IN GO!MAGA2INE
GO®i «,j-,-
Inside
Quilt biz closill doors,1B EOU sweepsasi e Yotes, BA SERVING UNION AND WALLOWA CO U N T IES SINCE 1896
Ile IINI
L~ ®
THEWIL P" I
Follow us on the web
Icoilooiroloo r o oorroor I
o oi
or
o o
r
I
o
r
I
o
o
r
UNION •
•
•
•
•
•
• •
•
I •
•
•
•
•
•
I
4
•
4 • •
•
•
•
4
4 4
•
4
.~~r>$
7$ l
I
• Residents overwhelmingly say they don't want to allow sale of pot in city, a change from November meeting By Dick Mason
Next up
The Observer
•
-
•
By Cherise Kaechele, The Observer
Theo Miller started out like most o f the teenagers in thejuvenile department that he's working at now: in and out ofthesystem, both beforehewas18yearsold and when hebecarne an adult But then he chose .a di/ferent path and is offering teenagers a di/ferent outlook than they may have had before Miller, 37, was hired to be the Union County Juvenile Department's new diversion counselor about a year ago, he said. Through his new position, he's teaching art classestotheteenagersin hiscases atArt Center East, giving them something to keep them occupied. "I was raised in the system," Miller said. "It was not my goal to end up in this field. But I turned my life around and looked for opportunities to volunteer in prisons." Miller got into art when he was locked up, he said. "I picked it up along the way," Miller said. "Later, art therapy intrigued me. I jumped right on it." Volunteering to help those in the system,
like he had been, led Miller eventually to to the art classes on his resume. pursuea college degreein socialw elfare.He Now, about 10 teens who are in the system or are 'high risk" come to ACE once a week graduated in 2011 and had been working with youth at Camp Riverbend Youth Tran- to let their creativity run wild. "They choose the music they want to play sitional Facility. "I wanted to work with people — with the and they draw," Miller said."Some of them younger population," he said. Working there have phenomenal artistic talents. Others are was the bridge to what I do now." just picking it up as a hobby." Miller taught art to the teens at RiverACE has donated the room for Miller's bend. class through in-kind work. Some of the ''We held an art show iof their work) at the teens mow the lawn at the art center or iUnion County) Chamber of Commerce," he work there for their community service. Miller said this is a therapeutic experience said."All the guys were able to come to that for the teens. except for one." ''We're trying to get ithe teens) before they When Miller applied for the diversion counselor position, Ben Morgan, director of go too far iin the system)," Miller said."It's the juvenile department, kept coming back See Outlook / Page 5A
Battle linesheing drawnoverwageissue By Pat Caldwell
Tell us what you think.
For the Baker City Herald
With the 2016 Oregon legislative session just around the corner, political battle lines are already drawn regarding a number of issues including several proposals to boost the minimum wage across the state. Last week Gov. Kate Brown delivered her blueprint to raise the minimum wage. The gover-
WWW,LAG ANDEOBSERVER,COM nor'splan isdesigned topresent two dif ferent wages — spread over a six-year span — for the state. In the Portland area the minimum wage will jump to $15.52 an hour while the rest
INDEX
WE A T H E R
Business........1B Horoscope.....6B Classified.......4B Lottery............3A Comics...........3B Obituaries......3A Crossword.....ee Opinion..........4A Dear Abby ... 10B Record ...........3A
RIDAY •000
Sports ............SA State............. 11A Sudoku ..........3B Wallowa Life.. 6A Wonderword... 3B
SP T S
of Oregon will
showcase a $13.50 an hour minimum wage. Brown's plan isn't the only one Brown floatingaround the Oregon political scene. Late last year, Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, offereda proposal to splitthe state into three areas with dif-
F ull forecast on the back of B section
T onight 34 Low Cloudy
i~'~i
Thursday
42/38 Mostlycloudy
Union City
Council as it considers options for dealing with
Measure 91, which voters approved in 2014 and legalized the sale of marijuana for recreational use in Oregon.
Ci, coun talkadditional
libraryhnding • No decision reached, but both sides say talks to continue Another
By Josh Benham The Observer
meeting
No definitive answers came during a two-hour joint work session between the La Grande Fiscal Committee and the Union County Commissioners Tuesday night. But there was pointed discussion throughout centering on issues regarding the Urban Renewal District and under levy, and just what an under levy would mean for the city of La Grande and Union County. "I think we all need to understand what the implications are of Urban Renewal," See Funding / Page 5A
The ad hoc fiscal committee willconvene again at 6 p.m. today at La Grande City Hall as they continue discussions to address a projected shortfall in the city's general fund.
HAVE A STORY IDEA?
541-963-3161
Call The Observer newsroom at 541-963-3161 or send an email to news@lagrandeobserver.com. More contact info on Page 4A.
s
•
o •
Issue 9 3 sections, 34 pages La Grande, Oregon
Input from Tuesday's town hall will be discussed later by the
LA GRANDE CITY COUNCIL
CONTACT US
FRE SHMAN OFF TO STRONG START •000
ferent minimum wages for each section. Also two ballot measuresone that will boost the state minimum wage to $15 while the other will push the minimum wage to $13.50 — are in the works. Not surprisingly, several key regional Republican lawmakersoppose plans to boostthe minimum wage. See Wage / Page 5A
UNION — The tide appearsto be turning against marijuana in Union. Union citizens overwhelming said they object to allowing the sale of marijuana in their city at a town hall Tuesday night. A total of 19 Union residents told the city council that they opposed marijuana, while two voiced support and three expressed a neutral point of view. A poll of the audience by Union Mayor Ken McCorm ack revealed that 31 opposed allowing marijuana to be sold in the city and seven supported it. At Tuesday's town hall, the resultsofa survey mailed to city residents in November asking if they approved allowing the sale of marijuana in Union were released. A totalof137 surveys had been See Union / Page 5A
•
51 1 5 3 0 0 1 0 0
o
•000
e