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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2019)
2A — THE OBSERVER MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2019 LOCAL D AILY P LANNER Staff photo by Dick Mason Boy Scout Nate Binga- man discusses one of the 10 headstones he recently renovated at Summerville Cemetery for his Eagle Project. “They had not sur- vived the tests of time and weather,” said Bingaman, a member of La Grande Boy School Troop 514. TODAY Today is Monday, Dec. 9, the 343rd day of 2019. There are 22 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On Dec. 9, 2013, scientists revealed that NASA’s Curi- osity rover had uncovered signs of an ancient freshwa- ter lake on Mars. ON THIS DATE In 1608, English poet John Milton was born in London. In 1911, an explosion inside the Cross Mountain coal mine near Briceville, Tennessee, killed 84 work- ers. (Five were rescued.) In 1940, British troops opened their fi rst major offensive in North Africa during World War II. In 1960, the Domino’s Pizza chain had its begin- nings as brothers Tom and James Monaghan started operating a pizzeria in Ypsi- lanti, Mich. In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan- authorization that offi cials of New York City and State said would prevent a city default. In 1984, the fi ve-day-old hijacking of a Kuwaiti jet- liner that claimed the lives of two Americans ended as Iranian security men seized control of the plane, which was parked at Tehran airport. In 1990, Solidarity founder Lech Walesa won Poland’s presidential runoff by a landslide. In 1992, Britain’s Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their separa- tion. (The couple’s divorce became fi nal in Aug. 1996.) In 2000, the U-S Supreme Court ordered a temporary halt in the Florida vote count on which Al Gore pinned his best hopes of winning the White House. LOTTERY Megabucks: $7.1 million 1-5-7-28-30-47 KEEPING MEMORIESALIVE AT SUMMERVILLE CEMETERY By Dick Mason The Observer SUMMERVILLE — A mystery and a surprising discovery. Imbler Boy Scout Nate Bingaman encountered both in the course of completing his Eagle Scout project recently at Summerville Cemetery. Bingaman renovated 10 cemetery headstones. All are white limestone and had either fallen off or were in danger of falling off their cement bases. “They had not survived the tests of time and weather,” said Bingaman, a member of La Grande Boy School Troop 514. Many of the headstones were quite heavy, including one that was about 5 feet from its concrete base. “I have no idea how it got there,” Bingaman said. He noted the headstone is far too heavy for one person to have carried it even that short distance. Bingaman, an Imbler High School sophomore, encountered another surprise when he discovered a fallen headstone bearing a different name on each side. It turned out the differ- ent names were of twins who were born in 1919 and died a few days apart in 1920. This headstone was attached upright to a new concrete base so both sides are again visible and each twin recognized. The Scout took a different approach renovating the other nine headstones. They were not put upright but rather installed horizontally in concrete frames that replaced their deteriorat- ing concrete bases. Bingaman said this would increase their longevity. He explained headstones are now safer since they can no longer fall over. All of the renovations Binagaman did were in October and November with the help of members of his troop and the Imbler High School’s FFA chapter, which he belongs to. The work included removing old con- 20-31-40-46-61-20-x5 Powerball: $140 million By Dick Mason 18-42-53-62-66-25-x3 Win for Life: Dec. 7 21-47-73-74 Pick 4: Dec. 8 •1p.m.:8-4-4-0 •4p.m.:6-3-0-3 •7p.m.:2-0-1-7 •10p.m.:9-2-2-7 Pick 4: Dec. 7 •1p.m.:8-0-6-0 •4p.m.:3-1-9-5 •7p.m.:6-6-8-5 •10p.m.:0-3-7-5 Pick 4: Dec. 6 •1p.m.:9-0-6-0 •4p.m.:8-8-6-4 •7p.m.:6-2-5-4 •10p.m.:6-6-7-5 NEWSPAPER LATE? Every effort is made to de- liver your Observer in a timely manner. Occasionally condi- tions exist that make delivery more diffi cult. If you are not on a motor route, delivery should be before5:30p.m.Ifyoudonot receiveyourpaperby5:30p.m. Monday through Friday, please call 541-963-3161 by 6 p.m. If your delivery is by motor carrier, delivery should be by 6 p.m. For calls after 6, please call 541-975- 1690, leave your name, address and phone number. Your paper will be delivered the next business day. QUOTE OF THE DAY “The real question is not whether machines think but whether men do. The mystery which surrounds a thinking machine already surrounds a thinking man.” — B.F. Skinner, American behaviorist Nov. 10, when they coated each with concrete sealant. “This was to ensure that each headstone, (which refl ects the) memory of a child, would last as long as possible,” said the Scout, the son of Wade and Ange Binga- man. Those who assisted Nate Binga- man, in