Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 29, 2020)
4A SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2020 The Observer OUR VIEW Vet bill sidelined for now Oregon veterinarians apparently won’t begin par- ticipating in the state’s prescription drug monitoring program any time soon. It’s disappointing because some people do abuse drugs prescribed for their pets and a House bill might have helped prevent that. But there were concerns about the bill. House Bill 4129, which would have allowed the state Veterinary Medical Examining Board to opt into the program, was, presumably, too complicated for lawmakers to deal with in the short, 35-day session of the Oregon Legislature. Fortunately, Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, who was a chief sponsor of the measure, says she plans to try again in 2021. At least one veterinary group, the Oregon Veteri- nary Medical Association, continues to have con- cerns about the measure. Among other things, says OVMA’s executive director Glenn Kolb, computer programs designed for veterinarians and those used to track prescription drugs aren’t compatible, mak- ing the transfer of information from one system to another diffi cult. Meanwhile, Kolb says, his association spends time helping its members learn to recognize when human pet owners are seeking dangerous medications for their own use. It also offers advice on relieving an animal’s pain without using opioids at all. It’s part of education efforts that also include classes about reducing the use of antibiotics. It may be that the OVMA will remain lukewarm, at best, about joining the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, but that shouldn’t put a damper on the effort to include veterinarians in it. And, in fact, the state Veterinary Medical Examining Board is working to improve its rules governing the way veterinarians handle the drugs they dispense. Yet education and tighter rules don’t address the full problem. The state’s prescription drug monitor- ing program remains the critical missing piece, for without it the task of tracking drug abuse becomes nearly impossible. Helt knows that. That’s why she plans to try again next year. Write to us LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Observer welcomes letters to the editor. Letters are limited to 350 words and must be signed and carry the author’s address and phone number (for verifi cation purposes only). We edit letters for brevity, grammar, taste and legal reasons. We do not fact check. We will not publish poetry, consumer complaints against businesses or personal attacks against private individuals. Thank-you letters are discouraged. Letter writers are limited to one letter every two weeks. Email your letters to news@lagrandeobserver.com or mail them to La Grande Observer, 911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR., 97850. T he Blue Mountain Humane As- sociation in La Grande has been a troubled nonprofi t for years. The organization recently has undergone major changes to its board, adding more members, electing a new presi- dent, Beverly Beach, and bringing on a shelter manager, Erin Davis. The Observer started sniffi ng around for what the local humane association was up to after rumors arose about goings-on at its shelter at 3212 Highway 30. One asserted police were involved in some vague action at the shelter (didn’t happen). Another was about a big changeover at the board. The Observer in a Feb. 20 article reported the board re-do and cracked the lid on past problems at the shel- ter, including a mention of how the previous director used the place as his home. Beach said, “We’re moving forward here,” referring to the association and shelter’s sketchy past. She made that statement Wednes- day, Feb. 19, in The Observer news- room. Beach and Association Secre- tary Bri Troutman marched into the newspaper and raised a ruckus about the story reporter Sabrina Thompson was working on. The story essentially dismissed rumors and reported the board changes. Beach said the all-volunteer board is striving to improve operations at the animal shelter. We wanted to report what that entailed. Beach — FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK PHIL WRIGHT while in The Observer newsroom — told Thompson she would have access to the shelter for photos of the work there as well as to other board members after their meeting Monday. That did not happen. Thompson went to the shelter to pursue the story, but Beach denied her any access and refused to answer questions. She also said the rest of the board would not comment. We pushed for comment anyway. The lone board member to respond, Mary Horn, refused to say anything. The notion of talking to the public only after the dust settles during a time of change is wrong-headed in the face of community members wanting to know more. Clamming up rather than opening up creates the very space rumors need to fl ourish. The Blue Mountain Humane Asso- ciation board seems grossly unaware it operates in a small community. You think social media is fast? The origi- nal social media networks of small- town gossip remain at least as fast. The folks running the association may mean well, but shutting out The Observer means shutting out the very public the association seeks to build trust with. And throwing up a wall of silence Your views Bill Miller will bring needed change to sheriff’s offi ce After nearly 30 years of working in law enforcement, I