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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (May 17, 2019)
❋ ✁✂❆❨✱ ✄❆❨ ☎✼✱ ✆✝☎✾ ❃❄❅❇❉ Continued from Page 1A Yours,” “Mato del Anima Soto” (a Spanish number) and “Christus Factus Est” (a Latin song). The songs were selected by Kevin Durfee after he evaluated the talents of his choir earlier in the school year. “We wanted to exploit our strengths,” Durfee said. This year’s repertoire was select- ed to help LHS take better advan- tage of the higher number of boys in the choir. Thirty-three percent of the choir members are boys, more than in many past years. The competition was conducted at the LaSells Stewart Center at Or- egon State University in Corvallis. This was a shift from the previous decade when the class 4A choir championships took place at Bau- man Auditorium at George Fox University in Newberg. Durfee said the acoustics are better at Bauman Auditorium than at the LaSells Stewart Center. He explained that sound does not reverberate well at the LaSells Stewart Center. Continued from Page 1A and Aug. 3 have been cancelled. The Friends hope to add eight runs back to this list, but will ✘☞✙✠ ✍☛☛✎ ✠❊ ✒☛✠ ✌❋❋☞❊✏✌✛ ✓☞❊● the WURA board at its next meeting on June 11. “We’re trying to work out ex- actly who’s going to pay for what and how many trains can run,” Spaulding said. While WURA covers costs associated with maintaining the track and right-of-way, the Friends are responsible for the operational and business sides of the Eagle Cap Excursion Train. Brock Eckstein, WURA manager and City of Elgin ad- ministrator, said it’s been some time since the two groups have ✙❊✛✑✎✑✘☛✎ ✌✍ ✌✒☞☛☛●☛✍✠ ❊✍ ☛✚ - actly who is paying for what, so he’s working to create a budget ❵❇❜❅❲ Continued from Page 1A “Lance is the only per- son I know who could pull ✠✡✑✙ ❊▲ ✗✒☛✠ ✌ ✛✌☞✒☛ ■❊✍✎ passed) because of the trust he has built in the commu- nity,” said IMESD Superin- tendent Mark Mulvihill. The new high school will replace the present class- room building, which was constructed more than 100 years ago. It has not been determined what will be done with the old school building once the new one opens in August. The construction of the high school and gym are among many capital proj- ects Dixon has helped lead and oversee in the North Powder School District. They include the con- struction of a cafeteria at North Powder Elemen- tary School, which is used by the entire district, the addition of several class- rooms in the elementary school and a new high school career technical education lab now being completed. In addition, Powder Val- ley High School has an- nual graduation rates of at least 90 percent and the school district’s students are turning in solid per- formances on state assess- ment tests. Dixon emphasized that what has been accom- plished in the North Pow- der School District is an indication of what many people beyond himself have done. “While I will always treasure this award, I know that only with the val er ☛▲❊☞✠ ❊✓ ●✌✍❖ ✙✠✌▲❳ ■❊✌☞✎ members and community support have I been able to accomplish most of the things for which I have received recognition. This ✑✙ ✌ Choir member David Durbin agrees. “There was dead space at OSU,” the senior said. The LHS students did not fo- cus on the less than ideal acous- tics but instead, at the urging of