LOCAL
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019
THE OBSERVER — 3A
Veterinarians protest killing of bobcat kitten
The Associated Press
BEND — More than 60
Oregon veterinarians have
signed a petition asking
Gov. Kate Brown to order an
investigation into the killing of
a bobcat kitten that wandered
into an elementary school, a
newspaper reported Friday.
The 62 veterinarians from
Eugene, Bend, Portland,
Corvallis, Sunriver and more
signed the petition calling the
death of the kitten by blunt
P uBLic
s afety
r ePort
force trauma “unacceptable,
cruel, and offensive to our pro-
fession,” The Register-Guard
reported.
An Oregon State Police
trooper bludgeoned the kit-
ten to death, but the agency
has not said what was used
in the killing.
“The kitten was not injured
or sick, and its life was not
ended painlessly as a last
resort,” the petition reads. “Eu-
thanasia is a painless method
to end a life to relieve the pain
and suffering of a hopelessly
sick or injured animal. AVMA
guidelines clearly state that
blunt force trauma to the head
is used primarily for small
laboratory animals with thin
craniums, and that alternate
approaches should be actively
sought.”
The 6-month-old kitten was
killed after it was found in a
school office on Oct. 16 at Oak
Hill School in Eugene and
trapped there by staff, who
called 911. The school abuts a
forested area and the kitten
had possibly been abandoned
by its mother, the newspaper
reported.
The first kitten was put
down because it acted abnor-
mally by entering a school
building, authorities have
said. Authorities used a dog
catcher to get the kitten into
a patrol car and then drove it
away to be euthanized.
EOU trustees learn about
new degree program
EO Media Group
LA GRANDE POLICE
DEPARTMENT
Arrested: Brendan Leroy
Conner, 28, unknown address,
was arrested on a charge of
driving while suspended, mis-
demeanor.
Accident: Nobody was
injured in a traffic accident at
Second Street and Adams Av-
enue on Saturday. The accident
was reported at 6:10 p.m.
Arrested: Patrick Wayne
Crowson, 36, unknown ad-
dress, was arrested on two
Umatilla County warrants
charging failure to appear in
court. Each warrant was con-
nected to an original charge of
second-degree theft.
Arrested: Zachary Long, 28,
unknown address, was arrested
while lodged in the Union Coun-
ty Jail on a charge of aggravated
harassment.
UNION COUNTY
SHERIFF
Arrested: Daniel Lloyd Weiler,
47, unknown address, was
arrested on a Union County war-
rant charging failure to appear
in court.
Accident: Nobody was
injured in a traffic accident on
10th Avenue in Elgin on Sun-
day. The accident was reported
at 6:46 p.m.
Cited: A Union County
juvenile was cited on charges of
first-degree theft and unauthor-
ized use of a vehicle.
OREGON STATE POLICE
Accident: Nobody was injured
in a traffic accident on Highway
204 in the Elgin area Saturday. The
accident was reported at 8:07 a.m.
LA GRANDE FIRE
DEPARTMENT
Firefighters responded to 10
calls for medical assistance on
Sunday, seven on Saturday and
seven on Friday.
LA GRANDE — During its first regular meeting of the academic year on Thursday, the
Eastern Oregon University Board of Trustees heard from faculty members who presented
a new degree program that could bolster enrollment.
With final approval expected this spring, the Sustainable Rural Systems students will learn
about issues ranging from public health to public works, and from arts and culture to agriculture.
“They’ll get to know rural systems very intimately,” said EOU Dean Peter Geissinger.
“That means everything that makes our communities livable.”
Students will work on multi-year, interdisciplinary projects that affect local communi-
ties and model real-world problem-solving. Cohort groups will progressively take on more
responsibility as they move up the ranks, and mentor one another.
Two concentrations — environmental resources and economics of rural systems — will
set students on a path to obtain a bachelor of science, bachelor of arts, or bachelor of applied
science degree through the program. Collaborating across all of EOU’s academic colleges,
the program plans to hire two new faculty members before taking on a restoration project
in partnership with Baker Technical Institute.
Trustees praised the program’s focus on experiential learning and its cross-disciplinary
approach.
“This is how our graduates work in the real world,” Trustee Jer Pratton said. “I couldn’t
be more excited about this program, and its potential to make an immediate impact for
students and communities.”
The Sustainable Rural Systems degree was approved by trustees, and will go on to the
Higher Education Coordinating Committee and accrediting bodies this spring, with the
aim of enrolling students in fall 2020.
During the meeting the trustees also discussed the institution’s fall enrollment report.
Holly Chason, who oversees enrollment management at EOU, said that even while the
number of students went up, the number of credit hours had decreased. She said the data
suggests students are taking fewer classes this term than last fall. She also said the 7%
increase in online students and growth in high school students doing accelerated learning
have contributed to the decrease in student credit hours.
This fall, EOU enrolled 11.5% more new online transfer undergraduates than last fall.
Trustees discussed additional opportunities to partner with community colleges — like
Blue Mountain Community College or Treasure Valley Community College — and engage
students at regional centers across the state.
