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THURSDAY • April 22, 2021 • $1.50
Good day to our valued subscriber Jerry Byers of Union
COVID-19
Moving
on down
Residents welcome
‘lower’ risk that
becomes effective
Friday, April 23
By DICK MASON
The Observer
UNION — Union County
received encouraging news on the
COVID-19 front.
Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday,
April 20, announced the latest
county risk levels. Union County
will move from the moderate to
lower COVID-19 risk category
eff ective Friday, April 23, because
of declining infection rates.
The new risk list that goes into
eff ect April 23 has no counties
at extreme risk, 23 at high risk,
three at moderate risk and 10 at
lower risk. The lower risk cate-
gory means fewer restrictions for
businesses, offi ces, social gather-
ings and more.
Suzannah Moore-Hemann,
director of the Union County
Chamber of Commerce, is among
those who greeted the news with
enthusiasm.
“This is very exciting for our
businesses,” Moore-Hemann said.
Moore-Hemann also said the
news is encouraging because
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
A student with Greenwood Elementary, La Grande, sits in the cab of an Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative line truck Tuesday, April 20, 2021, while La Grande OTEC District
Superintendent Jeff Pillow explains how workers use the vehicle to provide power to county residents.
Learning not to touch
See, Risk/Page 5A
La Grande students take part in career and safety day event
Joseph admin
resigns, cites
‘harassment’
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The event would have
been inconceivable a year ago.
Greenwood Elementary School on
Tuesday, April 20, conducted a career and
safety day activity with the major help from
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative and the
La Grande Fire Department. About 100 stu-
dents in grades four and fi ve participated
in the outdoor event at Greenwood’s fi eld.
Students attended 12-minute sessions at six
stations. Students stayed in small cohorts
and wore masks, allowing them to meet
COVID-19 protocols.
It was the fi rst event involving a large
group of Greenwood students since the pan-
demic hit in March 2020 and was possible
because of falling infection rates. Green-
wood teacher Missy Rinker was encouraged
by the students’ excitement to take part in
the activity.
“It is a new normal, back to normal
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
activity,” Rinker said.
Greenwood Elementary School students peer into a tool chest atop an Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative line truck
OTEC’s communications manager,
Joseph Hathaway, said this was the fi rst such with OTEC lineman Blake Eckstein during a career day outside the La Grande school on Tuesday, April 20, 2021.
event in which the cooperative has partic-
ipated in a year. Hathaway said normally
be willing to respond to calls for service at
OTEC is involved in about 12 a year.
any hour of the day or night and they have to
“We’re thrilled to take part in such a fun
work in dangerous situations far above the
and important event for our local kids and
ground.
thank Greenwood Elementary for inviting
“You can’t be scared of heights,” Pillow
us. As a member-owned cooperative, we
said.
want to do whatever we can to give back to
Pillow also emphasized the dangers of
the communities we serve. This event also
downed power lines, urging Greenwood
gives us the opportunity to educate kids
students never to touch them, noting that
about the impor-
voltage of power
tance of staying
lines is many
safe around elec-
times greater
tricity and also
than what is in
show them that
their homes.
there are great
“It is a mas-
jobs like being
sive diff erence,”
a lineman right
he said.
— Robert Tibbetts, La Grande Fire Department
in their own
Pillow urged
Captain
backyards,”
the students to
Hathaway said in
tell an adult or
an email to The
phone OTEC if
Observer.
they see a downed power line.
The presentations at two of OTEC’s sta-
“Call us and we will make it safe for you
tions focused on electricity and safety, and
guys,” he said.
a third provided an inside look at what it is
The La Grande Fire Department had an
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
like to work as a lineman for the cooper-
engine and two ambulances at the career-
ative. OTEC District Superintendent Jeff
safety fair. Firefi ghters told children how the A Greenwood Elementary School student stands atop
Pillow noted linemen are well paid, earning
department uses the equipment to extinguish an Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative line truck on
Tuesday, April 20, 2021, during a career day outside the
between $120,000 and $150,000 a year.
See, Career/Page 5A La Grande school.
There are drawbacks, though. Linemen must
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
JOSEPH — Citing “constant
harassment from members of
the current city council,” Joseph
City Administrator/Recorder
Larry Braden resigned by letter
to council members read publicly
Friday evening, April 16, in an
emergency city council meeting.
The type of harassment or spe-
cifi cally who it was from was not
specifi ed in the letter. Braden was
not present at the meeting and was
not available for comment.
Mayor Belinda Buswell, who
read Braden’s letter aloud, and the
council members all said they had
no idea from whom the alleged
harassment was coming.
The resignation comes just
over two weeks after a heated
exchange at the April 1 city
council meeting, during which
Braden cited confusion over the
role of the mayor and the city
administrator, and his role in the
day-to-day function of the city.
See, Braden/Page 3A
“It is great to be able to
do this for the community
and the kids.”
INDEX
Business .................1B
Classified ...............3B
Comics ....................7B
Crossword .............3B
Dear Abby .............8B
Horoscope .............3B
Letters ....................4A
Lottery ....................3A
SATURDAY
Obituaries ..............3A
Opinion ..................4A
Spiritual .................6A
State ........................8A
WEATHER
Full forecast on the back of B section
541-963-3161
Tonight
Friday
38 LOW
65/43
Mainly clear
Partly sunny
EASTERN OREGON FILM FEST UPDATE
CONTACT US
Issue 46
4 sections, 48 pages
La Grande, Oregon
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to news@lagrande
observer.com.
More contact info
on Page 4A.
Online at lagrandeobserver.com