LOCAL
2A — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
Today is Saturday, June 5, the 156th
day of 2021. There are 209 days left in
the year.
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021
Second Street construction continues
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
IN HISTORY:
On June 5, 1967, war erupted in the
Middle East as Israel, anticipating a
possible attack by its Arab neighbors,
launched a series of pre-emptive airfi eld
strikes that destroyed nearly the entire
Egyptian air force; Syria, Jordan and Iraq
immediately entered the confl ict.
By CARLOS FUENTES
The Observer
ON THIS DATE:
In 1794, Congress passed the Neu-
trality Act, which prohibited Americans
from taking part in any military action
against a country that was at peace with
the United States.
In 1912, U.S. Marines landed in
Cuba at the order of President William
Howard Taft to ensure order and pro-
tect U.S. interests.
In 1917, about 10 million American
men between the ages of 21 and 31
began registering for the draft in World
War I.
In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court,
in Henderson v. United States, struck
down racially segregated railroad
dining cars.
In 1964, The Rolling Stones per-
formed the fi rst concert of their fi rst U.S.
tour at Swing Auditorium in San Ber-
nardino, California.
In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
was shot and mortally wounded after
claiming victory in California’s Dem-
ocratic presidential primary at the
Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles;
assassin Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was
arrested at the scene.
In 1981, the Centers for Disease Con-
trol reported that fi ve homosexuals in
Los Angeles had come down with a rare
kind of pneumonia; they were the fi rst
recognized cases of what later became
known as AIDS.
In 1999, jazz and pop singer Mel
Torme died in Los Angeles at age 73.
In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart
was abducted from her Salt Lake City
home. (Smart was found alive by police
in a Salt Lake suburb in March 2003.
One kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell,
is serving a prison sentence; the other,
Wanda Barzee, was released in Sep-
tember 2018.)
In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the
40th president of the United States,
died in Los Angeles at age 93 after a
long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2006, more than 50 National
Guardsmen from Utah became the
fi rst unit to work along the U.S.-
Mexico border as part of President
George W. Bush’s crackdown on illegal
immigration.
In 2013, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert
Bales, accused of killing 16 Afghan civil-
ians, many of them sleeping women
and children, pleaded guilty to murder
at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash-
ington, to avoid the death penalty; he
was sentenced to life in prison.
Ten years ago: After days of denials,
New York Democratic Rep. Anthony
Weiner confessed that he had tweeted
a photo of his bulging underpants to
a woman and admitted to “inappro-
priate” exchanges with six women
before and after getting married;
Weiner apologized for lying but said he
would not resign (which he ended up
doing). The Bowl Championship Series
stripped Southern California of its 2004
title after the Trojans were hit with
heavy NCAA sanctions for rules viola-
tions committed during the 2004 and
‘05 seasons.
Five years ago: A jury in Los Angeles
returned a death sentence for Lonnie
Franklin Jr., the serial killer known as
the “Grim Sleeper” who murdered nine
women and a teenage girl over several
decades. Theresa Saldana, the “Raging
Bull” actor who survived a stalker’s
brutal attack to become a crime vic-
tims’ advocate and reclaimed her acting
career with “The Commish” and other
TV shows, died in Los Angeles at 61.
One year ago: Tens of thousands ral-
lied in cities from Australia to Europe to
honor George Floyd and voice support
for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Massive, peaceful protests took place
nationwide to demand police reform,
as services for George Floyd were held
in North Carolina, near his birthplace.
Thousands of people again took to the
streets and parks of New York City to
protest police brutality; police pulled
back on enforcing an 8 p.m. curfew
that had led to confrontations. Police
in Seattle used fl ash bang devices and
pepper spray to disperse a crowd of
protesters on the ninth consecutive day
of George Floyd protests in the city.
LOTTERY
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Megabucks
03-11-15-25-32-46
Estimated jackpot: $3.6 million
Lucky Lines
04-05-10-16-19-21-27-30
Estimated jackpot: $49,000
Powerball
06-07-11-66-67
Powerball: 19
Power Play: 3
Estimated jackpot: $286 million
Win for Life
13-43-60-76
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 0-5-1-8
4 p.m.: 1-4-1-1
7 p.m.: 8-9-1-1
10 p.m.: 6-0-5-3
Thursday, June 3, 2021
Lucky Lines
04-06-09-15-18-21-26-29
Estimated jackpot: $51,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 1-6-4-3
4 p.m.: 3-3-2-7
7 p.m.: 0-9-1-0
10 p.m.: 2-3-8-1
Eastern
Oregon
heats up
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Water fl ows from a hydrant onto Adams Avenue in La Grande during construction along Second Street in order to
relieve pressure from the lines on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Construction along the street has steadily progressed,
and offi cials hope to fi nish the project entirely by June 30.
