OPINION
Saturday, May 1, 2021
East Oregonian
A5
YOUR VIEWS
Spencer will champion
the underserved
I felt a twinge of excitement when I
saw the announcement that Briana Spen-
cer would be joining the candidates for the
Pendleton School District Board. While I
did vote for her to serve on the Nixyaawii
School Board, I whole-heartedly endorse
her for this board as well.
She is a valuable asset to our community
out here on the reservation’s charter school
board, but I feel she would fill a great gap
by serving on the Pendleton board. When
the decision has to be made on which board
she is to serve, I know Briana will make the
right one.
Briana is principled, intelligent and has
a path before her that will only lead to the
betterment of herself and her community.
Why? Because she doesn’t just think of
herself when she is charting her course. She
is thinking of all of us.
I am a foster parent of two children that
go to Washington Elementary School. I
believe within the depths of my being that
my children will have far less chance of
falling through the cracks if Briana serves
on this board. She will look out for the
underserved and invisible children of our
community. She will be their champion.
Our champion.
Martina Gordon
Pendleton
Spencer will bring energy,
passion to school board
I encourage you to support Briana Spen-
cer for Position 7 on the Pendleton School
District Board of Directors. I have known
Ms. Spencer since 2016 when we both went
through the Eastern Umatilla County Ford
Institute Leadership Program.
Briana Spencer cares deeply about this
community, and she is well organized and
articulate. While working with her during
the 2016 program, I was impressed with
her passion and commitment to building a
stronger community. Briana will bring that
same energy to her position on the Pendle-
ton School Board.
We are fortunate to have such a strong
young woman who wants to build commu-
nity and strengthen relationships. Briana
is well connected and knows how to bring
people together in order to get things done.
Please join me in voting for Briana Spen-
cer for the Pendleton School Board, Posi-
tion 7.
Velda Arnaud
Pendleton
Gregg’s expertise
will be a valuable asset
Please join me in voting for Patrick
Gregg for Position 7 on the Pendleton
School Board. I am confident that he is up
for the challenge to strengthen our district.
I have known Pat going on six years.
During this time, I have always been
impressed with his levelheaded decision
making and his ability to articulate his
ideas. He is invested in the community and
his professional expertise will be an invalu-
able asset.
As a parent to local students, he will
bring an excellent perspective to the Pend-
leton School Board. He has always played
an active and supportive role in the educa-
tion and activities of his children. I have
had the firsthand opportunity to witness
Pat’s commitment to his family and career.
I know he will bring this same level of
commitment to the board. His personal
drive is well suited for this role and I have
no doubt that he will work hard to support
students, teachers, and administrators.
Alyssa Alexander
Pendleton
Dedication to Pendleton just
one of Gregg’s strengths
Pat Gregg is a candidate for a board
position for the Pendleton School District.
I endorse him. I would like to share with
the public information about Pat which
the public may not know, but which to me
reflects upon how good a board member he
will be.
After graduating from University of
Portland, and then Willamette Law School,
Pat moved to Pendleton in 2009 to begin law
practice in a law firm in which I also am a
partner.
Pat grew up and attended school in
Wilsonville. His mother is a retired teacher
and was a vice principal. His father is a
retired Oregon State Police captain. His
parents recently moved to Pendleton in
order to be near Pat, his wife Jill, and their
three sons, ages 9, 7, and 3.
Pat has been an active Pendleton resident,
participating in several community causes.
He currently serves on the Umatilla County
Historical Society Board. He was on the
board of the Cason’s Place. He is a leader
of a local Cub Scout troop and, profession-
ally, he has served as president of the local
lawyer association.
Jill has been equally active, serving for
many years as the head of the Children’s
Museum of Eastern Oregon. She presently
is the leader of ASPIRE (college counsel-
ing) at Pendleton High School. She also is
in charge of the local branch of Communi-
care, an organization that provides students
the opportunity to make grants with funds
supplied from the Harold and Arlene
Schnitzer Foundation.
