LOCAL
Tuesday, april 7, 2020
Community
Meetings
• LA GRANDE — The Blue
Mountain Translator District
Board of Directors will stream
its meeting Tuesday on the
district’s Facebook page, and
the public may participate via
phone (conference number:
669-900-6833; meeting ID:
923089732). The meeting
begins at 10 a.m. The board
packet is available at www.
bmtd.org/public-notice.
Briefs
Senior center lowers
cost of takeout lunches
LA GRANDE — The cost
for takeout lunches at the
Union County Senior Center
has been reduced to $5 for
people younger than 60. The
cost for seniors remains $3.
For the time being, lunches
are available for pickup
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
weekdays at the center, 1504
N. Albany St., La Grande.
To make arrangements for
delivery call 541-963-7532
before 10 a.m.
City fire hydrant testing
underway
LA GRANDE — The city of
La Grande began a semi-an-
nual fire hydrant testing and
maintenance program April
1. Testing is expected to take
place Monday thru Friday
from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Public
Works conducts these tests
to identify the quantity of wa-
ter available for firefighting
purposes and to rid the city’s
water distribution system of
accumulations of sedimenta-
tion deposits.
Residents who experience
any unusual water clarity
problems after the hydrants
are flushed are advised to
turn on a cold-water outside
faucet and let it run 10-15
minutes. This will normally
clear up the agitated water
from the service line to the
home. You can call the La
Grande Public Works Depart-
ment at 541-962-1325 if you
have further problems.
Online libraries available
for free
LA GRANDE — Tumble-
Books has made its family
of online libraries available
for free until at least Aug.
31, according to a news
release from the La Grande
library. The flagship product,
TumbleBooklibrary (www.
tumblebooklibrary.com),
is a collection of animated
talking picture books, read-
alongs, ebooks, quizzes,
lesson plans and educational
games. Other collections
include TumbleMath, Teen-
BookCloud, AudioBookCloud
and RomanceBookCloud.
To access the Tumble-
Books collections, and
for a growing list of other
free offerings, go to www.
cookmemoriallibrary.org
and follow the “Things To
Do When Bored” link on the
homepage. For more infor-
mation about this and other
library services, contact the
library at 541-962-1339.
Strengthen your health
with free four-week
challenge
LA GRANDE — Nature’s
Pantry and Mountain Valley
Fitness and Health are
sponsoring a free four-week
“Vibrant You” health chal-
lenge. Learn how to put into
practice the building-block
habits of health and to
strengthening your overall
health. The entire challenge
can be done on your own
and all meetings and classes
will be streamed live.
The challenge will run
April 19-May 16. Registration
must be completed by April
13. To sign up, call Nature’s
Pantry at 541-963-7955
or stop by the store, 1907
Fourth St., La Grande. The
livestreamed launch meeting
is planned for April 16 at
6 p.m.
The program will feature
instruction by health and
fitness professionals, meal
plans, virtual cooking and
exercise classes and more.
Upcoming
local
services are
pending due
to efforts to
curb the
spread of the
coronavirus.
Work begins to add third lane in Ladd Canyon
Crews adhere to
COVID-19
protections
J
By Dick Mason
The Observer
LA GRANDE —
Oregon Department of
Transportation crews and
contractors are beginning
work on a project that will
significantly dull the trou-
bles caused by jackknifed
trucks in Ladd Canyon.
ODOT is starting
work on the final phase
of the $30 million Ladd
Canyon Freight Improve-
ment Project. It calls for the
installation of a 1.5-mile-
long eastbound lane starting
from the west entrance of
Ladd Canyon. It will run
from milepost 269.5 to 271.
The expanded space
should reduce the number
of times the state road
agency has to close the
freeway through Ladd
Canyon for trucks blocking
lanes after jackknifing
or stalling, said ODOT
spokesman Tom Strand-
berg. He said if a truck
crashes in the future on
the three-lane road, traffic
will be able to move around
while crews clear the
Observer file photo
The Oregon Department of Transportation’s excavation work in September 2019 creates
a new channel for Brush Creek as part of the Ladd Canyon Freight Improvement Project.
The work now moves into adding a third lane through that stretch of Interstate 84 near
La Grande.
wreck. Now when this hap-
pens, the freeway often
must be closed.
Preliminary work on
the installation of the third
lane will be conducted over
the next two weeks. There
will be some lane closures
during this time in the work
zone.
“There will be a lot of
activity through the canyon
during this week, so please
do drive with caution,”
said ODOT’s Mike Remily,
manager of Ladd Canyon
Freight Improvement
Project. He said the work
this spring will involve
blasting and earthwork.
“They will be building
up the base for the third
lane,” he said.
A 50 mph speed limit
will be in place from now
until the project wraps this
fall.
Strandberg said ODOT
employees and contrac-
tors will be adhering to
Website aims to serve as one-stop-shop
for La Grande students in all grades
J
By Dick Mason
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande School District is
launching a website to help
its students go the distance
this spring.
