I-84 showcases some of Oregon's most beautiful sights

 Why not take a summer road-trip along the Columbia River Gorge, on Highway 84? Below are several stops literally just minutes from the highway.

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In Portland, take exit 22 to follow the sharp winding road to Crown Point. For the view from below, use exit 25 for Rooster Rock State Park. It is quite windy on this bluff, which also gives the advantage of being able to see a lot of fun river activities from above, including kite surfing and boating.  http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_150.php

Exit 31 (on the left) will lead you to Multnomah Falls, with a tunnel under the interstate. There is a shallow pool to cool your toes, or head straight up along the path to get to the bridge above the lower falls. There are LOTS of tourists here, so stay close to your group! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multnomah_Falls

Exit 40 will take you to the Bonneville Hatchery, to see the large-scale production of keeping Oregon lakes and rivers stocked with various species of fish. This area shows just how much effort goes into keeping Oregon rivers and lakes stocked with fish. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/bonneville_hatchery.asp

Exit 44 puts you onto The Bridge of the Gods, which has great historical importance to local Indians, and many vendors are drawn here to sell their goods to tourists driving through. You’ll find lots of local produce, jerky, and fresh-caught fish. http://www.portofcascadelocks.org/bridge.htm

Exit 104, and following signs North across the Columbia River into Washington, will lead you to the WWI Veteran’s Memorial. This was built in 1930 to resemble Stonehenge as it was originally built. It honors servicemen from the local area, that died during that war. http://www.legendsofamerica.com/wa-stonehenge.html

Exit 109 provides a view of the John Day Dam. Lewis and Clark were fascinated by this location, before the dam existed. At the time of it’s construction, it was the second largest dam in the world. It has a small, and unfortunately poorly-kept, rest stop. The view is great, but definitely pass on the expired porta-potties. http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/Places/john_day_dam.html

Exit 137 is a scenic pullout with a great view of the Columbia River Gorge, and the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm, which is still under construction. The city of Arlington, Oregon may only have just over 500 inhabitants, but it also maintains a waste management facility for all trash from Seattle, Washington, and some from the Portland area. The wind farm is a fascination for many, and puts the strong Gorge winds to good use. It is also probably because this wind flow, that the landfill doesn’t overpower the atmosphere. That is quite a bit of garbage!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherds_Flat_Wind_Farm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington,_Oregon

Exit 188 is about 23 miles East of Boardman, Oregon, which is where I-84 begins to turn South from the Columbia River. Following this exit South (take a right from the exit), to the town of Echo (2000 census population 650, and .6 square mile total area). This was one of the main thoroughfares along the Oregon Trail from as early as 1851. Fort Henrietta Park is a National Historical Oregon Trail site, including a covered wagon outdoor exhibit, and antique fire equipment. http://www.echo-oregon.com/

I-84 turns South, heading for the Oregon-Idaho border, and the views turn into  rolling hills, grassland, and mountain passes. Make sure you fill up on snacks and fuel when you have the option, because for much of the remainder of the trip, there isn't much of anything, aside from wide open spaces for miles.

Jeffery Reimer - A Beautiful Challenge

 Jeffery shows a rare sincere and relaxed smile, during a professional photo shoot with his three younger sisters at Albany's Eads Park. He has Tuberous Sclerosis, epilepsy, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and is developmentally delayed.

The girls (Ahnalee, Katelynn, and Samantha) run a collision course with mom on the slide. Nancy Reimer actively ensures that the kids have a wide range of activities and exciting new places to explore.

This is the current set of Jeffery's medications, which he takes morning and evening. Clonazepam, Risperdone, Clonidine, Oxycodone, Sertraline, Seroquel, Trazadone, Concerta, and Diastat. These represent only a small list of medications that 10-year old Jeffery has taken in his life.

Working on a "project" on his bed. He has a Ty Beanie Baby turkey "holding" onto a small piece of metal, which he is trying to force onto a metal pipe. Jeffery has many projects like this one, and tends to enjoy his demolition projects the best.

As evening approaches, Nancy consoles Jeffery because he was upset that he couldn't have Katelynn's doll. Seemingly very small issues can set him off, and bedtime can be a long, arduous challenge.