addition to his troop and IHS’s FFA chapter, included his family; Mike Campbell, the Sum- merville Cemetery’s groundskeeper, who was Bingaman’s project coach; North End Construction of Elgin, which provided the protective tarps; and Carrie Bingaman, a member of Summerville Cemetery Board who is his grandmother. Much of the money for Binga- man’s Eagle project was raised at a September volleyball game between Imbler High School and Pine Eagle High School, at which he accepted donations for the project. Festival of Trees provides big community boost ■ 33rd year of annual winter fundraiser brings in $50,000 for local organizations Mega Millions: $314 million crete bases and replacing them with wet concrete frames in which they embedded the headstones. They also helped install tarps over the bases when the concrete was still wet to protect them from the rain. The headstones Bingaman’s project renovated are ones of infants and children ranging up to the age of 11. All died between 1870 and 1890, except for the twins who passed away in 1920. Bingaman said all their head- stones are made of soft white limestone. White was chosen for the children’s graves because of their young age. “White symbolized purity,” he said. The vertical soft limestone head- stones proved vulnerable to breaking off from their concrete bases over the past century, which is why they are now installed horizontally. Bingaman and his team took the fi - nal step in renovating the headstones The Observer LA GRANDE — The 33rd Festival of Trees was again a remarkable spectacle of com- munity generosity. The annual winter fun- draiser, featuring decora- tions that may have left some visitors starstruck, grossed at least $50,000. Shannon Willmarth of Soroptimist International of La Grande, which puts on the Festival of Trees, said this year’s total is at least as high as what the festival raised in 2018. Much of the funds came from the auction of 23 dec- orated Christmas trees — 18 large ones and fi ve mini trees, which were less than 4 feet tall. The trees were on display Friday evening for the festival’s annual gala, which included a ban- quet and the auction. Those donating the Christ- mas trees spent painstak- ing hours decorating them Thursday and Friday at the Blue Mountain Conference Center, site of the festival. Groups could decorate their trees Thursday and Friday. Willmarth said at least two groups were decorating their trees throughout both sessions. One new tree at the auction was Le Bebe Cakes Bakery’s “The Universe Declares His Glory,” which Spring Roberts and Maxine Scott decorated. The space-themed tree displayed the multitude of colors of the universe and came with a painting of the aurora borealis and a telescope. Non-tree items auc- tion items at the banquet included a golf package, which provided the oppor- tunity to play on courses at Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, Buffalo Peak in Union, the La Grande Country Club and Quail Ridge in Baker City; a rodeo package of multiple tickets to rodeos at the Staff photo by Dick Mason Tynlee Taylor, left, and Kordell Bailas, both of La Grande, talk with Santa at the annual Festival of Trees program Saturday at the Blue Mountain Conference Center. Eastern Oregon Livestock Show, the Elgin Stampede and the Pendleton Round- Up; and several dinners at local restaurants. The gala also raised a total of $20,000 in college scholarship money for women and girls in Union County, to be distributed by Soroptimist Interna- tional of La Grande. The scholarship money was generated at a “Raise Your Paddle” event. Individu- als who wanted to donate money would raise a paddle during the fundraiser. The majority of the money will go to students who attend Eastern Oregon University. Imagine The Difference You Can Make Mon-Fri Blue Plate $12: Baked Penne Pasta with chicken and a green salad Wine Pairing Dinner December 18-20 Reservation from 5:30-8 3 courses, $10 per course Wines: Tyee, Maryhill and Cougar Crest 541-963-8766 tendepotstreet.com DONATE YOUR CAR Other live auction items and silent auction gift bas- kets were also part of the evening. The 23 Christmas trees auctioned at Friday night’s gala remained on display Saturday during the Fes- tival of Trees Family Fun Day. The Eastern Oregon University football team transported the trees Sat- urday and Sunday to the businesses and residents who purchased them. Swire Coca-Cola of La Grande provided the truck to haul the trees. ! in a r T e h t n o s e iv r r A a S an t Sponsored by UPEC-17, SMART, BLE-T Div. 362, & NARVE December 11, 2019 at 4 pm UPRR Depot Bring the Kids! Come see Santa! Open to the public! 1-844-533-9173 FREE TOWING TAX DEDUCTIBLE Help Prevent Blindness Get A Vision Screening Annually Ask About A FREE 3 Day Vacation Voucher To Over 20 Destinations!!! For more information, please call UPEC-17 Pres. Rancy Shenfield 2 541-910-0402 or Sec?Treas. Susan Gerry @541-786-4606
