LOCAL
A2 — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
Today is Saturday, July 24, the
205th day of 2021. There are 160
days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
IN HISTORY
On July 24, 1969, the Apollo
11 astronauts — two of whom
had been the first men to set
foot on the moon — splashed
down safely in the Pacific.
ON THIS DATE
On July 24, 1567, Mary,
Queen of Scots was forced to
abdicate by Scottish nobles in
favor of her infant son James,
who became King of Scotland
at the age of one.
In 1847, Mormon leader
Brigham Young and his fol-
lowers arrived in the Great Salt
Lake Valley in present-day Utah.
In 1858, Republican sena-
torial candidate Abraham Lin-
coln formally challenged Dem-
ocrat Stephen A. Douglas to a
series of political debates; the
result was seven face-to-face
encounters.
In 1862, Martin Van Buren,
the eighth president of the
United States, and the first to
have been born a U.S. citizen,
died at age 79 in Kinderhook,
New York, the town where he
was born in 1782.
In 1866, Tennessee became
the first state to be readmitted
to the Union after the Civil War.
In 1915, the SS Eastland, a
passenger ship carrying more
than 2,500 people, rolled onto
its side while docked at the
Clark Street Bridge on the Chi-
cago River; an estimated 844
people died in the disaster.
In 1937, the state of Alabama
dropped charges against four of
the nine Black men accused of
raping two white women in the
“Scottsboro Case.”
In 1952, the Gary Cooper
western “High Noon” had its
U.S. premiere in New York.
In 1974, the U.S. Supreme
Court unanimously ruled that
President Richard Nixon had to
turn over subpoenaed White
House tape recordings to the
Watergate special prosecutor.
In 1975, an Apollo spacecraft
splashed down in the Pacific,
completing a mission which
included the first-ever docking
with a Soyuz capsule from the
Soviet Union.
In 2010, a stampede inside
a tunnel crowded with techno
music fans left 21 people dead
and more than 500 injured at
the famed Love Parade festival
in western Germany.
In 2019, in a day of con-
gressional testimony, Robert
Mueller dismissed President
Donald Trump’s claim of “total
exoneration” in Mueller’s
probe of Russia’s 2016 election
interference.
Ten years ago: Cadel Evans
won the Tour de France,
becoming the first Australian
champion in cycling’s greatest
race.
Five years ago: Ken Griffey Jr.
and Mike Piazza were inducted
into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
British rider Chris Froome cele-
brated his third Tour de France
title in four years.
One year ago: U.S. agents
again used tear gas to try to
disperse a crowd of protesters
outside the federal courthouse
in Portland, Oregon, after fire-
works were shot toward the
building amid demonstra-
tions. A federal judge denied a
request by Oregon’s attorney
general to restrict the actions
of federal police who’d been
deployed there amid weeks of
protests.
CORRECTION
In the Page A2 story
“EOU Head Start to
receive additional fed-
eral funding,” published
Tuesday, July 13, the
story misstated the pro-
gram’s total 2020-21
funds: $1.06 million
was the amount of extra
funding the program
received.
LOTTERY
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
Megabucks
5-6-7-13-19-25
Jackpot: $5.7 million
Lucky Lines
1-7-9-13-19-24-27-31
Estimated jackpot: $34,000
Powerball
27-28-44-67-68
Powerball: 11
Power Play: 2
Jackpot: $174 million
Win for Life
4-11-42-55
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 9-9-0-4
4 p.m.: 2-1-5-3
7 p.m.: 0-5-8-2
10 p.m.: 0-3-3-2
Thursday, July 22, 2021
Lucky Lines
2-5-11-16-20-22-28-31
Jackpot: $35,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 6-8-4-7
4 p.m.: 6-5-1-9
7 p.m.: 6-1-5-9
10 p.m.: 8-3-5-5
SaTuRday, July 24, 2021
Taking a fall for the food bank
Grocery Outlet
owners set up dunk
tank to raise money
for local food bank
Joseph
Council
starts the
road back
By BILL BRADSHAW
By CARLOS FUENTES
Wallowa County Chieftain
The Observer
ISLAND CITY — Usu-
ally, customers at Grocery
Outlet head straight from
their cars to the inside of
the Island City store. But
on Wednesday, July 21,
most stopped to check out
the large water dunk tank
sitting in the parking lot,
and many paid the $5 to
have a chance to submerge
co-owner Randy Willson
in the tank.
The event was part
of Grocery Outlet’s 11th
annual Feed the Need
event, which raises pro-
ceeds for local food banks
in the area.
“We’ve never done
the dunk tank before,
but I thought of it this
year,” co-owner Michelle
Willson said. “I thought a
lot of people would like to
dunk Randy.”
Every year, Grocery
Outlet partners with local
businesses to hold fund-
raisers throughout July.
