FROM PAGE ONE
A6 — THE OBSERVER
SaTuRday, May 14, 2022
OPIOIDS
Continued from Page A1
the significant uptick in
overdoses locally may
reflect Oregon’s legislation
regarding the decriminal-
ization of drugs.
The Center for Human
Development, La Grande,
released a statement in
November 2021 warning
of alarming trends in local
substance abuse. In April
2022, the Union County
Safe Communities Coa-
lition organized a com-
munity town hall at La
Grande High School, which
included Bell, Deputy
David Gomez of the Boise
County Sheriff’s Office,
Dale McQueeney of CHD
and Dr. Stephen McIlmoil
of Grande Ronde Hos-
pital. The gathering focused
on raising awareness in
the community about the
increasing prevalence of
drug abuse.
The Observer, File
Jay Devin, right, organizer of the Shine a Light prayer group, listens as pastor Keith Hudson speaks at an
opioid addiction vigil in Max Square, La Grande, on Saturday, March 5, 2022.
Spreading the word
McIlmoil, an emergency
medicine specialist, spoke
from the perspective of the
ER, noting how increased
drug overdoses related to
fentanyl have become a
driving trend. He stated
that such patients entering
the emergency room often
appear blue in color or close
to death.
“It’s a real problem and
people need to know about
it,” McIlmoil said during
the town hall.
La Grande Police
Department Lieutenant
Jason Hays spoke about nal-
GIVING
DROUGHT
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trip, which is open to all
current OHSU students as
well as recent alumni. As of
Friday, May 13, the group
has raised nearly $34,000 of
the funds necessary for the
entire trip, which will cost
around $50,000.
“The students do their
own fundraising and orga-
nized that process entirely on
their own,” OHSU Diversity
Coordinator Beckie Juarez
said.
In addition to fundraising
for travel costs, the group
was required to raise roughly
$1,000 worth of supplies to
hand out during their time
in Honduras — the items
include hygiene packs and
travel-size toiletries. Upon
arriving in Honduras, the
group will be led by Global
Brigades organizers to pin-
point projects in areas of
need.
“It’s
going to be
very struc-
tured. They
have pretty
much every
hour of the
Kennedy
day planned
for us,” said
Norton, who
has been
sharpening
up on Spanish
language
speaking skills
Vieira De Melo and watching
preparatory
videos as she
readies for the
trip.
Kennedy
noted that
the trip is an
Williams
opportunity
to apply her
studies in a real-world set-
ting. Hearing stories from
previous students who par-
ticipated in international ser-
vice trips inspired her to take
part in a similar experience.
“I have gained skills
working through the health
care field within the last six
years that I think would be
really beneficial in an area
like Honduras,” Kennedy
said.
Juarez noted that a local
group of OHSU previously
planned a service trip to
Thailand, but the pandemic
put a halt on those plans and
the possibility of other ser-
vice trips.
“I know students were
disappointed about that, then
COVID hit and took away
those opportunities alto-
gether,” Juarez said. “This is
the first international trip stu-
dents here have been able to
take since then.”
the moisture content at the
root level of plants.
“The surface level is
good but the root zone is
not,” Vora said.
The emergency man-
ager said the precipitation
Union County received in
April was 1.5 inches over
the county’s average for that
month.
“It was the 10th wettest
April on record,” Vora said,
“but we still have drought
conditions.”
Vora also said the
Grande Ronde River in
Union County, thanks to
the wet April, is at a level
about average for this time
of year. Still Union County
is having one of the driest
years, when compared to
the past 128 years of local
recorded precipitation data.
Wet and cool condi-
tions are forecast for much
of the rest of May, but
after this conditions are
projected to be drier and
hotter than normal.
May 17 fundraising
dinner
With the group set to
leave for Honduras on Sat-
urday, June 18, the La Grande
brigade is continuing its
fundraising efforts to meet its
quotas. The group is hosting
a fundraising dinner at Tap
That Growlers on Tuesday,
May 17, from 4-9 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for ages 13
and older, $7 for ages 12 and
younger, and will provide a
meal including a hamburger
or hot dog, macaroni salad,
chips, cookie and a drink
sample. To purchase tickets,
email globalbrigades-
lagrande@gmail.com.
oxone — a medication that
blocks the effects of opioids
(such as heroin, morphine,
fentanyl, etc.) — that can be
used to temporarily reverse
an opioid overdose. He
noted that in many interac-
tions with substance abuse
addicts in Union County,
the use of naloxone, also
known as Narcan, to save
a life during an overdose
does not result in changed
behavior. Instead, the police
department has noted more
individuals who use the
treatment as a fallback.
“More people are over-
dosing and pushing the
limits on their abuse
because they know they
can be brought back,” Hays
said.
Jessica Norton/Contributed Photo
Oregon Health and Science University student Brianna Humeston,
left, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, drops off a meal to donors Dale
and Carol Lauritzen during a meal-delivery fundraising event for a
group of La Grande nursing students embarking on a service trip to
Honduras this summer.
