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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 2020)
Inside EOMG Hunters Guide Inside Idaho rodeo has no outbreaks, 8A Quick, hot and versatile, 1B Follow us on the web THURSDAY • August 27, 2020 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Bruce Parks of Union Wildfi res Smoke makes air quality unhealthy Portions of Monday and Tuesday saw quality index move above 100 By Ronald Bond The Observer LA GRANDE — Smoke from area and regional wildfi res may not yet be blocking the view of Mount Emily from downtown La Grande as it did in 2018. But the blazes have at times resulted in the air quality in the valley reaching unhealthy levels. The Air Quality Index on the Oregon Department of Environ- mental Quality website spent at least a portion of Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 24-25, above 100, placing it in a range the DEQ says is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The AQI on Monday evening peaked at 112 at the La Grande monitoring station, part of a nine- hour period where it was in triple digits before dropping back into the “moderate” range — between 51 and 100 — early Tuesday morning. A second uptick early Tuesday early afternoon saw it reach as high as 103 before decreasing. Wednesday, the level had dropped into the 50s and low 60s. The numbers are similar across the Grande Ronde Valley. The sta- tion in Cove reached an AQI level of 108 Monday and peaked at 109 during the overnight hours early Tuesday morning before settling again. Wednesday, the number in Cove was higher than La Grande but had dropped to 65 by 11 a.m. Numbers in Enterprise also peaked around the same time, spending a 20-hour period from Monday at 5 p.m. to Tuesday at 1 p.m. above 100 and reaching a top level of 115. It was still above 70 Wednesday morning but by midday fell into the low 50s. Baker City did not crack the 100 threshold Monday, but the area was above the mark much of the day Tuesday and reached as high as 108. By 11 a.m. Wednesday it was down to 55. Many of the monitoring sta- tions in Eastern Oregon saw sim- ilar readings early Wednesday, but most of the western part of the state was in the “good” range below 50. A handful of fi res are burning in Eastern Oregon, including the Meacham Complex, the Street Mountain Fire, the Laurel Fire, the Frog Fire and, the largest one, the Indian Creek Fire. The See, Smoke/Page 5A Staff photo by Ronald Bond Oregon National Guard Sgt. Christopher Callaham presents a U.S. fl ag to La Grande resident Lee Graham, a World War II veteran in attendance at a ceremony Tuesday, Aug. 25, that commemorated the lives of 15 servicemen who died in a B-24 Liberator crash outside of Elgin 75 years ago. Honoring the forgotten Ceremony honors servicemen who died in plane crash at end of World War II By Dick Mason The Observer ELGIN — For a moment early Tuesday afternoon, Lee Graham, a La Grande World War II veteran, felt as if the weight of 15 young servicemen was on his shoulders. The 15 men who died before their com- munities could recognize them for who they were — World War II heroes. Graham was attending a ceremony saluting the servicemen aboard an Amer- ican B-24 Liberator coming home to the Northwest. The big plane crashed in the Blue Mountains of Union County, 17 miles northwest of Elgin on Aug. 25, 1945. The 15 aboard had served in the European Theater, and each died in the accident. Tuesday’s ceremony, at the site of the rash, included the formal presentation of an American fl ag by members of the Third Battalion, 116th Cavalry of the Oregon National Guard, to Graham, who represented the 15 servicemen. Graham acknowledged he felt a responsibility to represent the servicemen with honor after receiving the fl ag, which in turn he will give to the Union County Museum. The responsibility he feels in repre- senting these 15 servicemen and WWII veterans overall is becoming greater, he Staff photo by Ronald Bond La Grande resident Lyle Schwarz, right, reads the names of the 15 servicemen who died in an Aug. 25, 1945, B-24 Liberator crash in the mountains about 17 miles outside of Elgin. The aircraft was returning home following World War II. Schwarz and fellow La Grande resident Armen Woosley coordinated the Tuesday, Aug. 25 service on the 75th anniversary of the crash. said, because the number who can speak for them is diminishing. “I feel like this is the end of the line. We are losing so many World War II vet- erans,” he said. The 15 fallen veterans, all mem- bers of the Army Air Corps were Capt. Edwin F. Zdunczyk, the pilot; 1st Lt. Carleton H. Keeler, co-pilot; 2nd Lts. R.B. Wright, navigator, and G.C. Oes- terreicher, bombardier; 1st Lt. J. Kagel; Technical Sgt. F.G. Emmelmann, radio operator; Sgts. Emil Eckert, Paul E. Kleiner, and M.M. Pickell, all engineers; and gunners, Staff Sgt. R.B. Walters and Sgts. A.H. Brundahl, B.G. Fletcher, A.P. Lupisella, T.R. Frasier and R.W. Johnson. See, Crash/Page 5A La Grande Farmers Market celebrates 40 years By Sabrina Thompson The Observer LA GRANDE — La Grande residents Sally Snyder and Sandy Roth started the La Grande Farmers Market in 1980. In its beginnings it was the Blue Mountain Producers operating in a vacant lot at the northwest corner of North Fir Street and Monroe Avenue. Over the next 40 years, the style, location and managers of the market have changed, but what remains the same is the commitment to providing fresh, locally sourced products and produce Saturday mornings from May to October. INDEX Business ...... 1B Classified ..... 3B Comics ......... 7B Crossword ... 4B Just The Facts The La Grande Famers Market continues to provide local goods as it enters its fi fth decade. The market operates in Max Square in downtown La Grande on Saturday mornings and Tuesday afternoons from May to October. The early years It wasn’t until the summer of 2003 the La Grande Farmers Market found its home at Max See, Market/Page 7A WEATHER Dear Abby .... 8B Horoscope ... 4B Lottery.......... 2A Obituaries .... 3A SATURDAY Opinion ........ 4A Spiritual ....... 6A Sudoku ........ 7B Weather ....... 8B Staff Photo by Sabrina Thompson The La Grande Farmers Market on May 16 saw a large crowd social distancing and wearing masks as the season began. This marks the 40th year of the La Grande Farmers Market. Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Friday 44 LOW 88/50 Clear Sunny HOW LIBRARIES ARE FARING CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 102 3 sections, 24 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Online at lagrandeobserver.com
