Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2022)
Opinion A4 Tuesday, March 8, 2022 OUR VIEW Fairgrounds gets needed cash infusion T he major spending package approved by Oregon lawmakers at the end of the so-called short session will deliver a lot of money to Eastern Oregon, and while many projects of merit will receive cash the most sig- nifi cant outlay is money for the Union County Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds are on track to receive $1 mil- lion, and it will be able to use every cent of that to help fund renovations projects, not the least of which will be the building of a new sewer line connection. The new connection will allow sewage to run from the facility to the city of La Grande’s wastewater system. That, in turn, will mean the fairgrounds will once again have func- tioning restrooms, an amenity — really a neces- sity — that has been missing. The sewer line project will cost about $2 mil- lion. The fairgrounds received around $270,000 in state funds earlier this year, and the additional $1 million from the new spending package will certainly go a long way to solving the sewer line challenge. That should be great news to the residents of Union County. The fairground facility is more than just a place to hold a carnival once a year but an historic element to the county. Its worth cannot be evaluated in simple terms of expedi- ency but must be seen through a holistic lens. The fairgrounds provide a place every year for the 4-H youth of the county to show off their hard work, and it also functions as an emergency site for such operations as COVID-19 vaccinations. The $1 million outlay is the work of a host of lawmakers who deserve to be lauded. Those law- makers ensured that money could be sent to fair- grounds across Eastern Oregon, including Mal- heur, Baker and Harney counties. The money is needed and will arrive not a moment too soon. We often can take a facility like the Union County Fairgrounds for granted. We shouldn’t. That’s because such facilities are part of our hometown fabric and should never be forgotten or dismissed. Is more money needed for the fair- grounds? Certainly. Yet this latest infusion of funds will help get a facility we need back on track toward the future. 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 YOUR VIEWS Elitist wolf policy is not equitable Is the wolf policy equitable? We learned that introducing wolves to Yellowstone destroyed up to 80% of the elk population. Following that, we are now encouraging the destruction of peoples’ food and their cultural existence by further encouraging wolves. Indigenous peoples’ treaties have hunting rights. The prolifer- ation of wolves can vitiate these rights and we need not take respon- sibility for what we have done. Indigenous peoples’ culture and religion and the hunt intertwine, as well as access to the health bene- fits of this nutritious protein. Rural people with little money who have supplemented their diets and bonded in other ways around the hunt see the ending of this viable and healthy activity. Is the experience of the indi- vidual who is eating a piece of jerky they made the same psycho- logically as the individual who is going to pick up their government cheese? Is there going to be a difference psychologically in independence and self-satisfaction? The ability to survive and shoot straight, skills of an unmoneyed rural people, have made us the people who fi ght your wars for you. Our military is composed of all skin colors of rural people without much money. By feeding this food source to the wolves, access to the skills that made us valuable sol- diers is being lost. The wolf policy is elitist, and the damage that it causes is suf- fered by the people who live on the frontiers and in the forest, Indige- nous and other unmoneyed people. That is not equitable. Katy Nelson John Day Americans should defend freedom in Ukraine Before the USA entered World War I, an American contingent of pilots composed a group known as the Lafayette Escadrille under French command. These pilots became dis- tinguished during that war. They felt it was necessary to defend freedom. Before the USA entered World War II, there was the American vol- unteer group in China fi ghting the Japanese as pilots under Claire Chenault. What has happened to the idea of Americans volunteering to support freedom from foreign invasion? I propose calling on American veterans willing to support to help Ukraine. I am 78 and in poor shape to volunteer for such a venture. I am willing to die for Ukrainian people. I could be used as cannon fodder. We could use as our war fl ag the Gadsden fl ag (coiled rattlesnake with words “Don’t Tread On Me”), known as the Rattlesnake Contingent. Anyone interested please contact me. Rudy Candler Union REPRESENTATIVES GOVERNOR Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, OR 97301-4047 503-378-4582 Bobby Levy, District 58 900 Court St. NE, H-376 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1458 Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us 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 Subscription rates: Monthly Autopay ...............................$10.75 13 weeks.................................................$37.00 26 weeks.................................................$71.00 52 weeks ..............................................$135.00 Every adult Oregonian should do the math as it relates to the Oregon Legislature’s runaway spending of Oregon taxpayer money estimated at $1.4 billion. Then they should voice their yea or nay on this pork barrel giveaway to their local tax-and-spend senator and/or representative. I’m sure the majority-voiced vote will loudly, and resoundingly, cry “nay.” Why? Consider this. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the July 1, 2021, Oregon population to be 4.2+ million. Divide $1.4 billion by 4.2 million and you get an astounding (potential refund of) $333+ per person. For a family of four, it’s a whopping $1,332. A family of eight, $2,664. I’m sure the wide majority of pan- demic-stricken Oregonians behind on their rent, unable to pay their utility bills, helpless to put food on the table, and/or can’t aff ord to buy gas to get to and from work would appreciate that refunded money in their pocket rather than have it thrown at questionable projects, probably already eligible for federal funding, located way out in the most rural of Oregon’s areas. To boot, chances are highly likely most residents will never see the benefi ts of their own ill-gouged, leg- islatively appropriated money. Just because you have it doesn’t mean you have to spend it. To correct the issue, adjust the tax rates biannually. Fred Couzens Bend CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50 You can save up to 55% off the single-copy price with home delivery. Call 800-781-3214 to subscribe. Runaway spending gouges taxpayers 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 ....................... Karrine Brogoitti Multimedia journalist.........................Alex Wittwer Interim editor ....................................Andrew Cutler Home delivery adviser.......... Amanda Turkington Assistant editor .................................... Ronald Bond Advertising representative ..................... Kelli Craft News clerk ........................................Lisa Lester Kelly Advertising representative .................... Amy Horn Reporter....................................................Dick Mason National accounts coordinator ...... Devi Mathson Reporter............................................Davis Carbaugh Graphic design .................................. Dorothy Kautz Toll free (Oregon): 1-800-781-3214 Email: news@lagrandeobserver.com POSTMASTER Send address changes to: The Observer, 911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850 A division of