East Oregonian : E.O., July 15, 2015, Image 8

OFF PAGE ONE
SCHOOL: Pendleton almost cut program in 2011
Page 8A
East Oregonian
the money needed for outdoor
school, putting Oregon
pner, said it will likely take ODQG¿OOV DW D FRPSHWLWLYH
more than one source to disadvantage.
generate permanent funding
“The sticker shock would
for statewide outdoor school. result in garbage being sent to
One of the primary targets is ODQG¿OOV RXWVLGH RI 2UHJRQ´
the Oregon Lottery, which /DQJ VDLG ³/DQG¿OO IHHV
already allocates a majority in nearby Washington state
of its lottery funds for public would have been much
education.
lower.”
Cottonwood Canyon State
Less trash to Oregon’s
Park in Sherman County ODQG¿OOV ZRXOG PHDQ OHVV
might also be able to house revenue collected from fees
youth for week-long outdoor to outdoor school, Lang
school programs, Smith said. said, making it a bad deal for
“Ultimately, it’s going to everyone involved.
take multiple players to make
However, Smith said there
this happen,” he said.
is broad support in the legisla-
Outdoor school advocates ture to come up with another
initially proposed an increase solution. Both he and Rep.
in solid waste fees to support Greg Barreto, R-Cove, voted
the program. That didn’t sit in favor of SB 439, as did Sen.
well with the Columbia Ridge Bill Hansell, R-Athena. In
/DQG¿OODQG5HF\FOLQJ&HQWHU fact, the only legislator to vote
in Arlington, which handles 2 nay was Sen. Kim Thatcher,
million tons of garbage every R-Keizer.
year from the city of Seattle
The bill directs OSU
and Portland metro area.
Extension to award grants
Jackie Lang, spokes- for school districts that
woman for Waste Manage- provide a six-day, residential
ment, said they would need to outdoor school program,
WULSOHODQG¿OOIHHVWRJHQHUDWH with hands-on learning about
Continued from 1A
the environment and natural
resources.
Smith said his wife,
Sherri, has participated in
fundraising for Camp Tupper
Outdoor School at Heppner
Elementary School for the
past six years. But not every
district is so lucky.
“There has to be a better
system,” Smith said.
Funding Outdoor School
in Pendleton and Hermiston
KDVDOVREHHQGLI¿FXOWDWWLPHV
The Hermiston program
was cut out of the district
budget for years before it was
revived, and Pendleton nearly
eliminated the program in
2011 before it was saved by
parents and alumni.
Chuck Sams, a member of
the Outdoor Education Coali-
tion steering committee and
spokesman for the Confed-
erated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, said he
attended Pendleton’s outdoor
school which led him down a
20-year career in salmon and
watershed conservation.
Three of Sams’ four
children attended outdoor
school in Portland, and
he wants to make sure the
program remains intact when
his youngest daughter is old
enough to attend.
“Having them understand
their natural environmental
has helped them to excel in
math and science, particu-
larly,” Sams said.
Sams said the steering
committee will meet at the
end of the month to discuss
program funding and offer
WKHLULGHDVWRHOHFWHGRI¿FLDOV
possibly in time for the 2016
short session.
Fitchett said she is excited
for the possibilities. Outdoor
School has garnered broad
support, she said, as one of the
rare issues capable of bridging
Oregon’s urban-rural gap.
“Oregonians value their
natural environment for
many different reasons,” she
said. “We feel this bill really
represents the priorities of this
state.”
———
Contact George Plaven at
gplaven@eastoregonian.com
or 541-564-4547.
RIVER: Stick to designated swim areas regardless of ability
Continued from 1A
“It ended up being a
rescue instead of a recovery.
That was a good thing,” said
Johnson, who has been with
the marine unit since 1997.
As the hot summer
months progress, many
DURXQG (DVWHUQ 2UHJRQ ¿QG
themselves cooling off in
the region’s rivers and lakes.
But the recent deaths of two
18-year-olds — Morrow
County teenagers Dylan Jones
and Gavin Ryce Roberts
— have proven that taking
to Oregon’s open bodies of
water can be deadly.