Lakey-Campbell to lead Idaho school district
after serving as the principal of
Cambridge High School in Cam-
IMBLER — Drawn by
bridge, Idaho. Lakey-Campbell
family ties, Imbler School Dis-
had been at Cambridge High
trict Superintendent Angie
School since 1987, except for
Lakey-Campbell is set to take
one year when she worked in the
a position as the leader of the
Garden Valley School District in
Hansen School District near
Garden Valley, Idaho.
Twin Falls, Idaho.
She said the past 15
The educator said she is
months have been particu-
looking forward to being
larly challenging because
closer to her family, noting
of COVID-19, but she
that she has a brother who
is delighted that Imbler
lives in nearby Gooding,
School District was able to
Idaho. Lakey-Campbell,
off er in-person instruction
Lakey-
Imbler’s superintendent
to all students throughout
Campbell the 2020-21 school year.
the past six years, will
become superintendent
Lakey-Campbell credits
director of the Hansen School
the help from state legislators
District starting July 1.
in Northeastern Oregon with
The Hansen School District,
making this possible.
which has 340 students, is com-
Lakey-Campbell also lauded
parable in size to the Imbler
the support the school dis-
School District, which has 286
trict received from its teachers
students.
in eff orts to get state metrics
Lakey-Campbell will also
changed so that Imbler stu-
serve as the director of federal
dents could receive in-person
programs with Hansen’s school
instruction during the pan-
district. She will be in charge of
demic. She said this was partic-
programs funded with federal
ularly heartening when she saw
dollars in this capacity.
many teachers around the United
Lakey-Campbell joined the
States voicing opposition to
Imbler School District in 2013
having students on campus due
By DICK MASON
The Observer
to the virus.
Doug Hislop, Imbler School’s
wrestling coach, credits
Lakey-Campbell with strongly
backing her students.
“She is very, very supportive
of students in and outside the
classroom,” said Hislop, who
was Imbler’s superintendent for
10 years before retiring in 2014.
Hislop was named the
Imbler School District’s interim
superintendent for 2021-22 on
Tuesday, June 1, by the Imbler
School Board.
Imbler High School Principal
Mike Mills praises Lakey-Camp-
bell for leading the school dis-
trict through the trials of the
COVID-19 pandemic and skill-
fully managing the school dis-
trict’s budget.
Lakey-Campbell believes
the Imbler School District has a
bright future.
“There are too many great
teachers and staff and too many
great people in the community
and on the school board for it not
to be successful,” she said.
Lakey-Campbell will remain
as Imbler’s superintendent
through June 30.
LA GRANDE — Temperatures
skyrocketed Wednesday, June 2,
across Eastern Oregon, reaching
triple digits in several cities and set-
ting multiple records.
Wallowa County and Union
County reached highs of 95 degrees
on June 2, the hottest temperature
recorded since early September
2020.
“We just had high pressure in our
area and it led to some pretty unsea-
sonably warm temperatures in the
area,” Cole Evans, a forecaster with
the National Weather Service in
Pendleton, said. “We typically don’t
see triple digits this early in the year,
but we saw a lot of record breaking
temperatures (June 2).”
Hermiston, Pendleton and Red-
mond all reached at least 100
degrees and set records. Highs in the
surrounding area ranged between
90 and 105 degrees. High pressure
also explains the low levels of pre-
cipitation La Grande and the sur-
rounding area have experienced in
recent weeks, Evans said.
However, the Weather Service
predicts temperatures are going
to cool off in the few days, with
average highs next week dropping
to the 70 to 79 range.
“That high pressure that’s been
causing all of this heat is going to
start to break down and move out of
the area, so it’ll start to cool down,”
Evans said.
These conditions are predicted to
bring some isolated thunderstorms
to areas of higher elevations in the
coming weeks, along with increased
precipitation. With the majority of
Oregon facing a drought, this pre-
cipitation could provide some relief
to the dry conditions associated
with wildfi re activity and extreme
temperatures.
Evans pointed out that weather
conditions always are subject to
change, but residents should be
aware of their activity in extreme
temperatures.
“We want to keep people
mindful of the warm weather, and
if people have to go outside, to keep
themselves hydrated and not spend
too much time in the extreme heat,”
Evans said. “With this hot and dry
start to the summer, just be mindful
of any fi re weather concerns if
you’re going outside.”
IMESD receives grant for Outdoor School site Intern joins
Outdoor School site can always
cation service district in sup-
The Observer
PENDLETON — The Inter-
use repairs and upgrades, and we porting this work in fulfi llment
Mountain Education Service
are very pleased that this grant
of their mission.
The Observer
District has received a grant of
$25,000 from Gray Family Foun-
dation’s Camp Maintenance
Grant Program for improve-
ments at the Outdoor School site,
according to a press release.