With Pat Gregg, you will be electing a
dedicated individual and a good thinker. He
Port Commissioner Position 1.
Paul Keefer
Boardman
LETTERS DEADLINE FOR MAY 18 ELECTIONS
The East Oregonian does not run endorsements of more than 400 words.
The East Oregonian will institute a deadline for letters to the editor, so we can be fair with all
the letters we receive and allow for responses before Election Day, if necessary.
We run local letters of endorsement on a first-come, first-served basis. Please submit your
endorsement letters to the editor by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 7. You can email them to editor@
eastoregonian.com, or mail them to East Oregonian, c/o Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave.,
Pendleton, OR 97801.
We will publish our last letters on Saturday, May 15. Any letters received after the deadline will
not run. Election Day is May 18.
has three young sons, two of whom already
are in the school system. His wife Jill
actively is directing Pendleton High School
students toward college. Pat has every
reason to do a good job as a board member
in maintaining a strong and forward-moving
public education program in Pendleton.
Steven H. Corey
Pendleton
Rose City needs support
As you are probably aware, Portland is
grappling with numerous crises. I grew up
in Pendleton, then moved to Portland in
2016. Before 2020, it was one of the most
livable cities in America. Then COVID-19
hit.
After the senseless panic-buying died
down, downtown was empty. Restaurants
closed. Skyscrapers void of office space.
MAX trains nearly empty. Homeless camps
growing.
At the end of the tragic day George
Floyd was killed, downtown came back to
life. Not by business travelers and tourists,
but massive protests. Most remained peace-
ful until a black-clad group of anarchists
hijacked them. The events became violent
and destructive. Even worse, Trump sent
his homeland security team here, only to
escalate it. The unrest continued over 170
nights. Businesses became boarded up.
People were scared away. Graffiti appeared
everywhere.
Since then, downtown has slowly
improved. However, we still have a small
group of “Direct Action” demonstrators
who want to destroy our city. The homeless
and trash crises remain worse than ever.
However, little by little, we are coming
together to take our city back. Rioters are
going to jail and trash is being cleaned by
the city and community organizations. Gun
violence seems to be decreasing and new
stores are opening downtown.
Portland will survive this dark time. It
will just take a lot of patience and effort. I
know Portland has fans in Umatilla County.
We need you to return and support our busi-
nesses. The entire state must help to prevent
the Rose City from wilting.
Michael Vescio
Portland
Gardner the best
candidate for the job
I am supporting Dain Gardner for the
Hermiston School Board. I have known
Dain for over 20 years, both personally and
professionally. Dain steps up whenever there
is a need, so it was no surprise to me that
he chose to step up now, by running for the
Hermiston School Board.
Dain is extremely loyal, steadfast and
confident. These traits make him a natural
born leader and the most logical choice for
the position on the school board.
Dain is a father of two daughters and
recognizes the need for education and
accountability, one that he will take great
care with and manage well. He will be a
huge asset for all of Hermiston.
Dain saw a need for our kids to get
back into the schools full time. He joined a
group dedicated to this endeavour, support-
ing those parents who had like-minded
goals. Dain is methodical in his actions
and thoughts, looking at the totality of the
situation, reviews the documented crite-
ria, and then moves forward, observing all
the guidelines and rules with fairness and
equality.
I hope you will join me in voting for the
best candidate available. Dain will work in
partnership with teachers, management and
parents to provide the best possible outcome
for our community and children. Isn’t that
what our ideal goal is when selecting a
candidate? Someone who will do their very
best for our kids? I believe that it is Dain
Gardner.
Karen Primmer
Hermiston
Spencer’s voice counts
I am pleased to endorse Briana Spencer
for the Pendleton School District, Position 7.
Briana and I have known each other for
several years. We first met through work,
and then getting to know each other through
the participation of local community events.
Since day one, Briana has been friendly,
open to discussion on a variety of topics,
and genuine.
