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Thursday, June 30, 2022
East Oregonian
Colleges:
Heat:
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cations by governors through
the Coronavirus Response and
Relief Supplemental Appro-
priations Act.
“This initial investment is
a critical first step to launch-
ing this five-year initiative,”
Eastern Oregon Univer-
sity President Tom Insko
said. “Together, I believe
we can reshape the future of
post-secondary education in
eastern Oregon, which means
eliminating the equity gap
and making sure all students
reach their attainment goals
in less time and money and
set the path to better career
outcomes.”
The Eastern Oregon
University Board of Trust-
ees convened via Zoom for a
special meeting on June 27 to
authorize Insko to enter into
a contract with educational
“I think I over-stressed
for the competition at
first,” Nguyen said, “It was
nerve-wracking. But I was
able to calm down, be cool,
and do what I normally do.”
She prepared a three-
course meal for the judges,
allotted only one hour to
make bruschetta, carbonara
and tiramisu. Though each
participant received the
list of ingredients weeks
in advance, there still were
some hiccups in the process.
Nguyen dealt with a differ-
ent cheese than she was
expecting, a harder cookie
than she practiced with
and learned the day of that
she had to make her own
balsamic glaze.
“The thing that matters
most is time management,”
she said. “You have an hour
to do everything, and you
need to have it all come out
at the same time so you can
give it to the judges hot.”
After all the stress of
the day, Nguyen’s practice
paid off. Her score of 92.66
was the best of the compe-
tition, earning her the gold
medal and a trip in late July
to San Diego for nationals.
Her classmate, Clay Thorn-
ton, placed third, narrowly
missing out on a nationals
appearance.
Morrow:
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He asked commissioners
about what they knew about
any complaint against him.
Doherty and Commissioner
Melissa Lindsay said they
would not make statements
on the advice of attorneys.
But Commissioner Don
Russell did. He said he had
been trying to obtain infor-
mation about the investiga-
tion for months, with no luck.
Without knowing more,
he said, he could not support
Green’s termination.
Doherty called for the
vote, and he and Lindsay
voted in favor, while Russell
stood against. With that,
Doherty closed the meeting.
Yasser Marte/East Oregonian
The Blue Mountain Community College Class of 2022 stands and turns tassels to the left
June 9, 2022, to commemorate graduation. BMCC in Pendleton, Treasure Valley Communi-
ty College in Ontario and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande have joined Moon Shot
for Equity, an initiative to remove systemic barriers that prevent access and attainment to a
post-secondary education degree.
consulting firm EAB Global
Inc. Board authorization is
required because the contract
exceeds $1 million.
EAB Global launched the
Moon Shot project in the fall
of 2020 with a focus on remov-
ing systemic barriers to grad-
uation among first-generation
students as well as students of
color.
“Our work with this new
cohort of institutions in East-
ern Oregon adds a new focus
around bridging the rural
versus urban divide that too
often leaves students from
more remote areas with
reduced access to higher
education,” EAB Vice Pres-
ident of Partnerships Tom
Sugar said, “and all of the
opportunities that go along
with that.”
The decision drew ire
from many in attendance,
some calling this a “witch
hunt,” and another shouting
“recall.”
Morrow County Clerk
Bobbie Childers was pres-
ent. After the meeting she
said her office has received
requests for recall informa-
tion, and her office has sent
that information.
Several people compli-
mented Russell for his posi-
tion.
“I have to be able to look
at myself in the mirror,” he
replied.
Russell explained the
county in late 2021 hired
an investigator to look into
possible violations regard-
ing grants the county health
department received. He said
it was his understanding that
if the department was doing
something amiss, the inves-
tigation was to show what
the department needed to
rectify.
Then a county employee
told him he should listen to
recordings of the investiga-
tor questioning county staff.
Russell did not reveal who
the employee was but said
the person was concerned the
investigator was pushing a
certain narrative rather than
conducting an open inquiry.
Russell said he sought the
recordings.
“I’ve been denied them
every time I asked,” he said.
That happened, Russell
continued, in spite of Justin
Nelson, the county counsel
and district attorney, saying
there was no reason to deny
the request. Russell said
he found out that to get the
recordings, he needs the full
approval of the county board.
Green on the way out of
the building reiterated he
still did not understand what
his termination was about.
He said if there had been a
complaint in August 2021,
the county commissioners
could have talked with him
about it face to face rather
than going to the expense of
hiring an investigator.
“The No. 1 priority in this
county is communication,”
Green said. “... And that
didn’t happen.”
Lindsay after the meeting
said the county likely will
bring on a temporary county
administrator, but with a new
board poised to serve in 2023,
hiring a permanent replace-
ment remains a question.
No time to let up
“I’m incredibly excited
for nationals,” Nguyen
said. “I’ll get to meet
people from all over the
world, compete with the
best cooks and talk to
them. It’ll be my first time
ever visiting California.”
Although the junior
does not see herself pursu-
ing a cooking career —
instead hoping to enter
college in the medical
field — that was hard to
tell from her work process.
Smith and Nguyen have
practiced every day since
school let out, perfect-
ing the dish for nationals:
chicken, rice and green
beans.
It’s a meal that only the
instructor and pupil will
get to see her make. Due
to financial constraints,
no other FCCLA members
will travel with the two to
California.
“It’s a bit disappointing
to go without my friends,”
Nguyen said. “I guess I’ll
just have to fundraise even
harder with everyone next
year.”
T he t wo won’t be
completely alone, though
— groups from La Grande,
Enterprise and Umatilla
also will be staying with
them.
And for a program
that did not exist when
Smith arrived, it’s a huge
step forward. The hospi-
tality instructor is step-
ping down from teaching
following this year, but she
already has left a mark.
In her wake are a group
of students, including
Nguyen, who are passion-
ate about FCCLA.
“This program works
because of the students,
“ Sm it h s a id , “ K id s
get other kids excited,
not teachers.”
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