LOCAL
A2 — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
In 1775, the American Revolu-
tionary War began with the battles
of Lexington and Concord.
In 1865, a funeral was held at
the White House for President
Abraham Lincoln, assassinated
five days earlier; his coffin was
then taken to the U.S. Capitol for
a private memorial service in the
Rotunda.
In 1897, the first Boston Mar-
athon was held; winner John J.
McDermott ran the course in two
hours, 55 minutes and 10 seconds.
In 1912, a special subcommittee
of the Senate Commerce Com-
mittee opened hearings in New
York into the Titanic disaster.
In 1943, during World War II,
tens of thousands of Jews in the
Warsaw Ghetto began a valiant
but ultimately futile battle against
Nazi forces.
In 1977, the Supreme Court, in
Ingraham v. Wright, ruled 5-4 that
even severe spanking of school-
children by faculty members did
not violate the Eighth Amendment
ban against cruel and unusual
punishment.
In 1989, 47 sailors were killed
when a gun turret exploded
aboard the USS Iowa in the Carib-
bean. (The Navy initially suspected
that a dead crew member had
deliberately sparked the blast,
but later said there was no proof
of that.)
In 1993, the 51-day siege at
the Branch Davidian compound
near Waco, Texas, ended as fire
destroyed the structure after fed-
eral agents began smashing their
way in; about 80 people, including
two dozen children and sect leader
David Koresh, were killed.
In 1995, a truck bomb destroyed
the Alfred P. Murrah Federal
Building in Oklahoma City, killing
168 people. (Bomber Timothy
McVeigh, who prosecutors said
had planned the attack as revenge
for the Waco siege of two years
earlier, was convicted of federal
murder charges and executed in
2001.)
In 2005, Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger of Germany was elected
pope in the first conclave of the
new millennium; he took the name
Benedict XVI.
In 2013, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,
a 19-year-old college student
wanted in the Boston Marathon
bombings, was taken into cus-
tody after a manhunt that had left
the city virtually paralyzed; his
older brother and alleged accom-
plice, 26-year-old Tamerlan, was
killed earlier in a furious attempt to
escape police.
In 2015, Freddie Gray, a
25-year-old Black man, died a week
after suffering a spinal cord injury
in the back of a Baltimore police
van while he was handcuffed and
shackled. (Six police officers were
charged; three were acquitted and
the city’s top prosecutor eventu-
ally dropped the three remaining
cases.)
In 2018, Raul Castro turned over
Cuba’s presidency to Miguel Mario
Diaz-Canel Bermudez, the first
non-Castro to hold Cuba’s top gov-
ernment office since the 1959 rev-
olution led by Fidel Castro and his
younger brother Raul.
Today’s birthdays: Actor Elinor
Donahue is 85. Rock musician Alan
Price (The Animals) is 80. Actor Tim
Curry is 76. Pop singer Mark “Flo”
Volman (The Turtles; Flo and Eddie)
is 75. Motorsports Hall of Famer Al
Unser Jr. is 60. Former recording
executive Suge Knight is 57. Sing-
er-songwriter Dar Williams is 55.
Actor Kim Hawthorne (TV: “Green-
leaf”) is 54. Actor Ashley Judd is
54. Singer Bekka Bramlett is 54.
Latin pop singer Luis Miguel is 52.
