LOCAL
A2 — THE OBSERVER
TODAY
In 1776, the Battle of Long Island
began during the Revolutionary
War as British troops attacked
American forces who ended up
being forced to retreat two days
later.
In 1883, the island volcano
Krakatoa erupted with a series
of cataclysmic explosions; the
resulting tidal waves in Indonesia’s
Sunda Strait claimed some 36,000
lives in Java and Sumatra.
In 1894, Congress passed the
Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act, which
contained a provision for a grad-
uated income tax that was later
struck down by the Supreme Court.
In 1939, the first turbojet-pow-
ered aircraft, the Heinkel He 178,
went on its first full-fledged test
flight over Germany.
In 1949, a violent white mob pre-
vented an outdoor concert head-
lined by Paul Robeson from taking
place near Peekskill, New York. (The
concert was held eight days later.)
In 1967, Brian Epstein, manager
of the Beatles, was found dead
in his London flat from an acci-
dental overdose of sleeping pills;
he was 32.
In 1979, British war hero Lord
Louis Mountbatten and three other
people, including his 14-year-old
grandson Nicholas, were killed off
the coast of Ireland in a boat explo-
sion claimed by the Irish Repub-
lican Army.
In 1998, two suspects in the
bombing of the U.S. Embassy in
Kenya were brought to the United
States to face charges. (Mohamed
Rashed Daoud al-’Owhali and
Mohammed Saddiq Odeh were
convicted in 2001 of conspiring to
carry out the bombing; both were
sentenced to life in prison.)
In 2001, Israeli helicopters fired a
pair of rockets through office win-
dows and killed senior PLO leader
Mustafa Zibri.
In 2004, President George W.
Bush signed executive orders
designed to strengthen the CIA
director’s power over the nation’s
intelligence agencies and create a
national counterterrorism center.
In 2005, coastal residents
jammed freeways and gas stations
as they rushed to get out of the
way of Hurricane Katrina, which
was headed toward New Orleans.
In 2008, Barack Obama was
nominated for president by the
Democratic National Convention
in Denver.
In 2020, speaking on the White
House South Lawn, President
Donald Trump accepted his party’s
renomination, blasting Joe Biden
as a hapless career politician who
would endanger Americans’ safety
and painting a grim portrait of vio-
lence in American cities run by
Democrats; Trump spoke for more
than a hour to a tightly-packed and
largely maskless crowd. Hurricane
Laura roared ashore as a Category
4 storm near Cameron, Louisiana,
bringing 150 mile-an-hour winds,
torrential rains and a storm surge
as high as 15 feet; the storm, one of
the strongest ever to strike the U.S.,
would leave more than 20 people
dead in Louisiana and Texas.
Today’s Birthdays: Author Lady
Antonia Fraser is 90. Actor Tommy
Sands is 85. Actor Tuesday Weld
is 79. Actor G.W. Bailey is 78. Actor
Marianne Sagebrecht is 77. Actor
Paul Reubens is 70. Rock musician
Alex Lifeson (Rush) is 69. Rock musi-
cian Glen Matlock (The Sex Pis-
tols) is 66. Writer-producer Dean
Devlin is 60. Rock musician Mike
Johnson is 57. Rap musician Bobo
(Cypress Hill) is 55. U.S. Director of
National Intelligence Avril Haines is
53. Country singer Colt Ford is 53.
Actor Chandra Wilson is 53. Rock
musician Tony Kanal (No Doubt) is
52. Rapper Mase is 47. Actor Sarah
Chalke is 46. Actor RonReaco Lee
is 46. Actor-singer Demetria McK-
inney is 44. Actor Aaron Paul is 43.
Rock musician Jon Siebels (Eve
6) is 43. Actor Shaun Weiss is 43.
Contemporary Christian musician
Megan Garrett (Casting Crowns)
is 42. Actor Amanda Fuller is 38.
Singer Mario is 36. U.S. Olympic
and WNBA basketball star Breanna
Stewart is 28. Actor Savannah Paige
Rae is 19.
