Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 2020)
2A — THE OBSERVER Daily Planner TODAY Today is Thursday, Aug. 13, the 226th day of 2020. There are 140 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT On August 13, 1961, East Germany sealed off the bor- der between Berlin’s eastern and western sectors before building a wall that would divide the city for the next 28 years. ON THIS DATE In 1521, Spanish conquer- or Hernando Cortez captured Tenochtitlan, present-day Mexico City, from the Aztecs. In 1704, the Battle of Blenheim was fought during the War of the Spanish Succession, resulting in a victory for English-led forces over French and Bavarian soldiers. In 1846, the American flag was raised in Los Angeles for the first time. In 1889, William Gray of Hartford, Conn., received a patent for a coin-operated telephone. In 1910, Florence Nightin- gale, the founder of modern nursing, died in London at age 90. In 1913, British metallur- gist Harry Brearley devel- oped an alloy that came to be known as “stainless steel.” (Although Brearley is often credited as the “in- ventor” of stainless steel, he was hardly alone in working to create steel that resisted corrosion.) In 1932, Adolf Hitler reject- ed the post of vice chancel- lor of Germany, saying he was prepared to hold out “for all or nothing.” In 1967, the crime caper biopic “Bonnie and Clyde,” starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, had its U.S. premiere; the movie, directed by Arthur Penn, was considered shocking as well as innovative for its graphic portrayal of violence. In 1989, searchers in Ethiopia found the wreckage of a plane that had disap- peared almost a week earlier while carrying Rep. Mickey Leland, D-Texas, and 14 other people — there were no survivors. In 1995, baseball Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle died at a Dallas hospital of rapidly spreading liver cancer. He was 63. In 2003, Iraq began pumping crude oil from its northern oil fields for the first time since the start of the war. Libya agreed to set up a $2.7 billion fund for families of the 270 people killed in the 1988 Pan Am bombing. LOTTERY Megabucks: $5.1 million 4-15-21-38-43-48 Mega Millions: $24 million 8-22-29-43-56—9 x4 Powerball: $158 million 2-3-14-40-51—PB-24 x3 Win for Life: Aug. 10 4-10-52-69 Pick 4: Aug. 11 • 1 p.m.: 9-9-9-5; • 4 p.m.: 1-9-5-1 • 7 p.m.: 4-3-7-6; • 10 p.m.: 4-9-8-1 Pick 4: Aug. 10 • 1 p.m.: 9-7-9-5; • 4 p.m.: 3-8-1-2 • 7 p.m.: 0-0-4-9; • 10 p.m.: 8-6-4-2 DELIVERY ISSUES? If you have any problems receiving your Observer, call the office at 541-963-3161. THuRSday, auguST 13, 2020 ODOT program eases mobility issues By Dick Mason The Observer UNION — A Oregon Department of Transpor- tation pilot program is giving wings to those with mobility issues in Union. A total of approximately 150 new curb ramps are being installed in Union by ODOT as part of a test pro- gram that will later involve the rest of the state. About 40 new ramps were put in over the past six weeks, and the remainder will be installed next summer, according to ODOT Region 5 Project Leader Howard R. Postovit. The small ramps built into the curbs of side- walks are designed to make it easier for people using wheelchairs to pass from the sidewalk to the road. Via the ODOT project, ramps that are at least 20 years old are being replaced with ones that have grades of just 6.5-7%. The new ramps are flatter than the old ones, said construc- tion project manager Dave Davies, of David Evans and Associates, a Port- land-based firm ODOT has contracted for the curb proj- ect’s design work. Postovit said Union was chosen for the initial phase of the pilot project because of its flatness. He said this made it easier for workers to test out techniques for Staff photo by Dick Mason Howard Postovit and Leslie Hasse of the Oregon Department of Transportation examine a new curb ramp recently installed in Union. installing new ramps more efficiently. The ODOT pilot project is now continuing in Enter- prise and later work will be done in Lakeview. After the pilot project is com- pleted, ODOT will upgrade about 26,000 other curb ramps along state highways throughout the state. The curb ramp upgrades along state highways in Union will be done on Main Street (Highways 237 The Observer ISLAND CITY — Union businessman Mike Becker is a step closer to establishing a small com- mercial center north of Walmart in Island City. Island City’s city council Monday night voted to approve a request from Becker to establish a 1.4-acre partition for the development of a new business on 10.5 acres of land he owns, bordered on the south by May Lane and the Joseph branch of the Union Pacific Railroad. This will allow a fourth business to be established on the land owned by Becker. Other businesses there now are KIE Supply Corp., Fastenal and Oxac Inc. The council voted to approve the partition fol- lowing a land use hearing. One concern expressed at the hearing concerned accessibility to Becker’s land. Living charged in its law- suit that many curb ramps in Oregon did not meet fed- eral standards. The organization and ODOT settled out of court in November 2016 after the transportation agency agreed to upgrade curb ramps on high- ways throughout the state. ODOT has until 2032 to do this under terms of the settlement. The upgrades ODOT Eastern makes changes to its ‘Week of Welcome’ Orientation event adjusts for public safety during COVID-19 By Sabrina Thompson The Observer LA GRANDE — Eastern Oregon Univer- sity will begin on-campus instruction Sept. 23, but in preparation for their time at EOU, incoming freshmen and transfer students will participate in the Week of Welcome orientation Sept. 19-22. Due to social dis- tancing guidelines and safety concerns around COVID-19, this year’s ori- entation will look a little different. “We will basically have the same large-scale events — we are just going to spread them out,” Director of Student Success and Transition Kathryn Shorts said. “We’re going to take over the campus and will be outside a lot.” The university will require face coverings during all orientation events, and hand sanitizer stations have