LOCAL
2A — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
Today is Tuesday, June 29, the
180th day of 2021. There are 185
days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
IN HISTORY:
On June 29, 1927, the first
trans-Pacific airplane flight
was completed as U.S. Army
Air Corps Lt. Lester J. Maitland
and Lt. Albert F. Hegenberger
arrived at Wheeler Field in
Hawaii aboard the Bird of Par-
adise, an Atlantic-Fokker C-2,
after flying 2,400 miles from
Oakland, California, in 25 hours,
50 minutes.
ON THIS DATE:
In 1520, Montezuma II, the
ninth and last emperor of the
Aztecs, died in Tenochtitlan
under unclear circumstances
(some say he was killed by his
own subjects; others, by the
Spanish).
In 1613, London’s original
Globe Theatre, where many of
Shakespeare’s plays were per-
formed, was destroyed by a
fire sparked by a cannon shot
during a performance of “Henry
VIII.”
In 1767, Britain approved the
Townshend Revenue Act, which
imposed import duties on glass,
paint, oil, lead, paper and tea
shipped to the American col-
onies. (Colonists bitterly pro-
tested, prompting Parliament
to repeal the duties — except
for tea.)
In 1956, film star Marilyn
Monroe married playwright
Arthur Miller in a civil ceremony
in White Plains, New York.
In 1967, Jerusalem was
re-unified as Israel removed
barricades separating the Old
City from the Israeli sector.
In 1970, the United States
ended a two-month military
offensive into Cambodia.
In 1972, the U.S. Supreme
Court struck down a trio of
death sentences, saying the
way they had been imposed
constituted cruel and unusual
punishment.
In 1995, the space shuttle
Atlantis and the Russian Mir
space station linked in orbit,
beginning a historic five-day
voyage as a single ship.
In 2006, the Supreme Court
ruled, 5-3, that President
George W. Bush’s plan to try
Guantanamo Bay detainees in
military tribunals violated U.S.
and international law.
In 2009, disgraced financier
Bernard Madoff received a 150-
year sentence for his multibil-
lion-dollar fraud.
Ten years ago: In the first
ruling by a federal appeals court
on President Barack Obama’s
health care overhaul, a panel in
Cincinnati handed the admin-
istration a victory by agreeing
that the government could
require a minimum amount of
insurance for Americans. Greece
fended off bankruptcy as law-
makers backed austerity mea-
sures in the face of riots that left
more than 100 injured.
Five years ago: President
Barack Obama and the leaders
of Mexico and Canada, meeting
in Ottawa, pushed back force-
fully against the isolationist
and anti-immigrant sentiments
roiling Britain and championed
by GOP presidential candidate
Donald Trump.
One year ago: New York City
Mayor Bill de Blasio said he had
a plan to cut the city police
department budget by $1 bil-
lion; the announcement came
a week after a “defund the
police” protest became a full-
blown occupation outside City
Hall. (The City Council would
approve a plan to shift $1 billion
from policing to education and
social services in the coming
year.)
LOTTERY
Friday, June 25, 2021
Megamillions
17-20-42-45-65
Megaball: 12
Megaplier: 4
Jackpot: $61 million
Lucky Lines
02-07-10-16-18-22-27-30
Jackpot: $72,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 5-7-6-0
4 p.m.: 3-9-9-8
7 p.m.: 5-0-7-0
10 p.m.: 1-5-3-1
Saturday, June 26, 2021
Powerball
08-31-39-43-60
Powerball: 17
Power Play: 3
Jackpot: $61 million
Megabucks
19-24-27-32-36-46
Jackpot: $4.6 million
Lucky Lines
02-07-10-16-19-21-25-31
Jackpot: $73,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 4-4-2-9
4 p.m.: 7-7-4-3
7 p.m.: 3-0-9-9
10 p.m.: 5-9-8-9
Win for Life
xx-xx-xx-xx
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Lucky Lines
03-07-10-15-20-22-28-30
Estimated jackpot: $10,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 5-3-6-8
4 p.m.: 5-4-4-4
7 p.m.: 4-1-8-4
10 p.m.: 0-4-1-6
TuESday, JunE 29, 2021
House gets new lease on life Blood
Renovations of Nez
Perce Wallowa
Homeland Project
guesthouse nears
completion
By RONALD BOND
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA — A house
owned by the Nez Perce
Wallowa Homeland Project
is about ready for a new
lease on life.
