ESTACADA Ore. (KPTV) – According to Governor Tina Kotek, 100% of Oregon school districts have adopted a cell phone ban. On Wednesday, Kotek visited Estacada High School (EHS) to see her policy in action.
“Research tells us that constant cell phone use distracts from learning and can create mental health issues,” Kotek said. “For our students to thrive, we have to make every hour of class time as high-value as possible. Getting rid of distractions like cell phones is one way we can prioritize student success and transform our education system to get better results.”
Last summer, Kotek issued Executive Order 2509, which bans Oregon public school students from using their cell phones at school. The policy officially went into effect on Jan. 1.
According to Superintendent Ryan Carpenter, the Estacada School District has approximately 2,100 students, with 51% under the poverty line and 18% qualify for special education services. Carpenter said the majority of school districts in Oregon have these same statistics, making EHS a great spot for Kotek to see her policy in action.
Advertisement
Kotek visited two classrooms at EHS and received feedback from students about the cell phone ban. While some students said the ban has made it harder to research certain assignments in class or to coordinate after-school plans, overall, students said they’ve noticed positive impacts.
“At first, I wasn’t the biggest fan, but as the semester has gone on, I’ve found a lot more positivity in it,” said Sophia Morales-Meraz, a sophomore at EHS. “I find myself reaching less for my phone, having stronger connections and talking more to my classmates, and spending more time just really enjoying the moment.”
“I’m definitely more engaged in lessons with my teachers because I’m able to focus on what they’re saying…” said Cooper Skroch, a junior at EHS. “My attention span has gotten a lot better now that I don’t have to use my phone during the day.”
EHS teachers said they have noticed improvements, too. In addition to seeing more engagement from their students, language arts teacher Jeff Mellema said the policy has brought joy back to his career.
“I got into this profession because I like the one-on-one with kids, I like interacting with students,” Mellema said. “I like helping them along the process of their learning and this policy’s made that part easier.”
Advertisement
Without cell phones in schools, Carpenter said parents raised concerns about contacting their child in case of an emergency. But Kotek said school staff are prepared to bridge that communication gap and connect students with their parents, if needed.
Carpenter said the cell phone ban has not only resulted in higher attendance and graduation rates, but it’s also established a stronger sense of community at EHS.
“A lot of great things are happening,” Carpenter said. “We’re experiencing barriers in every child’s life and to remove cell phones is just one barrier to help us continue to get kids to be successful.”
After receiving feedback from students, Kotek told FOX 12 that she does not plan to make any changes to the policy moving forward.
CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — Rep. Emerson Levy and Sen. Anthony Broadman will host legislative town halls in Bend and Redmond in April 2026. These forums aim to provide updates on legislative outcomes and discuss policy impacts on the Central Oregon community. The events are designed to allow residents to review session highlights and provide feedback
With its “green, rolling hills” and “patchwork of pinot noir and chardonnay vineyards”, Oregon’s Willamette Valley has been compared to Burgundy, said National Geographic.
The valley is home to 11 designated grape-growing regions with diverse terroirs, spanning all the way from Portland to Eugene. In recent years, the “cool nights and warm summer days” here have provided the perfect conditions for some “top-notch sparkling wines”. Grape varieties used in champagne like pinot meunier have been “thriving” here.
Method Oregon is a non-profit established by a coalition of producers to ensure high standards and help place their wines on the map. Bottles carrying the stamp must be “100% fermented, bottled, riddled, and disgorged in Oregon”, use the traditional method that requires sparkling wines to go through a “natural secondary fermentation in a bottle”, said National Geographic, and be aged for no less than 24 months en tirage (“the crucial stage where wines are aged on yeast”) to develop a complex flavour.
Article continues below
Advertisement
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week’s Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Advertisement
Gran Moraine’s sparkling brut rosé is “exquisite, rich and lovely”, said Clive Pursehouse on Decanter. The delicate wine spent six years en tirage and is bursting with “floral notes of apple blossom, sweet lemon cream, and ripe, fleshy pears”.
But chardonnay remains the “king of Oregon white wines”, said Mike Desimone on Robb Report. For a special occasion, consider splashing out on a bottle from Eyrie Vineyard where winemaker Jim Maresh makes “small-batch, high-quality wines from estate-grown grapes under his family label”.
Or, you can’t go wrong with a Résonance chardonnay, said Vine Pair. When renowned French winemakers come to Oregon “you know to pay attention”. That’s exactly what happened when Thibault Gagey and Jacques Lardière embarked on their “first project outside of Burgundy” in the Willamette Valley – and this bottle is an “excellent example” of how the chardonnay grape variety is flourishing in the cool climate. Expect refreshing mineral notes, hints of “ripe pear and crisp apples”, with a “wonderfully balanced” palate.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Big Ten will be represented well in this upcoming season, as multiple teams have a great chance of making the college football playoffs in 2026. This includes the Oregon Ducks.
Advertisement
The Ducks have the second-best odds when it comes to their chances of making the college football playoff inside the Big Ten, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, at -270. The Ducks only trail the Indiana Hoosiers on this list. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his squad are narrowly ahead of the Ohio State Buckeyes (-240), who are the only other team with minus odds.
Advertisement
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks from the podium at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex on the first day of spring practice for the Oregon Ducks on March 12, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In terms of missing the postseason, the Ducks have the second-best odds, as they are only behind the Buckeyes. While the Buckeyes come in at a +190, the Ducks are at a +210. They are also only ahead of the Indiana Hoosiers slightly, as the Hoosiers odds are sitting around +250
Advertisement
The full odds of the teams are below.
Full Big Ten Odds
Advertisement
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning speaks during a Rose Bowl press conference in Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2024. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It makes sense that the Hoosiers are ahead of the Oregon Ducks, as the Indiana defeated Oregon in the semi-finals of the CFP last season. They also would go on to defeat the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship. The defending national champions enter the season with high expectations, but, the Ducks are returning more stars than the Hoosiers, as the Hoosiers lost many of their top players to the NFL Draft.
The biggest difference between the two is going to be at the quarterback position. Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore were both projected to be top-five selections in the upcoming NFL Draft. Even with the eye-catching projections, Moore opted to come back to Oregon to settle some unfinished business, as the Ducks are looking to make a run for the national championship in what is likely to be his final season.
Advertisement
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning sticks his tongue out to catch the rain as the No. 6 Oregon Ducks host California Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Advertisement
On the other hand, Mendoza will be going to the NFL Draft and is currently predicted to be the No. 1 pick by nearly every major NFL Draft analyst. This leaves the Hoosiers with a new gunslinger and also some new weapons, as the offense will look completely different with many skill positions leaving for the draft.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will also be losing more talent than the Ducks when it comes to the NFL Draft, although the Buckeyes’ offense will return a large majority of their production.
The Buckeyes will be losing a ton of defenders, including safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Arvell Reese, and linebacker Sonny Styles. This is a large reason why the Ducks are likely ahead of them in the odds and are more favorable to make the playoffs.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Advertisement
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
