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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2021)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian A2 Tuesday, September 28, 2021 Observatory expansion complete in Sunriver Expansion first phase in a $5 million upgrade of the nature center so far through donations and grants, enough to complete the first phase and plan for the future develop- ments. “The whole purpose for the campaign is to broaden our reach and to serve as a platform for science education,” Rowland said. “Having the newly expanded obser- vatory starts us on the path for that.” Rowland said the nature center has outgrown its campus. The nature center and observatory were built in 1984 and designed to accommodate 5,000 to 10,000 visitors each year. But the number of visitors has increased to about 50,000 annually. Pr ior to the COV I D -19 pandemic, the observatory would draw about 400 people on busy nights. Rowland expects to see those numbers return next summer, the peak season at the observatory. A recent designation from the International Dark-Sky Associa- tion also is expected to bring more visitors to the observatory, Rowland said. The association named Sunri- ver a Dark Sky Friendly Develop- ment of Distinction, one of about 170 distinctions across the world. The expanded observatory will be able to welcome the growing number of visitors, including those drawn there because of the Dark Sky designation, Rowland said. “We are growing into our repu- tation,” she said. The expanded observatory will host a private grand opening Tuesday, Sept. 28, for the donors By KYLE SPURR The Bulletin BEND — The Oregon Observa- tory at the Sunriver Nature Center already has the most telescopes available for public viewing in the United States, but now it has more space for other attractions. A major expansion of the NASA-affiliated observatory was completed last week, and visitors have been able to enjoy more room and shorter waits to use six new telescope locations. “Even before we did the expan- sion, we were the largest public viewing facility in the country,” said Bob Grossfeld, observatory manager. “Now we expanded that capability and allowed for people to have more space to move around and look at telescopes.” The expansion is the first phase in a $5 million upgrade of the nature center. The second phase is sched- uled to start in 2023. It will feature a 7,700-square-foot Discovery Center that will include a planetar- ium theater with a full projection system and seating for up to 94 visi- tors. The center also will build an 1,800-square-foot pavilion on the back of Lake Aspen. Abby Rowland, executive direc- tor of the nature center, said more than $2.5 million has been raised Dean Guernsey/Bend Bulletin Bob Grossfeld, observatory manager, adjusts a telescope in the new addition at the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. involved in the project. Most of the walls in the new space remain bare, but the observatory staff has several plans for new exhibits. Grossfeld said a meteorite exhibit in the nature center will move to the expanded observatory, and future exhibits will feature Forecast for Pendleton Area TODAY WEDNESDAY Cooler with clouds and sun Mostly sunny 63° 40° 67° 41° 67° 42° 68° 41° | Go to AccuWeather.com THURSDAY FRIDAY Intervals of clouds and sunshine SATURDAY Mostly sunny and cooler Sunshine 67° 44° 63° 46° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 77° 50° 72° 43° 66° 49° OREGON FORECAST ALMANAC Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Seattle Olympia 61/53 55/38 64/36 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 60/45 Lewiston 60/49 69/47 Astoria 60/48 Pullman Yakima 66/43 59/46 63/44 Portland Hermiston 62/50 The Dalles 67/42 Salem Corvallis 58/42 Yesterday Normals Records La Grande 56/33 PRECIPITATION John Day Eugene Bend 62/44 57/35 55/33 Ontario 66/39 Caldwell Burns 75° 60° 77° 45° 89° (1952) 30° (1945) 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Albany 60/43 Trace 0.16" 0.30" 2.09" 1.73" 5.61" WINDS (in mph) 63/37 57/24 Trace 0.30" 0.49" 4.67" 8.82" 9.14" through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Pendleton 53/29 62/47 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date HERMISTON Enterprise 63/40 64/45 76° 58° 74° 47° 91° (1967) 27° (1911) PRECIPITATION Moses Lake 60/46 Aberdeen 56/40 61/43 Tacoma Yesterday Normals Records Spokane Wenatchee 59/50 Today Medford Boardman WSW 10-20 Pendleton WSW 10-20 62/42 SUN AND MOON Klamath Falls 54/28 Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021 Wed. SW 4-8 W 4-8 Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today 6:50 a.m. 6:41 p.m. 10:58 p.m. 2:40 p.m. Last New First Full Sep 28 Oct 6 Oct 12 Oct 20 NATIONAL EXTREMES Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 99° in Cotulla, Texas Low 21° in Daniel, Wyo. NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY PASCO — A Pasco school bus driver died after being stabbed Friday, Sept. 24, in front of a busload of children. The bus driver was pick- ing up students after classes ended for the day at Long- fellow Elementary School, when a man got on the bus, said Pasco police. It’s not yet clear when or why the man boarded the bus. Police were called at 3:09 p.m. for reports of a stabbing at 301 N. 10th Ave. After the driver was assaulted, he apparently lost control of the bus, drove over a curb and a sidewalk before hitting some bushes and a tree at the school. Paramedics rushed him to a Tri-Cities hospital but he died, said police. The attacker was waiting for police to arrive and coop- erated with authorities as he was arrested, said Police Capt. Bill Parramore. Children in the bus and others outside the school were taken back inside after the attack on the bus. None of them were hurt, Parramore said. Parents were called by the school to come