According to The Orego-
nian, Oregon and southwest
Washington this year saw the
highest number of drown-
ings — nine people — from
Memorial Day weekend to
June 13 since at least 2006,
when the newspaper’s study
began.
Sergeant Johnson has
been involved in a number of
recoveries, and they’re never
easy. They are worse when a
child has drowned.
Johnson, who bought his
¿UVWERDWDWDJHNQRZVWKDW
watersports, from swimming
to boating, can be dangerous.
“Any time you’re dealing
with water, it’s a close call,”
he said.
7KH &ROXPELD DOVR ÀRZV
between 3 and 8 miles per
hour. Faster currents will
run downstream from the
McNary Dam, he said,
depending upon how much
water is let through. Tubers
ÀRDWLQJ WKH ULYHU PD\ ¿QG
themselves “at the mercy of
the current and the wind.”
“If you’re not a strong
swimmer, chances are you’ll
end up downstream,” he said.
Johnson facilitates a class
ROBERTS: Group sold 310 plates of spaghetti
“never recover.”
Sheila Corpus said her family is helping
students and parents took the lead on the with one part of the larger fundraising
fundraising with a car wash and a spaghetti effort. She said her husband, Albert “Chief”
night.
Corpus of Carty Rod and Gun, donated an
“Boardman really showed well on this,” $5 DVVDXOW ULÀH WR EH UDIÀHG RII 7KH
he said. “They really came out in support.” proceeds will hopefully cover the costs of
Mary Killion was part of the group that Roberts’ headstone, she said.
organized the spaghetti dinner night on
The Corpus’ sons were on teams with
Monday in the high school cafeteria, the the student athlete, she said.
funds from which went towards Roberts’
“When times were hard, we
funeral home costs.
bought cleats for him,” she said.
“We fully were focused on Gavin and Roberts was like a big brother for her son
ZH NQHZ KH QHHGHG KHOS ZLWK KLV ¿QDO when his older brother went away for a
expenses,” she said.
church mission.
She said she posted on Facebook about
“Gavin took him under his wing,” she
the event and people “rallied” around it. said.
The group sold 310 plates of spaghetti, but
Even after living in Boardman for 25
she said she thinks more people than that years, Corpus said she has “never seen such
showed up to the cafeteria.
unity in our town.”
Killion’s son played baseball with
Memorial contributions can be made at
Roberts. She said the community will gofundme.com.
Continued from 1A
on water safety, usually for
kindergarten through sixth
grade audiences, though the
30-45 minute lesson is open
to anyone who wants a “short
EULH¿QJ´ RQ VWD\LQJ VDIH LQ
the water.
During the class, Johnson
said he teaches people about
hypothermia, shows a short
movie, gives instruction
regarding the proper way
to put on a life jacket and
answers questions. He said it
has been a success.
Johnson suggests “reach,
throw and go” if you see
someone struggling in the
water: Try to reach them
with a tree branch, if one is
available; throw in any kind
of buoyant item, like a cooler
or even an empty milk jug to
which they can cling; and go
call for help.
He said young children
should never try to go in after
one another.
“Then there will be two
drownings,” he said.
People who don’t intend
to go in the water should stay
away from the banks of the
river, he said. And if someone
doesn’t know how to swim,
they should take classes
before they get wet. The
Pendleton Aquatic Center
offers private swim lessons
for ages 16 and up. He recom-
mends sticking to designated
swim areas regardless of your
ability.
Above all, Johnson is
adamant about wearing a life
jacket in the water.
“Wear your life jackets,”
he said. “If you wear it, it can
save your life. If you don’t,
\RXFDQZDWFKLWÀRDWDZD\´
Brian Hoffmeister, an
aquatics specialist with the
American Red Cross in
Portland, echoes Johnson’s
sentiments when it comes
to life jackets. He said many
of the drownings around the
region this year could have
been avoided if the victims
had been wearing one.
Hoffmeister
said
he
helps facilitate water safety
programs in 650 locations
around
Oregon,
Idaho,
Washington and Montana.
Over his 11 years in aquatics,
starting as a lifeguard, he
has been part of 72 rescues
and no recoveries. He notes
the
difference
between
natural bodies of water and
man-made pools. Trees, rocks
and the bottom of a body of
water’s can be destructive and
fatal for swimmers, the last
being especially true with this
year’s “drastically low” water
levels, he said. He said people
should “be very honest” when
assessing their own swim-
ming ability.
