2A — THE OBSERVER TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2020 LOCAL/REGION DAILY Enterprise school board begins planning bond measure PLANNER By Ellen Morris Bishop EO Media Group TODAY Today is Tuesday, June 16, the 168th day of 2020. There are 198 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On June 16, 1996, Russian voters went to the polls in their fi rst independent presidential election; the result was a runoff between President Boris Yeltsin (the eventual winner) and Communist challenger Gennady Zyu- ganov. ON THIS DATE In 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle in Scot- land. (She escaped almost a year later but ended up imprisoned again.) In 1858, accepting the Illinois Republican Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said the slavery issue had to be resolved, declaring, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” In 1883, baseball’s fi rst “Ladies’ Day” took place as the New York Gothams offered women free admis- sion to a game against the Cleveland Spiders. In 1911, IBM had its beginnings as the Comput- ing-Tabulating-Recording Co. in New York State. In 1933, the National Industrial Recovery Act became law with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signature. In 1963, the world’s fi rst female space traveler, Valentina Tereshkova, 26, was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union aboard Vostok 6. In 1970, Kenneth A. Gibson of Newark, N.J., became the fi rst black politician elected mayor of a major Northeast city. In 1987, a jury in New York acquitted Bernhard Goetz of attempted murder in the subway shooting of four youths he said were going to rob him; however, Goetz was convicted of il- legal weapons possession. (In 1996, a civil jury ordered Goetz to pay $43 million to one of the persons he had shot.) LOTTERY Megabucks: $2.6 million 4-7-11-32-33-35 Mega Millions: $20 million 9-14-57-67-70—2 x3 Powerball: $20 million 2-12-32-50-65—PB-5 x3 Win for Life: June 13 12-23-66-75 Pick 4: June 14 • 1 p.m.: 7-9-6-4; • 4 p.m.: 2-9-8-9 • 7 p.m.: 7-9-0-1; • 10 p.m.: 8-4-3-9 Pick 4: June 13 • 1 p.m.: 0-7-2-0; • 4 p.m.: 3-7-6-8 • 7 p.m.: 8-7-2-3; • 10 p.m.: 9-4-9-7 Pick 4: June 12 • 1 p.m.: 5-3-0-9; • 4 p.m.: 6-8-7-1 • 7 p.m.: 3-0-1-1; • 10 p.m.: 4-3-6-5 DELIVERY ISSUES? If you have any problems receiving your Observer, call the offi ce at 541-963-3161. TODAY’S QUOTE “Our memories are card indexes consulted and then returned in disorder by authorities whom we do not control.” — Cyril Connolly, British critic (1903-1974) ENTERPRISE — The Enterprise School District Board of Directors recently made tentative plans for a bond measure to appear on the November ballot. The board also learned the city of Enterprise received a grant to provide a school resource offi cer, discussed getting new LED lighting throughout the school and heard about pre- liminary guidelines for opening school in the fall. The board on June 8 reviewed a recent public HERMISTON — The Hermiston man found dead from a gunshot wound at an East Francolin residence on June 9 has been identi- fi ed as Jesus Eli Lopez, 21, according a press release from the Umatilla County District Attorney’s Offi ce. The Umatilla/Morrow Major Crime Team is inves- tigating Lopez’s death as a homicide, the release stated. Hermiston police were initially dispatched to a res- idence on the 300 block of East Francolin Avenue at 8:16 a.m. June 9 for a report of an unresponsive male. After arriving, offi cers determined the man had been killed by a gunshot. board decided it provided a helpful picture of public opinion. To make these improve- ments, the school dis- trict has been approved for a matching grant of up to $4 million from the state, said Superintendent Erika Pinkerton. The state will match the amount of funding the district can raise through a bond. While the total cost of recom- mended improvements (including the bleachers and irrigation system) is esti- mated at more than $9 mil- lion, the board’s discussion EOU honors grads in virtual ceremony University confers degrees to more than 800 students By Sabrina Thompson The Observer LA GRANDE — Eastern Oregon Univer- sity held its graduation cer- emony virtually Saturday at 10 a.m. A livestream of speeches and the confer- ring of degrees honored the class of 2020, which due to coronavirus restrictions could not have a traditional commencement. About 15 minutes before the livestream of the grad- uation began, a slideshow of videos and photos show- casing the university and Eastern Oregon played over a piano version of “Pomp & Circumstance.” Univer- sity President Tom Insko addressed the graduates. “We have experienced great disruption and chal- lenge in the last few months of the 2020 academic year,” Insko said. “Graduates, your perseverance and resil- ience is a testament to the Mountaineer spirit, and we could not be prouder to call you our own.” Insko introduced 2020 President’s Scholar Mariah Meyerholz. Her speech addressed the effect the out- break has had on people directly and indirectly. “Take today to refl ect on the accomplishment of graduating,” Meyerholz said. “If someone had told me fi ve years ago I would be sitting here today in my pajama pants, speaking in front of my graduating class, I would not have believed them.” Meyerholz acknowl- edged the disappointment over not being able to grad- uate together in person, and she encouraged the grad- uates to continue to work hard as they face future challenges. During the speeches, the names of the more than 800 graduates were displayed, noting where each graduate is from and the degree he or she earned. Deans and faculty from each department con- gratulated their gradu- ates. Professor of music Paul Wordelman sang the EOU anthem, professor of English and writing Nancy Knowles sang the name of the graduates in her depart- ment, and others across departments and colleges wished students the best and offered bits of wisdom. Sheriff ’s offi ce rescues woman stuck on cliff at Harris Park EO Media Group MILTON-FREEWATER — The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce rescued a Walla Walla woman the night of June 10 after she got stuck on a 40-foot cliff while hiking at Harris Park near Milton-Free- water, according to a press release from the sheriff’s offi ce. Sheriff’s deputy John Reitz and fi ve search and rescue volunteers responded to the park around 9:30 p.m. after Eduardo Hazleton, of Port- land, reported his sister, Alana Riggle, 29, hadn’t returned from a hike. According to the release, Hazleton told authorities he and two friends were hiking with Riggle that morning to a scenic overlook of the park when they decided to return to their campsite around 11 a.m. Police ID Hermiston gunshot victim, homicide investigation underway EO Media Group opinion survey of school facilities improvements recommended through the TAP grant consultants. The survey indicated that repair of the roof, eliminating storm water damage to buildings and foundations, and upgrade of middle school science labs were among the public’s highest priorities. Replacing the circa- 1953 bleachers in the gym and improving the ath- letic fi eld irrigation system were among the lowest. While the survey only had 54 respondents, the “There is little informa- tion available concerning the motive or the identity of the person(s) responsible for the shooting,” a June 9 press release about the incident stated. The release added that there will be no addi- tional updates at this time. La GRANDE AUTO REPAIR Photo courtesy of the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce The Umatilla County Sher- iff’s Offi ce rescues Walla Walla resident Alana Rig- gle, foreground, after she did not return to a campsite June 10 at Harris Park near Milton-Freewater after hik- ing with friends. Riggle opted to stay on the trail, but the group couldn’t fi nd her after returning to and searching MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE Joe Horst ACDelcoTSS state funds to match Energy Trust funds in an Energy Trust program that would provide new LED lights throughout the building. Specifi c costs were not yet available. Pinkerton announced the city of Enterprise had been awarded a grant of $125,000 from the Com- munity Oriented Policing Services Offi ce, the Cops Hiring Program grant. The funds will provide a school resource offi cer. The grant would allow Enterprise to hire the offi cer for three years. Judge restrains Ontario city councilor from contacting woman after she reports threats By Les Zaitz Malheur Enterprise via AP StoryShare ONTARIO — Ontario City Councilor Freddy Rodriguez is a “cred- ible threat” to an Ontario woman and faces bail of up to $50,000 if he vio- lates an order to stay away from her, according to court records. Malheur Circuit Judge Erin Landis on June 4 issued a restraining order directing Rodriguez to have no contact with a woman who said in court fi lings that Rodriguez “made me fear that I was about to be physically injured.” The Enterprise does not identify victims of abuse. Rodriguez, 38, has served as a councilor since January 2019. “I was very fearful of him as he has said that he could harm me and others and would get away with it,” the victim wrote in petitioning for the restraining order. She said Rodriguez has a “past domestic violence history.” The woman and Rodri- guez had an intimate rela- tionship in recent months, according to the court fi lings. Landis granted the restraining order the same day the woman requested it. The order form sets a standard $5,000 secu- rity amount “for viola- tion of any provision of this order.” Landis mod- ifi ed that to $50,000 for Rodriguez. Rodriguez has 30 days to request a hearing on the order and said by email to the Enterprise last week that he intends to do so. “I plan to contest these atrocious false accusa- tions,” Rodriguez said. He said Landis’ fi ndings were “based on ZERO evidence.” He said the allegations wouldn’t affect his role on the Ontario City Council. “I intend to continue my service,” he said. In her petition, the victim said Rodriguez made threats to her against one of her employees and Pat Caldwell, a reporter at the Enterprise who had dated the victim. The victim said Rodriguez told her “he was going to kill them.” She recounted an inci- dent from February when she was a passenger when Rodriguez was stopped by an Ontario Police Depart- ment offi cer. She said Rodriguez “started telling the offi cer about hanging out with the mayor and Cliff Bentz, then offered up a coin saying it will get him out of trouble – no ticket issued.” She said Rodriguez has said Ontario police offi cers are “my pals” and that he had nothing to fear from Police Chief Steven Romero. She said Rodriguez told her that “Romero is a new chief and his offi cers don’t respect him and is an [expletive] from California.” Romero couldn’t be reached for comment. She said she sought the petition because of a string of emails from Rodriguez last week demanding money and threatening to expose details of her personal life. Red Cross Drug Store offers Delivery in Union County Stay home let Making sure you are cared for, we always off er delivery to La Grande, us Deliver your Union and Elgin or mailed anywhere. Contact us today to make the easy medicines to you switch. 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She was returned to her family’s campsite around 1 a.m. focused on optimizing their matching funds. “I think a $4 million bond to match the $4 mil- lion from the state would be the best way to go,” said board member Adrian Harguess. Most board members agreed with him. The board will make a fi nal decision in July regarding specifi c improvements, the amount of a bond needed and whether to put a bond mea- sure on the November 2020 ballot. In other developments, the board agreed to use Try CBD! Back Pain Headaches Arthritis Reported to Quickly Relieve: Nerve Pain Joint Pain Chronic Pain www.facebook.com/lagrandecbd | 541-304-9119 2108 Island Ave. La Grande, OR PROTECTING our Residents during this Pandemic 1809 Gekeler Ln. La Grande 541-963-4700