The purpose of the grant is
to address critical maintenance
needs for the facility, including
installing stand-alone heat
sources, updating entries and
trails for accessibility, upgrading
electrical panels and replacing
bunk beds and mattresses.
“Like any older camp, our
will make a diff erence at our
facility. We are very appreciative
of the generosity of Gray Family
Foundation toward our projects,”
said Bob McMillan, Outdoor
School coordinator for IMESD.
Nancy Bales, executive
director of Gray Family Foun-
dation, said the foundation rec-
ognizes the critical role the Out-
door School project will play in
enhancing safe and accessible
access for youth to outdoor resi-
dential facilities in Oregon and is
pleased to partner with the edu-
“Gray Family Foundation rec-
ognizes this year has had sig-
nifi cant impact on the Oregon
community. We believe your
organization plays a critical role
in the community you serve,” she
said.
The Outdoor School site is
on the north fork of the Umatilla
River on the Umatilla National
Forest near the Bar M Ranch.
IMESD leases the 654-acre prop-
erty from the U.S. Forest Service
for Outdoor School programs for
students of area school districts.
NEWS BRIEFS
Historic cemeteries
commission adds three
members
SALEM — A La Grande
archaeologist who previously
worked with the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation was appointed to
the Oregon Commission on His-
toric Cemeteries.
Lisa Sumption, director of
Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department, which houses
the Oregon Historic Ceme-
teries, made Shawn Steinmetz’s
appointment last fall and added
two additional members in May.
Steinmetz said his interest in
nondestructive technologies
can be employed to documents,
preservation and helping inter-
pret historic properties, and
can benefi t historic cemetery
management.
The other appointees are
Sarah Baylinson, who fi lls a
vacated Central Oregon posi-
tion, and Lisa Sears, who will
fi ll the vacated coastal posi-
tion. Baylinson is the collec-
tions manager and exhibits
coordinator for the High Desert
Museum in Bend. Sears is a
genealogist and family history
researcher who is volunteering
in Tillamook County. The new
commissioners join Milo Reed,
chair, from Portland; Bev Power,
vice-chair, from Medford; Char-
lotte Lehan from Wilsonville;
and Sarah Silbernagel from
Pendleton.
State law established the
seven-member commission to
maintain a listing of all historic
cemeteries and gravesites in
Oregon; promote public educa-
tion on the signifi cance of his-
toric cemeteries; and help obtain
fi nancial and technical assis-
tance for restoring, improving
and maintaining their appear-
ances. For more information,
visit www.oregonheritage.org.
For questions, contact coordi-
nator Kuri Gill at 503-986-0685
or kuri.gill@oregon.gov.
Fire hydrant tests
begin in June
LA GRANDE — The city of
La Grande’s annual fi re hydrant
testing and maintenance program
will begin Monday, June 14, and
continue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
until all hydrants are tested.
The La Grande Public
Works Department’s program is
important to “identify the quantity
of water available for fi refi ghting
purposes” and “serves to rid the
city’s water distribution system
of accumulations of sedimenta-
tion deposits over the past year,”
according to a press release.
Citizens who experience any
unusual water clarity problems
after the hydrants are fl ushed are
encouraged to turn on a cold-water
faucet outside of their house and
let it run for 10 to 15 minutes, the
release states. Doing so will nor-
mally clear up water from the ser-
vice line to the home. Additional
problems may be referred to Public
Works by calling 541-962-1325.
— EO Media Group
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The Observer
will have an extra pair of hands
helping out in the newsroom this
summer with intern Carlos Fuentes.
Fuentes comes to the La Grande
newsroom through the Charles
Snowden Program for
Excellence in Jour-
nalism, which pairs
student journalists
from universities in
Oregon with local
newspapers.
Fuentes
He just fi nished up
his third year at the University of
Portland. Fuentes, a native of Med-
ford, has served as a reporter and
a copy editor at the school’s stu-
dent-run newspaper, The Beacon.
“I fi nd the work that journalists
do really important, as an avenue to
discuss community issues, for com-
munity engagement and truth,” he
said.
Snowden interns apply and are
selected based on their potential suc-
cess in the media and their expe-
rience in media, commitment to
ethics, passion for journalism and
academic success.
Interim Editor Andrew Cutler
said he is looking forward to having
Fuentes at The Observer.
“We’re excited to have Carlos
with us and experience our commit-
ment to community journalism,” he
said.
In his college newsroom, Fuentes
has covered a number of topics,
including the COVID-19 pandemic
and the mental health of students
and faculty.
Moving from Portland to La
Grande, Fuentes is looking forward
to getting to know the community
and adjusting to a smaller town.
“I’m super excited to get to know
the people here and just be able to
walk around and know familiar
faces,” he said.
Fuentes has his eyes set on a
career in any type of editing and
hopes to use his passion for writing
and English to build a career he can
enjoy.