REGION
Thursday, January 24, 2019
East Oregonian
HEPPNER
BRIEFLY
Student ropes in online education
East Oregonian
A Heppner High School
freshman has corralled his
abilities in the rodeo arena
while still keeping up in
the classroom — thanks to
Morrow Academy.
Jett Stewart traveled to
Las Vegas in December
to compete in the Junior
National Finals Rodeo. He
placed third in the world in
open team roping and fourth
in #10 roping.
Jason and Sybil Stew-
art, the young cowboy’s par-
ents, realized this past fall
that in order for their son
to travel and compete with
the junior rodeo he wouldn’t
be able to maintain a regu-
lar school schedule. Initially
hesitant about taking Jett
out of traditional classroom
settings, the couple stepped
out of their comfort zone
and reached out to Mor-
row County School District
staff.
The district is in its sec-
ond year of offering Mor-
row Academy, an online
educational program. The
Stewarts were introduced to
Betsy Shane, the district’s
Morrow Academy teacher.
“Mrs. Shane was amaz-
ing,” Sybil said. “Several
times, I was worried that
we didn’t do what was best
for Jett’s education, but he
gained lots of ‘real life’
education when it comes to
being your own advocate
and time management.”
Photo contributed by Michele Madril
Jett Stewart of Heppner has found educational success in the
Morrow Academy while participating in junior rodeo.
The Stewarts said Shane
has been extremely help-
ful as they’ve sometimes
struggled through some of
the changes. With Shane
providing encouragement,
Sybil said it has been ben-
eficial as they work their
way through some growing
pains.
Jett, too, said the pro-
gram was intimidating at
first due to the lack of face-
to-face contact with teach-
ers. However, he said Shane,
as well as Marie Shimer,
director of educational ser-
vices at InterMountain Edu-
cation Service District, have
been helpful. He said one
thing he has learned is how
important it is to reach out
when he’s struggling.
“What makes it really
work for me is the flexibil-
ity and getting the one-on-
one with Mrs. Shane,” Jett
said. “Staying on top of the
work was pretty challeng-
ing because it continues at
the same pace and some-
times you need to be your
own advocate and contact
the online teachers on your
own.”
Shimer said the online
program is a great option
for students who need some
flexibility in their school
schedule. This could be for
academic, medical, outside
activities or other reasons.
The local program,
Shimer said, is positive
because students stay con-
nected with their own
school district. It provides
students with an opportu-
nity to participate in school
activities and benefits the
district because they retain
the state money for that
student.
“When Morrow Acad-
emy is a good fit, it’s really
a win-win for everyone,”
Shimer said. “We get to
retain our students and pro-
vide an education that works
for them.”
Jett credits Morrow
Academy with providing the
flexibility for him to excel in
rodeo while still focusing on
academics.
After high school, he
plans to attend college to
pursue a degree in agricul-
tural business. In addition,
he has aspirations to qual-
ify for the National Finals
Rodeo.
For more information
about the Morrow Academy,
contact MCSD superinten-
dent Dirk Dirksen at 541-
676-9128 or dirk.dirksen@
morrow.k12.or.us.
Commission discusses obstacles to development
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
The Pendleton Devel-
opment Commission will
spend its remaining $5 mil-
lion from the urban renewal
district on public projects if
it has to, but it wants to try
spending it in the private
sector first.
Steve Campbell, a mem-
ber of the commission’s
advisory committee, said
the committee was rec-
ommending the commis-
sion focus on funding pub-
lic-private
partnerships
that would grow the prop-
erty tax base.
The main obstacle in
doing that before the urban
renewal district expires
in 2023 is a lack of new
applications for the dis-
trict’s grant programs, espe-
cially the upper story grant
program.
Charles Denight, the
commission’s
associate
director, said he’s met with
every downtown building
owner on renovating their
upper story spaces multi-
ple times, and he can orga-
nize the holdouts into three
groups.
The first group are build-
ing owners who would like
to develop their second sto-
ries, but even a grant-as-
sisted project might not
make the owner’s expected
contribution feasible.
“Some of these busi-
nesses are small,” Denight
said. “They’re not big cor-
porations. For them to bor-
row $300,000 is a big deal
for them.”
The second group are
people who inherited the
building from a relative and
treat it like a “family heir-
loom,” meaning they don’t
want to alter it in any signif-
icant way.
The third group are com-
prised of out-of-state build-
ing owners who aren’t inter-
ested in making significant
investments in the facility.
