Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current, December 31, 2020, Image 21

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Newspaper Page TextYEAR IN REVIEW Thursday, december 31, 2020 Inside In Home & Living In Business La Grande mural gets revitalized, 2A The end of WWII, 75 years later, 8A A guilt-free cookie The ObserVer — 9C E XPERIENCED TO L EAD HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH The Rest of the Story LG creative space grows In Outdoors Write Me In! For a Safer Future Paid for by committee to elect Bill Miller for Sheriff. Follow us on the web TUESDAY • September 1, 2020 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Harlan Scott of Elgin Local Girl Scouts build nod to British sci-ﬁ THURSDAY • December 24, 2020 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Karen Wells of La Grande Christmas Star shines over the mountains Shop with a Cop thrills LG children Creation of a TARDIS little library delivers prestigious award SATURDAY-MONDAY • October 24, 2020 Masks required for all employees and visitors at all workplaces, indoors and outside The Observer The Observer LA GRANDE — Fans of the British science ﬁ ction series Doctor Who may see a familiar blue police box on the front lawn of a home on Oak Street, La Grande. Local Cadet Girl Scouts Sophia and Olivia Thornburg created a little library that looks like a blue police phone box, which happens to the form of the TARDIS, the ﬁ ctional time machine and spacecraft from the long-running TV series Doctor Who. While this box won’t be bigger on the inside, like the TARDIS, it will contain its own treasures — the sisters are are ﬁ lling it with books for their Silver Award. The Silver Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout in middle school can earn. It requires at least 50 hours of work and involves the scout identifying an issue in the community, creating a plan to help solve the issue and Staff photo by Dick Mason Anna Kreutz, left, and Maggie Riley stand next to a cover of the novel “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” they painted by the entrance to the La Grande Middle School Library. The La Grande teens painted several book covers to liven up the new entry way to the library. Wizards, wimps and vampires See, Scouts/Page 5A Get ready for a stroll with your neighbors noting their attention to detail. “They did a fantastic job,” she said. Myer said their art has added zest to the entrance. “They have made (the entrance) seem like a different place,” Myer said. “It brings excitement to the library.” Myer wanted to liven up the library’s south entrance because it now is its main entryway. The library’s west doors were its previous main entryway. This is no longer the case because the La Grande School District during the summer con- verted a portion of the library’s east side into two classrooms because of antici- pated enrollment growth. When La Grande Middle School stu- dents are able to return to school after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, they will be using the west entrance to get to these classrooms because it is closer. Myer said she anticipates the south entrance will be used almost exclusively to enter the library. Riley and Kreutz started their work in the winter and continued it this summer. They had to work separately, though, because of COVD-19 social distancing standards. Kreutz, who will be a junior at La Grande High this fall, said one of the biggest challenges of the project was dealing with the uneven surface of the walls at the entrance. Students add literary spark to library entrance By Dick Mason The Observer LA GRANDE — The covers of page- turning books are turning heads at the La Grande Middle School Library’s south entrance. The talent of two young painters whose brush strokes are making popular ﬁ ction characters leap off pages is the reason. La Grande High School junior Anna Kreutz and 2020 La Grande High School graduate Maggie Riley recently ﬁ n- ished painting expanded images of book covers on the walls alongside the south entrance of the school’s library. The col- orful images are of covers of works pop- ular with middle school students. They consists of “Harry Potter and the Sor- cerer’s Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” both by J.K. Rowling, and books from the Percy Jackson & The Olympians novel series by Rick Riordan, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney and Walking Wednesday set for Sept. 2 By Dick Mason The Observer LA GRANDE — A four- block portion of La Grande’s O Avenue will resemble some Seattle neighborhoods in a special way for 45 minutes the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 2. The stretch, between Second Street and Walnut Street, will be closed to vehicle trafﬁ c for Walking Wednesday, an event aimed at helping people come together during the COVID-19 pandemic. The quarter-mile por- tion of O Avenue will be shut down for an hour beginning at 6:45 p.m. to allow residents to walk freely along the street and Staff photo by Dick Mason Fresh paintings of three book covers adorn the entrance to the La Grande Mid- dle School Library. the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. Keri Myer, the middle school’s librarian, said she was impressed with the work done by Kreutz and Riley, See, Mural/Page 5A Miller mounts write-in campaign; sheriﬀ oﬀ ballot See, Walking/Page 5A By Ronald Bond The Observer LA GRANDE — There will be just one name on the Nov. 3 ballot for Union County sheriff. But two people are running. Deputy Cody Bowen, who won the primary election for sheriff May 19, will be the only name on the ballot, after Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen, who edged out Bill Miller for second place to qualify for the general election, withdrew from the race. Rasmussen, who is facing an ethics investigation by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, announced Aug. 12 he would no “On a major race like this, I haven’t had anybody that I know of as long as I’ve been here. I’m not going to say it never happened.” — Robin Church, Union County Clerk, noting she is not aware of anyone attempting a write-in campaign for a local high-end position, but Bill Miller is giving it a try for Union County sheriff. longer actively campaigning for a ﬁ fth term as sheriff. He ﬁ led paperwork Wednesday, Aug. 26, to ofﬁ cially have his name removed from the ballot, two days before the deadline to do so, according to Union County INDEX Classified ...... 