FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2020
L OCAL B RIEFING
Weston woman dies in
snowmobile crash
WESTON — A 58-year-old woman
from Weston died in a snowmobile crash
Wednesday evening while trying to tra-
verse winter weather conditions to her
home, according to a news release from
the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce.
JoLynn Lieuallen was found dead
when medics arrived at the scene on
Lieuallen Road shortly before 6 p.m.
Snowmobile operators and a Uma-
tilla Electric Cooperative employee
operating a snow cat assisted the East
Umatilla County Fire and Rescue and
the sheriff’s offi ce in reaching the scene,
according to the news release.
Family members said Lieuallen had
parked at her mother’s house on Pine
Creek Road and was snowmobiling
to her home on Lieuallen Road due to
poor road conditions. A family member
became worried after she didn’t check
in and went to look for her and discov-
ered the crash.
The medical examiner authorized
release of the body to Burns Mortuary,
according to the release.
La Grande resident on gov’s
list for appointments
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown’s latest
submission for appointments to state
boards and commissions has two resi-
dents from Eastern Oregon.
Brown recommended Dwight Dill
to serve a partial two-year term on the
Task Force on Universal Heath Care.
Dill is the former mental health director
for the nonprofi t mental health provider
Center for Human Development, Inc.
And Melissa Porter of Adams re-
ceived the governor’s nod to serve most
of a four-year term on the state’s Mortu-
ary and Cemetery Board. She repre-
sents Olney Cemetery of Pendleton on
the Cemetery Association of Oregon.
The Senate Rules Committee will
consider the nominations in February.
California man pleads guilty
in Union County sex crimes
case
LA GRANDE — A California man
is going to prison for attempted sexual
abuse of a juvenile in Union County.
Kenneth Austin Walker, 39, of Temec-
ula, California, pleaded guilty last week
to attempted fi rst-degree sexual abuse
and second-degree invasion of personal
privacy. Union County Circuit Judge
Thomas Powers on Thursday sentenced
Walker to 34 months in prison, just shy
of three years, minus the time he has
been in jail.
State court records show the dis-
trict attorney’s offi ce in January 2019
brought the case to a grand jury, which
handed up a secret indictment charg-
ing Walker with fi rst-degree sexual
abuse and two counts of second-degree
invasion of personal privacy. The state
accused Walker of sexual contact with a
girl younger than 14 sometime between
June 2014 and June 2017 and of look-
ing at the girl on two occasions in 2017
while she was unclothed.
The U.S. Marshal Service ended up
arresting Walker in March on a warrant
based on the indictment, and the district
attorney’s offi ce arraigned Walker.
The case reached a plea deal Jan. 9,
according to court records. In addi-
tion to the prison time, Walker must
serve 364 days in jail for the invasion
of personal privacy. He also must serve
26 months of post-prison supervision,
including sex offender and substance
abuse treatment.
Meeting continues review of
Boardman to Hemingway line
SALEM — The Energy Facility Sit-
ing Council resumes its review of the
draft proposed order for the Boardman
to Hemingway Transmission Line at its
upcoming meeting in Hood River.
The public meeting begins Thursday
at 5 p.m. and reconvenes Friday at 8 a.m.
at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn,
1108 E. Marina Drive.
Boardman to Hemingway — or B2H
— is a project to build a 500-kilovolt
transmission line across fi ve counties
and about 280 miles in Oregon. The
council began the discussion on the
draft proposed order at its December
meeting in Pendleton. The meeting on
the project consists of a presentation
from Oregon Department of Energy
staff reviewing the draft proposed order,
comments received on the proposal and
responses from Idaho Power, the proj-
ect’s applicant, to those comments.
This agenda item continues Jan. 24,
and the council may provide staff com-
ments it would like to see in the proposed
order.
The council also will review proposal
to amend two site certifi cates for the
Shepherds Flat South and Shepherds
Flat Central wind farms to allow longer
turbine blades on the existing towers
as well as other upgrades and modifi ca-
tions.
The full meeting agenda and materi-
als are available on the ODOE website:
www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/
facilities/Pages/Council-Meetings.aspx.
