A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2015
LOCAL WEATHER
Pet of the week
Today's Weather
Hi, my name is Jade. I am a female pit
bull available for adoption at the Humane
Society of Eastern Oregon Pet Rescue in
Hermiston.
I was surrendered by my owner, and
I need a new home. I’ve already had my
shots, and I am good with children and
other dogs. I am 6 months old and can be
adopted for $150. I come with a free vet
check and a three-day return policy. If I
am spayed within 60 days of adoption, my
owner will receive a $50 refund.
If you are interested in welcoming Jade
to your family, please stop by the humane
society, 1844 N.W. Geer Road, Hermiston,
or call 541-564-6222.
IMESD:
“We do the technology for
the city of Hermiston police,”
he said. “We do the city of
continued from page A1
Pendleton technology. We do
If Hermiston opts out, as the printing for a lot of folks. The
ODUJHVWGLVWULFWLWZLOOVLJQL¿- more the economy upticks,
cantly weaken the region, we can use that branch of our
QRWRQO\¿QDQFLDOO\LWZRXOG budget to help offset costs.”
weaken us as a unit in moving
Maiocco said Tuesday,
forward in the state.”
while the district appreciates
Mulvihill said what is what the IMESD does, the
especially
disappointing district will make more gains
about Hermiston leaving the by opting out of the consor-
IMESD is, this year, for the tium.
¿UVWWLPHLQVHYHUDO\HDUVWKH
“Unfortunately, while they
service district would have say they are striving for ex-
been able to add some pro- cellence, Hermiston is striv-
grams and staff previously ing to be the premier school
cut. Instead, that funding will district in the state,” he said.
have to be allocated else- ³%\ GH¿QLWLRQ D FRQVRUWLXP
where.
means that you are going to
“We have a better optimis- have to pull some folks down
tic picture than we have had in to some kind of common lev-
several years,” he said. “Now, el of service provision.”
we’ll have to use money set
Mulvihill stated in the
DVLGHWREDFN¿OOWKHORVV´
board meeting, however, that
Mulvihill said he and his the dollars allocated to the
team will work with the su- ESD based on Hermiston’s
perintendents of the remain- student enrollment were nev-
ing districts to determine er intended to serve only the
where the cuts should be Hermiston School District;
made.
they were supposed to bene-
He said he hopes a plan, ¿WWKHFRPPRQZHOIDUHRIWKH
identifying what reductions districts and provide equity of
will be made and where, will services across the board.
EH¿QLVKHGE\)HEUXDU\0XO-
IMESD board member
YLKLOOVDLGZKLOHVSHFL¿FFXWV Kelly Bissenger warned the
have not been determined, Hermiston School Board that
the IMESD has unfortunately other districts and their stu-
gotten good at making reduc- dents could suffer because of
tions. Since he started with the lost revenue and possible
the IMESD seven years ago, VWDI¿QJFXWVWKDWPLJKWHQVXH
he said they have lost 85 po-
Maiocco, however, urged
sitions.
the board not to listen to the
Mulvihill said the IMESD IMESD’s “scare tactics.”
will try to be creative, howev-
“You have a $2 million
er, in recouping some of the entitlement for students in
revenue lost by working with Hermiston,” he said. “$1.8
different agencies.
(million) is what the state
KDVPDGHDYDLODEOHIRUÀRZ
through to us, but it is a
$700,000 loss that we cur-
rently see in programming.
We have advocated strongly,
for years, to try and allocate
an additional portion of that
$700,000 to Hermiston, but
instead, we get the pinto pro-
gram and the Cadillac goes to
the surrounding districts.”
Mulvihill said it was dis-
appointing that the Hermis-
ton School District decided
to leave a team that has ac-
complished so much in recent
years, but the IMESD must
abide by the decision.
“This has been a very dif-
¿FXOWGHFLVLRQIRUWKH+HUPLV-
ton School District,” he said.
“I used to live in Hermiston.