Actor Jennifer Esposito is 50. Actor
Jennifer Taylor is 50. Actor James
Franco is 44. Actor Kate Hudson is
43. Actor Hayden Christensen is 41.
Actor Catalina Sandino Moreno is
41. Actor-comedian Ali Wong is 40.
Actor Victoria Yeates is 39. Retired
tennis player Maria Sharapova is
35. NHL forward Patrik Laine is 34.
LOTTERY
Friday, April 15, 2022
Megamillions
4-17-20-46-64
Megaball: 23
Megaplier: 4
Jackpot: $20 million
Lucky Lines
2-6-10-16-20-21-28-29
Jackpot: $26,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 7-6-1-3
4 p.m.: 5-8-7-3
7 p.m.: 8-6-6-4
10 p.m.: 3-0-8-3
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Powerball
15-21-32-62-65
powerball: 26
power play: 5
Jackpot: $348 million
Megabucks
1-7-26-35-43-44
Jackpot: $4.3 million
Lucky Lines
2-6-12-14-18-21-25-32
Jackpot: $27,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 8-3-3-6
4 p.m.: 8-2-2-0
7 p.m.: 4-5-6-4
10 p.m.: 7-2-9-1
Win for Life
2-20-53-57
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Lucky Lines
1-7-10-14-19-24-25-29
Estimated jackpot: $28,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 3-8-2-8
4 p.m.: 8-6-7-4
7 p.m.: 0-2-9-3
10 p.m.: 1-0-9-7
TuESday, apRil 19, 2022
Umatilla National Forest reopens Lunch-
portion of Forest Service Road 32 and-learn
series
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Uma-
tilla National Forest offi-
cials have reopened access
on just more than 1 mile
of Forest Service Road 32
along the Umatilla River
and are cautioning visitors
about spring weather con-
ditions in the forest.
While snow may have
thawed from the foot-
hills, forest roads still
are not accessible due to
mud or snow, according
to a Forest Service press
release. In addition, trav-
eling on thawing, saturated
and muddy roads can result
in resource damage and
serious safety concerns,
especially if visitors are
unprepared.
“We typically see inci-
dents this time of year
where families head up for
the day, get stuck and end
up spending the night or
making a very long hike
out to look for help,” Shane
Dittlinger, recreation pro-
gram manager for the
Umatilla National Forest,
said in the release.
This can become a
serious situation quickly.
Many places in the Blue
Mountains have limited
or no cellphone coverage,
so forest visitors always
should be prepared to
spend the night, with warm
clothing, food and plenty
of water.
Forest officials also are
encouraging the public to
minimize impacts to nat-
ural resources from travel
on roads that are sus-
ceptible to rutting due
to warmer weather and
melting snowpack.
“Forest roads are not
constructed to be all-
MORE INFORMATION
Additional information about
the Umatilla National Forest is
available at www.fs.usda.gov/
umatilla.
u.S. Forest Service/Contributed Photo
Umatilla National Forest officials on April 4, 2022, announced the
reopening of a portion of Forest Service Road 32, a popular access
route into the Umatilla River drainage on the Walla Walla Ranger
District of the Umatilla National Forest. Other portions of the road
remain closed due to damage from the floods of 2021.
weather roads, so they can
be easily damaged when
wet, especially during the
spring season,” said Shaun
Oliver, Umatilla National
Forest engineer, in the
release. “Tire ruts that are
just an inch deep can leave
lasting impressions that
only grow with rain and
erosion.”
The Forest Service
also warned it is illegal
to operate a vehicle on or
off-road in a manner that
damages or unreasonably
disturbs land and vegeta-
tion and urged people to
report resource damage
if they see it.
Some roads and trails
are closed in areas with
significant flood damage
from the 2020 February
and May flood events.
One portion of the popular
Forest Service Road 32
that flooding in 2020 dam-
aged now is reopen.
The Forest Service
recently announced it
reopened the road from the
forest boundary near Cor-
poration Guard Station
(approximately 8 miles east
of Gibbon) to the bridge
near Umatilla Forks Camp-
ground. With access to this
portion of FSR 32 restored,
forest officials plan to
reopen a portion of Uma-
tilla Forks Campground
in late spring or early
summer.
Flood repairs on this
portion of FSR 32 were
completed in the fall of
2021, which included
clearing debris slides
on the road, cleaning or
repairing damaged culverts
and ditches and removing
trees along the road that
were posing risks to public
safety. Additionally, per-
sonnel cleared debris and
removed danger trees at
Umatilla Forks Camp-
ground to reopen nine
campsites later this year.
The remaining campsites
will be closed until further
flood damage repairs are
completed.
