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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2020)
LOCAL MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 THE OBSERVER — 5A FIRE Continued from Page 1A set off the sprinklers, Homan said. Water fl owed from the gym down the hall to the cafeteria and into some classrooms, but the damage seemed minor and the computers were unharmed. “A couple of classrooms have water on the fl oor. However, the classrooms are exactly as they were left at 11:30 (Thursday),” he said. Homan said Saturday that students would be out of school for the upcoming week, and he believes next week students will be able to resume classes — fi fth through 12th grades at the school, and kinder- garten through fourth grades at a to-be-determined location in town. Fulfer said the boys team is plan- ning to use the tragedy to bring it together, but also said there is a sense of hurt. “Our seniors are defi nitely dev- astated,” he said. “They lost their home gym and won’t be able to play in there.” Homan said Joseph has received an outpouring of support from across the region and even the state. The school, he said Saturday, has arranged to play the remainder of its home games in Enterprise or Wallowa. Other coaches from across the CREEKS Continued from Page 1A Bonneville Power Adminis- tration and the Oregon Wa- tershed Enhancement Board with the help of the Grande Ronde Model Watershed. In addition to improving fi sh habitat, another major intent of the project is to reduce fl ooding and erosion. Winter fl ooding has been an issue for years in Union partially because ice jams sometimes develop in both streams, especially in Cath- erine Creek, where they can extend for at least 120 yards. When the jams break, the release of water behind them Continued from Page 1A EPA was signed by Food & Water Watch, Friends of Family Farmers, WaterWatch of Oregon, Colum- bia Riverkeeper, Humane Voters Oregon, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Center for Food Safety and the Center for Biological Diversity. They cite the possible negative health effects from drinking water with nitrates above the EPA’s rec- ommended level and blame CAFOs for most of the problem. Eileen Laramore, a Hermiston Continued from Page 1A his wife Jessica and sister and brother-in-law Moriah and Luke Jester, created a Facebook page to celebrate and spread Burnell’s enthu- siasm for helping people. Part of that included setting aside a day to encourage oth- ers to do the same. “I wanted to challenge myself and others to love like Jack did,” Hubbell said. Last year, on the inaugural Love Like Jack Day, 10 people divided into two groups, one split fi rewood and the other volunteered at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building to help clean and erect a monument out front. This year, nine gath- ered at the Blue Mountain Humane Association’s Animal Rescue Center, La Grande, to help out and spend time with the animals. “Even the cats were beg- ging for love,” Hubbell said. “Most cats do their own thing and like to chill by region and state, as well as by OSAA, have contacted Homan. And Fulfer listed Enterprise, Wallowa, Elgin, Imbler and Weston-McEwen among the schools whose coaches have reached out to him, offering everything from gym use, basket- balls, practice jerseys and even game jerseys. causes Catherine Creek and its tributary Little Creek to swell and jump their banks, resulting in fl ood damage. The project would widen portions of Catherine and Little creeks to reduce the chance of ice jams, Webster said, and reconfi gure a portion of Medical Springs Highway that runs along Catherine Creek, which would expand what is now a narrow portion of the steam’s channel. “The highway now acts like a levy,” Webster said, and changing the location of the road would create breathing room for the creek. Large chunks of fl oating PETITION BURNELL Staff photo by Ronald Bond Members of the Joseph boys and girls basketball teams address fans at Saturday’s basketball game in Elgin to thank them for their donations to the school in the wake of Thursday’s fi re that damaged Joseph’s gymnasium. Two of those nearby neighbors are offering fi nancial support. The Elgin School District on its Facebook page Friday said it would donate the gate of Saturday’s home game against Imbler, as well as any donations contributed by attendees and funds raised from a blanket toss, to Joseph. Imbler, in addition, river ice would fl ow to the wider area, reducing pres- sure in the creek. “(The pieces of river ice) would be spread out. They would be detained before coming into town,” Webster said. He also said the Buffalo Flats project would reduce fl ooding even when no ice jams are present because it would widen channels and create fl oodplains for excess water to spill onto. If there were fl ooding after the proj- ect is completed, the water would fl ow into areas where there are no structures. The project would add boulders and trees to the resident who founded local envi- ronmental advocacy groups, such as Friends of Oxbow and Tour of Knowledge, is the only individual to sign. She said after she was contacted by one of the groups about signing, she had reservations about adding her name, since she doesn’t usually get involved with efforts by “out of town” groups and she formerly sat on the LUBGWMA committee. She said reading the petition’s language describing the health effects of nitrates above the EPA’s recommended limit of 10 mg/L “hit donated the gate from its Friday game against Griswold to Joseph, and passed a hat to collect dona- tions from fans. The two basketball games raised more than $2,600. “In education we’re always try- ing to help them build community. Sometimes it’s important for (stu- creek channels to prevent erosion. The trees