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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (July 16, 2020)
2A — THE OBSERVER THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 LOCAL/REGION DAILY Medical examiner says missing teen drowned PLANNER By Chris Collins TODAY EO Media Group Today is Thursday, July 16, the 198th day of 2020. There are 168 days left in the year. BAKER CITY — A 17-year-old boy who had been the subject of a week- long search in the area of Hewitt Park in eastern Baker County was found dead Friday night. A kayaker at the park spotted the body of Thierno Bah fl oating in the water west of the boat docks about 50 yards from shore, Ashley McClay, Baker County Sheriff’s spokeswoman, said Monday. The Baker County Sher- iff’s Offi ce was notifi ed at 6:03 p.m. Friday “It does appear that at some point he fell in the TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On July 16, 1945, the Unit- ed States exploded its fi rst experimental atomic bomb in the desert of Alamogor- do, New Mexico; the same day, the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis left Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California on a secret mission to de- liver atomic bomb compo- nents to Tinian Island in the Marianas. ON THIS DATE In 1557, Anne of Cleves, who was briefl y the fourth wife of England’s King Henry VIII, died in London at age 41. In 1790, a site along the Potomac River was desig- nated the permanent seat of the United States govern- ment; the area became Washington, D.C. In 1862, Flag Offi cer David G. Farragut became the fi rst rear admiral in the United States Navy. In 1969, Apollo 11 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on the fi rst manned mission to the surface of the moon. In 1973, during the Senate Watergate hearings, former White House aide Alexan- der P. Butterfi eld publicly revealed the existence of President Richard Nixon’s secret taping system. In 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when their single-en- gine plane, piloted by Kennedy, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. LOTTERY Megabucks: $3.9 million 3-12-15-22-24-37 Mega Millions: $91 million 6-26-55-56-64—22 x4 Powerball: $79 million 14-19-61-62-64—PB-4 x2 Win for Life: July 13 2-5-36-36-7 Pick 4: July 14 • 1 p.m.: 9-6-3-4; • 4 p.m.: 1-1-9-5 • 7 p.m.: 3-6-0-9; • 10 p.m.: 4-5-6-1 Pick 4: July 13 • 1 p.m.: 8-3-7-6; • 4 p.m.: 2-2-2-5 • 7 p.m.: 1-7-4-2; • 10 p.m.: 6-3-5-0 water and drowned,” McClay said. Bah could not swim, she said. Bah “This is not the outcome myself, or anyone on our Search and Rescue team, had hoped for,” Sheriff Travis Ash stated in a press release. “Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Thierno.” Dr. James Davis, Baker County medical exam- iner, said drowning was the cause of death. “There were no signs of any other contributing fac- tors there,” Davis said. Bah had gone missing on Friday, July 3, from the Hewitt Park campground where he was vacationing with his foster parents, Ahmed Ebeid and Omnia “Nora” Mahmoud, who live in the Portland area, and a group of friends. The park is in eastern Baker County, 3 miles east of Richland just off Highway 86. Bah, was originally from the West African country of Guinea. He had been placed in foster care with the Port- land-area couple about two months ago, McClay said. Bah had gone for a walk about 5:30 Friday evening. He commonly took long walks, family members said. They called to report him missing about 9 o’clock that night after he failed to return to camp. McClay said Bah is believed to have fallen in the water and died some- time that night. Last week, his family offered a reward to anyone with information that might lead to helping searchers fi nd the boy. Members of the Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce Search and Rescue Team began searching for Bah on July 3. They later were joined by members of the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce Search and Rescue Team, Malheur County Sheriff’s Offi ce, Oregon Department of Forestry, Idaho Power and Oregon State Police. The search included ground crews who inter- viewed people camped at Hewitt Park and the nearby Holcomb Park on Brownlee Reservoir as well as resi- dents of the Richland and Halfway areas. Aerial drones with infrared capa- bilities, boats equipped with side scan sonar, a diver and a fi xed-wing aircraft were used during the effort to fi nd Bah. Fliers with photos of Bah and a description of him also were distributed