been placed all over campus to help keep proper health protocol. The students will be sepa- Photo contributed by EOU Student Success and Transition Student volunteer leaders are gearing up for Week of Welcome, an orientation event for incoming freshmen and transfer students that starts Sept. 19. rated into groups of around 10 students, which Shorts said has two benefits: It will help mitigate poten- tial spread of the corona- virus, and will encourage group members to build lasting connections with one another. In previous years, large groups of incoming stu- dents were introduced to IC council grants partition request to allow new commercial center By Dick Mason and 203) and on Beakman Street, which runs east out of town as part of Highway 203. ODOT is undertaking the upgrade work because of a lawsuit filed against it in February 2016 by the Association of Oregon Cen- ters for Independent Living, a statewide organization promoting accessibility for all Oregonians who have mobility issues. Oregon Centers for Independent is making in Union and Enterprise include not only reducing the slope of some ramps but also adding tex- ture panels so that those with vision impairments can detect them with canes or their feet. Also, the panels are bright yellow so they are easier to see. “We want (the curb ramps) to jump out,” Davies said. Each ramp must be one- 16th of a inch within the federal Americans with Disabilities Act specifica- tions. In some instances if a ramp is slightly above spec- ifications the concrete has been ground down until it met the guidelines. Leslie Hasse, a right of way agent with ODOT, said that crews have been greeted with positive com- ments while working in Union. “The responses have been very encouraging,” Hasse said. Davies said he has never forgotten a comment a person made about 35 years ago when he was helping to build sidewalk ramps in another area. “Someone told me, ‘You are building these now for your grandparents, then they will be for your par- ents and then, if you are lucky, they will be for yourself.’” It was pointed out that it appears there is only one road in which the site can be accessed and a rail- road crosses it, which is reason for worry since it could be blocked by a train in an emergency. Becker, however, noted that the site can also be accessed via Railroad Avenue, which provides an east entrance. The Union businessman said at the hearing he has done extensive work on developing the site, all with his own money. Infrastructure installed there includes sewer and water and the road has been upgraded. Becker noted that the road there is far better than what was in place several years ago. “It was a farm road before we started this,” Becker said. He stressed that no public funding has been spent on the project and he was not starting now. “I’m not asking for public funds,” Becker said. City Councilor Clint Williams is among those who spoke out in sup- port of the partition at the council meeting following the hearing. “I think we should give it support and move for- ward,” Williams said. “It is on track for we want to see for the city.” Becker hopes to estab- lish a commercial center that would provide a local opportunity for one-stop shopping. “People will be able to get in there and won’t have to go anywhere else,” Becker said. He told the council he has been open-minded throughout the process of creating the commer- cial center and is receptive to recommendations for addressing issues. Becker also told the council he believes he has had a good working rela- tionship with the city of Island City. the downtown scene with local businesses opening their doors during the ori- entation week. There also traditionally has been a WOW Fest event with booths, inflatables and activities. The downtown block party will not occur this year, and WOW Fest will be more spread out to allow for proper social dis- tancing. This year events during Week of Welcome also include an outdoor movie night. “It will have a sim- ilar feel to previous years but we want to make sure we are taking care of one another and doing things safely,” Shorts said. Week of Welcome events will include registration sessions, getting students familiar with campus, and virtual performances and training sessions for sexual assault awareness. Other events are being planned and adjusted to keep up with the latest COVID-19 mandates, according to Shorts. The university began training the 24 volunteer orientation leaders last spring, and even as classes moved online and students went home due to the pan- demic, the Student Success and Transition teams met online to prepare for the fall. Additional students, faculty and staff participate in the Week of Welcome to help new students get accli- mated to being on-campus. “WOW week has impacted my college expe- rience by networking with faculty and the president of the university,” WOW leader Emily Gulch said. “It’s a great opportunity to navigate the campus and meet new faces.” More than 100 students have already registered for the week, and students can register up to the first day of orientation. Shorts expects around 300 students will participate in WOW this year. Crash in Umatilla County kills Wallowa man EO Media Group PENDLETON — A Wallowa man was killed Monday, Aug. 10, in a multiple-vehicle crash on Highway 37 in Uma- tilla County, according to a press release from the Oregon State Police. Lester Estes, 60, was driving a 2005 Dodge 2500 pickup north on Highway 37 when, police said, for an unknown reason the vehicle crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a 1989 Kenworth oper- ated by Harold Buell, 48, of Moses Lake, Washington. Estes sustained fatal injuries and was pro- nounced deceased at the scene. OSP was assisted by the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, Uma- tilla County Fire Dis- trict 1 and Oregon Department of Transportation. Photo contributed by Oregon State Police A 2005 Dodge 2500 pickup rests in the middle of a lane of traffic on Highway 37 in Umatila County. Lester Estes of Wallowa was killed when his pickup crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a 1989 Kenworth semi- truck.