the Durfees, concentrated on en- joying themselves. “We made a point of getting in ☞☛❩☛❍✠✑❊✍ ❊✓ the work and hours put in by many others, and I am grateful for all they do,” Dixon said. ❞❢❣ ❥❦❧♠♥♦♥ ♣qrs s♥❧♥♦ ✈✇①② ♥q♥③♦ ④⑤ ⑥⑦ ⑧⑨⑦⑩❶⑤ ❷❸❹④ ❺❻④❼❼❽ ❾ ❿⑦➀➀⑤❽❽⑦ ❿④❼❸⑨ ➁❼⑩ ➂④⑤ ❻❽⑦➃➃ ➄❾ ➅❺❾❾ ❿④❼❸⑨ ❿④⑦➆➇ ➀❸❼⑩➃④❸➀ ❶➈⑨❸⑩❹ ⑦ ➁⑤⑤➉➇❽❼⑩❹ ➂⑨❸➀ ➂❼ ➊⑤➃➂⑤⑨⑩ ➅⑨⑤❹❼⑩➋ ➌➈➂ ➂④⑦➂ ➁⑦➃⑩➍➂ ➂④⑤ ❼⑩❽➎ ⑦➁⑦⑨❶ ➂④⑤ ➃❻④❼❼❽➍➃ ➆➈➃❸❻ ➀⑨❼❹⑨⑦➆ ➌⑨❼➈❹④➂ ④❼➆⑤➏ ✠✡☛☞☛ ✌✍✎ ✡✌✏✑✍✒ ✓✔✍✕ ✖✡☛ ✗✘☞✙✠ place) trophy was the cherry on top,” said sophomore Gage Bro- goitti, whose mother Karrine Bro- goitti is publisher of The Observer. It was easy for the students to have a good time because they like one another’s company. “It is a tight group,” said the director. The group proved to be good traveling companions during the course of a one-week tour to West- ern Oregon, at the end of which they competed at state in Corvallis. Kascie Durfee noted that during such trips students can sometimes get on one another’s nerves, but that was far from the case this year. “The trip actually brought ✠❊ ✎☛✘✍☛ ✠✡☛ ✎☛✠✌✑✛✙✕ ❯❉❱❇❲ ✌❨✌☞✎ ❚✞✟ ✠✡☛✟ ❱✟ ☞ ✺✌ LOCAL “I’m trying to set up a good operational agreement that both sides will be OK with that ex- plains each others’ duties,” Eck- stein said, adding the discussion between WURA and the Friends ❊✍ ✘✍✌✍❍✑✌✛ ☞☛✙❋❊✍✙✑■✑✛✑✠✑☛✙ ✑✙ ongoing. “There has been quite a bit of confusion, so I’m going to work to be the conduit of infor- mation between the two organi- zations.” Eckstein said he’s crafting the budget with the frame of mind that the federal government will not retroactively distribute the 2019 tax credit, although Spaulding said he is hopeful it will. The reality is it is unclear whether or not WURA will re- ceive the 2019 tax credit retroac- tively, and this decision won’t be made by Congress until the fall at least, but federal legislation is He said the award is also credit to his wife, Suzi, and their family. “Being an administrator’s spouse is not easy, but Suzi has stuck by me through thick and thin since 1986. My kids have been under- standing when Dad had to miss a game, concert or could not go camping for the weekend. I would not be where I am today without my wife and children being rocks to lean on.” The superintendent said that in addition to his fami- ✛❖ ✌✍✎ ✙✠✌▲❳ ✠✡❊✙☛ ❨✡❊ ✡✌✏☛ helped him in a big way in- clude administrators like Mulvihill and Gerald Hop- kins, whom Dixon worked under at the start of his ca- reer in Huntington. “Dr. Hopkins taught me one principle that still drives me today — you have to have children and teachers to have a school, (so) take care of them ✘☞✙✠❳❬ P✑✚❊✍ ✙✌✑✎✕ Hopkins, who later worked under Dixon at North Powder as principal, was delighted when he heard someone he had mentored was receiving the Doug Flatt Memorial Award. “I darn near cried when I heard he had won it. He truly deserved it,” said Hop- kins, who is now retired and lives in Summerville. Mulvihill said it is un- usual for a superintendent to serve as long in a school ➐④⑤ ➑❼➈⑨ ➆⑤➆➌⑤⑨➃ ❼➑ ⑥❷❺➍➃ ❺➂⑦➂⑤ ❿④⑦➆➌⑤⑨ ➒⑩➃⑤➆➌❽⑤ ❸⑩ ➂④⑤ ➂⑤⑩❼⑨➓➌⑦➃➃ ➔❼❻⑦❽ ❻⑦➂⑤❹❼⑨➎ ➑❼⑨ ➂⑤⑦➆➃ ➁❸➂④ ➂➁❼ ➂❼ ➑❼➈⑨ ➆⑤➆➌⑤⑨➃ ⑦❽➃❼ ➁❼⑩ ⑦ ➀⑨⑤➃➂❸➇ ❹❸❼➈➃ ④❼⑩❼⑨➏ ➐④⑤ →➈⑦⑨➂⑤➂➋ ❻❼➆➇ ➀❼➃⑤❶ ❼➑ ➂➁❸⑩ ➌⑨❼➂④⑤⑨➃ ➣⑦⑩❸⑤❽ ❈✜✢✣t✤✥✦ ✧★✜t✜ ⑦⑩❶ ➛⑨❸➙➂❸⑩ ➊⑦❽➉⑤⑨➋ ➁❼⑩ ➃➂⑦➂⑤ ❚✩✪ ✫✬ ✭✮✬✯✰✪ ✱✲✳✩ ✴❝✩❤❤✵ ❆ ✷✬✸✸✪✵✵✬ ✷✩❤✲✮ ✮✪❝✪✯✹✵✺ ✻❤✯ ✹✩✪ ➑❼⑨ ➂④⑤ ➃⑤❻❼⑩❶ ➎⑤⑦⑨ ❸⑩ ⑦ ⑨❼➁ ❸⑩ ✼✽✾✿ ✷✵✬❀❀ ❁❆ ❀✹✬✹✪ ✹✲✹✵✪❂ ⑦ ➅⑨⑤❹❼⑩ ↕➈➃❸❻ ➒❶➈❻⑦➂❼⑨➃ ❾➃➇ them closer together,” she said. Perry said the choir has esprit de corps, which she credits to ef- forts of the Durfees. “(Choir) feels more like a fam- ily than a class,” she said. LHS’s 2019 title adds to an al- ready sterling legacy. Since Kev- in Durfee became its choir direc- tor 12 years ago, LHS has won ✙✑✚ ✙✠✌✠☛ ✠✑✠✛☛✙ ✌✍✎ ✍☛✏☛☞ ✘✍✑✙✡☛✎ in the works to extend tax cred- its, according to the policy team ning it at all because we wouldn’t have any money.” Scarfo, however, said he is reluctant to continue to rely on federal funding for the excursion train and hopes to explore other Senators Chuck Grassley (R- Iowa) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have introduced a bill to extend tax credit items, including the 45G Tax Credit, for two years, and in January, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) proposed a bill to ex- tend the tax credit for railroad track maintenance permanently. Wallowa County Commis- sioner Susan Roberts said with- out the tax credit, the excursion train’s future is uncertain. “We can either have limited runs and try to keep it out there in the focus, or we could shut it down, and shutting it down doesn’t seem like the right thing to do,” Roberts said. “The only way we could allow the excur- sion train to operate is because of the tax credits. Without the tax credits, we wouldn’t be run- ✠✡☛●✙☛✛✏☛✙ ✌✠ ❊✎✎✙ with some people in a com- munity after several years because of controversial decisions they have had to make. Mulvihill said Dixon has maintained excellent com- munity ties because of how ☛▲☛❍✠✑✏☛✛❖ ✡☛ ✡✌✙ ■✔✑✛✠ ☞☛ - lationships and trust. He explained that, as a result, if Dixon makes a decision some people don’t agree with, they are less likely to take it personally. The IMESD superinten- dent credits Dixon with being someone who di- rects by making personal connections and being passionate. “He is a relationship- based leader who leads from the heart,” Mulvihill said, adding that Dixon is ➃❼❻❸⑦➂❸❼⑩ ❻❼➆➀⑤➂❸➂❸❼⑩ ⑦➂ ➜⑦❻❸➝❻ ➞⑩❸➔⑤⑨➃❸➂➎ ❸⑩ ➟❼⑨⑤➃➂ ⑧⑨❼➔⑤➏ lower than third place at state. The LHS A Capella Choir mem- bers will perform again May 28 at an end of the school year concert at their school’s auditorium. The program will begin at 7 p.m. with a performance by the La Grande Middle School’s choir, and the LHS A Capella Choir will sing at 8 p.m. ❊✓ ❏☛✍✕ ❑☛▲ ▼☛☞◆✛☛❖ ✗P◗❘☞☛✕❙✕ district as Dixon has. He explained that in many cases superintendents may ✘✍✎ ⑦⑩❶ ➣⑦➔❸❶ ↔⑤⑩➃⑤⑩➋ ↕⑦➙ ❺➂⑨⑦⑩❶ ✘✍✌✍❍✑✌✛ ✌✏☛✍✔☛✙✕ “After this season is over and we see what happens with the federal government’s decision, we’re going to try to break this all down and keep this train moving and hopefully self-sus- tain funding without having to rely on whether or not the fed- eral government is going to pass the 45G Tax Credit every year,” Scarfo said. “That’s my goal, and for me, I don’t want to see this going anywhere.” The impact of the Eagle Cap Excursion Train ceasing to run would spread throughout Northeast Oregon, according to Spaulding, because of the amount of people who travel to ❴❇❉❵❛ Continued from Page 1A about 18 miles north of La Grande. He said the Rhinehart Canyon out- ✑✍✒✙ ✘✛✛ ✔❋ ❪✔✑❍◆✛❖ ■☛ - cause of the number of bird species that can be found there. ❫❘✔☞ ✗✘☛✛✎ ✠☞✑❋✙❙ ✠❖❋✑ - cally see the most