Despite
the
build-
ing owners’ overall reti-
cence, Denight said there’s
a renewed interest in the
upper story grant program
after the commission raised
the cost percentage the grant
could cover from 25 per-
cent to 40 percent, although
the grant is still capped at
$200,000.
Although some sug-
gested upping the cap or
scrapping it entirely, Coun-
cilor McKennon McDonald
said she likes the idea of pri-
vate building owners hav-
ing a level of buy-in in their
renovation projects.
Beyond the upper story
grants, Mayor John Turner
said the urban renewal dis-
trict could benefit from a
new grant program that
would award money to
house flippers.
Turner, the chairman
of the city’s housing com-
mittee, said many “zom-
bie properties” — blighted,
vacated homes that are stuck
in the foreclosure process
— are in the urban renewal
district.
By February, the advi-
sory committee expects to
complete a marketing plan
to boost private develop-
ment in the urban renewal
district.
If private development
isn’t spurred by the end of
2020, the committee recom-
mends using any remaining
funds to go toward public
projects.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
THURSDAY, JAN. 24}
ARTS AND CRAFTS FROM
THE DRY SIDE, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Hermiston Assembly of God
Church, 730 E. Hurlburt Ave.,
Hermiston. Use Seventh
Street entrance. Monthly
business meeting at noon.
(541-567-4446)
CONDON CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, 12 p.m., Gil-
liam County Courthouse,
221 S. Oregon St., Condon.
(541-384-7777)
PENDLETON
LIONS
CLUB, 12 p.m., Roosters
Restaurant, 1515 Southgate,
Pendleton.
ALTRUSA
INTERNA-
TIONAL
OF
HERMIS-
TON, 12 p.m., ARC Umatilla
County, 215 W. Orchard Ave.,
Hermiston.
M I LT O N - F R E E WAT E R
REPUBLICAN
WOMEN,
12 p.m.,
Milton-Freewater
Community Building, 109 N.E.
Fifth Ave., Milton-Freewater.
Bring a sack lunch; coffee will
be provided. (Suni Danforth
541-215-9389)
”KNOWING WHAT YOU
BELIEVE” WOMEN’S BIBLE
STUDY, 1:30 p.m., First Baptist
Church, 200 S.W. Willow Fork
Drive, Boardman. Ladies are
invited to learn more about
God’s plan for their lives.
(541-481-9437)
CHURCH
WOMEN
UNITED, 1:30 p.m., First Chris-
tian Church, 518 S. Main St.,
Milton-Freewater.
Installa-
tion of officers, refreshments
and fellowship. Everyone
welcome.
HERMISTON
HORSE-
SHOE CLUB, 5 p.m., Hermis-
ton High School Weber Field,
600 S. First St., Hermiston.
(Rick Rebman 541-720-6402)
ATHENA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE,
6-7:30 p.m.,
DoubleTree Restaurant, 327
E. Main St., Athena. Current
and interested members as
well as the public are wel-
come. (April McKenna or Katie
Zmuda 541-310-9557)
PENDLETON
EAGLES
BURGERS AND KARAOKE,
6 p.m., Pendleton Eagles
Lodge, 428 S. Main St., Pend-
leton. Members and guests
welcome. (541-278-2828)
INLAND
NORTHWEST
ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL,
6:30 p.m., Harris Jr. Academy,
3121 S.W. Hailey Ave., Pendle-
ton. Musicians are invited to
join by the conductor. (Salli
Ketchersid 541-289-4696)
A
SHARP
PLAYERS
ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL,
6:30-8:30 p.m.,
Pendle-
ton High School, 1800 N.W.
Carden Ave., Pendleton. Inter-
mediate to advanced orches-
tra for string and wind musi-
cians. Cost to participate is
$120 per year or $60 for a half
year. Registration forms avail-
able at the OES office or email
info@oregoneastsymphony.
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Tickets for a fundraiser to provide extra money to
enhance educational opportunities for Hermiston School
District students are now on sale.
The 10th annual Beach & Beef fundraiser benefits the
Hermiston Education Foundation. The crab and beef din-
ner and auction is Saturday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. (doors open
at 5 p.m.) at Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center, 1705
E. Airport Road. The auction will include artwork cre-
ated by local students and community members.
Tickets are $40 each and are available at the Hermis-
ton School District office, Hermiston Chamber of Com-
merce and online at www.eventbrite.com.
For more information, visit www.hermistoneduca-
tionfoundation.org or call 541-567-5215.
