LOCAL
A2 — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
On Dec. 4, 1942, during World
War II, U.S. bombers struck the
Italian mainland for the first time
with a raid on Naples. President
Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered
the dismantling of the Works
Progress Administration, which
had been created to provide
jobs during the Depression.
In 1783, Gen. George Wash-
ington bade farewell to his
Continental Army officers at
Fraunces Tavern in New York.
In 1918, President Woodrow
Wilson left Washington on a trip
to France to attend the Versailles
Peace Conference.
In 1954, the first Burger King
stand was opened in Miami by
James McLamore and David
Edgerton.
In 1956, Elvis Presley, Johnny
Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl
Perkins gathered for the first and
only time for a jam session at
Sun Records in Memphis.
In 1965, the United States
launched Gemini 7 with Air
Force Lt. Col. Frank Borman and
Navy Cmdr. James A. Lovell
aboard on a two-week mis-
sion. (While Gemini 7 was in
orbit, its sister ship, Gemini 6A,
was launched on Dec. 15 on a
one-day mission; the two space-
craft were able to rendezvous
within a foot of each other.)
In 1967, actor-comedian Bert
Lahr, who played the Cowardly
Lion in “The Wizard of Oz,” died
in New York at age 72.
In 1978, San Francisco got
its first female mayor as City
Supervisor Dianne Feinstein was
named to replace the assassi-
nated George Moscone.
In 1980, the bodies of four
American churchwomen slain in
El Salvador two days earlier were
unearthed. (Five Salvadoran
national guardsmen were later
convicted of murdering nuns
Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Dor-
othy Kazel, and lay worker Jean
Donovan.)
In 1986, both houses of Con-
gress moved to establish spe-
cial committees to conduct their
own investigations of the Iran-
Contra affair.
In 1992, President George
H.W. Bush ordered American
troops to lead a mercy mission
to Somalia, threatening mili-
tary action against warlords and
gangs who were blocking food
for starving millions.
In 2000, in a pair of legal set-
backs for Al Gore, a Florida
state judge refused to over-
turn George W. Bush’s certi-
fied victory in Florida and the
U.S. Supreme Court set aside a
ruling that had allowed manual
recounts.
In 2018, long lines of people
wound through the Capitol
Rotunda to view the casket
of former President George
H.W. Bush; former Sen. Bob
Dole steadied himself out of
his wheelchair to salute his old
friend and one-time rival.
Ten years ago: Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin’s party hung onto
its majority in Russia’s parliamen-
tary election, but faced accusa-
tions from opponents of rigging
the vote. Rafael Nadal recovered
from a terrible start and beat
Juan Martin del Potro of Argen-
tina 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (0) to give
Spain its fifth Davis Cup title.
After going more than two years
and 26 tournaments without a
victory, Tiger Woods won the
Chevron World Challenge.
Five years ago: A North Caro-
lina man armed with a rifle fired
several shots inside Comet Ping
Pong, a Washington, D.C., piz-
zeria, as he attempted to investi-
gate an online conspiracy theory
that prominent Democrats were
harboring child sex slaves at the
restaurant; no one was hurt, and
the man surrendered to police.
(He was later sentenced to four
years in prison.)
One year ago: The govern-
ment reported that America’s
employers scaled back their
hiring in November as the viral
pandemic accelerated, adding
245,000 jobs in the fifth straight
monthly slowdown. Actor
David L. Lander, best known for
playing Squiggy on the popular
ABC comedy “Laverne & Shirley,”
died at 73 after a decades-
long long battle with multiple
sclerosis.
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SaTuRday, dEcEmBER 4, 2021
WOLVES IN UNION COUNTY
IN BRIEF
Union County tallies
three new COVID-19
cases in latest report
Oregon department of Fish and Wildlife/Contributed Photo, File
The Oregon State Police is seeking the public’s help in an investigation into the poisoning of eight wolves in Eastern Oregon.
OSP seeks info on poisoning of wolves
By DICK MASON
The Observer
UNION COUNTY — Police
are asking for the public’s help in
identifying individuals responsible
for the poisoning of the wolves in
the Catherine Pack earlier this year
in Eastern Oregon.
Oregon State Police in a press
release reported Fish and Wild-
life Division troopers received
information in February from the
Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife about a dead collared
wolf. Troopers responded to the
area and found five dead wolves
— three males and two females.
It was later determined the wolves
were from the Catherine Pack, with
all known members present and
deceased.
The wolves were southeast
of Mount Harris, within Union
County. Troopers and ODFW per-
sonnel with the assistance of a heli-
copter searched the area for any-
thing of evidentiary value and
found a dead magpie in the vicinity
of the dead wolves.
The five wolves and magpie
were collected and transported to
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Forensics Lab in Ashland to deter-
mine the cause of death.
Fish and Wildlife troopers in
March again received informa-
tion from ODFW personnel of an
additional wolf collar emitting a
mortality signal in the same gen-
eral location. A search of the area
located a deceased female wolf,
plus a skunk and a magpie close
to the scene. All animals were col-
lected and immediately submitted
to the USFWS lab for testing. The
female wolf was dispersing from
the Keating Pack.
