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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 31, 2017)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian Page 2A Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Oregon’s first immigrant Latina lawmaker makes an impact By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press WOODBURN — Teresa Alonso Leon envisioned a better life in a promised land when she was brought from Mexico to America as a young girl. Instead, her family wound up in an unheated house in Oregon with no indoor plumbing, eking out a living by picking strawberries. It is all the more remark- able, then, that Alonso is now one of the first people brought to the U.S. illegally to become a lawmaker in America. “I think it shows that human potential does not know immigration status, and that among America’s immigrants, especially those who have come here as children and benefited from the right to education, their potential offers leadership for the country,” said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. The irony that Alonso was elected on the same day Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the presidential race is not lost on her. “We didn’t get our woman president that we were hoping for, but they got me as a legislator,” Alonso said with a laugh in her small office in the Oregon Capitol. Alonso, a Democrat, became a U.S. citizen in 2012. Now, with Trump stepping up immigration enforcement, she sees herself as a defender of her constitu- ents. Her district is centered around the predominantly Latino town of Woodburn, 30 miles south of Portland. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, known by its acronym as ICE, already has focused on the town, stopping two vans loaded with workers in February and taking several people away. Alonso is a former Woodburn City Council member. “When I think about the folks in my community who Contributed photo/Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office A wreck near Fossil killed two motorcyclists Saturday evening, and injured others. Memorial Weekend crash kills two motorcyclists, injures several others By ANGEL CARPENTER EO Media Group A Memorial Day weekend crash killed two motorcyclists and seriously injured several other riders late Saturday night on Highway 19 near Fossil. The crash occurred when a vehicle traveling north crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic, striking a large number of motorcycle riders who were traveling the opposite direction. Motorcyclists Aaron Michael Polsfuss and Donald Robert Pratt were killed. Multiple others were injured. The driver of the vehicle, Lisa Ann Niehaus, was arrested and booked in jail on multiple charges, including two counts of criminally negligent homi- cide, three counts of assault in the third degree and several misdemeanors. Wheeler County Sheriff Chris Humphreys, who said he was on the scene from the start, called it “horrific.” “It is definitely the worst in Wheeler County history,” he said. Several agencies responded to the crash at 10:40 p.m. Saturday near milepost 60, including ambulances from Spray, Fossil, Condon and Arlington. Four helicopters AP Photo/Andrew Selsky In this May 18 photo, Oregon Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon, left, speaks with her legislative aide, Audrey Mechling, in Alonso’s office in the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. Alonso is Oregon Legislature’s first Latina immigrant lawmaker. Alonso has joined three other lawmakers in filing a public records request with ICE to obtain details of enforcement actions, to determine how they have changed. Among her bills is one that would require Oregon’s public universities and community colleges to promote inclusiveness and diversity. Another would prohibit state agencies from contracting with companies that don’t prevent sexual harassment and discrimi- nation. The Oregon Trial Lawyers Association said in support of the measure that many workers face on-the-job discrimination, and that the state shouldn’t spend taxpayer money with companies that refuse to have policies barring harass- ment. Some of Alonso’s fellow lawmakers, however, are unhappy about illegal immi- gration. Republican Rep. Sal Esquivel introduced a bill that sought to repeal a 1987 law that made Oregon Amer- ica’s first sanctuary state. The bill died in committee. “States need to comply with federal immigration laws,” Esquivel said in an email. AP Photo/Andrew Selsky In this May 12 photo, a student walks through the front lobby of Woodburn High School. Teresa Alonso Leon has been making an impact as the first Latina immigrant member of the Oregon Legislature. “Our Latino students see her as inspirational,” said Victor Vergara, principal of the high school’s Academy of International Studies. wake up so early to go to work, and now they wake up in the morning to go to work and hope and pray that they don’t