“Open water is a whole
different beast than your local
pool,” he said.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
POLICE: Must pay on-call
employees if they must stay
on the employer’s premises
Stuart Roberts said on-call
policies in law enforcement
who work 10-hour shifts “are all over the map,”
only receive eight hours of but the employee and the
employer negotiate those,
holiday pay.
Diehl also stressed including pay.
Roberts also said nego-
on-call employees cannot
drink alcohol, “must drop tiations to have his depart-
what they are doing and ment provide administrative
respond at a moment’s oversight to Pilot Rock for
notice (at their expense)” $4,000 a month until the city
and must remain within 15 hires a new chief is ongoing.
He said the Pilot Rock
minutes of Pilot Rock.
Diehl stated in the letter City Council had some
the lack of compensation questions, and he offered
for on-call time and having to create a scope-of-work
employees give up two document to specify what
hours for every holiday “is Pendleton police would do.
A supervisor from
wrong and not how you
Pendleton
would
not
recruit/retain employees.”
The city defended itself primarily cover calls for
in its own letter to Diehl, service, Roberts said. But
stating he acknowledged instead, for example, would
the city paid eight hours for make sure the department’s
holidays when he signed policies and procedures
the receipt for the employee meet industry standards and
handbook, which contains RI¿FHUVUHFHLYHWUDLQLQJ
“It’s all still in the air and
the policy. The letter also
stated the city paid Diehl for I don’t know if it will come
six hours of compensatory to fruition,” Roberts said. “I
time off that he used in the want to help if I can help,
but I don’t know if I can.
past.
“Going forward we ... If the task is too much, I
may consider a change to don’t know if we can do it.”
Roberts also said he
the employee handbook,”
according to the response, suggested Pilot Rock drop
“but until then we must certain requirements for
adhere to the policy as the police chief job, such as
having the person live in the
written.”
The city’s letter also city limits. Policing in small
revealed there was no FLWLHV FDQ EXUQ RXW RI¿FHUV
discussion for on-call because they can feel like
compensation, and no other they are never off duty.
city employee receives Allowing a chief to reside
compensation for being outside the city, he said,
on-call during days off or can give a bit of respite and
holidays. And neither state create a happier employee.
The city is offering an
or federal law, according
to the letter, require an annual salary of $57,600-
employer for pay on-call $64,500 for a new police
time as long “as the chief and a starting annual
employee is substantially salary of $39,312 for a
free to conduct their own VHFRQGRI¿FHU&LW\UHSRUWHU
Teri Porter stated in an
personal affairs.”
The city also contended email Monday the city has
it is reasonable to expect received 10 applications for
on-call employees not to the patrol position and 11
drink alcohol and be able to for the chief.
While Pilot Rock’s
respond in 20-45 minutes.
For all of those reasons, pay for cops is lower than
the letter states, the city plenty of police agencies
would not pay Diehl for in Oregon, it is comparable
2,300 hours he claimed he to some similar sized cities.
Hines, for example, with a
was on-call.
The Oregon Bureau population of 1,565 pays
of Labor and Industries’ its chief $59,300 a year, one
website about working time RI¿FHUDQGDQRWKHU
explains employers have $40,600 annually. City
to pay on-call employees administrator Joan Davies
if they must stay on the said the chief has been there
employer’s premises, such for two years and came up
DV D ¿UHPDQ ZDLWLQJ WR through the ranks. She also
respond to an emergency. VDLG WKH VHQLRU RI¿FHU KDV
But the employer does not been there at least six years
have to pay if the employee and the newest for two.
But the coastal city
can leave and have a
cellphone or beeper, for of Gearhart, about 1,400
example, to stay in contact. people, pays its chief
The agency also states, $71,639, though city staff
“Payment must be made there said he has been with
for all time the employee the department since 1985.
is called upon to perform He oversees a department
work.” And if the on-call WKDWDOVREHQH¿WVIURPORQJ
conditions are too restric- tenure — a sergeant hired in
tive, “the time spent waiting 1999 makes almost $62,000
D\HDUDQGDQRI¿FHURIHLJKW
will be compensable.”