pick them up. “We are devastated by the tragic loss of one of our own,” Pasco Superintendent Michelle Whitney said in a statement to Rumors of fight at high school football field unfounded WALLA WALLA — Authorities said a supposed large fight at Walla Walla High School’s football field wasn’t much of a fight at all — in fact, there was no fight. Walla Walla County Sheriff’s deputy Rich- ard Schram said the rumor of the large fight breaking out at Wa-Hi’s scrimmage fields Thursday, Sept. 23, just was not true. “There was no fight there,” Schram said. Schram said communications likely were picked up from the sheriff’s office’s tactical channel on local scanner radios. Local law enforcement agencies were doing training. “This was a (staged) scenario and nothing in real life that had happened,” Schram said. Schram added the student resource officer, who is a sheriff’s office employee contracted through the Walla Walla School District, was at Wa-Hi all day Sept. 23 and would’ve noticed such a brawl. UNION COUNTY — Firefighters with four departments in Union and Wallowa counties soon will have extra breath and be lighter on their feet. Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. -0s 0s showers t-storms 10s rain 20s flurries 30s snow 40s ice 50s 60s cold front E AST O REGONIAN — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 70s East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. Postmaster: send address changes to East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. Copyright © 2021, EO Media Group 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low Circulation Dept. For mail delivery, online access, vacation stops or delivery concerns call 800-781-3214 SUBSCRIPTION RATES ADVERTISING Regional Sales Director (Eastside) EO Media Group: • Karrine Brogoitti Multimedia Consultants: 541-564-4531 Local home delivery Savings (cover price) $10.75/month 50 percent 541-966-0827 mbarnes@eastoregonina.com 52 weeks $135 42 percent • Audra Workman 26 weeks $71 39 percent 541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com $37 36 percent Business Office EZPay 13 weeks Single copy price: $1.50 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday The Imbler Rural, Elgin Rural, La Grande Rural and Joseph fire departments have been awarded a $344,000 federal grant for the purchase of approximately 50 new air packs and 100 new air tanks. The air packs and tanks will replace models that are becoming outdated. The tanks are made of lighter material and able to hold more oxygen, allowing firefighters to combat blazes for nearly twice as long as they do now. Local firefighters with older tanks gener- ally have 25 minutes of oxygen when fighting fires. The upgraded tanks will provide fight- ers with about 45 minutes of oxygen, Patter- son said. Patterson led the effort to get the “Assis- tance to Firefighters” grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Elgin Rural, Imbler Rural, La Grande Rural and Joseph fire departments are selecting a company to buy the equip- ment from. The new packs and tanks will be compatible with the more modern ones most other fire departments in Union and Wallowa counties already have, allowing firefighters with different departments to borrow air tanks. It will be at least two months before the fire departments have the new equipment. — Walla Walla Union-Bulletin and EO Media Group CORRECTIONS: The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in the paper, please call 541-966-0818. 541-963-3161 • kbrogoitti@eomediagroup.com 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211 Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed major holidays EastOregonian.com In the App Store: 80s employees Friday night. “Our focus right now is on supporting our students and staff who are deeply impacted by this tragedy,” she wrote. The Pasco School District sent school district coun- selors to Longfellow and the transportation office to support students and staff. Counselors were available on weekend and Monday, Sept. 27. at both locations to provide support for students and employees. The bus was in the turn- around lot along North Ninth Avenue about three blocks north of the Fiesta Foods grocery. The bus was leak- ing diesel fuel as a result of the crash. IN BRIEF Federal grant to give four fire departments a boost -10s grade school field trips and univer- sity research teams, Grossfeld said. The pandemic canceled most field trip opportunities this year, but Grossfeld is looking forward to working with students in the future. “We expect that to go back to normal,” Grossfeld said. “Hopefully sooner rather than later.” Pasco school bus driver killed in attack in front of children By CAMERON PROBERT Tri-City Herald PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 77° 46° rockets and antique telescopes. “There’s a lot more exhibit space out there than we ever had before,” Grossfeld said. “We have a bunch of blank walls to play with to put hands-on exhibits and some infor- mational exhibits.” A motivation for expanding the observatory was to welcome more • Melissa Barnes • Dayle Stinson 541-966-0824 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com Classified & Legal Advertising Classified advertising: 541-564-4538 Legal advertising: 541-966-0824 classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com NEWS • To submit news tips and press releases: call 541-966-0818 or email news@eastoregonian.com • To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News: email community@eastoregonian.com or call Rachael Plunkett at 541-966-0818. • To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries: email rplunkett@eastoregonian.com or visit eastoregonian. com/community/announcements • To submit sports or outdoors information or tips, email sports@eastoregonian.com. 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