Trustees explored retention and completion rates because of their link to the cost of
higher education and state funding support. Vice Chair Bobbie Conner highlighted the
importance of collecting exit data, so board members understand why students leave EOU.
“I’m concerned about students stopping or dropping out because of rising tuition costs,”
she said. “We need data so we can make informed decisions about that kind of thing.”
Also looking ahead, trustees approved an updated operating budget for the current fiscal
year. The preliminary budget they signed off on last spring was adjusted after the Oregon
State Legislature finalized its allocations for the biennium.
“I’m really impressed with the overall financial health of the institution,” Pratton said. “The
stability and accountability this administration has built are what make this budget work.”
Trustees also re-elected Chair David Nelson to another two-year term, and elected Trustee
Abel Mendoza to serve a one-year term as vice chair.
o Bituaries
Benjamin Seidel, 29, of La
Grande, died Nov. 12 at his
home. A funeral will be held
at 3 p.m. Nov. 23 at Daniels-
Knopp Funeral Cremation &
Life Celebration Center. An
obituary is forthcoming.
Patricia Jenkins
La Grande
Patricia Jenkins, 93, of La
Grande, died Nov. 11 at her
home. A Mass of Christian
Burial will be held at 10
a.m. Nov. 23 at Our Lady of
the Valley Catholic Church.
An obituary is forthcoming.
Arrangements are under the
direction of Daniels-Knopp
Funeral Cremation & Life
Celebration Center.
Rollie H. Mattson
Elgin
Rollie H. Mattson, 81, of
Elgin, died Nov. 17 at a local
care facility. An obituary
is forthcoming. Loveland
Funeral Chapel & Crematory
will be handling the arrange-
ments.
UPCOMING FUNERALS
AND VISITATIONS
Sponsored by
Nov. 22
David Kirkland:
2 p.m. memorial service,
North Powder United
Methodist Church.
By Ellen Morris Bishop
EO Media Group
A sold-out crowd of
162 diners and bidders at
the 24th annual Healthy
Futures dinner auction on
Saturday night raised an
event record of more than
$154,000 toward Wal-
lowa Memorial Hospital’s
eagerly awaited new 4x4
ambulance.
“It was a great evening,”
said emcee Randy Morgan.
“There are so very many
generous people here in
Wallowa County.”
In addition to the
live and silent auctions,
substantial donations for
the evening of fundrais-
ing came from Carl and
Nancy Lincoln, the estate of
Donald and Dorothy Hub-
bard, an anonymous donor
who pledged to double
the amount raised by the
auction up to $25,000 and
another anonymous donor
who chipped in $14,000.
The new ambulance,
which will cost about
$400,000, will increase the
hospital’s fleet of ambulances
to a total of four, one of which
is stationed in Wallowa.
“In the past 10 years,
the ambulance call volume
has gone up by 25%, from
500 per year to about 750
now,” said EMS director
Tim Peck. “The new 4x4
ambulance will reduce
the risk to patients we are
transporting, especially in
winter weather.”
Peck noted the new am-
bulance will also help keep
Wallowa County’s emer-
gency funds here, rather
than requiring costly Life
Flight transportation when
the weather is too poor for
aircraft to land here, and/or
patients do not require Life
Flight transport to distant
medical centers.
Hospital CEO Larry
Davy provided an over-
view of Wallowa Memorial
Hospital’s many accolades
this past year. They include
ranking in the top 100 of
U.S. hospitals, and one of
only two in Oregon honored
for care quality by the U.S.
Department of Health, being
one of only four hospitals
in Oregon achieving a five
star rating from Medicaid/
Medicare. Mountain View
clinic also received a rare 50
out of 50 points rating from
Medicare. Davy anticipates
that the new medical spaces
in the Mountain View/Wind-
ing Waters building will be
ready for use in the first
week of December. He also
noted that the hospital an-
ticipates completing its new
medical offices in Joseph
in 2021 and is looking for a
clinic site in Wallowa. “Every
week, about 80 people drive
from Wallowa to Enterprise
for medical care,” Davy said.
“We need to serve them
closer to home.”
The Healthy Futures
dinner auction included
numerous silent auction
items, from a pair of Olaf
ceramic cups to a Vault
Gym membership, to a
Wild West Pendleton
package that included
tickets to the Pendleton
Round-up, and dinner at
Hamley Steakhouse. The
live auction included a
Stihl chainsaw, donated
by Wallowa County Grain
Growers, accompanied
by a $250 gift certificate
to Joseph Hardware that
went for $900, a cedar-
lined chest handmade by
Dr. Boyd that garnered
$2,400, and a Minam
Lodge vacation that
brought $2,000. Bidders
were mindful their funds
were going to a worthy
cause. Asked why she
invested $1,100 to learn
the art of beer brewing
from Nick Lunde, Gail
Hillock said it was going
to be a gift for her sons,
both of whom wanted to
learn how to brew good
beer, but also noted, “The
main reason is a donation
to the hospital, which is
doing really well and is
something that we all
need.”