The website lays the
framework for the district’s
new distance education pro-
gram. La Grande, like all
public school districts in
Oregon, must start a dis-
tance education program by
April 13 under a directive
from the Oregon Depart-
ment of Education. It came
two weeks after Gov. Kate
Brown ordered all school
districts closed due to
COVID-19.
The new website at
www.lagrandesd.org/dis-
tarncelearning provides
students with class assign-
ments, information on
turning them in and other
resources. Scott Carpenter,
the district’s director of edu-
cational programs, said the
website aims to provide stu-
dents with all they need to
learn at a distance.
While students can
submit their work remotely,
they also have the option
of turning in work at their
schools, which are open
from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. week-
days during the closure. The
district also encouraged stu-
dents to submit their work
weekly rather than at the
end of the closure. Car-
penter said this will help the
learning process because
subject matter builds on ear-
lier lessons.
“Learning happens in
sequence,” Carpenter said.
Teachers will be required
to acknowledge receipt of
coursework via phone calls,
emails or other means.
La Grande High School
teachers are to enter all
graded classwork into the
Synergy software system.
This will provide students
with a clear picture of how
they are progressing toward
course completion and
where they stand in terms of
earning education credits.
Teachers also will be avail-
able to answer student ques-
tions each weekday from
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. via phone,
email or media platforms.
“They have multiple for-
mats for communicating
with teachers,” Carpenter
said.
District educators are
reviewing curriculum tools
and online resources. Those
resources would not be part
of the curriculum but could
provide families and stu-
dents with additional oppor-
tunities to learn.
Teachers will share
COVID-19 prevention
guidelines, including social
distancing.
“They understand how
critical these requirements
are,” Strandberg said.
He said a number of pre-
cautions will be relatively
easy for workers to adhere
to because much of the work
involves driving inside the
cabs of equipment.
The project is resuming
after starting in April
2019, when crews wid-
ened the shoulders of the
east- and westbound lanes
of Interstate 84 for 10 miles
between La Grande and
Ladd Canyon, removed a
bridge and installed a con-
crete box-like culvert large
enough to accommodate
semitrailers. Eliminating
the bridge was beneficial
because it tended to get icy.
Strandberg explained
bridges usually freeze first
because they are sand-
wiched between cold air.
The adjacent road freezes
later because only its
top surface is exposed to
frigid air while the bottom
remains insulated in soil.
Strandberg said ODOT
later will collect data to
determine the effects the
new culvert is having on
road closures.
Public Safety Report
Schools launch distance learning effort
packets electronically with
families via a number
of sources depending on
their students’ grade level.
Hard copies of curric-
ulum packets will be avail-
able for pickup on Tues-
days between 7:30 a.m. and
7 p.m. at the schools stu-
dents are attending. Parents
also will be able to pick up
the packets.
Students in kindergarten
through sixth grade will
work 30 minutes per school
day in reading, writing and
math each. Seventh through
12th graders will have
about 30 minutes of home-
work per course. The home-
work some La Grande High
School social studies stu-
dents received over the past
week including reviewing
the definition and purpose
of an executive order
Writing assignments fifth
graders were given included
editing sentences like this:
“hans christian anderson a
writer for young children
was born on April 2 1805.”
The website states fam-
ilies can expect commu-
nication by phone or mail
from teachers twice a week
to discuss homework and
answer questions. Elemen-
tary school students will
be contacted by their class-
room teachers. Middle
school and high school
teachers will be con-
tacted by their homeroom
teachers.
FRIDAY
9:14 a.m. — An Elgin caller
on the 73500 block of Gordon
Creek Road asked for a Union
County sheriff’s deputy
regarding ongoing trespass-
ing. The deputy made contact
and will do follow up.
10:45 a.m. — La Grande
police and a Union County
sheriff’s deputy responded to
the 1400 block of Balm Street
for a domestic disturbance.
Officers separated the
parties.
The Union County Sheriff’s
Office arrested Jace Darrell
Clark, 28, of La Grande, for
violating probation, nine
counts of fraudulent use of a
credit card and 18 counts of
identify theft.
7:44 p.m. — La Grande
police responded to a report
of a fight on the 2300 block
of Island Avenue. Officers
separated the parties.
SATURDAY
3:13 a.m. — A La Grande
caller complained about noise
on the 1100 block of Benton
Avenue. Police responded and
resolved the problem.
3:24 a.m. — La Grande
police received a report of a
vehicle theft on the 700 block
of N Avenue.
12:35 p.m. — La Grande
police received a complaint
about a dog bite. The animal
enforcement officer respond-
ed and took a report.
3:40 p.m. — La Grande
police responded to the
1300 block of X Avenue for a
domestic disturbance. Officers
resolved the situation.
3:39 p.m. — A caller on the
1900 block of Z Avenue, La
Grande, reported vandalism
to a vehicle. A Union County
sheriff’s deputy took a report.
7:37 p.m. — An Elgin caller
on the 300 block of North
10th Avenue reported a theft.
A Union County sheriff’s
deputy took a report.
