INSIDE
MEEKER’S STONE WAS EMPTY, BUT LA GRANDE REMAINS FULL OF HISTORY | HOME & LIVING, B1
lagrandeobserver.com | $1.50
TUESDAY EDITION
July 5, 2022
Water plan receives state-level recognition
Passage of a resolution for Upper Grande Ronde
Basin plan by commission may open doors
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The leaders
of an eff ort to improve the fl ow of
rivers and streams in the Upper
Grande Ronde Basin, which
includes Catherine Creek, have
received buoyant news.
The Oregon Water Resources
Commission passed a resolution
recognizing the Upper Grande
Ronde Watershed Partnership
Place-Based Integrated Water
Resources Plan.
“This is a milestone for us,”
said Donna Beverage, a member
of the Union County Board of
Commissioners, who helped
develop the plan.
The passage of the resolution
means that it may now be easier
to put into eff ect plans to address
issues such as fl ooding and low
streamfl ow in the late summer.
“We hope that it will open
doors for improvement projects
that will help over the next 50
years,” Beverage said.
She added that the resolution
indicates that people at the state
level value local input.
“The state is willing to work
with us and recognizes our water
needs,” she said.
Beverage said that it also shows
the state appreciates the diff erent
water issues regions face and the
steps needed to address them.
“One size does not fi t all,” she
said.
The Upper Grande Ronde
Watershed Partnership Place-
Based Integrated Water
Resources Plan, which was fi ve
years in the making, was pre-
pared with the help of local, state
and federal agencies, including
the Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife, Union County Farm
See, Water/Page A6
Family seeks
answers in
dog’s death
By ISABELLA CROWLEY
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Jacob
Moseley couldn’t believe
what he was seeing.
Moseley found his dog,
Waylon, bleeding out from
a bullet wound on the eve-
ning of Sunday, June 19,
at Moseley’s home by
Bearco Loop and the Ren-
dezvous RV Park in La
Grande. After trying to get
the bleeding under control,
Moseley rushed Waylon to a
veterinarian, where the dog
died.
“Our family is devas-
tated at this loss, especially
Jacob, who just lost his best
friend,” said Carrie Hayes,
Moseley’s sister.
Moseley adopted Waylon
as a puppy and the pair
would have celebrated three
years together in August.
Waylon was a red heeler —
a breed of Australian cattle
dog — and Moseley got him
from a breeder in Wallowa.
He remembers picking
out Waylon as a puppy.
Moseley was surrounded
by puppies who all wanted
attention, but, he said,
Waylon just came up to say
hello before going off on his
own to nap.
“He had this most
gentle nature. I never had
a dog or been around a
dog so gentle and calm,”
Moseley said. “He was
really well behaved, didn’t
cause problems, but he
did have an issue of get-
ting out and exploring the
neighborhood.”
The dog was known to
escape the yard from time
to time. Hayes said that the
neighbors knew and loved
Moseley’s dog.
The case is open and
See, Dog/Page A6
Troy Babbitt/Contributed Photo
Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley (6) hands off during the spring football game on April 30, 2022, in Laramie, Wyoming, at War Memorial Stadium.
Peasley, a La Grande High School graduate, completed 12-of-21 passes for 201 yards, two TDs and one interception in leading the Gold Team to a 26-22 victory.
‘I can do it, too’
La Grande graduate Andrew Peasley adjusting to new school, sets sights on NFL
By RONALD BOND • For The Observer
L
A GRANDE — The adjustment to the
University of Wyoming has, to this
point, been smooth for former Utah State
quarterback Andrew Peasley.
The former La Grande High School
standout transferred from Logan to Laramie
in January, staying in the Mountain West
Conference but moving to a school where
he believes he will have a better chance to
compete for time under center.
“It (came) down to I wanted the best
opportunity to fi ght for a starting job and
play football,” he said. “Wyoming is the spot
for me.”
He also noted that any trepidation he felt on
changing schools but staying in conference
was quickly alleviated when he completed his
six-hour move and joined the Cowboys.
See, Peasley/Page A6
Farmers fi nally cut year’s fi rst crop
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Kerry Searles swaths alfalfa hay on a Cornerstone Farms Joint Venture
fi eld just north of Joseph on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. It was the
year’s fi rst cutting of the alfalfa crop.
WEATHER
INDEX
Classified ......B2
Comics ...........B5
Crossword ....B2
Dear Abby ....B6
WALLOWA COUNTY
— With the rains appar-
ently done for a while,
Wallowa County farmers
in late June were making
hay while the sun shone,
mowing their fi rst cutting
of alfalfa across the county.
“It looks like we have a
really good window toward
putting hay up,” said Mark
Home .............B1
Horoscope ....B4
Local...............A2
Lottery ...........A2
Obituaries .....A5
Opinion .........A4
Region ...........A3
Sudoku ..........B5
Butterfi eld, chairman of
the Wallowa County Hay
Growers. “I don’t think
anybody’s complaining
about extra moisture. It’s
been a blessing both for the
stockgrowers and us.”
“It’s fi nally turned
into summer,” said Tyler
Coppin, who with his
father, Mike, has about
1,000 acres in both tim-
othy grass and alfalfa in
the Upper Prairie Creek
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Wednesday
55 LOW
83/56
Mainly clear
A t-storm around
area. “I just hope the hot
weather will last.”
Around the county
farmers were working to
get the hay cut in time to
dry before baling.
Short crop
Most hay growers agree
the cold, wet spring hin-
dered growth of the hay
crop.
See, Crop/Page A6
CONTACT US
541-963-3161
Issue 80
2 sections, 12 pages
La Grande, Oregon
Email story ideas
to news@lagrande
observer.com.
More contact info
on Page A4.