Opinion
A4
Saturday, August 27, 2022
OUR VIEW
What should
La Grande do
with its
$3 million?
a Grande residents have a great oppor-
tunity to give feedback soon regarding
where a large chunk of federal cash
should be spent.
And everyone should take advantage of that
opportunity.
The city is set to receive $3 million as part of
the American Rescue Plan Act, and offi cials want
input from residents about the infl ux of funds.
Believe it or not, that’s the easy part. The hard
part will be whittling down what is sure to be an
array of diff erent places and projects where the
money could be of great help.
The other challenge will be collecting enough
ideas from the public. As easy as this seems —
just think up a good idea and give it to the city —
apathy and busy lives can prevent participation.
We hope that isn’t the case. We hope, instead,
that the city is inundated with good ideas about
where the money can be best spent. Putting
together those good ideas though will take some
work. The $3 million isn’t going to last for-
ever. That means ideas should be plausible and
workable.
The city deserves a great deal of credit on this
particular move. City leaders could easily have
just announced the money is on the way and then
regulated the decisions on it to council meetings.
Yet, city leaders decided they want feedback
from the public. Instead of just spending the
money, they want residents to get involved and be
part of the solution.
City leaders could have taken the easy way
out, but they did not. They want all the ideas.
They want to seek solutions and create an atmo-
sphere where voters are truly part of the deci-
sion-making process.
Now it is up to the voters to come up with
some great ideas. We hope every resident takes
a little bit of time to think about what project
should be funded and why it is important to fund
it. The more ideas, really, the better. That way
city leaders have an abundance of prospects tin-
stead of an empty idea cupboard.
La Grande residents should not let this
golden opportunity slip by. It is an opportunity
that will not be around forever nor come along
again any time soon.
L
EDITORIALS
Unsigned editorials are the
opinion of The Observer editorial
board. Other columns, letters and
cartoons on this page express the
opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of The Observer.
LETTERS
• The Observer welcomes letters
to the editor. We edit letters for
brevity, grammar, taste and legal
reasons. We will not publish con-
sumer complaints against busi-
nesses, personal attacks against
private individuals or comments
that can incite violence. We also
discourage thank-you letters.
• Letters should be no longer than
350 words and must be signed and
carry the author’s name, address
and phone number (for verifi -
cation only). We will not publish
anonymous letters.
• Letter writers are limited to one
letter every two weeks.
• Longer community comment
columns, such as Other Views,
must be no more than 700 words.
Writers must provide a recent
headshot and a one-sentence
biography. Like letters to the
editor, columns must refrain from
complaints against businesses or
personal attacks against private
individuals. Submissions must
carry the author’s name, address
and phone number.
• Submission does not guarantee
publication, which is at the discre-
tion of the editor.
SEND LETTERS TO:
letters@lagrandeobserver.com
or via mail to Editor, 911 Jeff erson
Ave., La Grande, OR 97850
An encouraging thought for the future
helping each other out in a time of
crisis would be a nonstarter.
True, there is a lot that divides
us politically. Just a cursory glance
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
at the TV news every night — no
matter what network you view —
am always amazed by how the
shows that fi rm battle lines are drawn
people of our region respond
over a host of issues. And there is a
when a natural disaster strikes.
whole lot of shouting going on.
The most recent example — the
I still, though, believe in the basic
work of so many in Wallowa County good nature of the people who live
after an epic hailstorm delivered
in our great nation. I agree it is diffi -
havoc — is just one of a number
cult to see through the smoke of our
of cases when
current political
people have
to be
Those who live in Eastern discourse
jumped in to
able to realize
off er assistance
we have far more
Oregon are a hardy and
in the wake of a
in common than
resilient bunch. We are
disaster.
not.
Yet that kind
We seem to be
of resiliency isn’t used to challenge and
eager to stand on
out of the ordi-
familiar with overcoming the other side of
nary. When the
a particular polit-
obstacles.
Umatilla River
ical fence and do
fl ooded in 2020,
a lot of yelling,
the area residents displayed the same but when a serious crisis appears, we
kind of vigor to help their neighbors. jump to help. We step up and con-
We often spend a great deal of
verge on places of crisis and do all
time focusing on what divides us as
we can to help others.
a nation, state or region. From the
Often, I am inclined to believe
50,000-foot level it might appear
that kind of performance is simply
as if we are so bitterly divided that
unique to our part of the state. Those
ANDREW
CUTLER
I
U.S. PRESIDENT
Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Andrew Cutler is the interim editor of The
Observer and the regional editorial director for
the EO Media Group, overseeing The Observer,
East Oregonian and four more newspapers in
Eastern Oregon.
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Offi ce Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande offi ce: 541-962-7691
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Offi ce Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton offi ce: 541-278-1129
Cliff Bentz
2185 Rayburn House Offi ce Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
Medford offi ce: 541-776-4646
STATE REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR
Bobby Levy, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us
STATE SENATOR
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-415
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
STAFF
SUBSCRIBEAND SAVE
Subscription rates:
Monthly Autopay ...............................$10.75
13 weeks.................................................$37.00
26 weeks.................................................$71.00
52 weeks ..............................................$135.00
█
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50
You can save up to 55% off the single-copy
price with home delivery.
Call 800-781-3214 to subscribe.
who live in Eastern Oregon are a
hardy and resilient bunch. We are
used to challenge and familiar with
overcoming obstacles.
When I really ponder it, though,
I see that Americans in general are
resilient. We fl ock to help out when
a hurricane or tornado hits. We give
up our time to lend a hand to neigh-
bors aff ected by fi res, fl oods and
storms.
So just about the time I think we
are so polarized we can barely func-
tion, a natural disaster strikes —
such as the hailstorm in Wallowa
County — and people run to help.
They do it without payment and
without the goal of praise. They do it
because it’s right.
We have a diverse and beau-
tiful region and it is populated for
the most part by good people who
are willing to help when they are
needed.
That’s not only refreshing to see
but also encouraging for the future.
Anindependent newspaper foundedin1896
www.lagrandeobserver.com
Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
(except postal holidays) by EO Media Group,
911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850
(USPS 299-260)
The Observer retains ownership and copyright
protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising
copy, photos and news or ad illustrations. They may
not be reproduced without explicit prior approval.
COPYRIGHT © 2022
Phone:
541-963-3161
Regional publisher ....................... Karrine Brogoitti
Home delivery adviser.......... Amanda Turkington
Interim editor ....................................Andrew Cutler
Advertising representative ..................... Kelli Craft
News clerk ........................................Lisa Lester Kelly
Advertising representative .................... Amy Horn
Reporter....................................................Dick Mason
National accounts coordinator ...... Devi Mathson
Reporter...........................................Isabella Crowley
Graphic design .................................. Dorothy Kautz
Reporter..........................................Shannon Golden
Toll free (Oregon):
1-800-781-3214
Email:
news@lagrandeobserver.com
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to:
The Observer,
911 Jefferson Ave.,
La Grande, OR 97850
A division of