Irrigon community rallies around Ron Anthony
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Bessie W et/ell Newspaper Library
University o f Oregon
Eugene. OK 97403
VOL. 125
NO. 15
12 Pages
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
M em bers o f the
Irrigon community rallied
around Irrigon Junior/Senior
High School Principal Ron
A nthony at the M orrow
C ounty School B oard
regular meeting Monday at
the school.
Anthony had earlier
been suspended by the board
for im proper use o f the
school's computers and is
currently under investigation
by O regon T e a c h e r’s
Standards and Practices.
Larry F ren ch , a th le tic
director/coach at the school,
resigned in the wake of that
computer-related incident.
Previously some members of
the Irrigon community had
criticized Anthony for his
han d lin g o f a sep arate
incident involving a Hispanic
student and a coach.
Confidentiality rules
preclude the board divulging
d e tails o f the cause o f
A n th o n y 's su sp en sio n ,
except to say it involved
improper use of the school's
computers, the resignation
of the athletic director/coach
or the previous incident with
the student and the other
coach.
Parents of children at
the school testified Monday
night in support of Anthony,
saying he was a good
p rin cip al, supported the
school, was hard working,
had helped their children
succeed in school and was
active in fund raising and
Booster Club activities.
MS Walk has another record-breaking year in Heppner
"1 can 't think of a
better principal than Ron
Anthony," said Greg Barron,
a m em ber o f the Irrigon
community who has a son at
Irrigon High School. "We
should be th an k in g him
rather than crucifying him."
He m a in tain ed that the
d is tr ic t’s tre a tm e n t o f
Anthony has not been fair. "1
th in k i t ’s gone way
overboard. This community
wants Ron Anthony to stay
right w here h e ’s at,"
com m ented B arron, who
said he had w orked
previously as a substitute
teacher.
B a rro n ’s
w ife,
Carina, listed some of their
son’s accomplishments, both
a th le tic and acad em ic,
specifically in vo-ag and
FFA, and credited Anthony
for his encouragem ent of
their son.
Barb Huwe, owner
of Huwe’s Has It All mini­
m art and gas statio n in
Irrigon and mother of a son
at IJSHS, asked the board
and community to be more
positive and “put a stop to
this n e g a tiv ity .” “ I t’s
affecting our kids and we
don't like it." She also asked
that the board "stop going
back into the past and go into
the future.”
“ B elieve
m e,"
responded board Chair Craig
Miles. “We want to get this
behind us as much as you
do."
D i s t r i c t
S u p erin ten d en t
M ark
B urrow s c ritic iz e d the
m ed ia’s coverage o f the
recent issue with Anthony,
and said that he had
scheduled a meeting with the
p u b lish e r o f the East
O reg o n ian . “ H o pefully
w e're going to get some
corrections. Absolutely the
co v erag e
was
not
appropriate," he said.
In addition to articles
in the EO and the Tri-City
Herald, which Burrows and
the board maintain contained
inaccuracies, the EO had
conducted an on-line poll
asking residents to indicate
w hether or not they were in
support of Anthony.
Also at the meeting
the board:
-heard a presentation
from Chris Davis, IJSHS
vice principal, concerning
the school’s “culm ination
experience,” which guides
student learning and helps
the students outline a plan
for their high school and post
high school development.
-heard a report from
Davis and IJSHS teachers
c o n c e rn in g an O regon
Middle Level Association
educational conference they
had attended. Davis said that
the group asked them to
return next year to speak on
the seven-12 configuration.
-ap p ro v ed
the
second reading and adopted
p o lic ie s
co n ce rn in g :
graduation requirem ents,
w hich w ould req u ire
students receiving a standard
diploma, beginning with the
2006-07 year, to have four
language arts credits, two
mathematics credits, three
social science, one applied/
fine arts/second language,
one physical education, one
health, one career education
and nine electives for 24
credits. An honors diploma
would require four language
arts credits (one in advanced/
honors/college level classes),
three m athem atics, three
science, three social science,
two foreign language, one
health, one PE, one career
ed, one advanced course,
one technology ed and six
electives for 26 credits.
