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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2022)
INSIDE LONGTIME ENTERPRISE GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH SET TO RETIRE AT CONCLUSION OF THE SEASON | SPORTS, B1 February 17, 2022 INSIDE $1.50 THURSDAY EDITION DISCOVER WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH ‘Deervid’ not yet a concern in Oregon COVID-19 found in Midwest white-tailed deer populations By ALEX WITTWER EO Media Group LA GRANDE — The presence of COVID-19 among the white-tailed deer population in Oregon isn’t known, according to offi cials with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and it’s unlikely to be a concern. Reports of infections running rampant in the Midwest’s white-tailed deer population spurred numerous news outlets to pen articles extolling the dangers of a COVID-19 reservoir in the wild- life population. The pres- ence of COVID-19 in deer has been detected in 15 states, including Iowa, Michigan, Illinois and New York, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Oregon offi cials aren’t too concerned however, and said the probability of infection among the hoofed ruminant popula- tion was low, and lower still was the chance the deer could reinfect humans. “It’s a low probability,” said Colin Gillin, state wildlife veterinarian for ODFW. “It’s not been shown that it’s a threat to Oregonians.” Gillin said that due to the relatively low popula- tion of white-tailed deer in Oregon, as well as the lack of petting zoos, research facilities or farms meant that human-to-deer con- tact is remote. In fact, most interac- tions between Oregonians and white-tailed deer gen- erally involve fi rearms. If there’s a concern among hunters, Gillin said, proper sanitation, vaccinations and mask wearing can mitigate the risk of exposure of See, Deervid/Page A7 Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group Gust Tsiatsos, owner of The Local in downtown La Grande, works on improvements to the coff ee and ice cream cafe on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. PROJECT SPENDING La Grande Urban Renewal Agency’s fi scal year report reveals details of fi ve local renovation projects By DAVIS CARBAUGH • The Observer L A GRANDE — The La Grande Urban Renewal Agency recently released its annual fiscal year report, covering spending from July 2020 through June 2021. The report detailed the agency’s spending as well as fi ve projects that were under- taken in the downtown area. Founded in 1999, the Urban Renewal Agency has $9,407,121 remaining indebtedness out of its original $21,992,525 allocation. “In terms of the 2021 year, that was completely a COVID-impacted year for eco- nomic development and the agency,” La Grande City Man- ager Robert Strope said. The Urban Renewal area encompasses 526 acres in La Grande, which is roughly 20% of the city’s acreage. According to the 2020-21 fi scal report, the Urban Renewal area’s frozen base assessed value was $112,609,450 — the total assessed value was measured at $169,054,932. The agency operates with the goals of revitalizing down- town, creating high-quality family-wage jobs, and sup- porting retail development, housing, transportation and community facilities. Throughout the last fi scal year, the agency received $1,044,426 in tax revenues, with total revenues of $1,602,491. The agency’s expenditures were $632,126 for the general fund and $251,243 for the debt fund. The agency’s estimated tax revenues in the past fi scal year were $1,148,000. The budget Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group Fernando Villagomez, a bartender at Raul’s Cantina, pours a drink for guests on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. The cantina, which expanded Raul’s Taqueria on Adams Avenue, is one of several projects that benefi tted from the La Grande Urban Renewal Agency. included $1,803,014 in reve- nues for the general fund and $2,058,730 in requirements for the debt fund. The 2020-21 report showed contributions to fi ve local establishments, an increase from previous years. The agency contributed a combined $250,000 to projects at Raul’s Taqueria, the Slate Building, Hines Meat Co., The Local and The Copy Club. “We actually did reward the See, Renewal/Page A7 Lostine woman found guilty of elder abuse Betsy Lathrop convicted of taking father’s resources By BILL BRADSHAW Wallowa County Chieftain ENTERPRISE — A Lostine woman accused of multiple charges of criminal mistreatment and iden- tity theft involving her father was convicted Wednesday, Feb. 9, in Wallowa County Circuit Court in Enterprise on four of the 28 counts in the original indictment. Betsy Jo Ann Lathrop, 55, was accused of 20 counts of fi rst-degree criminal mistreatment in the fi rst degree, a Class C felony, alleged to have taken place between Nov. 21, WEATHER INDEX Business ........B1 Classified ......B2 Comics ...........B5 Crossword ....B2 Dear Abby ....B6 Horoscope ....B4 Lottery ...........A2 Obituaries .....A5 SATURDAY Opinion .........A4 Spiritual ........A6 Sports ............A7 Sudoku ..........B5 YELLOW PERCH ON ICE 2014, and July 8, 2016, in violation of her legal duty to provide care for an elderly person, her father, Robert “Wayne” Lathrop, according to court records. The elder Lathrop died in December 2018. Betsy Lathrop was not his legal guardian, but she did have power of attorney for him, her attorney said. The jury trial was before Senior Judge John Collins out of Yam- Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Friday 26 LOW 49/32 Partly cloudy Mostly sunny hill County. He will preside over sentencing at 2 p.m. Feb. 22 in Enterprise. La Grande attorney Jim Schaeff er, who was appointed by the court as Lathrop’s public defender, said on Feb. 14 he expects she will appeal the convictions and any sentence as well. See, Abuse/Page A7 CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 21 3 sections, 32 pages La Grande, Oregon Online at lagrandeobserver.com Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page A4.