Forest Service staff con-
tinue to work with the Fed-
eral Highway Adminis-
tration to develop repair
plans for the remaining
flood-damaged sections of
road upstream from Uma-
tilla Forks Campground.
Forest Service Road 32
is a popular access route
into the Umatilla River
drainage on the Walla
Walla Ranger District
of the Umatilla National
Forest. The road closure
is being lifted as repairs
are complete for each por-
tion. The Umatilla National
Forest also reported it will
provide updates as work
progresses.
Red Cross blood draw in La Grande on record pace
April blood drive
brings in more
than 200 units
The Observer
LA GRANDE — A total
of 222 units were collected
at a two-day American Red
Cross blood drive in La
Grande on Tuesday, April 5,
and Wednesday, April 6.
This two-day total puts
La Grande, where three
more two-day drives will
be conducted this year, on
pace to collect 1,140 units
of blood in 2022, a mark
that would be 150 units
greater than the 965 units
collected at American Red
Cross blood drives in La
Grande in 2021 and 297
more than the 2020 La
Grande mark of 643 units.
One reason the donation
rate is much higher than
it was in 2020 and ear-
lier is that the blood draw
sessions in La Grande, all
conducted at the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, are now two days
instead of one. The extra
day was added about a year
ago to accommodate the
greater number of people
who want to give blood in
Union County.
Sheldon and Linda
Strand, community blood
drive volunteer organizers,
credit the increase in the
number of people wanting
to donate blood to a
growing understanding of
the critical need for blood.
Close to 200 people par-
ticipated in the April blood
drive in La Grande. The
number was strong despite
a small hiccup when the
draw on April 5 ended 90
minutes early because of
a shortage of tags used to
track each unit of blood.
The Red Cross deliv-
ered tags during the night
and the blood draw staff
was ready for the April 6
opening. Draw hours were
extended to accommodate
donors who were turned
away on April 5.
A number of the donors
at the latest Red Cross
blood draw were giving
blood for the first time.
“We are encouraged
by the number of first-
time donors responding
to the need for blood,”
the Strands said in a press
release.
The three remaining
American Red Cross blood
drives in La Grande will
be conducted June 14-15,
Sept. 13-14 and Nov. 8-9.
All will run from noon
to 6 p.m. the first day and
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the
second day at the Church
of Jesus Christ of Lat-
ter-day Saints, 1802
Gekeler Lane.
NEWS BRIEFS
County commissioners to
discuss Cove cleanup
LA GRANDE — The Union
County Board of Commissioners will
meet Wednesday, April 20, at 9 a.m.
in the commissioners conference
room on the east end of the Joseph
Building, 1106 K Ave., La Grande.
Items to be discussed at the
meeting include Cove’s upcoming
cleanup day.
The session will be open to public
attendance and also can be viewed
via Zoom at www.us02web.zoom.
us/j/81420006863.
Written comments for the meeting
may be submitted via email to
amoore@union-county.org by 5 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19.
Plans for Enterprise pump
track put on hold
ENTERPRISE — Plans for a
bicycle pump track in Enterprise are
on hold after the Wallowa Moun-
tains Bicycle Club at the Enterprise
City Council meeting
Monday, April 11, with-
drew its request for a
conditional use permit
for property it was
considering.
In a letter to the
McQuead
council, Angela Mart,
club president, said her
club’s board withdrew the request
because of opposition to the planned
track from property owners and
because of the composition of the land.
She said the club will continue to
work with the city to find an appro-
priate location.
The club and the city Public
Works Department were looking at a
site near the city well at the corner of
Fourth Street and the road that goes
to the Ant Flat Landfill.
City Administrator Lacey
McQuead said Mart’s letter stated
that she had talked to some of the
surrounding property owners and
most did not support the idea of the
pump track there.
Some concerns included safety of
children, access and increased dust
since Fourth Street is not paved.
The property would require a sig-
nificant amount of dirt to create a flat
surface for the track, McQuead said.
Previous sites considered include
next to the city park and adjacent to
the skateboard park. Both of those
also met with opposition for various
reasons.
