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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2021)
2A — THE OBSERVER History and More TODAY Today is Tuesday, Jan. 5, the fifth day of 2021. There are 360 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY: On Jan. 5, 1925, Demo- crat Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming took office as America’s first female gov- ernor, succeeding her late husband, William, following a special election. ON THIS DATE: In 1914, auto industrialist Henry Ford announced he was going to pay workers $5 for an 8-hour day, as op- posed to $2.34 for a 9-hour day. In 1949, in his State of the Union address, President Harry S. Truman labeled his administration the Fair Deal. In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed assistance to countries to help them resist Communist aggression in what became known as the Eisenhower Doctrine. LOTTERY Megabucks: $6.5 million 1-4-7-27-46-47 Mega Millions: $401 million 8-24-53-68-69 — 7 x5 Powerball: $384 million 3-4-11-41-67 — PB 5 x2 Win for Life: Jan. 2 9-44-56-68 Pick 4: Jan. 3 • 1 p.m.: 9-1-4-4; • 4 p.m.: 8-8-8-8 • 7 p.m.: 8-0-7-9; • 10 p.m.: 2-2-3-5 Pick 4: Jan. 2 • 1 p.m.: 6-4-6-4;• 4 p.m.: 3-3-9-1 • 7 p.m.: 2-2-1-2; • 10 p.m.: 3-0-5-7 Pick 4: Jan. 1 • 1 p.m.: 4-1-7-8; • 4 p.m.: 6-5-8-9 • 7 p.m.: 4-0-5-4; • 10 p.m.: 1-8-8-9 History-making LG New Year happenings By DICK MASON The Observer LA GRANDE — Watching football games on New Year’s Day is an American ritual, one dating back more than a century. This tradition in La Grande may have gotten its start Jan. 1, 1908, when fans gathered to watch a gridiron game between La Grande High School and a city team referred to as the Pickups. The game, according to Observer archives, was one of the first — and possibly the first — documented grid- iron contests played on New Year’s Day in this community’s history. The contest ended in a 0-0 tie with La Grande High on its opponents’s 1-yard line as time expired, according to The Observ- er’s story on Jan. 2 1908, and was the first football game played in La Grande since at least 1906. The game was played 46 years after La Grande had what is likely its earliest documented New Year’s celebration. It took place Jan. 1, 1862, according to the diary of Ben Brown, one of La Grande’s founders. Brown wrote in his diary of a ball that started early in the eve- ning of Dec. 31, 1861. “At early candlelight, the ball commenced,” Brown said. The celebration ended just before midnight. He Nothing burning at the bakery attributed the early break up to a fiddler who grew tired of playing. “The ball broke up on account of the fiddler giving out or it would have been going yet,” Brown wrote in his diary. Festivities continued on Jan. 1, 1862, with a “sub- scription” meal, which everyone helped pay for. Seven people attended the dinner, Brown wrote. Brown was born in 1831 in Yorkshire, England, and Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Dick Mason/The Observer La Grande firefighters enter the bakery at the Liberty Theater Complex in downtown La Grande at 7:50 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, after a fire alarm went off. Firefighters found no smoke or fire. Wind during the night and morning may have knocked down power lines, which could have triggered the alarm. Foundation has new leader upon his death in 1993, left $20 million in a trust to BAKER COUNTY — support a community fund This year brought changes and scholarship program to the Leo Adler Founda- for graduates of Baker tion, but it is, and always County high schools and will be, locally Powder Valley High controlled. School. Students are “We are so eligible to receive hands-on. We an Adler scholar- ship for five years by hold everything submitting renewal pretty tight,” said Folkman applications. Carrie Folkman, In 2020 alone, incoming chair of the the Leo Adler Foundation committee. Folkman has served awarded more than $1.21 on the foundation since million in scholarships December 2014. She is and community grants — taking over as chair from $846,300 to 242 students Norm Kolb, who has for the 2020-21 school year stepped down after 25 years and $364,734 in grants to 41 as foundation chair. nonprofit organizations. According to a press “Almost a million-and- release, Kolb led commu- a-half every year for a com- munity of our size. It’s an nity investment of more amazing legacy,” Folkman than $36.2 million in said. scholarships and grants, “Leo was always an including the funding of involved and visionary more than 9,200 scholar- ships and 1,400 nonprofit person; he was a people