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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 2022)
INSIDE HUNTING FOR HARE HABITAT | OUTDOORS & REC, B1 March 19, 2022 WEEKEND EDITION $1.50 County election offi ces gett ing help This is the first year ballots dropped in the mail by Election Day will be counted By JULIA SHUMWAY Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM — County election offi ces will soon get additional money to replace old election equip- ment and buy postal bar- code scanners to comply with a recent law requiring that ballots dropped in the mail on Election Day be counted. In 2021, Oregon legisla- tors allocated $2 million for Secretary of State Shemia Fagan to distribute to coun- ties for election equipment, such as ballot tabulators and postmark scanners, or to add ballot drop boxes and upgrade video surveil- lance. That money went unspent, and this year elec- tion offi cials asked the Leg- islature to change what the money could be used for. When the money was allocated last year, state election offi cials were under the impression that many counties needed new tabulation machines, said Molly Woon, senior adviser and strategic proj- ects director in the secre- tary of state’s offi ce. They found that only one county needed such equipment, and started talking to the Oregon Association of County Clerks about better uses for the money. A little more than half of the available money will be used for postal barcode scanners and other equip- ment, and Woon expects to announce grants to coun- ties next week. Dan Lonai, Uma- tilla County’s director of administrative ser- vices and president of the Oregon Association of County Clerks, said the law went into eff ect Jan. 1, and counting ballots with See, Ballots/Page A6 Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group Students at La Grande Middle School board school buses after class on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Local county and city resources are grappling with increased gas prices and how it impacts their services and budgets. The bus company’s contract allows it to pass the cost on to the school district. GLOBAL FUEL CRISIS HITS HOME Local entities adjust to increasing cost of fuel in the wake of Russian invasion of Ukraine By DICK MASON and DAVIS CARBAUGH • The Observer U NION COUNTY — Beyond humanitarian concerns, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is creating ominous clouds on the horizon for local cities, schools and public agencies. The global rise in oil prices triggered by the invasion has made its way to local commu- nities, with gas prices in Union County eclipsing $4.50 per gallon. As drivers cross their fi ngers for the eventual lowering of prices, city and county agen- cies continue to grapple with the local impacts of high fuel prices. “Like everywhere else in the world right now, fuel prices are a huge unknown,” La Grande City Manager Robert Strope said. In a move of solidarity with Ukraine, President Joe Biden announced earlier this month that the United States is banning Russian oil imports. The ripple eff ect has led to a sharp increase in local gas prices. The invasion sparked a rise in oil prices to record-high amounts, with bar- rels costing upward of $130 last week. As of March 16, gas prices at local stations averaged just over $4.60 per gallon. According to the American Automobiles Association, Oregon’s state- wide average cost per gallon is $4.75, while the national average stands at $4.31. Law enforcement Local entities experiencing the eff ects of the increase in fuel prices include local law enforce- ment agencies, who utilize their vehicles for around-the-clock patrols. “Like everyone else, opera- tionally our fuel expenses are up,” La Grande Police Chief Gary Bell said. “The good news Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group La Grande law enforcement service vehicles sit outside police headquarters on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Agencies report the skyrocketing price of fuel will impact law enforcement budgets but not services. is that budget-wise we’re able to continue operations as per normal.” According to Bell, the department, which has a total of 16 vehicles in its fl eet, has requested a 24% increase in funds available specifi cally for fuel for the coming year’s fi scal budget that begins on July 1. The requested increase is based on the department’s spending throughout this fi scal year as well as projected spending throughout the remainder of the WEATHER INDEX Classified ......B2 Comics ...........B5 Crossword ....B2 Dear Abby ....B6 TUESDAY Horoscope ....B2 Local...............A2 Lottery ...........A2 Obituaries .....A5 Opinion .........A4 Outdoors ......B1 Sports ............A8 Sudoku ..........B5 period as gas prices continue to remain high. “We have not used more fuel throughout this year,” he said. “That is not a requested increase as a result of an anticipation that we are going to drive more miles or utilize more gallons of fuel, it is a direct result of the increase in costs.” Bell noted that while the police department traverses con- siderably less than Oregon State Police and the Union County Sheriff ’s Offi ce, fuel consump- Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Sunday 32 LOW 43/29 Partly cloudy Snow showers WARMING STATION CONCLUDES BUSY 2022 SEASON tion is still high among idling vehicles. Bell stated that the La Grande Police Department does not have any plans to limit mileage or cut its services in any way amid the spike in fuel prices. The Union County Sher- iff ’s Offi ce, which requires a greater number of miles trav- eled, is feeling the repercussion of increased gas prices across its fl eet of roughly 25 vehicles. See, Fuel/Page A7 CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 34 2 sections, 14 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page A4. Online at lagrandeobserver.com