CORRECTIONS
The Observer works hard to be
accurate and sincerely regrets
any errors. If you notice a
mistake in the paper, please call
541-963-3161.
LOTTERY
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10 p.m.: 7-5-9-7
SaTuRday, auguST 27, 2022
Wallowa to receive $2 million in aid Man
arrested
for sex
crimes in
Wallowa
County
City to be on list for
state emergency
board relief funds
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA — The
city of Wallowa can expect
to receive $2 million in
state emergency aid next
month, when the board
of the Oregon Depart-
ment of Emergency Man-
agement meets, according
to state Sen. Bill Hansell,
R-Athena.
The aid
would be to
assist Wal-
lowa residents
in the wake
of the Aug.
Hansell
11 hailstorm
that ravaged
the town.
The roofs of
at least 400
buildings
and scores
of automo-
biles were
Hulse
damage by
the large hailstones, Mayor
Gary Hulse said. A handful
of injuries were reported,
although none was consid-
ered serious.
Hansell said Wednesday,
Aug. 24, that he learned the
previous day $2 million was
to be added to the funds the
board is expected to request
when it meets Sept. 30.
He said it’s too bad the
money can’t come through
sooner, “but that’s when the
board meets.”
Hansell is a member of
the emergency board.
The senator said he
immediately called Hulse to
inform him.
Hulse confirmed Aug.
23 that he’d heard a $2 mil-
lion request was made, but
had yet to hear if it was
approved.
Hansell said the delay in
approving the funds could
prove troublesome.
By ISABELLA CROWLEY
The Observer
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain, File
The damage to the paint and siding on the west side of the Wallowa Senior Center is typical of many
buildings in town battered by a hailstorm that hit Wallowa on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022.
LOCAL RELIEF OFFERED TO STORM VICTIMS
IN WALLOWA COUNTY
WALLOWA — Wallowa County is coming together, offering assistance to
those affected by the devastating Aug. 11 hailstorm.
A list of resources being offered is growing, coordinated by the Wallowa
County Chamber of Commerce. Anyone with something not included on
the list below is asked to email information to info@wallowacounty.org
or call 541-426-4622.
So far, the list includes:
• The Lostine Presbyterian Church has created a relief fund where online
donations may be made. The church’s website is www.lostinepc.org. It’s
phone number is 541-398-0547.
• A form to apply for $500 in recovery aid is available at Wallowa City
Hall/Fire Department or at the Wallowa Senior Center.
• Those who qualify for SNAP/TANFF benefits may visit Wallowa City
Hall/Fire Department for replacement food resources.
• The Wallowa Food Bank at 211 E. First St. is open seven days a week
right now and anyone in need of food may stop in, regardless of
eligibility.
• The Wallowa ReSale Store is offering free replacement items to Wallowa
residents. The store is open daily for now, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Plywood and tarps are available at Wallowa City Hall/Fire Department.
• A account has been set up for donations at Community Bank.
• Through Labor Day, Genuine Wallowa County Provisions is waiving
its delivery fee to Wallowa customers within regular service area of five
miles from Highway 82. Shopping at GWC Provisions supports Wallowa
producers including Hawkins Sisters Ranch, Rocking M Cattle Co., Bear
Creek Blossoms, Ralph Anderson and Carman Ranch.
— Wallowa County Chieftain
“It hasn’t been appropri-
ated yet,” he said. “In the
meantime, maybe assuming
the money’s going to be
there, they can get the work
done.”
Hansell said the city has
been encouraged to doc-
ument the extent of the
damage.
The senator said he met
with Hulse and Wallowa
County Commissioners
Todd Nash and Susan Rob-
erts informally on Aug. 16
to discuss recovery efforts.
At the time, Nash told
him of a drone operation
in Pendleton that could be
asked to survey the damage
to the town.
“My understanding is
they flew the city and doc-
umented the damage,”
Hansell said. “They’ll know
which roofs to repair first
and help people recover.”
Hulse said residents are
concerned their roofs won’t
keep out the weather the
next time it rains. A load
of tarps were donated from
Ellensburg, Washington,
that Farm Supply, of Enter-
prise, brought in on a return
trip. The mayor said resi-
dents have been coming to
city hall to pick up tarps
for their roofs and sheets of
plywood for windows, in
concern for any coming wet
weather.