Gov signs bill benefi ting
owners of manufactured
homes
SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown this
week signed House Bill 2896, which
makes replacing outdated, ineffi cient
manufactured homes more affordable
for Oregonians and will help increase
the affordable, energy-effi cient housing
stock in Oregon.
State Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner,
was a chief sponsor of the bill and
touted its benefi ts in a news release.
"Keeping Oregonians in affordable
homes is crucial to ensure our com-
munities continue to thrive,” Smith
said. “The funding options created
by this bill will enable more low- and
moderate-income families to replace
their housing without taking on
considerable debt. Keeping people in
their homes while building a better
supply of affordable, effi cient homes is
a win-win.”
The Umatilla Electric Cooperative,
Hermiston, along with other regional
utilities, advocated for the passage of
HB 2896, according to the release.
"This bill is a big win for rural
Oregon, ensuring Oregonians can keep
and update their homes," said Robert
Echenrode, UEC general manager and
CEO. "This is a big step forward in the
quest to create more affordable and ef-
fi cient housing in our communities."
C OMMUNITY
Meetings
• ISLAND CITY — The
Grande Ronde Hospital
Auxiliary's January meet-
ing will be held Monday, at
Island City City Hall. Re-
freshments are available at
9 a.m. followed by the meet-
ing at 9:30 a.m. Dr. Gerrie
Gardner, GRH cardiologist,
will be the speaker. All
members are encouraged
to attend as well as anyone
interested.
• LA GRANDE — The
Board of Directors of the
La Grande School District
will meet to tour Central
Elementary School, 701 H
Ave., at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday.
Following the tour at 7
p.m., there will be a regular
board meeting in the
school's library.
Beading workshop led
by Roger Amerman
JOSEPH — A Plateau-
style beading workshop
will be held Feb. 7-9 at the
Josephy Center for Arts
and Culture in Joseph. The
14-hour workshop will be
limited to eight students,
and beginners as well as ex-
perience bead-workers are
welcome. The cost is $100
per student, plus materials
(approximately $25).
Roger Amerman is an
enrolled citizen of the Choc-
taw Nation of Oklahoma, a
former Park Ranger with
the U.S. National Park
Service and a highly accom-
plished artist whose work
has been featured through-
out the United States,
including the Smithsonian
Institution, Museum of the
American Indian, Washing-
ton, D.C.
Amerman has developed
strong associations and ties
with Umatilla, Yakama and
the Nez Perce communities
through educational and
working activities, and he
has also written, lectured
and taught across the
West. Amerman resides on
his wife's reservation, the
Nez Perce Reservation of
Idaho, and lives in Stites,
Idaho, where he continues
to lecture and teach and
do commission work for
museums.
Workshop participants
will learn the basics of
"contour" and "lane" bead
stitching. The fi nal product
will be a beaded neck bag.
To register or for more infor-
mation go to www.josephy.
org or call 541-432-0505.
2020 Master Gardener
classes begin next
week
ISLAND CITY — The
Master Gardener Program
offered by OSU Union
County Extension offers
novices and experts an
opportunity to expand
their knowledge. The 2020
classes begin Tuesday and
a variety of classes and
workshops are planned.
Classes will be 5:30-8:30
p.m. Tuesdays. The cost for
the full course is $155, and
individual classes are open
to community members for
$5 per class ($10 for week-
end workshops). Classes
are held in the conference
room at the Union County
Extension offi ce, 10507 N.
McAlister Road, Island City.
See the Union County
Master Gardeners-Oregon
Facebook page for photos,
upcoming classes and links
to research-based garden-
ing. For a Master Gardener
course application, go to
www.extension.oregonstate.
edu/union. For more infor-
mation and to RSVP for
individual classes, call the
Union County Extension
offi ce at 541-963-1010.
Waste-Pro accepts
hazardous waste by
appointment
LA GRANDE — Waste-
Pro, 3412 Highway 30, La
Grande, accepts hazardous
waste on the fi rst and third
Tuesdays of the month.
