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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2021)
LOCAL/REGION 2A — THE OBSERVER TuESday, May 18, 2021 Today in New map of protected lands features two Wallowa County sites History By RONALD BOND Wallowa County Chieftain Today is Tuesday, May 18, the 138th day of 2021. There are 227 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY: On May 18, 1896, the u.S. Su- preme Court, in Plessy v. Ferguson, endorsed “separate but equal” racial segregation, a concept renounced 58 years later by Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. ON THIS DATE: In 1642, the Canadian city of Montreal was founded by French colonists. (On this date in 1765, one-quarter of Montreal was destroyed by a fire.) In 1652, Rhode Island became the first american colony to pass a law abolishing african slavery. In 1910, Halley’s Comet passed by earth, brushing it with its tail. In 1933, President Franklin d. Roosevelt signed a measure creat- ing the Tennessee Valley authority. In 1953, Jacqueline Cochran, 47, became the first woman to break the sound barrier as she piloted a Canadair F-86 Sabre jet over Rogers dry Lake, California. In 1980, the Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state exploded, leaving 57 people dead or missing. In 1981, the New york Native, a gay newspaper, carried a story con- cerning rumors of “an exotic new disease” among homosexuals; it was the first published report about what came to be known as aIdS. In 2015, President Barack Obama ended long-running federal trans- fers of some combat-style gear to local law enforcement in an attempt to ease tensions between police and minority communities, saying equipment made for the battlefield should not be a tool of american criminal justice. Five years ago: donald Trump released a list of 11 potential Supreme Court justices he would consider if elected president (not included was Trump’s eventual first pick for the nation’s highest bench, Neil Gorsuch). WALLOWA COUNTY — A pair of preserved land parcels within Wallowa County are part of a new map highlighting protected lands throughout Oregon. The Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts released its new “The Oregon I Am” map, which “high- lights 81 different loca- tions throughout the state that anyone can visit, all of them made possible in part by Oregon’s system of nonprofit land trusts,” according to a press release from the coalition. Among the land on the map are the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve and the East Moraine above Wal- lowa Lake in Wallowa County. The 33,000-acre pre- serve is in the northeast portion of the county, while the moraine covers about 1,800 acres near the lake. A major part of the project is awareness — let- ting residents throughout the state know about these sites. “Not a lot of people know about (Zumwalt Prairie). It’s been protected for the public. Having it on the map reminds people it’s this vast, majestic prairie that changes every season. We wanted to cele- brate that property,” Kelley Beamer, COLT executive director, told the Chief- tain. And, he added, “The East Moraine is a symbol of community coming Special districts election is here The Observer Tuesday, May 18, is elec- tion day for special dis- tricts and local measures in Oregon. Voters will decide who sits on the school boards, cemetery districts and the like. Union County voters are considering a five-year local levy of 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to fund the control of noxious weeds. It’s too late to mail your ballots, but here are the locations of ballot drop boxes in Union and Wal- lowa counties. The election closes at 8 p.m. UNION COUNTY • Cove City Hall, 504 Alder St., Cove • Elgin City Hall, 790 S. Eighth Ave., Elgin • Imbler City Hall, 180 Ruckman Ave., Imbler • Island City City Hall, 10605 Island Ave., Island City • North Powder City Hall, 635 Third St., North Powder • Union City Hall, 342 S. Main St., Union • Cook Memorial Library, Ellen Morris Bishop/For the Wallowa County Chieftain Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts/Contributed Graphic The Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts created a map highlighting more than 80 protected sites in the state people can visit, including a pair in Wallowa County. together to make sure that landscape is protected.” In all, the 81 sites encompass more than 100,000 acres of land in the state. The coalition includes 30 nonprofits from throughout the state, including the Wallowa Land Trust. “Many of their proper- ties, or properties they’ve helped conserve, have been open to the