community projects. He person who learned by will remain active on the watching, and he valued committee and help mentor commitment, hard work, Folkman. and an authentic, real- istic perspective,” Kolb Leo Adler was a self- made millionaire who, said. “Simply put, he was a By LISA BRITTON For the Baker City Herald partner, not an owner.” The Adler committee includes Folkman, Kolb, Dianne Ellingson, Tabor Clarke, John Wilson, Mark Johnson, and Karin Barber. Barber is the designated trustee for First Republic Trust Company, a divi- sion of First Republic Bank, to serve as Trustee, replacing U.S. Bank. This change happened in Sep- tember 2020. Folkman said First Republic has been extra helpful in this year of unprecedented changes. This year did bring unique challenges with the pandemic. “There have been chal- lenges economically, and a lot of kids who had to pivot amid the pandemic,” Folkman said. Refunds and reissues for scholarships were nec- essary, she said, as well as extensions for community projects that could not be completed in 2020. A new website is set to go live Feb. 1, along with the scholarship applications. Scholarships are due by April 1, 2021. came to the United States in 1852, according to an article in the May 16, 1996, Observer. He and his wife built one of La Grande’s first homes. This community was originally known as Brown’s Town or Browns- ville because of the impact he had in settling it. Brown later lived in Island City, where he was a city govern- ment leader. Brown is buried at Island City Cemetery. Multiple crashes close Tollgate highway By JEDIDIAH MAYNES DELIVERY ISSUES? If you have any problems receiving your Observer, please call 541-963-3161. TuESday, JanuaRy 5, 2021 LOCAL/REGION TOLLGATE — The Oregon Department of Transportation on Saturday, Jan. 2, shut down Highway 204 through Tollgate due to multiple vehicles crashing and sliding off the road. According to the depart- ment’s TripCheck web- site, the first crash hap- pened around 2:30 p.m. causing minimal delays. By 3:30 p.m., multiple crashes were reported and cars began sliding off and get- ting backed up in a traffic jam. The highway was closed from the edge of Weston to the edge of Elgin around 3 p.m. in response to the crashes. By 4 p.m., the highway at Tollgate had turned into a virtual parking lot as traffic began to get more and more congested. Traffic did appear to begin moving slowly shortly thereafter. Wintry weather was causing low visibility and heavy snowfall made for slick road conditions. The Tollgate area, pop- ular for its winter recre- ation, was expected to receive 8-12 inches of snow this weekend, according to the National Weather Ser- vice in Pendleton. ODOT spokesperson Tom Strandberg said he didn’t have all of the details about the incident, but he said when the weather turns nasty in that area it’s common for the closures to last for several hours. By evening, the roadway was open again, according to TripCheck. OHA safety campaign offers culturally relevant tools The Observer PORTLAND — Oregon Health Authority has expanded its multilin- gual Safe + Strong edu- cation campaign with a new theme and materials to help communities find simple, culturally specific information on safely con- necting with family and friends this winter. Led by the theme “Love Finds a Way,” new campaign materials and resources available in 12 languages provide fresh public health recommen- dations on preventing the spread of COVID-19. “Oregonians continue to show their resilience through this pandemic by finding new ways to stay connected while physically apart,” said Oregon Public Health Director Rachael Banks in a press release. “Love, and a good plan, will keep us strong.” The Safe + Strong cam- paign focuses on Ore- gonians who are Black, Oregon Health Authority/Contributed Image The Oregon Health Authority’s expansion of its multi- lingual Safe + Strong education and outreach campaign features a new theme and materials. Indigenous and People of Color. The campaign website, www.safestron- goregon.org, features cul- turally relevant tools and information and resources for food and rental assis- tance, unemployment ben- efits and health coverage. The aim of the Safe + Strong campaign is to help communities continue to make safe choices, while recognizing people need simple plans to protect themselves and their fami- lies. The site’s new “Make a plan” page contains reminders and information on what activities are low, medium or high risk for spreading COVID-19. According to the release, OHA data show 38% of COVID-19 cases have been linked to people who identify as