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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2021)
6A — THE OBSERVER SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2021 SPORTS/STATE Eastern Oregon University/Contributed Photo Eastern Oregon University infi elder Carsten Mander- bach gets ready for a pitch in this undated photo. The EOU Mountaineers played their fi rst baseball games in 14 years on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Caldwell, Ida- ho, against the College of Idaho. The Yotes took both games in the doubleheader. Mountaineers drop two in return Outdoor contact sports to resume to baseball action Alex Wittwer/The Observer Students with the La Grande High School football team line up for training on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. Gov. Kate Brown that day eased restrictions on outdoor contact sports. The Observer By SARA CLINE Associated Press/Report for America PORTLAND — Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday, Feb. 10, that some outdoor con- tact sports, including high school football, can resume this week. In addition, the Oregon Health Authority reported data shows a “sharp decrease” in daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the previous week. “This has been a dif- fi cult year for Oregon’s youth athletes and, as our COVID-19 numbers have dropped, I have been com- mitted to working with our health experts to reevaluate our protocols for sports,” Brown said. “School sports play an important role in fostering students’ mental, emotional, and physical health. We will proceed with caution, to ensure that teams are following health and safety precau- tions to protect our athletes, their families, and their communities.” Health and safety proto- cols for school sports teams are determined based on the counties risk level. In “lower risk” and “moderate risk” counties, practices and games for outdoor contact sports can “School sports play an important role in fostering students’ mental, emotional, and physical health.” — Gov. Kate Brown resume. In “high risk” and “extreme risk” counties, where COVID-19 remains more widespread, schools and other sports organiza- tions can opt-in to resuming outdoor contact sports with additional protocols in place; On-site COVID-19 testing for symptomatic individuals, contact infor- mation for contact tracing and a waiver identifying health and safety risks and a commitment to isolation and quarantine if exposed to COVID-19. In addition schools in “high risk” and “extreme risk” counties must also have at least lim- ited in-person instruction occurring, “with the goal of achieving hybrid or full in-person instruction for students this school year,” the governor’s offi ce said in a press release. Schools and sports orga- nizations in “high risk” and “extreme risk” counties that do not opt in and implement the protocols and require- ments will continue to be limited to non-contact sports, practices and games. Indoor contact sports are still banned. “To all of Oregon’s high school athletes: I am asking you now to be leaders in your communities,” Brown said. “We’ve given you the chance to play, but with that opportunity comes great responsibility. If COVID-19 numbers spike, we may have to shut down contact sports again.” Brown said that during the past year she has received many emails from athletes, coaches and par- ents, asking for sports to resume. “I am challenging you now to devote your energy to making sure in-person academics can resume for your kids, too,” Brown said. “If our school gyms, fi elds, and weight rooms are to reopen, we owe it to Ore- gon’s children to make sure our classrooms, libraries, and science labs fully reopen as well.” In addition, as COVID-19 cases in the state decrease, Brown said the Oregon Health Authority will review and update the exemption for college sports––allowing Division 2, Division 3, and NAIA schools to submit health and safety plans to resume college athletics. The health authority reported 555 new confi rmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases Wednesday, bringing the state’s total since the start of the pandemic to 148,475. The death toll is 2,044. Offi cials from the health authority said that the most recent weekly data shows cases have decreased. During the week of Feb. 1, the health authority reported a 15% decrease of cases from the previous week and the lowest weekly total in three months. New COVID-19 related hospitalizations similarly declined by 8% from the previous week. Virus-re- lated deaths decreased to 66 — the lowest weekly total since mid-November. CALDWELL, Idaho — The Eastern Oregon University Baseball team ended its 14-year hiatus Thursday afternoon, Feb. 11, as it played a non- conference doubleheader against longtime rival College of Idaho. The two teams played a pair of nine inning con- tests in Caldwell, Idaho, with the Yotes winning