Along with the dunk tank,
Carlos Fuentes/The Observer
Grocery Outlet co-owner Randy Willson drops into the water tank in front of the store on Wednesday,
July 21, 2021. Customers could pay $5 for the chance to dunk Willson, part of Grocery Outlet’s 11th
annual Feed the Need fundraiser.
customers could purchase
hot dogs and refresh-
ments and take part in a
silent auction of donated
items. Randy Willson said
he looks forward to fund-
raising every summer.
“It’s our opportunity to
give back to the commu-
nity that’s been so nice to
us,” he said. “And it’s an
opportunity for customers
to give back to our won-
derful valley. It’s a big
blessing.”
Grocery Outlet has
been auctioning items
on its Facebook page
throughout the month.
Some of the items sold
so far are a snowboard, a
skateboard and an air con-
ditioning unit.
The store had raised
roughly $11,000 by
Wednesday, more than
halfway to the owners’
goal of $20,000.
“We’ve grown every
single year,” Randy
Willson said. “Last year
was the most successful
year so far — the store
raised over $17,000. People
were very generous last
year during the pandemic.”
All of the proceeds
from this year’s event are
going to the Community
Connection Food Bank.
According to Michelle
Willson, these types of
events are crucial to help
residents facing food
insecurity.
“People always donate
in the winter, but there’s
food insecurity in the
summer as well, so that’s
why we chose to do our
event every July,” she said.
Wildfire smoke to settle in valley
Smoky conditions
may stay until at
least July 28
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The
Grande Ronde and Wal-
lowa valleys will feel the
impact of wildfire smoke
this weekend but not in
dramatic fashion.
The National Weather
Service in Pendleton is
projecting that both loca-
tions will continue to have
widespread haze it at least
through Wednesday, July
28.
The smoke helping to
create the haze is coming
from the Bootleg Fire
in south-central Oregon
and the Elbow Creek
Fire burning in Wal-
lowa County, according
to Mary Wister, a meteo-
rologist with the National
Weather Service’s office in
Pendleton.
Smoke from the Bootleg
Fire is projected to con-
tinue to be blown into the
Grande Ronde and Wal-
lowa valleys by southwest
winds, Wister said.
alex Wittwer/The Observer
Shadowed by wildfire smoke, the sun still draws the attention of
sunflowers growing near Alicel on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.
The air quality moni-
toring website +IQAir is
projecting that La Grande
will have a good air quality
rating of 50 on Saturday,
July 24, and a moderate
one of 67 on Sunday, July
25. The air quality outlook
for Enterprise is not as pos-
itive. The air quality web-
site is projecting Enterprise
will have a moderate rating
of 79 on July 24 and one
of 105 on July 25, which is
in the unhealthy category.
A 105 rating means that
people in the sensitive cat-
egory, such as those with
chronic breathing difficul-
ties, could be bothered by
the air quality.
The Bootleg Fire, which
is burning in the Fre-
mont-Winema National
Forest, is the largest blaze
in the United States and is
now at least 399,500 acres
and 40% contained.
One reason for the fire’s
growth is that on July
19 the Bootleg and Log
fires merged. All acreage
reports now reflect the
combined fire, according to
InciWeb, the federal gov-
ernment’s wildfire infor-
mation website.
Wister said the National
Weather Service’s long-
term forecast doesn’t
include haze after July
28 in the Grande Ronde
and Wallowa valleys, but
that’s because it’s difficult
to project air conditions a
week in advance.
“New fires could pop
up,” she explained.
The meteorologist
believes it is likely the
widespread haze will
continue.
“Do not rule it out,”
Wister said.
Conditions are expected
to be a little hotter in La
Grande and Enterprise
starting July 25 because
of a high pressure system
now building in the Rocky
Mountains that will extend
to Northeastern Oregon.
The system will keep
out clouds and other
weather elements that cool
the atmosphere, according
to Rob Brooks, a meteo-
rologist with the weather
service.
La Grande is projected
to have a high tempera-
ture of 96 degrees July 25.
Enterprise is projected to
have temperatures top out
at 93 degrees July 24 and
July 25, a little above its
recent highs.
Brooks said the high
pressure system will break
up around July 27 when
wind from the southwest
carrying moisture will hit
the region.
Sheriff’s office, corrections to get raises
Deal part of new contract for Union
County Law Enforcement Association
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Non-
management employees
with the Union County
Sheriff’s Office and cor-
rections department are set
to receive pay raises of at
least 3% each of the next
three years.
The pay increases will
be granted under the terms
of a three-year deal with
the Union County Law
Enforcement Associa-
tion ratified by the Union
County Board of Commis-
sioners on Wednesday, July
21. The contract is retro-
active to July 1 and runs
through June 30, 2024.
“I’m very happy with
the contract. It is fair to
the employees and it is fair
to the community,” said
Union County Commis-
sioner Donna Beverage.
“It took a lot of work to
come up with a contract
that is satisfactory to both
parties.”
Terms of the contract
call for employees with the
UCLEA to receive a base
salary boost of 3% in 2021-
2022. They will receive a
minimum pay increase of
3% and a maximum boost
of 4.5% in 2022-2023 and
2023-2024.
