Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2020)
2A — THE OBSERVER D AILY P LANNER THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 LOCAL ODOT puts regional bridge plans to public By Dick Mason TODAY The Observer Today is Thursday, Feb. 13, the 44th day of 2020. There are 322 days left in the year. LA GRANDE — A Wallowa County bridge built the same year the fi rst television drama was broad- cast is due for replacement because of declining ratings. The Oregon Department of Transportation plans to remove Bear Creek Bridge, less than a quarter mile west of Wallowa on Highway 82, after building a new $15.2 million bridge in its place, according to Ken Patterson, ODOT’s regional district manager. The state transportation agency calls for the construction of the new bridge in the 2021-24 Statewide Transportation Improvement Pro- gram. The Oregon Transportation Commission in late January released a draft of the plan, which is ODOT’s capital improvement program. The bridge was built in 1930, the same year as the broadcast of the world’s fi rst television drama. The condition of the Bear Creek span is declining. The new bridge will use improved technology and materials, so it will have fewer support columns in the stream below, Patterson said, mak- ing it easier for maintenance crews to keep debris from building up underneath. The new bridge also will be wider and go up next to the old one, allowing traffi c to cross during construction. The project is set to start in 2021. ODOT’s program also calls for work to improve the safety of the steep Morgan Lake Road just southwest of La Grande. The work would widen portions of the unpaved roadway and install additional guardrails, Patterson said. The department will determine where to make the improvements using crash data. The project would TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On Feb. 13, 1945, during World War II, Allied planes began bombing the German city of Dresden. The Soviets captured Budapest, Hun- gary, from the Germans. ON THIS DATE In 1633, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before the In- quisition, accused of defend- ing Copernican theory that the Earth revolved around the sun instead of the other way around. (Galileo was found vehemently suspect of heresy and ended up being sentenced to a form of house arrest.) In 1861, Abraham Lincoln was offi cially declared win- ner of the 1860 presidential election as electors cast their ballots. In 1935, a jury in Flem- ington, New Jersey, found Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of fi rst-degree murder in the kidnap-slaying of Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of Charles and Anne Lind- bergh. (Hauptmann was later executed.) In 1965, during the Viet- nam War, President Lyndon B. Johnson authorized Operation Rolling Thunder, an extended bombing campaign against the North Vietnamese. In 1974, Nobel Prize-win- ning Russian author Alexan- der Solzhenitsyn was expelled from the Soviet Union. In 1984, Konstantin Chernenko was chosen to be general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party’s Central Committee, succeeding the late Yuri Andropov. In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, allied war- planes destroyed an under- ground shelter in Baghdad that had been identifi ed as a military command center; Iraqi offi cials said 500 civil- ians were killed. In 1998, Dr. David Satcher was sworn in as the 16th Surgeon General of the United States during an Oval Offi ce ceremony. In 2000, Tiger Woods saw his streak of six consecutive victories come to an end as he fell short to Phil Mickel- son in the Buick Invitational. CORRECTION The page 6A story “Eagles slip by Elgin in key OOL battle” in the Feb. 11 edition misstated Elgin’s top scor- ers in the contest. Kaden McClure scored 12 points, Tristan Simpson had 11 and Gage McKay had 10. LOTTERY Megabucks: $3.8 million 4-22-26-35-38-39 Mega Millions: $40 million 4-6-32-52-64-6 x2 Powerball: $70 million 35-49-50-59-66-PB-6 x2 Win for Life: Feb. 10 20-34-35-73 Pick 4: Feb. 11 •1p.m.:0-0-2-9 •4p.m.:8-0-6-0 •7p.m.:4-8-1-0 •10p.m.:3-8-0-0 Pick 4: Feb. 10 •1p.m.:3-2-0-3 •4p.m.:6-1-5-7 •7p.m.:6-0-8-4 •10p.m.:0-3-8-8 DELIVERY ISSUES? If you have any problems receiving your Observer, please call the offi ce at 541- 963-3161. QUOTE OF THE DAY “An explanation of cause is not a justifi cation by reason.” — C.S. Lewis, English author (1898-1963) Staff photo by Dick Mason Two vehicles pass Tuesday on the narrow Morgan Lake Road near La Grande. The Oregon Department of Transportation’s proposal of improvement projects for 2021-24 includes widening portions of the road and installing more guardrails. cost about $1.28 million and begin in 2023. ODOT’s proposal also calls for replacing the decking of the two bridges at the North Powder inter- change. The last replacement of the decking was about 20 years ago. “They are pitted and rutted,’’ Patterson said. Another project in Union County would install better piping in cul- verts along Interstate 84 from Hil- gard Junction State Park to Ontario. The enhanced piping would help keep water from running over the top of the freeway, Patterson said. The public can visit www.oregon. gov/ODOT to review the draft of the statewide plan and submit comments. The deadline for public comments is April 6. An online open house on the STIP work will start later this month and last about two weeks. A video on the program will be available at a website during the open house along with ex- tensive written information. Website visitors will be able to make com- ments on the proposal at the online open house. Information on accessing the online open house is coming soon. Individuals also have an oppor- tunity to make comments in person at a traditional open house March 10 in John Day. It will start at 10:30 a.m. at the Oregon Department of Forestry conference room at 415 Pat- terson Bridge Road. The State Transportation Com- mission will