Due to the head contact with Alfie Edgel, winger Murphy Lewis was sent to the sin-bin on the hour mark after competing in the air for the ball. Leeds Rhinos only managed a drop goal against their 12-man opposition to take the lead to 11-4 before Morgan Canon sealed the victory for a 17-4 result. "It's accidental, I get it, but at the end of the day the rules are it's the player's responsibility not to make contact with a player's head, it was accidental, and I feel sorry for the young fella, but those are the rules," said Brad Arthur in a press conference. The Leeds win saw them move to the fourth on the super league table above Hull FC for now, who are in the fifth position, having gained a 10-0 at the break. Riley Lumb and Lachie Miller also crossed for the Rhinos, closing out the action of day one in Newcastle. Leigh Leopards defeated Catalans Dragons 26-24 to open the action before Hull KR hammered Salford Red Devils 54-0. “We were a bit frantic at times, We were tough physically and defensively, and our effort was through the roof, We made it hard for ourselves but at least we can look back at it and get some lessons from it. “We’ve put ourselves in a position to win every single game. We’ve just not been able to see them out,we did tonight, "said Arthur. Lachie Miller, Got on the scoresheet and was dangerous throughout the game. Has greatly improved hugely on the defensive front this season; other players like Riley Lumb finished his try well but felt like he should have had another two. Ash Handley was reliable and did a good job while Harry New Man defended well; this kept them in the game. The whole team worked hard for their win; they kept fighting for their top position. Helens School District reached a resignation agreement with embattled superintendent Scot Stockwell on Wednesday following months of community outcry calling for him to step down Helens School District have agreed to part ways recognizing this decision is in the best interest of both parties,” the district said in a written statement to parents Helens School Board unanimously voted to accept Stockwell’s resignation during its Wednesday meeting The exact details of the agreement are not immediately known OPB has requested a copy of Stockwell’s resignation agreement along with former high school principal Katy Wagner have bore the brunt of the public backlash to the latest sexual abuse scandal to rock the school district Almost immediately after police arrested Eric Stearns and Mark Collins for allegedly abusing multiple students community members called for Stockwell and Wagner to be removed Police told OPB in November they found reports of sexual abuse made by students to school officials that were never forwarded to law enforcement or state officials The school board placed Stockwell on paid administrative leave in November soon after Stearns and Collins were arrested Prosecutors charged Wagner in November on two counts of criminal mistreatment and two counts of official misconduct in the first degree for failing to forward reports of sexual abuse Stockwell had served as superintendent since 2015 and is himself a graduate of St OPB could not immediately reach Stockwell for comment Thursday evening The school board also approved a corrective action plan in response to the sexual abuse scandal which includes six areas for the district to ease the process for reporting suspected abuse in its schools The district had also promised for months it would release an internal investigation into the claims against Stearns and Collins saying that because the district received notices of pending lawsuits the report was now subject to attorney-client privilege Tags: Education, School, Teachers, Crime Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now Diggers kick-started decades of soil recovery after volcanic eruption lava incinerated anything living for miles around scientists dropped gophers onto parts of the scorched mountain for only 24 hours The benefits from that single day were undeniable -- and still visible 40 years later. Once the blistering blast of ash and debris cooled by digging up beneficial bacteria and fungi gophers might be able to help regenerate lost plant and animal life on the mountain and that would be where recovery would occur,” said UC Riverside microbiologist Michael Allen versus nearby land where they were never introduced we were just testing the short-term reaction,” said Allen “Who would have predicted you could toss a gopher in for a day and see a residual effect 40 years later?” Allen and Utah State University’s James McMahon helicoptered to an area where the lava had turned the land into collapsing slabs of porous pumice there were only about a dozen plants that had learned to live on these slabs After scientists dropped a few local gophers on two pumice plots for a day there were 40,000 plants thriving on the gopher plots All this was possible because of what isn’t always visible to the naked eye Mycorrhizal fungi penetrate into plant root cells to exchange nutrients and resources They can help protect plants from pathogens in the soil they help plants establish themselves and survive. there is no way most plant roots are efficient enough to get all the nutrients and water they need by themselves The fungi transport these things to the plant and get carbon they need for their own growth in exchange,” Allen said. A second aspect of this study further underscores how critical these microbes are to the regrowth of plant life after a natural disaster On one side of the mountain was an old-growth forest trapping solar radiation and causing needles on the pine Scientists feared the loss of the needles would cause the forest to collapse “These trees have their own mycorrhizal fungi that picked up nutrients from the dropped needles and helped fuel rapid tree regrowth,” said UCR environmental microbiologist and paper co-author Emma Aronson “The trees came back almost immediately in some places the scientists visited a forest that had been clearcut prior to the eruption Logging had removed all the trees for acres so naturally there were no dropped needles to feed soil fungi. “There still isn’t much of anything growing in the clearcut area,” Aronson said “It was shocking looking at the old growth forest soil and comparing it to the dead area.” These results underscore how much there is to learn about rescuing distressed ecosystems said lead study author and University of Connecticut mycologist Mia Maltz who was a postdoctoral scholar in Aronson’s lab at UCR when the study began “We cannot ignore the interdependence of all things in nature especially the things we cannot see like microbes and fungi,” Maltz said. (Cover image: kagemicrotank/iStock/Getty) tel: (951) 827-1012 email: webmaster@ucr.edu We live in volcano country in the Pacific Northwest and a big anniversary is coming up later this month May 18 is the 45th anniversary of the eruption Mount Saint Helens eruption in 1980 It was something the state had never experienced and many people were looking for information on Sunday morning at 8:32 a.m when the mountain blew up and covered the state with ash the blast killed 57 people and eventually sent volcanic ash around the world the mountain looked like many other volcanos in the state and was referred to as the Mount Fuji of America During the 1980 eruption the upper 1,300 feet of the summit blew up miles into the atmosphere leaving a large crater which is now partially filled by a lava dome So where could you go to learn more about the eruption before the anniversary of the eruption of 1980 Make your plans to visit the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory which will open its doors to the public for a free If you attend you'll be able to speak to Scientists throughout the day as they share what they do and how they do it According to a press release you can learn about "monitoring technologies hazards and preparedness and ongoing volcano research Participate in hands-on activities and see live demonstrations."The Cascades Volcano Observatory is located on the east side of Vancouver Did you live through the eruption of St. Helens?\nRead More We live in volcano country in the Pacific Northwest and a big anniversary is coming up later this month. Saturday, May 18 is the 45th anniversary of the eruption Mount Saint Helens eruption in 1980. It was something the state had never experienced and many people were looking for information on Sunday morning at 8:32 a.m. when the mountain blew up and covered the state with ash. When the mountain erupted on May 18, 1980, the blast killed 57 people and eventually sent volcanic ash around the world. Before 1980, the mountain looked like many other volcanos in the state and was referred to as the Mount Fuji of America. During the 1980 eruption the upper 1,300 feet of the summit blew up miles into the atmosphere, leaving a large crater which is now partially filled by a lava dome. So where could you go to learn more about the eruption before the anniversary of the eruption of 1980? Make your plans to visit the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory which will open its doors to the public for a free, one-day, family-friendly open house Saturday, May 10 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you attend you'll be able to speak to Scientists throughout the day as they share what they do and how they do it. According to a press release you can learn about "monitoring technologies, hazards and preparedness and ongoing volcano research. Participate in hands-on activities and see live demonstrations."The Cascades Volcano Observatory is located on the east side of Vancouver, WA, in Columbia Tech Park. An damning investigative report commissioned by the city says Greenway had exhibited unprofessional behavior including berating officers while on the job The St. Helens Police Department released a damning investigative report into the city’s former police chief The investigation comes after the department received multiple reports of alleged misconduct from current and former employees concerning Greenway who had been on paid administrative leave since October said he found evidence that Greenway had exhibited unprofessional behavior as head of the department falsifying training records and sending pornographic images to his employees Greenway also limited how much his officers were allowed to assist other police departments creating tensions with other law enforcement agencies in Columbia County “At a time when SHPD dealt with staffing issues and had trouble covering the city it is difficult to understand how this policy benefited the St “This policy affected the safety of law enforcement officers in other communities and as well as the safety of officers in St The release of the report and its numerous findings were first reported by the Oregonian/Oregon Live on Thursday morning; SHPD then released the full report to other news outlets that afternoon Band also said text messages show that Greenway had encouraged members of the St Helens Police Association to take a no-confidence vote into city leaders in an effort to have them removed from their positions “Chief Greenway seemed to have lost sight of his position,” Band wrote “The different statements and behaviors shared through interviews showed that Greenway seemed more preoccupied with some sort of personal vendettas against former Mayor Rick Scholl and City Administrator John Walsh than with the community expectation of his job as chief.” The massive 108-page report details a culture in which Greenway allegedly abused his position to interfere in St often operating outside the scope of a small-town police chief Department employees told Band they weren’t in a position to speak out about his behavior “Nobody was speaking up for what they felt was right because they felt if they were saying anything that they would just get smashed,” an SHPD employee told the investigator The names of witnesses that Band interviewed were redacted from the report Helens police chief since 2018 before being placed on leave he declined investigator’s request for an interview Longtime St. Helens Police officer Joe Hogue has been acting chief since the fall. He’s overseen his department’s recent investigation into a sexual abuse scandal at St Tags: Oregon, Police, Investigations often operating outside the scope of a small-town police chief."},"display_date":"2025-02-07T00:32:13.962Z","distributor":{"category":"staff","mode":"custom","name":"opb","subcategory":""},"first_publish_date":"2025-02-07T00:32:13.962Z","geo":{},"headlines":{"basic":"Investigation details alleged ‘unprofessional’ behavior of former St police were notably absent and never declared an unlawful assembly Tucker lost a shed but his home was intact.","copyright":"Copyright 2020 The Associated Press Ore.","copyright":"Copyright 2020 The Associated Press a demonstrator who has engaged in violence four days after pulling a gun on demonstrators in Portland protesters gathered in East Portland and clashed with police for hours who arrested 59 people throughout the night 2020 as fires spread through Clackamas County","copyright":"Copyright OPB","created_date":"2020-09-09T20:40:03Z","credits":{"affiliation":[],"by":[{"_id":"jonathan-levinson","additional_properties":{"original":{"_id":"jonathan-levinson","slug":"jonathan-levinson","byline":"Jonathan Levinson","firstName":"Jonathan","lastName":"Levinson","role":"Reporter/Producer","longBio":"Jonathan Levinson is a multimedia reporter covering policing for Oregon Public Broadcasting Jonathan spent five years as an infantry officer in the U.S Army and has a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University pulls a wagon with a Canadian flag cornhole game while walking to meet her fiance at Peace Arch Historical State Park in Blaine government closed the Canadian side of the park in June due to concerns about crowding and COVID-19 park due to a treaty signed in 1814 that allows citizens of Canada and the U.S A measles outbreak in Clark County led to dozens of cases of the preventable disease.","copyright":"Copyright OPB","created_date":"2020-08-12T20:17:50Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"OPB","type":"author"}],"by":[{"byline":"Bradley W Unprecedented wildfire conditions across Oregon and the American West kicked up several fires over Labor Day weekend.","copyright":"Copyright OPB","created_date":"2020-09-09T06:07:54Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"OPB","type":"author"}],"by":[{"byline":"Bradley W He was also a state lawmaker and three-term state attorney general.","copyright":"Copyright OPB","created_date":"2020-08-19T17:12:59Z","credits":{"affiliation":[],"by":[{"byline":"U.S including coronavirus screening and follow up care FILE PHOTO","version":0,"template_id":620},"address":{"locality":"Columbia","region":"SC","country_name":"USA"},"auth":{"1":"64f2ba16818b09227145262b99c17407e51093de509e4a282284408420b13e2f"},"caption":"FILE - In this Feb Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary night election rally in Columbia The Democratic Party’s attempt to adapt its typical convention rituals to a pandemic-induced virtual affair will be put through its paces Tuesday night Her reporting seeks to hold powerful people to account promote honesty and transparency in public affairs She formerly contributed award-winning programming to Georgia Public Broadcasting and Jefferson Public Radio and reporting to community newspapers like the Del Norte Triplicate in Crescent City Emily graduated from the University of Texas in Austin. Send her feedback and story ideas at ecureton@opb.org Jonathan Levinson is a multimedia reporter covering policing for Oregon Public Broadcasting Emily graduated from the University of Texas in Austin. Send her feedback and story ideas at ecureton@opb.org. 2025 6:05 p.m.A historical theater in Cowlitz County that would not be standing if it weren’t for the eruption of Mount St Helens celebrated its centennial over the weekend Courtesy of Columbia Theatre Association for the Performing Arts via KNXK the venue was considered a showcase for modern engineering and craftsmanship and a prominent example of the Classical Revival style According to the National Register of Historic Places, the building shows city planners placed an emphasis on cultural life by prioritizing the space for entertainment The theater showcased silent movies accompanied by an organ and vaudeville performances on the weekends which were variety-like shows popular in the early 20th century said the now-performing arts space has always struggled in some capacity Vaudeville and silent movies eventually went out of favor so the theater started showing newly released movies and organized community events so they had big dreams when they built it,” Ragsdale said “But then when new multiplexes started to come out during that time – that sealed the Columbia Theatre space to close That was going to be the end of the theater at that time.” the theater was set to be demolished and replaced by a multiplex is when final demolition was going to occur,” Ragsdale said She said construction equipment arrived in the theater’s parking lot the week before the building was set to be razed. Then, on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted sending rock and debris down river valleys from the volcano and wind swept that across 22,000 square miles “And they had to pull all the equipment for recovery efforts,” Ragsdale said Rubin was an interior designer and a local radio personality She formed the Columbia Theatre Task Force He was the vice president of the group for 10 years and recently described Rubin to KNKX but a gruff person if you didn’t know her – she had a heart of gold,” he said I just thought the world of her – and tireless energy.” and is a little fuzzy on the details that