L ocaL B riefing
Benjamin Seidel
La Grande
Healthy Futures
Dinner Auction
raises record funds
From staff reports
LHS Class of 1954
meets for lunch
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande High School Class
of 1954 will meet for lunch
at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 20 at the
Cock ‘n’ Bull Villa Roma,
inside Pat’s Alley at 1414
Adams Ave.
National Rural
Health Day event
held Wednesday
LA GRANDE — North-
east Oregon Area Health
Education Center invites
students, health providers,
and community members
to celebrate National Rural
Health Day by attend-
ing a special EOU Health
Speaker Series event Nov.
20. Featuring a screening of
the hit PBS documentary
“The Providers,” the event
will run from 5 p.m. to 6:30
p.m. in Huber Auditorium
(Badgley Hall, Room 102)
on the EOU campus in La
Grande. The film follows
three real-life rural provid-
ers and the unique ways
they serve their patients.
The first 65 guests will
receive a free NEOAHEC
T-shirt, and there will be a
drawing for a pizza gift cer-
tificate from Papa Murphy’s.
For more information, email
bhargrove@neoahec.org.
Community dinner
open to all
LA GRANDE — The
Wednesday night commu-
nity dinner served at the
Presbyterian Friendship
Center, 1204 Spring St.,
La Grande, is open to all.
Prepared by Merlyn’s Ca-
tering, the meal begins at
6 p.m. Suggested donation
is $3. The Nov. 20 dinner
will be the last one of 2019.
The dinners will resume at
the same time and place on
Jan. 15, 2020.
Landmarks
Commission to
discuss Putnam,
Lottes buildings
LA GRANDE — The City
of La Grande Landmarks
Commission will meet in
regular session at 6 p.m.
Nov. 21 in Council Cham-
bers of La Grande City Hall,
1000 Adams Ave. Agenda
items include discussion of
modifications of the Putnam
Building at 1012 Adams
Ave. and consideration of
the historical appropriate-
ness of the Lottes Building
at 1413 Adams Ave. The
meeting is open to the
public.
Medicare enrollment
assistance is
available, deadline is
Dec. 7
SALEM — The annual
open enrollment for Medi-
care ends Dec. 7 and the
Oregon Senior Health In-
surance Benefits Assistance
Program in the Oregon
Health Insurance Market-
place offers those eligible
for Medicare assistance in
securing the health insur-
ance that best meets their
needs. SHIBA provides free
health insurance counseling
to explain how the Medicare
program works, more insur-
ance options that work with
Medicare, and help with
reducing out-of-pocket costs.
To enroll for the first time
or to make changes to your
coverage, contact SHIBA
at 1-800-722-4134 or www.
shiba.oregon.gov. To find lo-
cal help, go to https://health-
care.oregon.gov/shiba. There
is also a new Medicare plan
finder tool this year, the first
upgrade in a decade, avail-
able at www.medicare.gov/
plan-compare/#/. The finder
allows users to shop and
compare Medicare Advan-
tage and Part D plans.
Visit with VA
caregiver support
coordinators at LG
clinic
LA GRANDE — No-
vember is National Family
Caregiver’s Month, and the
VA recognizes caregivers
as an important part of the
veteran’s care team. Walla
Walla VA’s caregiver support
coordinators will be at the La
Grande VA Clinic, 202 12th
St., from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Nov. 20 to answer questions
about how the VA’s caregiver
support program can help
you care for your loved one.
Light snacks will be provided.
For more details on Family
Caregivers Month, call 509-
525-5200 and ask to speak
with Walla Walla VA’s care-
giver support coordinator. You
can also call the Caregiver
Support Line at 855-260-
3274 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Community
Connection of
Northeast Oregon
granted winter
shelter award funds
SALEM — Oregon
Housing and Community
Services awarded Commu-
nity Connection of North-
east Oregon $55,790 to help
ensure the safety, health
and well-being of those
experiencing homelessness
in Baker, Grant, Union
and Wallowa counties. Ac-
cording to a Nov. 14 press
release, OHCS provided a
total of more than $1.7 mil-
lion to organizations across
the state that provide
shelter to those without
homes. These investments
are used to secure facilities,
increasing the number of
shelter beds, expand oper-
ating hours, fund shelter
staff and purchase bedding,
mats and blankets.
“Temperatures have
dropped below freezing
across the state, and I
am heartbroken for those
without a roof over their
heads,” said OHCS Director
Margaret Salazar. “These
resources will bring in Or-
egonians from the cold and
allow local communities to
address local needs.”
The funds are from a
one-time allocation of $5
million made to OHCS
during the 2019 Legisla-
tive session to address
statewide winter shel-
ter capacity. OHCS will
release the remainder
of these funds through
a competitive process in
2020, using the recently
released Statewide Shelter
Study to prioritize invest-
ments. The Shelter Study
found that Oregon needs
an additional 5,814 shelter
beds to provide relief to
Oregonians experiencing
homelessness.
FAMILY
OWNED
215 Elm Street La Grande (541) 963-5440
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