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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2021)
High above the hawks In Outdoors & Rec SATURDAY– MONDAY • March 13, 2021 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Leonard Erickson of La Grande Sewer work includes eyes on the underground COVID-19 Virus takes the life of local man Oregon needs big influx of vaccine to meet president’s inoculation goal By GARY A. WARNER Oregon Capital Bureau Alex Wittwer/The Observer Logan Stanley (left) pulls on a line connected to a string of high-powered ultraviolet lights that snake through the sewer by Gekeler Lane, La Grande, on Thursday, March 11, 2021. The company, Allied Trenchless, of Chelan, Washington, installs fi berglass sewer lining using ultraviolet light to cure the fi berglass in place in the sewers, removing the need to excavate. Numerous cameras along the line allow operators to watch the progress of the work. After the completion of the install, Stanley enters the sewer to remove excess fi berglass using a rotary saw. Big change in works for archery elk hunts Hunters critical of state’s approach to move to some controlled archery seasons By JAYSON JACOBY Baker City Herald A major change to archery elk hunting seasons in most of North- east Oregon could start in 2022. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing to shift the archery season in 13 units and parts of three others from the current general hunt — meaning there’s no limit on the number of tags sold — to a controlled hunt, with a limited number of tags. In controlled hunt, archers would have to apply for a tag through the state’s computer lot- tery system. In June 2020, ODFW announced the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission would con- sider changing the archery season in all units east of the Cascades from general to controlled hunts, and for elk as well as buck deer hunting. But in August 2020 the agency said the commission would decide on changes to buck deer archery seasons, but it would delay any decision on elk seasons. In September 2020 the com- mission approved the proposal to change buck deer archery hunting from a general season to a con- trolled season starting in 2021. Oregon has had general archery hunts in Eastern Oregon, for buck deer and for elk, since 1979. Since 1983 the archery season for both species has lasted for one month, starting in late August. ODFW offi cials have cited mul- tiple reasons for proposing the shift from general to controlled archery seasons. One is the increasing number of archery hunters over the past few decades. ODFW said the number of archers hunting elk in Eastern Oregon rose from about 12,300 in 1995 to about 18,500 in 2019. Another is improvements in technology, which allow hunters to make longer kill shots, archery hunters have higher success rates. But because the archery seasons have remained general seasons, with no limits on how many tags are sold, ODFW’s lone tool to limit hunting to protect deer and elk Gary Lewis/Contributed Photo See, Elk/Page 5A The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing signifi cant changes to elk-hunting rules for archers in Northeastern Oregon. UNION COUNTY — The Oregon Health Authority reported a 43-year-old man in Union County died this week from COVID-19. He became the 20th victim to die of the dis- ease in the county and the 2,314th victim statewide. He died Tuesday, March 9, at Grande Ronde Hospital, La Grande, and tested posi- tive for COVID-19 the next day, according to the OHA. He also had underlying conditions. Oregon’s COVID-1 death toll as of Friday stood at 2,319, according to the OHA. A Baker County resident also died after testing posi- tive for COVID-19, bringing the county’s death toll during the pandemic to 11. The Oregon Health Authority reported an 85-year-old man in Baker County who tested positive on Feb. 22 died on March 6 at his home. He had under- lying conditions. OHA reported earlier two Baker County residents died after testing positive, but one of those was mistakenly listed as a county resident, said Holly Kerns, a spokes- person for the county. Four Baker County res- idents have died from COVID-19 since Feb. 26, according to the OHA, including a 64-year-old woman who died March 7 after testing positive for the virus on Feb. 18. She, too, had underlying conditions. Union County had 12 news cases Thursday and four on Friday, bringing the county’s total to 1,332 con- fi rmed cases of the disease, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Wallowa County’s total is 144, with no new cases Thursday or Friday. Baker County had three new cases Friday, See, Virus/Page 5A Island City preps for major wastewater system upgrades $2.26 million project means city must raise sewer rates to $45-$50 per month By DICK MASON The Observer ISLAND CITY — The Island City Area Sanitation District’s collection system, which pumps wastewater to La Grande for treatment, is set to get a major boost. The district has announced that $2.26 mil- lion in upgrade work for the district will begin later this year. The district board kickstarted a prelim- inary phase of the project Wednesday, March 10, when it voted to advertise for bids for the work. The sanitation board will select a contractor in April or May. Karen Howton, secretary of the Island City Area San- itation Board, said the work could begin in June and INDEX Classified ...... 2B Comics .......... 5B Crossword .... 2B Dear Abby .... 6B should progress quickly. “We hope to have the work fi nished by the end of the year,” Howton said. The pumping portion of the district’s wastewater system is deteriorating due to age. The system relies on fi ve lift stations, each of which have two pumps. All the pumps at four of the lift stations must be replaced. “These lift station pumps are on the verge of failure,” Howton said of the 40-year-old pumps. WEATHER Horoscope .... 4B Letters ........... 4A Lottery........... 3A Obituaries ..... 3A TUESDAY Opinion ......... 4A Outdoors ...... 1B Sports ........... 6A Sudoku ......... 5B Most of the district’s lift stations are in residential, commercial or industrial areas. The wastewater over- fl ow pump failures in these areas could put public health at risk, she said. Dave Wildman, the project engineer, said it is not unusual for the district to have both its pumps at a given lift station go out. When a pump fails, oper- ators must use a portable engine-driven backup pump on a trailer. The backup Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Sunday 27 LOW 57/28 Mainly clear Partly sunny PARKING ENFORCEMENT pump requires hand oper- ation, and staff must mon- itor it 24/7. That work, which Wildman said he has observed, is time con- suming and exhausting. “It is not a fun process,” he said. This work is so critical that Wildman compares those called in to do it to fi rst responders. “They are on the front lines keeping us healthy See, Project/Page 5A CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 31 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