2A — THE OBSERVER
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019
LOCAL
D AILY
P LANNER
B RIEFLY
Nominate your
favorite waterway for
Wild and Scenic Act
protection
TODAY
Today is Monday, Dec. 16,
the 350th day of 2019. There
are 15 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
On Dec. 16, 1773, the Boston
Tea Party took place as Ameri-
can colonists boarded a British
ship and dumped more than
300 chests of tea into Boston
Harbor to protest tea taxes.
ON THIS DATE
In 1653, Oliver Cromwell
became lord protector of Eng-
land, Scotland and Ireland.
In 1859, Wilhelm Grimm, the
younger of the story-writing
Brothers Grimm, died in Berlin
at age 73.
In 1905, the entertainment
trade publication Variety came
out with its fi rst weekly issue.
In 1907, 16 U.S. Navy battle-
ships, which came to be known
as the “Great White Fleet,” set
sail on a 14-month round-the-
world voyage to demonstrate
American sea power.
In 1944, the World War II
Battle of the Bulge began as
German forces launched a sur-
prise attack against Allied forces
through the Ardennes Forest in
Belgium and Luxembourg (the
Allies were eventually able to
turn the Germans back).
In 1950, President Harry S.
Truman proclaimed a national
state of emergency in order to
fi ght “world conquest by Com-
munist imperialism.”
In 1960, 134 people were
killed when a United Air Lines
DC-8 and a TWA Super Con-
stellation collided over New
York City.
In 1982, Environmental
Protection Agency head Anne
M. Gorsuch became the fi rst
Cabinet-level offi cer to be cited
for contempt of Congress for
refusing to submit documents
requested by a congressional
committee.
In 1985, at services in Fort
Campbell, Kentucky, President
Ronald Reagan and his wife,
Nancy, offered condolences to
families of 248 soldiers killed in
the crash of a chartered plane
in Newfoundland.
In 1991, the U.N. General
Assembly rescinded its 1975
resolution equating Zionism
with racism by a vote of 111-25.
LOTTERY
Staff photo by Dick Mason
Jon Louden, a fi refi ghter for the La Grande Rural Fire Department, and Island City Elementary student Solo-
mon Hibbert examine a Nerf toy at Walmart. The two were participating in Friday’s Shop with a Firefi ghter.
A ride to remember
■ Students travel in style as part of annual Shop with a Firefighter event
By Dick Mason
The Observer
ISLAND CITY — Ten
Island City Elementary
students stepped out of
their classrooms Friday
morning for a day of
double delights — a ride
in a fi re truck and a shop-
ping spree.
The children went shop-
ping for Christmas pres-
ents for their families with
fi refi ghters from the La
Grande Rural Fire Depart-
ment. Each child selected
$100 worth of Christmas
gifts at Walmart, paid for
by the annual Shop with a
Firefi ghter program.
The shopping spree
program was again a hit
with students.
“It is fun to see kids so
happy,” said Bailey Blagg,
a fi refi ghter with depart-
ment.
Solomon Hibbert was
among the exuberant
students.
“It is defi nitely cool,” the
Island City student said.
The children picked out
presents for their parents,
brothers and sisters and
other relatives. The gifts
they chose for those in
their age range included
toys, gift cards, video game
accessories and even an
electronic lizard. Tools,
baking pans, perfume and
blankets were among the
items selected for their
parents.
Each child was ac-
companied by one or two
fi refi ghters, who kept
track of what was chosen
for which family member.
The information they
recorded will be used by
the fi refi ghters when they
wrap the presents for the
children they accompanied
and place cards on each
package identifying who
the gift is for.
The shopping sprees the
children went on revealed
their selfl ess natures. The
children were so caught
up in picking out pre-
sented for family members
that they sometimes had
to be reminded to choose a
present for themselves.
“Let’s fi nd something
for you,” fi refi ghter Jon
Louden told a child he was
added bonus,” Swales said.
Tams agrees.
“Riding in the trucks is
so huge,” Tams said.
Shop with a Firefi ghter
is funded by local dona-
tions and money raised
from the La Grande Rural
Fire Department’s annual
breakfast at Hog Wild
Days in June. Major dona-
tions to the program made
this year include $750
from Certifi ed Personnel,
$125 from Oregon Trail
Transport and $125 from
Loveland Funeral Chapel.
All of the presents the
children bought Friday
will be delivered to their
families after they are
wrapped. Each set of pres-
ents will be accompanied
by a gift card for a fam-
ily dinner from Grocery
Outlet in Island City. The
dinners were made pos-
sible by money from the
Shop with a Firefi ghter
program and donations
from Grocery Outlet.
with near the end of the
event.