Fish and Wildlife Troopers were
initially hampered in investigating
the scene due to snow levels and
inclement weather. Troopers con-
tinued searching over the next few
weeks as snow melted and found
evidence of suspected poisoning.
The evidence was submitted for
testing and analysis.
In April, the USFWS submitted
its examination reports with find-
ings consistent with poisoning
as the cause of death for all six
wolves, the skunk and two mag-
pies. Lab results also indicated the
suspected evidence confirmed a
poisonous substance.
It is unlikely that the two mag-
pies or the skunk died from con-
suming flesh from the poisoned
wolves, according to OSP’s Steph-
anie Bigman, who is captain of
government and media relations.
“I don’t believe they died from
eating the wolves. They probably
died from eating the poison,” she
said, adding that there is informa-
tion about the case she cannot share
Cove council to tackle
telecommunications
ordinances
Oregon department of Fish and Wildlife/Contributed Photo, File
The Union County Board of Commissioners gave three local ranching opera-
tions a boost in their efforts to protect their livestock from wolf attacks.
COUNTY AWARDS
FUNDING FOR
LIVESTOCK
PROTECTIONS
LA GRANDE — The Union County Board
of Commissioners gave three local ranching
operations a boost in their efforts to protect
their livestock from wolf attacks.
The commissioners voted on Wednesday,
Nov. 30, to provide the ranchers a total of
$6,000 to help pay for their efforts to protect
their livestock in Union County. The money
is funding Union County received from the
Oregon Department of Agriculture for wolf
depredation compensation and must be
spent by Jan. 31, 2022.
The money will be provided to Krebs
Livestock, which will receive $2,910.60; Eric
Harlow, who will receive $1,123.80; and the
Mike Becker Bar V Cattle Co., which was
awarded $1,965.60.
Krebs will spend its money on blue-
tooth speakers, night pen trailers, which
with the public.
Two more collared wolves
were found dead in Union County
after the initial incidents. In April
a deceased adult male wolf from
the Five Points Pack was located
west of Elgin, and in July a young
female wolf from the Clark Creek
Pack was discovered in northeast
of La Grande.
In both cases, the cause of death
was not readily apparent. Toxi-
cology reports confirmed the pres-
ence of poison in each wolf.
Based on the type of poison
and the locations, the death of
the young female wolf may be
related to the earlier six poisonings,
according to OSP.
Bigman said the wolf from
the Five Points Pack died from a
poison not similar to the type that
killed the seven other wolves.
“It is different enough that it
could be a different incident,” she
said.
ODFW spokesperson Michelle
Dennehy said the poisonings are
“terrible news,” and the agency
have bright lights and make loud noises,
and additional herders. Harlow will use the
funding on fencing, spotlights, air horns
and radios. The Bar V Cattle Co. will use the
money it was awarded on aircraft opera-
tion costs.
The sums awarded were recommended
by the Union County Wolf Depredation
Compensation Committee.
Union County Commissioner Donna Bev-
erage said she wished that more funding
could have been awarded but the $6,000
was all that the Union County received for
wolf deterrence from the Oregon Depart-
ment of Agriculture.
“We hope it makes a difference,” she said.
Beverage, who raises cattle, said that
wolves take a toll on livestock beyond dep-
redation. She said livestock live in fear of
wolves and can smell them. The anxiety
the animals experience because of wolves
impacts their health, causing them to eat
less and lose weight.
— Dick Mason, The Observer
hopes someone from the public
will come forward with informa-
tion to help solve the case.
“The poisoning of an entire
pack is significant,” she said.
“We’ll have a clearer picture on
how that affects the overall (wolf)
population after we complete our
winter surveys this year.”
There were 173 known wolves
in Oregon at the end of 2020. In
addition to the eight poisonings,
another wolf was poached in Sep-
tember in the Skull Creek drainage
of the Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest in Eastern Oregon.
ODFW also culled six wolves
from the Lookout Mountain
Pack over the summer in Baker
County. The wolves had repeatedly
attacked livestock.
Anyone with information about
the poisonings is asked to contact
OSP through the Turn-In Poachers
Hotline at 1-800-452-7888, or
email TIP@state.or.us, referencing
case number SP21-033033.
— Capital Press reporter George
Plaven contributed to this report.
LA GRANDE
Council approves Community Paths grant
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande City Council met for its
monthly meeting on Wednesday,
Dec. 1, approving a grant that
opens the door for potential new
and improved multi-use paths in
the city.
Public Works Director Kyle
Carpenter presented the item
of new business at the virtual
meeting. The Community Paths
Program is run through the Oregon
Department of Transportation
and is an add-on to the bike and
pedestrian portion of the Connect
Oregon Program.
The intent of approving the
agenda item is to allow a consultant
to be hired to assess La Grande’s
current infrastructure as it relates
SALEM — The Oregon
Health Authority released its
latest COVID-19 daily update on
Thursday, Dec. 2, which detailed
three new cases in Union County.
