LOCAL
A2 — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
On Dec. 9, 2014, U.S. Senate
investigators concluded the
United States had brutal-
ized scores of terror suspects
with interrogation tactics that
turned secret CIA prisons into
chambers of suffering and did
nothing to make Americans
safer after the Sept. 11, 2001
attacks.
In 1911, an explosion inside
the Cross Mountain coal mine
near Briceville, Tennessee, killed
84 workers. (Five were rescued.)
In 1917, British forces cap-
tured Jerusalem from the
Ottoman Turks.
In 1958, the anti-communist
John Birch Society was formed
in Indianapolis.
In 1962, the Petrified Forest
in Arizona was designated a
national park.
In 1965, “A Charlie Brown
Christmas,” the first animated
TV special featuring characters
from the “Peanuts” comic strip
by Charles M. Schulz, premiered
on CBS.
In 1987, the first Palestinian
intefadeh, or uprising, began
as riots broke out in Gaza and
spread to the West Bank, trig-
gering a strong Israeli response.
In 1990, Solidarity founder
Lech Walesa won Poland’s pres-
idential runoff by a landslide.
In 1992, Britain’s Prince
Charles and Princess Diana
announced their separation.
(The couple’s divorce became
final in August 1996.)
In 2000, the U-S Supreme
Court ordered a temporary halt
in the Florida vote count on
which Al Gore pinned his best
hopes of winning the White
House.
In 2001, the United States dis-
closed the existence of a video-
tape in which Osama bin Laden
said he was pleasantly surprised
by the extent of damage from
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In 2006, a fire broke out at a
Moscow drug treatment hos-
pital, killing 46 women trapped
by barred windows and a
locked gate.
In 2013, scientists revealed
that NASA’s Curiosity rover had
uncovered signs of an ancient
freshwater lake on Mars.
Ten years ago: The European
Union said 26 of its 27 member
countries were open to joining
a new treaty tying their finances
together to solve the euro crisis;
Britain remained opposed. A
jury in New Haven, Connecticut,
condemned Joshua Komis-
arjevsky to death for killing a
woman and her two daughters
during a night of terror in their
suburban Cheshire home. (The
other defendant in the case,
Steven Hayes, had also been
condemned to death; both
punishments were changed to
life in prison after Connecticut
abolished the death penalty in
2015.) A fire at a hospital in Kol-
kata, India, claimed the lives of
at least 93 people.
Five years ago: The White
House said President Barack
Obama had ordered intelli-
gence officials to conduct a
broad review of election-season
cyberattacks, including the
email hacks that rattled the
presidential campaign and
raised fresh concerns about
Russia’s meddling in U.S. elec-
tions. South Korean lawmakers
impeached President Park
Geun-hye over an explosive cor-
ruption scandal, a stunning and
swift fall for the country’s first
female leader.
CORRECTION
The Page A1 story
“Senior center to
reopen for in-person
dining,” published
Tuesday, Dec. 7, mis-
stated the date the
Union County Senior
Center would be
serving meals again
in its dining area. The
meals will resume on
Wednesday, Dec. 15.
LOTTERY
Monday, Dec. 6, 2021
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Lucky Lines
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Estimated jackpot: $38,000
Win for Life
44-45-49-50
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 0-4-5-4
4 p.m.: 4-3-8-8
7 p.m.: 9-4-7-4
10 p.m.: 6-3-9-7
Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021
Mega Millions
1-7-40-43-68
mega Ball: 1
megaplier: 2
Estimated jackpot: $135
million
Lucky Lines
1-8-12-15-17-24-28-29
Estimated jackpot: $39,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 6-5-9-3
4 p.m.: 2-2-5-8
7 p.m.: 5-8-9-5
10 p.m.: 9-7-2-8
THuRSday, dEcEmBER 9, 2021
November temps above normal
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Tem-
peratures in November were
warmer than normal in the
La Grande area, according
to preliminary data received
by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administra-
tion’s National Weather Ser-
vice Office in Pendleton.
