INSIDE SPORTS TIGERS FALL SHORT OF TITLE IN PREP HOOPS ACTION
Hermiston
Herald
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
HermistonHerald.com
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STUDENTS DISCOVER JOY OF
INSIDE
THREE MINUTES WITH...
READING
Area schools celebrate
Read Across America
by putting focus on fun
MEET OFFICER ERICA SANDO-
VAL IN THIS WEEK’S QUICK-
READ PROFILE.
PAGE A2
SCOFFLAW
CONFESSIONS
MAYBE OFFICER SANDOVAL
SHOULD PAY COMMUNITY
EDITOR TAMMY MALGESINI A
VISIT AFTER SHE CONFESSES
BREAKING A WINDOW —
AND THE LAW.
PAGE A8
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
Staff Writer
“The more that you read, the
more things you will know. The
more that you learn, the more
places you’ll go.”
Millions of elementary school
children took those words from
Dr. Seuss’ famous book “Oh, The
Places You’ll Go!” to heart last
week, with the festivities from
Read Across America, an annual
celebration commemorating Se-
uss’ birthday of March 2, 1904.
The author of more than 60
children’s books including “The
Lorax,” “The Cat in the Hat,” and
“How the Grinch Stole Christ-
mas,” Seuss, whose real name was
Theodore Geisel, captivated read-
ers with his stories and memorable
characters. Some were mischie-
vous and lighthearted, some were
grouchy and some carried a pow-
erful message. But many inspired
a love of reading in children —
something the program aims to
encourage long after Seuss’ death.
“It seems like the love of
reading has found its way out of
schools,” said Kevin Headings,
principal of West Park Elemen-
tary School. “There’s much more
of a technical focus to teaching
reading — more focus on testing,
Smarter Balanced.”
Headings said while the techni-
cal aspects of reading are import-
ant, the other side is important,
too.
“When I was in school, teachers
would read aloud, making reading
fun for the kids,” he said. “We
don’t do enough of that anymore.
Encouraging that love of reading
— that’s what Read Across Amer-
ica is about.”
Headings said classes at West
Park participated in dress-up days
and reading challenges or com-
petitions. On Friday, he said, the
school conducted a read-in, where
students can bring pillows and
blankets and the entire school will
read just for fun.
Long-term, he said, the school
has followed the lead of Sunset
Elementary School, and is now
holding family read-ins. The fi rst
See READING, A7
ANOTHER CLOSE ONE
THE BULLDOG GIRLS JUST
MISS A TICKET TO THE BIG
DANCE IN LOSS TO BEND.
PAGE A10
AWARD WINNERS
PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Students gather by class and read in groups on the fl oor of the
gymnasium Thursday at Rocky Heights Elementary School in Hermiston.
BOARDMAN CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE RECOGNIZES
BUSINESS LEADERS AT ANNU-
AL AWARD CEREMONY.
PAGE A11
BRIEFLY
Favorable
school bond
sale saves
money
Hermiston Herald
PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Students read in a classroom on Thursday at Rocky Heights Elementary
School in Hermiston.
Fire station now open 24/7
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
Staff Writer
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Umatilla County Fire District 1 is now has full-time staffi ng at its Fire
Station 22 at the intersection of East Punkin Center and Diagonal Road east
of Hermiston.
Firefi ghters spent the fi rst full-day
shift March 1 at Fire Station 22 setting
up the building and getting systems up
and running.
It was a quiet day, but signifi cant as
the station at the intersection of East
Punkin Center and Diagonal Road
moves into 24/7 mode.
“The station will provide service to
a lot of people,” said Corey Gorham,
battalion chief for Umatilla County
Fire District 1. “The majority of the
population in rural areas are out this
way,” he said, while looking at a map
of the district’s service area.
The station is northeast of town,
about halfway between the downtown
fi re station and Hat Rock State Park.
See STATION, A7
A successful bond sale
for Umatilla School Dis-
trict will translate into few-
er taxes for Umatilla resi-
dents.
The rate on the bonds,
which will pay for ex-
pansions and upgrades at
Umatilla schools, was more
favorable than expected,
meaning taxpayers will pay
about $2.77 per assessed
value instead of $3.13.
That rate will begin when
the current Umatilla High
School bond is paid off
in 2023 and will continue
through 2035.
High demand also turned
into higher net proceeds for
the school district, which
will have $10.8 million in-
stead of the expected $10.2
million to work with.
The bond sale was
signed last week, and the
school district is now in the
planning phase. The district
expects to make drawings
available sometime this
spring and will solicit pub-
lic feedback then.
Superintendent
Heidi
Sipe said in a statement
that the district was excited
about the favorable sale and
committed to being good
stewards of the money.
“We appreciate the com-
munity support and will
continue to do all we can to
honor the community funds
with careful management,”
she said.