News
LG school chief arrested
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 Irv Nikolai - Interim La Grande School District Superintendent Nikolai was escorted out of his office in handcuffs this morning by La Grande Police officers, Hillsboro Detective Cheryl Banks and FBI agent Jane Brillhart, a special agent with the agency’s Portland Division. According to Lt. Michael Rouches of the Hillsboro Police Department, the charges stem from alleged inappropriate touching of a 7-year-old female.Rouches said the alleged victim’s parents contacted Hillsboro police the night of April 19. Following investigation, a Washington County grand jury handed down a secret indictment. Rouches said that Banks is a seasoned sex crimes investigator who partners with an FBI agent in her investigations. He said no federal charges are pending in this case. He said the FBI participated in the arrest for “safety reasons.’’ Rouches also said that the alleged victim and her family are acquaintances of Nikolai. Nikolai was lodged this morning in the Union County Correctional Facility. Rouches said he will be transported to Hillsboro and arraigned, possibly Monday. La Grande School Board Chairman John McKinnon placed Nikolai on paid administrative leave this morning following the arrest. Nikolai came to La Grande from Forest Grove. He was hired by the school district on June 20, 2007, to serve as interim superintendent for 2007-08. He was scheduled to step down at the end of June. Nikolai succeeded Jay Rowell, who left after five years as superintendent to take a position as an administrator with the Spokane Valley School District. Nikolai came to La Grande with 20 years of experience as a superintendent, the last 14 in Oregon. He had served as superintendent of the Lincoln County School District for three years before retiring in 2004. Nikolai earlier served as superintendent of the Forest Grove School District for nine years and the San Luis Coastal School District in San Diego for five years. Nikolai has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Stanford. He received his degrees in 1959 and 1961. He was a football star at Stanford in the late 1950s. A wide receiver, Nikolai was drafted by the old American Football League. He played in several AFL exhibition games for the Oakland Raiders in 1960 before an injury ended his playing career. |