Dena Tams, secretary at
Island City Elementary, is
impressed by how much
her school’s students enjoy
reaching out each Christ-
mas season during the
Shop with a Firefi ghter.
“It is a chance for them
to give back. That is so
special. They love that,”
Tams said.
The school selected all
the children for Shop with
a Firefi ghter. They were
recommended as those
who would benefi t the
most from additional holi-
day spirit and cheer, said
Anthony Swales, a captain
and emergency medical
technician with the fi re
fepartment.
The children even got
to ride in fi re engines and
support vehicles from
their school to Walmart
and back. That experi-
ence was a thrill for some
students, based on how
excited they appeared
Friday for their return trip
to the school.
“For the kids it is an
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden contin-
ues to take nominations from
Oregonians for rivers in the
state for the national Wild
and Scenic Rivers list.
“Whether you are a
whitewater rafter, an angler
or simply an Oregonian who
believes strongly in protect-
ing the river or stream that
provides safe drinking water
to your community, I want to
hear from you,” Wyden wrote
in an open letter to Orego-
nians seeking river nomina-
tions. “Now is your chance,
once again, to speak up for
your favorite rivers and high-
light the outstanding values
that make each river worthy
of protection.”
Oregon has 2,173 miles of
designated rivers in the Wild
and Scenic River system,
although this remains a
fraction of the state’s 110,994
miles of major rivers and
streams.
Outdoor recreation in
Oregon, much of it centered
on rivers and streams, sup-
ports 172,000 jobs in Oregon
and generates $16.4 billion in
economic activity statewide.
Oregon’s rivers also are im-
portant sources of drinking
water, as well as habitats for
fi sh and other wildlife.
All Oregonians will have
an opportunity to nominate
their favorite streams and
rivers for inclusion in the bill
to assure future Oregonians
can enjoy them as well. To
help your favorite waterway
get protection, send the
following information to
Wyden:
1. Your name and where
you are from.
2. The stream or streams
you think deserve protection.
3. Why you think it de-
serves protection.
You can email your sug-
gestions to: rivers@wyden.
senate.gov. Nominations are
due Jan. 20, 2020.
— Observer staff
FAMILY
OWNED
Hopkins speaks on Vietnam
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a cell during his captivity,
recorded the names of more
than 250 military by using a
code on his cell walls, intel-
ligence he was able to share
upon his release.
“He was a real hero,”
Hopkins said.
By Gerald Hopkins
For the Observer
Powerball: $160 million
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Win for Life: Dec. 14
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ROAD REPORT
Numberstocall:
•InsideOregon:800-977-6368.
•OutsideOregon:503-588-2941.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It’s discouraging to think how
many people are shocked by
honesty and how few by deceit.”
— Sir Noel Coward, English
actor, playwright, composer
(born this date, 1899;
died in 1973)
LA GRANDE — Doran
Hopkins, a retired Air
Force colonel, was the guest
speaker at a recent meeting
of the Union County Retired
Educators. In his talk,
“Refl ections of Vietnam,”
Hopkins spoke about his
experiences of military life
and told a story of his service
during the Vietnam War.
As a young man of 24,
Hopkins was notifi ed he
would be sent on a mission
and he could not disclose the
details to anyone, including
his family. Leaving his wife,
Fran, and young son, Frank,
Hopkins was fl own to Bang-
kok, Thailand, and taken to
the top fl oor of a tourist hotel
in a secured setting. Asked if
he had identifi cation of any
kind, he responded he did
not. However, when his wallet
was searched, the staff found
a picture of the soldier and
his wife. The staff tore the
photograph and handed his
wife’s half back to Hopkins.
In great secrecy, Hopkins
was shipped to Vientiane,
Laos, where he served as a li-
aison between troops in Viet-
nam and air reconnaissance
with military operations
tracking the Ho Chi Minh
Trail. He was also respon-
sible for payroll and supplies
Editors Note: Gerald and
Doran Hopkins are brothers.
northwestfurnitureandmattress.com
Photo submitted by Gerald Hopkins
Doran Hopkins was the
guest speaker at a recent
meeting of the Union
County Retired Educators.
needed by the troops.
Hopkins recalled meeting
with three prisoners of war
released as propaganda by
the Vietnamese government.
Two were ranking offi cers
and one was a private who
had fallen overboard during
an attack and been captured
by the Vietnamese. Hopkins
noted the private, held as
a prisoner in the “Hanoi
Hilton,” told his captors he
did not know how to read
or write. The Vietnamese
described him as one of the
“dumbest” Americans they
had seen. However, the
private, who was isolated in
10106 N. ‘C’ • Island City
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