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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2020)
Inside Tiller’s Folly performs in Go! Mounties, Yotes battle, 8A Virus impacting business, 1B Follow us on the web THURSDAY • February 6, 2020 • $1.50 Not guilty: Senate acquits Trump Good day to our valued subscriber Patty Hindman of La Grande Winter work land ■ Article one falls by 52-48 decision; Article two goes down, 53-47 By Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Presi- dent Donald Trump won impeachment acquittal Wednesday in the U.S. Sen- ate, bringing to a close only the third presidential trial in American history with votes that split the country, tested civic norms and fed the tumultuous 2020 race for the White House. With Chief Justice John Roberts presiding, senators sworn to do “impartial jus- tice” stood at their desks to state their votes for the roll call — “guilty” or “not guilty” — in a swift tally almost exclusively along party lines. Visitors, including the presi- dent’s allies, watched from the crowded gallery. Roberts read the declaration that Trump “be, and is hereby, acquitted of the charges.” The outcome Wednesday followed months of remark- able impeachment proceed- ings, from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s House to Mitch McConnell’s Senate, refl ect- ing the nation’s unrelenting partisan divide three years into the Trump presidency. What started as Trump’s request for Ukraine to “do us a favor” spun into a far- reaching, 28,000-page report compiled by House investiga- tors accusing an American president of engaging in shadow diplomacy that threatened U.S. foreign rela- tions for personal, political gain as he pressured the ally to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of the next election. No president has ever been removed by the Senate. A politically emboldened See Trump / Page 5A Staff photos by Phil Wright Jeremy Jones and his children Jeremiah and Kylie shovel their driveway Wednesday in La Grande during the midst of the big snow storm that moved over the region Tuesday night and prompted local school closures. Truckers to police to plow drivers took on dealing with the snow. Lo- cals reported snow was anywhere from 8 - 14 inches deep around La Grande, including a measurement of 13-3/8 inches on North Third Street. The National Weather Service reported 5.5. miles northeast of La Grande received 17.5 inches of snow. CCNO bridges gaps in services Kids Club to close in June By Sabrina Thompson The Observer LA GRANDE — Com- munity Connection of Northeast Oregon is the closest Union, Baker, Grant and Wallowa counties have to a one-stop shop for all community services. The nonprofi t organiza- tion established in 1969 has been working since then to bring local communities the programming and partner- ships that help anyone who needs it. Jeff Hensley, assis- tant director at Community Connection, said the model works well. “Instead of us doing ev- erything and being spread too thin, we can work with other agencies,” he said. Community Connection provides an array of servic- es, from housing assistance to youth and senior pro- gramming and health and wellness programming. The organization also is the lo- cation of the Union County Regional Food Bank, which By Dick Mason The Observer Observer fi le photo Raymie Blanchard examines onions in November 2019 at Community Connection of Northeast Oregon’s Regional Food Bank, La Grande. Community Connection serves Union, Baker, Grant and Wallowa counties. INDEX Business ...... 1B Classified ..... 4B Comics ......... 7B Crossword ... 5B Voetberg, chair of the board at Neighbors Together, said the partnership helps with organization, especially when there are donations coming in from a variety of sources. is the distribution center for 21 food pantries across the four counties. One pantry, Neighbors Together, has partnered with Community Connec- tion for years. Hannah WEATHER Dear Abby .... 8B Horoscope ... 5B Lottery.......... 2A Obituaries .... 3A SATURDAY Opinion ........ 4A Sports .......... 7A Sudoku ........ 7B Weather ....... 8B “If you want to have a comprehensive food bank, you have to work with CCNO,” Voetberg said. “If these stores did donations individually, it would be See CCNO / Page 5A Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Friday 39 LOW 45/32 Rain and drizzle Mainly cloudy FUTURE BIZ LEADERS COMPETE LA GRANDE — The sounds of children playing and laughing have reverber- ated daily from this three- story brick building at 2609 Second St. each fall, winter and spring for the past 130 years. Soon this joyful daily clamor may be an echo of the past at the Riveria Activity Center in La Grande. Kids Club, a certifi ed child care center with education features, run at Riveria by Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, is set to close June 2. Community Connection’s board of direc- tors has voted to discontinue it for fi nancial reasons. See Kids Club / Page 5A CONTACT US HAVE A STORY IDEA? 541-963-3161 Call The Observer newsroom at 541-963-3161 or send an email to news@lagrandeobserver.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Issue 16 3 sections, 26 pages La Grande, Oregon Online at lagrandeobserver.com
