The Observer paper 2-4-15

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COLLEGE PRODUCTION, 'WAIT UNTIL DARK,' IS ABOUT NOT UNDERESTIMATING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DISABLED INSCHOOLS 5. EDUCATION,7A

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WALLOWA COUNTY POWDER VALLEY

• Powder Valley Kgh School oKcials getting set to celebrate centennial in 2016 By Dick Mason, The Observer

Powder Valley High School's building opened in 1916, the year the film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"was released and quickly becarne a boxfofice hit. The silent rnovie, based on tules Verne's classic science fiction novel, was probably not shown that year at PVHS,but it could have beensince the newschool had an amphitheater. anniversary. We want to get things started," said North Powder School District Superintendent Lance Dixon. The centennial will be celebratedsometime in 2016. The school district has some historic information and photos to help mark the building's 100th year but more are needed. 'There are definitely gaps which need to be filled in," Dixon said. The dist rict'sarchive includes photos of the high school building, first named North Powder High School, from atleasteightdecades ago. The photos, when compared with current

Today, the amphitheater is gone and the student productionsitshowcased are m ostly forgotten.Storiesof the school' spast,however, still burn brightly in the minds of many, tales that will soon take center stage. Powder Valley High School is gearing up to celebrate its centennial. The school district is in the preliminary stage of organizing its celebration and is inviting people with old photos and historic informationtocome forward so it can later be shared with the

public. cWe want to start making people aware that the building is approaching its 100-year

ones, reveal that the building's exterior has changed little since it opened. 'They don't look much different side by side," Dixon sald. Indeed the ornate design elements at the main entry are still in place and seemingly untouched by the hand of time. They remain complemented by a tiny decorative balcony above the entry steps. What is missing from the exterior ofthe building are the fire escape slides that were once on the north and south sides of the school. The slides were designed to help students and stafFon the second floor of the building to

escape quickly in an emergency. Kay Patterson, who graduated from PVHS in 1961, said theslides were popular. 'The high school kids really looked forward to the fire drills," Patterson said. Students liked going down the slides so much that some would come after school and trek up them just to experience the thrill of going down them. Climbing up the slides was difficult because there were no rails but the work was worth it. "It was fun. It was quite a drop," said Patterson, who later worked in the SeeMilestone / Page 5A

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By Katy Nesbitt

Wolf

The Observer

ENTERPRISE — According to state biologists, EastL a st week, ern Oregon wolf numbers the state are healthy enough to start rel eased a the process ofremoving their p r eliminary endangered status. The Wal- c o unt of wolf lowa County commissioners b r eeding supported the state's effort pai r s, the with a resolution Monday. tri g ger to The resolution, passed move from unanimously by Susan Rob- P hase I, erts, Mike Hayward and Paul the most Castilleja, urges the state to p r o tected take immediate steps to del- p h ase of the ist gray wolves in Oregon. wolf plan, to W olves are protected by Phase II.Six thefederalgovernment west of the seven ofhighways 395 and 95, but p a i rs were in Northeastern Oregon in Ea stern where wolves are most Oregon. highly concentrated, they are SeeWolves / Page 5A

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• County commissioners pass resolution supporting removing endangered status

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HEALTH

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AnaVenegas/Orange County Register

-e Photo courtesy of Bob Bull

Dr. Shruti K. Gohil, associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UCI Medical Center, holds a dose of MMR, the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella.

Whil,crusheddeheeen Doctor: Measles semis,teIssloeofsuruival danger will linger INTERSTATE 84 PILEUP sional weightlifter. He's

ByAndrew Theen The Oregonian I

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PORTLAND — Kaleb

Kaleb Whitby escaped with minor injuries, when he was sandwiched in his pickup truck between two trailers in the January Baker City crash.

Whitby drove into the dense fog on the familiar and unremarkable stretch ofInterstate84justeastof Baker City about an hour before sunrise. He'd only been on the road for a matter of minutes on Jan.17 after driving from rural Washington the night before. The 27-yearold was already engrossed in an audiobook and pondering when to eat the pre-

INDEX

WE A T H E R

Sergi Karplyuk photo

Business........1B Education ......7A Classified.......4B Horoscope.....7B Comics...........3B Lottery............2A Crossword.....7B Obituaries......3A DearAbby...10B Opinion..........4A

RIDAY •000

Record ...........3A Sports ............BA

packaged cinnamon pastry he'd grabbed for breakfast. Then he saw the semi-truck trailerin frontofhim start to sway. He downshifted, tapped his brakes and felt his truck slip on the black ice underneath him. He aimed for the back of thetrailer ashelost control. Whitby is a former high school running back and linebacker and a stout 250-pound former profes-

Fu l l forecast on the back of B section

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sudoku ..........3B

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taken big hits before, so he bracedforimpact. He struck the tractortrailer head on. He slid about 30 feet. The airbag didn't deploy.

Whitby's 2008 Chevy Silverado went silent. Immobilized, he turned to his right and through the rear passenger window saw another set ofheadlights coming straight for him. He looked away. All he could do was pray. SeeWhitby / Page 5A

Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, but significant outbreaks erupted in America between 2008 and last year. Now a new cluster of cases — linked to Disneyland in California — is sounding alarm bells for health officials. In this latest measles onslaught, more than 100 people scattered across 14 statesreportedly acquired See Measles / Page 5A

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MANAGINGBEHAVIORSOFTHOSEWITH DEMENTIA •000

For The Observer

CONTACT US Issue 15 3 sections, 34 pages La Grande, Oregon

Measles

By Pat Caldwell

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Measles can be prevented by the vaccine, which is a combination — measles, mumps and rubellainoculation.

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