
students who do well in the
first two weeks of partici-
pation, the Youth Success
Program seeks to help as
many individuals as possible
to gain the skills they need to
jumpstart a successful career.
According to Fitzpatrick,
other "wrap around" services
include programs such as the
Adult and Dislocated Worker
Program — a resource for
Oregon residents who are
18 and older. One program
benefit can include scholar-
ships for short term training
certificates through CGCC or
other training providers.
Another service assists
employers with offsetting the
cost of training new employ-
ees. This pre-hire, “on-the-
job training” arrangement
can provide employers with
wage reimbursement while
helping job seekers begin a
new career path (for a full
list of qualifying require-
ments for the Youth Success
and Adult Dislocation
Programs, visit ged.cgcc.edu/
resources).”
Another important facet
of the Pre-college Program is
the Gorge Literacy Program.
Volunteer based, Gorge
Literacy is a confiden-
tial, one-on-one tutoring
resource for pre-college
students preparing for the
GED, as well as members of
the community who need
assistance with reading and
writing, basic math, and
English language learning.
The program’s mission is to
enable community members
“to reach their goals and
realize their potential within
their family, work, and com-
munity lives.”
For further information
on the program and how to
register, as well as a survey of
individual needs, visit ged.
cgcc.edu.
Now is the time to complete
spring debris burning
Burning should
be completed
in March
Landowners planning to
burn yard debris, material
from fuel reduction projects
and other commercial forest
slash this spring in Wasco
and Hood River counties
should contact the Oregon
Department of Forestry
(ODF) office in The Dalles for
information on how to obtain
a permit and when burning is
allowed, according to a press
release from the agency.
ODF is encouraging land-
owners to complete burning
from fuel reduction projects
or commercial forest slash
prior to March 31 to reduce
risks of escaped burns and
the rekindling of burn piles
later in the season when
wildland fuels have dried out.
Yard debris pile burning is
typically allowed until May
15.
Spring is often the time
when landowners work to
clean up vegetation and
yard debris around their
property and is the perfect
time for cleaning gutters and
removing leaves and needles
from rooftops to reduce risk
of wildfire damage to homes
and buildings.
However, ODF reminds
landowners to be cautious if
they plan to burn that materi-
al. Weather in the spring can
often be erratic and winds
can pick up suddenly, fan-
ning flames and dispersing
embers into dry vegetation
nearby. Many communities
have programs which allow
for chipping and disposal of
these types of materials at
low or no cost to landowners.
ODF encourages landowners
to take advantage of these
“No Burn” opportunities.
During the month of May
the Wasco County landfill
accepts yard debris free of
charge. Below are some tips
to reduce the risk of a fire
getting out of control.
• Check with local fire
department and county
restrictions to be certain
burning is allowed and
what restrictions should be
followed.
• Check weather forecasts.
Avoid burning on windy days
or when wind is forecast to
be erratic or increasing.
• Never leave a fire unat-
tended. Be certain the fire
is completely out prior to
leaving.
• Have a water source
and shovel available while
burning.
• Keep debris piles small.
Add material gradually as
the pile burns down.
• Ensure burned piles are
cold prior to adding new
material for future burning.
• Contact 911 immediately
if the fire gets out of control.
Landowners can be held
financially responsible for
the costs of putting the fire
out and any damage caused
by a fire if they are found to
be negligent while burning.
ELEBRATE
EA
EA
ELEBRATE
ELEBRATE
Annual Community Easter Sunrise Service
Annual Community Easter Sunrise Service
Annual
Community
Easter 4, Sunrise
Service
Easter Sunday
Sunday April
Easter
April 4, 2021
2021
Easter
April Stadium
4, 2021
6:30am Sunday
at CHS
CHS Football
6:30am
at
Football
Stadium
1455 NW
NW Bruin
Bruin Country
Rd,
1455
Rd, White
White Salmon,
Salmon, WA
WA
6:30am
at Country
CHS Football
Stadium
Come together for a community-wide
Come
together for a community-wide
sunrise
service
to worship God and
celebrate
the
1455 NW
Bruin
Country
White
Salmon,
WA
sunrise service
to worship Rd,
God and
celebrate
the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Rain or shine join us!
resurrection
of Jesus the
Christ.