I recognize it has been very
GLI¿FXOW , GRQ¶W DJUHH ZLWK
the decision, but I will agree
to disagree and will support
their decision.”
Prior to making their vote
Tuesday, Hermiston board
member Jason Middleton said
he has been a long-time sup-
porter of the ESD and still is.
“It saddens me that what is
good politically doesn’t echo
what is possibly good for the
students in our district,” he said.
Board member Duron,
who voted against Hermiston
opting out of the IMESD, said,
as a parent, she thought about
the students in other districts
who could be impacted.
“I’m thinking about how
one decision, that is made to-
night, could impact other stu-
dents not being able to have
access to the services they
need because of a decision we
made,” she said.
Local 5-Day Forecast
Sat
Sun
1/17
continued from page A1
the world championships.
Merkley visited the team
in November 2014 to con-
gratulate them on all their
accomplishments.
“Umatilla’s
robotics
team is a home-grown Or-
egon success story to be
incredibly proud of, and
I’m excited to honor Uma-
tilla’s success by bringing
Superintendent Heidi Sipe
to the State of the Union
this year,” Merkley said
in a press release. “One of
the biggest challenges our
country faces today is how
to ensure that our kids are
getting a strong STEM ed-
ucation that will prepare
them for the global econ-
the day and after school
and can take dual cred-
it courses through East-
ern Promise to help them
leave high school with
both training and college
FHUWL¿FDWLRQV SDUWLFLSDWH
in an after-school program
IRFXVHG VSHFL¿FDOO\ RQ
STEM education and take
online computer and tech-
nology classes that have
spurred a state-wide effort
for job seekers.
“It is all very over-
whelming, to be honest,”
she said of Umatilla’s
STEM education program
success. “All I was ever try-
ing to do is just create op-
portunities for our students
in Umatilla. I didn’t expect
that the excitement would
grow beyond borders of
our town. This gives me
Wed
1/20
1/21
43/42
55/39
51/34
45/29
41/30
Morning showers.
Highs in the mid 50s
and lows in the up-
per 30s.
Abundant sunshine.
Highs in the low 50s
and lows in the mid
30s.
More sun than
clouds. Highs in the
mid 40s and lows in
the upper 20s.
Mostly sunny. Highs
in the low 40s and
lows in the low 30s.
Sunrise Sunset
7:33 AM 4:41 PM
Sunrise Sunset
7:32 AM 4:42 PM
Sunrise Sunset
7:32 AM 4:44 PM
Sunrise Sunset
7:31 AM 4:45 PM
Sunrise Sunset
7:30 AM 4:46 PM
Oregon At A Glance
Portland
54/50
Salem
56/49
Eugene
54/49
Medford
54/46
Pendleton
44/45
Hermiston
43/42
La Grande
38/38
Bend
44/33
Ontario
36/34
Burns
48/39
Klamath Falls
50/39
Area Cities
City
Albany
Ashland
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Coos Bay
Corvallis
Eugene
Hi
55
51
52
33
44
56
48
59
55
54
Lo Cond.
50 rain
47 rain
46 rain
32 mixed
33 rain
51 rain
39 rain
51 rain
50 rain
49 rain
City
Florence
Grants Pass
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Lakeview
Lincoln City
Mcminnville
Medford
Hi
56
49
43
42
50
38
48
57
55
54
Lo Cond.
50 rain
47 rain
42 rain
40 rain
39 rain
38 rain
38 rain
50 rain
48 rain
46 rain
City
Newport
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Roseburg
Salem
Springfield
The Dalles
Tillamook
Vale
Hi
57
44
54
49
54
56
53
44
58
35
Lo Cond.
51 rain
45 rain
50 rain
40 rain
51 rain
49 rain
49 rain
43 rain
48 rain
33 rain
City
Houston
Los Angeles
Miami
Minneapolis
New York
Hi
66
75
77
38
28
Lo Cond.
