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Saturday, February 14, 2026
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Oh, The Places You Will Go!
Who Is McKee?
I really like (in no particular order) Economics, Marching Band, my students, Jesus, my family, politics, NewsHour, jazz, cats, snow, MLB (yes, Portland needs a team!), the US Constitution, hardwood floors, Christmas trees, social justice, ESPN, Margaret Truman mysteries, camping, and a whole lot of other stuff. My (F)friends at Wayside have a lot to say that I find important; if you're interested, CLICK HERE to see what we talk about.
I also publish an infrequent commentary that might be of interest. CLICK HERE to see what I have to say.
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Why Newberg is Important to Me
Newberg holds a special place in my heart. Although I have not lived there since 1977, I am a proud Newberg High School graduate. It was at NHS that band director Dick Elliot gave me the confidence to become a life-long percussionist, and choir director George White helped me develop the singing voice that led to my participation in the Portland Symphonic Choir, the chorus of the Oregon Symphony. Social studies teachers Dan Lever and Ed Wiesehan instilled in me the understanding that the names and dates of events are such a small part of learning about history – they helped their students see the how and the why, and led us to discernment and interpretation, essential components of critical thinking. And for me, the influence of these four educators and several others at Newberg High helped me to decide to pursue a career in education.
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Newberg is where I met the man I married, introduced by a friend in the lobby of Pennington Hall at George Fox College (now University). Newberg is where both of my daughters moved for their own post-secondary experience, each graduating from Fox. I have many dear friends in Newberg, including those in my faith community. Newberg is where my parents-in-law retired, living the final years of their lives at the aging-in-place community at Friendsview.
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Newberg is a town of 25,000+ in the heart of Oregon Wine Country, with both small-town shops like Chapters Books & Coffee and suburban-type businesses including Fred Meyer. Community events include the 1st Friday Artwalk, Wednesday (evening) Market, the Summer Concert Series at the Chehalem Cultural Center, the yearly Old Fashioned Festival, and much more. Newberg is one of my favorite towns, for so many reasons.