Ernest “Ernie” Trimble
According to CHD,
the local health center is
seeing a shift from acci-
dental overdoses due to
fentanyl — a much more
potent drug that can be
“The long-term outlook
is for drought to persist or
worsen in Union County
through the summer,”
Vora said.
The last time before
2021 that the Union County
Board of Commissioners
declared a drought emer-
gency was in 2015.
Vora said all of Union
County is impacted by the
current drought. About 28%
of the county is in mod-
erate drought, 66% is in
severe drought and 6% is in
extreme drought.
Union County is one
of 16 counties in the state
that have declared drought
emergencies this year,
according to the Oregon
Water Resources Depart-
ment’s website. The others
are Wallowa, Baker,
Grant, Malheur, Morrow,
Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam,
Harney, Jackson, Jefferson,
Klamath, Lake, Douglas
and Wheeler counties.
Donna Beverage, chair
of the Union County Board
of Commissioners, has
written a letter to Gov.
Kate Brown from the
consumed in what appears
to be a very small quantity,
so users don’t always know
how much they are taking
— to individuals seeking
out the synthetic opioid.
The center is pushing com-
munity awareness and
upping its Narcan giveaway
events and education on
how to spot an overdose.
Bell stated that sub-
stance abuse has been a
slow-climbing issue for
years locally, sparked
in recent years. As local
entities grapple with the
impacts on the commu-
nity, the emphasis shifts
toward raising awareness
and providing necessary
resources.
“That’s really been
the approach we’ve been
taking, just trying to com-
municate with everybody
in the community as much
as we can so that there’s
awareness,” Bell said. “The
idea is to get the informa-
tion out as wide as we can.”
board asking her to declare
a drought emergency in
Union County. Such a dec-
laration from the state
would put Union County in
a better position to receive
grants to assist those
impacted by the drought.
The governor has
declared drought emergen-
cies for Grant, Morrow,
Malheur, Crook, Deschutes,
Gilliam, Harney, Jackson,
Jefferson, Klamath
and Lake counties this
year, according to the
Oregon Water Resources
Department.
Beverage told Brown in
her letter that the full impact
of the ongoing drought in
Union County will not be
known for some time.
“The full scope of
drought effects won’t be
known for several months,
but we anticipate signifi-
cant impacts to crop and
livestock production,” Bev-
erage wrote in the letter.
“With this year being the
second consecutive year of
drought, we may begin to
see impacts to water tables
and forest health as well.”
Then
NOW
2022 Graduates
April 11, 1953 – May 1, 2022
Ernest “Ernie” Trimble, 69, passed
away of natural causes on Sunday,
May 1, 2022, at his home in La
Grande, Oregon. There will be a small
celebration of his life in La Grande for
friends and family at a later date.
Ernie was born on April 11, 1953,
in Pasco, Washington, to Jack and
Lois (Fletcher) Trimble. Soon after
graduating high school, he married
his one true love, Carolyn (Cyr)
Trimble, and together they had three children. Ernie loved
the outdoors. Throughout his life he had many hobbies,
including boating, fishing and camping, and also loved to
build, fix and tinker with computers and electronics.
Ernie is survived by his children, Jeff Trimble,
Matthew Trimble and Katie Crampton; sisters, Linda
Grittner, Robbie Strand and Kathleen Patterson; and
brother, Jack Trimble. He was preceded in death by his
wife, Carolyn Trimble, and his parents, Jack and Lois
Trimble.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.
lovelandfuneralchapel.com.
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Includes full color. Three line maximum message.
T HE O BSERVER
Jennifer Smith
Katherine “Kathy” L. (Trump) Southwick
June 19, 1949 – May 6, 2022
Katherine “Kathy” Louise Southwick, 72, of Elgin,
passed away on Friday, May 6, 2022, at a care facility
in Hermiston, Oregon. A private graveside service will
be held. Friends are welcome to visit her gravesite at the
Elgin Cemetery after May 16, 2022.
Kathy was born on June 19, 1949, in La Grande,
Oregon, to Lloyd and Neva (Rysdam) Trump. She was
raised in Elgin and graduated from Elgin High School.
She married her one true love, Mike Southwick.
Kathy was employed with US Bank until retirement.
She enjoyed camping, riding, ATVs, crocheting and
knitting, trips to the Coast, spending time with family
and tending to her flowers. She was a member of the
Women’s Service club.
Kathy is survived by her husband, Mike; children,
Michelle Gerber (Don) of Irrigon, Oregon, Krista
Silver (Jon) of The Dalles, Oregon, and Pattie Wallace
of Hermiston, Oregon; brother, James Trump (Donna)
of Elgin, Oregon; six grandchildren, Justin Gerber, Jo
Silver, Jade Silver, Rosemary Silver, Cyle Miller and
Cody Miller; two great-grandchildren, Selma Miller
and Sutton Miller; and two nieces and nephews. She
was preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Neva
Trump; sister, Sally Trump; and nephew, Todd Trump.
Online condolences may be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.
High School Name
Congratulations Jen!
We are so proud of you!
Love, Mom & Dad
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Call Devi 541-624-6007 or email
dmathson@lagrandeobserver.com