led to saving the theater but he remembers what drew him to the venue He said it was built with timber from a local mill it had the original pipe organ that was played during silent movies it had some of the best acoustics on the West Coast “I wanted to save the theater for the fact that it was historic,” he said “It’d been around all those years at that time and it would have been a shame to tear it down.” He said it took time to lobby local businesses and the city council to convince them that the theater was worth saving “One of the first things the city did was earmark a hotel tax for the Columbia Theatre,” he said We were having board meetings — committee meetings — in the theater we had to pass the hat to make enough to pay the manager’s salary.” the City of Longview bought the building for $450,000 it’s gone through multiple capital campaigns and has received funding from Washington state for upgrades credits Rubin and the eruption of Mount St we wouldn’t be here without that — it would have just closed.” She said taking care of the 100-year-old building is a “Herculean task.” “We still have a lot of repairs — a lot of things that we’re responsible for maintaining,” Ragsdale said “We are looking at addressing some structural deficiencies and historic preservation that we are doing as part of a $3.5 million capital campaign.” That capital campaign is contingent on two things. The Washington state Legislature is considering its biennial budget, which currently includes a $1 million grant for the theater which means the theater has to pony up $2 million by July to unlock it the Columbia Theatre Association for the Performing Arts celebrated its 100-year anniversary with a rededication and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday featuring free film screenings and a performance by the Southwest Washington Symphony Courtesy of Columbia Theatre Association for the Performing Arts This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page Tags: Performance, Historical Photo, Washington Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone. 2025 8:03 p.m.Note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault If you or someone you know may be a victim of sexual assault information and advice are available at the National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 800-656-4673 Helens High School in the late 1980s say Gene Evans groomed and sexually assaulted them when he was a teacher Illustration by Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB Gene Evans was the public face of state agencies responsible for protecting Oregon’s children and holding accountable people who abuse them “Our highest priority is the safety and protection of children,” Evans But a woman who was a student of his at St Helens High School in the late 1980s says Evans groomed and sexually assaulted her when he was a teacher Another student says he groomed and then forced her to grope him two other former students say he inappropriately touched them during classes When OPB visited his Lake Oswego home on March 12 he declined to comment and closed the door OPB was later unable to reach Evans by phone and sent a certified letter that arrived at his home on March 14 OPB did not receive any response prior to publication Evans emailed this statement to OPB after the story published: “These are stories and allegations from nearly 40 years ago investigated or charged with any wrongdoing like this during my years as a teacher or anytime since.” OPB first received an email in late 2024 about Evans from one of the women accusing him of abuse. That email arrived soon after police had arrested one current and one former teacher at St. Helens on multiple allegations of sexual abuse, which spawned citywide protests from students and parents OPB conducted interviews with 13 people with some knowledge of the events including the women who say Evans abused them Helens teachers from the period when Evans taught at the high school OPB also reviewed contemporary diary and yearbook entries from Evans’ accusers The women who accused Evans of sexual abuse were interviewed multiple times Those conversations and documents paint a picture of a teacher popular with students but whose attentiveness drew whispers that he had crossed lines OPB found court records of at least four St Helens school employees convicted of sex crimes involving minors over a 40 year period Helens School District lacked a firm system for protecting students – and holding adults who are accused of abuse accountable – for decades Helens school employees convicted of sex crimes involving minors over a 40-year period Helens High track coach who pleaded guilty to sexual abuse in the third degree in 1995 a teacher’s aide at the high school who pleaded guilty to sexual abuse in the third degree in 2009 Because the abuse Evans is accused of committing took place almost four decades ago detailed account of what occurred is difficult At least one teacher said he told the then-principal at St Helens High School that he suspected Evans was behaving inappropriately with a student but it’s unclear whether administrators did anything with that information said in a March 18 statement that the district office found no complaints or reports made against Evans Oregon law at the time required that people considered to be mandatory reporters immediately call state authorities or local law enforcement if they have “reasonable cause” to believe that a child is being abused OPB has not found evidence that anyone in a position of authority reported accusations against Evans to law enforcement according to a letter of resignation OPB obtained in a public records request Evans said he was “moving to Eugene to pursue other career interests.” he was planning to move to Eugene to continue a sexual relationship with her her family members and two of her former classmates said in recent interviews that Evans and the woman eventually lived together in Eugene Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner during her arraignment in Columbia County Circuit Court Helens High School employees — choir teacher Eric Stearns and retired math teacher Mark Collins — on multiple charges of sexually abusing students Police said school administrators had known of the accusations of abuse for years and never reported the incidents to the police or state government Helens High School principal Katy Wagner on charges of criminal mistreatment for not forwarding reports of sexual abuse to authorities School board Chair Ryan Scholl resigned last fall and Superintendent Scot Stockwell resigned March 12 following months on paid leave a jury could conclude district officials “had actual knowledge that Wroblewski posed a substantial risk of abuse to students.” during a sentencing hearing in Columbia County Circuit Court in 2019 Courtesy of Nicole Thill-Pacheco/Columbia County Spotlight the attorney representing Wroblewski’s victim told OPB on March 13 it was clear during that case that the district had a culture of not taking claims of sexual assault seriously “It’s ultimately a culture issue,” Janci said “It’s ultimately an issue of the people who are in charge getting it and caring enough about abuse to commit to doing whatever is reasonably necessary to make sure that it doesn’t happen.” The district school board this month passed a corrective action plan to address the issue of sexual abuse That includes hiring a school resource officer monthly meetings with local police and conducting an annual culture survey Mendoza said this plan “raises the standard” for preventing sexual abuse “We are serious about this issue and want every student to feel safe and secure in school,” Mendoza wrote “We are working diligently to earn back their trust.” Helens School District’s current sexual abuse scandal continues to unravel more alumni are coming forward with stories that suggest a culture of abuse without accountability has plagued the system for decades Westing says she was a 17-year-old student at St Helens High School when she began a relationship with teacher Gene Evans she encountered Gene Evans again for the first time in decades: Sitting in her home office she heard his voice on the radio during an OPB news report about the state human services department Westing said she doesn’t remember exactly what Evans said just that he was speaking on behalf of the Department of Human Services But she remembers distinctly how it made her feel “I completely remember where I was sitting the sound of his voice and the way my heartbeat increased I had no idea he was in that sort of position.” Evans was the cool teacher on campus back in 1987 He dressed more like they did than many of the older teachers — preferring faded black jeans leather jackets and blazers — and listened to many of the same musical artists His classroom was a popular gathering place for students and so he was a very likable person,” said Janell Kittleson Evans had called Kittleson on her home phone and asked about her best friend Jodie Westing: He wanted to know what her interests were Kittleson remembers initially feeling strange about the call in a high school yearbook at Jodie Westing’s home in Wilsonville “Back then I thought it was just being curious about my friends.” He began leaving typed notes for Westing on her desk during the fall but recalled that in them Evans called her beautiful told her no one else understood her the way he did and included drawings of her jumping hurdles That progressed to Evans buying her cassette tapes of bands such as Squeeze and INXS She still has a pin of U2’s debut album “Boy” and two brooches that she said Evans gave her Ticket stubs from two concerts that teacher Gene Evans attended with his student Jodie Westing and her friends in 1988 and started spending more time with her closest group of friends after school including Sting and INXS at Veterans Memorial Coliseum and they all ate at restaurants in Portland after the school’s winter dance Occasionally, Westing said, she and Evans would drive around alone, with Evans sometimes holding her hand. That eventually progressed into kissing. Over spring break in 1988, she said, they had sex for the first time when she was 17. At the time, Oregon law said anyone under the age of 18 “is incapable of consenting to a sexual act.” The statute of limitations — 12 years — has passed so it’s unlikely Evans would face any criminal charges from these allegations Even after Westing broke off contact with Evans in the early 1990s she said it took years to view his behavior toward her as predatory “Grieving those years of my life and that transition and the friends that I didn’t have from high school and the friends that I didn’t make in college — in no way was that appropriate,” she said Westing said she always felt out of place growing up in a small paper mill town and Evans’ attention made her feel important and special pictured in a 1987 school newspaper article about the Winter Ball Court “I think there was a part of me that was so thirsty for attention and validation,” she said and on the other side of that it was also exciting “But after having my own two kids become 17 I thought there’s no way that you have the power to push back against that kind of attention.” OPB spoke with three other former students who say Evans engaged in a similar pattern — buying them gifts writing them notes and complimenting their appearance — with the earliest allegations coming in 1986 Evans would touch female students in his photography classroom in a way that made girls feel uncomfortable One student told OPB that Evans once leaned the entire front of his body against her back while she stood over a desk processing photos The student said she now believes Evans was “testing the waters.” who agreed to let OPB use her middle name of Lee said she was a 15-year-old sophomore in 1986 when she took Evans’ photography class Lee said Evans complimented her looks and playfully touched her shoulders during class and she said that at the time it felt good to receive the positive attention including a turquoise bolo tie from Nordstrom and an air-brushed painting of Sting that Evans told her had been made by his sister Lee said she received deliveries of flowers to the school office with notes that read “You know who this is from,” that she said were from Evans Evans would routinely write her notes to excuse her from other classes during his break period under the auspices of completing her photography homework She said Evans forced her to grope and kiss him in the school darkroom “at least a dozen” times “I’d never even made out with anybody at that point,” Lee said because I didn’t even know what I needed to be doing.” but she said Evans would call her regularly at home while her parents were still working Her older sister overheard one phone call over Christmas break Lee’s sister told OPB that Evans had previously made advances on her as well including pressing his body against hers in the photography dark room she realized that Lee was talking with Evans Lee recalled her sister bursting into her room grabbing the phone and telling Evans to leave her sister alone immediately and she only talked to Evans during class time Lee said she was driving to a friend’s house late one night when she spotted Evans’ car in the parking lot of the St “It made me realize the kind of predator he really was.” Lee didn’t talk to Westing about what she saw that night or her own experience with Evans Evans and Westing were spending increasing amounts of time with each other Westing said it was a secret known only to a small group of close friends who said Evans had become part of the friend group Janell Kittleson’s diary entry from April 13 discussing her high school friend Jodie’s relationship with their St That was until Evans joined Westing and her friends on a trip to Oceanside Helens teacher Gerry Tinkle saw them together said he still remembers the odd impression it left on him he had already grown suspicious of his colleague and how much time Evans spent around Westing and I reported it to the principal,” Tinkle said What Principal Zan Freeburn did with that information is unclear; Tinkle said he never followed up It wasn’t long before Westing’s parents also found out Her mother answered and the person played a robotic message that said Evans,” according to Westing’s mother and brother he told them that he cared for their daughter He wanted to continue seeing her and play a role in shaping her future She considered calling the police and attempting to press charges against Evans She said she had worried about her daughter’s mental health and the possibility that she might be bullied for sharing her story publicly in a small town An entry of Janell Kittleson's 12th grade memory book in 1988 Helens High School teacher Gene Evans and Jodie Westing Jodie Westing points to a picture of Gene Evans while looking through a yearbook at her home in Wilsonville I’m going to say his name,” says Jodie Westing in December 2024 writing about plans to attend a concert with her high school friend Jodie Westing writing about her dislike of teacher Gene Evans and disapproval of his relationship with her high school friend Jodie Westing letter from Jodie Westing to her friend Janell Kittleson Westing describes her recent breakup with her former teacher Gene Evans Heath and her husband decided to go “the soft way,” she said She’s no longer sure that was the right decision “I don’t think we considered the fact that it was such a horrible situation for her to be in,” Heath said And Westing’s family found themselves in the middle of that situation in St where people were already talking publicly about adult men pursuing romantic relationships with teenage girls two years before Westing said that Evans abused her Helens Fire Chief Donald Armintrout admitted in court to having sexual relations with his foster daughter but said he had waited until four weeks after she turned 18 the fire district board chairman at the time told The Oregonian “The biggest problem is he admitted he had an affair… how many others do we want to lay off and fire because of an affair?” Kittleson said the lines between students and teachers were often blurred “Adult males in the school setting were just as equally candidates for being involved with this as my peers,” she said “I just remember feeling like the lines were crossed often.” Westing was still a senior in high school at the time Evans left teaching altogether in July of that year he wrote that it “is the right time to move out of teaching and into another field,” and that he was moving to Eugene who turned 18 the August of her first semester at the University of Oregon she said she spent most of her free time at Evans’ apartment on Patterson Avenue Helens High School that summer and the following school year told OPB by phone he remembers learning that Evans had moved to Eugene with a former student is five years younger and said he received calls from girls at the high school later that fall with questions about his sister dating a teacher OPB has found no evidence that anyone attempted to notify law enforcement a mandatory reporter failing to report any sexual abuse could be charged with a misdemeanor with a statute of limitations of two years Jodie Westing looks through old high school yearbooks at her home in Wilsonville She said that one of their final conversations took place in front of her parents’ home in St where Evans yelled and told her that he had given up everything — his family career and reputation — for their relationship because I don’t remember feeling like he gave up anything,” she said Evans became a spokesperson for Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene in the 1990s kickstarting a second career in communications He later worked for the Oregon Student Assistance Commission