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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 2019)
SPORTS Inside Ready for a rematch FRIDAY-SUNDAY • November 22-24, 2019 • $1.50 VA to expand support to veterans’ caregivers, 2A Good day to our valued subscriber Larry Duke of La Grande EOU NEW OWNERS OF TRUCK STOP PLAN faculty seek pay parity LA GRANDE BIG REMODEL ■ Protesters upset over a gas pipeline slated to cut across Southern Oregon ■ Unable to reach agreement, negotiations move to mediation By Saphara Harrell, Sam Stites, Jake Thomas and Claire Withycombe By Dick Mason The Observer LA GRANDE — Contract negotiations between the faculty and administration at Eastern Oregon University did not go well Wednesday. A bargaining session of about two hours ended at Hoke hall when the team for the university’s faculty stated it would be moving nego- tiations to mediation. Any bargaining team can move negotiations to mediation af- ter bargaining has passed the 150-day mark. Eastern and its faculty have been bargain- ing since January. The primary reason the parties are moving to media- tion is they cannot agree on teacher pay. “We felt like we were not coming together on the salary issue,” said DeAnna Timmer- mann, a psychology professor at EOU and president of the faculty union. The Employment Rela- tions Board has been notifi ed of the move to mediation and will provide a mediator to help the parties fi nd common ground during upcoming bargaining sessions. Tim- mermann said she believes mediation likely will begin in early December. EOU’s faculty are request- ing base wage increases of 5% this year and 4% in 2020-21 and 2021-22. The university is offering wage increases of 3.9% for 2019-20, 1% in 2020-21 and another 1% in 2021-22. The faculty want any increase the fi rst year to be retroactive to July 1. The administration, Timmermann said, is proposing the increase be retroactive to Sept. 15. Timmermann said it is likely that salary steps will be included in any contract agreed to. Professors who have not reached the top of their salary schedules are eligible for step increases. Pipeline protesters stage sit-in Oregon Capital Bureau Phil Wright/The Observer The Flying J restaurant and truck stop just outside of La Grande now is under the corporate ownership of Pilot Flying J, which plans to renovate the property. ■ Property records show local owner sold restaurant to Pilot Travel Centers for $10 By Sabrina Thompson and Phil Wright, The Observer LA GRANDE — The Flying J restaurant and truck stop just southeast of La Grande now is under the ownership of the nation’s largest travel center chain. Brian Waldrop, son of local fuel kingpin Don Waldrop, owned the Flying J off Interstate 84’s exit 265 through the limited liability com- pany Mountain Valley Investments, according to public records, and Mountain Valley on Nov. 4 sold the property to Pilot Travel Centers — which does business as Pilot Flying J — for $10. The corporation claims to operate more than 750 locations in 44 states. The Union County Assessor’s Offi ce pegs the real market value of the property just off Interstate 84 at milepost 265 at almost $2.4 million. There could be other parts to the transaction the public is not privy to, but no one involved would talk. Brian Waldrop did not return a call seeking comment. Don Waldrop said he did not know what was happening with the property. John Bogue, Pilot’s regional manager, said See Parity / Page 5A See Flying J / Page 5A Phil Wright/The Observer Customers of the Flying J restaurant outside La Grande fi nd this note on the front doors detailing the business shut down Nov. 3 and its sale is pending. The Pilot Flying J corporation notifi ed local planning offi cials it owns the property and plans a major renovation there. SALEM — Protesters up- set over a gas pipeline slated to cut across Southern Or- egon fi lled Gov. Kate Brown’s ceremonial offi ce Thursday, vowing to stay until the governor announced her own opposition to the pipeline. The protest began Thurs- day morning with more than 200 people on the Capitol steps. About half of them moved into the rotunda by midday. Protesters cheered and gave speeches. “We’re not happy,” said Thomas Joseph, a member of the Hupa Tribe of the Lower Klamath Basin. “It’s something she clearly knows and understands is bad for Oregon and is bad for climate change.” The target of their action is a proposed liquefi ed natural gas, or LNG, facility in Coos Bay called Jordan Cove. The project is facing a federal decision to proceed, and in- cludes a plan to run a gas pipeline across 200 miles of Oregon landscape, from the border town of Malin east of Klamath Falls to Coos Bay. Proponents say the project would be an economic boon for Coos County while envi- ronmentalists say the risks to Oregon’s environment are signifi cant. The voices of the environmentalists rang in the governor’s offi ce Thurs- day. “She’s done what she’s con- tinued to do — not answer the question and divert,” Jo- seph said. “The best possible outcome is that Gov. Brown takes a stand, denies the project and makes sure her agencies enforce her decision to stand up for the citizens of Oregon.” According to Grace Werner of the climate group South- ern Oregon Rising Tide, the See Protest / Page 5A Walden reflects on a ‘great, joyful journey’ By Pat Caldwell Malheur Enterprise EO Media Group fi le photo Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, speaks at a 2019 town hall in Boardman. Walden, who is one of the most infl uential Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, announced via video statement on Oct. 28 that he will not run for reelection. INDEX Classified ..... 3B Comics ......... 7B Crossword ... 5B Dear Abby .... 8B VALE — Some of the best moments from Greg Walden’s tenure as a congress- man happened far away from the lights and political drama of Washington, D.C., and occurred in places like Jordan Valley or Pendleton or Ontario. It was in those rural and often secluded locations where Walden felt most at home. WEATHER Full forecast on the back of B section Horoscope ... 5B Lottery.......... 2A Obituaries .... 3A Opinion ........ 4A MONDAY Outdoors ..... 1B Sports .......... 7A Sudoku ........ 7B Weather ....... 8B Friday Saturday Sunday 24 LOW 51/35 48/32 Partly cloudy Mainly cloudy A little rain UNEMPLOYMENT AT 29-YEAR LOW The memories of those visits will remain as he prepares to walk away from the nation’s Capitol. “I’ve had an incredible opportunity. It has been a great, joyful journey,” Walden said in an interview with the Malheur Enterprise. Walden, who is one of the most infl uen- tial Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, See Walden / Page 5A CONTACT US HAVE A STORY IDEA? 541-963-3161 Call The Observer newsroom at 541-963-3161 or send an email to news@lagrandeobserver.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Issue 139 2 sections, 18 pages La Grande, Oregon Online at lagrandeobserver.com