45 pt sunny
52 sunny
64 pt sunny
26 windy
26 sunny
City
Phoenix
San Francisco
Seattle
St. Louis
Washington, DC
Hi
72
65
47
56
39
Lo Cond.
49 sunny
52 pt sunny
47 rain
33 pt sunny
33 mst sunny
National Cities
City
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
Hi
57
23
38
67
50
Lo Cond.
37 mst sunny
19 sunny
30 windy
38 sunny
29 mst sunny
Moon Phases
UV Index
Sat
Last
New
First
Full
Jan 13
Jan 20
Jan 27
Feb 3
©2010 American Profile Hometown Content Service
He said the term “no-kill”
can also be confusing and
misleading: Some believe
continued from page A1
animals are never eutha-
which is much different than
nized, while others believe
Pendleton’s process, he said.
only healthy, non-aggressive
“What’s interesting is the
animals are kept, and others
city of Pendleton is in the
believe no-kill shelters have
process of trying to renegoti-
a 90-percent adoption rate.
ate their contract with PAWS
Some shelters even use the
because, right now, the police
term for marketing but still
department has their own fa-
have some animals eutha-
cility where they hold their
nized elsewhere by veterinar-
GRJV IRU WKH ¿YH GD\V´ KH
ians or other facilities.
said.
Putnam said Pet Rescue is
After the holding period,
honest with the community
Morgan said PAWS employ-
and has never claimed to be
ees do not take all of the dogs
a no-kill shelter. He said 61
from the police department.
percent of the dogs brought
He said PAWS employees
LQ¿QGKRPHVWKURXJKDGRS-
choose what dogs the shel-
tion or are reunited with their
SEAN HART PHOTO
ter will admit, and the city is
owners. Of the animals euth-
forced to pay additional fees Humane Society of Eastern Oregon Pet Rescue Executive Direc-
anized, some are unhealthy
tor and Manager Beau Putnam poses with Kit, a dog he personal- while others are aggressive.
for the remaining animals.
“There have been sever- ly adopted from the Hermiston shelter, Thursday afternoon.
He said the 39-percent eutha-
al instances where the city
QDVLDUDWHLVDOVRLQÀDWHGEH-
of Pendleton has had to take in 204 dogs last year, Put- be able to continue accepting cause some owners bring in
those animals to Pet Rescue nam said, and when no-kill all dogs, some that have not injured and sick animals just
because PAWS didn’t want to shelters in Pendleton and the been adopted must be eutha- to be euthanized.
destroy them,” he said.
Tri-Cities are at full capacity, nized, he said.
Putnam said some ani-
Putnam said Pet Rescue is people will bring in animals
“Euthanasia is always a mals are transferred to other
an open-door shelter; it will that are turned away there to last resort,” Putnam said. “As shelters, but breed and tem-
accept all the animals brought his shelter. Pet Rescue has 30 long as they’re healthy and perament restrictions prevent
in by the police department or dog kennels, and sometimes not aggressive, I will do the some from being placed else-
surrendered by their owners, two dogs are housed in a sin- EHVW,FDQWR¿QGWKDWDQLPDOD where. He said most of the
who are also charged a fee to gle kennel.
home. It’s every shelter’s goal DQLPDOVDUHOLVWHGRQ3HW¿QG-
cover the costs. HPD brought
In order for the shelter to to be a no-kill.”
er.com, and the shelter is in
omy and help keep good,
middle-class jobs here in
the United States.”
Merkley said the work
that Sipe, her students and
Umatilla community mem-
bers have put into building
the program is creating
huge returns.
“Getting our students
engaged in STEM proj-
ects and providing them
with hands-on experience
is exactly what we should
be doing, and exactly what
this program provides,” he
said in the press release.
“I’m thrilled that she’ll be
here in the Capitol as the
President lays out his vi-
sion to take on these and
many other challenges.”
Sipe said Umatilla stu-
dents now have access
to STEM classes during
Tue
1/19
Showers early, be-
coming a steady rain
later in the day. High
43F.