from 2000-2002 before switching to the state Department of Education according to a synopsis of his career posted on government websites He worked at the education department until 2009 when he joined the Department of Human Services as its communications officer for the Child Welfare and Self Sufficiency Programs he became the department’s communications director “responsible for all internal and external communications for the state agency,” according to a description on the DHS website OPB asked for comment from the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Department of Education on Evans’ time with the agencies DHS declined to comment and representatives from ODE did not respond It’s been many decades since Westing last saw Evans but she said the trauma of her experience as a 17-year-old remains She still has nightmares about Evans and he remains an uncomfortable topic for her family — Westing said she’s still grappling with the lack of action by her parents The recent arrests have also been emotional for Westing who says it seems little has changed in the district’s response to claims of abuse since she was a student Jodie Westing says she has “sadness for what I lost,” as she talks at her home in Wilsonville But she said she’s heartened by the community response — the protests the packed town hall meetings and the signs all over town that read “We Stand with SHHS Students.” She’s hopeful there can be accountability for future students or even teacher who didn’t say or press into it — I fully hold them responsible,” Westing said “I don’t know if it would have changed my experience “It might have changed some experiences for others down the line.” OPB’s Lauren Dake contributed to this story’s reporting Editor’s note: If you’d like to discuss your or your loved one’s experience of abuse in the St you can securely reach Joni Auden Land by email at jal@opb.org or on Signal @JoniLandOPB.23 Tags: Accountability, Investigations, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Abuse, Students, Teachers, Education, Schools Note: The following transcript was transcribed digitally and validated for accuracy readability and formatting by an OPB volunteer Dave Miller: From the Gert Boyle Studio at OPB We turn now to allegations of sexual abuse at St two teachers at the district were charged with sexually abusing multiple students top law enforcement officials in Columbia County said that district leaders had received allegations that the two teachers abused students over a period of several years but failed to share that information with authorities The high school principal now faces criminal charges as a result who’d been the subject of complaints of inappropriate behavior from students and colleagues for years pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual abuse But a new investigation by OPB has found that this culture of non-reporting could go back much further Joni Auden Land has been digging into allegations of sexual abuse from the mid to late 1980s They involve a former teacher named Gene Evans who went on to become the spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Education and the Department of Human Services state agencies that are responsible for the well-being of some of the most vulnerable Oregonians I started by asking when Joni first heard from Jodie Westing Joni Auden Land: I first heard from Jodie late November Helen’s about two teachers who have been recently arrested for allegedly sexually abusing students and I want to let you know that I had a similar experience when I was attending school in the 1980s.” she revealed that the person who allegedly abused her was Gene Evans someone who had worked at the Department of Human Services if you were a journalist covering those agencies back in the mid-2000s to mid-2010s you would have known him or come across his name for sure Miller: What did you hear from Jodie Westing and her family and friends about what she was like in high school Auden Land: Her friends and her family described her as this straight-A student who was very well behaved and definitely a very good student and a very respectful person But she was also telling me that she felt very isolated at times kind of out of place in this small Oregon mill town and wanting to get out and experience new things definitely didn’t always fit in with the culture of the place she was living in Auden Land: I know students from back then all described how he had this cult following around him like kids would come to his classroom during lunch and after school All the kids really felt like he understood them in a way that other teachers did not He would listen to the same music that they listened to talk about it and play guitar in his class and all the students felt like he was someone they could relate to more compared to all the other teachers they had Miller: Were there suspicions among students or staff about his behavior towards students I know for a fact that when it came to the relationship Jodie said she had with him her and her close group of friends all knew they all hung out with Jodie and Gene together in various social settings around town There was at least one teacher who did know But it’s unclear how widespread it was known It seems like it was more known once Gene left the district Miller: What did you hear from Jodie Westing about when things started to cross a line Auden Land: When they first started talking And it changed pretty quickly from what she says into a more romantic setting where it was less about class and more about I think you’re amazing.” And that quickly progressed into buying gifts Jodie Westing [recording]: I think he had a vision of how maybe I could dress or look cool I remember I had a bright yellow Interview magazine t-shirt of his that he gave me she says it went from him buying her gifts into trying to influence her behavior and her style and trying to mold her into a certain way – that’s definitely how she sees it And that progressed into … he would pick her up and they would go driving around St She says the first time they did anything remotely sexual was on a trip to the coast They stayed in a motel and that’s where they had sex for the first time She didn’t turn 18 until the August after she graduated high school Miller: You talked to another former student who says that Evans groped her and several other students who say that they felt Evans’s behavior toward them was inappropriate Auden Land: I heard a lot of similar things to what Jodie was saying Maybe he’ll lightly touch on the shoulders maybe it felt like it didn’t cross the line But it would progress into buying gifts and calling students out of class during his break periods to hang out in his classroom alone progressed to the level that Jodie is describing where it’s a full-fledged relationship Miller: Did anyone report their concerns about Evans’s behavior there was a track coach named Gerry Tinkle and during that trip to the coast that I was talking about He remembers seeing them and the weird feeling that gave him inside and how he had maybe suspected something was going on because Jodie’s on his track team he sees Gene hanging out more around her than you might have normally expected It is unclear if that actually went anywhere they say they have no record that any complaint or report was made about Evans Miller: So there’s no evidence that the administration did anything after being alerted there’s no evidence besides Gerry Tinkle saying that he went there there’s no written documentation about any actions that occurred afterwards Miller: You tried to contact Evans about this story and he has declined to comment on our story Miller: Evans and his wife got divorced in 1988 where Jodie Westing was a freshman at the U of O How did Westing’s parents respond to all of this and they found out because someone had called their home leaving some sort of robotic message saying that Jodie was seeing Mr came to their home and attempted to explain that he was having a relationship with their daughter and wanted to continue seeing her to help her grow into the best person she could be this is an important thing – she was 17 and he was in his early 30s Auden Land: Her parents … I talked to her mom and she described feeling very weird about it But she was really scared about the impact that would have on her daughter’s mental health the backlash in this small Oregon town would be too much for the next year or so that they were together just like a normal boyfriend would – except Miller: What did you hear from Jodie Westing about what it meant that her parents she definitely has very conflicted feelings about this She definitely feels that it’s still something they don’t talk about very much I think they’ve started to talk about it and then go over what happened But I was showing her the quotes that her mom said in her story in regards to this “I don’t think we considered what a horrible situation this was for her,” to be in a relationship with an adult Miller: But you got those quotes from her mom before her mom Auden Land: Yes … or that during all conversations they have had the past few years about this she’s never heard her mom say anything like that Miller: Evans went on to become a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Human Services and then for Oregon Department of Education in the context of everything we’ve been talking about because if he had been reported at the time if someone were to call the police or if he had been fired if this had been on his record in some way it’s hard to believe that he would have risen to those positions; and not just having a job within these departments but being the face for this entire department whose mission it is to protect children and vulnerable adults in Oregon Miller: Literally the welfare of often very vulnerable young people Miller: What did Jodie Westing say about the lasting impact of all of this Auden Land: She told me that it was this thing that kept quiet inside of her for a long time when she heard Gene talking on the radio on OPB in his position as DHS spokesperson it really hit her that’s something that she really needed to confront I think she talked about how she still has nightmares about him I think she said it informed her modern relationships She also talked about her own experience with her own kids and how that’s given her new perspective about her relationship with Gene grief and regret that I didn’t have those experiences That whole time in my life was just so weird and secret Miller: Did investigating this story give you any perspective on more recent allegations of abuse in St Helen’s or a 2019 criminal conviction there Helen’s to cover the protest at the high school and one thing I heard consistently from almost every adult that I talked to was “This has been going on since I was a student here and I’m glad that this is finally being taken seriously.” That struck me for sure because that was before I knew about Gene or any other teachers that have been arrested for allegedly abusing kids at the school over the years I did talk to a parent named Jenae Brinster at the protest I graduated in 2003 and now my own children are going here I’ve watched this for the last however many years I’ve seen it when I was a teenager here and it’s got to stop Auden Land [recording]: The same kind of thing was happening when you were a student here Brinster [recording]: I was here when Wroblewski was here Auden Land: She’s talking about Kyle Wroblewski who was convicted for abusing students in 2019 as well the largest settlement for a sexual abuse case in Oregon history of $3.5 million It was striking how uniform that response was that it’s these kinds of experiences that are informing that anger Joni got an emailed statement from Gene Evans [Reading email statement from Gene Evans]: “These are stories and allegations from nearly 40 years ago If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook, send an email to thinkoutloud@opb.org or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983 The call-in phone number during the noon hour is 888-665-5865 Tags: Think Out Loud, Education Think Out Loud","longBio":"Sage Van Wing is the executive editor of talk and podcasts for OPB She has produced daily news programs at other NPR affiliate stations Vermont Public Radio She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in anthropology Sage hopes someday to become an expert taxidermist news'St. Helens Alpenglow' by Max McNown – Lyrics & MeaningBy Alli Patton Despite being fresh off of the January release of his album Night Driving Max McNown hasn't slowed in his efforts to gift fans with even more new music The latest comes by way of the transfixing single 'St. Helens Alpenglow', which closely follows last month's 'Call Me If You Miss Me'. This fresh batch of tunes acts as a natural extension of McNown's already hit-riddled catalogue, the songs adding even more punch to the rising star's glimmering repertoire. 'St. Helens Alpenglow', especially, brings the shine, the hopeful ballad, one about love, heartache and the solace that comes after, marking another stunner from McNown. Sonically, don't expect anything too groundbreaking from 'St. Helens Alpenglow'. It is a sparkling folk ballad through and through. The song is layered with silvery strings from a bewitching finger-picking pattern, while in the background, a pillowy rhythm is played. With the chorus comes a few gentle strums. Other than that, though, not much changes throughout the delicate tune, with McNown's sure vocals and sincere lyrics allowed to lead. "I can feel the alpine mistThe taste of your chapstickStill owns these lonely lipsAnd we are lying in the leaves‘Tween embers in the breezeStars that I can’t reachYou’re all I’ll ever need" 'St. Helens Alpenglow' finds the artist caught up in a memory. His senses are burdened with the recollection of someone who seems to no longer be around. In the chorus, listeners discover he is actually dreaming as he begs to not be woken up from this moment. He sings: "Don’t wake me up / Let me dream of that sunrise painting the mountainside gold." In this state, he can recall everything so clearly – the feelings, the smells, the tastes – and here, he isn't forced to miss what he can't have in reality. "I’ll stay right here in this Heaven ‘cause here you’re not letting me go," he adds in the chorus. It becomes clear that someone he loves has left, and while their relationship is over, the singer will always adore them, equating the former lover to "Saint Helen’s alpenglow." Alpenglow is the visual phenomenon that occurs when light from the setting or rising sun paints mountain tops in a rosy hue. "YouYou’re a thousand miles awayBoth knew we couldn’t stayAnd maybe that’s okay‘Cause you found love to stand besideBut I still wonder if at nightIn the cold moonlightYou find me there sometimes" Further along in the song, listeners discover that the parting of these two lovers was a mutual decision, but that doesn't make their separation any less painful. Where one found somebody else to be with, the artist is left to look back on their time together fondly and wish them well. Still, he wonders if he's the only one plagued by that tendency to dream, to wonder back to that space when they could be together. It's a time and a place in which he finds comfort, singing "When waters start rising that’s still where I go / It’s warm on the top when the light hits my skin / When I close my eyes you’re here with me again." In the end, no matter the dreams or the waking hours spent in deep longing, it's all the same for McNown. Despite their time apart and the distance that separates them, the artist will always hold tight to one belief: "To me you will always be Saint Helens alpenglow" Max McNown has been steadily teasing 'St. Helens Alpenglow' across his social media, but hasn't shared specifics surrounding the new track, until recently. Touching on the meaning behind the song in a statement, the artist offered, “For better or for worse, every relationship we’ve ever experienced has shaped us into the person we are today." He continued, "The song ‘St. Helens Alpenglow’ serves as a reminder that just because a past love didn’t make it to the finish line, it doesn’t mean it was all for nothing. There are pieces of one another that we carry far beyond the “end” of our romances. The “Alpenglow” represents those fragments of broken relationships, memories you look back on fondly and will always be grateful for.” I can feel the alpine mistThe taste of your chapstickStill owns these lonely lipsAnd we are lying in the leaves‘Tween embers in the breezeStars that I can’t reachYou’re all I’ll ever need Don’t wake me upLet me dream of that sunrise painting the mountainside goldAnd I’ll stay right here in this Heaven ‘cause here you’re not letting me goAnd you might be over me you might be goneBut all that I need you to knowIs to me you will always be Saint Helen’s alpenglow YouYou’re a thousand miles awayBoth knew we couldn’t stayAnd maybe that’s okay ‘Cause you found love to stand besideBut I still wonder if at nightIn the cold moonlightYou find me there sometimes Don’t wake me upLet me dream of that sunrise painting the mountainside goldAnd I’ll stay right here in this Heaven ‘cause here you’re not letting me goAnd you might be over me you might be goneBut all that I need you to knowIs to me you will always be Saint Helens alpenglow It ain’t just a dream it’s a piece of my soulWhen waters start rising that’s still where I goIt’s warm on the top when the light hits my skinWhen I close my eyes you’re here with me again Don’t wake me upLet me dream of that sunrise painting the mountainside goldAnd I’ll stay right here in this Heaven ‘cause here you’re not letting me goAnd you might be over me you might be goneBut all that I need you to knowIs to me you will always