In recent years, I have noticed that she
has become a part of a variety of local
groups/organizations and of different
settings. Her mindset and voice is very
specific, consistent, and respectful. Her goal
is to always to make the community a better
place with respect and her time investment
is beyond measure.
I am very proud of Briana’s accomplish-
ments and respectfully recommend Briana
Spencer for the Pendleton School Board,
Position 7. Her voice counts.
Terri Carnes
Mission
Gregg has the temperament
to serve Pendleton schools
I was born and raised in Pendleton, and
I attended Pendleton public schools from
kindergarten through high school. I have
practiced law here in Pendleton since 1980.
I first came to know Patrick Gregg over
10 years ago, when he began his civil law
practice as a young lawyer at the Corey,
Byler & Rew law firm. Over that time, I
have watched him grow and mature, both
professionally and as a member of this
community. Professionally, Pat is bright,
dedicated, hardworking, and even-tem-
pered.
As a small-town lawyer, he has repre-
sented a wide variety of individuals, farm-
ers, and businesses. As a member of the
community, he and his wife, Jill, have put
down roots in the community by purchas-
ing a home and raising three young chil-
dren.
I served on the Pendleton School Board
for nine years. Much of what school board
members do is the hard, tedious work of
reviewing written documents and listen-
ing in order to become educated enough to
make the kind of informed decisions school
board members must make. Most of those
decisions are not controversial, and there-
fore don’t generate much publicity. Good
board members know this, and understand
that they have been entrusted by the public
to do their homework and make wise deci-
sions.
I believe Pat will approach his duties
seriously, and that he has the skills to
perform them well. Occasionally, school
board service can be challenging, when
hot-button issues arise, and then different
skills are required. I believe Pat has the
temperament and ability to serve in those
situations as well.
I urge you to vote for Patrick Gregg for
Pendleton School Board Position 7.
Michael Collins
Pendleton
Gregg is a serious,
devoted candidate
I am writing in support of Patrick Gregg
for Position 7 on the Pendleton School
Board. Pat is a devoted family man who will
bring his vision, expertise and dedication to
the Pendleton School Board.
Pat is a proactive volunteer who has
shown his commitment to local and state
organizations past and present, such as serv-
ing as a lawyer representative for the state of
Oregon, serving on a Merit Selection panel,
president of the Umatilla/Morrow Bar Asso-
ciation, a member of the board of directors
for the Umatilla County Historical Soci-
ety, leader for Pendleton’s Cub Scout Pack,
a board member of Cason’s Place, and the
Pendleton on Wheels bicycle club.
The decisions the Pendleton School
Board will make in the coming years will
determine the opportunities our students
will enjoy for the rest of their lives. Pat has
shown through his own life’s journey that
education is paramount. As a successful
lawyer and business owner, Pat takes the
time to do his homework and fully under-
stand the issues that he is working on from
every angle. He will apply these same
critical thinking skills as a school board
member.
Pat Gregg is a serious candidate, who
has a devotion to the Pendleton schools, and
will help ensure that our students receive the
education they need to be successful citi-
zens of the 21st century.
Please join me is supporting this quali-
fied candidate, Patrick Gregg, for the Pend-
leton School Board, Position 7.
Gail Turner
Pendleton
Stokoe brings fairness and
respect to port commission
Rick Stokoe is a man of dignity and honor.
As the Boardman police chief, he is a trained
leader. That leadership has helped him serve
as a port commissioner since 2015. He is a
man who cares and respects others. He is a
fair man who wants what is best for Morrow
County as a whole.
Rick has a very busy life with his family
and work. That does not stop him there. He
volunteers in the community as a coach with
our children, Morrow Education Foundation,
and even as an ambulance driver. He cares
about Boardman but also feels strongly about
developing and promoting Morrow County
as a whole.
Rick has strong values. He is a fair and
honest man. He speaks for all and will repre-
sent Morrow County with fairness, respect,
and with no hidden agendas.