Appointments for disposal
between 8:30 a.m. and noon
may be made by calling
541-963-5459. Waste-Pro's
Hazardous Waste Disposal
services are open to residents
of Union, Wallowa and Baker
counties. For farms and busi-
nesses, additional paperwork
may need to be completed
prior to the appointment. The
next scheduled day is Jan. 21.
Day-use fees waived
on Martin Luther King
Jr. Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
The USDA Forest Service
will waive fees at day-use
recreation sites in Oregon
and Washington on Monday
in honor of Martin Luther
King Jr. Day.
Congress designated the
Martin Luther King Jr. fed-
eral holiday as a national
day of service in 1994 in
recognition of King's legacy
of service and leadership to
gain equality for all Ameri-
cans. The Forest Service
honors Martin Luther King
Jr. Day as a fee-free day to
encourage Americans to
get outside and visit their
public lands.
"On Martin Luther King
Jr. Day, whether you're
volunteering in your local
community or visiting your
public lands, we encourage
you to refl ect on Dr. King's
legacy and how we can con-
tinue advancing his dream
of opportunity for all," said
Glenn Casamassa, Pacifi c
Northwest regional forester,
in a press release.
The Bureau of Land
Management also will
waive recreation-related
visitor's fees also on Martin
Luther King Jr. Day.
On fee-free days, site-
specifi c standard amenity
and day-use fees at BLM
recreation sites and areas
will be waived. The other
BLM fee-free days for 2020
are Feb. 17 (President's
Day), June 13 (National
Get Outdoors Day), Sept.
26 (National Public Lands
Day) and Nov. 11 (Veterans
Day).
P UBLIC S AFETY R EPORT
WEDNESDAY
A caller at 7:15 a.m. reported a
deer was stuck in a fence at Dry
Creek Lane and Summerville
Road, Summerville. A Union
County sheriff’s deputy respond-
ed but did not fi nd the deer.
La Grande police at about
7:50 a.m. cited a juvenile for
fourth-degree assault.
La Grande police at 10:10 a.m.
received a request to check on
someone suffering a mental or
emotional problem. Police talked
to the person, who reported
being OK.
A Union County sheriff’s
THE OBSERVER — 3A
LOCAL
deputy at about 11:10 a.m.
responded to a complaint about
a careless driver on the 11000
block of Island Avenue, Island
City. The deputy contacted
the driver and counseled the
person.
A caller at 2:05 p.m. reported
a vehicle crashed and rolled
on the 62300 block of Mt.
Glenn Road, La Grande. A
Union County sheriff’s deputy
responded and took a report.
No one was injured.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office
at 4:06 p.m. received a report of pos-
sible animal neglect at East Bryan
and North Main streets, Union.
Medics at about 4:25 p.m.
responded to a vehicle crash
with injuries at Behrens Lane
and Black Road, Summerville.
The Union County Sheriff’s
Offi ce at about 8 p.m. responded
to a home in Imbler for an “out
of control juvenile.” A deputy
talked to the people involved and
explained options.
THURSDAY
A caller at 8:01 a.m. cops ex-
plained about dogs on the loose
on North 17th Avenue, Elgin.
A Union County sheriff’s
deputy at 10:14 a.m. reported
a snowdrift created a road
hazard on Middle Road, Elgin.
La Grande police at 10:38 a.m.
warned a dog owner on the 1300
block of X Avenue about barking
dogs.
La Grande police at 5:08 p.m.
received a report of vandalism
on the 2600 block of Starlight
Drive. An offi cer took a report for
criminal mischief. The depart-
ment received a second report of
vandalism at 6:23 p.m. from the
700 block of Lake Avenue. Police
took a report and plan to provide
extra patrols on the area.
And fi refi ghters responded to
13 calls for medical assistance on
Thursday and nine on Wednesday.
Traffi c Stopper
Staff photo by DIck Mason
Sean Burton made this large snowman Sunday after-
noon in about 45 minutes at his home on N Avenue
and First Street in La Grande with help from his wife,
Carly. The snowman, shown here Thursday afternoon,
stands between 9 and 10 feet tall. Burton said about
one in every fi ve vehicles passing by the snowman
slows down or stops to look at it.
