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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 2020)
Pumpkin spice cheescake #RenewLaGrande Platform. • Publish full Council & Commission materials online before public meetings • Repeal red tape that impedes doing business • Plow our roads In Home & Living Read more at www.alexfor.us/platform Endorsed by Union County Republicans Follow us on the web TUESDAY • November 3, 2020 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Jackie McClure of Wallowa LG School District may soon reopen New state metrics open doors for on-site education By Dick Mason The Observer LA GRANDE — The La Grande School District may fully reopen for all grades within a month. This possibility is realistic after the Oregon Department of Education released revised met- rics Friday, Oct. 30, which school districts must adhere to before they can offer on-site instruc- tion during the COVID-19 pan- demic. Presently, the La Grande School District is able to provide on-campus classes only for stu- dents in kindergarten through third grade, with the other stu- dents taking their classes via the district’s Comprehensive Dis- tance Learning program. This soon could change thanks to the new metrics via the Oregon Department of Education’s Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance. Dick Mason/The Observer A Trump 2020 fl ag at A1 Appliance, 1426 Monroe Ave., La Grande, went missing in August. Store owner John Fitzgerald replaced it and now fl ies two fl ags. Sign of the times? Political signs become targets for theft, though some go unreported See, Schools/Page 5A By Sabrina Thompson “The fi rst feeling I had when I saw my sign had been stolen was anger. I was angry that someone had come into my yard, uninvited in the dark of night, to steal my property.” The Observer Teachers refl ect on virtual conferences LA GRANDE — Political signs and fl ags supporting Democrat, Republican and even local candidates have been the targets of theft and damage this election season in La Grande. The La Grande Police Department has taken 14 reports of sign thefts and damage since Feb. 29. Kip Roberson, La Grande resident and director of the Cook Memorial Library, is among those whose political displays have gone missing. “Was I surprised that it was stolen? No, but I was surprised that it hadn’t been stolen or defaced sooner,” Roberson said. “The sign has been in my yard since spring and there have certainly been other political sign incidents in Union County and elsewhere. I am sad that these inci- dents are now happening in La Grande, my hometown.” Roberson’s sign, promoting Joe Biden for president, was stolen Sunday night, Oct. 25, from in front of his house on Oak Street. His was one of several houses with By Dick Mason The Observer UNION COUNTY — Green- wood Elementary School fi fth- grade teacher Missy Rinker was concerned late last week as she prepared to venture into unchar- tered territory. Rinker was set to conduct her fi rst parent-teacher conference virtually instead of in person, something the La Grande School District is requiring of Rinker and the rest of its teachers because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was worried that it would make it harder to connect with parents,” Rinker said. Her concerns turned out to be unwarranted. Rinker said she was See, Virtual/Page 5A Kip Roberson, La Grande resident whose political displays have gone missing signs missing from their yards Monday morning. “The fi rst feeling I had when I saw my sign had been stolen was anger,” Roberson said. “I was angry that someone had come into my yard, uninvited in the dark of night, to steal my property.” Sign and fl ag theft has been occurring throughout 2020 as the election year has been full of tension across party lines. In August, someone stole La Grande City Councilor Denise Wheeler’s sign sup- porting the reelection of President Donald Trump from her yard on C Avenue. Wheeler said she was not surprised her sign went missing, especially because the same thing happened in 2016 to her sign supporting Trump. She replaced the reelection sign and chained it to the other political signs in her yard. The signs remain in place. A Trump 2020 fl ag at A1 Appliance at 1426 Monroe Ave., La Grande, also went missing in August. Store owner John Fitz- gerald said the theft did not surprise him but he found the action discouraging. To combat further theft, Fitzgerald replaced his fl ag and added another, prom- ising if his fl ags continue to be taken he will double the amount he puts up each time. Two fl ags stand outside Fitzgerald’s store, but he takes them inside each night as a precaution. See, Signs/Page 5A A new chapter for Hot Lake Springs New name, new paint, same historic place By Sabrina Thompson The Observer LA GRANDE — A new look and name are in the works for the Hot Lake Springs Resort off Highway 203 near La Grande. Grande Hot Lake RV Resort owner Mike Rysavy gained control of Hot Lake Springs in April from Lee Manuel. The RV facility is just down the road from the historic hotel. “When the Manuels bought the property in the early 2000s the hotel was in terrible shape,” Rysavy said. “They pretty much saved the building. They spent millions to upgrade and put in all new plumbing, electricity INDEX Classified ...... 2B Comics .......... 5B Crossword .... 2B Dear Abby .... 6B MORE INFORMATION The former Hot Lake Springs Resort is a historic property built in 1864. A fi re burned down a portion of the property and the building was then used for various purposes including an asylum, retirement home and nurse’s training school during World War II. The property was left abandoned until Charles and Louise Rhea sold the property to David and Lee Manuel, who completed major renovations in the early 2000s and turned the building into a hotel, restaurant and museum. and fi re suppression systems. They did amazing structural improvements.” The conditional use permit See, Resort/Page 5A WEATHER Home ............ 1B Horoscope .... 2B Lottery........... 2A Nation ........... 7A THURSDAY Obituaries ..... 3A Opinion ......... 4A State .............. 6A World ............ 8A FOOD PANTRIES Mike Rysavy/Contributed Photo General Manager Scott Wilkinson paints the outside of the Hot Lake Springs Resort, now The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs, on Sept. 28, 2020, near La Grande. The historic resort is receiving a fresh look under new owner Mike Rysavy. Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Wednesday 43 LOW 68/48 Partly cloudy Mostly cloudy CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 131 2 sections, 14 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Online at lagrandeobserver.com
