INSIDE
SUMMIT FEVER: SCRAMBLING TO THE TOP OF ELKHORN PEAK WEST OF BAKER CITY |
June 26, 2021
College
building
projects
cleared
WEEKEND EDITION
$1.50
HEAT WAVE
Staying
safe as
temps
go up
EOU’s Inlow Hall
among $446M in
state projects at
Oregon universities
By GARY A. WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
SALEM — Oregon’s
universities were given
approval by a key com-
mittee Thursday, June 24,
to use nearly $446 million
in state bonds to fi nance
major building and renova-
tion projects.
A football stadium
grandstand, two student
success centers, classrooms,
a manufacturing labora-
tory and theater were on the
fi nal list for $445,905,100 in
bonds to be sold to public
markets.
While major new build-
ings will go up in Bend,
Klamath Falls and Scap-
poose, much of the money
will be spent extending the
life of existing buildings
ranging from historic to
just old, but all with archaic
spaces and systems.
A state study showed
that nearly half of all
public university build-
ings are more than three
decades old with the
average age hitting 34
years. In addition to spe-
cifi c projects, the bonds
will be used to pay for
$80,810,000 in general
maintenance and repairs
across the state univer-
sity system, including
improving access for the
disabled and updating sys-
tems to meet modern use
and safety codes.
The funding now heads
to the House and Senate for
approval.
Eastern Oregon
University, La Grande
Inlow Hall, $18,520,000
The bonds will fi nance
renovations that maintain
the historic integrity of the
fi rst building on campus
while giving the landmark
a new life for future genera-
tions of students.
The complete overhaul
will improve entrances for
better access for all stu-
dents and safe exit in the
See, Projects/Page 5A
OUTDOORS & REC, 1B
By CARLOS FUENTES,
DAVIS CARBAUGH and
DICK MASON
The Observer
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Bentlee Blanton, 8, cools off on a rock in the middle of the Grande Ronde River by Riverside Park in La Grande on Wednes-
day, June 23, 2021. National Weather Service is projecting a heat wave in the valley starting Monday, June 28, with three
consecutive days of triple-digit weather. The three-day streak would set the regional record for highest hot streak in
June in more than 100 years, and likely set day records for each of those days.
NE Oregon to bake under triple digits for several days
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — A blis-
tering heat wave is expected
to hit Northeastern Oregon
and Southeastern Washington
beginning this weekend.
The heat wave is projected to
start Saturday, June 26, and run
at least through June 30.
La Grande may emerge from
the heat wave with its fi rst tri-
ple-digit June heat streak.
The National Weather Ser-
vice is projecting that high
temperatures in La Grande
will exceed 100 degrees on
June 28, June 29 and June 30.
This would give La Grande
its fi rst-ever streak of June
days with a high temperature
of at least 100 degrees since
records started being tabu-
lated in 1887, according to Rob
Brooks, a meteorologist with
the National Weather Service,
Pendleton.
The National Weather Ser-
vice is projecting highs in La
Grande of 102 degrees on June
28, 104 on June 29 and 103 on
June 30. The agency’s projection
for June 27 is 99 degrees, which
means there is a realistic chance
La Grande’s projected June heat
streak of 100 degree days could
reach four.
This would not be the fi rst
time La Grande will have had
consecutive days of at least 100
degree weather. Brooks noted
that in 1967 La Grande had a
six-day August stretch where
average high temperatures for
each day was 101.5 degrees.
The National Weather Ser-
vice’s forecasts make it appear
likely that all-time daily records
for La Grande will be broken
each day of the heat wave. The
current June 26-30 records
for high temperatures are 91
degrees on June 26, 93 degrees
Staying cool
TUESDAY
See, Heat/Page 5A
See, Safe/Page 5A
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
on June 27, 97 degrees on June
28, 94 degrees on June 29 and
99 degrees on June 30.
These fi gures are much
higher than La Grande’s typ-
ical late-June temperatures. The
average daily high tempera-
tures for La Grande in the June
26-30 span range from 78 to 80
degrees, according to Brandon
Lawhorn, a meteorologist with
the National Weather Service,
Pendleton.
Brooks said the average hot-
test day of the month in June
has been 92 degrees.
The heat wave is forecast
WEATHER
Horoscope .............3B
Lottery ....................2A
Obituaries ..............3A
Opinion ..................4A
because of a high-pressure
system over the region that is
keeping out other weather sys-
tems that might otherwise bring
rain and cooler temperatures.
“It is also pushing hot air
from the southwest into the
region,” Lawhorn said.
On the all-time high tem-
perature front, it appears that La
Grande’s mark of 108 degrees
will not be threatened since the
top mark the National Weather
Service is projecting for is 102
on both June 28-29.
According to Hulme,
people should avoid staying
in direct sunlight longer than
their body can handle it,
which varies from person to
person.
“Look for shade, always
carry more water than you
think you need. It can help to
have a spray bottle so you can
have mist in the heat as well,”
Hulme said. “It also helps to
have a little portable fan, or
just some way to keep your
body from overheating.”
In addition to keeping cool
outside, residents can prepare
for the heat by ensuring their
air conditioning units are
working properly. According
to Ryan Scott, owner of
Scott’s Heating and Air Con-
ditioning in La Grande, there
are several strategies to max-
imize the effi ciency of an AC
unit.
“I recommend a preseason
service through a licensed
HVAC contractor,” he said.
“Something that everyone
can do at home is to check the
air fi lter in the unit, and either
get it cleaned or replaced so
that the unit can work as best
as possible.”
Scott also recommended
setting AC temperatures ear-
lier in the day as opposed to
waiting for the temperature to
warm up.
“You want to set the tem-
perature early and leave it
alone, or else it’ll be much
harder to cool down later in
the day,” Scott said. “Some-
Union County sheriff ’s deputy Lani Jones places her business card on the driv-
er’s window of a vehicle with small animals inside Wednesday, May 12, 2021,
near the Walmart parking lot in Island City. Jones says that as warmer weather
approaches, heat exhaustion can be fatal for dogs and other animals locked
inside cars.
INDEX
Classified ...............2B
Comics ....................5B
Crossword .............3B
Dear Abby .............6B
LA GRANDE — With
temperatures in La Grande
and the surrounding area
expected to reach triple
digits this weekend, residents
should be aware of important
practices and local resources
to keep themselves and others
safe in the summer heat.
Prolonged exposure to
the sun might lead to heat
exhaustion, or in the worst
case, a heatstroke. Some of
the symptoms of heat exhaus-
tion are profuse sweating,
fatigue and nausea, according
to Jared Hulme, primary care
provider at Grande Ronde
Hospital Regional Medical
Clinic.
“As long as you are taking
appropriate precautions,
it is OK to be outside and
active, but the most important
things are drinking water and
not getting to that point of
fatigue,” he said.
Outdoors & Rec ...1B
Records ..................3A
Sports .....................6A
Sudoku ...................5B
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Sunday
63 LOW
102/65
Clear and mild
Very hot
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Issue 74
2 sections, 12 pages
La Grande, Oregon
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