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OREGON LA GRANDE
TAKING ITS TOLLON BUSINESSES • State experts saysummer fire season has potential to be well above average Inside
By StuartTomlinson •
The Oregonian
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Phil Bullock/The Observer
Rick Quillin pumps gasThursday at Oak Street Shell in La Grande. The closure of the westbound Interstate 84 on-ramp has businesses in the area bracing for a slow summer. "It's just slower," said Cheryl Gunter, manager of the Oak Street Shell Station. "It's sad because we're only just starting it."
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A fall and early winter drought, reduced snowpacks and drought conditions expanding into western and central Oregon are all expected to create above normal wildfire potential in Oregon this summer, officials sald. Whether the state will see arepeatoflastyear'sdevastating fire season — the worston state-protectedland in 60 years due to four times the usual number of lightning strikes — will depend on the number of dry lightning strikes and where they occur, said fi re m eteorologist John Saltenberger. Saltenberger gave his assessment at the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in downtown Portland, the nerve center formarshaling federal firefighter resources — and coordinating with the Oregon SeeFires / Page5A
The U.S. Forest Service augmented its wildfire fleetTuesday, adding four new air tankers as fire season looms across the parched West. Page 11A
ELECTION 2014 L
60 Union
County ballots being challenged Phil Bullock/The Observer
Hought's 24 Flavors owner Carla Sorweide says she hasn't yet noticed a change in business with the freeway entrance closed from the northwest part of Adams Avenue. Other merchants, though, are gearing up for what could be a rough summer.
Phil Bullock/The Observer
Burger King manager Liz Blake said she has noticed fewer customers since the April 21 closure of the westbound on-ramp. Blake said the full effect of the closure and the lack of traffic on the west end of Adams Avenue will be seen later in the summer.
• Merchants on northwest end ofAdams Avenue say businesses already feeling the hit
Inside • Signature verifi cation needed ALasecond Grande business before ballotscan owner will be counted soon take to By Dick Mason
ofF-ramp from eastbound I-84 remains open, is scheduled to remain in place throughout For about a month, La Grande's westernmost onthe construction season. It ramp to Interstate 84 has been will close again next construcclosed to traffic and businesses tion season as Oregon Departnear the freeway entrance say ment of Transportation crews they're feeling the loss of traffic. complete a third lane on the "It's just slower," said Spring Creek grade. Cheryl Gunter, manager of The closure is needed to facilitate the ongoing $43 the Oak Street Shell Station. "It's sad because we're only million, multi-year freeway improvement project between just starting it." The on-ramp closure, the the Second Street under By Kelly Ducote The Observer
INDEX Calendar........7A Classified.......3B Comics...........2B Crossword..... 4B Dear Abby ... 10B
WE A T H E R Health ............1C Opinion..........4A Horoscope.....4B Outdoors .......1B Lottery............3A Spiritual Life..6A Record ...........3A Sports ............BA Obituaries......3A Television ......3C
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crossing in La Grande and the Kamela interchange at exit 246. The ODOT project began last year and includes resurfacing the left lane with new asphalt, placing concrete in the right lane, replacing median barriers, repairing bridges, improving chain-up areas and constructing a westbound truck climbing lane along the Spring Creek grade. "Because the freeways will
be reducedto a singlelane of travel to accommodate improvements to the westbound truck chain-up area near the Union County Fairgrounds, there won't be enough room for traffic to safely merge from the exit 259 westbound on-ramp," said Ken Patterson, ODOT project leader, about the closure of the on-ramp. cWe'll need to close this onramp during the 2014 and SeeClosure / Page 5A
Times change and so do signatures. Union County Clerk Robin Church understands this as well as anyone in Northeast Oregon. Church is responsible for helping prevent mail ballot election fraud in Union County. She and her stafF are required by law to verify the signature on each mail ballotenvelope.Every signature on a mail ballot envelope SeeBallots / Page5A
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Fu l l forecast on the back of B section
Friday
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G A BOUNTY OF BLUEBERRYRECIPES •000
The Observer
the political stage in the fight to become the next representative for House District 58. Page 2A
541-963-3161 Issue 62 3 sections, 32 pages La Grande, Oregon
Email story ideas to newsC~/agrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A.
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