Joseph library presentation
planned April 26
JOSEPH — A presentation
and community conversation on
the new Joseph City Library will
be held Tuesday, April 26, at the
Joseph Community Events Center,
according to a press release from
the Wallowa County Chamber of
Commerce.
Penny Hummel, who has been
hired by the city of Joseph to con-
duct a library needs assessment
and develop a plan for the new
library, will lead the discussion
that begins at 7 p.m.
The event originally was sched-
uled for April 12, but was post-
poned because of inclement
weather.
The library is currently located
in the Joseph City Hall. Plans
are to move it to the Blackburn
Building, just down the hill from
Joseph Charter School. The former
medical building at 100 N. East St.
is currently in the process of being
refurbished.
Plans are to use the current
library space as chambers for the
city council and other needs the
city has.
Joseph City Council to
discuss ARPA funds, SDCs
JOSEPH — Allocation of
Joseph’s share of federal American
Rescue Plan Act funds and setting
the fee amounts for system develop-
ment charges will be on the agenda
Monday, April 25, when the Joseph
City Council holds a Zoom-only
work session at 6 p.m.
On Thursday, April 28, at
6 p.m., a special session will be
held at the Joseph Community
Events Center to vote on both
items.
The city is slated to receive
$229,109 in federal ARPA funds
granted because of the COVID-19
pandemic, according to a report on
KGW8’s website.
The SDCs are charges that a
city or county may assess to cover
the “true cost” of development and
include costs to existing and addi-
tional water, sewer, transportation
and park services.
— EO Media Group
to start
April 20
Local businesses
will be shown how
to access resources
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — La
Grande Main Street Down-
town is launching a pro-
gram aimed at connecting
businesses to resources
throughout the area and
region.
The brown-bag style
lunch-and-learn series, Busi-
ness-Resource Connection,
will begin meeting monthly
on the third Wednesday at
noon starting Wednesday,
April 20.
All sessions will be at
the Ignite Center, 104 Depot
St., which will be hosting
the presentations. The Ignite
Center provides small busi-
ness resources, classes and
referrals.
“One of the goals of
launching this
new series is
to highlight
the wide range
of resources
we have
locally that
Scroggins
businesses
can leverage
to really elevate their perfor-
mance, some of which busi-
nesses may not even have
exposure to,” said Taylor
Scroggins, executive director
of La Grande Main Street
Downtown, now also known
as Main Street.
Timothy Bishop, the city
of La Grande’s economic
development director and
chair of the Main Street
Economic Vitality Com-
mittee, said this workshop
series provides an important
opportunity for local busi-
ness owners.
“Small business owners
spend a lot of their time
just running their business
and aren’t always aware
of the support organiza-
tions that are there to assist
them,” he said. “The Eco-
nomic Vitality Committee
hopes this monthly series
will help build more aware-
ness about the small business
support organizations and
services that are available
in La Grande and help busi-
ness owners connect to those
resources.”
The series is similar to
the former Hot Topics series
Main Street hosted many
years ago with a newly
revamped format and pro-
gramming, according to a
Main Street press release.
The Economic Vitality Com-
mittee is leading the effort
to organize the series. Each
month, a different organiza-
tion will give a presentation
designed to help businesses
develop a better under-
standing of and connections
to the resources available to
them locally. Representatives
of organizations, including
the Eastern Oregon Visitors
Association and WorkSource
Oregon, will be among those
giving presentations.
WorkSource is a part-
nership of public and pri-
vate organizations that work
together to provide a variety
of services for job seekers.
The Eastern Oregon Visi-
tors Association is a group
of organizations striving to
market and present Eastern
Oregon as destination for
visitors to enhance the
regional economy.
Suzannah Moore-
Hemann, the project’s chair-
person, like Bishop, wants
the series to help businesses
to make connections.
“Businesses are increas-
ingly looking to expand their
access to resources to main-
tain optimal performance
and function, but need to
do so strategically,” Moore-
Hemann said. “This series
will provide businesses the
opportunity to develop new
contacts and relationships,
and a better understanding
of the resources available to
them.”