get pulled over by ICE, to me that’s just unac- ceptable,” Alonso said in an interview. Some kids are even afraid to attend school, she said, worried they’ll return to empty homes, their parents gone. On a recent afternoon, students streamed out of Woodburn High School, many chatting in Spanish as they headed for their yellow buses. Four out of five students at the school, which Alonso once attended, are Latino. “Our Latino students see her as inspirational,” said Victor Vergara, principal of the high school’s Academy of International Studies. “They see her and think ‘We can do that. She looks just like us.’” Since becoming the first immigrant Latina lawmaker in Oregon’s Legislature, Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255 before noon Tuesday through Friday or before 10 a.m. Saturday for same-day redelivery — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211 Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed major holidays SUBSCRIPTION RATES Local home delivery Savings off cover price EZPay $14.50 41 percent 52 weeks $173.67 41 percent 26 weeks $91.86 38 percent 13 weeks $47.77 36 percent *EZ Pay = one-year rate with a monthly credit or debit card/check charge www.eastoregonian.com To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255 or go online to www.eastoregonian.com and click on ‘Subscribe’ East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published daily except Sunday, Monday and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. 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Classified & Legal Advertising 1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678 classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com Advertising Director: Marissa Williams 541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com Advertising Services: Laura Jensen 541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com Multimedia Consultants: • Terri Briggs 541-278-2678 • tbriggs@eastoregonian.com • Danni Halladay 541-278-2683 • dhalladay@eastoregonian.com • Jeanne Jewett 541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com • Dayle Stinson 541-278-2670 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com • Angela Treadwell 541-966-0827 • atreadwell@eastoregonian.com • Audra Workman 541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com Subscriber services: For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255 Single copy price: $1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday NEWS • To submit news tips and press releases: • call 541-966-0818 • fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com • To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News: email community@eastoregonian.com or call Tammy Malgesini at 541-564-4539 or Renee Struthers in at 541-966-0818. • To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries: email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian. com/community/announcements • To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. • To submit sports or outdoors information or tips: 541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com COMMERCIAL PRINTING Production Manager: Mike Jensen 541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group REGIONAL CITIES Forecast TODAY FRIDAY THURSDAY Cooler with clouds and sun Variable cloudiness 70° 54° 72° 52° SATURDAY Partly sunny and pleasant Sunny to partly cloudy and nice SUNDAY Cooler with some sun PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 74° 45° 79° 51° 67° 47° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 79° 56° 75° 57° PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH LOW 87° 74° 102° (1931) 56° 50° 36° (1978) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date 0.00" 0.93" 1.34" 9.14" 5.54" 6.45" HERMISTON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE Yesterday Normals Records HIGH LOW 93° 76° 102° (1983) 58° 50° 34° (1979) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date 0.00" 0.43" 1.09" 6.31" 4.23" 5.08" SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today First Full June 1 June 9 84° 53° 73° 51° Seattle 70/55 ALMANAC Yesterday Normals Records 80° 46° 5:10 a.m. 8:36 p.m. 11:46 a.m. 1:04 a.m. Last New June 17 June 23 Today Spokane Wenatchee 71/53 76/55 Tacoma Moses 70/54 Lake Pullman Aberdeen Olympia Yakima 75/54 68/51 62/53 68/53 79/55 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 68/57 73/58 Lewiston 77/57 Astoria 75/57 62/54 Portland Enterprise Hermiston 72/58 Pendleton 72/47 The Dalles 75/57 70/54 78/59 La Grande Salem 71/50 71/56 Albany Corvallis 71/54 72/55 John Day 71/50 Ontario Eugene Bend 85/59 70/54 69/48 Caldwell Burns 84/58 69/44 Astoria Baker City Bend Brookings Burns Enterprise Eugene Heppner Hermiston John Day Klamath Falls La Grande Meacham Medford Newport North Bend Ontario Pasco Pendleton Portland Redmond Salem Spokane Ukiah Vancouver Walla Walla Yakima Hi 62 73 69 59 69 72 70 70 75 71 68 71 68 79 59 