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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 30, 2017)
90/55 How did this cyclist end up in the stocks? BUCKS SPRINT TO SEMIS CROC RIDE/6A SPORTS/1B TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 141st Year, No. 161 One dollar WINNER OF THE 2016 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD HERMISTON No arrests, suspects in weekend fatal shooting Victim was a 38-year-old man; police seeking ‘person of interest’ East Oregonian A Hermiston man was shot to death early Saturday morning at an apartment complex on South- west 13th Place in Hermiston near West Highland Avenue, and police continue the search for a person they believe may be connected to the death. Police were dispatched at 2:31 a.m. after receiving a report of gunshots in the area of 525 S.W. 13th Place, the Viewcrest Apart- ment complex. While en route, police received an update that a man had been shot. When an offi cer arrived at 2:35 a.m., he began administering CPR to James John Cragun, 38, who lived in the apartment complex. A medic, who arrived a short time later, began working on him but Cragun was pronounced dead at the scene. The area major crime team was activated, including offi cers from Boardman, Umatilla, Umatilla County, Morrow County, Oregon State Police and the Umatilla Tribal Police. As of Monday afternoon, Hermiston Police Capt. Travis Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini Eynon said there were no updates A member of the Oregon State Police forensic services division works to the case and wouldn’t confi rm at the scene of a fatal shooting Saturday at Viewcrest Apartments in Hermiston. See SHOOTING/9A MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTES PENDLETON District drafts new strategy to combat decline in enrollment, state funding By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian ABOVE: Anthony Bow- man, of Veterans of Foreign Wars Let’er Buck Post 922, salutes the fl ag Monday during a Memorial Day cer- emony at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton. FAR LEFT: Rhys Lundquist, 9, listens during a the cer- emony at Olney Cemetery. NEAR LEFT: Two members of the U.S. Army Honor Guard present the colors in honor of Alvin “Bruce” Christopher, who died April 27, 2017. Christopher, who was 71, served in the U.S. Army. For more on these services, see Page 3A. Staff photos by Kathy Aney and Jayati Ramakrishnan Lost class ring comes home after 42 years By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian Kurt Kildow remembers the exact moment he lost his Pend- leton High School class ring. It happened 42 years ago as Kildow skied down a run at Anthony Lakes Ski Area. Suddenly, he and another skier collided into a painful tangle of arms, legs, skis and poles. As the 17-year-old detached, he checked himself for injury. “I sorted myself out,” Kildow remembers. “Nothing was broken.” Later, he realized he had lost his class ring during the crash. Since the bulky ring wouldn’t fi t inside his glove, he had tucked it into a shirt pocket where it likely stayed secure until the collision, when, Kildow fi gures, “The snap popped open and it fl ew out.” The loss was a bummer, but the teen didn’t dwell on it. Life went on. He graduated and headed to college. Turns out, Kildow would see his class ring again — more than See RING/9A Contributed photo Kurt Kildow’s lost class ring is back on his hand 42 years after it went missing after he collided with another skier at the Antho- ny Lakes Ski Area. Whatever fi nal form the Pendleton School District’s strategic plan takes, district offi cials are insisting it won’t just be left on a shelf. Pendleton School Board chairwoman Debbie McBee said the district’s previous strategic plan was well-intentioned but used sparingly. District staff and elected offi cials are now charting a new path for the district amidst the continual uncertainty on education funding at the state level and Pendleton’s declining school enrollment numbers. If imple- mented successfully, they believe that the plan will be heavily integrated into almost Fritsch everything the district does. “Our prior strategic plan required a lot of work and identifi ed great information, but did not become a functional tool,” McBee said. “With this one, we’re taking a completely different approach, completely McBee different focuses so we have this very usable and functional and measurable (plan). We’ll be using this very actively.” The district convened a committee of educators, board members and district residents to help draft Yoshioka the strategic plan and met several times during the school year. Aided by a consultant, interim superin- tendent Matt Yoshioka said the committee devised six initiatives that will set the goals for the strategic plan. Yoshioka added that the initiatives could be consolidated and further refi ned before they’re adopted, but the gist of the committee’s priorities is there. The initiatives recommend building the Pendleton School District brand; providing continual support for all staff; hiring, supporting and retaining effective educators; supporting holistic well-being; See STRATEGY/9A Hermiston Offi ce: Pendleton Offi ce: GLENN SCOTT JENNIFER OLSON Veteran's Service Offi cer • 435 E Newport Ave. Veteran’s Service Offi cer • 17 SW Frazer Ph: 541.667.3125 • Cell: 541.848.8120 Ph.541.278.5482 glenn.scott@umatillacounty.net jennifer.olson@umatillacounty.net VETERANS SERVING VETERANS NS LET US ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR BENEFITS LE
