La Grande Observer Paper 08-06-14

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BABE RUTH REGIONALTOURNAMENT INSPORTS,8A

Union County AllStar pitcher G.T. Blackman delivers a pitch - Tuesday.

ALL STARS SCOREFOUR IN FIRST INNING, EIGHT IN FOURTHTO CRUISETO 13-8WIN OVER RIVERTON,WYO., IN OPENER IN HEALTH,1B

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SERVING UNION AND WALLOWA COUNTIES

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WALLOWA COUNTY

By Katy Nesbitt

In that initial burning period, 17 loadsofretardant IMNAHA — The T-shirts and federal effortcame were dropped on the ridge in the Imnaha Store indicate together Sunday afternoon just above Imnaha. "That's what saved the the small unincorporated with air tankers and helicopcommunity may be the end of ters battling the blaze from fire from burning into Deer the air supported by engines Creek or it would have been the world, unless you are on on the ground. offtotheraces,"Karvoski your way to Hells Canyon. The Five Mile Fire broke Paul Karvoski, Wallowa sald. Kurt Solomon is overseeout Sunday, putting Imnaha County emergency services on the map for firefighters manager, arrived shortly afing structure protection for from around the Northwest, ter the fire was reported. He theoverhead team managing who came to protect the town said the fire started on Bench the fire. He said progress on and surrounding ranches. Road, two miles upriver from the fire has been good. A combined county, state SeeFire / Page 5A town.

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A single-engine air tanker lays down retardantTuesday afternoon near Imnaha. As of Wednesday morning,the 4,500-acre Five Mile Fire was 20 percent contained, fire officials said.

The Observer

Katy Nesbrtt/TheObserver

UNION COUNTY

UNION COUNTY

Many agencies open to idea of a famHyjustice center 5 Many details lingerbeforeconcept gets of the ground

W hat do you think? We want to hearyour thoughts. Email letters to the editor to letters@ lagrandeobserver.com and join the conversation on The Observer Opinion

By Kelly Ducote The Observer

Cherise Kaechele/TheObserver

Oregon Department ofTransportation workers Rod Graves and Ed Kennicott move one of the signs designating Interstate 84as theVietnamVeterans Memorial HighwayTuesday. Originally,15 signs were designated for184, but communities along the interstate now have the opportunity to raise money for additional signs.

• Road signs honor the 57,000 Oregon Vietnam veterans

• Don Henry wants toseeportionsof two highways get original name back

By Cherise Kaechele The Observer

Interstateroad signs renaming Interstate 84 are ready to be installed. Now all that's needed is the funding, and local veterans groups are working to secure those funds. In April 2013, the Oregon Legislature enacted Senate Bill 461 to redesignate the interstate through Oregon as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway in honor of the 57,000 Oregonians who served in the war. The signs will soon be up along a 370-mile stretch of freeway, from the junction of Interstate 205 in Portland to the Idaho border. "It's an honor to be SeeSigns / Page 5A

By Dick Mason

RIDAY •000

Don Henry of Island City does not want to turn back the clock, but he does want to restorea piece ofhistory. Henry is starting a campaigntogeta stretch of highway in Union County, that is at least 25 miles long, renamed U.S. Highway 30. The stretch runs from the Interstate 84 interchange at the Flying J Travel Plaza southeast to Union and then south to North Powder. This stretch of road was known as U.S. Highway 30 until about 1970 when Interstate 84 was built through Union County. Since then, SeeRenamed / Page 5A

: • 30

Cherise Kaechele/The Observer

Two Vietnam Veterans Highway signs will be installed in Union County on the eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 84 to honor the local veterans.

Honoring Vietnam Veterans The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway is being designed as a tribute to all veterans of the Vietnam era. This will be the first freeway in Oregon specifically honoring Vietnam veterans. Highway 97 is the World War II Veterans Memorial Highway.

WE A T H E R Horoscope.....7B Lottery............2A Obituaries......3A Opinion..........4A Record ...........3A

page.

My Voice La Grande attorney Anne Morrison says since the county already has the funding and the land to build on, the county should proceed to build new courthouse. Page 4A center on the county campus in order to site a new county courthouse. But officials from other agencies indicate they SeeCenter / Page 5A

PUBLIC SAFETY

Agencies worry about impact of lab closure

The Observer

INDEX Business........1B Classified.......4B Comics...........3B Crossword..... 7B Dear Abby ... 10B

A proposal for a family justice center in Union County has a long way to go before any ground is broken. Shelter From the Storm and Concerned Community Members for a Family Justice Center presented the idea at a town hall meeting last week. The concept of a family justice center is to bring together the agencies that work toward justice. The first such center was built in 2002 in San Diego. Oregon is host to just one family justice center in Clackamas County. The proposal floated last week was one presented by SFS, which faces a Septembereviction ofitsadvocacy

Sports ............SA State...............7A Sudoku ..........3B Wallovva Life..6A Wondervvord... 3B

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Fu l l forecast on the back of B section

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Speakout

The Observer

Eastern Oregon law enforcement agencies may have to waitlongerfor their crime scene to be analyzed after Oregon State Police announced they may close the only forensics lab in Eastern Oregon. Because ofbudgetary concerns, the OSP is looking into options for the Pendleton lab, which processes the evidence for most of the law enforcement agencies on the eastern sideofthestate. The announcement came last week by OSP Super-

CONTACT US

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.

Issue 94 3 sections, 32 pages La Grande, Oregon

PRESERVEYOUR EARHEALTH •000

By Kelly Ducote and Cherise Kaechele

TODAY'S QUESTION Should the state police closethe Pendleton forensics lab? SOUND OFF www.lagrandeobserver. com intendent Richard Evans who traveled to Pendleton to make the announcement. Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts was at the announcement and said no decision has been made. SeeLab / Page 5A

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