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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 17, 2019)
HAND ON DOOMED OREGON SHIP TEXTED, CALLED WIFE BEFORE DEATH BRADT AND FLANAGAN TO MAKE STATE TENNIS DEBUT SPORTS, B1 NORTHWEST, A2 E O AST 143rd year, No. 152 REGONIAN Friday, May 17, 2019 $1.50 WINNER OF THE 2018 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Your Weekend • Crafters in the Pasture, outside Hermiston • Hermiston Art Festival, downtown Hermiston • Challenge of Champions Bullriding, EOTEC FOR TIMES AND LOCATIONS CHECK COMING EVENTS, AX Weekend Weather FRI SAT SUN 61/41 69/49 61/47 Teacher of the Year Staff photo by E.J. Harris Kindergarten teacher Jessica Garcia Quezada works with student Yadiel Coria on his spelling in Spanish on Thursday in a native language literacy class at McNary Heights Elementary School in Umatilla. Businessman turned educator finds success in the classroom By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian Oregon’s intermountain region Teacher of the year didn’t start out to be an educator. T.J. Presley, who teaches math at Pilot rock Junior/Senior High School, studied finance and management in college and then jumped into the busi- ness world. He worked his way up the ladder with three For- tune 500 com- panies. He most recently served as operations manager at the Walmart distri- bution Center in Hermiston. Presley said T.J. Presley he loved his job, but the schedule didn’t fit well with his growing family, which includes his wife, Lindsey, and two young sons, Benson and Calder. So Presley cast his eye toward education, which seemed com- patible with family life. He left the business world and earned a master’s in teaching at Eastern Oregon University, graduating Language to lengua By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian t least three languages were being spoken at McNary Heights Elementary School on Thursday, and Umatilla School district officials were encouraging it. A Japanese language program was vis- iting the school and the children seemed to be picking it up quickly. McNary Heights Principal rick Cotterell said he had just greeted a student who proceeded to spout off several words in Japanese. “i think it’s legit,” he said, laughing. But school officials are more interested in better integrating a language far more prevalent in Umatilla: Spanish. With the exception of a charter school in Ontario, Umatilla will become the first district in Eastern Oregon to offer dual language immersion courses in English and Spanish when it starts the program at the beginning of the next school year, Staff photo by E.J. Harris See Language, Page A8 An assignment in Spanish hangs on the wall of a hallway at McNary Heights Elementary School in Hermiston. A “I SEE THESE KIDS AND I SEE MYSELF.” Jessica Garcia-Quezada, Kindergarten teacher See Teacher, Page A8 KiCKEd: Kotek introduces bill to redirect half of record ‘kicker’ refund Transportation initiatives at the forefront of House speaker’s legislation By DIRK VANDERHART Oregon Public Broadcasting SaLEM — a day after state economists revealed the largest “kicker” tax rebate in Ore- gon’s history might be flowing back to tax- payers next year, House Speaker Tina Kotek, d-Portland, is introducing a plan to cut it in half. in a bill Kotek introduced Thursday morn- ing, roughly half of the estimated $1.4 bil- lion tax rebate would be kept by the state and spent on a set of transportation initiatives the speaker argues will benefit public safety, air quality, and job creation. “it’s been something i have been sitting and thinking about for several weeks listen- ing to all the needs and conversations in the Capitol,” Kotek told OPB on Thursday. “it is important that if there is any discussion to redirect any portion of that, that it has to be based on some very sound reasoning.” Under the plan, $260 million would go toward seismic upgrades of the Abernethy Bridge on interstate 205. Those upgrades See Kicker, Page A8 House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, signals her vote on the House floor at the Capitol in Salem. In a bill Kotek introduced Thursday morning, roughly half of the estimated $1.4 billion tax rebate would be kept by the state and spent on a set of transportation initiatives the speaker argues will benefit public safety, air quality, and job creation. OPB Photo/Bradley W. Parks CHI St. Anthony Hospital Family Clinic is recognized as a Patient -Centered Primary Care Home. What does that mean for you? • Better-coordinated care. • Healthcare providers who will help connect you • Listening to your concerns and answering with the care you need in a safe and timely way. • Healthcare providers who play an active role in questions. your health. • After-hours nurse consultation. 844.724.8632 3001 St. Anthony Way, Pendleton WWW.SAHPENDLETON.ORG Mon through Thurs, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat and Sun, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are preferred.
