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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 2018)
A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018 NEWS Hermiston School Board to vote Feb. 12 on spring break schedule City to facilitate dialog between courts, minority groups Changing to the dates Washington uses is considered A local circuit court judge and some Hermis- ton residents are putting together an event to start a conversation between the courts and minority communities. The event, called “Cafe with a Judge,” was spear- headed by circuit court Judge Eva Temple, along with a local group from Hermiston that has been putting on multicultural events. Temple and circuit court judges Dan Hill and Jon Lieuallen will be pres- ent at the event, which takes place Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. at Blue Moun- tain Community College campus, 980 S.E. Colum- bia Drive, Hermiston. Alex Hobbs, a mem- ber of the group, said they have been trying to deter- mine the best way to gather information from minority groups in Hermiston about their relationship with and view of the court system. By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN STAFF WRITER The Hermiston School Board will vote at next month’s meeting to decide whether to keep Hermis- ton’s spring break schedule in line with the rest of the state, or to switch over to a schedule aligned with Wash- ington schools. If the board approves the change, spring break would be the first week of April 2019, instead of the last week of March. On Monday, members of the Education Council, a group of staff members rep- resenting each school and the district office, recommended that the board to switch to a Washington schedule. Sandra Rice, who rep- resents the district office on the council, said they weighed many factors. “Concerns ranged from scheduling conflicts, to (con- cerns) that staff were not sur- veyed on moving the spring break,” she said. Delfino Osorio Garcia, a Hermiston High School staff member on the council, said they considered the people the change would impact. “Ultimately, we decided, ‘What’s best for kids?’” Osorio Garcia said. He said with Hermiston’s move to the Washington athletic conference starting next year, they decided aligning the vacation schedule with Washington’s made the most sense. “We knew it would have an impact on learning if we didn’t go with Washington’s spring break,” Osorio Gar- cia said. But several teachers who were present at the meet- ing did not feel the change would be in the best interest of all students. Josh Linn, a teacher at Rocky Heights Elementary School, had also spoken at a previous meeting about his concerns with a schedule that didn’t align with the rest of the area’s school districts. “The district reps say (the schedule) is good for kids,” he said after Mon- day’s meeting. “But only for high school sports kids. It doesn’t benefit the ele- mentary schools. It screws up our testing schedule, and it removes us from the community.” Linn said he and many other teachers had con- cerns, and that he planned to speak up against the pro- posed schedule change at the school board meeting on Feb. 12. Altrusans lend a helping hand HERMISTON HERALD Members of Altrusa International of Hermiston helped in giving back, both locally and internationally, while working on projects during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. A number of the club’s members gathered in the morning to make sand- wiches and snacks in prepa- ration for an American Red Cross blood drive in Herm- iston. The women then served the snacks and cof- fee, as well as checking in donors for the Jan. 15 event at Good Shepherd Medical Center. Later in the day, members worked on an International Relations project. With fab- ric and sewing supplies, the Altrusans created colorful personal hygiene kits, which will be sent to girls in Haiti. Altrusa clubs around the world are active in service in an effort to create better communities. The Herm- When a car swerves off the road but a Breathalyzer shows the driver has no alco- hol in their system, police have to determine if the per- son is under the influence of something else and what is causing the impairment. To answer these ques- tions, most agencies have trained drug recognition experts, officers who use a 12-step protocol at a hospital or police station to recognize when someone is impaired by a substance other than alcohol. Sgt. Josh Roberts, one of two such experts for the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, said officers have to go through a lengthy training program to become certified. After applying to the posi- tion, candidates spend a few days dedicated to basics. “We make sure the can- didates can appropriately do and interpret field sobriety tests,” Roberts said. Through a two-week course, candidates review how drugs affect a person’s brain and body and study the specific effects of seven categories of drugs. Those include cannabis, prescrip- tion drugs, methamphet- amines and cocaine. The candidates also have to study a matrix that details symptoms and identifiers for the different drug categories. At the end of the class, they take an exam, which includes recreating the matrix from memory. The matrix will allow them to eliminate certain substances based on behav- iors symptomatic of a certain drug. Officers search for hor- izontal gaze nystagmus (HGN), an involuntary jerk- ing of the eyes. “If I don’t see HGN, I can rule out CNS depressants, inhalants, and dissociative anesthetics,” Roberts said. “If we see HGN, we look at Dan Hill (left) and Jon Lieuallen (right) “We hope to get the conversation going about how local minority com- munities perceive the courts system, and how they have been treated by the courts,” she said. “Have their experiences been negative or positive? Who do they talk to when they need help?” She said the goal of the event is to offer a safe, informal forum for peo- ple to learn about the courts system and share their experiences. She said translators and child care will be provided. If the event is success- ful, she said, they hope to host more like it. WORSHIP COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTED PHOTO During the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Karen Sherman, Ann Fialka and Edith Holt, members of Altrusa International of Hermiston, make snacks to serve at the American Red Cross blood drive at Good Shepherd Medical Center. iston group is promoting “New Hands in the New Year” to welcome potential new members interested in helping with service projects and making new friends. For more information, contact the local group via hermistonaltrusa@gmail. com, visit www.districtt- welve.altrusa.org or search Facebook. Officers