would be at least 12 feet long and imbedded in the banks with large root wads exposed in the water. The trees would provide permanent stability to the creek banks. The trees and boulders also would improve fi sh habitat by providing more hiding cover and creating pools, Webster added, and would reduce the likelihood of ice jams because they draw solar energy that pre- vents the formation of large sheets of ice. The plan also calls for planting an extensive amount of vegetation along hard.” The EPA has stated young children exposed to high nitrate levels can experience dangerous “blue baby syndrome” from too-low oxygen levels in their blood. Research on other possible health effects cited in the peti- tion, such as cancer and thyroid disorders, has been less conclusive. The Oregon Department of Envi- ronmental Quality states “some” research has supported a link, but “little is known about the long- term effects of drinking water with elevated nitrate levels.” Cities must conduct tests on dents) to recognize that community is not just the group that is around you daily,” said Elgin Superinten- dent Dianne Greif, who organized the donation plan along with some of the Elgin High School basketball players. “It was an opportunity to help them recognize they have the opportunity to help. It won’t come anywhere close to covering what was lost, but it’s a good opportunity to help our kids help their friends.” Homan almost was overcome by emotion when fi rst learning of Elgin’s donation. “It’s pretty special how Eastern Oregon in general comes together. The phone calls, just the support, that’s so humbling and appreci- ated,” he said. “There are some amazing people living in Eastern Oregon and beyond. It’s a pretty special bond.” Fulfer added the outpouring of support shows the point made by Greif — that community is more than just one’s hometown. “That was really, really cool to see,” he said. “The kids loved it. I love it. It shows our community is not just Joseph. It’s Eastern Oregon.” Homan said those who wish to reach out to help can call the Jo- seph school offi ce at 541-432-7311 or visit the school’s Facebook page or website: www.staff.josephchar- ter.org. the banks of the portions of Catherine Creek and Little Creek to provide additional stability and buffer the im- pact of fl ooding. Vegetation also provide shade, which cools the water. Cool water is a critical part of habitat for salmon, steelhead and bull trout, Webster said. There will be more op- portunities for additional vegetation to take hold along the portions of Catherine and Little creeks because of the curvature that would be added. Restoring the me- ander would slow down the water fl ow and result in shal- lower channels, which would help trees and plants in the their drinking water each year for a variety of substances, including nitrates, and the city of Hermis- ton’s water reports for 2017 and 2018 show the highest levels of nitrates were at 5.97 mg/L and 5.11 respectively, falling below the EPA’s 10 mg/L limit. However, people living off of well water in the area could be drinking water with higher nitrate concentrations. Laramore said she doesn’t want to panic people about drinking well water or tap water in the area, but she does care about improving wa- ter quality in Umatilla and Morrow area of the creeks because the water tables will be on levels that reach nearby vegetation. Webster said the Union Soil and Water Conservation District is receiving fund- ing and technical assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to develop the Buffalo Flats plan, which will take about two years. Whatever plan the district drafts, he said, will not have an effect on water rights. The conservation district will give a public presenta- tion on the Buffalo Flats Restoration Project from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 30 at the S.E. Mill- er gym at Union Elementary School. counties. So she signed the petition in the hopes that the EPA will be able to provide some “muscle” to implement the policy proposals from the LUBGWMA advisory committee. JR Cook, president of the North- east Oregon Water Association, said there are “hot spots” of high nitrate levels throughout LUBGW- MA, but provided a map using data from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality that shows large swaths of the area painted in colors indicating nitrate levels be- low the EPA’s recommended limits. “I wanted to challenge myself and others to love like Jack did.” — Caleb Hubbell, a friend of Jack Burnell who was killed in 2018 themselves. However, when we were in the cat rooms, there was one in particular cat that loved human atten- tion. He would crawl from shoulder to shoulder begging for attention. It was such a sweet reminder that there are so many animals that need love in the world. It also reminded me of our sweet friend Jack and how he would often come home with a cat from the animal shelter, because he couldn’t stand to leave them there.” The Jack Burnell Project and the annual Jan. 12 event offers a way for people to gather and remember Bur- nell, Hubbell said, but it also is meant to challenge and encourage others to help in their own way, as his friend once did. CRNA Week: January 19-25, 2020 Every day, our Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) provide anesthesia with the professional quality and personal care you expect and deserve when facing surgery or other healthcare procedures that require anesthesia. We appreciate their compassion and commitment to your comfort and your care! Drue Chandler, CRNA Bradley Close, CRNA Scott Dannenbring, CRNA Sheridan Klinger, CRNA Thank you for providing safe and effective anesthesia for all GRH patients! Grande Ronde Hospital, Inc. is a private, 501(c)3 not -for-profit health system, established 1907.
