REGION
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
East Oregonian
BMCC instructor to lead National
Association of Agricultural Educators
Nick Nelson has served on
college faculty for 11 years
By GEORGE PLAVEN
EO Media Group
Nick Nelson, an animal science
instructor at Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College in Pendleton, is set to
become the first teacher from Oregon
and first from a postsecondary insti-
tution to serve as president of the
National Association of Agricultural
Educators.
Nelson was chosen during the
NAAE annual convention Dec. 5-9 in
Nashville. The group represents more
than 7,800 members and 12,000 agri-
culture teachers across the country.
As NAAE president, Nelson said his
primary focus will be working to solve
the agriculture teacher shortage nation-
wide. According to the association,
there were 770 open teaching positions
in 2016, and 98 schools were forced to
eliminate their agriculture programs
due to budget cuts, low enrollments or
inability to find a qualified instructor.
“Ag teachers are truly dynamic
individuals that wear numerous hats,”
Nelson said in a statement. “They teach
in the classroom, serve as the FFA
advisor and then make project visits to
students’ homes all year long.
“They are also very active in the
community, doing numerous tasks, all
the while raising a family and farming
on the side,” Nelson said. “It is no
wonder why we are seeing an increase
Blue Mountain Community College File
Nick Nelson, left, animal science instructor at Blue Mountain Community
College in Pendleton, instructs a student in one of his ag classes. Nelson
was selected to serve as president of the National Association of Agricul-
tural Educators at the group’s annual convention Dec. 5-9.
in the number of schools that want ag
programs, but not enough ag teachers
to fill the positions.”
Nelson said the biggest thing is
to get more states participating in the
NAAE Teach Ag campaign, which
helps to recruit, retain and mentor more
young agriculture teachers.
Nelson is a second-generation
teacher whose father, Veril Nelson,
taught agriculture in Roseburg.
Together, they also raise Red Angus
cattle and market bulls through the
Lorenzen Red Angus program.
Before arriving at BMCC, Nelson
taught high school in Clackamas and
Hermiston. He will serve one year as
NAAE president and travel to Wash-
ington, D.C., for board meetings as
well as the National Policy Seminar,
hosted by the Association for Career
and Technical Education.
“It’s a service job, and the Western
states really pushed me to continue that
on,” Nelson said. “That’s really why I
did it, to represent them.”
HERMISTON
Community dinner serves Christmas ham
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
The second of the twice-
yearly Community Fellow-
ship Dinners in Hermiston
will offer a free holiday meal
on Christmas Day.
The traditional meal
features Hill’s Meat ham with
all the trimmings. Also, there
is a limited supply of turkey.
The dinner includes a vege-
table and dessert.
Anyone who wants to eat
is invited to attend Monday,
Dec. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. in Hermiston High
School’s main commons, 600
S. First St. Also, meal delivery
service, take-out orders and
transportation to the meal site
is available.
People are treated as
guests at the event. As soon as
someone enters the door, they
are greeted, seated and served,
said Gary Humphreys, CFD
board chair.
The community meal
started in the mid-1980s as a
way to provide a nice holiday
dinner to people who might
otherwise spend it alone. The
meal’s humble beginnings
included about 30 people in
the home of Joe and Janet
Kiser.
Since then, it has grown
and changed venues a couple
File photo
Volunteers bow their heads in prayer before serving at
the free meal on Thanksgiving in Hermiston. The second
of the twice-yearly free Community Fellowship Dinners
is Christmas Day in the main commons at Hermiston
High School.
of times before finding a long-
time home at the Hermiston
Senior Center. However, due
to the building’s demolition,
the CFD board, which was
organized in 1993, approached
the Hermiston School District
to inquire about use of its
facilities. The meal was held
in the school’s commons
for the first time during last
month’s Thanksgiving dinner
— serving about 700 meals.
Humphreys said the high
school’s facilities offer oppor-
tunities for further growth of
the event. Equipment, parking
and seating is far superior to
what’s was available else-
where in town.
However, Humphreys said
volunteers are the key to the
event’s success.
“I’ve been helping long
enough to see moms and dads
bring their kids there,” he
said. “And then I see the kids
coming back as adults.”
Even with many longtime
and returning volunteers,
there’s always room for others
to get involved, Humphreys
said.
Volunteers are needed for
food preparation and set-up
Saturday, Dec. 23. Organizers
will be on hand from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m., but those interested in
assisting are welcome to help
for a couple of hours or all
day.
All ages are invited to
volunteer, although there is
an age limit for those working
directly in the kitchen. Assis-
tance is needed for everything
from greeters, servers or deliv-
eries to meal prep, the hot line
or clean-up. While walk-ins
are welcome, it’s helpful if
volunteers sign up in advance
for planning purposes.
For more information, to
volunteer, for meal delivery
or to arrange transportation,
contact 541-371-9772 or
cfdhermiston@gmail.com.
Those interested in volun-
teering should provide their
contact information, what
you’d like to do and when you
can help. Financial donations
can be sent to Community
Fellowship
Dinner
in
Hermiston, P.O. Box 1551,
Hermiston, OR 97838.
In addition, information
about the meal is available
by searching Facebook for
“Community
Fellowship
Dinner.”
———
Contact
Community
Editor Tammy Malgesini at
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4539
Hat Rock area residents seek grazing district
By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian
Four land-owning couples
near Hat Rock State Park
seek to create a new livestock
district to protect their prop-
erty from open grazing.
