LOCAL
2A — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
Today is Thursday, June 24,
the 175th day of 2021. There are
190 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
IN HISTORY:
On June 24, 1948, Commu-
nist forces cut off all land and
water routes between West
Germany and West Berlin,
prompting the western allies to
organize the Berlin Airlift.
ON THIS DATE:
In 1497, the first recorded
sighting of North America by a
European took place as explorer
John Cabot spotted land, prob-
ably in present-day Canada.
In 1807, a grand jury in Rich-
mond, Virginia, indicted former
Vice President Aaron Burr on
charges of treason and high
misdemeanor (he was later
acquitted).
In 1880, “O Canada,” the
future Canadian national
anthem, was first performed in
Quebec City.
In 1940, France signed an
armistice with Italy during
World War II.
In 1947, what’s regarded as
the first modern UFO sighting
took place as private pilot Ken-
neth Arnold, an Idaho busi-
nessman, reported seeing
nine silvery objects flying in
a “weaving formation” near
Mount Rainier in Washington.
In 1957, the U.S. Supreme
Court, in Roth v. United States,
ruled 6-3 that obscene materials
were not protected by the First
Amendment.
In 1964, AT&T inaugurated
commercial “Picturephone” ser-
vice between New York, Chi-
cago and Washington, D.C. (the
service, however, never caught
on).
In 1973, President Richard
Nixon concluded his summit
with the visiting leader of the
Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev,
who hailed the talks in an
address on American television.
In 1983, the space shuttle
Challenger — carrying Ameri-
ca’s first woman in space, Sally
K. Ride — coasted to a safe
landing at Edwards Air Force
Base in California.
In 1992, the Supreme Court,
in a 5-4 decision, strengthened
its 30-year ban on officially
sponsored worship in public
schools, prohibiting prayer as a
part of graduation ceremonies.
In 2015, a federal judge in
Boston formally sentenced
Boston Marathon bomber
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for
the 2013 terror attacks. (A fed-
eral appeals court later threw
out the sentence; the Supreme
Court this fall will consider
reinstating it.) Alabama Gov.
Robert Bentley became the
first southern governor to use
his executive power to remove
Confederate banners, as four
flags with secessionist sym-
bols were taken down from a
large monument to rebel sol-
diers outside the state capitol in
Montgomery.
In 2018, women in Saudi
Arabia were able to drive for
the first time, as the world’s
last remaining ban on female
drivers was lifted.
Ten years ago: A defiant U.S.
House voted overwhelmingly to
deny President Barack Obama
the authority to wage war
against Libya, but Republicans
fell short in an effort to actually
cut off funds for the operation.
Five years ago: President
Barack Obama created the first
national monument to gay
rights, designating the site of
the 1969 Stonewall riots in Man-
hattan. Republican Donald
Trump, visiting Scotland, hailed
Britain’s vote to leave the Euro-
pean Union, drawing parallels
to the anger driving his own
presidential campaign.
One year ago: Three white
men were indicted on murder
charges in the killing of Ahmaud
Arbery, a Black man who was
shot while running in a neigh-
borhood near Georgia’s coast.
Wisconsin’s governor activated
the National Guard to protect
state properties after a night of
violent protests that included
the toppling of two statues out-
side the state Capitol.
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10 p.m.: 1-1-7-5
THuRSday, JunE 24, 2021
Fires prohibited at Morgan Lake Gripes
continue
to hound
council
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — In
an effort to limit the pos-
sibility of human-caused
wildfires, the La Grande
Parks and Recreation
Department announced
Tuesday, June 22, fire
restrictions for Morgan
Lake.
The restrictions come
on the heels of the Oregon
Department of Forest-
ry’s regulated use closure
that went into effect at
12:01 a.m. June 23.
Morgan Lake is pro-
tected by ODF and there-
fore the La Grande Parks
and Recreation Depart-
ment is following the
guidelines in prohib-
iting open fires. The fire
ban typically comes in
late July or early August,
marking an exceptionally
early decision this year.
“Every year we shut
down fire, however this
year is the earliest I can
remember since I’ve been
here for seven years,”
said La Grande Parks and
Recreation Director Stu
Spence.
The restrictions will
ban smoking, camp fires,
Alleged accusations
levied by Councilor
Bingham denied by
local businessman
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
In an effort to limit the possibility of human-caused wildfires, the La Grande Parks and Recreation
Department announced Tuesday, June 22, fire restrictions for Morgan Lake.
charcoal fires and fire-
works in order to reduce
the risk of human-caused
wildfires. Portable cooking
stoves that use liquid or
bottled fuels will still be
allowed for campers and
day trippers.