If you want a Morrow County port
commissioner who will work hard, stand up
for the little guy, develop Morrow County
fairly, and be a respectful and dignified leader,
Rick Stokoe is your man.
As the city of Boardman mayor, I strongly
recommend Rick Stokoe as Morrow County
Kilkenny will provide
insight, perspective
We are writing this letter to endorse John
Kilkenny for Port of Morrow Commis-
sioner.
John has been a lifelong resident
of Morrow County where he success-
fully operates a large generational wheat
and cattle Ranch. John understands the
economic importance of the Port of Morrow
and the effect its operations have on the
entire county. John recognizes that diversity
in industry is a cornerstone for continued
economic development of the County and
the role the port plays in it.
We believe that John will be a good
working partner with the county commis-
sioners and will provide an insightful
perspective to future discussions.
We are excited to have a candidate with
John’s experience and energy that is willing
to serve the residents of Morrow County.
We encourage voters to elect John Kilkenny,
Port of Morrow commissioner.
Brian and Susie Thompson
Heppner
Stokoe committed
to port, community
Rick Stokoe has my vote for Port of
Morrow commissioner. He has a proven
track record for serving the community with
high integrity and professionalism.
Since 2015, he has served as a commis-
sioner and supported the activities at the
port. The port has continued to grow and
support the opportunities for our local
communities to prosper as a result. We have
more jobs, high than average wages, more
diversification of industry. The prosperity of
our county has seen enormous impacts due
to the work that Rick Stokoe along with the
other commissioners have supported and
watched over as the port team continues to
serve this county and region.
I appreciate that Rick has settled into
our community along with his family and
chosen to commit his time and energy into
our community. His volunteer efforts are so
appreciated and felt. As a volunteer myself,
it has been my pleasure to work alongside
Rick on many occasions.
I ask that you vote alongside me for Rick
Stokoe.
Debbie Radie
Boardman
Students’ futures are in
good hands with Spencer
I am proud to give my full support and
recommendation to my personal associate
Briana Spencer as a candidate for Position 7
of the Pendleton School District.
I have known Briana for several years
now. Over the years, Briana has demon-
strated she is reliable, determined, and
that she is a hardworking individual. In
most recent years, her involvement in the
community has been extensive.
If elected, Briana would bring diver-
sity to the panel with her Native Ameri-
can and Latina background, and she would
represent a portion of the community who
is often dismissed or overlooked. As a
person of color myself, I appreciate Briana’s
constant advocacy for those who feel
unheard or silenced.
She has been a positive force and is the
textbook definition of a leader. She has
participated in, organized, and even led
multiple events pertaining to social issues
occurring across the nation today, with
the purpose of bringing a substantial and
positive change within our own, as well as
surrounding communities. She is respect-
ful, but is not afraid to speak her mind, and
will always fight for what is right.
She is authentic, engaging and knowl-
edgeable. Briana also enjoys a challenge,
once she has an end goal, she is unstoppa-
ble. I know that whatever Briana sets her
mind to, she will accomplish. She deserves
every potential opportunity presented to
her and will, without a doubt, be successful
in exceeding any and all expectations.
As a mother of a student who is enrolled
in the Pendleton School District, I know my
daughter’s future and education is in good
hands with Briana.
Tonya Cortez
Pendleton
Spencer deserves
a seat at PSD table
It is my pleasure to write this letter of
support for Briana Spencer’s seat at the
Pendleton School District table. I honestly
believe that Briana brings extensive and
important diversity to the conversation and
will continue to provide honest and straight-
forward resolutions needed for our educa-
tion system.
I know that as a natural leader, she will
bring about heartfelt and sound judgment
when it comes to cultivating change. Her
abundance in facilitating and organization
with multiple agencies across the state is
unmatched. It is critical for the people of
Pendleton to have a voice such as Briana’s
advocating for our children.
I fully support Position 7 being held by
Briana Spencer.
Kola Shippentower-Thompson
co-founder, Enough Iz Enough
Pendleton