later vote on approval of a fi nal plan for 2021-24. The federal government then must give its OK to the program. That should come by September. Patterson said ODOT welcomes public comments and gives them serious consideration. He said the department is not only interested in receiving input on the plan but wants to hear from people who have recommendations regarding future projects they want the agency to pursue. He said the transportation department has taken on projects in the past after the public made recommendations. “We want to be a responsive agency,” he said. “We want to meet the needs of everyone because we live and work here.” What’s still moving, what’s spiked in Legislature By Jake Thomas Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — The fi rst major deadline of this year’s legis- lative session hit the Capitol on Friday. Legislation with no date by the deadline for a commit- tee vote were headed for the political dustbin. These proposals may not have made headlines, but they could have affected Oregonians nonetheless. Sometimes lawmakers introduce legislation that is unlikely to pass just to get the matter attention or to win the startup of a policy workgroup with the aim of it passing in a future session. Although the fi rst dead- line means most bills won’t advance, there is a chance for them to be revived. The deadlines don’t apply to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, as well as other committees that deal with rules or fi nance. So bills sent to those committees might have more time. For the moment, here’s a sampling of what seems dead and what’s still moving forward: •The issue: It’s illegal to carry a fi rearm into a public building. But a court case made an exception for people who have a concealed carry license. What it does: Allows local governments to ban people with concealed carry permits from bringing guns into public buildings. Bill number: Senate Bill 1538 Status: Still moving. The Senate Judiciary Commit- tee sent the bill to the Rules Committee. •The issue: Firearms left unlocked by their own- ers have been blamed for suicides and as well as other shootings. What it does: Requires gun owners to lock up their fi rearms when not in use or face penalties as well as liability if their guns fall in the wrong hands. Bill number: House Bill 4005 Status: Still moving. The House Judiciary Committee held a work session on the bill. •The issue: Oregon cur- rently has no effective limits on the amount of money that can be donated to political campaigns. A court case and a constitutional amendment that will go before voters could allow limits. What it does: Would estab- lish a task force to propose campaign fi nance regula- tions. Bill number: House Bill 4124 Status: Still moving. The House Rules Committee has scheduled a work session. •The issue: Contests to kill coyotes drawn criti- cism that such events are inhumane. What it does: Makes it illegal to hold coyote-killing competitions. Bill number: House Bill 4075 Status: Still moving. The House Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a work session. •The issue: Vaping devices that deliver fl avored nicotine have been criticized for being used by tobacco companies to hook kids. What it does: Bans stores from selling fl avored vaping products. L Bill number: Senate Bill 1559 Status: Spiked. Stuck in Senate Health Committee. •The issue: Oregon has experienced increasingly destructive wildfi res. What it does: Attempts to address wildfi res with updates to Oregon’s build- ing codes, land-use plan- ning, mapping of high-risk areas, treatment of forest debris, mitigation of smoke on public health and forest protection. Bill number: Senate Bill 1536 Status: Still moving. The Senate Committee On Wild- fi re Reduction and Recovery held a hearing on the bill. •The issue: Despite an Oregon law that limits law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities, a facility in The Dalles holds contracts to detain people suspected to be in the country il- legally. What it does: Prevents the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility, a state- run detention complex, from contracting with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Bill number: House BIll 4121 Status: Spiked. Died in House Judiciary Committee. last legislative session came to a halt after Senate Re- publicans staged a walkout, depriving the chamber of the number of senators to conduct business. What it does: Changes the number of legislators that need to be present in the House and Senate respec- tively in order to take votes and conduct business. Bill number: Senate Joint Resolution 201 Status: Still moving. Referred to Senate Rules Committee. •The issue: Record amounts of money have poured into elections as a re- sult of a U.S. Supreme Court decision. What it does: Seeks to start a process to amend the U.S. Constitution intended to reform how political cam- paigns are funded. Bill number: Senate Joint Memorial 201. Status: Still moving. Referred to Senate Rules Committee. •The issue: Because of a quorum requirement, the www.CountrysideSheds.com FREE DELIVERY STORAGE BUILDINGS (541) 663-0246 Locally owned and operated for over 25 years 10505 N. McAlister Road (Corner of Hwy 82 & N. McAlister Rd.) We offer free delivery to most areas in Eastern Oregon and South Eastern Washington. RENT to OWN starting at $ 68 Month !! lf se ur Yo E V Take care of you. Make sure you’re on target: 3 Retirement 3 Financial goals 3 Aging concerns d Limite Space first 20: to the REE F Women and Wealth Call to reserve yo ur spot! Ackerman Hall #208 Alumni Room, EOU campus Saturday, February 15th @ 10am Tuesday, February 18th @ 6pm Questions? 541-963-7433 www.walkerwellsfinancialadvisor.com Securities and Advisory Services offered through Client One Securities, LLC Member FINRA/SIPC and an Investment Advisor. Walker-Wells Financial Representative and Client One Securities, LLC are not affiliated. OR license #6224564
