WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2017
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
Herald Opinion
It stuck out like ... the sore thumb that it was
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Vote yes to address
continuing growth
I am writing in support
of the Hermiston bond is-
sue, although I would also
want to make it perfectly
clear I am writing based
upon my knowledge of the
school district and its facil-
ities and not as a taxpayer.
In 1999, I became super-
intendent of the Education
Service District and for the
next nine years had the op-
portunity to make frequent
visits to all of Hermiston’s
schools.
One of my first impres-
sions involved the elemen-
tary schools which lacked a
central hallway and which
even almost 20 years ago
appeared ready for replace-
ment. The district has al-
ready made progress in that
regard, with the notable ex-
ception of Rocky Heights.
I still visit the Hermis-
ton schools often because
I have five relatives who
spend every day in the sys-
tem. My daughter, daughter
in-law, and son in-law are
all employed by the dis-
trict and two of my grand-
children attend Hermiston
Schools — one is at the
high school and another at
Armand Larive. All five are
fortunate to be in schools
modernized by the last
bond issue, although my
daughter in-law teaches in
a portable.
Hermiston has become
Eastern Oregon’s largest
community and one of the
fastest-growing communi-
ties in Oregon. The school
district is the second fast-
est-growing district in
the state. Living in East-
ern Oregon we generally
think about rapid growth
as something that mostly
happens in metropolitan
suburbs. We need to face
the fact Umatilla County
is a major Oregon growth
center. While the proposed
bond issue is large, it is not
predicated on something
that may or may not hap-
pen in terms of growth – it
will simply provide regu-
lar classroom space for the
current student population.
With such rapid growth,
and the economic boon
which has precipitated it,
comes the need to seriously
address the infrastructure
of the community and the
E-mail your opinion items to:
editor@hermistonherald.com
schools are no exception.
Not only does the infra-
structure of the district need
to be addressed, but it also
needs to be expanded. Por-
tables now house enough
students to fill a school
and a half and with 150
new students coming every
year, it will quickly become
two schools and then even
more. I applaud the com-
munity for its growth and
vitality, while at the same
time expressing hope voters
will help accommodate that
growth by voting yes on the
bond issue.
GEORGE MURDOCK
UMATILLA COUNTY COMMIS-
SIONER
PENDLETON
Support school
bond in May
When my family and
I first visited Hermiston
in 2008 to decide wheth-
er to accept a job in the
area, one of our deliber-
ate stops was a visit to
the school district. Since
our only child was in high
school and her education
was one of our prima-
ry concerns, we couldn’t
imagine relocating to a
place with an inferior
school district.
To say that we were im-
pressed by the Hermiston
School District wouldn’t
adequately capture the
favorable opinion that we
formed after a 2 ½ hour
visit with the superinten-
dent and high school prin-
cipal. Even though it was
the third day of the new
school year, they dedicat-
ed significant quality time
giving us a tour of the fa-
cilities, letting us visit
classes in session, and an-
swering all our questions.
That time spent at the
high school was a major
factor in our deciding to
move to Hermiston. Our
daughter graduated from
Hermiston High School,
subsequently graduated
from Corban University,
and then moved back to
the area.
The quality of educa-
tion that Hermiston area
children have available
is remarkable, and our
schools really are at the
heart of who we are as a
thriving community. With
projected
enrollment
growth of 800 students
in the next six years, we
must continue to invest in
our schools if area fami-
lies in the future are go-
ing to have access to the
same experience we did
when we first considered
Hermiston as the place to
live our lives.
I strongly encourage
you to invest in the future
by supporting our school
bond this May.
JOSEPH FRANELL, CEO AND
GENERAL MANAGER OF EAST-
ERN OREGON TELECOM
HERMISTON
I
recently spent a week to intake of foods high in
firmly planted on purines. Just like with the
my daybed with my previous attack, I’m baf-
right hand wrapped in an fled because I don’t think
icepack resting on a pile of I eat excessive amounts of
foods that fall in that cat-
pillows.
I’ve had issues with my egory.
After several days of
thumb joint and it really
flared up 10 days ago. It torture, my sarcastic sense
was so swollen and pain- of humor was in prime
ful — it basically stuck out form. Luckily, most of my
musings were only
like a sore thumb.
heard by my dog and
I couldn’t even
the four walls of my
hold a book, much
daybed room.
less write or type. I
However, there
watched TV, more
are some things that
DVDs than I can
I pondered while
count and then even
lying there that con-
more TV. It got tire-
Tammy
tinue to take space
some.
Malgesini
in my head — like,
I was ready to INSIDE MY
who came up with
stick a needle in my SHOES
the “Enjoy the go”
eye. But I couldn’t
hold one with my right had ad campaign for Charmin.
and I certainly would have That’s just weird.
But seriously, it gets
missed with my left hand.
At one point, my shoul- worse — they have an
der started aching — likely app. It’s the SitOrSquat
due to the awkward posi- app. I don’t even wanna
tion I had to maintain in or- go there, but evidently in
der to keep my hand elevat- a quest for clean public re-
ed. I had an icepack on my strooms, people can access
hand and a heat pack on my the app to know where to
shoulder. If I was a horse, I go, literally.
And, I don’t even know
risked being put down.
where to start with ad-
The diagnosis: Gout.
I had a gout attack in vertisements for Devour
my big toe about 20 years frozen meals by the Kraft
ago. I should have recog- Heinz Company. Although
nized the pain. For anyone I grew up with “Leave It To
who has experienced it, Beaver” and “The Brady
I’m preaching to the choir Bunch,” I’m no prude. The
commercials are as spicy
— it’s excruciating.
The doctor said gout is at their Chicken Enchila-
caused by high uric acid das Suiza. “Food you want
levels, which is related to fork.” Golly gee Wally,
that’s kinda racy.
Before this next digres-
sion, I want to make it clear
that I fully understand how
difficult weight loss can
be. I have my own strug-
gles, which is maybe why
my dark humor comes out.
Oprah has been touting the
benefits of Weight Watch-
ers after recently losing
more than 40 pounds.
I told my husband,
“If Oprah had kept all
the pounds off that she
has lost over the years,
she would be at her birth
weight.”
Anyway, back to the
gout — my doctor said it
could have stricken that
particular area because of
recent overuse and arthri-
tis in one of the bones in
my thumb joint. The x-ray
was so clear, I could have
diagnosed it.
Evidently, when that
bothers me enough it will
need to be fused. If and
when that day comes, I’ll
need some recommenda-
tions on movies to watch
— I don’t know if I can
handle another overdose
of regular TV and com-
mercials.
———
Tammy Malgesini is
the community editor. Her
column, Inside my Shoes,
includes general musings
about life. Contact her
at
tmalgesini@eastore-
gonian.com or 541-564-
4539.
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