Wallowa County totaled two new
COVID-19 cases in the report.
The new cases brought Union
County’s total to 3,395 since the start
of the pandemic, while Wallowa
County is up to 762.
Across Oregon, 1,046 new con-
firmed and presumptive cases were
reported — the state’s total case
count since the start of the pandemic
currently stands at 393,232. The state
recorded 42 new COVID-19 deaths,
which brings Oregon’s death toll to
5,228.
OHA’s weekly breakthrough
report showed that 71.3% of the 4,134
COVID-19 cases between Nov. 21
and Nov. 27 were among unvacci-
nated individuals. The state totaled
1,168 breakthrough cases, which
is 28.7%. There have been 45,545
breakthrough cases in Oregon since
the start of the pandemic.
There are currently 384 patients in
Oregon hospitalized with COVID-19,
which is a decrease of 20 from yes-
terday’s report. Out of 691 total adult
ICU beds, 49 are available. There are
312 adult non-ICU beds open out of
4,078.
Oregon’s seven-day running
average of vaccine doses per day
stands at 11,810.
to multi-use paths. The consultant
would then provide suggestions and
recommendations, along with the
city’s input, on the future construc-
tion of new multi-use paths and
maintenance of current systems.
The goal is to connect the
southern part of La Grande near
the Gekeler Lane area with the
downtown area. The potential
path project would also integrate
Eastern Oregon University into the
path system.
The Oregon Community Paths
Program grant is in the amount of
$135,000, with the city pitching in
the remaining $15,000 to cover the
$150,000 cost. According to Car-
penter, the $15,000 is within the
city’s budget limits this year.
Since the grant is a planning
grant, it will go strictly toward the
hiring of the consultant and any
legwork needed to prepare for the
project. The city would then apply
for a construction grant from the
Oregon Community Paths Program
in next year’s grant cycle to com-
plete the project. Carpenter noted
that the intention is to go into the
next grant cycle and apply for more
funds in order to begin work on the
multi-use paths.
The agenda item was approved
unanimously by the council
members.
The multi-use paths grant was
the primary focus of a brief agenda
in the council’s final meeting of
2021. The La Grande City Council
will meet next at 6 p.m. on Jan. 5,
2022. There is a Landmarks Com-
mission regular session on Dec. 9
and a Planning Commission reg-
ular session on Dec. 14. Both meet-
ings begin at 6 p.m.
COVE — The Cove City Council
will meet for a regular session on
Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. at Cove
City Hall, 504 Alder St. Two ordi-
nances will be read for the second
and final time.
Council members will consider
Ordinance 2-2021 and Ordinance
3-2021, both of which involve imple-
menting telecommunications net-
works within city boundaries.
Ordinance 2-2021 grants Wind-
wave Technologies, an internet ser-
vice provider in Boardman, the
ability to construct, operate and
maintain a telecommunications net-
work in Cove. Ordinance 3-2021 will
provide the same liberties for Inland
Development Corporation, another
provider operated out of Boardman.
Aside from the reading of the
ordinances, the standard public
comment sections will be allotted
to individuals in attendance. The
council also will review complaints
regarding commercial signs on res-
idential property and nuisance
garbage.
An open hearing will be held to
discuss fence height variance, which
is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
and be decided via council vote.
In addition to in-person atten-
dance, the meeting can be viewed
virtually. Instructions are listed
at www.citycove.org. Individuals
can also dial 877-309-2073 and use
access code 566-891-733 to listen in
on the meeting.
Public comments may be emailed
to cityadmin@cityofcove.org before
6:45 p.m. on Dec. 7.
COVID-19 vaccination
clinics set for December in
Union County
LA GRANDE — The Center
for Human Development, starting
this weekend, will be offering many
opportunities this month for people
in Union County to be vaccinated for
COVID-19.
The opportunities will kick off
Sunday, Dec. 5, with a drive-thru
event at the Union County Fair-
grounds, La Grande. Vaccinations
will be available from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. each day through Dec. 10.
The vaccinations will be given at the
Mount Emily Building, according to
the CHD’s website.
First, second and third booster
vaccines will be available. The clinic
will feature the Johnson & Johnson/
Janssen and Moderna vaccines for
ages 18 and older, and the Pfizer vac-
cine for children ages 5 and older.
People will be able to complete
registration forms for vaccinations at
the Mount Emily Building.
An identical clinic will be con-
ducted Dec. 8 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
on the North Powder School Dis-
trict’s campus. Signs will be posted
to direct people to the clinic.
In addition, people will have
opportunities to receive COVID-19
vaccinations at CHD, 2301 Cove
Ave., La Grande, from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. every Friday in December
except on Christmas Eve.
Another option is to schedule
appointments for vaccination shots
throughout the week at the CHD.
For additional information call the
CHD at 541-962-8800 or email vac-
cine@chdinc.org.
— The Observer