in the area. Loved ones want more COVID-19 protections for inmates By Alex Castle EO Media Group PENDLETON — Lydia Jarrell stood looking across the fenced-off exterior of Eastern Oregon Correc- tional Institution on Friday, July 10. A few hundred yards away from the facility is the closest she has been to her husband in more than four months, since visita- tions ceased at the Pend- leton prison in February due to a fl u outbreak and then were later suspended statewide in March due to COVID-19. Jarrell’s husband is one of the 1,700 men incar- cerated at EOCI, which announced its fi rst con- fi rmed cases on Wednesday, July 8, and went into a 14-day quarantine due to an outbreak of the virus on Monday, July 13. As of July 13, there are 19 cases in the facility, 16 inmates and three staff, according to prison offi cials. The cases at EOCI are just the latest in Oregon’s prisons, which to date has reported 398 total cases in state prisons, 315 among inmates and 83 among staff. One inmate has reportedly died from the virus. The ability for COVID-19 to spread quickly though crowded, indoor settings is a terri- fying situation for those with loved ones inside the system, like Jarrell, who stood outside in the after- noon heat to protest fol- lowing a short nap to recover from clocking off from work at 5 a.m. “These are our husbands, our sons, our fathers, our brothers, our uncles, our loved ones,” she said. “This is already a scary time as it is, and we’re stuck out here worrying about them in there — helpless — with nothing we can do.” Jarrell joined three other women with loved ones in Photo by Ben Lonergan/EO Media Group Outside Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution in Pend- leton, Barbara Dickerson protests for stronger COVID-19 precautions in Oregon’s prisons. Dickerson’s husband is an inmate at EOCI and tested positive for COVID-19. the Oregon prison system outside of the Pendleton institution on July 10, to protest what they say are dangerous conditions as a result of negligence from Gov. Kate Brown and the Oregon Department of Corrections. Among their many con- cerns are that correctional offi cers working inside the state’s prisons aren’t being required to wear masks at all times while on duty despite Brown’s execu- tive order mandating they be worn in indoor public spaces throughout the state. “Our concern is that masks have been mandated by our governor. And if the DOC doesn’t enforce that, the superintendents (must) enforce it within their prisons — they’re jeopar- dizing not only our loved ones inside, but of taking it home and jeopardizing their families,” said Patty Young- blood, whose son is incar- cerated at EOCI. The Oregon Depart- ment of Corrections’ policy requires prison staff and inmates to wear masks when they cannot maintain 6 feet of physical distance. Masks also have been man- dated for all inmates in medical and food areas, along with some work locations. The department has stated it’s testing and screening all symptomatic inmates, isolating and quar- antining those believed to have the virus or come in contact with it, and con- ducting contact tracing investigations on those who test positive. Joseph City Council welcomes park volunteer, code offi cer DELIVERY ISSUES? If you have any problems receiving your Observer, call the offi ce at 541-963-3161. By Bill Bradshaw EO Media Group JOSEPH — The city of Joseph has a few new people on board, having welcomed a new code enforcement offi cer, two new maintenance workers and a 6-year-old volunteer to help keep the city park free of trash and accompa- nying germs. Enzo Braden, the elder son of City Administrator Larry Braden, asked to address the city council at its Thursday, July 9, meeting. Enzo asked Mayor Teresa Sajonia if he could serve as a volunteer to pick Correction In the July 9 B section story, “Project coming to a close,” the article erroneously stated David Johnson was working with the Columbia Development Authority on solutions for main- tenance of the artifi cial owl burrows. The CDA is not involved in the project. The EO Media Group regrets the error. up trash at the park and oth- erwise help keep it clean. “I just don’t want anyone to get germs from the park,” Enzo said. In another matter, Braden introduced the city’s new code enforce- ment offi cer, Christian Ambroson, to the council. Ambroson’s hiring comes on the heels of the city’s June 4 decision to give Wallowa County 90 days’ notice it was can- celing its contract for law enforcement services. The city’s