4B Comics .......... 7B Crossword .... 4B Dear Abby .... 8B WEATHER Home ............ 1B Horoscope .... 4B Lottery........... 2A Obituaries ..... 3A THURSDAY Opinion ......... 4A Sports ........... 7A State .............. 6A Sudoku ......... 7B Clerk Robin Church. Miller, however, has decided to mount a write-in campaign. The former deputy sheriff, detec- tive sergeant and drug task force leader for the sheriff’s ofﬁ ce in the May primary narrowly Wednesday 52 LOW 90/52 Mainly clear Mostly sunny ARGUE THIS INSTEAD OF POLITICS In Home & Living See, Shop/Page 5A See, Sheriff/Page 5A 541-963-3161 Issue 104 2 sections, 16 pages La Grande, Oregon The Observer SALEM — The Oregon Health Authority’s latest face covering guidelines require masks, face coverings or face shields in all workplaces, indoor public spaces, outdoor businesses and in out- By Kaleb Lay The Observer UNION COUNTY — While some faith organizations in Union County have fore- gone in-person services and gatherings around the Christmas holiday to avoid spreading COVID-19, others have forged ahead despite the risk. In Island City, the Lighthouse Pente- costal Church plans to hold a three-day youth conference over the New Year hol- iday, raising concerns about COVID-19 transmission and the potential for another outbreak. A June outbreak of COVID-19 was tied to Lighthouse Pentecostal, when at least 236 people were infected following several in-person events the church held. The out- break set back Union County’s reopening at the time and the story garnered national news coverage. Now, as the pandemic has reached its most severe stages across the state and nation, the faith group plans to convene a youth gathering dubbed “Avalanche 2020.” Lighthouse Pentecostal declined mul- tiple requests to comment and respond to questions about the event, its impor- tance to their faith or what safety measures church leaders are implementing to pre- vent another outbreak. In Facebook posts advertising the event, the church declared that a “youth hangout” would take place after services with “food, gym and games.” Lighthouse Pentecostal also is selling Avalanche merchandise in its online store. The Oregon Health Authority and Cen- ters for Disease Control and Prevention have warned people not to gather with Community voices concern State Sen. Bill Hansell hopeful Boise Cascade, DEQ can reach resolution to prevent mill’s closure Facebook screenshot A screenshot from a video on Facebook of the Christian Life Center’s Christmas celebration shows the women’s choir gathering on stage. Around 100 people reportedly attended the service Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Elgin. Local legislators reﬂ ect on special session East Oregonian LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS SALEM — The Oregon Leg- islature’s third and ﬁ nal special session of the year was “deﬁ - nitely memorable,” said Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner. As the legislature met inside the Capitol with masks and social distancing, protesters attempted to force their way into the building after being denied access due to COVID-19 restrictions. Oregon State Police declared the protest, organized by the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, an unlawful gathering Lawmakers passed four bills during the Dec. 21 one-day special session: • An eviction moratorium that includes $200 million in relief for landlords and tenants. • A restaurant relief package that includes a provision legalizing cocktails to-go. • A bill that protects schools from some coronavirus-related lawsuits. • A measure that will transfer $600 million in to the state’s emergency fund for COVID-19 and wildﬁ re response and recovery. Hansell Smith Barreto and arrested four protesters for trespassing and disorderly conduct. Smith said there is “no place” for violence or destruction of public property, and he catego- rized the amount of taxpayer dol- lars used in the police response as “unfortunate.” He also said he felt with the WEATHER Dear Abby .... 8B Horoscope .... 4B Letters ........... 4A Lottery........... 2A Obituaries ..... 3A Opinion ......... 4A Spiritual ........ 6A Sudoku ......... 7B technology and infrastructure available to the state there should be more public access to the leg- islature during sessions con- ducted during the pandemic. “I’m of the opinion this whole process could have been Friday 21 LOW 36/29 Thickening clouds A p.m. fl urry PLACE NAME CONFUSION • $1.50 Submitted photo Paul Howard of La Grande died Thursday at a Boise hos- pital due to complications from COVID-19, his brother, John Howard, reported. Paul Howard was 62. Local man succumbs to virus Paul Howard contracted the coronavirus three weeks ago Only 1 of 9 staff members still an active case; others recovered By Ronald Bond The Observer Staff photo by Dick Mason Jan Marrs, co-owner of Almosta Farm at Cove, shows how it easy it is to work with her Nigerian dwarf goats. Almosta Farm is on the new Union County Farm Loop map. AROUND THE FARMS Union County Farm Loop map to be released soon By