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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2020)
2A — THE OBSERVER SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2020 REGION DAILY PLANNER TODAY IN HISTORY Today is Saturday, March 21, the 81st day of 2020. There are 285 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On March 21, 1685, composer Johann Se- bastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany. ON THIS DATE In 1871, journalist Henry M. Stanley began his famous expedition in Africa to locate the missing Scottish missionary David Livingstone. In 1918, during World War I, Ger- many launched its Spring Offensive on the Western Front, hoping to break through the Allied lines before Ameri- can reinforcements could arrive. (The Spring Offensive ultimately failed.) In 1945, during World War II, Allied bombers began four days of raids over Germany. In 1963, the Alcatraz federal prison island in San Francisco Bay was emptied of its last inmates and closed at the order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. In 1972, the Su- preme Court, in Dunn v. Blumstein, ruled that states may not require at least a year’s residency for voting eligibility. In 1976, champion skier Vladimir “Spi- der” Sabich was shot and killed by his girl- friend, actress-singer Claudine Longet, in the home they had shared in Aspen, Colorado; Longet, who maintained the shooting was an acci- dent, served 30 days in jail for negligent homicide. In 1981, Michael Donald, a black teenager in Alabama, was abducted, tor- tured and killed by members of the Ku Klux Klan. (A lawsuit brought by Donald’s mother later resulted in a landmark judg- ment that bankrupted one Klan organiza- tion.) In 2006, the social media website Twitter was established with the sending of the fi rst “tweet” by co-founder Jack Dorsey, who wrote: “just setting up my twttr.” In 2007, former Vice President Al Gore made an emotional return to Congress as he pleaded with House and Senate committees to fi ght global warming; Re- publicans questioned the science behind his climate-change documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth.” LOTTERY Megabucks: $6.2 million 5-15-33-35-40-41 Mega Millions: $96 million 20-27-28-58-59-25 x3 Powerball: $140 million 15-27-44-59-63—PB-8 x4 Win for Life: March 18 1-35-56-60 Pick 4: March 19 • 1 p.m.: 4-5-8-5 • 4 p.m.: 7-5-7-1 • 7 p.m.: 8-7-7-2 • 10 p.m.: 6-5-7-9 Pick 4: March 18 • 1 p.m.: 8-7-7-6 • 4 p.m.: 8-6-1-8 • 7 p.m.: 9-4-0-9 • 10 p.m.: 7-9-2-1 DELIVERY ISSUES? If you have any problems receiving your Observer, please call the offi ce at 541-963-3161. TODAY’S QUOTE “Is it worse to be scared than to be bored, that is the question.” — Gertrude Stein, American writer (1874-1946) Washington coronavirus deaths up to 83 Gov. Jay Inslee orders eviction moratorium By Rachel La Corte and Martha Bellisle Associated Press OLYMPIA — Wash- ington state health offi cials Friday reported deaths from the coronavirus brought the state tally of fatalities to 83 — the highest in the country. Also, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a 30-day state- wide moratorium on evic- tions of residential tenants as the state continues to grapple with containing the spread of COVID-19 and the impact it is having on the state’s economy as busi- nesses are forced to tempo- rarily close and employees are laid off. “We recognize we are in extraordinary times, and it is necessary to do what we can to help Washingto- nians weather this storm,” he said. Ten of the newly announced deaths were in King County and fi ve were associated with the Life Care Center, a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash- ington. To date, 35 of the state’s deaths were linked AP Photo/Elaine Thompson Medical personnel wait for a driver to pull up at a drive-through COVID-19 testing station for University of Washington Medicine patients on Tuesday in Seattle. to that facility. Overall, 56 deaths have been reported in King County. Clark County also reported a death Wednesday — the county’s third. Pierce County reported its fi rst fatality from the disease and Snohomish County has reported six deaths. Grant County has reported one death. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symp- toms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health prob- lems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. Inslee’s move to help people facing housing issues came as the Fed- eral Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to suspend foreclosures and Baker County crash kills one, injures two Observer staff BAKER CITY — A crash Thursday morning about 35 miles southeast of Baker City claimed the life of an Idaho man. Oregon State Police reported that Michael Maddox, 55, of Weiser, Idaho, parked a Pontiac Grand Am on the eastbound shoulder of Inter- state 84 near milepost 342. Debra Archer, 37, of Kelso, Washington, was driving east in a Ford Explorer and at 6:50 a.m. hit the Pontiac. OSP troopers and other emergency personnel responded to the crash. State police reported Maddox was in the driver’s seat and died at the scene. Archer suffered injuries, and an ambulance took her to a hospital. Jimmy Padilla, 48, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, was the passenger in the Ford Explorer. He also suffered inju- ries, and an emergency helicopter fl ew him to a hospital. Photo contributed by Oregon State Police This crash Thursday morning on Interstate 84 in Baker County killed one man and injured two other people. Governor seeks virus eviction moratorium Oregon’s primary election of May 19 still on schedule The Associated Press SALEM — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Friday that during the coronavirus outbreak she wants a statewide eviction moratorium, as well as to suspend enforcement on expired automobile tags and driver licenses. While the corona- virus has led to slews of cancellations, postpone- ments and shutdowns, Ore- gon’s primary elections will proceed as sched- uled on May 19, the state’s top election offi cial said Thursday, though results may be slower to come in because of the coronavirus pandemic. Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia and other states are moving their pri- mary elections back over COVID-19 concerns. “Because Oregon votes by mail we do not have to be concerned about social distancing issues at polling places that so many other states are struggling with,” Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno’s offi ce said by email. Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess noted ballot counters are normally sit- ting at tables in fairly crowded rooms and are often over 60 years old, and among the vulnerable population to COVID-19. Autopsy shows Hermiston man killed by gunshot EO Media Group Burgess, president of the Oregon Associa- tion of County Clerks, said to keep proper social distancing, fewer ballot counters will be able to fi t in a room, and some might consider it too risky to show up. Plans are to give them gloves to handle the ballots, but for now, no masks, he said. Holding the closed Republican and Demo- cratic primaries on May 19 is a realistic goal, Burgess said. However, he added, some lightly populated counties have only two elections offi cials. “If one person gets sick, that’s a problem,” he said. Ballots that come in over a short span of time — those that arrive on election day or the day before — through the mail or drop-off boxes might be counted more slowly because they typically account for around 30% of all ballots cast, Burgess said. Clarno’s offi ce said contingency plans are being prepared to deal with any impacts COVID-19 may have on election processes. HERMISTON — The autopsy of the Hermiston man found dead northeast of the city Wednesday revealed he was killed by a gunshot wound, the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce reported in a news release Friday. A Umatilla/Morrow County Major Crimes Team is investigating the homicide of Jordan Deloen Crandall, whose body was found by a citizen at about 9:37 a.m. Wednesday approximately 75 feet west of Alpine Drive, north of Punkin Center Road and next to an irrigation ditch. “At this time, there is no reason to believe the gen- eral public is in danger due to the homicide,” the press release said. “We will release further information when we are able.” Crandall attended Herm- iston High School and com- peted with the Intermoun- tain High School Rodeo team from 2007 to 2009. He was 28 years old. In response to recent statewide developments regarding COVID-19, GRH has made the decision to postpone the following events: Annual Free Community Blood Screenings, Balance Classes, and Parkinson’s Support Group. For the latest updates, visit grh.org/covid19. It should be noted that there are NO presumptive or confirmed cases in Union County as of Friday, March 13, 2020. While we are learning more every day, a clearer picture of COVID-19 and those groups most affected by this disease is emerging, and we continue to refine our responses based on new information. We continue to monitor daily the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Oregon Health Authority, and will reschedule these public events as soon as it is sensible to do so. We encourage you to remain vigilant with precautionary measures against the spread of all respiratory illness by: · · · · · Washing your hands often and appropriately Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth Avoiding contact with sick people Staying home if you're sick Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing For additional information on those most vulnerable to this disease, what to do if you think you may have COVID-19, and more; please visit healthoregon.org/coronavirus or call 211 for the most up-to-date information. In addition, we have established a Coronavirus News & Updates section on our website for the latest from your care team at GRH. Get the latest GRH COVID-19 news and updates on our website at grh.org/covid19 An Independent Insurance Agency Reed & Associates for excellent service LOCALLY! Nicole Cathey evictions for at least 60 days due to the outbreak. The state moratorium was among several policies announced Wednesday that are intended to offer relief to businesses and their employees as the number of coronavirus cases topped 1,100. For workers who have been laid off after after the statewide order that closed restaurants, bars, gyms and other facilities through at least the end of the month, Inslee announced a waiver of the one-week waiting period to receive unem- ployment insurance. The order is retroactive for claims fi led up to March 8, the day of the gover- nor’s fi rst emergency rule expanding unemployment insurance criteria to cover more workers impacted by the coronavirus out- break. The governor is still seeking a major disaster declaration in the state so that residents otherwise not eligible for unemploy- ment insurance could get help under the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program. Up to $5 million will be made available as micro- grants to small businesses across the state to help pre- vent permanent closure. The measures were announced hours after the Employment Secu- rity Department released its monthly unemployment rate update, showing the rate for February was 3.8%. In a written statement, Paul Turek, economist for the department, said hiring in the state was strong last month, but noted the numbers refl ected a time before the recent concerns and actions in response to COVID-19. 10106 N. ‘C’ • Island City 541-975-1364 Medicare, Auto, Home insurance and Annuities Toll Free 1-866-282-1925 www.reed-insurance.net Kevin Reed
