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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2021)
Wildlife vs. weather in Outdoors & Rec Inside LG police offi cer honored, 2A Is there life on Mars?, 6A Weekend Edition SATURDAY– MONDAY • February 20, 2021 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Anna Brown of La Grande Umatilla County baby dies with COVID-19 Former sheriff done with policing Union County cases creep up; La Grande School District boss urges diligence By PHIL WRIGHT The Observer everyone is not wearing a mask,” Matt Gerber said. Rwandans also are screened for COVID-19 many times a day. “Every time you walk into a bank, a grocery store or a hotel your temperature is taken,” Matt Gerber said. There also are many random checks. Lou Gerber noted he UNION COUNTY — Boyd Rasmussen no longer can be a law enforcement offi cer in Oregon. And from the account he pro- vided to the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, he no longer wants to. The former sheriff of Union County sur- rendered all of his police certifi cations in January to the Oregon Department Rasmussen of Public Safety Stan- dards and Training, according to public records The Observer obtained. The Observer tried to con- tact Rasmussen, but he has not responded to requests for comments. Rasmussen signed a stipula- tion with the DPSST on Jan. 6 and stated his days in policing were over. “I am retiring from law enforcement,” he stated per the agreement, “and have been offered a position with (a) com- pany which will not require a law enforcement certifi cation.” He also was critical of the Oregon Department of Justice’s investigation into him for alle- gations of public corruption and misuse of public funds. The justice department inves- tigated Rasmussen based on alle- gations he misused his offi ce, including for creating an informal contract in 2011 to provide the town of Elgin with police services and accepting more than $7,000 in that deal while he received his sheriff’s salary. “The DOJ investigation was based upon many false state- ments made by former disgrun- tled employees during my reelec- tion campaign. I was hopeful they would conduct a speedy and fair investigation which in my humble opinion did not occur,” Rasmussen stated in the agree- ment. “The investigation started in the early spring of 2019 and concluded, unfortunately, approx- imately one-and-a-half years See, Mission/Page 5A See, Sheriff/Page 5A By BRYCE DOLE East Oregonian UMATILLA COUNTY — Oregon’s fi rst COVID-19-re- lated death of a child between 0-9 years old has occurred — an infant boy from Umatilla County. The Oregon Health Authority in a press release on Thursday, Feb. 18, reported the infant boy tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 17, and died that same day at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Washington. The OHA reported the child had unspecifi ed underlying health conditions. “Every death from COVID-19 is a tragedy, even more so the death of a child,” Dr. Dean Sidelinger, OHA’s health offi cer and state epi- demiologist, said in a press release. “The death of an infant is extremely rare. This news represents a tremendous loss to the mother and family. My thoughts are with them during this diffi cult time.” Children who contract COVID-19 are less likely to develop severe symptoms than adults, but they are still at risk, Sidelinger said. The state encourages all parents with children who test positive and develop certain symptoms to seek emergency medical care. Those symptoms include troubled breathing, constant pain or pressure in the chest, new feelings of confusion, being unable to wake up or stay awake when not tired and bluish lips or face, OHA said. “We have all worked together for nearly a year in Oregon to protect the lives of those we hold most dear,” said Gov. Kate Brown. “The loss of a life so young is an indescrib- able tragedy for a family. Dan and I send our thoughts and condolences to the mother and family of this child, whose grief must be unimaginable in this moment. The hearts of all Ore- gonians are with you today.” Children with certain underlying medical conditions, as well as infants younger than 1 year old, could be at increased risk for developing severe symptoms. Most chil- dren who have experienced severe illness from COVID-19 have had underlying medical conditions, according to the See, Virus/Page 5A Alex Wittwer/The Observer Lou Gerber, 65, poses for a portrait Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in front of a wall of former masters of the lodge at the Freemason’s Lodge in La Grande. Gerber became a master of the lodge a day before his trip to Rwanda to train local residents on CPR and fi rst aid as well as to deliver medical supplies. On a medical mission Reflecting on a service trip not to be forgotten By DICK MASON The Observer Rwanda is a medical paradox. The east African nation of 13.1 million has one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world yet the availability of basic medical equipment is limited. Lou Gerber of La Grande understands this well. The retired Oregon National Guardsman, who served as a medic in Iraq in 2003 and 2004, returned after a two-week trip in December 2020 to Rwanda with his son Matt, who grew up in La Grande but now lives in Dallas, Texas. Lou Gerber gained a fi rst- hand glimpse of Rwanda’s med- ical system while teaching a CPR and fi rst aid class to 38 fi rst responders and providing them with donated medical sup- plies. Gerber was jolted to fi nd many medical professionals in Rwanda have no stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs or pulse oximeters, which measure blood oxygen levels. “Nurses did not have these,” Gerber said. “It was very surprising.” On the other end of the med- Alex Wittwer/The Observer Lou Gerber demonstrates how to administer CPR with his set of ACTAR training dummies. Gerber has kept the set for nearly 40 years and has used them to train others in CPR. ical spectrum, Gerber said Rwanda’s government is diligent in its efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. “It is very meticulous about protecting the population,” Gerber said. Gerber’s son agreed, explaining that people must wear masks at almost all times, even when in vehicles. “You will get pulled over if Delays have redistricting, bills up against deadlines With some exceptions, bills that don’t make key legislative deadline die automatically By GARY WARNER Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — After a dou- ble-dose of winter storms across the Willamette Valley knocked out power to hundreds of thou- sands from Portland to Salem, state government is trying to thaw out a few hot issues. Redistricting delay Oregon should know by April 30 if it will be adding a sixth con- gressional seat for the 2022 elec- tion. Census offi cials have unof- fi cially said Oregon’s population growth has been enough to ensure the state’s fi rst new seat in 40 years. The new added representation in Congress would be a rare piece INDEX Classified ...... 2B Comics .......... 5B Crossword .... 2B Dear Abby .... 6B Horoscope .... 3B Letters ........... 4A Lottery........... 3A Obituaries ..... 3A TUESDAY Opinion ......... 4A Outdoors ...... 1B State .............. 6A Sudoku ......... 5B of good news in an otherwise disastrous roll-out of U.S. Census information needed for reappor- tionment. Oregon Legislature’s 60 House and 30 Senate seats also will need new boundaries. Data to redraw the maps was due April 1 — but census offi cials now say it won’t arrive until Sept. 30 — six months late. “The biggest reason? COVID- 19. It’s something beyond the Census Bureau’s control,” Kath- leen Styles, the census bureau’s top redistricting offi cial, said last week. State offi cials need the data to draw districts that meets federal and state civil rights guidelines. The late September delivery date is 45 days after Oregon’s WEATHER EO Media Group, File In an effort to “preserve public access” to the Oregon Legislature, the House Republican leader urged the House Speaker Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, to pause the virtual 2021 session during mass power outages across the state. Friday, Feb. 19, was the deadline for drafted bills to be sent from staff to lawmakers. self-imposed deadline for submit- ting maps. The mess will land in the Oregon Supreme Court, which will referee whether the Legis- lature gets a shot at reapportion- ment, it goes to the secretary of state or some other result. Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Sunday 30 LOW 41/33 Some clouds Rain and snow SHERIFF CODY BOWEN Big population increases over the past decade will add legisla- tive districts to Central Oregon and Portland suburbs. Lawmakers and potential challengers won’t See, Bills/Page 5A CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 22 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