Dick Mason The Observer By Ronald Bond The Observer LA GRANDE — John Howard described his younger brother, Paul Howard, as a man who didn’t complain in spite of the circumstances he faced. “He did the best he could with the hand he was dealt with,” John Howard said. “As family members and friends, we were proud of the way he handed himself all the way through life.” Paul Howard, 62, died Thursday due to complications from COVID-19, his brother said. “It’s just the sudden shock,” John Howard said Monday. “Three weeks ago Paul was enjoying life, enjoying his work and family and doing all the things he loved to do. In three weeks, it’s all gone. It’s a total shock. It seems surreal. “Paul had many years of life ahead of him if it had not been for the COVID virus.” John previously told The Observer his brother con- tracted the virus through community spread and was admitted to Grande Ronde Hospital, La Grande, and ini- tially returned home after a three-day stay in the hospital. “I think he had a ﬂ are-up with the virus,” John Howard See, Howard/Page 5A UNION COUNTY — GPS units will be no match for this new map. The Union County Farm Loop map soon will be avail- able online and in print throughout the county. The loop map provides a self-guided scenic drive through a series of farms, ranches, backyard farm stands, pastures, orchards and agri- culture-related businesses, said the map’s creator, Janet Dodson of North Powder, who is involved in agritourism proj- ects throughout Northeast Oregon. The map outlines a route starting in La Grande at Avella Orchard on Fir Street and then running to Summerville, Cove, Union, the Hot Lake area and ending back La Grande at Community Merchants on Adams Avenue, whose features include locally raised meat. The map, which is being ﬁ nalized, will have about 18 stops. The map is a revised edition of the Cove-Union Farm Loop map, one created by Dodson and put out 2016. That map featured stops along a 40-mile Staff photo by Dick Mason Jan Marrs, co-owner of Almosta Farm at Cove, greets one of her Ni- gerian dwarf goats on June 30. Almosta Farm is on the new Union County Farm Loop map. loop that began in Island City and ran southeast to Union and then north to Cove and Lower Cove Road and ﬁ nally west to Island City. All of the stops on the Union County Farm Loop are at sites where visitors are welcome during operating hours or, in many cases, by appointment. The map is part of an effort to develop agritourism in Union County. “Agritourism is a way for farms and ranches to diversify See, Loop/Page 5A LA GRANDE — The Oregon Health Authority last week listed New Day Enterprises, La Grande, among the entities that had expe- rienced a workplace outbreak of COVID-19. The outbreak, which saw nine members of the New Day staff contract the virus, has largely passed, according to executive director Christy Slack. Most, in fact, have returned to work. “We have nine conﬁ rmed and eight have been cleared and recovered,” Slack said Thursday. “We have one currently out with a positive case. She has not returned to work since then.” New Day Enterprises — a pri- vate, nonproﬁ t community mental health facility — serves adults with intellectual and develop- mental disabilities, providing a place to live and opportunities to interact within the community. Slack said none of New Days’ roughly 30 clients, nor the rest of the staff of about 60, have con- tracted the virus. The OHA’s weekly report lists the outbreak as having been “ﬁ rst reported” June 13, though it was not included in the report until July 1. New Day should be in the clear by mid-July if nothing changes. “(From) what I’m under- standing, if there is no increased report from 28 days from the onset, the outbreak should be con- sidered washed, so to speak,” she said. Slack said the outbreak was traced to an individual at Light- house Pentecostal Church, the source of the recent major out- break in Oregon. When health authorities contacted New Day about there being potential cases within its staff, Slack said they See, Outbreak/Page 5A Red-tailed hawk released into wild Raptor had been hit by a truck May 9 near Cove By Dick Mason The Observer COVE — This adult red- tailed hawk lacks a name but not odds-defying spunk. The raptor, which could not stand nearly two months ago after being hit by a truck near Cove, was reintroduced into the wild Thursday afternoon, capping an unlikely comeback story. “It was one of those positive, feel-good events,” said Donna Rainboth, an Eastern Oregon Uni- versity science education pro- fessor who led the release of the hawk. Rainboth placed the raptor back where it was found May 9 after it had spent almost two months recovering at the Blue Mountain Wildlife Rehabilita- tion & Education center, Pend- leton. Lynn Tompkins, director of Blue Mountain Wildlife, said the bird’s recovery is nothing short of remarkable. “It could not stand the ﬁ rst few days it was here,” she said. “I was not optimistic that it would make it. It is nice to be wrong.” Tompkins initially feared the reason the bird could not stand was because it had a broken back or pelvis. However, x-rays indicate the bird had no broken bones. Still, Tompkins knew the bird had Kangal guard dogs on duty in Wallowa, 2A LG School District budget looking good, 2A in Outdoors See, Hawk/Page 5A INDEX CONTACT US Dear Abby .... 8B Home ............ 1B Horoscope .... 4B Letters ........... 4A THURSDAY Lottery........... 2A Obituaries ..... 3A Opinion ......... 4A Sports ........... 6A MORE ON MASKS A PRODUCTION OF EO MEDIA GROUP How players are handling life without sports Classified ...... 4B Comics .......... 7B Community .. 3A Crossword .... 