Rain Pastor's
or shine
join us!
Come
a community-wide
This event together
is sponsored by for
Evangelical
Association:
This Encounter
event is sponsored
by the
Evangelical
Pastor's
Association:
Church, Grace
Baptist,
& Husum
Church
of God
Encounter
Church,
Baptist,
Husum
of God
For questions
please Grace
contact
Pastor & Tom
Culp Church
509-281-1161
For questions please contact Pastor Tom Culp 509-281-1161
sunrise service to worship God and celebrate the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Rain or shine join us!
This event is sponsored by the Evangelical Pastor's Association:
Encounter Church, Grace Baptist, & Husum Church of God
11
ICE removes child
molester with felony
convictions
Crimes occurred
in Wasco and
Klickitat counties
Cowart
■ By For Kelsie
Columbia Gorge News
The Pre-College Program
at Columbia Gorge
Community College is a
multifaceted program that
provides education and
resources to those inter-
ested in completing their
pre-college education and/
or gaining learning and work
skills. The GED program,
where students 16 and up are
taught content for passing
the General Educational
Development (GED) test is
a major component of the
program.
According to Andrew
Carmichael, pre-college
program department chair
and GED instructor, students
engage in lessons through
instruction and the discus-
sion of topics and strategies
needed to pass the GED test,
and practice problem-solv-
ing skills through working
together in small groups.
Traditionally, students at-
tended GED orientation and
classes at the CGCC campus,
but due to COVID-19 restric-
tions, classes are currently
taking place purely online.
Having to work completely
online has created challeng-
es for everyone in educa-
tion, said Matt Fitzpatrick,
the program’s director and
Transitions and Pathways
adviser. One of those
challenges is the significant
amount of time needed to
work with each student indi-
vidually. But Fitzparick also
noted there have been many
positive changes as well. “We
were a little apprehensive
about teaching into student’s
homes … and now I don’t
think we’d ever (completely)
go back,” he said.
These positives stem from
being able to work around
obstacles that working,
non-traditional students
may face while attempting
to get their certificates, such
as a lack of transportation to
class. The program has also
been able to further bridge
Wednesday,March31,2021
Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
SEATTLE — U.S.
Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) offi-
cers removed a Mexican
national March 23 with
federal convictions in both
Washington and Oregon
including first degree child
molestation, first degree
attempting to commit
sexual penetration, and
first degree attempting to
commit sexual abuse.
Juan Manuel Enriquez-
Martinez, 40, was con-
victed June 23, 2015, in
the Wasco County Circuit
Court for attempting to
commit sexual penetra-
tion and for attempting to
commit sexual abuse in
the first degree and was
sentenced to 56 months
and 14 months confine-
ment, according to an ICE
press release. On Jan. 19,
2016, Enriquez-Martinez
was convicted in the
Klickitat Superior Court
for the State of Washington
of child molestation in
the first degree and was
sentence to 68 months
confinement
Enriquez-Martinez
came to the attention of
ICE’s Enforcement and
Removal Operations
(ERO) officers as a result of
his criminal convictions.
On March 1, 2016, ICE
ERO’s Portland office
lodged an immigration
detainer on Enriquez-
Martinez with the Federal
Correction Institution in
Sheridan,
Ore.,
where he
was being
detained.
ICE lodges
immi-
gration
Juan Manuel
detainers
Enriquez-
on individ-
Martinez
uals like
Enriquez-
Martinez who have been
arrested on local crim-
inal charges and who
are suspected of being
removable, so that ICE can
take custody of that person
when he or she is released
from local custody.
On Feb. 22, 2021, the
Washington Department
of Corrections transferred
custody of Enrique-
Martinez to ICE and on
March 10 an immigration
judge ordered Enriquez-
Martinez removed to
Mexico, the release stated.
Enriquez-Martinez waived
his right to appeal the de-
cision. Enriquez-Martinez
was removed from the
United States via an ICE
Air Operations charter
flight and transferred to
the custody of Mexican
authorities.
According to the
press release, ICE is now
implementing the civil
immigration enforcement
priorities directed by
the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS)
on Jan. 20 to focus resourc-
es on threats to national
security, border security
and public safety.
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