be Saint Helens alpenglowYeah to me you will always be Saint Helens alpenglow READ MORESt Helens interim police chief files whistleblower retaliation lawsuit against mayor by Christina Giardinelli Helens Interim Police Chief Joseph Hogue has filed a retaliation lawsuit against the city's mayor for allegedly retaliating against him after he reported concerns about the former police chief The lawsuit is asking for economic and non-economic damages in the amount of $501,900 Hogue's whistleblowing resulted in an internal third-party investigation into Greenway that was partially released to the public in February It found Greenway had sent text messages to employees containing porn had falsified training records and dissolved mutual aid agreements with other nearby law enforcement agencies Greenway was allowed to resign and did not participate in the investigation READ MORE: Former St. Helens police chief accused of misconduct in damning report The lawsuit claims the contract would have made it easier to terminate Hogue. The meeting ended without an agreement to hire Hogue as the police chief. "Soon after, Defendant Massey, who has no supervisory control over Chief Hogue, began a disciplinary investigation into Chief Hogue," the lawsuit claims, alleging that the mayor began texting police officers to ask their opinion of Hogue. It claims that during the next meeting, where the council was set to discuss Hogue's employment as chief, police officers who had intended to show up to support Hogue backed out claiming they were concerned about facing retaliation from Massey. Massey is married to a St. Helens Police officer who works under Hogue. "During the March 19th meeting, Defendant Massey finally disclosed on the record her conflict of interest in voting for the Chief position due to her husband’s employment but refused to recuse herself," the lawsuit states. The city council ultimately decided to open the chief of police application up for internal applicants which it claims has been the department's police. The lawsuit claims otherwise. "No city policy exists mandating the need to open the position for internal applicants," the lawsuit claims. It goes on to accuse Massey of trying to get the city administrator to put Massey on administrative leave, saying that the city administrator refused because there was no reason to. Massey and the City Administrator did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A St. Helens city spokesperson sent KATU a statement saying, in part, "The City received notice of the Complaint on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, and is reviewing it. The City will work with legal counsel to review the Complaint and provide additional information to the public once available." 2025 8:49 p.m.An amended indictment shows former St Helens High School choir teacher Eric Stearns is now accused of sexually abusing 16 victims.A St Helens High School choir teacher jailed for alleged sexual abuse against students is facing new charges and his request for bail was denied Monday An amended indictment against him now includes 16 total victims The alleged abuse happened between 2015 and the current school year The new charges come as the St. Helens Police Department continues investigating a crisis of widespread sexual abuse against students at St Related: Sexual abuse allegations, arrests and investigations at St. Helens School District Stearns had posted bail following his initial arrest in November. But he turned himself in and has remained in Columbia County Jail since additional charges were added in January He is expected to appear in court again in June Detectives believe there could be more victims who have not yet come forward. Anyone with additional information about Stearns is asked to call St. Helens police at 503-397-1521 Tags: Education, Crime Before that he spent more than 10 years on the digital team at Portland TV station KGW (home of Cheap Trick!) in 2004 and graduated from Portland State University in 2008 \nHe’s been a news anchor/writer/reporter/editor in Portland since 2006 An outside investigator looked into complaints against Former St A lengthy and damning report outlined the allegations against the former chief this time involving former Police Chief Brian Greenway An outside investigator looked into complaints against Greenway The findings include some that the investigator says would have likely led to disciplinary action against Greenway had he not resigned in Oct A full copy of the report is included at the bottom of this article That report, first obtained by The Oregonian accuses Greenway of sending text messages with porn to his employees in the police department The investigation also revealed that multiple police officers interviewed claimed Greenway falsified their fitness test giving them a pay bump without having them take the fitness test required to receive it The investigation also claims he refused to let his officers provide mutual aid to the sheriff's department One employee interviewed claims he had tried to warn the city about these issues during his exit interview but says it fell on deaf ears KATU asked City Administrator John Walsh about those allegations KATU: "He mentions in his exit interview you guys have a problem on your hands with this chief were any of those issues looked into at the time?" Walsh: “They didn't make it to my desk.” KATU: “What are you doing to look at what happened internally?” we're looking at all our processes and how we can be better and create that safety and security for employees to feel safe and comfortable coming forward and making it a better organization.” The city says its lawyer has already reviewed the report and made recommendations about improving policies and culture so that city employees feel comfortable reporting issues like these KATU reached out to Greenway and his attorney but so far we have not heard back from them yet Helens issued the following statement to the release of the report on Greenway: "We have received multiple inquiries from media outlets regarding former St Helens Police Chief Brian Greenway’s investigation which was discussed during a February 5 Helens City Council executive session meeting In the interest of transparency and for efficiency we are providing the investigative report (see attached) to local media outlets and are providing a statement from the City of St Helens expects its employees to meet high ethical standards This expectation is essential to safeguarding the trust that people place in their public officials to provide quality and efficient services and protect the safety and livability of our community We take violations of that trust seriously Helens Police Chief Brian Greenway was placed on paid non-disciplinary administrative leave Helens made this decision after receiving reports of alleged misconduct on the part of Chief Greenway The City engaged the services of a third-party investigator to conduct an independent investigation that was thorough and ensured due process for all parties Former Police Chief Brian Greenway elected to retire on January 22 Helens officers with the full cooperation of the St Greenway was offered the opportunity to be interviewed and declined The investigation documents serious concerns with Greenway's job performance and adverse impacts he caused within the St Helens Police Department and the countywide law enforcement community Helens City Council and City managers are resolved to correct the deficiencies identified during the investigation process to ensure that a situation like this does not occur in the future The City Council continues to examine and work with the City management team and legal counsel and more is being reviewed for possible future implementation: Helens are committed to making changes so that this does not occur again People should expect high ethical standards from their public officials and we are working to ensure that our employees exceed expectations." The Turks Head is a traditional Victorian pub in St Helens, Merseyside. Built in the 1870s in the Tudor style, it's popular with the locals and has a reputation for award-winning craft beers. and steady supply of beer aren't enough to attract you the pub also proudly claims to have the oldest pie in St Helens Its age is unverified; it was found when the pub was renovated in 2017 Its remarkably well-preserved condition led the owners to display it proudly once the refurbishment was complete It now rests in an acrylic box on a wooden plinth with the story of its discovery engraved: "This pie was discovered during renovations of The Turks Head public house (Feb 2017) It is thought to be the greatest discovery since Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon unearthed Tutankhamun in 1922 We still don't know what mystical powers have been set free in The Turks Head." St Helens isn't often compared to the Valley of the Kings, so the above claims may be slightly exaggerated. There have yet to be any reports of a curse. One of the last soy sauce-makers in Hong Kong has been in the artisanal condiment business since 1917. Two of Manchester’s oldest buildings were moved twice. Open since 1690, this former teahouse makes “strength mochi” based on the centuries-old recipe. The largest cattle market on earth holds live auctions open to the public every week. An open-air, roadside eatery celebrating a historic indigenous cuisine of complicated significance. The French deconstructionist had a weakness for baked goods. A 19th-century baker stands ready to serve customers. Webb took on the superintendent role after the St Helens School District was rocked by a sexual abuse scandal involving several educators and administrators.The acting superintendent of the St Helens School District is leaving the role about a month earlier than initially planned Webb announced Tuesday he would be stepping away on Jan Webb joined the district after a scandal involving sex abuse charges against multiple teachers at St and administrators who didn’t report the abuse were arrested Related: 10 St. Helens employees now on leave in sexual abuse case. School district offers few details Webb said he had reached the goals he set out to accomplish including the start of an outside investigation a collaboration with the community and law enforcement and increased transparency between district officials and community stakeholders At a news conference on Tuesday, which was streamed live by KATU-TV Marie said that Webb has successfully laid a foundation for community healing “There is nothing that can be done quickly to re-establish trust in the wake of the allegations and the situation that this community has faced,” Marie said Webb did not appear at the Tuesday meeting Webb’s former district, Vancouver Public Schools, has also been responding recently to sexual abuse allegations against a teacher who worked there during Webb’s tenure Related: Hudson’s Bay high schoolers rally over teacher sexual misconduct allegations Helens school board said now that Webb is leaving early it’s expediting the process of finding another temporary superintendent The Board of Directors scheduled a planning meeting for Wednesday evening Tags: School, Crime, Education, Sexual Assault 2024 11:04 p.m.The district placed three teachers on leave following an ‘internal report.’ What the report found and who is on leave is also unclear.The St Helens School District announced on Friday that 10 employees are on paid administrative leave all somehow in relation to the ongoing sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed the small Columbia County community The district revealed the figures in a press release ahead of a planned virtual news conference but officials remain silent on such key details as who is on leave and why Helens High School teachers Eric Stearns and Mark Collins were arrested Nov 13 for allegedly abusing students at the school Two employees landed on paid leave prior to those arrests Three more went on paid leave the day of the arrests five more were put on leave as a result of findings from the Department of Human Services and an “internal report” conducted by the district It’s been publicly announced by the district that Superintendent Scot Stockwell High School Principal Katy Wagner and Stearns have all been placed on leave The new information raises more questions than it answers Virtually no details about the internal report have been made public The district had announced it would conduct an internal investigation about the problem of sexual abuse at the high school It’s unknown who the report investigated or what it found OPB reached out to district spokesperson Stacey Mendoza for clarification about the release District officials have announced that a final report will be made public sometime in the next 45 to 60 days Tags: School, Education, Safety 2025 11:59 p.m.Police have once again arrested Eric Stearns — the St Helens High School choir teacher facing a slew of sexual abuse charges — this time for additional charges stating he allegedly abused more students in recent years Court records filed Friday afternoon show Stearns stemming from interviews with additional victims The dates of the alleged abuse take place from 2015 to the current school year Helens High School teacher faces additional charges of alleged sexual abuse against minors and adults The abuse allegedly spanned the past decade One charge includes sexual abuse in the first degree which carries a mandatory prison sentence of at least six years He faces a total of 13 charges of sexual abuse in the second degree and four charges of sexual abuse in the third degree Deputy District Attorney Erin Brady wrote in a Jan 3 affidavit that some victims did not report the alleged abuse by Stearns until he was initially arrested Brady’s office is still looking for and interviewing potential victims “The defendant has been committing crimes against vulnerable members of this community for years unchecked and has preyed upon not only minors Stearns has been on paid administrative leave since his arrest in November Helens Superintendent Scot Stockwell and St Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner also remain on paid leave Helens math teacher Mark Collins faces two charges of sexual abuse Wagner was arrested in November for allegedly failing to report years of abuse by members of her staff He turned himself into the Columbia County Jail This story is developing and may be updated Tags: Sexual Assault, Court, Criminal Justice, School, Oregon Helens School District introduced its new acting superintendent Principal Katy Wagner was criminally charged.St Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner will face criminal charges for her role in a growing sexual abuse scandal in the district A grand jury approved six charges against Wagner on Tuesday after hearing testimony from school officials and police Wagner turned herself in Wednesday morning to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Wagner was arrested and later released from the Columbia County Jail as she awaits trial Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner leaves court after her arraignment at the Columbia County Circuit Court on November 27 Prosecutors charged her with two felonies for allegedly failing to forward reports that teachers had sexually abused students Wagner faces two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment two counts of first-degree official misconduct and two counts of second-degree official misconduct All of the charges stem from a scandal that has rapidly widened in the district since high school choir director Eric Stearns Court documents allege that Wagner failed in her duty as a mandatory reporter to let officials know about allegations against Stearns and Collins when she learned of it Wagner has been on paid administrative leave since Nov Matt Smith and a former assistant principal at the school were among the witnesses who testified before Tuesday’s grand jury Helens High school from 2018 to 2020 before moving on to her current job in Portland Public Schools News of Wagner’s arrest came the same day the district’s acting superintendent Steve Webb outlined his plans for dealing with sexual abuse allegations within the St During a press conference Tuesday, Webb pledged the Northwest Regional Education Service District would conduct an independent investigation into the sexual abuse allegations It will also review policies on mandatory reporting and staff ethics The investigation’s findings are to be made public within two months Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner swears to abide by conditions for release during her arraignment at the Columbia County Circuit Court on November 27 Helens Board of Directors has tasked Webb with four main priorities for the next 90 days: to stabilize the district while managing day-to-day operations to comply with law enforcement and DHS on their investigations and to launch an effort to engage with the community on next steps which is dealing with two allegations of sexual abuse Webb was named acting superintendent on Nov The arrests of Stearns and Collins sparked outrage and protest in St Helens and led to the resignation of the school board chair They also resulted in Superintendent Scot Stockwell being put on paid administrative leave The state Department of Human Services has said it’s investigating both Wagner and Stockwell for failing to inform authorities of reports of alleged sexual abuse As Webb announced plans Tuesday to restore trust in the district he said he understands that people are hurting “Many of you are outraged that the system failed to protect this community’s children,” Webb said “and that some adults allegedly failed to act when informed of misconduct.” which has also faced criticism from parents and child advocates unanimously