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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 2022)
Opinion A4 Saturday, February 19, 2022 OUR VIEW Fair project deserves full funding unding for a sewer project at the Union County Fairgrounds is thankfully a pri- ority for local offi cials, but the region’s state representatives at the Legislature need to step up and fi nd a way to get the project funded. Now, the Union County Fair Board and the Union County Board of Commissioners are searching for funds for the project that would connect the sewage from the fairgrounds to the city system. Now, there are no working restrooms at the fairgrounds and needed money is spent on por- table toilets for events. The situation is, frankly, deeply troubling and should be unacceptable to every voter living in Union County. That’s because the fairgrounds represent more than just a patch of grass and some barns and other buildings. The fairgrounds should be a critical pillar in the county’s tourism toolbelt. The yearly fair is, in many respects, a big deal for 4H and FFA students and for the public. The fair marks a fi nal celebration before the advent of fall and the start of school and is a time of celebration. For this facility to be without proper restrooms because of a lack of funding is not only tragic but food for thought as to how this situation devel- oped in the fi rst place and why the facility appar- ently has had to beg for funding. But those are questions for a later time. The good news now is local offi cials see the problem and are doing what they can to fi x it. Preliminary estimates show the sewer line project will cost approximately $2 million. There is the possibility that the Oregon Legislature will distribute $10 million to fairs among all 36 Oregon counties. Union County’s cut of that money would be about $270,000. Of course, that isn’t going to accomplish the goal of getting the sewer system fi xed by itself, and that is where our state representatives need to step in. They can — and should — advo- cate at the state level to fi nd more money for this important project. There are no guarantees they will be successful, but no one will know until they try. The sewer project at the fairgrounds needs to be going as soon as possible. The voters of Union County deserve to have a fairground that is func- tional in all aspects. F EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials are the opinion of The Observer editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of The Observer. LETTERS • The Observer welcomes letters to the editor. We edit letters for brevity, grammar, taste and legal reasons. We will not publish con- sumer complaints against busi- nesses, personal attacks against private individuals or comments that can incite violence. We also discourage thank-you letters. • Letters should be no longer than 350 words and must be signed and carry the author’s name, address and phone number (for verifi - cation only). We will not publish anonymous letters. • Letter writers are limited to one letter every two weeks. • Longer community comment columns, such as Other Views, must be no more than 700 words. Writers must provide a recent headshot and a one-sentence biography. Like letters to the editor, columns must refrain from complaints against businesses or personal attacks against private individuals. Submissions must carry the author’s name, address and phone number. • Submission does not guarantee publication, which is at the discre- tion of the editor. SEND LETTERS TO: letters@lagrandeobserver.com or via mail to Editor, 911 Jeff erson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850 OTHER VIEWS Why winter matt ers to us MARC AUSTIN EYE TO THE SKY inter weather can be very inconvenient. The intru- sion of cold air, coupled with either fog or low clouds, makes for dreary outdoor weather, which isn’t optimal for being outside. When storm systems sweep in, whether it’s cold enough for snow to fall in the low elevations or not, there are frequently major travel impacts through the mountain passes, and if snow happens to impact any of the air- ports in the region, these travel impacts can have a domino eff ect. No matter how you slice it, winter weather can be downright annoying at times. It can also present some great rec- reation opportunities if you happen to enjoy winter sports like skiing, snow- boarding or snowmobiling, but that’s for another article. We often hear the statement “keep the snow up in the mountains where it belongs” for that very reason. As frustrating as it may be trying to plan outdoor events or slipping and sliding as you make your way through town, winter is critical for the stability of our climate in the Inland Northwest. Unlike areas west of the Cascades that W regularly receive precipitation into the spring and summer months, areas east of the Cascades struggle to get much benefi cial rainfall after mid-June, leaving multiple consecutive months of hot dry weather. While this is a normal seasonal cycle, if we don’t get enough precipi- tation (rain, snow, ice, etc.) during the winter, we fi nd ourselves experiencing unusually hot dry summers and wors- ening drought conditions. This can also lead to longer, more active wildfi re seasons. The western U.S. has been in the midst of a multi-year drought. Drought is no stranger to the region, largely due to the dry continental nature of our climate and the rain shadow (area that receives little rain due to blocking by mountains) east of the Cascades. Despite these infl uences, extreme to exceptional drought year after year is rare, and it has a number of negative eff ects on the region. For one, drought is profoundly impactful on agriculture, including crops, livestock and farmers and ranchers and their families. These directly impact the regional and national economy, especially items the Inland Northwest is known for, such as wheat, peas, apples and pota- toes. Another more short-term aspect of lacking precipitation in the winter months deals with wildfi res and their CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES REPRESENTATIVES GOVERNOR Bobby Levy, District 58 900 Court St. NE, H-376 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1458 Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, OR 97301-4047 503-378-4582 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Subscription rates: Monthly Autopay ...............................$10.75 13 weeks.................................................$37.00 26 weeks.................................................$71.00 52 weeks ..............................................$135.00 SENATOR Greg Smith, District 57 900 Court St. NE, H-482 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1457 Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us Bill Hansell, District 29 900 Court St. NE, S-415 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1729 Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us STAFF SUBSCRIBEAND SAVE NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50 You can save up to 55% off the single-copy price with home delivery. Call 800-781-3214 to subscribe. frequency during the summer and autumn months. With little soil mois- ture, the vegetation that fuels wildfi res, such as grasses, shrubs and even trees, dry out and cure much more rapidly. This leads to an earlier onset of con- ditions favoring the spread and main- tenance of wildfi res, meaning the fi re season is longer than it otherwise might be given a wetter winter. Those who live in fi re-prone areas are at a greater risk of experiencing fi re near their homes. Even those who may not be directly impacted by fi re are likely to see indirect impacts to air quality due to expansive smoke, as many in the Pacifi c Northwest have experi- enced over the last few years. So the next time you’re itching to head outside and catch some sun, but instead fi nd yourself facing fog and low clouds, or snowy icy conditions, take a minute to appreciate the winter weather. It really is our water-supply lifeline, aiding our agricultural inter- ests, alleviating or regulating drought and preventing our fi re and smoke sea- sons from becoming so severe. ——— Marc Austin is a warning coordi- nation meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Pendleton. He leads outreach and weather prepared- ness programs and engages the media, emergency management and public safety communities. Anindependent newspaper foundedin1896 www.lagrandeobserver.com Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, Oregon 97801 Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (except postal holidays) by EO Media Group, 911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850 (USPS 299-260) The Observer retains ownership and copyright protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising copy, photos and news or ad illustrations. They may not be reproduced without explicit prior approval. COPYRIGHT © 2022 Phone: 541-963-3161 Regional publisher. ...................... 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