chief complaint was the county was not enforcing city ordinances and codes. While the city wants to retain the Wallowa County Sheriff’s Offi ce for patrol services, the council decided it needed a more effi cient way to enforce code and ordinance violations. Braden said Ambroson, who has a law degree, will be the person to approach residents who appear to be in violation of city ordi- nances and attempt to resolve the violations. “I just want to work with the people,” Ambroson told the council. If need be, he will be the one who issues citations. Such citations will be heard quarterly by a hearing offi cer, who has yet to be named. Braden at last month’s meeting said junk or wrecked vehicles or uncon- trolled weeds and grass within city limits are the most common violations. Property owners have 10 days to remedy the problem. After that, the Open for Take Out Friday, Saturday and Sunday 5pm-8pm Appetizers Entrees Shrimp Skewers $8 Lamb Chops $25 New York Steak $25 Fresh Salmon $20 with Spicy Siracha Cheese and Veggie Plate $5 Union County Museum to stay closed Soup Small Plate Chicken Bisque Flat Iron $12 Entre $18 Teriyaki Chicken $12 Entre $18 Salad The Observer UNION — The Union County Museum will not open this year. A press release Wednesday announced the board of directors decided to keep the doors on the museum in Union closed, putting an end to a season already delayed two months because of the coronavirus. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the precau- tions underway to reduce its spread, rather than opening to the public on a regular schedule, we have decided to use the 2020 season to upgrade the facil- ities, freshen exhibits and work on museum outreach and educational programs,” Nod Palmer, president, said in the press release. The museum tradition- ally is open Mother’s Day through September. The board is seeking help from volunteers for a range of projects. People who want to help or learn about opportunities can do so by contacting Linda Bond at 541-910-8263 or jeffl indabond@gmail.com. For renewals or fi rst-time signups for memberships, contact Carol Mulvany at cjmulvany@charter.net. www.CountrysideSheds.com Start Growing Season in your NEW Greenhouse (541) 663-0246 Locally owned and operated for over 25 years Add chicken or shrimp $3 Sandwiches Flat Iron Steak Dip $15 Teriyaki Chicken $13 Blue Plate $12 Alliance Self Storage Chicken and Mushroom Alfredo 2105 E L Ave., La Grande • allianceselfstorage123@gmail.com with a green salad Sunday Night Family Style Fresh Salmon! with Baked Pasta, Cole Slaw and Garlic Bread, serves 4 Sunday Pie Chocolate Raspberry Tart $4 4 serving $12 Special requests and pre-orders welcome Market Menu including baked goods, sides, soups, sauces and dressings Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics proudly welcomes: David Ingram, MD To the Grande Ronde Hospital team as a Emergency Department Physician 10505 N. McAlister Road Grande Ronde Hospital (Corner of Hwy 82 & N. McAlister Rd.) RENT to OWN starting at $ Desserts Our Very Best Chocolate Cake $6 Cheesecake $6 Chocolate Hazelnut Torte $6 Join us in welcoming Dr. David Ingram to the Grande Ronde Valley! Dr. Ingram has spent the last two years in Temple, Texas, where he completed his residency after finishing medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to medical school, Dr. Ingram received his Master’s degree as well as his undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and Utah State University, respectively. He also spent two years serving a church mission in Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Ingram and his family enjoy the outdoors through hiking, skiing, photography, and general recreational travel. In his free time, he also enjoys wood working and furniture building. Dr. Ingram looks forward to working alongside the Emergency Department team to care for you when you need us most. STORAGE BUILDINGS Our Greenhouse is more than a shed Caesar $15 with Oregon Bay Shrimp Taco Salad-beef or chicken $12 House $6 Caesar $7 541-786-8984 owner is fi ned $500 a day until remedied. City offi cials emphasized last month they were sat- isfi ed with patrol services from the sheriff’s offi ce and hope to retain those ser- vices. The council said at Thursday’s meeting that no progress toward renego- tiating a contract for only police services had yet been made. 68 Month David Ingram, MD 900 Sunset Drive, La Grande • grh.org Learn more about Dr. Ingram in our online Provider Directory at www.grh.org today!
