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Thursday, May 30, 2019 • Vol. 134, No. 48 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25
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Oregon Observer The
Serving up life lessons OSD food service staff members look back on careers, ahead to retirement EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group
Photo by Emilie Heidemann
Members of VFW Post 10272 Dan Cobb, Jim Nettesheim, Ken Anderson and Wayne Hook stand at attention during the Oregon Memorial Day ceremony in the rain as Taps plays in the distance.
Robyn Wood can’t wait to take some time for herself this summer. On Aug. 5, the Oregon School District’s food service director will retire, and for the first two weeks, she plans to sit in her backyard and absorb nature, taking life “a day at a time.” “ I ’ m a h o m e b o d y,” Wood said. Wood is one of three Schnadel Oregon School District food service staff members retiring this year – one already
Turn to Food/Page 14
Remembering the Fallen ‘Fight Despite rainy conditions, community gathers for Memorial Day
EMILIE HEIDEMANN
Dozens of visitors came prepared with May 27. As the rain poured, community members umbrellas, making it seem they were going from Brooklyn, Oregon and Fitchburg all to attend each event no matter the weather. Email Emilie Heidemann at The Oregon-Brooklyn American Legion gathered at their respective sites and lisemilie.heidemann@wcinet.com or follow Post 160/VFW Post 10272 honor guard tened as Taps played and the guard fired her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie. lead Memorial Day ceremonies Monday, guns into the distance to remember their fallen.
Unified Newspaper Group
On the road to recovery: Yancey family hopes for good prognosis EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group
May 30 marks a year since 12 year old Phoebe Yancey’s initial hospital visit for what had seemed like a simple headache hours beforehand. Two weeks later, the Yancey family faced words Jennifer, Phoebe’s mother and an Oregon High School choir teacher, said they never expected to hear: “malignant brain tumor.” Specialists diagnosed Phoebe that day
with a grade III anaplastic astrocytoma, a rare type of brain tumor, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders website. The tumors develop gradually or rapidly, the website states, and symptoms result from the star-shaped growth putting pressure on the brain. After 33 treatments of radiation and 72 rounds of oral chemotherapy, March 9 being the last, the Rome Corners Intermediate student is on the road to recovery, her parents Mark and Jennifer told the Observer. Amidst the treatments, the parents said there were moments of uncertainty, even though they try to live everyday as if it were a celebration. Mark recalled his
Photo by Emilie Heidemann
Cards that wish Phoebe Yancey well were in piles on top of the Yancey livingroom coffee Turn to Recovery/Page 16 table.
OMS teacher’s daughter meets pop star Pink, rises above school bullying EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group
Oregon Middle School English teacher Pernille Ripp sat next to her daughter, Thea, on the living room couch inside their Fitchburg home as they reflected on Thea’s time as a third grader – and their recent meeting with Pink. Now age 10 and a fourth grader, Thea had been bullied the previous school year. She told the Observer, with her mother close at her side, that she was slapped, kicked, tripped, called names like “stupid bitch,” and taunted the list seemed to go on. Thea Ripp
Turn to Pink/Page 8
S N O O CC E R G E R O 2019-20 REGISTRATION OPENS JUNE 3 PROGRAMS FOR ALL CHILDREN 3 & Older www.OregonSC.com
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Oregon 12 year old reflects on cancer treatment, healing
on, Thea’