WEEKEND EDITION
BULLDOGS
BACK TO
WINNING
WAYS
ROUND-UP
WEEK
FASHION
SHOW
LIFESTYLES/1C
SPORTS/1B
E O
AST
142nd Year, No. 231
REGONIAN
SEPTEMBER 22-23, 2018
$1.50
WINNER OF THE 2017 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Experiencing English
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Rep. Greg Walden answers questions
from a group of Eastern Oregon coun-
ty commissioners during an unpubli-
cized meeting at the Umatilla County
Courthouse in March.
Where’s
Walden?
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Students eagerly raise their hands to be picked to participate in an math exercise by instructor Loretta Fitterer
on Monday in the Hermiston School District’s Newcomers program at Highland Hills Elementary School.
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Hermiston class helps
speakers of indigenous
languages acclimate
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
East Oregonian
he students in Highland Hills
Elementary School’s Newcomers
class know the difference between
the numbers 15 and 50.
Regardless, they take a few minutes
during a math lesson to repeat them over
and over again — “fif-TEEN, fif-TY, fif-
TEEN, fif-TY” — emphasizing the last
syllables that distinguish the two.
As they learn English, repetition is
an important part of understanding the
vocabulary for all subjects, from the pro-
nunciation of numbers to learning the
words for different parts of the body.
“The Newcomers program is all
about helping our kids express what they
know,” said teacher Loretta Fitterer.
The program is open to third- through
eighth-graders, who attend a class at
Highland Hills Elementary School, and
ninth- through 12th-graders, who meet
at Hermiston High School. To qual-
T
See STUDENTS/12A
Representative visits
Hermiston Rotary
Club, addresses lack of
in-person town halls
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Instructor Colleen Muldowney works on comprehension with stu-
dents, clockwise from center, Pamela Ambriz Ponce, Senisse Diaz
Loza, Edgar Diaz Loza and Cristopher Monales Trejo on Monday in
the Hermiston School District’s Newcomers program at Highland
Hills Elementary School.
“The Newcomers program is all about
helping our kids express what they know.”
Loretta Fitterer | teacher
Rep. Greg Walden was in Hermiston
on Thursday, but most residents were
likely unaware.
Oregon’s lone Republican Congress-
man gave an update to the local Rotary
Club on legislation he was working on
and took questions from club members
before heading to another event in The
Dalles. Such semi-private, under-the-ra-
dar appearances have become a popular
line of attack for his critics.
“Where’s Walden?” they ask.
The activist group Indivisible even
held a “Where’s Walden?” caravan in late
August, holding rallies across the district.
A news release claimed the campaign
marked 500 days since Walden had last
held a town hall meeting in his district.
Walden acknowledges it’s been a while
since he has held a more traditional town
hall, but points to four “telephone town
halls” open to the public that he has held
so far this year. He said during his most
recent one earlier this month, 16,458 peo-
ple called in, including Umatilla County
residents.
He also said his office has responded
to 128,500 constituent phone calls, emails
and other communications this year and
he has covered 8,791 miles in the district
while holding smaller forums and focus
groups, which Walden said encourage
See WALDEN/11A
PENDLETON
Shared data cuts down on emergency room overuse
St. Anthony finds way to reduce
‘superusers’ clogging system
By KATHY ANEY
East Oregonian
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Steve Hardin, manager of the emergency department
at St. Anthony Hospital, started a program focused on
the ER’s superusers. The program has helped reduce
the number of repeat visits and saved the department
money.
About half the people who visited the St.
Anthony Hospital emergency room in 2016
didn’t need to be there.
They arrived with symptoms of the com-
mon cold, minor injuries or other low-se-
verity issues. Some hoped to score painkill-
ers and many used the ER as their primary
source of care.
Some, dubbed superusers, visited the
hospital 10 or more times a year. Such fre-
quent fliers clogged the system.
The doctors and nurses use the triage
method to size up patients as they arrive.
The sickest or most injured people get
treated first. Those arriving by ambulance
are also triaged by severity. The least acute
patients had to wait, sometimes for several
hours. On average, the emergency room saw
37 patients per day, straining the department.
“Forty-three percent of people who
come to our ER were what we call low acu-
ity patients,” said St. Anthony Emergency
Department Manager Steve Hardin. “They
could be seen by a primary care provider or
a walk-in clinic.”
Two factors contributed heavily to the
glut, said Hardin, a registered nurse.
“Nationwide we have an opioid prob-
lem,” he said. “On top of the opioid prob-
lem, we have poor access to primary care.”
Hardin said he and his colleagues felt
frustrated.
“Statistically, the average person should
See HOSPITAL/12A