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January 22, 2022
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Agency rules racism charges ‘unconfirmed’
Investigation dismisses
racist allegations against
La Grande football team
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The Oregon
School Activities Association
concluded its investigation into
the alleged racist remarks made
during a state playoff football
game between La Grande and
Gladstone, which determined that
use of racial slurs throughout the
game could not be confi rmed.
OSAA released its fi ndings
in a statement on Tuesday, Jan.
11, which stated that the allega-
tions made by Gladstone foot-
Andrew Cutler/The Observer, File
La Grande quarterback Logan Williams (center) follows running back Brody Mac-
Millan during a OSAA 4A state playoff matchup against Gladstone at Community
Stadium on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. Gladstone players and coaches accused Tigers
players of making racist remarks against opposing players during the game.
ball players against the La Grande
team could not be verifi ed. After a
lengthy process involving a third-
party investigator, allegations of a
solitary use of a racial slur during
the game came back inconclusive.
Allegations regarding an offi cial
identifying a Gladstone coach by
his ethnicity were confi rmed —
the investigation also confi rmed
that the offi cial apologized to the
coach during the game.
The OSAA Class 4A state
playoff matchup between La
Grande and Gladstone on Nov.
5, 2021, at Community Stadium
in La Grande ended in turmoil,
as the fi nal minutes of the game
resulted in a major dispute on the
Gladstone sideline. Gladstone
players and parents followed up
with allegations of racism in the
days after the 34-12 La Grande
victory in the 4A fi rst-round
matchup.
The ensuing months involved
a deep dive into the game by
OSAA’s third-party investigator,
interviews with players and staff
from both schools and a joint
statement between the La Grande
and Gladstone School Districts.
“Although the evidence of a
racial slur being used was ulti-
mately inconclusive through the
third-party investigation, the
OSAA recognizes that students,
coaches, and families were nega-
tively impacted,” OSAA Execu-
tive Director Peter Weber wrote in
the statement. “The OSAA stands
fi rm with the expectation that all
involved in interscholastic activ-
ities can do so in an environment
that is free from discrimination or
harassment.”
La Grande School District
Superintendent George Mendoza
See, Football/Page A5
‘A major barrier’
Center for Human
Development mental
health director weighs in
on Max Square concerns
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Recent con-
cerns over homelessness in down-
town La Grande have a number of
entities looking for answers.
Mental health and homeless-
ness often have a close-knit con-
nection, prompting the Center
for Human Development to take
part in the ongoing discussion
regarding the recent apprehen-
sion over disturbances in down-
town La Grande and loitering at
Max Square. As law enforcement
faces certain legal barriers in
focusing on downtown homeless-
ness, CHD’s mental health out-
reach eff orts and approach to sub-
stance abuse could provide key
services to assist in addressing
these concerns.
“The Center for Human Devel-
opment will continue to focus on
addressing the mental health and
substance use disorder needs of
Union County including for those
who are experiencing housing
instability,” CHD Mental Health
Director Aaron Grigg said. “We
acknowledge that while not all
individuals experiencing housing
instability have mental health
or substance use challenges, we
know that housing instability is a
major barrier to stability in these
areas.”
Grigg noted that behavioral
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Max Square sits empty as snow melts in downtown La Grande on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. The Center for Human Development says
it will take part in the ongoing discussion regarding the recent apprehension over disturbances in downtown La Grande and
loitering at Max Square.
health challenges and homeless-
ness are not always a direct link,
but that homeless individuals
often experience mental health
problems.
Behavioral health emphasis
The Center for Human Devel-
opment does not currently provide
direct housing resources, but the
organization supplies a number
of services that can assist in pro-
viding a more stable living envi-
ronment to those struggling with
addiction and mental health issues
— medication management, sup-
ported employment, mentoring,
counseling, crisis assessments,
substance use disorder treatment
and outreach — and also partners
with other local entities for emer-
gency housing options related to
homelessness. Community Con-
nection of Northeast Oregon is
one organization providing direct
housing services, such as a house-
less resource fair that is set to
take place at the Union County
Senior Center from 2-5 p.m. on
Wednesday, Jan. 26 — service
providers will be present and sup-
plies, food, resources and other
items will be available.