The ODF restrictions
also apply to its protected
lands across Malheur,
Baker, Wallowa, Union,
Morrow, Grant and Uma-
tilla counties.
In addition to open
fires, the ODF statement
restricts the use of non-
industrial chain saws
between the hours of noon
and 8 p.m., unless an ax,
shovel and fire extin-
guisher is present with the
operator of the saw.
Mowing dry grass is
also prohibited between
the hours of noon and
8 p.m., unless being per-
formed on commercial
crops and agriculture.
While traveling, pos-
session of a shovel and
one gallon of water or
one 2-1/2 pound fire
extinguisher is required.
This restriction does not
apply only on state high-
ways, county roads and
driveways.
The full list of restric-
tions can be found on the
ODF Northeast Oregon
District website.
Search and rescue training planned this weekend
10 Eastern Oregon
counties, including
Union, Wallowa,
expected to take
part in exercises
WHO TO CONTACT
For more information, contact
Ellen Morris Bishop, Wallowa
County SAR public relations,
at 541-398-1810 or paleo-
bishop@gmail.com; or Paige
Sully, Wallowa County SAR, at
541-426-0535.
The Observer
ENTERPRISE —
Eastern Oregon Search
and Rescue will hold
an annual training at
Salt Creek Summit
from Friday, June 25
through Sunday, June
27, according to a press
release.
Travelers taking the
USFS 39 Road to Halfway
or Hells Canyon this
weekend can expect some
delays, along with ATVs,
pickups, people and
maybe even extra help if
trouble occurs.
“This training is a huge
value to all of our volun-
teers to be able to network
and train with multiple
agencies from Northeast
Oregon,” Wallowa County
SAR Capt. Brent Neely
said. “Participating coun-
ties frequently call on
each other for mutual aid
for specialized rescues
or extended searches and
having experience training
with each other’s teams is
invaluable.”
There may be signifi-
cant traffic and UTV/ATV
congestion in and around
Wallowa County Search and Rescue/Contributed Photo
The Wallowa County Search and Rescue ropes team practices a res-
cue earlier this year. The county SAR team will host teams from all
over Eastern Oregon at Salt Creek Summit for training this week-
end.
the Salt Creek Summit
parking area during the
training time. The parking
lot will be open to the
public, but parking may be
limited due to the volume
of SAR equipment and
tents staged there.
About 100 SAR vol-
unteers from 10 Eastern
Oregon counties (Baker,
Gilliam, Grant, Harney,
Malheur, Morrow, Union,
Umatilla, Wallowa and
Wheeler) are expected to
take part in the exercises.
Most will be camping in
the Salt Creek Summit
area, near where most
of the training will take
place. Wallowa County
SAR volunteers are
hosting the event.
The training includes
work in fast-tracking,
responding to a swift-
water (water rescue) emer-
gency, advanced incident
command, land searches,
K-9 land searches, civil
air patrol searches and
searching using a drone.
“If you plan to rec-
reate or travel in this area,
please be aware of this
training,” WCSAR event
coordinator Paige Sully
said. “However serious
it may appear, we are
not engaged in an actual
search and rescue incident
response.”
The Wallowa County
SAR volunteers have
developed the training
exercises that also include
equine packing and
rescue.
“There are thousands
of volunteer hours that go
into planning and training
at this event,” Neely said.
“I want to say ‘thank
you’ to all the SAR mem-
bers for the personal time,
energy, and money they
donate to make our north-
east Oregon SAR teams
the best they can be.”
NEWS BRIEFS
Baker City man accused
of construction fraud
BAKER CITY — A Baker City
man is accused of receiving money
from clients for construction projects
that he failed to start or finish.
Kenneth Edward
Hackett, 51, of 2755
Eighth St., was arrested
Saturday, June 19, in
Baker City on two
counts of aggravated
Hackett
theft and one count of
first-degree theft.
The warrant from Baker County
Circuit Court stems from investiga-
tions by the Baker City Police and
Baker County Sheriff’s Office related
to construction fraud complaints,
according to a press release from Ray
Duman, interim administrator for the
Baker City Police.
The two agencies investigated
two incidents with a combined loss
of $78,000, according to the press
release. A third case, from Union
County, was also reported to Baker
City Police.
Three other cases reported to
Baker City Police were settled by
civil action between the residents
and Hackett, according to the press
release.
According to the Oregon Con-
tractor Construction Board, Hackett
has never been a licensed contractor
in Oregon. The agency fined Hackett
five times between 2009 and 2021
for working without a license, and he
owes $25,491 in penalties.
