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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2020)
LOCAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020 THE OBSERVER — 5A PROTESTS Continued from Page 1A justice for the working class. Last year’s bill passed the House but failed in the Senate. The session ended in legislative chaos; Senate Republicans walked out to deny Democrats a quorum. This year’s bill is similar to the 2019 legislation. By 2050, the Carbon Policy Offi ce estimates the cap-and- trade plan would eliminate 43.4 million metric tons of carbon annually from the atmosphere. Critics, however, point out that amount represents just 0.12% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Advocates say every bit counts. Estimates provided by the nonpartisan Legislative Rev- enue Offi ce estimated the program would raise prices by 22 cents per gallon in the fi rst year of the program, according to state Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena. Inside the building, pro- testers did not go unnoticed. Swarms of protesters vis- ited legislators’ offi ces. Truck horns echoed even inside hearing rooms. Brian Iverson, the hus- band of state Rep. Vikki Iverson, R-Powell Butte, said his wife described being inside the Capitol before protesters streamed in as the FBLA Continued from Page 1A and seventh-grader Tayler Bowles fi nished third. Each entrant in the competition, open only to seventh- and eighth-graders, gave an “elevator pitch” about FBLA — brief persuasive speeches to spark interest in what the organization does. The speeches could be only 30 seconds, the time a four-story elevator ride might take. “It was hard to get every- thing you wanted to say in 30 seconds,” Treat said. Jennifer Teeter, the adviser for Imbler’s FBLA chapter, said the elevator speech competition is a great starting event for young students to learn of the importance of be- ing able to express themselves quickly and in an compelling manner in the business world. “It is a great skill to learn at an early age,” said Teeter, a business teacher at Imbler High School. Imbler was one of 11 school districts at the regional skills conference, which was open to students in grades seven through 12. Entrants from Union High School included senior Zac Johnston, who competed in the E-business event, in which participants present a business plan for a fi ctitious online company. Johnston proposed plans for an online rental business. During his talk he aimed to develop a rapport with the three-judge panel evaluating him. He said adding a per- sonal touch to his presenta- tion helps judges relate to him better. The UHS senior has been in the Future Business organiza- tion since his freshman year and has competed in four regional skills competitions. He said he has enjoyed them im- mensely because they provide an opportunity for him to give presentations on work he is proud of and to be with friends who support one another. Johnston said at the confer- ence he was as busy following the progress of his friends as he was competing in events. Cove High School junior Haiden Wiggins, who partici- pated in the speech competi- tion, also said the event was a delightful experience. “Public speaking is some- thing I really enjoy. It was fun Photo by Sierra Dawn McClain/Capital Press Timber Unity supporters greet the convoy of trucks as it arrives Thursday morning at the Oregon state Capitol. Traffi c on Interstate 5 backed up as the big rigs rolled into Salem from all directions. calm before the storm, with subdued tension, excitement and angst. At 9 a.m., Gov. Kate Brown met with 10 Timber Unity leaders as part of her continued effort to speak with rural stakeholders. The meeting was closed to the press, but former legislator Julie Parrish, now a Timber Unity member, said the meeting with Brown and her policy advisers was “genial.” The governor, she said, lis- tened to protesters’ concerns but made no commitments on bill alterations yet. Parrish brought her own proposals to deal with climate change without hurt- to have this opportunity,” she said. The CHS junior spoke about how being in FBLA has boosted her confi dence and helped her grow as a person. She could not speak with judg- es during her presentation but strived to see herself as having a dialogue with them. “I think of myself as having a conversation, that makes me less nervous,” Wiggins said. Students who competed in the mock job interview com- petition included Erin Coston of Imbler High School and Henry Fager of La Grande High School, who both quali- fi ed for the fi nals. Coston said the experience was valuable because of what she learned. “It was nerve-racking but defi nitely worth it,” she said. Job interview entrants submitted fictitious resumes, but Fager added details that reflected his actual work ex- perience, which includes work for a small website design company. He said one of the judges picked up on this and was impressed with his body of work, which boosted his spirits. “I knew that I had done something right,” Fager said. La Grande School District Superintendent George Men- doza was among those who conducted the job interviews. “I enjoyed listening and developing an understand- ing of their backgrounds,” he said. Mendoza said from his perspective it was impor- tant for students during the interviews to share why they wanted the job and why they have a passion for the fi eld they were interested in. He also was impressed when students had high energy and showed, by their ques- tions, an interest in deter- mining how they could use their knowledge and skills to help the company they were aiming to work for. About 300 students from 11 school districts competed at the regional conference. In addition to the La Grande, Imbler, Cove and Union school districts, the Elgin, Wallowa, Baker, Heppner, Helix, McLoughlin and Vale school districts sent students. FBLA chapters from the Joseph, Nyssa