4B • To learn more about Blue Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education, visit, bluemountainwildlife.org. 541-963-3161 Issue 80 2 sections, 14 pages La Grande, Oregon Online at lagrandeobserver.com Good day to our valued subscriber Robert Kuchler of La Grande Union County now among most infected Oregon counties per capita Horoscope .... 3B Letters ........... 4A Lottery........... 2A Nation ........... 8A TUESDAY Obituaries ..... 3A Opinion ......... 4A Outdoors ...... 1B Sports ........... 7A Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Sunday 17 LOW 35/11 Mainly clear Sunlit and cold FILM FEST FOLLOW-UP A plan for ‘Season 1’ 541-963-3161 Issue 127 4 sections, 62 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Inside EHS student wins statewide contest, 2A Spreading out in the Eagle Cap wilderness, 1B Weekend Edition SATURDAY-MONDAY • August 22, 2020 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Walter McKay of La Grande Photo contributed by Nancy Tarpy The Observer The Observer UNION COUNTY — While COVID-19 cases pummeled pop- ulation centers and coastal areas in Oregon and across the U.S. ear- lier this year, Union County went largely unaffected. Daily case counts regularly reported one or zero new coronavirus infections, and double-digit days were almost unheard of locally, with the excep- tion of one outbreak related to a religious gathering. That is no longer the case. COVID-19 infection rates con- tinue to skyrocket around the country. Oregon went from a pre- vious record-high 571 daily cases to now reporting more than 1,000 daily cases multiple times in the past week. Friday the Oregon Health Authority reported yet another one-day record high for new and presumptive cases — 1,306. And as went the state and the nation, so went Union County. The county had another 17 cases Friday, bringing the county’s total to 655. Union County now ranks among the most-infected counties in the state. Phil Wright/The Observer Gym users forgo masks while working out Thursday night, Nov. 19, 2020, at Anytime Fitness, La Grande. The gym’s owner is disregarding Gov. Kate Brown’s orders to shut down for two weeks to help ebb the spike in the spread of COVID-19. Flaunting the freeze Anytime Fitness remains open, refuses to enforce mask mandate By Kaleb Lay and Jade McDowell EO Media Group LA GRANDE — Anytime Fitness in La Grande is refusing to abide by state efforts to curtail the unprecedented spread of COVID-19, which claimed the life of its 800th Oregonian on Thursday, Nov. 19. The ﬁ tness center has not closed its doors to comply with the “two-week freeze,” which began Wednesday. “If you’re a member, you have access to the gym,” Anytime Fitness manager Lynette Williamson said. “We are taking our chance. We’re gonna remain open until something happens. We just decided we can’t afford to do another shutdown and, you know, we can’t have the mem- bers be set back in their workouts. We believe that we’re essential and we have no contact tracing out of here, we have no cases coming out of our facility, so we’re just going to remain open.” Williamson also said Anytime Fitness is not enforcing the wearing of masks, instead leaving the choice to its members. “No, we’re not requiring that,” she said. “We’ve got disinfectant, everybody’s kind of distant. Everybody’s socially distanced, yeah. But if you feel comfortable wearing one, that’s cool too.” At least six males were using the gym for a span Thursday evening, none were wearing masks. They also were not staying at least 6 feet apart, the minimum Local spread In the eight months between the beginning of March and the end of October, Union Coun- ty’s Center for Human Devel- opment, which serves as the public health department for the county, reported 493 total cases of COVID-19. Over the following 20 days, CHD reported an additional 162 cases. Residents of Union County have seen a dramatic change in the month of November, during which cases have jumped more than 29%. Union is now the ﬁ fth-most- infected county in the state per capita. With a population of about 27,000, one out of about every 41 residents of the county has caught COVID-19 Only Malheur, Umatilla, Morrow and Jefferson counties have higher rates of infection than Union. While population-dense counties such as Multnomah and Washington report a great many more total cases, coronavirus infections now are relatively more common within the rural popula- tion of Union County. Multnomah County, for example, conducts an average of 26,630.3 tests per 100,000 res- idents, which is comparable to Union County’s average. But CONTACT US Online at lagrandeobserver.com By Sabrina Thompson By Kaleb Lay Phil Wright/The Observer Vehicles ﬁ ll the parking spaces Thursday night, Nov. 19, 2020, in front of Anytime Fit- ness, La Grande. The gym’s owner is disregarding Gov. Kate Brown’s orders to shut down for two weeks to help ebb the spike in the spread of COVID-19. social distance the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health authorities recommend. Cases continue to rise Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday signed Executive Order 20-65 to implement clo- sures and restrictions on gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19 in light of hospitals “sounding the alarm” they could be overwhelmed if cases continue on their upward trend. “The cycle of this virus is such that if we are seeing case rates topping 800- 1,000 per day now, that means our hospi- tals are headed for very dark days ahead,” the executive order states. “Actions taken now will help prevent lives from being lost — not just from COVID-19, but also from other diseases or accidents that lead people to need hospital-level care, which they would not be able to get if hospital beds and hospital staff are fully occupied with COVID-19 patients.” See, Freeze/Page 5A Locals join in push for COVID-19 reform Elected leaders from Eastern Oregon who signed a letter asking Gov. Kate Brown for changes to her approach to COVID-19 shutdowns said this was not in direct response to the current two-week “freeze.” Instead, the letter was crafted over several weeks as an outline of what they hope to see happen as the state continues to address INDEX Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. WEATHER Classified ...... 