Pendleton Police Chief years makes about $49,000.
Continued from 1A
MISTREATMENT: The Iversons regularly made checks out for cash in the range of $500-$1,000
Friend went through bank
statements line-by-line and
Ward interviewed Friend found the Iversons wrote
on Sept. 20, 2013, according dozens of checks, some for
WR WKH DI¿GDYLW )ULHQG VDLG phone bills and other routine
he suffered a heart attack costs. But they also regularly
in 2009 and his wife died made checks out for cash in
in August that year, and the range of $500-$1,000.
Charlotte Iverson took care Friend also told the detective
of the funeral arrangements the Iversons in May 2012 sold
and pushed Friend to give her his 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
and her husband the power of for $25,000 against his wishes
attorney.
and used more than $23,000
“Friend said he doesn’t to pay off a Veterans Affairs
remember why they were so loan they took out on property
insistent on having power of he deeded to them in 2008.
attorney, but he said they kept
“The total for all transac-
pushing the issue until he tions,” according to Ward, “is
DJUHHG´ WKH DI¿GDYLW VWDWHV approximately $112,723.60.”
Friend signed over power of
With his money running
attorney to the Iversons on low in 2013, Friend reached
Sept. 1, 2009.
out to a cousin, Ivan Meads,
“Since
that
time,” who took Friend to revoke the
according to the document, power of attorney from the
“Allen and Charlotte Iverson Iversons. Friend on June 20,
have used a great deal of 2013, gave Meads and his wife
Friend’s money for their own Margaret Meads the power of
¿QDQFLDO JDLQ DQG KDYH HYHQ attorney, and Margaret Meads
sold some of Friend’s prop- took to outlining all the ques-
erty for their own gain.”
tionable expenses.
Ward reported he and
Margaret
Meads
Continued from 1A
confronted Allen Iverson
about the missing money,
DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH DI¿GDYLW
and told him the police were
involved. Then Allen Iverson
in early October 2013 tried to
pressure Friend into signing
an agreement that let him off
the hook for $40,000. That
came about two weeks after
Ward interviewed Friend.
Ivan Meads told Ward
about it, and Ward in response
told Iverson he and his wife
were under investigation for
theft and to cease contact with
Friend. Allen Iverson said
he knew what the case was
about, according to Ward,
“and he said it had everything
to do with someone sticking
their nose in business they
don’t belong in.”
The East Oregonian called
the phone number that court
records show for the Iversons,
but the number does not work.
And Banita Jan Tweet, 59,
of Eatonville, Washington,
pleaded not guilty on July 7
in Umatilla County Circuit
Court, Pendleton, to 22
FRXQWVRI¿UVWGHJUHHFULPLQDO
mistreatment and one count
RI¿UVWGHJUHHWKHIW6KHDOVR
waived extradition rights and
signed a release agreement
that allows her to live at her
Eatonville home.
Pendleton police inves-
tigated the case in October
2014. Police Chief Stuart
Roberts said Tweet had
power of attorney for an
elderly relative in Pendleton
and wrote checks to herself
from the victim’s bank
account. A Umatilla County
grand jury indictment alleges
Tweet engaged in the scheme
against Lillian Hogeland from
Jan. 6 through Sept. 2, 2014.
Tweet
declined
to
comment. Her next court
hearing is Aug. 17 in Pend-
leton.
“ We wish you a
Great Summer! ”
D r. H ibbert
D ental
1100 Southgate, Suite 3 Pendleton, OR 97801
www.drhibbertdental.com • 541-612-3707
Kevin Andrews, MD, L.L.C.
Internal Medicine
(General Medical Care for Adults)
Karaoke with Ron Martin!
I will be moving my practice to
Walla Walla Clinic August 1, 2015.
A local favorite
Thank you for the years of support.
I will miss Pendleton.
July 18, 7 pm - 10 pm
In the Red Lion Lounge
To schedule appointments after
August 1, please call
509-525-3720.
304 SE Nye, Pendleton
541-276-6111
27 SW Frazer, Pendleton, OR 97801
Monday - Wednesday 7:30 AM - 5 PM
Open Late Thursday - Appointments Until 6:30 Closed Fridays
541-276-6244