(Published Tuesday, May 8, 2007)

Teacher honored for service learning

A Corvallis middle school teacher has been named the state's Service Learning Educator of the Year.

Shari Maksud, who teaches leadership and foods classes at Linus Pauling Middle School and serves as service learning coordinator for the Corvallis School District, was honored by the Oregon Community Education Association at a ceremony last month in Portland.

Under Maksud's leadership, her students have been involved in a variety of community projects, including a "buddy" program for nursing-home residents, recycling and hunger initiatives, and literacy work with younger students.

Dog neglect case arraignment set

Carol Brower, a North Albany woman whose dogs were removed from her home last week by the Benton County Sheriff's Department and Heartland Humane Society, is scheduled to be arraigned 2 p.m. May 17 on 13 counts of second degree animal abuse and 88 counts of second degree animal neglect. All are misdemeanor crimes.

The Benton County District Attorney's Office is also asking that Brower forfeit all of the animals involved in the case to Heartland. Nearly 90 dogs were removed from her home, and at least one of the dogs gave birth after being taken to Heartland.

Second degree animal abuse is defined as unlawfully and with criminal negligence failing to provide minimum care for an animal in one's care. Second degree animal neglect is defined as recklessly causing physical harm to an animal.

Gazette-Times