2B Comics .......... 5B Crossword .... 3B Dear Abby .... 6B In Sports manent end. “I think if they shut down the local plant, it won’t be reopened,” said Warren, who was visiting Elgin on Thursday. Warren said his father worked at the Boise Cas- cade plant for 31 years. He is worried that many people who are employed at the plant now may have to move out of the commu- Rasmussen investigated for ‘moral ﬁ tness violation’ EO Media Group MORE INFORMATION • $1.50 COVID-19 by the numbers Eastern Oregon officials seek to spur change of state’s handling of pandemic Donna Rainboth releases a red-tailed hawk back into the wild Thurs- day near Cove close to where it had been hit by a truck May 9. 1964. It employed 270 people during its initial year, according to Observer archives. VanCleave herself has worked at the plywood plant. She said she worked a graveyard shift for a year. Brad Warren, who grew up in Elgin and now lives in Bend, said he fears if the plywood plant does close in January, it will mark a per- Weekend Edition See, Numbers/Page 5A Contributed photo by Jenny Phelps Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Inside Steelhead Shortage SATURDAY-MONDAY • November 21, 2020 New Day reports COVID-19 outbreak 541-963-3161 Issue 153 4 sections, 40 pages La Grande, Oregon Dick Mason/The Observer An employee at the Boise Cascade plywood plant in Elgin operates an excavator Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020. The plant employs 230 people. Boise Cascade earlier this week an- nounced it could reduce employees’ hours or temporari- ly close the plant in January. INDEX Online at lagrandeobserver.com Good day to our valued subscriber Debbie McConnell of La Grande Coronavirus pandemic See, Session/Page 5A CONTACT US Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight avoided,” he said. The Capitol building is not the legislature, Smith said, and the legislature is not required to meet there. He said he would potential changes are due to a lack of logs because of wildﬁ res as well as an order from the Oregon Department of Environ- mental Quality regarding the use of wastewater at the Elgin facility. The plant employs 230 people. “It could be scary for a little town. I don’t know what is going to happen. A lot of people depend on it,” said Felicity Hicks, 26, who works at Elgin Auto Parts. Hicks, who grew up in Elgin, said there was talk around town that the ply- wood plant would close. “I don’t think people saw it coming this fast,” added Hicks, whose father and grandfather have worked at the plywood plant. Kim VanCleave, the Elgin School District’s food service supervisor, echoed this sentiment. “It is sad. (The plant) is so important to a lot of people,” she said. “Half the town (it seems) have worked there.” Boise Cascade opened its Elgin mill on July 16, The Observer See, Students/Page 5A Dick Mason/The Observer Vapor trails through the air Thursday morning, Oct. 22, at Boise Cascade’s plywood plant in Elgin. The wood products company has announced it could reduce workers’ hours or even close the plant, at least temporarily, in January. ELGIN — Despite the presence of familiar rumors, Elgin residents received a jolt this week when they learned their town’s 56-year-old Boise Cascade plywood plant soon could close. Boise Cascade announced in a news release Wednesday, Oct. 21, that it may reduce employee hours or close the Elgin plant temporarily beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The By Dick Mason See, Mill/Page 5A See, Faith/Page 5A By Dick Mason More students on-site in Island City nity to ﬁ nd work. Suzannah Moore- Hemann, executive director of the Union County Chamber of Commerce, also is highly concerned about the announcement of a possible closure. “I was shocked and saddened when I heard about it,” said Moore- Hemann. “Boise Cascade is a great supporter of the community.” She said the impact of the job losses would be compounded by the timing of possible layoffs, which could occur in the heart of the winter season when heating bills are the highest. In years past, a large percentage of the Elgin plant’s employees had school-age sons and daugh- ters, according to Dianne Greif, superintendent of the Elgin School District. “Fifteen to 20 years ago it was at least one third. Today it is much less,” she said. The superintendent those outside their own household, and Oregon, California and Washington issued joint advisories against non-essential travel. Lighthouse Pentecostal is not alone in The Observer INSIDE In-depth look at latest developments in school sports, Page 7A. ISLAND CITY — To walk on to Island City Ele- mentary School’s campus on Wednesdays is to almost step back back in time seven months to the pre COVID-19 era. The reason: fourth and ﬁ fth graders are back at Island City Elementary, if only for one day a week. This means all of the school’s students now attend school on campus each Wednesday just as they did before mid-March when the COVID-19 pan- demic forced the state to close all school campuses. The restriction remained in effect in the La Grande School District through Oct. 5. At that point, the changing state COVID-19 rules allowed the school district to provide on-site instruction to students in kindergarten through third grade. At Island City, fourth and ﬁ fth graders now can attend school on-site for two hours on Wednes- days because it meets the requirements