voted to appoint Webb as acting superintendent on a 90-day contract secure and supported in our schools,” Webb said during a brief virtual school board meeting Monday night “We must do significant work to begin rebuilding community relationships and trust The new acting superintendent said if the employees under investigation are found guilty consistent with due process outlined in employment contracts collective bargaining agreements and applicable laws “I understand that this community wants answers and deserves them,” he said as allowed by law and guided by legal counsel “I ask for your patience as I navigate this challenging situation,” Webb said OPB editor Rob Manning and reporter Joni Auden Land contributed to this story Tags: School, Schools, Education, Teacher, Teachers, Crime, Vancouver ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCXQE7QUAVBZHBTGTPOJYHW2BY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The St Kristian started as a cub reporter in 1988 In 1991 he moved to Oregon and started freelancing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Voice of America Kristian has won a Peabody Award along with awards from the Associat ed Press, Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors He graduated from the University of Westminster in London Kristian Foden-Vencil is a reporter and producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting In 2004 he was embedded with the Oregon National Guard in Iraq Kristian has won a Peabody Award along with awards from the Associat ed Press, Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors. He graduated from the University of Westminster in London. Helens School District remains in a precarious position as allegations of child sexual abuse against teachers and related arrests have made many parents there question if school officials are adequately protecting students Sarah Young of Scappoose has a child currently attending St and says her son has previously raised concerns Families and community members gathered at the St for an open forum to discuss holding school district leaders accountable and keeping children safe At a community meeting Friday many parents called for widespread overhauls in the district including resignations or recalls of school board members Helens began earlier this year and rapidly intensified in November as the scope of alleged abuse inside schools there became clearer Here are some key events that led to this current moment in the Columbia County district Former St. Helens High School teacher Kyle Wroblewski is sentenced to more than four years in prison for grooming and sexually abusing a 17-year-old student identified as Jessica Doe The charges originated in May 2018 and after more than a year of legal negotiations Wroblewski opted to plead guilty to five counts of second-degree sexual abuse Many said they felt betrayed by school officials Doe files a lawsuit against the St alleging that district officials were well aware that Wroblewski used his role as a track coach and social studies teacher to act inappropriately with underage female students before he repeatedly abused Doe in 2018 Helens district Superintendent Scot Stockwell had received information and heard rumors about Wroblewski’s behavior as early as 2017 It also noted that Wroblewski’s mistreatment of children may have started as early as 2005 After a yearslong legal battle, the St. Helens School District agrees to pay out $3.5 million to Doe and her family to settle the lawsuit related to Wroblewski Helens High School alumnus Doug Weaver speaks at the St Students commented on TikTok videos Weaver shared about his experiences with predatory staff members while he attended the school Weaver shared those comments and information with the police Former St. Helens High School student and TikTok creator Doug Weaver begins posting videos on the social media platform about the Wroblewski settlement Weaver had previously posted about his concerns around communal showers for boys in sports at the school and had spoken about keeping minors safe from sexual abuse Comments on Weaver’s videos allege that other teachers in the St Helens district have engaged in behavior similar to Wroblewski St. Helens police receive subpoenas for the St. Helens School District seeking information about allegations of sexual abuse noted in the comments to Weaver’s videos Law enforcement receives responsive records indicating students had complained about teachers but those complaints had not previously reached the police Law enforcement arrest recently retired St. Helens High School math instructor Mark Collins and choir director Eric Stearns Indictments for the men allege that Collins touched the intimate areas of three students under the age of 18 between 2017 and 2023 while Stearns was accused of inappropriately touching at least six different underage students between 2015 and 2024 Both men face charges of second-degree sexual abuse and plead not guilty to the crimes A student holds a sign during a protest outside St Dozens of students and parents have protested for two days after two teachers were arrested for alleged sexual abuse of students St. Helens High School students walk out of their classes in protest Demonstrators accuse school staff once again of brushing off allegations of abuse School board member Ryan Scholl also resigns OPB confirms with the Oregon Department of Human Services that the state agency had received no reports from teachers or staff at St Helens between 2019 and 2023 about alleged sexual abuse at the high school Teachers and other staff at schools are mandatory reporters meaning that if they directly hear about abuse The state agency also announces it is investigating Stockwell and Wagner for failing to ensure reports were made Helens Mayor-elect Jennifer Massey speaks at the community event she organized at the St to discuss holding school district leaders accountable and keeping children safe St. Helens Mayor-elect Jennifer Massey hosts a town hall meeting Dozens of parents and students gather to express anger and frustration that current school administration failed to protect the safety of students parents openly discuss how to collect enough signatures to recall current school board members Helens district administration or school board attends the meeting The St. Helens school board announces Steve Webb as interim superintendent who previously served as superintendent for Vancouver Public Schools in Washington from 2008 to 2021 secure and supported in our schools,” Webb says during the virtual school board meeting announcing his appointment “We must do significant work to begin rebuilding community relationships and trust.” St. Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner is charged for her role in the sexual abuse scandal in the district Court documents allege that Wagner failed in her duty as a mandatory reporter to let officials know about allegations against Eric Stearns and Mark Collins The St. Helens School District announces Charlotte Ellis as acting high school principal following the arrest of Katy Wagner Police arrested Wagner for allegedly failing to forward reports of sexual abuse Ellis most recently worked for the Northwest Regional Education Service District Tags: Crime, Education, Sexual Assault Thank you!We have emailed you a PDF version of the article you requested You can also addto your safe senders list to ensure you never miss a message from us Gophers Were Dropped Onto Mount St Helens And Amazing Things Happened To The EcosystemComplete the form below to listen to the audio version of this article IFLScience needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out ourPrivacy Policy IFLScience HomeJoin for Exclusive FacebookemailJames is a published author with four pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary. Facebookemail EditedbyFrancesca BensonFrancesca Benson Francesca Benson is a Copy Editor and Staff Writer with a MSci in Biochemistry from the University of Birmingham Mt St Helens looking all picturesque with wildflowers at sunrise. Image credit: Dene' Miles/Shutterstock.com and debris turned the landscape barren for miles around It was clear the land would take a long time to recover from the eruption But one team of scientists had an idea about how they could help speed up the process: sending a few gophers there on a day trip Plant life struggled to return to the area around Mount St Helens While the top layers of soil were destroyed by the eruption and lava flows the soil underneath could still be rich in bacteria and fungi. "Soil microorganisms regulate nutrient cycling and therefore may support successional pathways and complementary ecosystem functions even in harsh conditions," a team of researchers explained in a study published in 2024 "With the exception of a few weeds, there is no way most plant roots are efficient enough to get all the nutrients and water they need by themselves," study co-author, University of California Riverside microbiologist Michael Allen, explained in a statement "The fungi transport these things to the plant and get carbon they need for their own growth in exchange." researchers believed that gophers could be ideal for returning it all to the top and that would be where recovery would occur," Allen added An unhappy gopher and plant near the gopher enclosure fence in 1982.Image credit: Michael Allen/UCRTwo years after the eruption of Mount St Helens local gophers were sent to the area in what must have been quite a confusing day trip even if the animals were not aware of the news The gophers were placed in enclosed areas for the experiment and spent their day digging around in the pumice there were over 40,000 plants thriving where the gophers had gotten to work the team found they had left one hell of a legacy “Plots with historic gopher activity harbored more diverse bacterial and fungal communities than the surrounding old-growth forests," the team explained "We also found more diverse fungal communities in these long-term lupine gopher plots than in forests that were historically clearcut we were just testing the short-term reaction," Allen added "Who would have predicted you could toss a gopher in for a day and see a residual effect 40 years later?" While the gophers should be praised for their unusual part in the story the real star of the recovery effort are the fungi scientists worried that nearby pine and spruce forests would take a long time to recover as the ash covered their needles and led to them falling off "These trees have their own mycorrhizal fungi that picked up nutrients from the dropped needles and helped fuel rapid tree regrowth," UCR environmental microbiologist and paper co-author Emma Aronson added "The trees came back almost immediately in some places Comparing the forest to a nearby forest that had recently been cut "There still isn't much of anything growing in the clearcut area," Aronson said "It was shocking looking at the old-growth forest soil and comparing it to the dead area." The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiomes An earlier version of this story was first published in November 2024 plants What Is A Dinosaur Tree? The Living Fossil Dinosaurs Once Munched On That's Still Around Today13 hours agolink to article animals Ancient Chinese Poetry Reveals The 1,400-Year Decline Of World’s Only Freshwater Porpoise14 hours ago86link to article T. Rex Leather, Glow-In-The-Dark Gas Clouds, And Musical Sea Lions link to article The Five Most Common Headaches link to article © 2025 IFLScience. All Rights Reserved. RSS who recently worked for the Northwest Regional Education Service District St. Helens High School has a new acting principal days after the current principal, Katy Wagner, was arrested for allegedly failing to forward reports of sexual abuse The district announced Tuesday afternoon that Charlotte Ellis will take over as principal effective Wednesday district officials said Ellis will be tasked with bringing stability to a school in the midst of a growing sexual abuse scandal and winning back the public’s trust in the process Ellis most recently worked for the Northwest Regional Education Service District, and previously spent many years as an administrator in the Pasco, Washington, school district, according to her LinkedIn profile “My moral purpose has always been rooted in a deep commitment to serving others and putting students first and it is this guiding principle that has led me to this role,” Ellis said in a written statement Helens community and am dedicated to listening with empathy and working tirelessly to rebuild the trust that is essential to our schools and community.” Ellis is the latest replacement for the St which has been in disarray following the arrest of two teachers for alleged sexual abuse against students for years 26 for two felony charges of criminal mistreatment Related: St. Helens High School principal charged in growing abuse scandal Helens police that school administrators failed to forward reports of abuse to law enforcement — ignited public outcry It lead to widespread protesting and the high school being closed for multiple days Helens School Board also recently appointed an acting superintendent who previously worked at the Vancouver School District in Washington Helens High School,” Acting Superintendent Steve Webb said in a written statement “Her track record of success in leading schools and her focus on building safe and equitable learning environments will be invaluable as we work together to ensure the success of every student.” Related: A breakdown of sexual abuse allegations, arrests and investigations at St. Helens School District The district also announced Tuesday its partnership with former superintendent for the Jefferson County School District He will provide additional support to the high school’s administration Tags: Oregon, School, Sexual Assault emotions are still high and information still frustratingly low for many families after police arrested two high school teachers for alleged sexual abuse Helens mayor-elect Jennifer Massey — gathered for a town hall meeting at the local senior center Friday evening to vent and to organize ways to change their city “We don’t feel we can trust the school district anymore,” said Richard McKean “They have failed miserably and it’s time somebody does something about it Kathleen Alexander, who teaches third grade in St. Helens, said it was frustrating to see abuse had continued in St. Helens, after the district recently paid out $3.5 million following the conviction of former teacher Kyle Wroblewski for his yearslong abuse of a student “I’m disgusted that we’re here and that we’re talking about this but I’m proud of the community for facing the situation because I think sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Alexander said “We need to get to the bottom of what did happen and there needs to be accountability.” All three of Kathleen Alexander’s children have attended St Julie McKinney has a 16-year-old daughter attending St where the community discussed holding school district leaders accountable and keeping children safe Helens High School alumnus Doug Weaver and his wife listen as they livestream the event to Weaver’s TikTok channel Students commented on TikTok videos where Weaver shared his experiences with predatory staff members when he was a student asks if it is possible to recall school board members Richard McKean drove around town with handwritten posters on his truck to inform the St Emotions have continued to accelerate in St the city of about 15,000 people in Columbia County 12 arrested two high school employees — choir teacher Eric Stearns and retired math teacher Mark Collins — on multiple charges of sexual abuse of children Police announced Thursday they’re also investigating a middle school teacher Police later said they found years of historical reports detailing allegations against the teachers Student protests shut down the high school for three days Superintendent Scot Stockwell and High School Principal Katy Wagner remain on paid administrative leave The fallout has attracted nationwide attention Tina Kotek pledging to step in if the district failed to act promptly Related: Gov. Kotek offers support and condolence amid growing St. Helens school sex abuse crisis Many in attendance wanted more information about the process for mandatory reporting and what the penalties are for failing to do so Educators in Oregon are required to report to authorities when they suspect someone is being abused or that someone they know has committed abuse Massey is currently leading an effort to increase the penalties when mandatory reporters intentionally withhold information She said the current penalties amount to a fine that there’s a deficiency there,” Massey told the crowd attended the meeting virtually and said that increasing the penalties for failure to report suspected abuse could become a focus in the next legislative session “And if the laws are not adequate for protecting our children Others discussed ways they could recall the remaining four members of the school board. Oregon law allows voters to recall elected officials and hold new elections, a monthslong process that has been attempted unsuccessfully at the state level Two board members are already up for reelection in May: Vice Chair Trinity Monahan and Kellie Smith who is also a Columbia County commissioner Former board member Ryan Scholl’s seat is also available following his resignation Massey said it could be more worthwhile to rally around a slate of candidates who support widespread change in the district “A recall really doesn’t make logical sense with the amount of effort calories and time that goes into place,” Massey said One constant throughout the meeting was a desire for more information about what had happened: how many