The McCrae home, on
the eastern edge of the
320-plus-acre parcel of
land owned by the Home-
land Project near Wallowa,
is undergoing a renova-
tion, and the plan is that by
July it will be available for
use by tribal members and
other community mem-
bers, much in the same
way other venues on the
Homeland Project grounds
are.
The family that rented
the old home from the
NPWH recently moved
out, and Executive
Director Angela Bombaci
said it was time to change
how the property is used.
“We are repurposing
this house from being a
profit center for us as an
organization — because
we used to make money
off of it for rent — to
being part of the services
that we provide,” Bombaci
said. “It is a five-bedroom
house. We are renovating
it to be a place where
tribal people will come
stay, (and) have that com-
fortable family setting.”
Ronald Bond/Wallowa County Chieftain
The McCrae house, which is owned by the Nez Perce Wallowa
Homeland Project, is undergoing a renovation to be available for
use by tribal members and other community members starting in
July 2021.
Tribal members and
others can use the land for
a variety of purposes —
perhaps the most famous
of them being the annual
Tamkaliks Celebration at
the Powwow Grounds.
But aside from camping
or staying in the longhouse
on the property, Bombaci
noted that finding places to
stay in town is becoming
increasingly challenging,
and opening up the home
provides familiar, acces-
sible lodging.
Interior work to pre-
pare the home has been
underway for months, and
Bombaci said hundreds
of volunteer hours have
helped with the progress
— from individuals doing
small things like clean
to professionals donating
time and materials.
“Our big push is to
have it ready for people to
come stay this July,” she
said. “We have a group of
published Native writers
coming out to stay for a
retreat in July. The time-
line to have it ready in
at least its first phase is
this summer. But there’s
bigger scale work that
does need to happen.”
And there are more
opportunities to pitch in
coming up.
“We had a plumber
come and donate all his
time, and almost all of the
painting has been done
by volunteers. We’ve
come a long way without
spending a ton of money
yet,” Bombaci said. “But
now we’re on to the more
expensive things like
painting the exterior, a
new roof and ADA access,
and then the fun part,
which is furnishing it.”
Household items and
supplies are being sought
via an Amazon wish-
list posted to social
media. Those interested
in donating or volun-
teering can contact Bom-
baci at info@wallowanez-
perce.org or by calling
541-778-0055.
The Homeland Project
will not be charging a
fee to stay, but individ-
uals are asked to consider
donating when possible.
“We’re kind of
counting on those who can
to help us keep it up and
running as a community
offering, just an extension
of the welcome we were
founded to provide dis-
persed Nez Perce descen-
dants,” Bombaci said.
“The Wallowa commu-
nity and Wallowa County
community want to wel-
come Native people to this
community. This is a very
tangible, fundamental,
element of saying, ‘Yes,
come spend time here.
There is to be a place to
sleep and cook and be.’”
Union County businesses to receive $500,000
By DICK MASON
The Observer
UNION COUNTY
— Many Union County
businesses throttled by
the COVID-19 pandemic
will soon be receiving a
financial boost.
Union County has
been notified that it will
receive $500,000 in fed-
eral funding through the
American Rescue Plan
Act that Congress passed
earlier this year.
The money will
be provided to Union
County businesses strug-
gling after being hit
hard by the COVID-19
pandemic, according
to Union County Com-
missioner Donna Bev-
erage. She said the Union
County Board of Com-
missioners previously
agreed this is how the
money will be spent.
