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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2019)
EOU Gameday Inside Democrats renew effort on cap-and-trade, 3A Nationals win title, 7A True Grit FRIDAY-SUNDAY • November 1, 2019 • $1.50 Serving those who served “ Fall back: Daylight savings ends at 2 a.m. Sunday Good day to our valued subscriber Sam Coffman of La Grande They are a lot of fun. I love my job. The only thing I’ve enjoyed more in my life was raising my children.” — Andrea Konopacky, a volunteer leader of Harvest Share ATV ordinance may be revised ■ Veterans Services helps those who have served our nation ■ Changes also may be considered in election process By Sabrina Thompson She has not had to use the number cards for about two weeks. Konopacky believes this is because colder morning temperatures are preventing people from coming early and waiting outside. On Thursday morning, a woman asked Konopacky if she would be handing out numbers. Konopacky shook her head no and said good-naturedly, “You have been good kids.” The food provided at Harvest Share on Thursday included oranges, onions, split peas, potatoes, apples, squash, mushrooms and carrots; a wide assortment of bread items such as English muffi ns, hot dog buns, sandwich buns and garlic bread; plus cheese and milk. All were available to everyone except the milk, which only homeless individuals can take. The milk is in one quart containers so that it can be easily consumed before it spoils, Konopacky said. Much of the food provided by Harvest Share is donated by Safeway, Market Place Fresh Foods, Kaufman’s Mar- ket, the Oroweat warehouse in La Grande and the Or- egon Food Bank. Most of the items are those nearing their best buy dates but are still tasty. Many are picked up each morning by Andrea’s husband, Steve, and Raymie The minimum age for driving all-terrain vehicles in Union may soon be lowered. Reducing the minimum age is one of the changes the city council may make to Union’s ATV ordinance as part of a set of revisions now being considered. The proposed revisions, all recom- mended for consideration by Mayor Leonard Flint, were discussed at a city council work session Wednesday. Union’s ATV ordinance is being reviewed for possible revision because it has been 17 years since it was adopted, said City Administrator Doug Wiggins. One of Flint’s proposed revisions would lower the minimum age for driving an ATV to 12. Presently the minimum age is 16. It was noted in Wednesday’s discussion that lowering the minimum age to 12 would be a plus because it would allow youths who cut lawns for money in the community to more easily transport their lawn equipment. Another change proposed by Flint, who could not attend Wednesday’s meet- ing, calls for stipulating what permits and licenses are needed to legally drive an ATV in Union. Flint is proposing that anyone who has a driver’s license be allowed to drive an ATV and that everyone age 12 to 15 be required to have a ATV permit. Everyone older than 16 who does not have a driver’s license would also be required to have an ATV permit in order to drive one. Flint’s proposed changes also call for Union’s ordi- nance to require all drivers and passengers age 17 and younger to wear helmets. The present ordinance makes no reference to helmets. The city council appeared to agree via consensus with all of Flint’s proposed ATV See Popular / Page 5A See Changes / Page 5A Dick Mason The Observer The Observer Union County has 2,500 registered veterans, which is approximately 10% of the population, according to census data and informa- tion provided by Veterans Services at the Center for Human Development. There are services provided, often free of charge, to these men and women, and their families, who have served their country. For some these services can be the difference between a successful return home and facing continuing challenges. “Veterans seem to have a higher risk of mental health conditions due to diffi culty transitioning back into civil- ian life,” Umatilla County Veterans Services Offi cer Glenn Scott said. One of the diffi culties in transitioning is that the culture of the military is very different from life at home, according to Union County Veterans Services Offi cer Brian Blais. Both Scott and Blais are former members of the military and have experienced the transition fi rsthand. “After I left the Army I moved to Alaska,” Blais said. “I didn’t know veterans ser- vices was a thing. It wasn’t until I was an EOU student I learned about the services available to me.” Blais got involved with veterans services programs and eventually took over the role at CHD after the previ- ous services offi cer, Byron Whipple, retired in April of 2019. Since Blais’ induction into the role, he has focused on reaching out to those veterans who are not already engaged, and ensuring that those who are, are getting the services they need. “Every community has a different focus,” Blais said. “Here, it is to get them all the See Services / Page 5A Dick Mason/The Observer Steve Konopacky, a member of Community Connection of Northeast Oregon’s regional food bank staff, brings in items for Harvest Share. Harvest Share offers free produce, bread and cheese to whoever wants it on weekdays. HARVEST SHARE REMAINS POPULAR By Dick Mason, The Observer Andrea Konopacky did not need to hand out laminated number cards at the Union County Senior Center Thursday morning, but she had them ready just in case. Konopacky is a volunteer leader of Harvest Share, a program that provides free fruit, vegetables, bread and cheese each weekday to anyone who comes to the Union County Senior Center. Harvest Share has been operating for about 10 years and is proving popular, sometimes a bit too popular, a problem Konopacky is addressing with skill and dis- arming humor. Up to 27 people are sometimes lined up outside the Union County Senior Center when it opens at 8 a.m. This can result in too many people rushing in at once to pick up the best food available. To prevent chaos when there are 15 people or more gathered outside, Konopacky now hands out number cards to those waiting. Then at 8 a.m. she calls out fi ve randomly selected numbers at a time and lets those fi ve people come in and pick up food items for several minutes before admitting another group of fi ve, a process that is repeated until everyone is inside. Konopacky started this process several months ago. Some people grumbled at fi rst, but now those who take advantage of Harvest Share seem to appreciate the system. “They like being able to come in (in groups of fi ve) and relax while they select their food,” Konopacky said. Challengers deep on background, lack certification ■ Union County Sheriff’s race has three candidates vying for sheriff, first time since 1980s By Phil Wright EO Media Group If either challenger in the race for Union County Sheriff wins, he would have to spend at least a few weeks in Salem for training. Bill Miller, 53, of Elgin, and Shane Rollins, 45, of Cove, aim to oust Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen, who seeks a fi fth term. Miller and Rollins have WEATHER INDEX Classified .......4B Comics ...........7B Crossword .....5B Dear Abby .....8B Horoscope .....5B plenty of law enforcement experiences, but they each lack a critical component for being a sheriff in Oregon — police offi cer certifi cation. Each challenger said he can work out a way to deal with that if he wins. Miller said he would have to attend a couple weeks of courses to reac- tive his certifi cate. Rollins, however, would need to spend 16 weeks training at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem. Rasmussen, meanwhile, has certifi cates from basic to executive and all in good standing. Oregon Revised Statute 206.015 sets out the qualifi cations for sheriff: Candidates must be Lottery............2A Obituaries ......3A Opinion ..........4A Outdoors .......1B Record ...........3A MONDAY Spiritual Life ..6A Sports ............7A Sudoku ..........7B Weather .........8B at least 21; have at least four years experience, either as a full-time law enforcement offi cer or a mix of work and post-high-school education; and cannot have a felony conviction or other convic- tions preventing them from obtaining police offi cer certifi cation. Sheriffs have up to a year to obtain that certifi cation. If a sheriff fails to follow through, the county declares the offi ce vacant. Jason Myers, executive director of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, said while the law provides that grace period, a sheriff “absolutely See Race / Page 5A CONTACT US Full forecast on the back of B section Friday Saturday Sunday 24 LOW 51/27 55/33 Clear and cold Sunny Partial sunshine CAN EOU PULL OFF THE UPSET? 541-963-3161 Issue 130 3 sections, 20 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com . More contact info on Page 4A. Online at lagrandeobserver.com