The average temperature
during the month was 41.8
degrees, 3.8 degrees above
normal. High tempera-
tures averaged 51.8 degrees,
5.6 degrees above normal,
according to the monthly
climate summary.
The highest temperature
was 63 degrees, recorded on
Nov. 15.
Low temperatures aver-
aged 31.8 degrees, 1.9
degrees above normal. The
lowest temperature for the
month was 20 degrees on
Nov. 17, the report said.
There were 15 days in
November when the low
temperature dipped below
32 degrees in La Grande.
Precipitation for the
month totaled 2.47 inches,
which was 0.44 inches
above normal. Measur-
able precipitation — at least
0.01 inch — was received
on seven days, with the
heaviest, 1.30 inches,
reported on Nov. 16.
Precipitation for the year
is 11.74 inches, which is
3.12 inches below normal,
according to the weather
service report. Since
October, the water year pre-
cipitation at La Grande has
been 3.56 inches, which is
0.24 inches above normal.
The outlook for
December from NOAA’s
Climate Prediction Center
calls for near normal tem-
peratures and above
normal precipitation in
December. Normal highs
for La Grande fall from 40
degrees at the start of the
month to 37 degrees by the
end of the month. Normal
lows fall from 26 degrees
to 23 degrees. The 30-year
normal precipitation for the
month is 1.66 inches.
Four organizations,
receive funding
from Roundhouse
Foundation
Wallowa County Chieftain
Temperatures slightly
warmer than normal in
Wallowa County
Wallowa County experi-
enced slightly warmer than
normal temperatures for
the month of November, the
report said.
The average tempera-
ture for Joseph during the
month was 36.3 degrees, 1.6
degrees below normal. High
temperatures averaged 45.8
degrees, 1.9 degrees above
normal. The highest tem-
perature was 64 degrees on
Nov. 14.
Low temperatures aver-
aged 26.8 degrees, 1.3
degrees above normal. The
lowest temperature for the
month was 16 degrees,
recorded on Nov. 17. The
low temperatures plunged
below 32 degrees on 23
days in November.
Precipitation for the
month in Wallowa County
alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
The La Grande High School Marching Band makes its way in the
rain down Adams Avenue during the annual Veterans Day parade
on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Precipitation in La Grande in November
totaled 2.47 inches, 0.44 inches above normal.
totaled 0.91 inches, which
was 0.27 inches below
normal, the report said.
Measurable precipitation
— at least 0.01 inch —
was received on 14 days
during the month, with
the heaviest, 0.34 inches,
reported on Nov. 5. Precip-
itation for the year is 6.77
inches, 9.20 inches below
normal.
Since October, the water
year precipitation at Joseph
has been 1.55 inches,
which is 1.08 inches below
normal.
Wallowa County’s out-
look for December predicts
near normal temperatures
and above normal precip-
itation. Normal highs fall
from 37 degrees at the start
of the month to 33 degrees
at the end of December.
Normal lows fall from 21
degrees to 17 degrees. The
30-year normal precipita-
tion is 1.32 inches for the
month.
Signs of trouble
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
installs more signs to alert people to
roads blocked by snow
The Observer
BAKER CITY — The
Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest has installed new,
brightly colored signs at sev-
eral road junctions to remind
travelers that some routes
are passable only to snow-
mobiles and other special-
ized vehicles during winter.
Although signs have
been posted on these roads
in the past, stating that they
weren’t maintained for
winter travel, drivers have
continued to get their vehi-
cles mired in deep snow
occasionally.
“The driving factor
pushing us towards
installing extra signage at
these locations has been the
recent uptick with search
and rescues involving Wal-
lowa, Union, Grant and
Baker counties,” said Dan
Story, roads manager for the
south zone of the WWNF.
