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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2019)
143rd Year, No. 166 WINNER OF THE 2018 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD E O AST REGONIAN THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 $1.50 I-82 bridge to reopen by end of the month $11 million project originally slated to open in fall 2018 REMEMBERING D-DAY PLAYING THEIR PART TO HELP SAVE THE WORLD By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian UMATILLA — Work won’t be complete on the Interstate 82 bridge at Umatilla by Hermis- ton High School’s graduation, but it is expected to be done in time for Fourth of July traffi c. The Washington Depart- ment of Transportation has been working to replace the deck of the bridge leading into Oregon for the past two years, moving all traffi c crossing the Columbia River onto the two lanes of the adjacent Washing- ton-bound bridge. The $11 million project was originally expected to wrap up in the fall of 2018, but WSDOT reported that crews had discov- ered additional maintenance work that needed done. Those items pushed the timeline into 2019 as the department waited for the weather to warm up enough to fi nish the concrete work. Costs for the project were split between Oregon and Washington, but WSDOT man- aged the construction. WSDOT spokeswoman Jackie Ramirez said they didn’t know the exact date the proj- ect would be completed, but it would be sometime in “mid- June.” Once the bridge reopens there will be some temporary one-lane closures for a few minor repairs, and temporary See I-82, Page A8 U.S. Coast Guard via AP, File Under heavy German machine gun fi re, American infantrymen wade ashore off the ramp of a Coast Guard landing craft during the invasion of the French coast of Normandy in World War II. June 6, 2019, marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the assault that began the liberation of France and Europe from German occupation, leading to the end World War II. Soldiers with ties to Northeast Oregon participated in D-Day assault By BRIGIT FARLEY For the East Oregonian New report says system so dysfunctional it will take years to fi x P ENDLETON — More than seven decades after Allied troops stormed the French beaches of Normandy, D-Day remains an event that history won’t soon forget. On June 5, 1944, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight Eisen- hower greenlighted Operation Over- lord, the operation that sent Allied forces from England to France to breach Nazi defenses and drive the occupiers back to Germany. This rep- resented a monumental feat of plan- ning, by some of the 20th century’s biggest names — Eisenhower, Ber- nard Montgomery, Charles de Gaulle and U.S. Gen George Patton. Yet it took legions of mostly anon- ymous individuals to make it go. At least two who survived that day of days had ties to this region — Rob- ert “Doc” Franco, late of Richland, Washington, a regimental surgeon with the 82nd Airborne’s 505th Para- chute Infantry, and former Pendleto- nian Jack Whipple of the 437th Troop Carrier group, who piloted a glider. By June 1944, Soviet forces had the Nazi armies on the run, and their allies had completed preparations for Oregon still risking safety of foster children By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Oregon Capital Bureau Photo by Brigit Farley “Doc” Franco’s gravesite in Richland, Wash. Franco was a regimental sur- geon with the 82nd Airborne’s 505th Parachute Infantry. Photo courtesy of the Whipple family Jack Whipple is shown at the time of his induction in the service in 1942. the Normandy invasion. Capt. Franco would be among the fi rst Americans to land in France. An Army surgeon fresh out of medical school at the time of Pearl Harbor, Franco craved an active role in the confl ict. He saw two notices on his stateside hospital bulletin board — one for the ski troops, the 10th Mountain Division, and the other for something called “airborne.” A Seattle native, Franco recalled thinking, “I already know how to ski,” so jumping out of airplanes became his ticket to action. At 5-foot-3, he hardly matched the profi le of the beefy, brash para- trooper, but his confi dence and com- petence saw him through arduous training and successful jumps in the 1943 debut operations for the 82nd See D-Day, Page A8 SALEM — A year and a half ago, state watchdogs said the system overseeing care for foster kids was in dire need of improvement. They urged immedi- ate improvements, but a new report released by state auditors Wednesday said the state is still risking children’s safety in a system so dysfunctional it will take years to fi x. On any given day, the state is responsible for about 7,600 kids, from babies to teens, most of whom have been removed from their homes because they were abused or neglected. But the workers assigned to manage the state’s treatment of foster kids still have too much on their plates, according to an audit report released by Secre- tary of State Bev Clarno. See Foster, Page A8 New signs pop up at Wallowa Lake Signs highlight rules of conduct, which are enforceable by OSP, sheriff’s offi ce By KATY NESBITT For the East Oregonian JOSEPH — Visitors to Wallowa Lake Park just outside of Joseph this summer will notice new signs out- lining rules of conduct enforceable by both Oregon State Police and Wallowa County Sheriff’s Offi ce. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife holds an easement across private property owned by the Wal- lowa Lake Irrigation District provid- ing boat access, via dock and boat ramps, and boat-and-trailer-sized parking spots. Entrance to the park and boat ramp is free, but what many don’t realize is the land is entirely owned by the Wallowa Lake Irrigation Dis- trict — ODFW’s easement is on the parking lot and dock, but the adja- cent swimming area and lawn are outside of the easement. Despite this, the district has historically allowed swimming, picnicking and dog use for decades. According to Joe Dawson, board member of the Irrigation District, the boat dock and beach at the north end of the lake have become more and more popular over the last 25 years. “There’s been a steady increase in tourism from the 1990s to now, since Joseph started catering more to tour- ists and with recognition in various magazine articles,” Dawson said. Increased traffi c means increased confl ict. Irrigation District President Dan Butterfi eld said his board and ODFW staff have met over the past two years to try and quell some of the park’s misuse. Signs were posted to keep peo- ple from fi shing and swimming near the dam in 2017, but talks continued with ODFW to get Oregon Admin- istrative Rules posted — something the county nor the state, partners in managing the boat launch easement, have ever done before. “We’ve had trouble with late par- ties and cars blocking our dam man- ager’s driveway,” Butterfi eld said. See Signs, Page A8 Photo by Katy Nesbitt Visitors to Wallowa Lake Park just outside of Joseph this summer will notice new signs outlining rules of conduct enforceable by both Oregon State Police and Wallowa County Sheriff ’s Offi ce.