public for years. But only now have they been compiled in one place and all of them vis- ible on one map,” Beamer said in the release. “This is your go-to resource to dis- cover a new family favorite picnic spot, or walk, or riv- erside hangout. And it’s an invitation for everyone living in Oregon to step outside and to safely con- nect to each other and the wonder of our lands.” Pendleton man’s body pulled from Columbia River near Kennewick By CAMERON PROBERT Tri-City Herald alex Wittwer/The Observer a union County ballot drop box stands outside Elgin City Hall on Thursday, april 29, 2021. This new election box came in time for the May 18 election. There are sever- al ballot boxes throughout union and Wallowa counties. 2006 Fourth St., La Grande • Union County Clerk’s Office, 1001 Fourth St., La Grande WALLOWA COUNTY • Wallowa City Hall, 104 N. Pine St., Wallowa • Joseph City Hall, 201 N. Main St., Joseph • Wallowa County Courthouse, 101 S. River St., Enterprise The land is a portion of more than 350,000 acres coalition members have protected. “What was included in this map shows what we felt ... was safe and acces- sible to bring community members,” Beamer said. She noted that among the land not included is habitat that could be con- sidered more sensitive, such as wetland areas. “These kind of rep- resent the crown jewels people can enjoy safely,” she said. The idea behind the map was formulated about a year ago from a desire to introduce more places to more people. “After this last year, we knew there was a thirst for seeing some of Oregon’s special places and sharing our community with more KENNEWICK, Wash. — An Oregon man is believed to have gone into the Columbia River at a park in Kennewick, Washington. The man found floating near the Lampson hydro- plane pits Friday, May 14, been identified as Oscar Castaneda, 29, of Pendleton. He has family in Pasco, said Benton County chief deputy coroner Dennis Morris. It’s believed he drowned sometime over- night in the river and floated a short distance downriver to where he was discovered near the bank. Investigators still are trying to determine why he was in the park and how exactly he went into the water. Castaneda was fully clothed, so it didn’t appear that he was swimming. Foul play is not sus- pected at this time, Morris said. No autopsy is planned. Kennewick police were called to the east end of the park about 8:15 a.m. May 14. A woman reported seeing what appeared to be a body or mannequin in the river, said Benton County sheriff’s Cpl. Dan Korten. Columbia Basin Dive Rescue divers were called in to help bring him to shore. The river is 50 degrees, and people can quickly be overcome by the cold, explained Scott Ruppelius, dive res- cue’s public information officer. Sheriff’s detectives are investigating the death because the body was found in the river rather than in the park. Anyone with infor- mation is asked to con- tact the sheriff’s office through the nonemer- gency dispatch number at 509-628-0333. Sunrise over the Zumwalt Prairie reveals a varied landscape in this undated photograph. The Zumwalt is one of two locations in Wallowa County the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts selected to show on its new “The Oregon I am” map. Oregonians,” Beamer said. “This is a map, but it is also a story about this incredible community of organizations.” They are locations, she added, that might not be featured through other state entities. “They are often hidden gems. They are not neces- sarily found on the Travel Oregon website,” Beamer said. “I personally have been astounded the last eight years going to these places that are so special. It was the perfect moment to launch something that we could get out there and connect them to local land trusts.” As for whether The Oregon I Am adds to its map, Beamer wants that to be the case. “My hope is that we continue to expand it and update it on a continual basis,” she said. “I know Wallowa Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy and other groups are always looking at new places. I’m assuming there will be more.” And she hopes the map helps the communities around these locations, including in Wallowa County. “Anyone who lives in Wallowa County knows what a special place it is,” Beamer said. “I think Ore- gonians know there are really incredible gems to be visited. By having this on this map it really brings (the locations) to light — it’s a call to adventure, come, stay and invest in the com- munity. Anytime a map is produced and excites people it’s an opportunity to sup- port local businesses.” Union County man wins reelection to OTEC Board The Observer BAKER CITY — Incumbent G. Austin Bingaman of Union County won reelection to his position on the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. Bingaman defeated incumbent Charles Gillis in a race for Posi- tion 4 on the OTEC Board, 2,569-806. Posi- tion 4 is one of the OTEC Board’s four Union County berths. Bingaman has served on the board nine years. Position 4 was one of three positions up for election. Incumbents ran unopposed for Posi- tions 5 and 6 and won. Wayne Overton was reelected to Position 5, one of the board’s three Baker County berths, and Gary Miller was elected to Position 6, the board’s Grant County berth. Bingaman, Overton and Miller each won three-year terms. Miller has been on the board about 19-1/2 years and Overton for six years. Ballots for the election were mailed April 15 and were due back at OTEC headquarters in Baker City by 10 a.m. Saturday, May 15. OTEC announced the results of the election at its annual membership meeting, which was conducted virtually and started late the morning of May 15. OTEC members in Union, Baker, Grant and Harney counties were eligible to vote in the election. Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative is a not-for- profit, member-owned electric cooperative that serves more than 60,000 residents in four coun- ties in Eastern Oregon. In addition to its head- quarters in Baker City, OTEC has district offices in Burns, John Day and La Grande. Enterprise sixth graders ponder ‘If I Were Mayor’ By BILL BRADSHAW Wallowa County Chieftain ENTERPRISE — The Enterprise City Council during its May 10 meeting recognized youths who could be the next generation of political leaders in town — the winners of the “If I Were Mayor” contest. “Things would be dif- ferent around here,” wrote Luke Pat- terson, the first-place Herold winner, in his entry. “I would make sure that we had a better way to get your opinion heard.” Luke, the son of Patrick and Amy Patterson, recom- mended a suggestion box with a person designated to read the suggestions. “People need to be heard,” the 12-year-old Luke wrote. Tyson Herold, 11, son of Justin Herold and Eva Barnes, was the sec- ond-place winner, and Celina Roberge, daughter of Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain Enterprise Mayor ashley Sullivan stands with two of the three winners in the recent “If I Were Mayor” contest at the Monday, May 10, 2021, city council meeting. at left is Celina Roberge, who won third place. at right is Luke Patterson, who won first. Tyson Herold, who won second, was unable to attend the meeting. Adam and Donna Roberge, was the third-place winner. All three are in Donna Yost’s sixth-grade class at Enterprise Middle School. As first-place winner, Luke will compete in the state contest. Each of the chil- dren won “Buckskin Bucks” redeemable at businesses in Wallowa County. Luke won $100, Tyson got $50 and Celina received $25. The Oregon Mayors Association sponsors the contests and accepts entries from three grade-level cate- gories. Yost’s class was the only local one to participate this year. First-place statewide winners in each of the three categories will win a gift valued at $500, according to the OMA website. These students will receive their prizes at an awards lun- cheon held during the OMA Summer Conference in North Bend July 29-31. “We haven’t actually asked the Enterprise School District to participate in the ‘If I Were Mayor’ contest for some time,” City Adminis- trator Lacey McQuead told the council April 12. “This year, I was contacted by the Oregon Mayors Associa- tion and asked if the city of Enterprise would like to par- ticipate again.” Student efforts impress Yost was proud of her students’ achievements. “I was impressed with some of their ideas for improving things in our city, some of the improve- ments that could be made. They were really insightful,” Yost said. “It was one of those things for kids in the sixth grade where they could enter writing contests and it was good for them. They were able to show patriotism and have the freedom to express themselves.” Enterprise Mayor Ashley Sullivan also was impressed. “I’d say Luke had me feeling like he could teach me a thing or two,” she said. “It’s neat that these kids know what they want for their future and can put it all into words with such conviction. They’ll be great leaders one day.” Although the children will have to wait until they’re 18 to run for mayor, Sullivan looks forward to their contributions. “I really hope we’re lucky enough see one of these students as Enterprise mayor when they’re older,” she said. “Local govern- ment needs fresh, young ideas to keep our small towns thriving.”