“We carefully considered
the language, colors, and
placement of these signs to
help more people under-
stand that wheeled vehicles
cannot safely pass through
these roads while they are
covered with snow. Signs
are bright yellow or orange
to get the driver’s attention
before entry.”
Signs have been installed
on the Wallowa Mountain
Loop Road at 39 Road and
Highway 86 junction and
39 Road and Salt Creek
Summit; 3955 Road just
north of the 39 Road junc-
tion on the Imnaha River;
73 Road (Anthony Lakes
Highway) at the town of
Granite, a four-way inter-
section, and Grant County
Route 24 junction; and
73 Road (Anthony Lakes
Highway) at the 43 Junc-
tion (the road to Grande
Ronde Lake).
Story said an increase
in search and rescue calls
can be partially attributed
to increased winter travel
through the mountains,
failures of GPS directions
to account for winter con-
ditions, improvements in
snowmobile grooming tech-
nology, making snowmobile
routes look passible when
before they would have
been buried under several
feet of snow, more miles of
groomed routes that connect
with state highways, and,
in many cases, a lack of
SALEM — The Oregon Health
Authority released its daily report on
Tuesday, Dec. 7, revealing five new
COVID-19 cases in Union County.
The report showed two new cases in
Wallowa County.
The following morning’s update
revealed one new COVID-19 death
in Union County, bringing the coun-
ty’s total to 57 since the start of the
pandemic.
A 60-year old man from Union
County tested positive on Nov. 20
and died on Dec. 5 at St. Alphonsus
Regional Medical Center. The man
reportedly had underlying conditions.
The new cases bring Union Coun-
ty’s total to 3,419 since the start of the
pandemic, while Wallowa County
stands at 765. Over the last 30 days,
Union County has only seen three
reports where the COVID-19 case
count was in double digits. In Wallowa
County, six cases in one day is the
highest mark in the last 30 days.
Across the state, 31 new COVID-19
deaths were reported — Oregon’s
death toll is now up to 5,299. The
945 new confirmed and presumptive
cases in the report brought the state’s
total to 397,421 since the start of the
SISTERS — Four Wal-
lowa County beneficia-
ries were recipients of
the Sisters-based Round-
house Foundation’s more
than $1.2 million distrib-
uted to over 70 rural non-
profits during its fall grant
cycle, according to a press
release.
Since 2002, the Round-
house Foundation has
worked with local and
regional organizations to
support creative problem
solving.
Grants during the 2021
Fall Open Cycle were
made to organizations
across Oregon in four dif-
ferent program focus areas
including arts and cul-
ture, education, social ser-
vices and environmental
stewardship.
The Wallowa Band Nez
Perce Interpretive Center
in Wallowa received a
$20,000 grant to expand
capacity for planning,
hosting and improving new
and existing place-based
tribal youth educational
programming and to estab-
lish and renew partnerships
with reservation-based
youth programming.
This grant will build
upon the success of the
2021 pilot outdoor educa-
tion program, the Snake
River School tribal youth
float trip and establish and
renew partnerships with
reservation-based youth
programming.
The center
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest/Contributed Photo
To enhance public safety and reduce the pressure on local search &
rescue teams, road managers with the Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest have installed additional warning signs at priority roads and
snowmobile routes to deter unsafe entry by wheeled vehicles while
those roads and routes are impassable due to snow cover.
preparation for backcountry
winter travel by motorists.
The new signs will pro-
vide valuable and poten-
tially life-saving informa-
tion to motorists before they
attempt to drive wheeled
vehicles over impassable
routes and roads on the way
to popular destinations,
Story said.
“We carefully considered
the language, colors, and
placement of these signs to
help more people under-
stand that wheeled vehicles
cannot safely pass through
these roads while they are
covered with snow,” he said.
“Signs are bright yellow or
orange to get the driver’s
attention before entry.