LBCC Memorial Day Vigil photographs

Soldier's Cross

American flags in the LBCC courtyard lawn

Veterans Club member Jeb Oliver, and his father

Soldier's Cross and Service Flag presentation

POW/MIA flag presentation, along with posted facts

Rob MacLean, Scottish American Military (SAM), and the designated musical talent for the event, with a bagpipe.

As the vigil was winding down, Lewis Franklin (faculty advisor) and Bill Stanley discussed how smoothly it went.

Bill Stanley speaking to the gathered crowd

Vigil attendees lined up, for a turn to honor in their own way

Bill Stanley honored a disabled veteran by asking him to be the first to go through the line. There was a ceremonial feeling, as all attendees were silent while this man remembered those with whom he served.

Veterans Memorial Vigil a Success

 Two students leaving campus for the day began sharing details of their family members who had served in the Unites States armed forces. Their reminiscent stories were in stark contrast to the somber feeling earlier, when entering the LBCC Veterans Day Memorial Vigil.

At least one hundred people were gathered at the introduction of the first annual Veterans Day Memorial Vigil on May 25th, and many others trickled in.

The Veterans Club at LBCC planned the event, along with several community members. Hundreds of tiny flags were placed around the grassy areas behind the vigil to honor the American flag, and also many POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/ Missing in Action) flags.

 Lewis Franklin, the club's faculty advisor, commented, "If it wasn't raining, it wouldn't feel like Oregon, with wet flags everywhere." Audience members chuckled, because Memorial Day in Oregon has become synonymous with light rain showers.

Franklin read a section of the Gettysburg Address, reminding Americans to honor the sacrifices made, and to carry out their mission to the best of our ability.

Event organizers repeated that, while important to recognize and thank all veterans on Memorial Day, the most important ones to remember are those who sacrificed their lives or underwent trauma (whether physical or psychological) in time of war.

 Representing those whom have made the ultimate sacrifice, was the authentic Soldier’s Cross . Club member Bill Stanley invited all attendees to honor fallen service members, only after Ronald Naasko, a disabled Vietnam Veteran, had his chance. He tightened his wheelchair gloves and made the somber trip over to the ceremonial focal point. All present allowed Naasko the honor, and a line formed for those remaining to go pay respects.

At a few points in the ceremonial vigil, bagpiper Rob MacLean filled the courtyard with beautiful music. He is a member of SAM (Scottish American Military), with the Oregon State Defense Force, which is also referred to as Northwest ScotsGuard.

Officer Alexander has been serving as a public safety officer at LBCC for around four years. She was honored that her scheduled work day just happened to fall on the day of the event. She has had a few family members serve in combat, including her step-father Joseph (who served in the Korean War, at the 38^th parallel, and her Uncle Buddy served in “The Bloody Bucket.”

Alexander explained that there were several other LBCC public safety officers that would have also loved the opportunity to stand watch at this event, especially those whom are veterans themselves.

Ultimately, Alexander said the event was about honoring the bravery of sacrifice, and “no matter what you think about war, you have to respect that.” She also mentioned “The yoga mat incident,” which happened just over four years ago. A yoga mat was inside of a student's coat and mistaken for a firearm, and the entire campus was on lock-down.

Bruce Thompson (LBCC public safety official) and the rest of the department took that event into heavy consideration, when agreeing to allow a viable firearm on campus.  No ammunition was permitted. LBCC administrative rules detail that firearms are banned from even being in a vehicle in the parking lots on campus, so authorities had to be informed, and given express permission on all levels, to allow the firearm in the Soldier’s Cross.

Thompson stated that “a difference of opinions” on having guns on campus (and the bigger picture of war itself) was an issue to consider, when allowing the Memorial’s focal point. He said it was important to be sensitive and respectful to all, but most important on May 25^th, was to honor brave and faithful service members.

While the weather did not fully cooperate, the vigil was carried out as planned, and only took one fourth of the time scheduled. If you would like to be involved in the planning of next year’s vigil, the LBCC Veteran’s Club invites you to join them at their Thursday meetings at the fireside room on campus, at 4:30 PM. As is evident by the turnout at the vigil, veterans (and their supporters) have a strong presence here, and the club would like to provide whatever is necessary to facilitate that support.