UNION COUNTY SENIOR CENTER MENU
1504 ALBANY ST., LA GRANDE
Jan. 20-27; lunch served 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
age 60+ $3 suggested donation; others $6
Monday: Closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Tuesday: beef stew in a bread bowl, cottage cheese,
veggie platters, fresh fruit.
Wednesday: meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gravy,
steamed caulifl ower, bread, Jell-O, dessert.
Thursday: bbq chicken, rice pilaf or noodles, steamed
vegetables, bread, cashew pea salad, fresh fruit.
Friday: shepherd’s pie, salad greens, cottage cheese,
fresh fruit slices, wheat rolls.
O BITUARIES
Marjorie L. (Woodell)
Jarvis
La Grande
1918-2020
Marjorie Lola Jarvis, 101,
of La Grande, died Jan. 9
at her home. A memorial
service will
be held in the
spring close to
her birthdate.
Burial will
be at the
Summerville Cemetery. Ar-
rangements are entrusted
to Daniels-Knopp Funeral,
Cremation & Life Celebra-
tion Center.
Marjorie was born
April 8, 1918, in Summer-
ville, to Miles and Katie
(Baker) Woodell. She
graduated from Imbler
High School and from
what is now Eastern Or-
egon University. Marjorie
taught for one year at the
Pumpkin Ridge School.
On June 11, 1938, she
married Joe W. Jarvis in
Portland. They lived in
Omaha, Nebraska, for 30
years before returning to
the Grande Ronde Valley.
Marjorie was a member
of the Blue Mountain Chap-
ter Order of Eastern Star
#52 and the Jewel Rebekah
Lodge in Summerville. She
was the rock of her family.
Marjorie enjoyed reading,
doing jigsaw puzzles and
sewing. She was a Seattle
Mariners fan.
Survivors include her
children and their spouses,
Joe and Joni Jarvis of
Cove and Kathleen and
John Hatton of Imbler; two
grandchildren; and two
great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death
by her husband, Joe; sisters,
Inez Fries and Ava Paul;
brother, Lloyd Woodell; and
grandson, J. Wesley Jarvis.
Memorial contributions
may be made to the Shri-
ners Hospital for Children,
3101 SW Sam Jackson
Park Road, Portland 97239.
Kevin L. Williams
La Grande
1972-2020
Kevin Lynn Williams, 47,
of La Grande, died Jan. 9 at
St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise,
Idaho. A me-
morial service
will be held
at 10:30 a.m.
Jan. 18 at the
Lighthouse
Pentecostal Church.
Kevin was born Nov. 29,
1972, in La Grande, to Leo
and Rosalie (Nelson) Wil-
liams. He was raised in La
Grande, attended Greenwood
Elementary and graduated
from La Grande High School.
Kevin was a land-
scaper and worked for the
Salvation Army Church.
He loved fi shing with his
nieces and nephews, camp-
ing, four-wheeling, playing
cribbage and pool, barbe-
quing, working on cars
and trucks, and attending
family reunions.
Surviving relatives in-
clude his sister and brother-
in-law, Leonette and James
Shelley of La Grande; six
nieces; seven great-nieces
and 12 great-nephews; and
aunt, Bonnie Bluhm.
He was preceded in
death by his parents, Leo
and Rosalie Williams, and
uncles, Willian “Bill” Davis
and Benjamin Nelson.
Online condolences may
be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralcha-
pel.com.
Christine (Lanman) Asla
Formerly of La Grande
Christine (Lanman)
Asla, 67, of King City and
formerly of La Grande, died
Jan. 13 at her home. An
obituary is forthcoming. Ar-
rangements are entrusted
to Daniels-Knopp Funeral,
Cremation & Life Celebra-
tion Center.
UPCOMING FUNERALS
AND VISITATIONS
Sponsored by
Jan. 18
Virginia
Linkenhoker:
2 p.m. memorial service,
La Grande United
Methodist Church;
reception follows in the
Fellowship Hall.
Rick Stephens:
1 p.m. memorial service,
Old North Powder Gym;
reception follows.
Feb. 8
Justice Clark:
4 p.m. celebration of life,
Presbyterian Friendship
Center, La Grande;
casual dress preferred.