spe- cies,” Bray said, adding this will be his 13th year volunteering at the fes- tival. “The location at Rhinehart has document- ed over 140 species of birds and we could easily see 60 on Sunday, maybe more with both trips.” Bray said his love of bird watching began with visits to his grandparents’ house when he was a boy. His grandfather, a hobby- ist woodworker, was al- ways building feeders and houses for the birds. Bin- ➐④⑤ ⑥❷❺ →➈⑦⑨➂⑤➂ ➁❼⑩ ➂④⑤❸⑨ ➅↕➒❾ ➂❸➂❽⑤ ⑦❹⑦❸⑩➃➂ →➈⑦⑨➂⑤➂➃ ➑⑨❼➆ ➂④⑤ ⑤⑩➂❸⑨⑤ ➃➂⑦➂⑤➏➐④⑤ ❻❼➆➀⑤➂❸➂❸❼⑩ ➁⑦➃ ❼➀⑤⑩ ➂❼ ➃➂➈❶⑤⑩➂➃ ➑⑨❼➆ ⑦❽❽ ④❸❹④ ➃❻④❼❼❽➃➋ ⑩❼➂ ➠➈➃➂ ➂④❼➃⑤ ➑⑨❼➆ ⑥❷❺➍➃ ➄❾ ❻❽⑦➃➃❸➝❻⑦➂❸❼⑩➏ ➡➐④⑤➎ ❶❸❶ ⑦⑩ ⑤➙❻⑤❽❽⑤⑩➂ ➠❼➌➋➢ ➃⑦❸❶ ⑥❷❺ ❿④❼❸⑨ ➣❸⑨⑤❻➂❼⑨ ➤⑤➔❸⑩ ➣➈⑨➑⑤⑤ ❼➑ ➂④⑤ →➈⑦⑨➂⑤➂➏ ride the train and subsequently spend money in Union and Wal- lowa counties, as well as the local businesses who cater the rides, like Ten Depot in La Grande. “This money gets circulated at various businesses around the area and the more things you have here the better because we don’t have the big industries that used to be here, especially in Wallowa County,” he said. “Tourism is kind of their thing these days.” Despite their situation, WURA and the Friends of the Joseph Branch are determined to come out of this struggle stronger than ever. “My feelings on this situation are it’s moving in a very posi- tive direction,” Eckstein said. “Things are moving forward, and even though we’re missing grant money this year, I think both organizations have a great chance to succeed.” oculars and bird books sat at every window, where Bray would spend his time looking out, waiting ✓❊☞ ✙❊●☛✠✡✑✍✒ ✠❊ ❩✌✙✡ ■❖✕ “I just remember that ■☛✑✍✒ ◆✑✍✎ ❊✓ ✛✑◆☛ ✌ ✘✙✡ tank but open in the back and anything could ar- rive,” he said. “It was al- ways exciting.” Nowak said one of the festival’s goals is to get the next generation of birders interested in the environ- ment, so that’s why there are so many great kids’ activities. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, volunteers will be available to help children build a birdhouse, color a canvas tote bag and earn a Junior Birder Patch, all of which they are wel- come to take home. “This is how we cre- ate conservationists,” she said. “We get children excited about the natural world and they’ll grow up to protect it.” The wildlife biologist said bird watching is a growing trend, and she’s excited to hopefully welcome more people to it with the Ladd Marsh Bird Festival. “It’s kind of unique as far as outdoor hobbies go because it can be what- ever you want it to be. You can do it for free, you can look out the window with- out any optics and enjoy them, or you can go up to having several thousand dollars’ worth of optical equipment,” Nowak said. “It can be whatever makes you happy in terms of en- joying birds.” See the full schedule at ❨❨❨✕✓☞✑☛✍✎✙❊❩✌✎✎●✌☞✙✡✕ org under the Bird Festival tab. Registration for the festival is free, but pricing ✓❊☞ ✑✍✎✑✏✑✎✔✌✛ ✘☛✛✎ ✠☞✑❋✙ and workshops varies. ✌✍ ☛▲☛❍✠✑✏☛ ✛☛✌✎☛☞ ■☛❍✌✔✙☛ he “is very humble and open to other ways of do- ing things.” The Doug Flatt award is sponsored by Mid- Columbia Bus Company and the IMESD. The purpose of the award is to recognize a school administrator ➛➜➝➞➟➛ ➠➝➡➜ ➢➤➡➜➠➟➥➡➦ ❨✡❊ ☛✚☛●❋✛✑✘☛✙ ✠✡☛ ✙✌●☛ qualities for which Doug Flatt was known, according to the IMESD. 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