The pay raises in the
final two years of the con-
tract will be based on the
previous year’s average
consumer price index in
United States cities.
The contract also boosts
what UCLEA employees
receive in incentive pay
for having a bachelor of
science or a bachelor of
arts degree, an increase to
6%. Employees previously
received a 5% pay increase
for having such a degree.
Another new feature
of the contract is a phys-
ical fitness incentive.
Employees who can com-
plete the Oregon Physical
Abilities Test in 5 minutes
and 30 seconds or less will
receive a $500 bonus pay-
ment. The 5:30 objective is
based upon the Department
of Public Safety Standards
and Training standard.
The Oregon Physical
Abilities Test is used to
evaluate whether entry
level police officer candi-
dates have the essential
physical capacities to per-
form their duties.
The Union County Law
Enforcement Association
has 28 members. All are
patrol officers or work at
the Union County Jail.
NEWS BRIEF
District hires new director
of student services
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande School District has hired
a new director of student services,
according to a press release from the
district.
Erika Pinkerton will step into the
new role, pending the approval of the
La Grande School Board, taking over
for current director Landon Braden,
who is leaving to take a position in
the Enterprise School District.
Pinkerton served as superinten-
dent and elementary principal
day treatment counselor for
at the Enterprise School Dis-
St. Mary’s Home for Boys in
trict for the past four years.
Beaverton.
Prior to moving to Enterprise
“Erika comes to our dis-
trict with a wealth of experi-
she was an elementary prin-
ence as a truly student-cen-
cipal in the Winston-Dillard
Pinkerton tered educator,” Superintendent
School District in Winston.
George Mendoza said. “She is
She has also served the
an advocate for incorporating trauma
Lebanon School District as an ele-
mentary teacher, a middle school
informed care into schools and is a
literacy coach and an instruction/
champion of instruction for students
data/curriculum teacher on special
in need of special services. We are
assignment.
pleased to have her on our adminis-
trative team.”
Before she worked for school dis-
tricts Pinkerton was a residential and
— The Observer
JOSEPH — The Joseph
City Council began the road
back from dysfunction,
Tuesday, July 20, by voting
in a new mayor pro-tem
and taking other measures
in the wake of the censure
and resignation of one of its
members.
Councilor Lisa Collier
was elected by her peers
to serve as mayor pro-tem,
the position former Coun-
cilor Kathy Bingham was
removed from June 30.
Bingham also was removed
from committee assign-
ments for a year and
banned from contacting
city employees after several
complaints against her were
received by City Hall.
Although the council
has a new pro-tem — who
serves as mayor in the may-
or’s absence — filling Bing-
ham’s former committee
assignments will have
to wait. The same is true
for applications for other
committee assignments.
Making such assignments
is the mayor’s job and
Mayor Belinda Buswell was
absent from the last council
meeting. Pro-tem Adminis-
trator Brock Eckstein said
she was home sick.
One other item from
recent difficulties had to
be postponed. A response
to Parks Department Lead
Dennis Welch’s accusations
against Public Works Lead
Levi Tickner will have to
wait for the Aug. 5 council
meeting, since Welch was
not present to rebut Tick-
ner’s statements. Welch,
too, was home sick, Eck-
stein said.
But the council did
accomplish one major chore
from recent months — that
of agreeing to a severance
agreement with former
Administrator/Recorder
Larry Braden. Braden
resigned April 11 citing
harassment by members of
the council.
The council went into
executive session to discuss
details of the agreement.
Once back in open ses-
sion, Eckstein said that after
negotiating with Braden,
they agreed the city will
pay Braden $25,000 and
Braden will agree to make
no further claims against
the city. Braden worked for
the city for just less than
two years.
The council also
approved new job descrip-
tions for several city
employees, but decided to
hold off on details of the
Parks Department lead, the
position Welch now holds.
In other matters, the
council:
• Heard a complaint
about the cost of water and
sewer hookups from res-
ident John McColgan,
who called the city’s cur-
rent rates “exorbitant.”
Tickner and Brad Baird, of
Anderson Perry Engineers,
explained the reasons for
the high cost was largely
about paying for infra-
structure a property owner
hadn’t been paying for prior
to building a new home.
The council took no action
on McColgan’s complaint.
• Heard a complaint from
Chuck Anderson, “alpen-
meister” of the Oregon
Alpenfest, who considers
Joseph’s $475 fee for tran-
sient merchants too high.
He requested that the
council enact an exemp-
tion for nonprofit fees such
as his Wurstwagen. It sells
bratwurst sandwiches to
raise money for the annual
Alpenfest, which will be
held at the Chief Joseph
Days Rodeo grounds this
fall, and he’ll have pay the
$475 fee, cutting deeply
into his profits and thus into
funds for the Alpenfest.
Anderson asked the council
to consider a nonprofit fee
for operations such as his.
Collier said it was worth
discussing and several
councilors agreed.