retired as the lieutenant from the La Grande Police Department in 2017. I have lived and served in this community my entire career, and I care deeply about the citizens of Union County. I do not take the endorsement of a candidate lightly. Over the past several years, I have personally observed many internal struggles within the Union County Sheriff’s Offi ce, and I believe it is time for a change in leadership. A sheriff must be a person with integrity and high ethical standards, who leads by example. He must accept responsibility and embrace the concept of holding himself to a higher standard. It is important that he cares about the people he leads and values what they have to offer to the agency. A sheriff should strive to be an effec- tive leader who believes in and supports his subordinates. He must work hard to address issues and take steps to increase morale. When these things happen, em- ployees learn to believe in his leadership and will support him and work hard for him. This will equate to better service to the citizens of Union County. Having rank does not make you a leader, nor does it give you the respect of others. You must work hard to earn that respect. I believe Bill Miller has the ability to make the changes that are needed. Bill knows fi rsthand what the SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Subscription rates per month: Union & Wallowa Co. .........................$11.80 By mail, all other U.S. .............................. $15 A division of issues are within the sheriff’s offi ce, and he is motivated to take action. Bill has served in many positions of leadership in law enforcement and elsewhere. He is a well-rounded individual with many skills and abilities. He has served his commu- nity with honesty and integrity for many years. He believes in transparency and will work hard to gain the trust of his subordinates and those in the community. Bill will do the right thing, even when nobody is watching. He will serve the citizens of Union County with profes- sionalism and honor. Therefore, I am endorsing Bill Miller as the next sheriff of Union County. Derick Reddington Cove STAFF Phone: SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50 You can save up to 34% off the single-copy price with home delivery. Call 541-963-3161 to subscribe. did not stop the paper from pub- lishing a second story that relied on more details from the associa- tion’s own meeting minutes and tax documents about its fi nances and disagreement between the board and the shelter’s director at the time. But the nonprofi t is not the only player here. Union County pays the Blue Mountain Humane Association $50,000 a year to house and care for animals the sheriff’s offi ce brings to the shelter. County Commissioner Matt Scarfo is right in his assess- ment that open lines of communica- tion the shelter is establishing will be important to ensuring the previ- ous issues do not happen again. “I have heard they have been cleaning things up,” he said. But that is hardly any reassurance about how the shelter is operating with public money. Given the local humane association’s track record, the county owes it to the public to not just hear “they have been clean- ing things up” but to check it out and ensure the situation is improving. The county controls the purse strings in this deal, so it certainly can make sure the public money it spends to care for strays is indeed going to that end. The Blue Mountain Humane As- sociation also needs to be straight with the public and transparent about how it is improving operations. Nothing is stopping that short of a lack of common sense. 541-963-3161 An independent newspaper founded in 1896 (USPS 299-260) Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, Oregon 97801. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (except Dec. 25) by EO Media Group, 911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850 (USPS 299-260) Toll free (Oregon): 1-800-781-3214 Fax: 541-963-7804 Email: news@lagrandeobserver.com Website: www.lagrandeobserver.com Street address: 911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande POSTMASTER COPYRIGHT © 2020 THE OBSERVER Send address changes to: The Observer retains ownership and copyright The Observer, protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising 911 Jefferson Ave., copy, photos and news or ad illustrations. They may La Grande, OR 97850 not be reproduced without explicit prior approval. Periodicals postage paid at: Pendleton, Oregon 97801 Publisher........................................Karrine Brogoitti Classifieds ........................................ Devi Mathson Regional circulation director ....................Kelli Craft Home delivery advisor.................Amanda Fredrick Editor .....................................................Phil Wright Customer service rep ......................... Mollie Lynch News clerk....................................Lisa Lester Kelly Advertising representative...............Juli Bloodgood Sports editor .......................................Ronald Bond Advertising representative...................... Amy Horn Reporter................................................Dick Mason Graphic design supervisor................Dorothy Kautz Reporter....................................Sabrina Thompson Graphic design ..............................Cheryl Christian IT support ........................................Nicole Gilbride Chris Rush, Regional Publisher