“We’ve had people
taking tarps to cover their
roofs,” Hulse said. “I’m
sure every roof in town has
some damage to it.”
Also on the calendar
for Wallowa recovery is a
Zoom meeting Monday,
Aug. 29, between city offi-
cials and various stake-
holders who could have
access to resources, Hulse
said. After that meeting,
when more is known, a
town hall-style meeting
with Wallowa residents will
be held to inform them of
the situation.
Search and rescue helps man injured in fall from horse
By DICK MASON
The Observer
COVE — A 40-year-old man
injured after falling from a horse in
the Moss Springs area was flown
by a Life Flight Network helicopter
to Providence St. Mary Medical
Center in Walla Walla, Washington,
on Wednesday, Aug. 24, following a
rescue led by Union County Search
and Rescue.
The patient was riding on U.S.
Forest Service Trail 1942, 4.8 miles
southeast of the Moss Springs trail-
head, when the accident occurred.
The staff at the Union County Dis-
patch Center learned of the accident
by being alerted by the Garmin Inter-
national Emergency Response Coor-
dination Center. The dispatch center
received the message after the vic-
tim’s companion rode his horse sev-
eral miles up Forest Service Trail
1942 to get satellite reception to con-
tact the coordination center.
A multi-agency team of 17 rescue
personnel soon hiked to the site of
the accident, reaching the patient late
in the afternoon. Upon arrival, La
Grande Fire Department paramedics
initiated patient care while other team
members prepared a wheeled litter
for transport. The patient was deter-
mined to be in stable condition, but in
Nick Vora/Contributed Photo
First responders on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, move a patient on a wheeled litter half a
mile to a site in the Moss Springs area where a Life Flight helicopter waits.
a high degree of pain and with inju-
ries requiring evacuation via a litter,
according to Union County Emer-
gency Manager Nick Vora.
The emergency manager said the
patient’s injuries were non-life threat-
ening but added he had injuries to his
left leg that are potentially serious.
Not long after the arrival of the
rescue party, a Life Flight Network
helicopter pilot flying over the area
was able to find a location to land less
than a half mile away. The patient
was transported to the landing zone,
loaded onto the helicopter and flown
out at about 8:21 p.m. The Life Flight
helicopter had to leave one crew
member and equipment at the site
due to take-off weight limitations.
All rescue personnel hiked out with
equipment that evening, arriving at
the Moss Springs Trailhead, 9 miles
southeast of Cove, at about 10:30 p.m.
A total of 28 people from six agen-
cies and organizations responded to
the incident either in field response
or support roles. Personnel from
Union County Dispatch Center, the
Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch
Center, Grande Ronde Hospital and
Oregon Emergency Management pro-
vided remote assistance and support.
NEWS BRIEFS
Union County reports 54
new cases of COVID-19 in
last two weeks
SALEM — The Oregon Health
Authority reported 11,612 new cases
of COVID-19 from Aug. 7 to Aug.
20 in its biweekly report released on
Wednesday, Aug. 24.
The two-week total represents
a 26% decline from the previous
biweekly total of 15,716.
During the two-week period of
Aug. 7 to Aug. 20, test positivity was
10.9%, down from 13% in the pre-
vious two-week period.
During the same two-week period,
Union County has reported 54 total
cases, with 25 cases on July 25, 21
cases on Aug. 1 and 15 cases on Aug.
8. Union County has a seven-day
average of 3.6 reported new cases.
Union County recorded one death
on Aug. 15.
Since the start of the pandemic,
Union County has recorded 5,529
cases and 87 deaths.
The health authority’s COVID-19
Biweekly Congregate Care Setting
Outbreak Report shows 201 active
outbreaks in care facilities, senior
living communities and congregate
care living settings with three or more
confirmed COVID-19 cases or one or
more COVID-19-related deaths.