Veterans Club Meetings
Where: LBCC Fireside Room
When: Every Thursday at 4:30PM
Who: Anyone with an interest in the veteran community

 Contact: Lewis Franklin frankll@linnbenton.edu

Free Shoot - SPC. Andrew Lara Memorial Service

Freedom Riders honor fallen soldier Andrew Lara by holding United States flags in the memorial procession on May 14, 2011

Soldiers in full dress blues stand at attention for the memorial service of Andrew Lara. 05/14/2011

A Soldier's Cross display stood next to the casket during the Lara's memorial service. Major General Raymond F Rees announced the Coin Ceremony, where camarades show a special sign of honor by laying down their service coins. 05/14/2011

Action shots - Albany Skatepark

Young friends look on, as Josh Foss prepares for his next move. He has been working on his skills for fourteen years, starting at the age of 16. Considering he is twice the age of most skaters here, he feels a sense of ownership. 05/13/2011

Jimmy Powers practicing cool moves on his bike at the Albany Skatepark. He is one of the more active guys, doing the most tricks in a short amount of time. 05/13/2011

Jimmy Powers takes off for his next move, while Noah Lochner watches. For the most part, unspoken skatepark etiquette dictates that one person is allowed space for their tricks. 05/13/2011

The bowl is a section of the skatepark. The majority of the activity here was a group huddled in a corner smoking "cigarettes." 05/13/2011

Jennifer Madsen - Albany Ballet Instructor

Ten little girls romped into a class at the Albany Parks and Recreation Center. They ran, twirled, and when reminded, they switched from street shoes to ballet slippers.

Ballet instructor Jennifer Madsen turned on the class music, and the blossoming ballerinas floated into position, on rosy clouds of tulle. They were thrilled to learn. Even more, it seemed, they wanted to just play and feel like princesses. Like clockwork, they followed her to the center of the mirrored practice hall like goslings.

Madsen has lived in the Albany area for about seven years, and has previously lived in six other states (AZ, CA, ID, IL, TX, and UT), with her husband Bruce. The reason for these relocations was so that he could reach his goal of becoming a successful ophthalmologist. He currently has a thriving business in Albany and surrounding areas. Upon each move, she found her niche locally; being able to continue teaching dance lessons.

 This is on top of being a wife, a mother of six, a member of the Albany LDS congregation, and she leads other dance projects that she has at any given time. Even just a few of these activities might overwhelm some, but Madsen seems to gracefully accomplish all. She makes it look easy, which likely comes from a life-time of experience.

Her first involvement with dance was when she began studying at the Jackie Hearn School of Dance, at the age of eight. Madsen has essentially grown up in the dance studio. She has studied all types of dance, including jazz, tap, hip hop, and ballet, all the way through her college years, with the Arizona State University dance team.

Among her accomplishments, she has been a returning judge for many high school state dance team competitions. She sees hundreds of performances and dancers a year, and her skill and opinion are highly respected in the dance world. Madsen has also choreographed extensively for the Albany Civic Theater.

  

 Madsen has taught dance consistently since college, which has contributed household income, and has also been a chance for her to do something outside of the home. She intends to teach dance for at least a few more years, and is happy to continue along, as she has since her college years.

 When asked the biggest challenge in her current career, she states that it can be a lot easier to choreograph than to teach, because the student’s technical skill and experience are already present. She still loves teaching even beginners, just to see their progression and to see them fall in love with dance. To keep the attention of students as young as three years old, she focuses on making sure the lessons are interesting, and that they keep moving. In a recent lesson, with ten students between the ages of three and five, she quickly noticed that the children's attention span required a fast pace. Madsen proactively kept individual parts of the lesson short, to keep their interest, without wasting valuable time.

Madsen says her favorite part of teaching, especially with young children and beginners, is to see the “creativity and joy that happens in the class,” and to see skills rapidly advance. It is obvious that she does not expect perfection of her new students, as ballet teachers are often portrayed, but a definite balance of gentle correction, and creative teaching technique.

