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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 2020)
In Sports A plan for ‘Season 1’ Inside EHS student wins statewide contest, 2A Spreading out in the Eagle Cap wilderness, 1B Weekend Edition SATURDAY-MONDAY • August 22, 2020 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Walter McKay of La Grande Rasmussen investigated for ‘moral fi tness violation’ By Sabrina Thompson Photo contributed by Nancy Tarpy The Observer UNION COUNTY — Alle- gations of sketchy actions has Union County Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen again under the microscope. The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training’s Police Policy Committee Rasmussen voted Thursday, Aug. 20, to initiate a professional standards inves- tigation against Rasmussen. The committee’s 13 members attending in person and online voted unanimously for the investigation. Safety Standards and Training received a complaint in May about Rasmussen based on the Oregon Department of Justice investigation, which concluded in June. The Police Policy Committee considered two complaints during the meeting: whether Rasmussen inappropriately managed the sheriff’s offi ce reserve deputy fund and the pay he retained for proving law enforce- ment services for Elgin while working as sheriff and without the authorization of the county board of commissioners. “I have a particular con- cern with the investigation,” said Mark Rauch, the commit- tee’s public member. “There is a basically a fi nding of at least inappropriate billing if not theft with that amount of money.” The Department of Jus- tice found Rasmussen received more than $7,000 in pay from the Elgin contract, something he was not eligible for as a sal- aried county offi cial, but he was beyond the reach of pro- tection due to the statute of limitations. Committee members Jill Thissell, an Indepen- dence police offi cer, John Teague, chief of the Keizer Police Department, and Eliz- abeth Lawrence, sergeant at the Bend Police Department, agreed with Rauch and deemed the matter should go before DPSST as a professional stan- dards case. While the Police Policy Committee’s primary concern was Rasmussen taking con- tract pay while on the county dime, committee member Chris Davis, assistant deputy chief with the Portland Police See, Sheriff/Page 5A Nancy and Cliff Tarpy moved to La Grande in 2002 to be with fam- ily. Nancy recalled surviving Hur- ricane Camille 51 years ago. Staff photo by Ronald Bond People line up Thursday, Aug. 20, outside the La Grande branch of Old West Federal Credit Union wait- ing to apply for a $500 check from the state government for fi nancial assistance. Those who have been severely fi nancially impacted by the COVID-19 related shutdowns were eligible. Funds come through Hundreds in La Grande receive financial help By Ronald Bond The Observer LA GRANDE — Old West Federal Credit Union was busy Thursday, Aug. 20, with people lining up to acquire one of the thousands of $500 checks the state government allocated to give to Oregon residents who have been fi nancially impacted by COVID-19 related shutdowns. State legislators approved the $35 million plan, and checks began to go out on Wednesday. The money was drawn from fed- eral coronavirus relief funds, according to an Oregon Cap- ital Bureau article, and provides the funding to the fi rst 70,000 approved residents. Bob Kavanaugh, Old West’s business developer and media contact, said there likely were 150-200 people who came through the doors of the La Grande branch Thursday. “One time I looked out and there were 50 (people outside),” he said. Individuals in La Grande waited in line for more than an hour Thursday to get inside and apply for the much sought after fi nancial aid. “It’s going to help with rent. It’s going to help fi nancially. Surviving Hurricane Camille La Grande woman reflects on harrowing experience By Dick Mason The Observer Worldwide cases: 22,536,278 Worldwide deaths: 789,197 U.S. cases: 5,551,793 U.S. deaths: 173,490 Total U.S. tests: 74,830,464 (8.86% positive) Oregon cases: 24,421 Oregon active cases: 19,418 Oregon deaths: 414 Total Oregon tests: 510,056 (4.54% positive) Union County cases: 407 Union County active cases: 359 Union County deaths: 2 Total Union County tests: 3,177 (11.80% positive) Wallowa County cases: 21 Wallowa County active cases: 12 Wallowa County deaths: 1 Total Wallowa County tests: 804 (2.49% positive) *As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. Sources: World Health Organization, Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins University, Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Military Department. Some of us are in back pay on bills,” said Courtney E. of La Grande. “And food. We’re starving.” The La Grande woman, who said she’s a single mom with three kids, has had her hours cut in half during the pandemic. She has received help from Com- munity Connection of North- east Oregon, but still is in a tight place. “We’re just trying to hang on. Nobody is ahead. We’re behind,” she said. “We’re all struggling.” Erica G., also of La Grande, also had her hours at work cut in half. “All of my hours went down,” she said. “You’re down ... on everything, trying to survive.” She pointed to rent and util- ities as bills the money would help cover. She added, though, that individuals who still are in a bind fi nancially would greatly benefi t from another stim- ulus check from the federal government. “They need to get that $1,200 LA GRANDE — The sky was falling 51 years ago where Nancy Tarpy hunkered down in Gulf- port, Mississippi, and she feared the worst was yet to come. It was 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, 1969, and Tarpy, then 18, had just rushed to a bowling alley in Gulfport with seven others to escape Hurricane Camille, one of the worst tropical cyclones to ever strike the United States. The bowling center, on a Navy Seabee base, seemed like one of the safest places to shelter for it was made of steel and concrete. “(The bowling alley) was also a bomb shelter,” Tarpy said. Minutes after Tarpy and her companions arrived, Mother Nature rolled a cruel strike. The hurricane ripped open a portion of the bowling cen- ter’s roof, causing its ventilation system and a portion of its ceiling to crash into the interior. Sud- denly torrential rain was falling into the building and water began rising up its bowling lanes. Tarpy and her party, who were in the center’s snack shop, had nowhere to escape to, since going outside might mean being swept away by wind and fl oodwater. “I really thought I might die,” said Tarpy, who today lives in La See, Checks/Page 5A See, Hurricane/Page 5A COVID-19 by the numbers* Customer compliance an issue in Wallowa County OSHA receives eight COVID-related complaints against seven Wallowa County businesses By Bill Bradshaw EO Media Group WALLOWA COUNTY — Merchants saddled with coronavi- rus-related regulations are facing challenges in addition to keeping their businesses afl oat as they cope with making sure customers comply with wearing face masks and social distancing. Aaron Corvin, public infor- mation offi cer with the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said Thursday, Aug. 13, that eight complaints INDEX Classified ..... 2B Comics ......... 5B Crossword ... 2B Dear Abby ... 6B Horoscope ... 2B against seven Wallowa County businesses had been fi led with his offi ce. All are currently under investigation and no citations have yet been issued or fi nes levied, he said. Corvin said statewide there have been 8,300 complaints fi led for COVID-19-related issues. For perspective, he said, in a normal, nonpandemic year, his agency receives about 2,000 complaints. OSHA is primarily concerned with worker safety, he said. “Under our penalty rules, a serious violation that is not willful (i.e., intentional or purposeful dis- regard for requirements) carries a minimum penalty of $100 and a maximum of $12,675,” Corvin said. He said a willful violation TUESDAY BY THE NUMBERS • Statewide, OSHA has received 8,300 complaints related to COVID-19 issues so far this year. In a normal year, the agency gets about 2,000 complaints. • In Wallowa County, eight complaints have been fi led: four in Enterprise, three in Joseph and one in Wallowa. • Penalties can range from a minimum of $100 to a maximum of $126,749 depending on the severity of the offense. See, Complaints/Page 5A WEATHER Lottery.......... 2A Opinion ........ 4A Outdoors ..... 1B Sports .......... 6A Weather ....... 6B Photo by Bill Bradshaw/EO Media Group Customers at the Enterprise Safeway leave the store Thursday, Aug. 13, still wearing the masks the state requires people to wear in pub- lic places. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported receiving eight complaints against seven businesses in Wal- lowa County for not enforcing the statewide mandate. Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Sunday 50 LOW 92/57 Clear Sunny MAIL IN VOTING IN UNION COUNTY CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 100 2 sections, 12 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Online at lagrandeobserver.com