La Grande Post Acute Rehab is
still on the active outbreaks list with
21 total cases since the outbreak was
reported on July 27. There have not
been any deaths due to COVID-19
at the facility since the outbreak was
reported.
Three large wildfires in
Wallowa County contained
only hours after igniting
WALLOWA COUNTY — Light-
ning ignited three large wildfires in
Wallowa County late in the afternoon
of Wednesday, Aug. 24, all of which
are now contained, according to the
Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch
Center, La Grande.
The largest is the 82-acre Swamp
Creek Fire in the Baker Canyon
area, 4 miles northeast of Enterprise,
which was reported at 5:07 p.m. and
contained at 7:57 p.m. on Aug. 24.
The second fire contained was the
65-acre Getting Road Fire, 2 miles
northeast of Enterprise, reported at
4:58 p.m. and contained at 6:29 p.m.
on Aug. 24.
A third large blaze ignited on
Aug. 24 in Wallowa County, the
TNC Fire, was 18 miles northeast of
Enterprise in the Zumwalt area. The
fire was reported at 5:24 p.m. and
contained at 8:50 p.m. the same day.
Nobody has been hurt in any of
the fires and no structures have been
damaged. All three fires are burning
grass and are being fought by crews
from the Oregon Department of For-
estry and the federal government.
— The Observer
WALLOWA — Enter-
prise Police arrested a
Northeastern Oregon man
Sunday, Aug. 21, in connec-
tion with sex crimes in Wal-
lowa County, according to
court records.
John Fine, 54, was
arrested after he attempted
to escape from an Enterprise
police officer. Fine has been
charged with six counts
of felony sexual abuse, six
counts of misdemeanor
sexual abuse, third-degree
attempted sexual abuse and
misdemeanor escape.
Bail has been set at
$30,000 by Union and Wal-
lowa County Circuit Court
Judge Thomas Powers.
Fine is scheduled to appear
in court for a preliminary
probable cause hearing Aug.
29 and is represented by
La Grande attorney James
Schaeffer.
The Wallowa woman
who reported the sex abuse
is unnamed in the police
report for her privacy and
protection. According to the
report, the woman is cogni-
tively impaired.
In an interview with
police, she said Fine came
to her home on Aug. 19 for
a guitar lesson. But Fine
ended up asking her if she
wanted to have children,
and she said no.
She said Fine then dis-
robed her and had noncon-
sensual sex with her.
The woman told police
she was scared of what he
was doing to her and scared
to tell him to stop. Fine
proceeded to pick her up
and carry her into the bed-
room, where he restarted the
sexual contact.
Police arranged a med-
ical evaluation for the
woman as part of the inves-
tigation. The physician
reported she found evidence
of recent sexual activity
and the evidence indicated
the sexual contact was not
consensual.
On Aug. 21, Enterprise
Police officer Jacob Curtis
went to arrest Fine at a
house in Enterprise. One
occupant told Curtis that
Fine was inside the house,
then another occupant
alerted him that Fine ran out
the back. Curtis ran around
the house, where he saw
Fine fleeing through a yard.
The officer yelled at Fine to
stop and that he was under
arrest, but Fine kept run-
ning. Curtis ran after him
and eventually found Fine
hiding beside a bush a few
houses down the street. Fine
was arrested and lodged in
the Umatilla County Jail.
According to court
records, Fine has a long
criminal history and was
convicted of third-de-
gree rape in 1992. Under
Oregon law, this means he
had sexual intercourse with
another person who is under
the age of 16. Fine was 23 at
the time. He was sentenced
to 14 months in jail and
three years probation.
On multiple occasions he
has failed to register as a sex
offender, which led to more
than a year’s worth of addi-
tional jail time. His most
recent citation was issued
in July 2022, and he was
scheduled to appear in Wal-
lowa County Circuit Court
on Aug. 17 — just days
before the alleged incident
in Wallowa.
File has been con-
victed on a number of other
charges, including sec-
ond-degree criminal mis-
chief, criminal trespass,
second-degree assault
and multiple counts of
fourth-degree assault.
Fine previously lived in
Joseph, but a recent citation
was sent out for him in La
Grande.