and Ontario school districts could not make it to EOU because of bad weather. FLOODING ing rural jobs. “Taxing the behavior of pollution will not reduce pollution,” said Parrish. “We can do better. We need other solutions.” In front of the Capitol, Jeff Leavy, one of Timber Unity’s founders, told the crowd that the movement has grown into something larger than Continued from Page 1A sandbags at the community center. “The UPS man who delivers packages in the Elgin area stopped at the Elgin Community Center and worked his lunch break to help fi ll sandbags,” Elgin resident Stanley Johnson said. The city asked residents to use as little water as possible to help prevent further overfl ow of the wastewater system. The mayor also requested those who are not in Elgin not to come look due to concerns about safety. The city has closed all off Hemlock, South Fifth, Sixth and Cedar streets and the Hu Na Ha RV park due to flooding. City public works employees are on-site. Duffy said Philips Creek has had the most flooding and overflowed last night. “It is a wait and see situation at this point,” the mayor said. “Residents are safe, and we will continue to monitor the situation.” The rushing waters affected other areas in Union County. The Imbler School District canceled classes. Superintendent Angie Lakey- Campbell said the school did not feel it was safe for the buses to drive on the roads with all of the water. Flooding from Deal Canyon caused an overfl ow in the sewer system in La Grande, which in turn caused a pipe to burst at the corner of First Street and L Avenue. The Oregon Department of Trans- portation issued notices throughout Contributed photo by Jeromy Mathson Elgin homes such this one near the Grande Ronde River have been expe- riencing fl ooding since Wednesday night. Thursday evening and Friday about road closures. The biggest was the shutdown of Interstate 84 eastbound from about Hermiston to about Pendleton and west- bound from Ontario to about Hermiston. “These closures are expected to re- main in place for a signifi cant amount of time to allow inspections of the highway to proceed after the water has receded,” according to a news release from the state road department, which on Friday established a circuitous westbound detour near Hermiston. However, ODOT advised the closure remains in effect be- tween milepost 182 and 188 for up to a week due to breached irrigation ditches adjacent to the road. ODOT also closed the following: •Highway 237 both directions from milepost 0 to 10 between Island City and Cove. •Highway 244 between milepost 35 and 47 due to two slides that plugged streams and culverts adjacent to the Grande Ronde River. •Highway 237 both directions from milepost 0 to 10 between Island City and Cove. •Highway 204 both directions from milepost 1 to 35 between Weston and Elgin to all but local travel. The closures could remain in effect until Saturday. Temperatures continued to warm Friday, with La Grande reaching at least 48 degrees. But the melt and run-off looks to slow Saturday — at least for a span — as temperatures cool to the high 30s and high 20s and another round of snow falls. Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics proudly welcomes: Tara Palmer, FNP-C To the GRH Regional Medical Clinic team as a Primary Care Provider (PCP) Tara Palmer, FNP-C, joins the GRH Regional Medical Clinic from New Orleans, Louisiana. She worked as a rural health primary care provider in Mobile, Alabama, as well as an urgent care/ pediatric nurse practitioner p e d i a t r i c n u r s e p r a c t i t i o n er and clinical adjunct nursing instructor. She completed her Master's Degree at Troy University, undergraduate degree at Ma L o Louisiana State University, and is a Veteran of the United States Coast C o Guard. Tara has experience in family medicine, pediatrics, emergency/urgent e m care, and is interested in the promotion of p r preventive health and well-being. Outside of work, Tara enjoys h ik hiking, backpacking, swimming, boating, live music, travel, w a watching LSU football, and spending time with her children. GRH Regional Medical Clinic 506 4th Street, La Grande • 541.663.3138 • grh.org/RMC/ 10106 N. ‘C’ • Island City Now accepting new patients! Tara Palmer, FNP-C Learn more about Tara in our online Provider Directory at www.grh.org today! An Independent Insurance Agency Reed & Associates for excellent service LOCALLY! Nicole Cathey just about fi ghting one bill. He said it’s now about challenging overregulation, getting citizens engaged with government and trying to have a voice in the legislative process. “A legislator inside said you guys are shutting down the Legislature and not letting people’s voices be heard,” said Sen. Denyc Boles, R-Salem. Surveying the crowd, she added, “I’d say this is the legislative process. We can hear the people’s voices.” Sen. Herman Baertschiger Jr., R-Grants Pass, urged the crowd to continue on its mission. “Now you must build an army to defeat those in this building who want to take away your way of life. It’s a fi ght for freedom. It’s so much bigger than one bill,” he said, adding that “it’s now about all kinds of freedom: religious freedom, gun rights, the freedom not to be over- taxed.” Timber Unity is a hetero- geneous group: Some mem- bers believe climate change is a real issue and others don’t. What they agree on is that hurting rural Oregon businesses is not OK. Timber Unity invited two scientists to speak. “The whole concept behind this bill is a big fraud,” said meteorologist Chuck Wiese. “If you really want this, I would say to the legislators, put it to a vote. But they know if they do, folks like you with common sense are gonna shut it down.” “We’re not having a climate crisis,” added environmental scientist Bob Zybach. “We’re having a government crisis.” 541-975-1364 Toll Free 1-866-282-1925 Medicare, Auto, Home insurance and Annuities www.reed-insurance.net Kevin Reed