64 85 76 70 72 73 71 71 67 70 73 79 Lo 54 48 48 51 44 47 54 51 57 50 44 50 47 56 53 55 59 55 54 58 47 56 53 46 57 58 55 W r pc c c pc pc c pc pc pc c pc pc c c c pc pc pc c c c pc pc c pc c NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Thu. Hi 62 66 68 58 70 62 68 70 79 68 72 67 65 81 59 62 77 80 72 70 72 69 69 65 67 75 78 Lo 52 41 42 48 39 42 49 47 56 46 38 47 44 50 51 52 53 53 52 54 39 51 51 44 53 56 50 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. W c pc pc pc pc pc pc c c c pc pc pc pc c c s c c c pc c pc c c c pc WORLD CITIES Today Beijing Hong Kong Jerusalem London Mexico City Moscow Paris Rome Seoul Sydney Tokyo Hi 93 87 82 70 72 65 76 78 80 61 80 Lo 61 81 57 53 58 52 59 58 64 50 67 W pc sh s pc t sh pc s pc sh pc Thu. Hi 87 89 75 75 73 60 81 79 79 63 76 Lo 59 80 58 54 57 42 62 59 57 51 68 W c r s pc t r pc s pc s r WINDS Medford 79/56 (in mph) Klamath Falls 68/44 Boardman Pendleton REGIONAL FORECAST Coastal Oregon: Mostly cloudy today. A little rain; arriving in the afternoon across the north. Eastern and Central Oregon: Intervals of clouds and sun today; a shower or thunder- storm in spots in central parts. Western Washington: Mainly cloudy today; a little afternoon rain at the coast. A couple of showers tonight. Eastern Washington: Clouds and sun today. A shower or thunderstorm around in the mountains tonight. Cascades: Mostly cloudy, a thunderstorm in spots this afternoon. Northern California: A shower today, but a thunderstorm in spots in the interior mountains. Today Thursday WSW 8-16 W 6-12 WSW 8-16 W 7-14 UV INDEX TODAY Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. 1 4 6 5 3 and a fixed-wing plane transported patients from the scene and from Asher Community Health Clinic in Fossil. Volunteer medical crews and fire departments responded, along with Wheeler County Sheriff’s office and Oregon State Police. Highway 19 was closed for nearly nine hours as a local crane operator assisted in clearing the wreckage. “I’ve seen some things in the 20 years that I’ve been doing this,” Humphreys said. “It’s heartbreaking on every side here. I’m in contact with the families, and it’s heartbreaking for them.” The motorcycle group, which are self-identified as members of the Gypsy Jokers Motorcycle Club, were headed to the 40th Fossil Motorcycle Campout at Bear Hollow Park south of Fossil. Humphreys said they believe more than 40 motor- cyclists were riding together. He added that getting a full count was difficult. In addition to the two charges of criminally negli- gent homicide, Class B felo- nies, Niehaus was charged with three counts of assault in the third degree, Class C felonies, for unlawfully and recklessly causing serious physical injury. 1 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 0-2, Low 3-5, Moderate 6-7, High; 8-10, Very High; 11+, Extreme The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num- ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017 -10s -0s showers t-storms 0s 10s rain 20s flurries 30s 40s snow ice 50s 60s cold front 70s 80s 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low National Summary: Showers and thunderstorms will affect a large part of the Eastern and Southern states today. Some of the storms can be briefly severe. Storms will dot the Rockies, Sierra Nevada and Cascades. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 106° in Needles, Calif. Low 26° in Dillon, Colo. NATIONAL CITIES Today Albuquerque Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Billings Birmingham Boise Boston Charleston, SC Charleston, WV Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit El Paso Fairbanks Fargo Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Hi 77 81 72 80 86 83 85 68 83 75 71 73 92 82 72 83 65 77 85 88 75 87 80 96 87 71 Lo 57 65 62 57 58 64 59 59 70 54 52 53 73 52 51 63 40 48 73 71 51 69 62 72 66 59 W pc pc pc pc s t pc c c pc s pc pc pc pc pc pc s pc t s t s s pc pc Thur. Hi 79 85 74 77 88 84 75 75 87 77 78 73 87 82 76 88 70 83 85 84 77 87 82 94 84 75 Lo 59 68 60 55 57 68 54 55 69 56 58 55 72 54 53 66 46 59 73 73 60 69 66 72 67 59 W pc pc s s pc pc pc pc pc pc pc s r pc s pc s pc c t pc t t s c pc Today Hi Louisville 82 Memphis 88 Miami 91 Milwaukee 69 Minneapolis 73 Nashville 86 New Orleans 81 New York City 73 Oklahoma City 88 Omaha 79 Philadelphia 80 Phoenix 102 Portland, ME 63 Providence 74 Raleigh 83 Rapid City 78 Reno 73 Sacramento 78 St. Louis 83 Salt Lake City 92 San Diego 68 San Francisco 68 Seattle 70 Tucson 99 Washington, DC 81 Wichita 85 Lo 61 67 80 53 52 61 73 60 63 58 59 78 52 59 63 53 50 55 63 66 61 56 55 68 61 66 W s pc pc pc s pc t pc pc s pc s c c pc pc pc pc s s pc pc c s pc pc Thur. Hi 82 87 90 73 78 87 84 77 84 83 77 99 72 77 85 87 81 83 81 86 70 67 66 95 79 88 Lo 65 69 79 58 62 66 72 60 66 67 59 74 47 54 62 58 52 53 69 62 62 53 54 66 60 67 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. W pc c pc pc pc pc pc s t pc s s pc pc s s pc s t s pc pc sh s s t