Bob and Sue Keys said
they started the effort. They
live on Salmon Point Lane
west of the park, and said
for the past 20 years they
and their few neighbors on
the bluff put up temporary
electric fences a few months
a year to keep out grazing
cattle.
The cows have caused
about $1,000 in property
damage, he said. But now
at 84 years old, building and
taking down that fence is
getting to be too much.
Neighbors Rick and Jean
McAndrews, Jason and
Serena Torres, and Jerry and
Norah Pratton signed onto the
petition for the district, which
would exempt 2,000 acres
from open grazing along the
banks of the Colombia River,
including some of Hat Rock.
Sue Keys said the district
only establishes boundaries
and does not come with any
taxes. But like other districts,
the Umatilla County Board
of Commissioners has to a
hold public hearing on its
formation. The board at its
meeting 9 a.m. Wednesday at
the courthouse in Pendleton
will consider scheduling the
hearing for Feb. 7.
Bob Keys said the forma-
tion of the district could
mean a cattle owner there
would have to put up fencing
to keep them contained.
The county board also
will consider vacating a
portion of Pine Creek Road
and allowing the public
works department to spend
$8,500 to buy a 1987
Autocar snowplow with
wing and sander from state
surplus property.
Public Works Director
Tom Fellows in a memo to
the board about the plow said
it would be added to county
snow removal equipment.
Page 3A
Umatilla man stabbed,
thrown from vehicle
Hermiston, on a probation
violation, and lodged her at
A Umatilla man was the Umatilla County Jail.
The
vehicle
was
treated for non-life threat-
ening injuries Monday impounded and a search
was
served
night after he reported an warrant
acquaintance stabbed him Tuesday morning.
Hermiston
and threw him
Police
Chief
from a vehicle in
Jason Edmiston
the 800 block of
said the investi-
North First Street,
gation is ongoing,
Hermiston.
and that it was
Hermiston
an isolated and
Police said they
quickly contained
received a call
incident.
around
9:45
“[It] involved
p.m., saying a
three
persons
male victim had
known to each
been
thrown Alex Ortega
other with what
from the vehicle.
When officers responded we believe was a very
they found that the victim unique ‘friendship’ leading
had been stabbed in the to a dispute taking place
abdomen. He was taken to inside a moving vehicle,”
Good Shepherd Medical Edmiston said in a press
Center, Hermiston for release.
Edmiston said police
treatment of non-life
believe they have a confes-
threatening injuries.
Officers arrested Alex sion from Ortega, and all
Ortega, 25, for second-de- three people involved have
gree assault and lodged a history with police in the
him in the Umatilla County area.
Hermiston Police were
Jail. Ortega, of Hermiston,
also owned the 1996 Honda assisted by the Umatilla
Civic where the stabbing County Sheriff’s Office,
the Stanfield Police Depart-
allegedly happened.
Officers also arrested ment and the Oregon State
Nina J. Hodges, 22, of Police.
East Oregonian
FBI’s poem advises
parents about tech toys
PORTLAND — The
Oregon
FBI’s
“Tech
Tuesday” segment advises
parents to be careful of new
“smart” toys, which connect
to the internet. The state
branch even put its warnings
in poetry:
“Personalization is key,
and that means learning
what your kid is all about.
This can lead to serious
privacy invasion, make no
doubt.
Tommy’s new toy may
capture his likes and loca-
tions with voice recognition.
GPS, microphones and
video recording are all part
of the proposition.
Samara’s big gift may
soon know where she lives,
goes to school and plays in
the park.
And it can send that info
to back to the company,
leaving you in the dark.”
Given those reasons, how
should parents keep children
safe this holiday season?
The FBI has these answers:
• First, research the
toy and its manufacturer.
Check to see if hackers have
breached the company’s
database in the past and try
to determine the level of
security the corporation uses
to protect its customers.
• Second, turn on all
possible internal security
devices. If a password
or even dual encryption
option is available, use it.
Likewise, if the company
offers an update or software
patch, install it immediately
to protect against possible
hacking
vulnerabilities.
Also, make sure any WiFi
system connected to the toy
is equally secure.
• Third, read all of the
company’s
disclosure
statements to understand
the purpose and destination
of the information the toy
collects.
• Finally, monitor the use
of the toy. When not in use,
turn the toy off completely
to avoid automatic systems,
such as GPS or voice
recording, from continuing
to collect data.
Following this advice can
help you make Christmas
turn out nice.
Assembly of God presents
Christmas in Hermiston
East Oregonian
Awesome music, a
touching message and
memories you’ll never
forget are promised during
Christmas in Hermiston.
Rev. Terry Haight of
the Hermiston Assembly
of God Church describes
the special service as an
interactive, family-friendly
event with a “clear message
about Christmas.”
He invites everyone to
attend.
The service is Sunday,
Dec. 24 at 11 a.m. at
Hermiston Assembly of God
Church, 730 E. Hurlburt
Ave., Hermiston. People
are encouraged to reserve
free tickets in advance. If
necessary, the church may
add a second service. In
addition, complimentary
childcare is available for
children under 5. Kids over
5 years are welcome to
attend the service.
For more information or
to make a reservation, call
541-567-5831 or visit www.
christmasinhermiston.com.
Submit community news to: community@eastorego-
nian.com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini
at 333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211
S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-
966-0818 with questions.
Merry Christmas
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