for the phasing in of a new school district program, providing state COVID-19 restrictions are in place. Island City is the ﬁ rst elementary school in the district to open its campus to fourth- and ﬁ fth-grade students one day a week. The students are sepa- rated into two groups, each cohort attending a two-hour session every Wednesday, either from 8-10 a.m. or from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fifth-grade teacher Darren Hendrickson said it is a delight to be able to teach his students in person again. “It is so great to have them back,” said Hen- drickson, who had had to teach his students exclu- sively online until the new program started about two weeks ago. “It is a lot dif- ferent seeing them in the virtual world instead of the real world.” He said when you can see students in person it helps build relationships, which leads to a better learning environment. “I get more done in two hours (in an on-site session) than I do in two to three days online,” Hendrickson said. He said one of the frus- trating aspects of teaching online is he cannot always see all of his students. Sometimes there are tech- nical issues, and Hen- drickson said some students are shy and avoid being in See, Masks/Page 5A Faith and face masks Follow us on the web TUESDAY • July 7, 2020 The mandate came as Ore- gon’s COVID-19 cases con- tinued to spike, with the OHA on Friday, Oct. 23, reporting 550 new conﬁ rmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, a new one-day record. “Preliminary data show this increase is due to continued wide- spread community transmission resulting in small clusters and out- breaks across the state,” the state health agency reported in a press release. Some faith organizations in Union County proceed with in-person holiday gatherings despite risk TUESDAY Inside absence of a vaccine and reliable treatment, face coverings along with other preventive measures are the best tools we have for lim- iting the spread of COVID-19 in our community.” The newest updates add spe- ciﬁ cs for when people must wear a mask, including at outdoor mar- kets, schools and outdoor facili- ties. The mandate also speciﬁ es that at all workplaces, indoor and outside, employees and visitors must wear a mask except when it is not possible, such as while swimming. Ellen Morris Bishop/For the Wallowa County Chieftain Business ....... 1B Classified ...... 2B Comics ....... 6,7B Crossword . 4,5B Online at lagrandeobserver.com door public spaces when physical distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible. The OHA issued the stricter mandates Monday, Oct. 19. Carrie Brogoitti, public health adminis- trator for the Center for Human Development, La Grande, said the new guidance reﬂ ects the most recent understanding of transmis- sion and how to best use face cov- erings to reduce the spread of the virus. “Because COVID-19 is new, we continue to learn about how it spreads,” Brogoitti said. “In the Jupiter, left, and Saturn draw near to each other to form a “Christmas star” as they set over Wallowa County’s Ruby Peak at about 5:45 p.m. on the winter solstice, Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. INDEX Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Anti-tourism signs in Joseph investigated, 2A November ballot measure list is short, 6A Getting the most from rice By Sabrina Thompson By Jade McDowell CONTACT US Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight LA GRANDE — There is no stopping Shop with a Cop this year, at least not in La Grande. In spite of the COVID-19 pan- demic, the program in which children get to shop with law enforcement ofﬁ cers for family Christmas presents — Shop with a Cop — remained strong in La Grande. Earlier this month 10 children went Christmas shopping with La Grande Police Depart- ment ofﬁ cers. Their Shop with a Cop experi- ence was a bit different, though, because of the pandemic. Previ- ously, all Shop with a Cop partic- ipants met with law enforcement ofﬁ cers at Walmart in Island City to shop together. This year, due to health safety concerns, police ofﬁ cers went on individual shop- ping trips with children. The boys and girls appeared to enjoy the experience at least as much as in years past, said La Grande police Lt. Jason Hays, coordinator of Shop with a Cop. “One boy said it was the best day of his life,” Hays said. The lieutenant said conducting the program is a joy for police ofﬁ cers. “We deal with so much neg- ativity, so the chance to spend a couple of hours with kids is won- derful,” Hays said. Children were provided with $150 to purchase gifts during their shopping spree. The experience was once again a role reversal for many children, who normally are the ones receiving gifts. “It gives them a chance to be heroes for their families,” Hays said. It is a role many enjoyed. This was evident when police ofﬁ cers reminded them they also were supposed to choose a present for themselves. Hays said some chil- dren seemed almost reluctant to do so because they were enjoying shopping for others so much. In the past, the children and the ofﬁ cers they were with ate lunch at a restaurant after shop- ping. COVID-19 restrictions this year have shut down in-person dining, so each child got to order a takeout lunch at a favorite restaurant and then go to the La Grande Police Department to eat together. The chance to enjoy a meal at a police station appeared to be a thrill for the children. “They loved it,” Hays said. After eating, the children and ofﬁ cers spent about an hour wrap- ping the gifts. missed out on qualifying for the November ballot, claiming just less than 25% of the vote. Ras- mussen received only 133 more votes than Miller, ﬁ nishing with just less than 26%. Miller, who spent close to two weeks after Rasmus- sen’s announcement weighing the decision on whether to run a write-in campaign for the November election, ultimately decided to do so, pointing to his law enforcement and military experience as needed in the cur- rent social environment. “I still believe I am the most Good day to our valued subscriber Carol Dixon of Island City • $1.50 Oregon issues stricter mask mandates By Dick Mason By Sabrina Thompson Weekend Edition Follow us on the web Classified ...... 