Latino/a/x. And more than 50% of cases have been linked to people identifying as Black, Asian, American Indian/Native Alaskan, Pacific Islander, or Lati- no/a/x. The state’s his- tory of racism and oppres- sion, as well as inequitable access to medical services, have exacerbated the impacts of COVID-19 in many communities. Police search for husband of woman who died in Dec. 15 shooting By BRYCE DOLE East Oregonian CONTACT POLICE MORROW COUNTY — Law enforcement con- tinue the search for the husband of a woman who was shot Tuesday, Dec. 15, in Heppner and later died at Oregon Health & Sci- ence University, Portland, according to officials. The victim’s husband, David Bowles, 43, is a person of interest in the investigation, and police reported he should be considered armed and dangerous. “Since the time of the shooting, he hasn’t been located or found yet,” Morrow County District Attorney Justin Nelson said. “So he’s some- body I know law enforce- ment is trying to talk to to find out the whole pro- cess and what happened. We’ve interviewed many other witnesses, but we still need to talk to David Bowles.” An aircraft ambulance flew the victim, Marlen Bowles, to OHSU in crit- ical condition where she later died with her family • Police are urging res- idents to not confront David Bowles, but to call 911 or OSP Dispatch at 800-442-2068 and ref- erence OSP case No. SP200348879. Contributed Photo Police are searching for David Bowles as a person of inter- est after his wife, Marlen Bowles, was fatally shot Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, in Heppner. Police say David Bowles should be considered armed and dangerous. at her bedside, according to Nelson. The Oregon State Police took the lead in the investigation at the request of the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office partly because David Bowles is the brother of Morrow County Undersheriff John Bowles, according to Lt. Melissa Ross, a public information officer from the sheriff’s office. Ross said the investigation was handed to OSP out of con- cern for appearance and perception. “As my general under- standing, it’s really not considered a conflict of interest unless it was like one of our employees,” she said, adding the under- sheriff was not involved in the investigation. Nelson added that staffing and resources also played a role in the deci- sion to hand the case to OSP. He said the sheriff’s office is assisting OSP in the investigation, pro- viding available detectives and resources to keep track of minor details while search warrants are carried out. Nelson also said he believes more people know about Bowles’ whereabouts than have approached investigators, and they are neglecting to disclose information because they assume law enforcement already know about it. “I’ve even heard off- hand from guys who come to me and say, ‘Oh, so and so talked to so and so and they know that this is what happened,’” Nelson said. “And I say, ‘Well gosh, I know law enforcement has not heard that.’ And sometimes these rumors are true, but people always assume that law enforcement is aware.” He is urging anybody with information about Bowles’ location to con- tact Oregon State Police, as any piece of informa- tion can help. “Any small thing can change a case,” he said. “It can find a culprit or expand who we need to interview. And it might seem small to people, but every little bit (helps).” Court records show a David Lee Bowles, born in 1977 and a longtime Heppner resident, has a list of criminal charges and convictions spanning more than two decades in multiple counties, including Morrow, Wash- ington, Wasco, Yamhill, Hood River and Umatilla. In 1995, he was sen- tenced to three year, three months in prison for attempted murder. And in 2007, he was convicted of second-degree burglary and fourth-degree assault. Nelson said he could not confirm nor deny Bowles’ criminal his- tory, although the man he said law enforcement is seeking has the same full name, year of birth and longtime residency as the Bowles whose history is detailed through the records. Nelson said Marlen Bowles has a 14-year-old son and two children over the age of 18, but he was unsure if any of them were David Bowles’ chil- dren. He added she was well known in the com- munity and worked at the Gateway Cafe in Heppner. Bowles was last seen driving a brown Chev- rolet Impala with Oregon license plate URG552. Bowles is a 5-foot-6, 180- pound white male with graying hair and blue eyes. Police are urging resi- dents to not confront him, but to call 911 or OSP Dis- patch at 800-442-2068 and reference OSP case No. SP200348879.