An honors diploma
requires a 3.25 minimum
grade point average through
June 2007, and a minimum
3.5 gpa after June 07 or a
3.25 gpa or better with an
1100 SAT or 23 ACT score.
A basic diploma is
designed for students with
specific learning needs.
continued page 2
Voter registration deadline April 25
Tuesday. April 25 is
change your party affiliation.
the last day to register to
Ballots w ill be mailed out on
vote for the May 16 election.
Friday, April 28.
It is also the last day to
JTvhmt fkWKi&i (or Lutherans
Over 100 people gathered for the annual MS Walk in Heppner.
The supporters of
the MS Walk proved, come
rain or come shine, that their
vision is to find a cure for
MS. On Saturday, April 8
over 100 people w alked
down Heppner's Main Street
to finish a 3-mile or 6-mile
trek. They brought with
them not only their pledges
but also their love for those
who have MS.
Team s
and
individuals from Pendleton,
H erm iston,
E stacad a,
Eugene, Heppner and lone
turned in pledges equaling
$10,883. “This is the most
we have ever raised in the
last eight years," said Walk
C hairm an
M erilee
McDowell. “I am so proud
o f ev ery o n e w ho was
involved in m aking this
Senior Center apartment suffers
damage from Monday’s heavy rains
another successful year.”
The Mighty Myelins
raffled off a handmade quilt
to raise money for the walk
and West Coast Auto Glass
and C reativ e H utch in
H erm iston d o n ated gift
certificates to be raffled off.
A new sponsor for the walk,
T h riv en t F in an cial for
Lutherans, donated funds for
a d v ertisin g . A lso, Kim
S o u th w o rth from the
Oregon Chapter came and
helped with the walk.
A b reak fast was
served to the walkers and
volunteers at All S ain t's
Episcopal Church after the
walk. "All in all this w as one
o f our g re a test w alk s,"
stated M cDowell, "and I
appreciate everyone who
w alked.
v o lu n teered ,
pledged and donated items.
I hope to see you next year."
lone ready to hold sixth annual TV shoot April 22
The sixth annual
1000-yard TV shoot will be
held on Saturday, April 22
at the Frank and Joe
H alvorsen Farm , 64686
Halvorsen Lane, lone. The
fee is $20 per person per
shot. Registration is 8:30
a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
An all you can eat
lunch will be available for $6
for adults and $3.50 for kids
10 and under. The meal will
include BBQ chicken, brats,
hot dogs, baked beans,
potato salad and beverages.
The lunch price also
includes breakfast pastries,
ju ic e and coffee in the
morning.
All proceeds will be
used to purchase children's
prizes and events for the
lone F ourth o f July
Celebration.
The prize is $ 100 for
hitting and breaking a 27-
inch TV tube. L indsay
Kincaid is sponsoring a $100
prize for hitting a small TV.
10-12 inch size, at 1000
yards.
It is asked that
participants not bring their
dogs.
There will also be
clay pigeon shooting as well.
For
m ore
in fo rm atio n or to help
sponsor this event and have
your company’s name on the
reader board, contact Tanna
Padberg at 422-7276.
Ceiling tiles were removed after rain waters Monday caused the
ceiling to cave in and caused water damage on the walls.
Ceiling tiles in the
first floor apartment at St.
P a tric k 's S en io r C en ter
collapsed due to heavy rains
on M onday, said City
Manager David DeMayo. It
is suspected that water could
not be diverted from the
building properly and flowed
into the apartment. There
was also about an inch of
water on the apartment floor.
N obody was hurt in the
Guns are displayed before the
shoot. These were many of the
guns used in last y ear's TV
Shoot.
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
i
event, but the apartm ent
resident has been displaced
and is currently staying at
Northwestern Motel whileO
So Kleen has been put to
work to clean up the water
and dry the apartment out.
There was also some
water damage in the center’s
kitchen pantry and the upper
floor apartments were being
investigated to make sure
there w as no w ater damage
in them.
M C G G G R E E N F E E D S T O R E in H eppner
1MOW IN AT MCGG GREEN FEED:
Seed Potatoes • Onion Sets • Broccoli • Cabbage f
1 znW
B russel Sprouts • Cauliflower Starts
'^ T ^ l
I own M ow ers & Fencing are at this location now!
Morrow County G rain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment, »l»lt our wtb siti at www imflg Mt