COMING EVENTS
THURSDAY, JAN. 24
BOARDMAN SENIOR MEAL SERVICE, 12 p.m., Board-
man Senior Center, 100 Tatone St., Boardman. Cost is $4 for
seniors 55 and over or $5 for adults. (541-481-3257)
PENDLETON SENIOR MEAL SERVICE, 12-1 p.m., Pend-
leton Senior Center, 510 S.W. 10th St., Pendleton. Costs $3.50
or $6 for those under 60. Pool, puzzles, crafts, snacks, Sec-
ond Time Around thrift store 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For Meals On
Wheels, call 541-276-1926. (Tori Bowman 541-276-5073)
HERMISTON SENIOR MEAL SERVICE, 12 p.m., Har-
kenrider Center, 255 N.E. Second St., Hermiston. Cost is $4
for adults, free for children 10 and under, $4 for Meals on
Wheels. Extra 50 cents for utensils/dishes. Bus service avail-
able by donation. (541-567-3582)
SENSORY STORY TIME, 12:30 p.m., Boardman Public
Library, 200 S. Main St., Boardman. For children from birth
to age 4. (541-481-2665)
WRITER’S GROUP, 5:30 p.m., Hermiston Public Library,
235 E. Gladys Ave., Hermiston. Writing support group offer-
ing encouragement, inspiration and motivation. All writers
welcome. (Jodi Hansen 541-567-2882)
YARN CLUB, 5:30 p.m., Hermiston Public Library, 235 E.
Gladys Ave., Hermiston. (541-567-2882)
THE ARC UMATILLA COUNTY BINGO, 6-10 p.m., The
Arc Building, 215 W. Orchard Ave., Hermiston. Doors open at
6 p.m., seats may be held until 6:30 p.m., then all seats first
come, first served; games begin at 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit
Umatilla County citizens with developmental disabilities. 18
years or older, must have proof of age and photo I.D. Basic
pot $20, prizes range from $20-$750. (541-567-7615)
FIDDLER’S NIGHT, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Avamere Assisted
Living, 980 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston. Enjoy light refresh-
ments, listen to some favorite oldies or join in the jam ses-
sion. All ages welcome. (Lori 541-567-3141)
FRIDAY, JAN. 25
WALKING FOR WELLNESS, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Pendleton
Recreation Center, 510 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. Get
some exercise even when the weather is bad. Free. (Casey
Brown 541-276-8100)
TODDLER STORY TIME, 10:15-11 a.m., Pendleton Pub-
lic Library, 502 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. (541-966-0380)
FREE FRIDAY LUNCH, 12 p.m., Echo Community Church,
21 N. Bonanza St., Echo. Everyone welcome.
STORY AND CRAFT TIME, 2 p.m., Echo Public Library, 20
S. Bonanza, Echo. (541-376-8411)
VFW BINGO, 6 p.m., Hermiston VFW, 45 W. Cherry St.,
Hermiston. Doors open at 6 p.m., games begin at 7 p.m.
Everyone welcome. (541-567-6219)
”SMALLFOOT” MOVIE EVENT, 6 p.m., Adams Public
Library, 190 N. Main St., Adams. Free and suitable for all ages.
SATURDAY, JAN. 26
FREE FOR ALL, 9:30-10:15 a.m., Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St., Pendleton. Free art classes for children
up to age 12. Children under 8 should be accompanied by
an adult. (Roberta Lavadour 541-278-9201)
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HERMISTON — Members if the Hermiston Ama-
teur Radio Club will participate in the Amateur Radio
Winter Field Day.
The purpose of the event is to practice emergency
communication in conditions that are less than ideal, said
club member Don Drayton. While the group has partic-
ipated during the summer field day for many years, this
is the second time they will gather for the winter event.
The Amateur Radio Winter Field Day begins Satur-
day with the erection of antennas at 8 a.m. near the child-
care center behind Good Shepherd Medical Center, 610
N.W. 11th St., Hermiston. Drayton anticipates being up
and running by 11 a.m., and continuing through Sunday
morning. Anyone interested in amateur radios is invited
to stop by and observe and ask questions.
For more information about the Hermiston Amateur
Radio Club, contact Drayton at aa7dd@live.com, 541-
314-3138 or visit www.ai7ho.org.
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If you’d like to discuss how you can join the St. Anthony Hospital family, please call the number below.
Emily Smith • 541-278-2627 • emilysmith@chiwest.com
2801 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton, OR 97801
www.sahpendleton.org