“CHD hopes to fi nd ways to
provide more outreach to those in
the community including those
who are experiencing behavioral
health challenges, both mental
health and substance-use related,”
Grigg said. “This includes those
who are without stable housing.”
Grigg took part in a down-
town meeting with local busi-
ness owners on Tuesday, Dec. 14,
2021, hosted by La Grande Police
Chief Gary Bell, City Manager
Robert Strope, Parks and Recre-
ation Coordinator Stu Spence and
Economic Development Director
Timothy Bishop. Business owners
voiced their concerns over recent
accounts of criminal activity and
issues with crowds of homeless
individuals, while city offi cials
gave their input and provided an
in-depth analysis of what the city
is doing to prevent disturbances
downtown as well as roadblocks
in the way.
Bell and Grigg interchanged
ideas and answered questions from
the public, emphasizing that CHD
and the La Grande Police Depart-
ment are working together to uti-
lize local resources. Grigg also
said at the meeting that building
relationships with homeless people
is an important approach for CHD,
noting that building trust can often
be crucial when someone is in
need of resources.
Bell stated that oftentimes
homeless individuals refuse ser-
vices off ered by law enforcement,
but that persistent eff orts to create
connections goes a long way
they fi nd themselves in need of
assistance.
See, Barriers/Page A5
Pandemic taking a toll on hospitals
Representative for hospital systems said
staffing shortages compound problem
By FEDOR ZARKHIN
The Oregonian
SALEM — Oregon hos-
pitals are facing a crit-
ical situation with corona-
virus infections that may
get worse in coming weeks,
with particular challenges
in overburdened emergency
departments, the chief rep-
resentative for hospital sys-
tems said Thursday, Jan. 20.
“There is a war going
on in our hospitals against
this virus that isn’t visible
to the public,” Becky Hult-
berg said.
Hultberg’s comments
came during a news con-
ference organized by the
Oregon Association of
INDEX
Classified ......B2
Comics ...........B5
Crossword ....B2
Dear Abby ....B6
TUESDAY
Hospitals and
Health Sys-
tems to address
multiple chal-
lenges in the
state’s hospi-
Hultberg
tals amid the
omicron surge. The group
lobbies for health care sys-
tems, and no one from hos-
pitals, including workers
on the front lines, spoke to
reporters Jan. 20.
Coronavirus cases are
hovering near all-time
WEATHER
Horoscope ....B3
Local...............A2
Lottery ...........A2
Obituaries .....A3
Opinion .........A4
Outdoors ......B1
Sports ............A6
Sudoku ..........B5
highs, about four times
higher than the peak of the
summer delta wave. But the
projected record-breaking
hospital surge has yet to
materialize statewide.
Approximately 980
people who tested positive
for coronavirus are hospi-
talized, about 200 below the
record, and far below the
roughly 1,550 projected by
month’s end.
Oregon Health & Sci-
ence University down-
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Sunday
21 LOW
38/23
Partly cloudy
Partly sunny
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES RELEASED
graded its COVID-19 fore-
cast Jan. 19 from 1,650
hospitalizations by Jan.
28 to 1,550 by Feb. 1. The
forecast changed because
Oregonians have taken
measures to prevent spread,
the university’s analyst
Peter Graven said in a
statement.
“This update refl ects the
fact that Oregonians are
fl attening the sharp upward
See, Hospitals/Page A5
CONTACT US
541-963-3161
Issue 9
2 sections, 12 pages
La Grande, Oregon
Email story ideas
to news@lagrande
observer.com.
More contact info
on Page A4.
Online at lagrandeobserver.com