2B Comics .......... 5B Crossword .... 2B Dear Abby .... 6B ﬂ uctuations in COVID-19 numbers. The letter, dated Wednesday, Nov. 18, and signed by 51 county commissioners and state leg- islators, asks Brown to allow restaurants and bars to stay open throughout the pandemic, to fully reopen schools, to reopen state agencies to the public and to allow religious leaders to use their best judgment in oper- ating places of worship. It also urges her to allow local elected ofﬁ cials to work with county health departments to come up with their own versions of Phase 1 and Phase 2 for COVID-19 regulations. “A one-size-ﬁ ts-all approach WEATHER Horoscope .... 3B Letters ........... 4A Lottery........... 2A Obituaries ..... 3A THURSDAY Opinion ......... 4A Outdoors ...... 1B Sudoku ......... 5B Weather ........ 6B OPERATION SANTA to shutting down the state was logical and appropriate in March when the onset of this pandemic was new and was unknown,” the letter states. “Over time, we have learned, adapted, adjusted and improved. Keeping counties and regions in a Phase II for an indef- inite period of time is a one-size- ﬁ ts-all approach that does not work any longer.” Counties seek autonomy State Sen. Lynn Findley, a Republican from Vale, said he and other legislators had been working on drafts of the letter for about three weeks before sending it to the governor’s ofﬁ ce. The COVID-19 land- Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Sunday 27 LOW 41/29 Partly cloudy High clouds scape in Oregon looks different now than when discussion of the letter began. On Nov. 1, Oregon Health Authority reported 524 new cases of COVID-19. Since then the state has repeatedly set new records for daily case counts, and on Friday, Nov. 20, reported 1,306 new cases. Findley, whose district includes portions of 11 coun- ties, said his main goal is to pro- mote a “dialogue” between the governor, other state ofﬁ cials and legislators and local ofﬁ - cials in rural counties. He said he wants the state to give more autonomy to city and county UNION COUNTY — Alle- gations of sketchy actions has Union County Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen again under the microscope. The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training’s Police Policy Committee Rasmussen voted Thursday, Aug. 20, to initiate a professional standards inves- tigation against Rasmussen. The committee’s 13 members attending in person and online voted unanimously for the investigation. Safety Standards and Training received a complaint in May about Rasmussen based on the Oregon Department of Justice investigation, which concluded in June. The Police Policy Committee considered two complaints during the meeting: whether Rasmussen inappropriately managed the sheriff’s ofﬁ ce reserve deputy fund and the pay he retained for proving law enforce- ment services for Elgin while working as sheriff and without the authorization of the county board of commissioners. “I have a particular con- cern with the investigation,” said Mark Rauch, the commit- tee’s public member. “There is a basically a ﬁ nding of at least inappropriate billing if not theft with that amount of money.” The Department of Jus- tice found Rasmussen received more than $7,000 in pay from the Elgin contract, something he was not eligible for as a sal- aried county ofﬁ cial, but he was beyond the reach of pro- tection due to the statute of limitations. Committee members Jill Thissell, an Indepen- dence police ofﬁ cer, John Teague, chief of the Keizer Police Department, and Eliz- abeth Lawrence, sergeant at the Bend Police Department, agreed with Rauch and deemed the matter should go before DPSST as a professional stan- dards case. While the Police Policy Committee’s primary concern was Rasmussen taking con- tract pay while on the county dime, committee member Chris Davis, assistant deputy chief with the Portland Police See, Sheriff/Page 5A See, Change/Page 3A CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 139 3 sections, 32 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Online at lagrandeobserver.com Band of Drifters plays Northeast Oregon this weekend Page 2 Nancy and Cliff Tarpy moved to La Grande in 2002 to be with fam- ily. Nancy recalled surviving Hur- ricane Camille 51 years ago. Staff photo by Ronald Bond People line up Thursday, Aug. 20, outside the La Grande branch of Old West Federal Credit Union wait- ing to apply for a $500 check from the state government for ﬁ nancial assistance. Those who have been severely ﬁ nancially impacted by the COVID-19 related shutdowns were eligible. Funds come through Hundreds in La Grande receive financial help By Ronald Bond The Observer LA GRANDE — Old West Federal Credit Union was busy Thursday, Aug. 20, with people lining up to acquire one of the thousands of $500 checks the state government allocated to give to Oregon residents who have been ﬁ nancially impacted by COVID-19 related shutdowns. State legislators approved the $35 million plan, and checks began to go out on Wednesday. The money was drawn from fed- eral coronavirus relief funds, according to an Oregon Cap- ital Bureau article, and provides the funding to the ﬁ rst 70,000 approved residents. Bob Kavanaugh, Old West’s business developer and media contact, said there likely were 150-200 people who came through the doors of the La Grande