Beverage said it is
critical to do everything
possible to help local
businesses.
“The best way to help
Union County’s economy
is keep our businesses
from going out of busi-
ness,” she said.
The Union County
Board of Commissioners
will determine how the
funding is to be distrib-
uted to businesses in the
future. Union County has
not yet received the ARPA
funding.
The money will come
from $240 million in
ARPA money the state
received that was divided
between Oregon’s 90 state
senators and representa-
tives to hand out for proj-
ects in their districts. Each
senator received $4 mil-
lion and each representa-
tive received $2 million,
and they then arranged for
counties in their districts
to receive the funding for
requested projects.
Union and Wallowa
counties will be receiving
their ARPA funding
money through District 58
Rep. Bobby Levy, R-Echo.
Wallowa County will
spend its ARPA money on
capital improvement at its
fairgrounds. Projects it will
be spent on include a new
roof for the show barn,
replacing panels and posts,
the upgrade of outdoor
livestock facilities and ren-
ovating Cloverleaf Hall,
one of Wallowa County’s
largest indoor facilities.
The funding is a portion
of the $6 billion Oregon
will be receiving from the
American Rescue Plan Act
for cities, counties, univer-
sities, school districts and
state agencies, according
to the University of Oregon
Labor Education and
Research Center’s website.
NEWS BRIEFS
Red Cross announces
blood shortage
SEATTLE — The American Red
Cross is experiencing a severe blood
shortage as the number of trauma
cases, organ transplants and elective
surgeries rise and deplete the nation’s
blood inventory.
The Red Cross urges donors of
all blood types — especially type O
and those giving platelets — to make
an appointment to give as soon as
possible to prevent delays in critical
patient care.
For more information or to
schedule a donation time, visit
www.redcrossblood.org or call
1-800-733-2767.
Enterprise transient suspect
in setting Pendleton fire
PENDLETON — The Umatilla
County Sheriff’s Office arrested an
Enterprise transient Saturday, June
26, for setting a fire that burned 450
acres in the Stage Gulch area of Air-
port Hill, Pendleton.
The sheriff’s office booked
Michael Dean Summers, 36, into the
county jail on a lone count of first-de-
gree arson.
Sheriff’s Lt. Sterrin Ward said
Pendleton police were in the area of
the fire. Summers caught their atten-
tion when they found out he made
comments suggesting he set the fire.
“He was saying he was sending up
smoke signals,” Ward said, “and he
made a comment about ‘God made
me do it.’”
Summers also appeared to be suf-
fering from exposure to the high
heat, and an ambulance took him
to St. Anthony Hospital, Pendleton.
Ward said Pendleton police wasted
no time in contacting the arson inves-
tigator with the sheriff’s office.
As soon as the hospital released
Summers, the sheriff’s office arrested
him for first-degree arson and booked
him into the county jail. His prelimi-
nary bail is $250,000.
According to state court records,
Summers was on a conditional
release from Wallowa County fol-
lowing his arrest June 19 in Enter-
prise on misdemeanors of second-de-
gree disorderly conduct and trespass.
Summers has a plea hearing in that
case on Sept. 8.
‘Shake the Lake’ donations
needed
WALLOWA COUNTY — The
sponsors of this year’s Shake the
Lake fireworks show at Wallowa
Lake are appealing for another
$6,000 to fund the event, according
to a press release.
The Wallowa County Chamber of
Commerce, the Joseph Chamber and
the Stubborn Mule Saloon & Steak-
house are collaborating to ensure
the success of the event. With less a
week until the Fourth of July, there is
a lot of ground left to cover.
Sponsors need $15,000 total in
funds for this year and they’re still
$6,000 short. Residents and busi-
nesses are asked to support the fire-
works event with a donation of any
amount — big or small.
Last year, the principal sponsors
were unable to support the event
because of coronavirus pandemic
restrictions. However, the fireworks
were a real blast, anyway. The spon-
sors want to keep this celebration
alive in Wallowa County.