People are encouraged to report
possible incidents involving Hackett
to the Baker City Police (541-523-
3644) or Baker County Sheriff’s
Office (541-523-6415).
La Grande to host workshop
on substance use and DUII
LA GRANDE — Jermaine Gal-
loway, founder of Tall Cop Says Stop,
will host a workshop on substance
use and inebriated driving trends
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 26,
at La Grande High School.
The session will focus on new
trends in underage alcohol use, drug
concealment methods, identifying
intoxicated drivers and more. This
will be Galloway’s second training in
La Grande.
The workshop is intended for law
enforcement officers, first responders,
educators, government officials and
counselors, and is open to the public.
Any questions regarding the event
or registration can be directed to Bil-
lie-Jo Nickens at 541-786-5915.
Gun discharged during
domestic dispute
NORTH POWDER — A man
was arrested in North Powder on
Monday, June 21, after the Union
County Sheriff’s Office responded to
a domestic dispute where a firearm
was discharged.
Nobody was injured but the man,
whom police declined to identify,
was arrested on a charge of menacing
and transported to Grande Ronde
Hospital, La Grande, for a mental
health evaluation.
A woman in the residence
was able to escape the residence
unharmed, according to Union
County Sheriff Cody Bowen.
Crews to start pavement
upgrade on June 24
MEACHAM — Motorists on
Interstate 84 can expect delays
starting on Thursday, June 24,
as work crews begin a pavement
asphalt overlay in the Meacham area,
according to an Oregon Department
of Transportation press release.
Crews will start applying the
pavement asphalt overlay on Kamela
Road and Old US Highway 30
starting at I-84 Exit 243, going
through Kamela and ending at the
I-84 Interchange at Meacham.
Traffic will be controlled by flag-
gers and pilot cars during work
hours and travelers can expect up to
20-minute delays, according to the
release. The work, which will not
affect Interstate 84 traffic, is expected
to be complete no later than June 30.
— The Observer
JOSEPH — The
dysfunction in Joseph City
Hall continues.
Another executive ses-
sion to deal with complaints
against city officials and/
or employees is scheduled
for 5 p.m. Monday, June 28,
at the Joseph Community
Events Center. The execu-
tive session will be followed
by an open session to make
any decisions desired by the
city council.
The most recent com-
plaint was a letter sub-
mitted to the Chieftain by
local businessman Gary
Bethscheider. The letter
states that Councilor Kathy
Bingham accused Beth-
scheider of making an
obscene gesture at her
during a February council
meeting.
“This past week, I was
approached by Mayor
(Belinda) Buswell, who
made me aware that Kathy
Bingham had accused
me of ‘flipping her off’
at the last city council
meeting,” Bethscheider’s
letter states. “Kathy made
these false claims to (then)
City Administrator Larry
Braden days after the city
council meeting. In turn,
Larry asked Mayor Buswell
to inquire further with me
about this accusation.”
In his letter, Beth-
scheider denied Bingham’s
accusation and repeated the
denial in an interview with
the Chieftain last week.
In the letter, he said there
were three other people
with the same line of sight
as Bingham who said they
didn’t see any such action.
In his letter, Beth-
scheider said he believes
such a “false accusation”
by Bingham is “abso-
lutely unacceptable” and
that Bingham should be
removed from the council.
He said such an accusation
could damage his reputation
both as a person and as a
businessman.
Bethscheider said in a
June 18 email he has yet to
hear from the city on his
complaint against Bingham
other than that the city is
trying to investigate in the
“proper manner.”
Bingham declined to
comment on the issue.
When contacted by phone
on June 16, Bingham hung
up. She did not respond
to other emails and phone
calls.
Buswell has not
responded to emails and
phone messages.
Following a June 3 exec-
utive session, Pro-Tem
Administrator/Recorder
Brock Eckstein said he
had no documented claims
of harassment by council
members. However, in
an email June 15, he con-
firmed that he knows of
Bethscheider’s Feb. 21
letter and its content.
He said that other letters
of complaint have been
received, but he could not
discuss their content, who
they are from or whom they
accuse.
“The city is treating
these complaints with pri-
vacy to those in ques-
tion until they can be fully
investigated and vetted
through the council,” Eck-
stein said in his email.
“Anything that you release
in your article should make
note of that as we are not
trying to violate any pri-
vacy laws with this and we
are not releasing a press
release regarding these
complaints until after the
executive session.”
Eckstein has said in the
past that options the council
can consider do not extend
to removing one of its own.