the fi rst game 13-9 and the second 5-1. The fi rst match fea- tured a total of 28 hits, according to the press release from EOU, with College of Idaho having the edge at 17-11. While the Yotes had fi ve errors, the Mountaineers still fell. Game two was a defensive battle for the fi rst half of the contest, according to EOU, with just 13 total hits. The Yotes had the edge 8-5, but committed four errors to EOU’s one. MOUNTAINEERS STAT LEADERS: • Brooks Dyer and Easton Watterson both went 2-4 to lead the offense. • Carsten Manderbach scored one run while hit- ting 1-4. • Tristan Fergus had the lone RBI for Eastern. • Jacob Farnsworth suf- fered the loss (0-1) in a relief effort. He worked three complete innings and fanned three batters. • Nick Jennings pitched six strikeouts in three innings while allowing just two hits. La GRANDE AUTO REPAIR 975-2000 www.lagrandeautorepair.com MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE Joe Horst ACDelcoTSS February is National Heart Month Ontario seeks to boost tax on marijuana sales By LILIANA FRANKEL Malheur Enterprise ONTARIO — A new lobbyist will be heading to Salem on behalf of the city of Ontario. The Ontario City Council voted Thursday, Feb. 11, to allot $20,000 toward promoting legisla- tion that would increase the amount of tax the city col- lects on its marijuana sales. Voting yes on the mea- sure were Councilors Freddy Rodriguez, Sam Baker, Michael Braden, John Kirby and Ken Hart. Mayor Riley Hill wasn’t present, but he has been a vocal propo- nent of increasing taxes on marijuana. Despite its small size and rural character, Malheur County, where dispensaries are concentrated in Ontario, consistently ranks third in marijuana sales statewide, just behind Portland-area counties. Ontario saw $9.5 mil- lion in sales in January alone. It assesses a 3% sales tax on that revenue and the state collects an additional 17%. The state then allo- cates 10% of its marijuana tax collection back to cities, but it does so based on a formula relating to a city’s population, not the amount of marijuana sold in a par- ticular community. Ontario, as a border city where dispensaries serve a large proportion of Ida- hoans, is at a disadvantage. It attracts customers from across the Boise area, but its offi cial population is small. That means Ontario sends about $1.7 million a year to Salem, but get backs only 3% of that. House Bill 2014 would change the state formula so the share of money some cities receive would be based on sales of marijuana rather than their population. This would likely mean an increase of funds for Ontario. The money redis- tributed to Ontario by the state of Oregon, currently about $55,000 a year, has to be spent on public safety. The only uncertainty is Ballot Measure 110, which voter approved in November 2020 to decrim- inalize possession of most drugs in Oregon. The law capped state revenue from marijuana at $11.25 million per quarter. All revenue in excess of that now goes to the Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund. Ontario City Manager Adam Brown estimated with the cap in place, the amount of money avail- able for redistribution to cities would be effectively reduced by 75%. “In reality, what the gov- ernment did was defund the police, because that money was for public safety,” Brown said. House Bill 2015, mean- while, would allow Ontario to raise the local tax from 3% to 10%. According to Brown, legal marijuana is a rela- tively “inelastic” product, meaning that even if its price should rise, users will continue to buy at about the same rate. Brown said that as such, Ontario has plenty of room to raise taxes without worrying that those taxes will depress sales. Ontario spends the $3 million a year it collects through the 3% sales tax mostly on one-time costs such as buildings, parks, and other improvements, code enforcement, and retirement debt. Brown estimated a 10% local tax would give the city around $10 million a year. The $20,000 the city has moved to spend on a lob- byist will come from the city’s general fund. “Lobbyists in Salem will know who the infl uencers are, the mavens,” said Brown, explaining why the investment is worthwhile. Two years ago, Brown went to Salem with Mayor Riley Hill to advocate for a tax change, but they were unsuccessful. Brown said that he would consider asking city offi cials in Portland to col- laborate in funding the lob- byist, since the legislation would benefi t them as well. The councilors expressed their support for Brown in looking for partnerships to help fund the lobbyist. “Having a partner would help out,” said Rodriguez. Take action to protect yourself against heart disease. Devoting some time every day to care for yourself can go a long way toward protecting your heart health! “Exercise 30 minutes every day and get outside!” -Gerrie Gardner, FACC, FACP GRH Cardiology Clinic 900 Sunset Drive 541-963-BEAT(2328)