branch Thursday. “One time I looked out and there were 50 (people outside),” he said. Individuals in La Grande waited in line for more than an hour Thursday to get inside and apply for the much sought after ﬁ nancial aid. “It’s going to help with rent. It’s going to help ﬁ nancially. Surviving Hurricane Camille La Grande woman reflects on harrowing experience By Dick Mason The Observer Worldwide cases: 22,536,278 Worldwide deaths: 789,197 U.S. cases: 5,551,793 U.S. deaths: 173,490 Total U.S. tests: 74,830,464 (8.86% positive) Oregon cases: 24,421 Oregon active cases: 19,418 Oregon deaths: 414 Total Oregon tests: 510,056 (4.54% positive) Union County cases: 407 Union County active cases: 359 Union County deaths: 2 Total Union County tests: 3,177 (11.80% positive) Wallowa County cases: 21 Wallowa County active cases: 12 Wallowa County deaths: 1 Total Wallowa County tests: 804 (2.49% positive) *As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. Sources: World Health Organization, Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins University, Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Military Department. Some of us are in back pay on bills,” said Courtney E. of La Grande. “And food. We’re starving.” The La Grande woman, who said she’s a single mom with three kids, has had her hours cut in half during the pandemic. She has received help from Com- munity Connection of North- east Oregon, but still is in a tight place. “We’re just trying to hang on. Nobody is ahead. We’re behind,” she said. “We’re all struggling.” Erica G., also of La Grande, also had her hours at work cut in half. “All of my hours went down,” she said. “You’re down ... on everything, trying to survive.” She pointed to rent and util- ities as bills the money would help cover. She added, though, that individuals who still are in a bind ﬁ nancially would greatly beneﬁ t from another stim- ulus check from the federal government. “They need to get that $1,200 LA GRANDE — The sky was falling 51 years ago where Nancy Tarpy hunkered down in Gulf- port, Mississippi, and she feared the worst was yet to come. It was 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, 1969, and Tarpy, then 18, had just rushed to a bowling alley in Gulfport with seven others to escape Hurricane Camille, one of the worst tropical cyclones to ever strike the United States. The bowling center, on a Navy Seabee base, seemed like one of the safest places to shelter for it was made of steel and concrete. “(The bowling alley) was also a bomb shelter,” Tarpy said. Minutes after Tarpy and her companions arrived, Mother Nature rolled a cruel strike. The hurricane ripped open a portion of the bowling cen- ter’s roof, causing its ventilation system and a portion of its ceiling to crash into the interior. Sud- denly torrential rain was falling into the building and water began rising up its bowling lanes. Tarpy and her party, who were in the center’s snack shop, had nowhere to escape to, since going outside might mean being swept away by wind and ﬂ oodwater. “I really thought I might die,” said Tarpy, who today lives in La See, Checks/Page 5A See, Hurricane/Page 5A COVID-19 by the numbers* Customer compliance an issue in Wallowa County OSHA receives eight COVID-related complaints against seven Wallowa County businesses By Bill Bradshaw EO Media Group WALLOWA COUNTY — Merchants saddled with coronavi- rus-related regulations are facing challenges in addition to keeping their businesses aﬂ oat as they cope with making sure customers comply with wearing face masks and social distancing. Aaron Corvin, public infor- mation ofﬁ cer with the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said Thursday, Aug. 13, that eight complaints INDEX Classified ..... 2B Comics ......... 5B Crossword ... 2B Dear Abby ... 6B Horoscope ... 2B against seven Wallowa County businesses had been ﬁ led with his ofﬁ ce. All are currently under investigation and no citations have yet been issued or ﬁ nes levied, he said. Corvin said statewide there have been 8,300 complaints ﬁ led for COVID-19-related issues. For perspective, he said, in a normal, nonpandemic year, his agency receives about 2,000 complaints. OSHA is primarily concerned with worker safety, he said. “Under our penalty rules, a serious violation that is not willful (i.e., intentional or purposeful dis- regard for requirements) carries a minimum penalty of $100 and a maximum of $12,675,” Corvin said. He said a willful violation TUESDAY BY THE NUMBERS • Statewide, OSHA has received 8,300 complaints related to COVID-19 issues so far this year. In a normal year, the agency gets about 2,000 complaints. • In Wallowa County, eight complaints have been ﬁ led: four in Enterprise, three in Joseph and one in Wallowa. • Penalties can range from a minimum of $100 to a maximum of $126,749 depending on the severity of the offense. See, Complaints/Page 5A WEATHER Lottery.......... 2A Opinion ........ 4A Outdoors ..... 1B Sports .......... 6A Weather ....... 6B Photo by Bill Bradshaw/EO Media Group Customers at the Enterprise Safeway leave the store Thursday, Aug. 13, still wearing the masks the state requires people to wear in pub- lic places. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported receiving eight complaints against seven businesses in Wal- lowa County for not enforcing the statewide mandate. Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Sunday 50 LOW 92/57 Clear Sunny MAIL IN VOTING IN UNION COUNTY CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 100 2 sections, 12 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A. Online at lagrandeobserver.com NORTHEAST OREGON JANUARY 29, 2020 www.gonortheastoregon.com Also inside: EOU Chamber Choir performs, student art show opens: Page 3 Dead Lee gives two concerts: Page 6