Road managers will
uncover these warning
signs when snow condi-
tions become impassable
this winter, maximizing the
time that roads remain open
to wheeled vehicles. Signs
will be removed or cov-
ered after snowmelt allows
reopening of the roads.
NEWS BRIEFS
OHA reports five new
COVID-19 cases in Union
County
Wallowa
County
groups land
grants
pandemic.
There are currently 405 patients
hospitalized with COVID-19 in
Oregon, which is a decrease of 13 indi-
viduals from yesterday’s report. Out of
664 total adult ICU beds in the state, 63
are currently open. There are 307 avail-
able adult non-ICU beds out of 4,156.
The seven-day running average
of vaccine doses per day in Oregon is
20,306.
Wallowa School Board backs
bike park
WALLOWA — The Wallowa
School Board expressed its full support
Monday, Dec. 6, for a Bicycle Play-
ground proposed by Ron Pickens to be
constructed on school property.
“They were totally supportive,”
Superintendent Tammy Jones said.
“They passed a motion to support it on
the grounds of we will talk further of
its location.”
Pickens, who teaches at the Alterna-
tive School at Building Healthy Fam-
ilies in Enterprise, spearheaded the
refurbishment of the Enterprise Skate
Park this summer and is now pro-
posing something similar for his home
community of Wallowa.
“My hope with it is that when a
kiddo pulls up and sees it that it’s
friendly, fun and inviting, very much
like a playground,” he said in Sep-
tember. “(Kids can) utilize bikes,
scooters, roller blades and skateboards.
It’s this colorful space that kids can
play in.”
He approached the Wallowa City
Council and received its support —
and a donation of $1,000 — Nov. 16.
But the playground is planned for a
site owned by the Wallowa School Dis-
trict. So Pickens took his proposal to
the school board.
“We’ll be looking where the best
place will be,” Jones said.
Pickens said he’s not particular
about the location, though he thinks the
original site is a “great location.”
“I’m open to anything as to the
location as long as it’s on the school
grounds,” he said.
Open house set for for new
food distribution center
ISLAND CITY — An open house
for the Northeast Oregon Regional
Food Bank’s new distribution center
will be conducted from 10 a.m. to
noon on Saturday, Dec. 11, at 10213 N.
McAlister Road, Island City.
The Northeast Oregon Food Bank
and its distribution center are operated
by Community Connection of North-
east Oregon.
— The Observer
Angela Bombaci, execu-
tive director of the interpre-
tive center, said Monday,
Dec. 6, the youth program-
ming the grant will help
support includes youths
from the Lapwai, Ida-
ho-based Nez Perce Indian
Reservation, the Confed-
erated Tribes of the Uma-
tilla Indian Reservation
based near Pendleton and
the Confederated Tribes of
the Colville Reservation
in Northeast Washington
where the Wallowa Band is
located.
She said the interpretive
center in Wallowa serves as
a place to put on programs
planned by the tribes,
as well as programs that
take place at other loca-
tions such as the Home-
land Project outside of town
or float trips. Other pro-
grams include “traditional
skill-building” events such
as a meat-cutting camp
for tribal youths to learn
from their elders the tradi-
tional ways to break down
game that have always been
a source of food for the
tribes. Exploration of the
tribal areas in the county
also are programs the
center provides.
The center also serves as
a place to educate non-In-
dians about the tribes.
“It’s a starting point
for learning about the Nez
Perce people,” she said.
Getting the grant
She said the grant
was no surprise, as the
Roundhouse Foundation
approached her seeking
information on the center’s
activities to determine if a
grant would be appropriate.
“They were really won-
derful. … They reached out
to us,” she said. “They said
tell us about the work you
do and” encouraged her to
apply.
That there was a group
eager to support the center,
was “really exciting,” she
said. “They’re more than
a group that just wants to
write a check.”
Bombaci said the center
has a year to spend the
grant and report on it, so
she doesn’t expect to apply
for another grant in the
next round of funding in
the spring.