At-A-Glance

Madsen's children:   Rachel – 14

                             Ethan – 12

                             Tanner – 10

                             Spencer – 6

                             Andrew – 5

                             Bennett – 1

Q&A:

Do you have any claim to fame?
           I have worked on a lot of choreography with the Albany Civic Theater, and I have also been a judge for high school dance teams, in the state-wide competitions.

When was your first interest in dance?
          I started taking dance classes at the Jackie Hearn School of Dance when I was eight, and continued through college.

What types of dance have you studied?
          Really all types, including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and more.

What have been your biggest challenges teaching, and what are your favorite things about it?
          The biggest challenge is going from choreographing, to teaching beginners. It is technically easier to choreograph, because those learning from me already know what they are doing. My favorite thing would be seeing the creativity and joy that comes from them. I also like seeing their advancement.

Do you have plans to continue teaching for a while?
          I'll be teaching for at least a few more years, but no definite plans for anything specific.

Neighborhood photos

With the occasional glimpse of a car on I-5 in the distance, the Swan Lakes area of Cox Creek make the ideal serene spot for weekend fishermen, like Bert Dennis. He has come here for recreational fishing for the last 23 years, and does his serious fishing in the Calapooia River. May 14, 2011.

Albany's Riverside Baptist Church holds the annual AWANA Gran Prix car races. Children three and up built cars to race, as a school-year-long culmination of Thursday night fun. May 5, 2011.

Albany's South Shore Elementary School is one of the busiest (or quietest) places in the area, depending on the time of day. May 5, 2011.

Red Cross Blood Drive

Justeen Elliott and Jennifer Camarillo are potential student donors at the Spring Red Cross Blood Drive on LBCC campus. They must read an informational booklet, especially prior to their first donation. The halls were fairly empty, but a steady flow of donors arrived, by appointment and drop-in basis.

Stephanie Hendrickson has been a Red Cross employee for 2.5 years, and she is on her way to becoming an x-ray tech/ radiologist. She brings humor to a possibly stressful event, since some donors are willing but anxious. Hendrickson is studying to become an x-ray tech/ radiologist.

Tonya Horton completed her donation quickly, with the help of a therapeutic squishy device. She was surprised with how painless and fast the donation was.

Paul Tannahill Likes a Good Challenge

You know how Clark Kent was reporter by day, and superhero extraordinaire by night? Similarly, this juxtaposition shows through Paul Tannahill's personality, despite the similarity in his passion for hidden challenges and a need for improvement.


Not only is he the E-learning Systems Administrator for LBCC (a name he came up with, to replace the un-thrilling title of "Media Technician 4), but he has several interesting hobbies.


His professional experiences began with an interest in the military, fresh out of high school. He was inspired to instruct, after seeing how Marines do things. After four years of enlistment, he left to work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He felt compelled to improve the educational method, because of the “procedural style” of training, that he found excessive. Instead of direct lecture, he helped to create more of a visual aid/ graphic approach to gun training.


In 1999, Tannahill endured an ear injury, requiring a tympanoplasty to the right ear drum. After recovery, he began instructing on various computer applications, and noticed a disturbing symptom. After an eight hour day, he was “mumbling in class.” He learned that the surgery on his ear had included permanent manipulation of some nerves, including some for his tongue. He says this was life-altering, “I side-stepped out of the career path I had chosen for myself.” It was a difficult pill to swallow.


He took a three-year position as a land surveyor in Linn and Benton counties, and in this time, Tannahill put much thought into his passion for teaching. He wondered if there might be an option relying less on spoken instruction. “How do I get back into that?” he kept asking himself.


After work as a course-builder at OSU, using the Blackboard platform, he was offered a position at LBCC just over three years ago. It was an easy decision for him, especially because the political environment is much less prevalent at LBCC. He said, “I love what I do. If I could afford to do this job for free, I would.” He is able to implement a respected Marinecorps motto: “Improvise, adapt, and overcome.” He is ultimately responsible for making sure Moodle is constantly transforming, to meet the needs of its customers: teachers and students.