trained to recognize drug impairment By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN STAFF WRITER HERMISTON HERALD those three categories as con- tiple drugs, or if a person been pulled over, but there tenders for impairment.” has been using drugs that is some incentive to agree Once they’ve completed may have quickly left their to further tests. If an officer has reason to believe a per- the course, Roberts said stu- system. dents have a field certifi- “You see a change in how son is impaired, they will still cation training in Portland the body reacts over time,” he be required to submit a urine where they work on identify- said. “Some drugs are really sample. Edmiston said police fast-acting, like ing people who are inhalants. We look at spend an inordinate amount impaired. things like pulse rate, of energy on DUIIs. Often times, Rob- “There’s often more time how eyes are mov- erts said, the people ing. If there’s invol- and resources dedicated to who volunteer are untary jerking of the one DUII investigation and homeless. eyes, we put them arrests than for many felony “We give them through the same crimes and arrests,” he said. a sandwich and a He said while the drug field sobriety tests.” soda,” Roberts said. Other tests expert positions are helpful in “We’re not threaten- Josh Roberts include whether a identifying impairment, they ing anyone with jail, person can divide their atten- still pull officers from their they’re total volunteers.” He said while they occa- tion, and the degree to which duties. He said in the past sev- sionally find people in pos- a person’s eyes are dilated. session of drugs during the They will also check the per- eral years, all Class A mis- exercises, they typically son’s vital signs, and examine demeanors, including DUIIs, their muscle tone and skin for have gone to the courts, focus on the task at hand. which means pulling officers “We always use officer signs of injection marks. Capt. Travis Eynon off their beats and paying for discretion,” he said. “If we find a residual amount, now pointed out that getting fur- medical analysis. And he is not aware of a under the new law it’s a mis- ther testing from a drug rec- demeanor. Often, we’ll just ognition expert is volun- Breathalyzer equivalent for tary for someone who has other drugs. give them a warning.” Roberts added that the field exercises are easier to conduct in Oregon, because there is no law against the consumption of drugs — only against possession. “If you’ve ingested it, it’s LOCAL, INDEPENDENT AUDIOLOGIST not technically a crime,” he Working within the community of Pendleton, said. “That gives us the free- our clinic provides a variety of hearing healthcare dom to walk around and ask services including hearing assessments and people to volunteer.” rehabilitation, education, and counseling. “The volunteers we get are really vital to the process,” he FULL SERVICE CLINIC said. “It would be really diffi- Our clinic also fi ts and dispenses sophisticated cult to hold field certification hearing aids and related devices to suit all types otherwise.” of hearing loss and life styles. Renata Anderson The final step of training is a certifi ed licensed audiologist with over twenty years experience. is to confirm students’ eval- uations with toxicology tests. SERVICE YOU CAN RELY ON! “Each student has to have You can trust Renata to provide a complete at least 80 percent of the eval- hearing evaluation and a professional diagnosis uations confirmed, that what of your specifi c hearing loss. Call for an they called is actually con- appointment with Renata today and start firmed in the toxicology test,” hearing what you’ve been missing. Roberts said. The drug expert program has been around since the 1990s, according to Herm- iston Police Chief Jason Edmiston. Pam Wagenaar, Roberts said over time, Renata Anderson, MA Administrative Assistant the drug recognition experts 2237 SW Court, Pendleton learn to look for signs that a 541-276-5053 • www.renataanderson.com person may have used mul- WE HEAR YOU! First Christian Church “Proclaiming the Message of Hope, Living the Gospel of Love” Sunday School 9:15am Worship Service 10:30am Children’s Church 10:30am 567-3013 775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston NEW BEGINNINGS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Worship Service 10:30 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM Pastor J.C. Barnett Children’s Church & Nursery Available 700 West Orchard Avenue P.O. Box 933 Hermiston, Oregon 541-567-8441 Grace Baptist Church 555 SW 11th, Hermiston 567-9497 First United Methodist Church Hermiston 191 E. Gladys Ave , Hermiston OR Sunday Worship 11am • 541-567-3002 Nursery available Check us out on Face Book Worship Livestream at herfumc.com Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church 565 W. HERMISTON AVE. Nursery provided for all services Sunday School - 9:30 AM Worship - 10:45 AM 6:00 PM Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM “Proclaiming God’s word, growing in God’s grace” DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday ...............................English 7:00 am Thursday...............Spanish 6:00 pm SATURDAY:.........English 5:00 pm ...............................Spanish 7:00 pm SUNDAY:..............English 9:00 am ..........................Bilingual 11:00 am ..............................Spanish 1:00 pm Offi ce..............................567-5812 Seventh-day Adventist Church Community Church Saturdays Sabbath School........9:30 a.m. Worship Service......11:00 a.m. English & Spanish Services Echo 21 N. Bonanza Street, Echo OR 567-8241 855 W. Highland • Hermiston Phone: (541) 376-8108 Sunday School • 9:30am Worship • 10:45am Children’s Church • 11:15am Potluck & Communion ~ First Sunday of the Month LANDMARK BAPTIST CHURCH The Full Gospel Home Church 125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232 Pastor David Dever Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm www.hermistonlmbc.com 235 SW 3rd Phone 567-7678 Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker Sunday: Sunday School........10:00 am Worship...................11:00 am Evening Service........7:00 pm Wednesday Service..7:00 pm “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Pet. 5:7 St. Johns Episcopal Church Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus. Scripture, Tradition and Reason Family service 9am Sunday N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston t. PH: 567-6672 We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all. 1520 W ORCHARD AVE Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am Classes for Kids @ 9:15 am SEEKING JESUS, SHARING LIFE, SERVING PEOPLE www.hermistonnazarene.org To share your worship times call 541-278-2678