Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 2019)
DECADE IN REVIEW MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2019 THE OBSERVER — 18C 2014: Shelter from the Storm building tapped for demolition 10 — Wallowa County works to protect moraine Wallowa County draws thousands of visitors a year to hike its expanses, raft and fi sh rivers, ski the backcoun- try and take in the dramatic Wallowa Lake moraines. The moraines are geological features unique in Oregon and one of the state’s “Seven Wonders.” Early in 2014, the Wallowa Lake Moraine Partnership en- tered into an agreement to buy almost 1,800 acres from the Ronald C. Yanke Family Trust, owner of a large swath of Wal- lowa Lake’s east moraine. A successful deal would result in a Wallowa County becoming the owner and manager of a large portion of the Wallowa Lake Moraines, thus preserving the land for the public. The project is ongoing and less than $500,000 away from hitting its goal to com- plete the transaction. The clock continues to tick down on the deal — the Wallowa Lake Moraines Partnership needs to secure the total $6,567,948 no later than Jan. 29, 2020. 9 — Eastern Oregon University adopts institutional board Eastern Oregon University offi cials, staff, faculty and stu- dents had to travel long dis- tances each month to attend the State Board of Higher Education meetings. But that practice ended in 2014 when the state voted in the spring to allow Eastern to have its own institutional board. The La Grande-based col- lege had the option of joining a consortium consisting of Oregon’s other regional and technical universities, which would have been under one board and a branch of Oregon State University, University of Oregon or Port- land State University. Then EOU President Bob Davies took public input and recommended the university get its own board, which the state Senate approved. 8 — Calico Weapons plans to move to Elgin Firearms manufacturer Calico Light Weapons Sys- tem announced in July 2014 it would relocate its world headquarters from Corne- lius to Elgin, bringing jobs and a possible boost to the economy. Calico Light’s president, Chris Holmgren, said he loved Northeast Oregon and the region may be a better fi t for the company’s products. He said people on the west side of Oregon lashed out at him in response to mass shootings. He said he even received death threats. Then Union County Commis- sioner Mark Davidson said the community was likely to welcome Calico Light. The company continues to operate in Elgin. 7 — Barreto wins House District 58 race Cove resident and La Grande business owner Greg Barreto won the election to the Oregon House as repre- Observer fi le photo March co-organizer Sharon Evoy, right, leads protesters in chanting, “Find another spot,” during a rally in June 2014. The rally was to show Union County commissioners the disapproval of the decision to demolish the Shelter From the Storm advocacy center building. sentative of District 58. Barreto, owner of Barreto Manufacturing, entered the race in 2014. His campaign had some bumps along the way, such as at fi rst accept- ing then returning a $30,000 campaign contribution from Nevada businessman Loren Parks. He ran against John Turner of Pendleton in the Republican primary. Barreto and Turner, a former Marine colonel and former president of Blue Mountain Community Col- lege, faced off at multiple candidate forums. Come elections night, Barreto ran away with the race, taking 83% of the vote in Union County and 80% in Wallowa County. The bigger surprise came with winning 51% of the vote in Umatilla County. Barreto faced Democrat Heidi Van Schoohoven in the general election and cruised to victory with 73% of the vote in the Republican-heavy district. He announced in 2019 he would not seek a fourth term. 6 — Burglaries target businesses La Grande and Island City businesses in October were the targets of a rash of burglaries. The report of the fi rst fi ve break-ins came the morning of Oct. 18, 2014. Four days later, nine more businesses were hit. Police considered the two sets of crimes related. The culprits did not take much — cash that was on hand — but they left behind plenty of property damage. They broke windows to gain entry, then broke cash boxes and registers and in some cases made off with alcohol. Some businesses had security cameras that captured footage of the crimes, but law enforce- ment was not able to identify the criminals from the images. Another spate of burglar- ies occurred in December, but police could not con- clude the same people were involved in three sets of crimes. 5 — Urban Renewal Agency OKs $500,000 for grocery story The La Grande Urban Renewal Agency made a bold move in August 2014 with a 4-3 vote to help fund the establishment of a grocery store in downtown at the corner of Adams Avenue and Fourth Street. Developer Al Adelsberger and grocer Troy Berglund presented the idea of Market Place Family Foods. The pair said the new store would cre- ate jobs and bring a vibrancy to downtown La Grande. Some members of the Urban Renewal Agency were dead set against funding the project, arguing the amount was too much and other projects needed funding. The agency ultimately decided to provide the funding as a loan that would convert to a grant if the project met certain conditions. 4 — EOU plans for downsizing Eastern Oregon Universi- ty again faced a tight budget and in 2014 made about $4 million in cuts largely due to declining enrollment. The university began the process of cutting about two dozen faculty positions and around six administrative roles. Then EOU President Bob Davies announced the cuts in June, marking the third time in his fi ve-year tenure he had to cut jobs at Eastern. The college had to trim $3.8 million in 2011 and about $2 million in 2013. Eastern’s enrollment in recent years was trending down. Student credit hours dropped about 11% in 2014-15 and declined about 7% in 2013-14. A lack of state funding for higher education also played a role in the college’s budget woes. The Legislature had increased the funding for schools very little during the 15 years prior despite rising costs and increasing enroll- Observer fi le photo Greg Barreto of Cove, right, during his November 2014 election night victory to be- come the new representative of Oregon House District 58. ment in the state’s higher education system. 3 — La Grande approves $31.85 million school bond 2014 became a landmark year for the La Grande School District. Voters in No- vember passed a $31.85 mil- lion bond for maintenance and capitol construction. The vote was close — 3,190-3,154, a difference of 36. This was the fi rst con- struction bond district voters passed since the mid-1970s. Central Elementary School was a focal point of the campaign to pass the bond because $14.2 million of the revenue from the bond would go toward replacing the aging school. The bond also would fund the construction of six new classrooms, renovations of the high school gym and auditorium, and security enhancements in all schools in the district. 2 — State passes recreational marijuana Oregon voters in the November 2014 election de- cided to legalize recreational marijuana. Early in the year, the state opened the gates to legal medical marijuana dispensaries, which many cities and counties moved to ban until the establish- ment of regulations. Union County and Island City jumped on the ban, but La Grande failed to pass a moratorium by the May 1 deadline. Green Apothecary became La Grande’s fi rst medical marijuana dispensary when it opened Sept. 1. The vote to legalize recreational marijuana sent the city back to the drawing board and to considering a moratorium on all future marijuana businesses until crafting regulations. 1 — Shelter to be demolished for new courthouse The community was excited toward the end of 2013 with the news Union County would receive $2 million from the state to build a new courthouse. That excitement in large part dissipated when the Union County Board of Commissioners voted in March 2014 to site the new courthouse at the location rented by the Shelter From the Storm Community Advocacy Center. Commissioners said they would do what they could to mitigate harm to the nonprofi t domestic violence shelter, which had come about as the result of a Com- munity Development Block Grant specifi cally for Shelter From the Storm. The organization notifi ed the county it would sue, but Circuit Judge Eva Temple ruled Shelter From the Storm was a county ten- ant with an expired lease. Another eviction hearing determined the county could ask the nonprofi t to vacate the building. The county board’s move resulted in protests in sup- port of the shelter, and the nonprofi t fi led an appeal to the county’s site plan application. The county and Shelter From the Storm in December reached an agreement, with the county paying $75,000 to help the organization move to its loca- tion in Island City. Thank you for letting us serve you in 2019. Let us help make 2020 a Great Year! 3 Depot St, La Grande • 539 S. Main, Union Your local community neighbor