Outside of the workplace, Tannahill has even more unique interests. Among them, two have really gotten major focus. He loves mountain biking, and even said “I could show Bear Grylls how to do it!” He likes the adrenaline and passion involved in the sport. Even lesser-known is the hobby of geocaching. He says he is privy to many secret locations, including where he claims is “the best swimming hole in the world.” His geocaching name is “pablomac,” and he has many followers on youtube and twitter, as well as heading up SWAG (Santiam Willamette Area Geocaching). He even loves combining the hobbies: He takes a bike to find the hidden treasures. 

It is evident that Tannahill thrives on a sense of adventure, whether in the workplace, or teetering on a cliff’s edge. The sense of accomplishment is definitely what keeps this man on his feet, and inspired to always search for ways to improve what he can.

Scholarship Workshop Educates Students

“You can’t win the lottery if you don’t play," LBCC's Financial Aid representative Sharon Wall stated, "The scholarships available through LBCC allow for much higher odds than a state lottery."

Many LBCC scholarships (read: free money) go un-awarded as a result of few qualified applications. This event helps educate prospective applicants and many students do not realize the short amount of time and effort required in the process. The packet is a few pages worth of questions to answer and two recommendation letter worksheets. Download and fill one out every term, because there is nothing to lose!

Students should review the list of scholarships available on the LBCC website, because as Wall states, "most students qualify for at least one." April 22, 2011 was the deadline for Fall 2011 applications, and Wall helped prepare the fifteen to twenty students at the workshop. With only nine days prior to the application deadline, it was time to expedite the process for those getting started during the April 13th workshop.

According to Wall, there are "thousands of scholarship awards per term, including up to six worth $1000.00 each." Wall was not comfortable quoting the exact dollar amount, stating that it fluctuates every term. She said the easiest way to get information about up-to-date scholarship availability is to look on the scholarship database, which is easily located on the LBCC website. 

Some terms there are dozens of applicants, and other terms, only a few. In contrast, there are an estimated thirty scholarships currently listed on the database, which are processed through financial aid. 

The financial aid office processes the majority of the school’s scholarship applications, but there are exceptions for the few that are department- specific (such as Biology, Auto-mechanics, and Animal Sciences).  There are additional websites to search for non-LBCC scholarships. These are referenced on the website, but they are not endorsed in any way by the school. 

 
 When the applications are received and reviewed for completion, they are processed through the LBCC Foundation office (a special group whose primary job is to determine awards of scholarships). Once awarded, scholarship funds are applied to a student's LBCC account to first reduce student loans. Unsubsidized loans are eliminated first, because they are the types of loans that begin accruing interest the minute they are disbursed to the student’s account, instead of the more kind subsidized loans.

The amount awarded may not exceed the estimated cost of attendance, so if a student were lucky enough to be awarded that much, other scholarships would fall by the wayside. Scholarships awarded in Spring count toward Fall term (and subsequent terms, if applicable), and Fall awards count toward Spring term.

The LBCC Scholarship website has various search functions, including specific term, academic subject area, keyword, minimum GPA, and area of residence requirements. It is important to verify that the applicant meets all qualifications, so that processors are able to evaluate the applications. Two letters of recommendation are required for application, which are preferably from professional references.

It takes about a week to process applications, and a few weeks past that to mail response letters, notifying students of their award status. Some students receive several awards, and some receive none. For the amount of effort of required, the odds of "winning" are high, and would mean a lower amount owed after graduation.


An art student whispered a question about her qualifications, and decided to leave part-way through the presentation, when informed she did not qualify for a specific desired scholarship. Students' other questions after the presentation were specific to their circumstances, regarding their eligibility. Aside from the fine details, the workshop was straightforward and exhaustive to the average student.

mug shot and portrait

Jeb Oliver - one of the co-founders of the LBCC Veteran's Club

In his natural habitat- the LBCC Commuter office. Jeb is wearing custom-designed military boots. 4/22/2011.

Scholarship Workshop

Sharon Wall begins the Scholarship Workshop Wednesday April 13, 2011.The most important aspect of the process is learning to search for scholarships on the LBCC scholarships website.

Students are pleasantly surprised to learn that the application process is stream-lined for the scholarships through the LBCC Financial Aid office. Wednesday April 13, 2011.

A student has questions for Sharon Wall after the first workshop session. Wednesday April 13, 2011.