children had been affected Why were none forwarded to local police or Department of Human Services Related: Oregon DHS investigates St. Helens high school principal for allegedly not reporting yearslong abuse With the superintendent and high school principal on administrative leave Massey said there had been “radio silence” from the school district No one from the school district attended the town hall The school board is scheduled to have another special meeting on Monday Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player President Donald Trump makes a major sports announcement. The announcement comes amid reports Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft. WATCHSkier rescued from Mt. St. Helens after knee injury during descentby Bobby Corser (KATU) — A skier sustained a knee injury while descending Mt prompting a rescue operation by the Volcano Rescue Team (VRT) The incident occurred at approximately 7,000 feet after the skier's ski caught an edge READ MORE | Search and rescue team locates lost hikers and dogs in Cowlitz County snowstorm who had summited the mountain earlier that day attempted a self-rescue by descending to about 5,700 feet they stopped further descent due to safety concerns The Skamania County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue (SAR) coordinator was notified which was wrapping up a training exercise nearby responded to the call for assistance at around 3:30 p.m. with some members heading directly to the SAR base at Marble Mountain Sno-Park while others gathered additional equipment and vehicles Two operators reached the injured skier via snowmobile at 7:30 p.m They were able to take the skier below the treeline to a 4x4 tracked quad vehicle The skier was then taken to the parking lot by 9:00 p.m The skier did not require medical transport and sought further medical attention independently meeting the skier's companions and ensuring their safe descent to the parking lot were rescued following an avalanche on Mount St The incident occurred when three snowmobilers were riding above the tree line and two of their machines became stuck in deep snow both riders accidentally drove off a cornice into Shoestring Gully free-falling 20 to 30 feet into a 100-foot deep canyon The first rider's impact triggered an avalanche that propagated over 100 yards across the gully Despite his avalanche airbag failing to deploy he used a swimming motion with his arms to stay near the surface he was pinned against his snowmobile but only suffered minor injuries RELATED: Authorities identify Central Oregon couple killed in an avalanche west of Bend unaware of the first accident and unable to hear the third rider's warnings followed over the edge and landed on the remaining hard snowpack the third snowmobiler found a safe route into the gully and tended to the injured rider before leaving to call for help Ten volunteer members of the Volcano Rescue Team responded through challenging conditions and lack of clear radio communication due to the region's topography Rescuers packaged the injured rider and used a rope system to lower him to the gully floor transporting him via a snowmobile sled to Marble Mountain Sno-Park where North Country EMS was waiting to take him to the hospital causing harm to everything in their way and killing an average of 28 people Avalanche danger can change not only day to day but sometimes hour to hour, making it crucial to check the risk before venturing out. The public can connect to avalanche education and understand the danger scale at avalanche.org MORE ON AVALANCHES: How WSDOT monitors avalanche threats across the Cascade passes "This incident highlights the dangers of backcountry snowmobiling especially in poor visibility and elevated avalanche conditions," said a Volcano Rescue Team spokesperson "We’re grateful for a positive outcome but urge users to obtain avalanche training and make informed decisions in the field." the avalanche risk was rated as "considerable" or orange on the color scale coordinated by the Skamania County Sheriff's Office READ ALSO: Avalanches in western US claim more lives in recent weeks it’s time to reckon with a deeply upsetting truth: The problems in St Helens illustrate a much broader pattern of predatory educators grooming harassing and sexually abusing students across Oregon and the country An estimated 10% of students nationwide — one in 10 young people — will experience educator sexual misconduct by the time they graduate with the majority of participants facing sexual comments from their teachers Sexual misconduct against students can include inappropriate verbal ranging from crude comments and nude photographs to sexual assault and rape It can be perpetrated by any school employee Rates differ based on student age and even parts of the country tens of thousands of Oregon children — the equivalent of two students in every classroom — are likely to endure educator sexual misconduct during their school career national experts say this is an understudied and underreported area When the news outlet Business Insider investigated sexual abuse across hundreds of American school districts they described it as an “epidemic,” one filled with “shoddy investigations and a culture of secrecy” that have “protected predators Oregon Public Broadcasting analyzed records obtained by Business Insider from the 10 largest public school districts in both Oregon and Washington to better understand how this issue is playing out in the Pacific Northwest The records detail allegations and disciplinary actions from educator misconduct cases between Jan Roughly 200 records were collected from the states’ largest districts These records document disturbing patterns of grooming harassment and abuse at schools across the region the districts’ responses paint a troubling picture one in which their willingness to share information publicly is often inconsistent and incomplete Some school districts refused to provide records in a timely manner or refused to fill the request without heavy redactions or exorbitant fees some districts may be disproportionately represented in the records Some resignation agreements or settlements give few specifics on the cause of the individual’s departure Some records maintain the educator’s innocence Many outline the paid administrative leave employees were placed on the warnings and policy reminders they were given about boundaries or the extended “sick leave” they eventually took Some provide graphic details reported by students “and he touches [redacted]’s leg and says she is attractive and pretty and he called this girl’s moms phone and said ‘I know your listening cowgirl see you on Monday.’ ” “he needs to understand these are little girls he is talking to.” A text exchange between two students in Washington from 2019 shares some of their concerns regarding a middle school teacher who later had his teaching license revoked and was convicted of molesting his stepdaughter The text message was part of the public records obtained by Business Insider and shared with OPB Convincing teen boys and girls to come to their homes and have sex with them or others One graphic example from the 2015-16 school year at a Washington middle school details a teacher in his then-late 50s who talked with a female student every day before or after class she would go to his classroom before school started They soon started “kissing and making out,” according to the report “She did not know how long that went on for but they started performing oral sex on each other,” the report states Research indicates sexual misconduct of students is most commonly committed by classroom teachers, coaches or physical education teachers. The vast majority of perpetrators — nearly 90%, according to one survey — are male The targeted students are most commonly high school girls While most educators in public and private schools do not harm students, those who do may be harming many children. A 2010 Government Accountability Office study found that offenders can have “dozens Handwritten notes show concerns about a physical education teacher in Washington touching students The scan was part of public records obtained by Business Insider and shared with OPB What happens to accused educators varies a lot Some escape serious consequences and move on to permanent or substitute teaching jobs in other areas There were cases in the Business Insider records where several if not dozens of students reported the same educator created social media accounts to showcase the teacher’s behavior but the evidence was deemed insufficient for concern that teacher was convicted years later of child molestation These incidents — including the multiple allegations of abuse that went unreported in St Helens and have been met with public uproar — show how trust is eroded across school communities The country’s education system depends on families feeling safe sending their children to school and most educators are extremely dedicated to protecting and caring for students But what happens if schools don’t do enough and what can be done to avoid the harm in the first place Lindsey Troutman said complaints from the middle schoolers she worked with started small Troutman was a Youth Essentials Coordinator in the Centennial School District through the nonprofit REAP She was not employed in one of the 10 largest districts in Oregon so this case was not one of the records sought by Business Insider As soon as Troutman began working at Centennial in the fall of 2023 say things about one teacher in particular — comments like “I don’t like this teacher,” or “This teacher is weird.” “I didn’t think too much of it at the time,” she told OPB “because I know students don’t like teachers for many reasons.” That’s often the case — details that later show a clear pattern may not seem significant at the time Troutman decided to ask a few of the students she worked with regularly if everything was okay like “I don’t like the way that this teacher looks at me.” But then she learned complaints were filed with the school about the same teacher the year before and that little action had reportedly been taken Multiple students told Troutman they would wear baggier clothes when they were in the teacher’s class because they felt like he would look at them too long — one said he looked at her too long when she wore a shorter shirt than usual; another student told her he watched her change into a jacket More detailed concerns came out over time from more students The teacher would tell girls he doesn’t like when they get boyfriends because then they “leave him,” Troutman said and he was active with the students on social media “I remember a student told me that one time she was in a grocery store and [he] called her on Snapchat,” Troutman recalled ‘Pretend that you’re talking to one of your friends.’ ” The teacher in question has no criminal charges in Oregon, according to court records, nor does he have any sanctions on his teaching license According to the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission database he has a preliminary license effective until August 2027 Former REAP nonprofit worker Lindsey Troutman sits with her collected notes detailing the timeline of concerns expressed to her by a handful of middle school students in the Centennial School District during the 2023-24 school year Troutman reported the incidents and argues leaders failed to follow mandatory reporting and Title IX requirements Troutman spoke with her supervisor at REAP about the students’ concerns and reported them to the principal But the meetings didn’t result in any obvious sanctions toward the teacher and she said it wasn’t always clear why decisions were made the way they were regarding the students The first two students who opened up to Troutman asked to be removed from his class When the second was promised a different seat in the classroom They were later transferred out because the teacher was “inappropriately mean [and] rude to this student,” she recalled “Students expressed their concern; they expressed being uncomfortable They were forced to stay in that class,” she said “[He] knew that these students had reported him and … [another] staff member just explicitly said that she thought they were lying.” a communications consultant working with the Centennial School District responded to OPB on behalf of the district She said the district couldn’t comment on specific investigations “School and district staff address all allegations with care and concern for students as the highest priority,” she said Swenson said all Centennial staff are required to complete mandatory reporter training annually to recognize and respond to signs of abuse neglect and sexual conduct and to report these concerns “We do not tolerate any behaviors that place our students’ well-being at risk and we take seriously any allegations of threats to student safety,” she said “Sexual conduct involving students by district employees Even though more students spoke up throughout the year Troutman felt like the school and work environment got worse after the reports were made She said some of the students explicitly said things like everything’s so much worse.” Some felt guilty “What if I ruined his life?” or “I should have been smarter No matter who Troutman complained to or met with she said the students’ concerns weren’t addressed I felt like I was going crazy because no one seemed to be taking it as seriously as I felt like it needed to be.” I felt like I was going crazy because no one seemed to be taking it as seriously as I felt like it needed to be,” she said or else this would be handled completely differently.’ ” Swenson explained that under Centennial’s policy when the district receives a report of sexual conduct by a staff member the district reports the information to the Oregon Department of Education or the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission The staff member is immediately placed on administrative leave and the district takes necessary actions to ensure the student’s safety A mandatory report is made to the Department of Human Services and/or law enforcement and the district communicates with the families of the students It’s not clear if those steps were taken in this case When she later called the parents of several students who reported allegations to her she said they told her they had not been contacted as part of any investigation by the district To protect student privacy and comply with legal requirements the district can’t give out specific information about individual cases those filing a complaint may not be fully aware of the district’s response or the actions taken following their report Swenson said the district will notify the victim of the alleged misconduct about any actions taken as a result of the report like what safeguards will go into place to protect the student REAP officials also told OPB that they are careful to comply with all laws and regulations for reporting inappropriate conduct They said they encourage employees to share concerns while acknowledging that the organization is limited by “privacy and confidentiality obligations.” Troutman said she and at least two other REAP employees provided documentation of the students’ concerns — including statements and emails — to top district administrators the executive director of REAP and the school principal but she was reportedly not given a chance to speak about the violations and her concerns That was after months of trying to get an investigation and action taken for the students Swenson confirmed the teacher in question no longer works in the district but could not provide any more details Troutman has heard about more inappropriate behavior allegations against another teacher who’s still listed on the middle school’s staff directory no report was made by school officials to the police or to Oregon DHS regarding either educator “We have nothing we can share on those individuals.” Former REAP nonprofit worker Lindsey Troutman's collected notes detail the timeline of concerns expressed to her by a handful of middle school students in the Centennial School District during the 2023-24 school year Troutman was only able to see so many pieces of the puzzle the situation felt like one more example of authorities doubting teens She said she doesn’t blame students who are too scared to report their concerns if reporting the abuse may be a compounding factor or if the students who were targeted are at greater risk of ongoing trauma Researchers say abusers often target students they perceive to be more vulnerable believing it will reduce the chance they’ll get caught A 2012 report from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center says just over a third — an estimated 37% — of all sexual assaults are reported to the police. Data from the 2022 survey shows the rate of disclosure to authorities about educator sexual misconduct specifically is even lower — only 4% False reporting is extremely rare, between 2-10% for all sexual assault allegations, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center False reporting refers to cases where the accusations are proven incorrect through an investigation Even though it’s unlikely someone is lying when they report Troutman struggled as a bystander and as one of the grownups She described it as the worst several months of her life despite the love and respect she felt toward her employer She could only imagine what that must have felt like to the middle schoolers “I would come home from work sobbing about it I went to college and have that education behind me ‘I don’t know what the hell I can even do here.’ “It just was the strangest situation I’ve ever been in where nobody talked about it Troutman has lingering concerns about the teacher working elsewhere and the well-being of the students. She wants families to be more aware of their rights under Title IX laws which apply to both K-12 and college students And for her former students: “I hope that they reach a point where they know that it wasn’t their fault that it wasn’t a failing on their behalf,” she said “I hope that they find that power within themselves to understand that and to believe that.” Seeing an individual case in your community or the news may be alarming but easy to dismiss as the actions of a singular bad actor a series of events in short succession pushed parent and student outrage to a boiling point Community pressure over a $3.5 million settlement to a survivor and the arrest of three educators forced out top school officials and have led to an ongoing reckoning in the small city And the solution may seem simple — report any concerns you see But while reporting to state or local authorities is critical it’s often more complicated than some realize Districts have to strike a delicate balance they must support survivors and investigate concerns fully they have to proceed under the assumption of “innocent until proven guilty” and follow legal and contractual rules protecting an accused employee A social media post lists allegations against a middle school teacher in Oregon The screenshot was in a document from 2021 which was included in public records obtained by Business Insider and shared with OPB It can also be difficult to discern what rises to the level of alarm. But experts say the seemingly grey-area comments or actions can be warning signs everyone should pay attention to Advocates want to see more action at every level Northwest lawmakers have been trying to tackle this issue in many ways over the years In 2009, for example, Oregon legislators unanimously passed House Bill 2062 It increases teacher background checks when applying to new schools prevents districts from suppressing crucial information about an employee’s sexual misconduct or abuse and allows families to bring action against the education provider if the school employee previously committed abuse and the provider didn’t investigate or report the abuse Oregon and Washington are two of only 17 states in the country that have key protections in place to avoid what’s known as “passing the trash” — sending an educator who has abused students to just go work in another school or district These states require that prospective schools check a candidate’s disciplinary history and that previous schools disclose teacher sexual misconduct Several states only require one of those — or neither Oregon and Washington are also among only a select few states that prohibit any collective bargaining agreement contract or other agreement from allowing an employee to resign or retire in exchange for cleansing their personnel file of references to misconduct But even with many of the right policies in place across the Pacific Northwest Helens show our laws are only as good as the people who follow and enforce them Tina Kotek’s office put it: “Even one student experiencing harm at the hands of an educator is unacceptable.” If you or someone you know may be a victim of sexual abuse, confidential support, information and advice are available at the National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 800-656-4673 Tags: Education, Crime, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault Helens School District officials revealed Friday that a high school employee had been placed on administrative leave in connection with a sexual abuse case in September nearly two months before two teachers were arrested for allegedly abusing students The new information shows the employee was placed on leave before choir teacher Eric Stearns was arrested in November The name was included in a list of 10 employees currently on leave for either allegations of sexual abuse or failure to report it to authorities Nearly all are being investigated by outside agencies or the Oregon Teaching Standards and Practices Commission a communications consultant hired by the district declined to specify which agency is investigating each person on leave Related: Related: A breakdown of sexual abuse allegations, arrests and investigations at St. Helens School District Police arrested two St. Helens High School teachers in November for allegedly abusing students, and soon placed Superintendent Scot Stockwell and Principal Katy Wagner on leave. Wagner now faces multiple criminal charges for allegedly not forwarding years of reports of abuse to authorities The other employees on leave include four from St Helens Middle School and one from McBride Elementary Marie declined to state what each employee is accused of doing The district also revealed Friday that the president of the teacher’s union — who teaches at the high school — is among those placed on leave Marie said she was not aware if the union had appointed an interim president The union did not immediately respond to requests for comment before press time Tags: Education, High School, Teachers, Crime The state of Oregon has launched an investigation into St Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner for allegedly failing to report child safety concerns The latest news comes in the wake of revelations that the district had received complaints about alleged sexual abuse involving two high school teachers as early as 2019 which typically handles cases of alleged child abuse confirmed to OPB on Tuesday an investigation against Wagner for failing to forward the abuse reports was underway Under Oregon law, some members of the community are required to report suspected abuse to authorities; school employees and teachers, among others, are mandatory reporters under the state’s statutes While everyone should report suspected abuse or neglect the state’s Department of Human Services website notes some people have a legal obligation to do so “Children often can’t or won’t speak up if their parents caregivers or other people are abusing them They rely on you and others in the community to recognize when something isn’t right and to help protect them,” the DHS website states Wagner and District Superintendent Scot Stockwell have been placed on paid administrative leave parents and other community members have called on both officials — along with all school board members — to resign or be removed Helens police officers arrested choir teacher Eric Stearns and recently retired math teacher Mark Collins both of whom are charged with sexual abuse of several students over multiple years The investigation started after police received a tip from Doug Weaver, a graduate of St. Helens High School, who made TikTok videos with concerns about predatory staff members while he attended the school Students commented on his videos sharing their own troubling experiences which prompted Weaver to report the abuse to the police “Stearns and Collins’ arrests cap a two-month investigation that was initiated by the St Helens Police Department regarding allegations of historical sexual abuse which occurred at St Helens High,” a press release from the city of St Widespread protesting around the high school led to district officials canceling classes for three days Helens Police Chief Joseph Hogue said that on Nov his department discovered multiple reports of alleged victims the state confirmed they had received zero reports from mandatory reporters not just those concerning Stearns and Collins which is part of the state’s Department of Human Services the Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission and the person who reported the concern with its findings The Columbia County District Attorney’s office confirmed it’s also investigating whether the district violated the law by not forwarding the reports Correction: The department investigating St Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner has been corrected to the Oregon Department of Human Services Tags: Crime, Education Lauren spent nearly a decade working as a print reporter She’s covered politics and rural issues in Oregon and Washington She’s spent time in a maximum-security prison in Bogota Colombia (for a story!) and sat in a sweat lodge on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.Send Lauren the best story ideas Helens School District parents are happy to hear that the principal of St has been indicted on felony charges of criminal mistreatment by a Columbia County grand jury accusing her of failing to protect students from two teachers who have been arrested for sexually abusing students According to a court document filed Tuesday the grand jury indicted Wagner on two counts of felony first-degree criminal mistreatment Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charges were placed on administrative leave on Friday Wagner is accused of knowingly withholding necessary and adequate physical care from students at the high school and not reporting child abuse “I believed that the detectives were doing a very good job I love how proactive they've been,” said Sarah Young and that there's going to be justice.” Parents have been alleging that the district hasn’t been taking their concerns seriously regarding sexual abuse As of now, everything is an allegation. No convictions have been made, though the experience is making parents introspect. “My son told me six years ago about abuse that happened at the high school. I did not believe him. I am fighting for him, my daughters, and all the school kids. To my son, I am very sorry,” said Jeremiah Harrington, a district parent. Some community members told KATU the silver lining is that more attention is being paid to the welfare of St. Helens School District students. “I want everybody to be able to work together towards our common goal of making a safer school district for our kids,” said Phillips. Wagner’s bail is set for $55,000. She is also being investigated by the Oregon Department of Human Services for allegedly failing to report child safety concerns. Tina Kotek sent a letter to the city of St offering condolences as the community continues to deal with allegations that educators sexually abused students Last week, police arrested two St. Helens High School teachers for allegedly sexually abusing students for years The school’s principal and the district superintendent were placed on administrative leave Helens Police Department announced it had also received a report from the district alleging criminal conduct by a St Helens Middle School teacher involving students Helens School Board announced it would be appointing an acting superintendent to address the rapidly escalating crisis The governor’s letter on Thursday noted that she had been closely monitoring the developments over the previous week and the superintendent of public education is to ensure the safety and well-being of all students that enter our schools “I am taking this issue very seriously and I offer my sincere condolences for the current situation that your community is facing including the trust broken by the lack of transparency and immediate response to the allegations by district leadership.” As our community continues to navigate developments occurring with the St Helens School District and the safety our.. police had made no arrests in connection to the alleged incident at the middle school but said they were working to identify possible victims OPB first reported Wednesday that DHS had launched an investigation into whether the high school’s principal failed to forward reports of sexual abuse to law enforcement Choir teacher Eric Stearns and recently retired math teacher Mark Collins have both been charged with sexual abuse of multiple students from 2015 through last year DHS confirmed to OPB that between 2019 and 2023 it had received no mandatory reporter complaints of abuse in the St Oregon’s Department of Human Services also confirmed Thursday that it’s now investigating two additional high school employees for alleged sex abuse students and community members have protested in St principal and school board members to resign and for safety plans to be put in place to protect students All classes were canceled at the high school for three days Investigations and Safety (OTIS) cases into individuals associated with St Helens High School — those include the two high school teachers who’ve been arrested district superintendent and two teachers who’ve been most recently implicated in possible abuse Kotek’s letter also addresses the cases DHS is looking into they will share their findings with local law enforcement and relevant state agencies so these entities can take the appropriate course of action to hold accountable every person who failed their legal obligation to report suspected child abuse,” the letter reads OTIS has provided training on mandatory reporting to St Helens High School administrative staff this week and will provide training to St Helens middle and elementary school administrators by the end of December.” Two teachers were arrested for allegedly sexually abusing students Helens police spokesperson Crystal King said in an email to OPB that officers are currently receiving and reviewing numerous tips and reports involving the St “Our detectives are reviewing the information as fast and as thoroughly as possible,” said King in an email “Our officers need time to vet the validity of the information that we receive before we release any details.” issued a statement saying the board was “appalled and deeply saddened” by the growing crisis “The education service district has also engaged an external “to review the efficacy of district policy implementation systems for accountability and staff training including training and accountability for mandatory reporters.” The school district facilitated a mandatory reporter training at the high school on Monday one of the days the school was closed to students Allegations against Collins and Stearns came after the school district in March paid out one of the largest legal payouts in state history by a public school for years of sex abuse carried out by former coach Kyle Wroblewski The Scappoose School District also revealed Thursday that Collins had worked as a substitute teacher in the district in 2023 A student came forward Wednesday and alleged that Collins had watched pornography on an electronic device in the classroom Both St. Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner and District Superintendent Scot Stockwell have been placed on administrative leave. DHS officials have said they’re investigating allegations that both school administrators failed to report child safety concerns The school board plans to have a public meeting at 6:30 p.m Monday to appoint a temporary superintendent Kotek offered to help ensure that an interim superintendent is chosen quickly “I understand that an acting superintendent will be appointed swiftly,” Kotek said in her letter “If this expectation is not met within 14 days I am prepared to escalate the state’s engagement with the district and make a recommendation for an interim superintendent “I stand with you and your community as you continue to navigate the impacts from this situation.” The school’s principal and the district superintendent were placed on administrative leave.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORWW2BKTS5BYJEYM4WZF4C7MDA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Then on Thursday Helens Middle School teacher involving students.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XWTLN5GDSNDAVG45B4BLBKKJJI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Following that revelation Helens School Board announced it would be appointing an acting superintendent to address the rapidly escalating crisis.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N3REWEQFONCO7IJOJB6W74UCDE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The governor’s letter on Thursday noted that she had been closely monitoring the developments over the previous week.