Donations made via check may be
sent to the Wallowa County Chamber
of Commerce at P.O. Box 427, Enter-
prise, OR 97828 or in person at the
Wallowa County Chamber office
at 309 S. River St., Enterprise, OR
97828, or at the Stubborn Mule.
There are lots of ways to
donate. For a full list of options
for donating to this collabora-
tive event, visit https://tinyurl.com/
ShakeLakeDonate.
Assessment addresses
community challenges
ENTERPRISE — The Commu-
nity Needs Assessment compiled
by the Northeast Oregon Economic
Development District is available
online to all who are interested,
according to a press release.
The assessment includes input
from more than 70 stakeholders from
Baker, Union and Wallowa coun-
ties on the top needs and potential
solutions to recover from the coro-
navirus pandemic. The NEOEDD
will be meeting with stakeholders to
develop a COVID-19 Recovery Plan
throughout the remainder of 2021.
Stakeholder input revealed five
areas of shared needs:
• Social capital (e.g., increase
communication and collabora-
tions, and increase accessibility to
resources).
• Health, food and social services
(e.g., more affordable and inclusive
mental and physical health care).
• Education and child care (e.g.,
more equitable and profitable child
care and improved career pathways).
• Built and natural environment
(e.g., more attainable workforce
housing options).
• Economic development (e.g.,
more business retention and work-
force-development solutions).
The assessment is available at
https://tinyurl.com/NEOEDDneeds.
— The Observer
drive
may set
record
La Grande
Community Blood
Drive ahead of
2020 pace
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The
Red Cross-operated La
Grande Community Blood
Drive is on pace to have
one of the most successful
years it has had in at least
two decades.
The blood drive col-
lected 161 units during
draws in mid-June, three
more than its goal, said
Sheldon Strand, who coor-
dinates the community
blood drive with his wife,
Linda Strand.
To date 508 units have
been donated in 2021
during three two-day
drives in January, March
and June. This is well
ahead of the 2020 pace
when 285 units were
drawn over the same span
and a total of 643 units
were drawn for the year.
La Grande has already
topped its goal for 2019,
when 465 units were
drawn. A unit of blood is
about a pint.
One reason the rate is
much higher than a year
ago is that the blood draw
sessions in La Grande, all
conducted at The Church
of Jesus Christ Church
of Latter-day Saints, are
now two days instead of
one. The extra day was
added to accommodate the
greater number of people
who want to give blood in
Union County.
“The community has
supported us so much that
we added an extra day,”
Sheldon Strand said.
The extra day was
added in September 2020.
The La Grande Com-
munity Blood Drive has
been conducted at the
LDS Church for about 20
years. Sites it was con-
ducted shortly before
that included the Zion
Lutheran Church in La
Grande.
The blood drive has
been doing well in 2020
and this year despite the
social distancing standards
blood donors have had to
adhere to due to the pan-
demic. Strand said people
have been very accepting
of them throughout.
“It has not been an
issue,” he said.
The next La Grande
Community Blood Drive
will be conducted Sept.
14-15 at the La Grande
LDS Church. People can
register for the blood drive
at www.redcrossblood.org.
Walk-ins who have not
preregistered will also be
welcome.
“We try to work in
everybody who has come,”
Strand said.
Downloading the Red
Cross’ blood donor app is
another way to schedule
and manage blood dona-
tion appointments. The
app also creates a digital
donor card, tracks life-
time donations and allows
donors to follow their
donation on its way to a
hospital.
The Sept. 14 session
will run from noon to
6 p.m. and the Sept. 15
session from 9 a.m. to
3 p.m. People who have
registered are encour-
aged to come in about
15 minutes before their
appointment.
The units of blood con-
tributed annually by those
coming to the La Grande
Community Blood Drive
are among 13.6 million
units of whole blood and
red blood cells donated
each year in the United
States, according to the
American Red Cross blood
service’s website, www.
redcrossblood.org.