RESCUE:
SIPE:
Mon
1/18
such hope for our region.
I think eastern Oregon will
grow more and more with
STEM, and I think it will
become a destination for
STEM. I am proud of our
whole region.”
Sipe said students in
Umatilla now have amaz-
ing opportunities, and it all
started with the nudge from
Merkley in 2011. She said
she is incredibly grateful
for all he has done for the
Umatilla community and
is honored to join him in
Washington, D.C., for the
State of the Union speech.
Sipe said she received
the invitation during a
meeting which continued
for the rest of the after-
noon.
“I hung up the phone
and had to go back into
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
1/17
1/18
1/19
1/20
1/21
1
Low
1
Low
1
Low
1
Low
1
Low
The UV Index is measured on a 0 -
11 number scale, with a higher UV
Index showing the need for greater
skin protection.
0
11
the process of creating a web-
VLWHWRKHOS¿QGKRPHVIRUWKH
animals.
He said, while people
have complained the shelter
does not accept donations or
volunteers, that is not true.
3HRSOH FDQ ¿OO RXW YROXQWHHU
applications at the shelter and
donate supplies or money at
the shelter, through the mail
or online via PayPal through a
link on the shelter’s Facebook
page. He said other people
have complained the facility
is dirty, but many who come
in comment on its cleanliness.
“I’d say most of the nega-
WLYHÀDFNWKDWZHJHWLVIURP
people who are not here regu-
larly,” he said. “There’s many
reasons people have negative
comments about us, but 90
percent of people have a good
experience because we’re
¿QGLQJKRPHVIRUDQLPDOV
I encourage people to come
and see for yourself.”
Judy Kopta, Hermiston,
said she recently read neg-
ative comments about Pet
Rescue on Facebook and was
surprised when she visited the
shelter Thursday.
“It’s very nice,” she said
of the shelter. “I’m very, very
impressed with it. It’s clean,
smells good. I think they do a
wonderful job taking care of
Pet Rescue.”
Two of Kopta’s grandchil-
dren took volunteer applica-
WLRQVKRPHWR¿OORXWDVWZR
Hermiston student volunteers
came in and walked some of
the dogs.
Putnam said the shelter
was built in 1994 after his
wife’s grandmother felt there
was a need for one in the area.
“Prior to this facility be-
ing created, animals were
just running everywhere,” he
said. “Basically, there was no
place to take them. She saw a
need, and she basically took
them all home. People don’t
necessarily see us as home,
but they’re warm, and they’re
fed. They’re watered. They’re
taken care of while we do our
best to replace them in homes.
I often question what would
happen if we did close down.
I think people should ask that.
We’re doing the best we can
here, and we’re always trying
to improve each day.”
The Humane Society of
Eastern Oregon Pet Rescue is
open to the public from noon
to 5 p.m. Mondays through
Saturdays at 1844 N.W. Geer
Road.
that meeting,” she said. “It
was just torturous sitting
through the meeting when
I had all these questions
developing.”
She said during a meet-
ing break two hours later
she called Merkley’s staff
member back.
“I phoned her back, and
I had to ask, ‘Is this a joke?
Is this real?’ ” she said. “It
did not possibly seem that
it could be real.”
Sipe said she will be
paying her own way to
Washington, D.C., so her
husband and children can
also attend. She said, while
she attends the State of the
Union festivities, her chil-
dren and husband will be
meeting with Susan Lexer,
Merkley’s policy adviser
on health and education
and talk with her about
robotics and opportunities
for STEM education in ru-
ral areas.
As a family, they will
also tour various places in-
cluding the White House,
the Capitol building and
the Library of Congress.
“The whole experience,
it is just phenomenal,”
Sipe said. “I just wish that
others could join me in
the experience because it
doesn’t seem right that it is
just me going. The honor is
mine because of the work
of so many others. I wish
that everyone could go and
celebrate as a community
because Umatilla has real-
ly embraced STEM.”
The State of the Union
will be delivered at 6 p.m.
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