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSKOKRTLLBHLJJBCVQ55PMTARA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“My duty as your Governor including the trust broken by the lack of transparency and immediate response to the allegations by district leadership.”","type":"text"},{"type":"oembed_response","subtype":"facebook-post","_id":"2E2JY7NIIZCBTBIDM3SNUC3FPU","raw_oembed":{"author_name":"City Of St Helens - Government","author_url":"https://www.facebook.com/cityofsthelens","provider_url":"https://www.facebook.com","provider_name":"Facebook","html":"\n<\/script>As our community continues to navigate developments occurring with the St — Days after news of bombshell allegations of sex abuse of students by two teachers in the St the school board unanimously voted Friday night to place Superintendent Scot Stockwell on administrative leave Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner was placed on administrative leave and Board Chair Ryan Scholl resigned The district announced it would be closed Thursday through Monday It said it was prioritizing student and staff safety “I hear them say that they're concerned for their safety my daughter showed up at your school every day concerned for her safety,” said Roschelle Russell who said one of the accused teachers had inappropriate contact with her daughter The board voted to put Stockwell on leave after parents accused him of not doing enough to protect their children Stockwell did not attend Friday's nearly 16-minute virtual board meeting "The voices of the concerns of the students parents and the community were heard loud and clear at our last meeting," said Acting Chair Trinity Monahan during the meeting "There were specific requests made regarding what plans are being made who to hold accountable and how to understand certain details and decisions that were made." Helens police officers announced they arrested one current and one former St Helens High School teacher on charges of sex abuse against students The charges came after a two-month investigation following allegations of sexual abuse at the school The current teacher has been identified as 46-year-old Eric Stearns Court documents show he has been indicted on seven counts of sexual abuse is also accused of touching minors inappropriately at school He has been indicted on two counts of sexual abuse in the second degree and one count of attempted sexual abuse in the second degree Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges during court appearances this week Students and parents gathered at The Village Inn Friday night not far from the district's offices to watch the virtual school board meeting “I'm glad that everyone came out and we have been making great progress The principal was put on administrative leave but we're hoping for them to get fired instead of just the paid leave," said Avlene Moore Helens High School student government member and organizer of a walkout and the student protests just to get them fired and get them out of the school board So we can start over and start those new policies and new rules so students are safe for our schools." a teacher at Lewis & Clark Elementary School within the St “I knew about this good-old-boys club year one hundreds of community members attended an explosive St telling the board they'd lost faith in them to keep their children safe “I feel like if this was our first situation maybe allowing the police to do the investigation but the school district doesn't have the best record,” said a community member Parents were particularly agitated that the school didn’t put Stearns on administrative leave right when the investigation began “You guys willingly and knowingly put my daughter at risk.” The district claimed the police told them Stearns should not be put on leave, which the police department denied Helens School District reached a $3.5 million settlement with a former student at St claiming the district didn’t protect her from a teacher who posed sexual danger We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Gary Wright was the owner of the Talbot Ale House in St Helens before it ceased trading in 2019 Wright was subsequently declared bankrupt in early 2020 This did not stop him applying for a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan on behalf of the pub failing to tell the bank he was bankrupt in the process The loan was repaid in full earlier this year A former St Helens pub owner who failed to disclose his bankruptcy when he applied for Covid support funds has been handed a suspended sentence Gary Wright did not inform the bank that he was bankrupt when he obtained a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan in the summer of 2020 The 46-year-old made the application on behalf of the Talbot Ale House on Duke Street in St Helens town centre the pub he ran before his bankruptcy earlier that year at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 24 April He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 in costs The Bounce Back Loan was repaid in full shortly before Wright was sentenced Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service Gary Wright incurred significant debts after his business failed and he was ultimately declared bankrupt He then attempted to take advantage of a scheme which was backed by taxpayers and designed to support viable small businesses through the pandemic Bankrupts are legally required to declare their status when applying for loans or credit Wright clearly failed to do this which is why he now has a criminal conviction Talbot Ale House ceased trading in September 2019 and Wright was declared bankrupt in February 2020 due to debts owed to a major utility company Wright applied for a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan in June 2020 claiming the turnover of the pub was £400,000 meaning he has not been officially released from his bankruptcy Individuals subject to a bankruptcy order must disclose their status if they borrow or obtain credit of £500 or more A pub continues to run from the same address but under different management Read more about the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and the action the Insolvency Service can take if it finds misconduct  Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. Helens school board unanimously voted Monday night to appoint Steve Webb as its acting superintendent Webb was hired by the board for a 90-day contract that begins immediately secure and supported in our schools,” Webb said during Monday’s brief virtual school board meeting Webb will take the helm of a school district rocked by allegations of sexual abuse that have left parents and community members deeply shaken and concerned Helens High School choir director Eric Stearns as well as recently retired math teacher Mark Collins The men face charges of second-degree sexual abuse involving numerous students over several years A man holds a sticker in support of students at St handed out out a community meeting at the St Days later, the school board placed Superintendent Scot Stockwell and high school principal Katy Wagner on paid administrative leave. Meanwhile, the state said it’s investigating Wagner and Stockwell for failing to report allegations of abuse “I want to acknowledge the severity of the challenges our district needs to overcome given the recent arrests for sexual abuse and the demands for more transparency,” Trinity Monahan “We know that it will take concerted effort and significant time to address the trust that has been broken between our community and school district.” Webb said he planned to provide a specific plan that he hoped would provide the community with answers and “a renewed sense of confidence and trust” in their schools Board members and district staff did not respond Monday night to how much Webb will be paid for his 90-day contract Webb served as superintendent of Vancouver Public Schools from 2008 to 2021. According to the Columbian newspaper, Webb received a $455,000 agreement with the Vancouver Public School District as part of a “retirement agreement and release” in 2021 In March, the St. Helens School District agreed to pay a $3.5 million legal settlement after a teen was sexually abused by a high school coach Tags: Education, Students, Teachers, Teacher, Crime, Criminal Justice, News he was a reporter at Minnesota Public Radio Before that he ran the news department at an NPR affiliate in Colorado His work has aired on \"Marketplace\" and NPR's \"Morning Edition\" and \"All Things Considered.\" He has also written for Mashable City Pages and The Christian Science Monitor Conrad earned a degree in international political economics and journalism from the University of Minnesota Helens School District has placed 10 staff members on paid administrative leave as part of ongoing investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct or failure to report such misconduct a former math teacher and current choir teacher at St Helens High School were both arrested by police on charges of abusing students The arrests sparked mass outrage among parents and the St both the principal of the high school and the district superintendent were put on leave READ MORE: KATU's ongoing investigation of the St. Helens School District sex abuse arrests Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner has also been criminally charged for allegedly failing to report student sexual abuse claims to authorities The district had previously announced that an unnamed middle school teacher was placed on leave and was under investigation for criminal misconduct involving students No charges have been filed in that case yet St Helens police said right now they are only investigating two teachers they noted that more charges would likely be filed against Stearns and/or Collins in relation to work detectives have been doing with a slew of victims that have come forward since their arrest In response to media questions the district announced there are five additional staff members on leave their positions or their place of employment "We're going to need to affirm what information is legally releasable and we will do that and get back to you with that information," said the district's newly hired public relations consultant Jamie Marie of J Marie and Associates Marie said those on leave are connected to one of four investigations being conducted by police the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (OTSPC) and an independent internal investigation the district is conducting Marie pointed out that being placed on leave is not an indication of any wrongdoing The district provided the following timeline for staff on leave in connection with sexual misconduct investigations or failure to report: Since the scandal hit one month ago the district has not been able to catch a break They've faced backlash from the community after multiple administrators blamed prosecutors and law enforcement when asked why the two teachers had not been placed on leave Scot Stockwell -- now on administrative leave -- and the school board's chair both told parents and the media that police and prosecutors had instructed them not to place the teachers on leave 26 the Columbia County Sheriff's Office announced charges had been filed against St Helen's High School Principal Katy Wagner and that she had turned herself in Wagner pleaded not guilty in an initial court appearance to charges related to alleged neglect to report child safety concerns and official misconduct The district faced more backlash after it hired Acting Superintendent Steve Webb who had previously been placed on administrative leave and left the Vancouver School District under unknown circumstances After initially declining to answer questions about the circumstances of Webb's termination with VSD 6 saying that termination was the result of a conflict over pandemic restrictions and was not related to conduct Those first communications after weeks of the district eschewing media had come through a PR consultant the district hired through the Northwest Educational Service District (NWESD) Documents provided by the NWESD show Tom DeLapp was hired Nov 21 at a rate of $250 an hour for a maximum of just under $10,000 A resignation letter the service district provided KATU shows DeLapp resigned on Dec I believe it is in the best interests of the St Helens School District and the Northwest Region Education Service District that I withdraw as your Communications Advisor My personal indiscretion involving financial mismanagement in our local school foundation dating back to 2019-2021 has become an unfortunate distraction," the resignation letter read in part According to court documents from the Superior Court of Placer County California DeLapp pleaded guilty and was convicted of one count of felony embezzlement and sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay $56,000 in restitution to the Rocklin Educational Excellence Foundation the crimes occurred from September 2017 to March 2020 but were not discovered by accounting staff until February 2024 In a written statement the NWESD said it background checks any staff working directly within the school district but is not in the habit of background checking consultants In his resignation letter DeLapp said his ongoing employment with the district would likely "undercut the credibility of (the districts') efforts to improve the reputation of and trust in the school district." Helens School District did not properly vet DeLapp pointed out that regardless of who hired DeLapp it is on the district to make sure their affiliates are "squeaky clean" and asked why the district was not taking accountability for not doing so Marie said DeLapp had come highly recommended and added I hear you friend," in response to the question about taking accountability RELATED: Many parents fed up with St. Helens School District amid sex abuse scandal The school district is in the process of conducting an internal independent investigation to find out who knew what and when and why sex abuse claims were not reported to police sooner. The results of the investigation are expected to be made public in a couple of months. Meanwhile, the district says it has already begun training to remind all district staff of their legal requirement and duties to report child safety concerns to DHS and police. Webb will be holding listening sessions with parents on the following dates and times: Dec. 17, 2024, for all high school families from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at SHHS. Dec. 18, 2024, for all middle school families from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at SHMS. Spanish speaking sessions will be scheduled in the new year. 2025 9:26 p.m.Communications officials for the district said the investigation on sexual abuse allegations — and corrective action plan as a result — were delayed as the third-party investigator conducts additional interviews.Karen Gray is appointed the new acting superintendent of the St Helens School District following exit of her predecessor Steve Webb who is also former superintendent of Vancouver Public Schools The St. Helens School District will have a new acting superintendent after the temporary executive they initially hired, former Superintendent of Vancouver Public Schools Steve Webb, announced he was leaving earlier than expected The new acting leader is Karen Fischer Gray who retired from the superintendent post at the Lincoln County School District in 2023 Gray previously ran the Parkrose and Coos Bay school districts and was Oregon Superintendent of the Year in 2018 who were forced out amid growing evidence they failed to properly notify authorities of student complaints Superintendent Scot Stockwell remains on paid leave Among Superintendent Webb’s four priorities in his brief tenure at St Helens was to launch an outside investigation a spokesperson for the district confirmed the third-party investigation will take longer than initially planned Related: St. Helens acting superintendent will step down early J.Marie the communications strategist brought on by the district for the ongoing crisis told reporters during a press conference Friday that the sole reason given by the investigator when they requested an extension was that they needed to interview additional people and that the report would be delayed by two to three weeks Marie did not say whom the investigator would interview but said they had been authorized and mandated to conduct as thorough an investigation as possible Marie said the district cannot give much information on the third-party investigative report at this time she said Webb and the detectives involved in the police’s investigation have been in ongoing conversations “The investigators were clear … that in the process of their investigation there was no information that was found that would indicate that the school board or any of its members had information about the illegal and inappropriate alleged activities,” she said referring to law enforcement’s investigation there is no concern at this time that there was any delay on their part or failure to report.” Marie clarified that this finding was specific to the school board; it does not include Superintendent Stockwell Because the results of the third-party investigation have been delayed so has the district’s final corrective action plan The district released a draft corrective action plan earlier this month Marie said that feedback will be shared when the plan itself is released Related: St. Helens School District appoints acting high school principal following Wagner’s arrest She said the final plan will include timelines and persons responsible in order to help ensure board and community accountability The district intends to attach a cover document to indicate the differences between the draft and final plans if an edit was made due to family feedback or based on information in the investigative report “The district very much appreciates the urgency that they feel and district leadership shares that urgency,” Marie said speaking to families’ concerns and eagerness for answers and action “I want to acknowledge and appreciate families for their engagement and also for their patience and understanding that a thorough investigation takes time,” she said “and that in order for the community and the decision-makers to have confidence in what’s learned in that investigation it has required us all to have patience at a time when patience was extra hard.” Helens School District says corrective action plans following St Helens High School's sexual abuse allegations have been delayed because the third-party investigator needs to conduct additional interviews though he has offered to stay on to help with the transition of new leadership Marie said Gray’s salary will be $17,000 per month in addition to a monthly $2,000 housing allowance but Marie said the acting superintendent will spend much of the week in the St Gray was not on the conference call with reporters on Friday Marie said she spoke with the new leader recently She said Gray emphasized values around communication integrity and mutual respect with the community Helens school board held a meeting Thursday without properly posting public notice of the meeting in advance They are in the process of rescheduling that and will need to re-approve Gray’s contract at the new meeting Marie said the shift in the board meeting should not affect Gray’s start date on Monday Tags: Schools, Sexual Assault, Oregon Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMORTON Wash According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) USGS equipment recorded the earthquake at a depth of about 2.2 miles Earthquake Alerts reported the quake was a magnitude 2.3