10:03 p.m. — La Grande
police responded to the 3200
block of Umatilla Street for
an assault. The subject did
not want to go forward with
a case.
SUNDAY
12:16 a.m. — La Grande po-
lice cited a 15- and a 17-year-
old for unauthorized entry into
a vehicle, unauthorized use of
a vehicle, conspiracy to com-
mit vehicle theft and interfer-
ing with making a report.
Oregon State Police
arrested Simon Peter Gross,
33, of Marlin, Washington, on
accusations of driving under
the influence of intoxicants..
1:47 p.m. — A La Grande
resident on the 1600 block of
Washington Avenue asked to
speak to an officer regard-
ing harassment. An officer
responded, found out the
situation involved a landlord
and tenant and advised the
person to go through the civil
deputy with the Union County
Sheriff’s Office.
2:59 p.m. — The Union
County Sheriff’s Office re-
ceived a report of possible an-
imal abuse at Courtney Lane
and Highway 82, Summer-
ville. The animal enforcement
officer will follow up.
4:20 p.m.. — A La Grande
caller on the 1600 block of
Washington Avenue reported
receiving harassing phone
calls.
7:56 p.m. — A La Grande
resdient on the 3200 block of
Alder Street reported harass-
ment. An officer responded
and will follow up.
Obituaries
Robert P. Clemens
Formerly of Union and La Grande • 1936-
2020
Robert Peter Clemens,
83, formerly of Union and
La Grande, died March 19
at his home in Meridian,
Idaho.
Known as
Bob, he was
born Aug. 9,
1936, in Loma
Linda, Cali-
fornia, to Elton
Clarence Sr.
and Francica
Adelina (Espi-
nosa) Clemens.
He spent his
early years in
Burns, where he learned
much about horses, cattle
and ranching from his uncle
Buck Clemens.
Bob’s family moved to
Union, where he attended
Union High School, grad-
uating in 1964. At UHS he
was very active in sports,
and it was there he met his
future wife, Virginia Ann
Westenskow. Bob and Ann
were married in the Logan
LDS Temple on April 14,
1955, and Bob remained an
active member throughout
his life.
Bob and Ann raised
three sons, David, Lyle and
Dean, and one daughter,
Shelley. They established
their home in La Grande in
1959. Bob loved his chil-
dren dearly.
In 1957, Bob enlisted in
the U.S. Army and served
his country honorably. Fol-
lowing his military ser-
vice, he developed Clemens
Contracting and had much
success building homes
throughout Eastern Oregon.
After retiring, Bob and
Ann served a mission for
the LDS Church in Gal-
veston, Texas, where Bob’s
outgoing nature made him
a beloved missionary. They
also commuted to Boise
to serve faithfully as ordi-
nance workers in the Boise
Idaho Temple.
Bob developed a love of
flying, and after obtaining
his personal pilot’s license,
he enjoyed flying his
Cessna over the Blue Moun-
tains. He had a talent for
working with his hands and
was often fixing or building
something in his shop. Bob
had an amazing work ethic
and taught his children
the value of hard work. A
gifted storyteller, he mes-
merized his children and
grandchildren with detailed
memories from his past.
Bob loved the outdoors
and was an avid hunter
and fisherman. He enjoyed
having a small ranch of
cattle and horses. For sev-
eral summers, he organized
and led his family on pack
trips into the Eagle Cap
Wilderness. He also took
several of the local Scouts
on high adventure trips into
North Minam Meadows.
Surviving relatives
include his wife of 64
years, Ann, of Meridian,
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Nicole Cathey
THe OBserVer — 3A
10106 N. ‘C’ • Island City
541-975-1364
Idaho; sister, Shirley Brink-
hoff of Vancouver, Wash-
ington; daughter-in-law,
Sheri Clemens; sons and
daughters-in-law, Lyle
and Rhonda of Okla-
homa City, Oklahoma, and
Dean and Michelle of Star,
Idaho; daughter and son-
in-law, Shelley and Erich
Sontag of Eden, Utah; and
13 grandchildren and 24
great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in
death by his parents; sib-
lings, Elton Jr. and Theda;
and eldest son, David.
Dorothy Robertson
La Grande
Dorothy Robertson, 90,
of La Grande, died April 3
at her residence. Arrange-
ments by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory.
Penelope Paul
La Grande
Penelope Paul, 77, of La
Grande, died April 5 at her
residence. Arrangements by
Loveland Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
Terrence Huffman
La Grande
Terrence Huffman, 81,
of La Grande, died April 6
at Grande Ronde Hospital.
Arrangements by Love-
land Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
Wilfred ‘Willie’
Hamann
La Grande
Wilfred “Willie”
Hamann, 96, of La Grande,
died April 2 at his home.
Arrangements by Dan-
iels-Knopp Funeral, Cre-
mation & Life Celebration
Center.
Anita Daffer
La Grande
Anita Daffer, 87, of La
Grande, died April 5 at
Grande Ronde Hospital.
Arrangements by Love-
land Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
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