MOVIEMAKING INTHE GRANDE RONDEVALLEY IN LOCAL, 2A
IAN CLARK RETURNSTO GRANDE RONDEVALLEYTO FILMTHE SCIENCE FICTION FILM "A MORNING LIGHT" IN SPIRITUAL LIFE, 6A
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THE SERVING UNION ANO WALLOWA COUNTIES SINCE 1896
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UNION COUNTY LAWSUIT
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Cherise Kaechele/TheObserver
Belinda Butcher worked for the Elgin Plywood facility for eight years but was terminated due to alleged job abandonment. Butcher filed a lawsuit against the company claiming it harassed and humiliated her.
By Cherise Kaechele, The Observer
A former Boise Cascadeemployee who was fired in 2012 has filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it ofharassment Belinda Butche.r, 57, is seeking$750,000 in her lawsuit that claims Boise Cascadefired her after Butcher says she used her Oregon Family LeaveAct allotment and vacation days to carefor her dying father Butcher of La Grande is represented by Portland lawyer Patrick Angel. According to the lawsuit that was filed in September 2012, Butcher's time off from the Elgin Plywood facility began in March 2008when she had gallbladder surgery. Butcher applied for, and was granted, time off per OFLA guidelines. OFLA grants employees 12 work weeks off, which must be applied for and approvedpriorto the tim eoff,for the birth of a child, for a serious health condition of the employee, to take care of family members with a serious health condition or to serve on active duty in the military. The employee's physician, the employee and the employer all must sign off on the OFLA request at least 30 days prior to the leave. Employers do not have to pay the
employee for the time off under OFLA rules, according to the Oregon Employers website, but the employee has the ability to useallofhisorher accrued paid leave before using their OFLA leave. Butcher returned to work less than a month later, but she said she returned too soon and hurt herself, resulting in additional surgery. "I went back to work too soon and was back in surgery, which put me on leave for a second time," Butcher said. When Butcher came back from her second surgery, she could tell her employers were not happy about the time off. About that time, Butcher's father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Her father, who worked for Boise Cascade as anelectrician for 35 years,decided to forego treatment and spend his last days as happily as he could.
Butcher decided to take care ofher father, but had family members in the area who could also help, she said. She wouldn't take time off work unless no one else could help him. ''When I took the OFLA you could tell iBoise Cascade'sl attitude, disposition and body language had changed," she sald. "The only thing I wanted to do was be with my dad and try and comfort him to the very best of my ability," Butcher said. "I wanted to work and make a living and take care of myself. I wasn't asking for anything out of the ordinary or asking for special treatment. I just wanted to be with my dying father. "They made it crystal clear that if I returned back to work that I would be staying, or risk losing my position." See Butcher / Page 5A
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INDEX Calendar........SA Classified.......1B Comics...........7B Crossword..... 5B Dear Abby .....SB
WE A T H E Health ............6C Opinion..........4A Horoscope.....5B Outdoors .......1C Lottery............2A Spiritual Life..6A Record ...........3A Sports ............9A Obituaries......3A Television ......3C
ON Y •000
What do you think?
By Kelly Ducote
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We want to hear The Union County youi' Commissioners are expected to approve a con- thoughts. ' Email tract with Mike Becker General Contractor at its letters next meeting in advance to the editor of the Oregon Judicial De- to news@ partment's Oct. 1 deadline lagrandeobserver. com and join the to submit a plan for the new county courthouse. conversation on Commissioners on Aug. The Observer 20 awardedthe bid forthe Opinion page. project to Mike Becker Inside General Contractor. Two County other businesses submitcommissioners ted proposals. earlier this week Union County Adminapproved a grant istrative Officer Shelley agreement with Burgess said in the comConnectOregon mission's regularly schedto help update uled meeting Wednesday the Union County morning that the time Airport Master periodfor appealstothat Plan, which was decision has passed. The last updated in county did not receive any 1998. Page 2A See County / Page 5A
EDUCATION
Resource officer making a positive first impression 5 Cody Bowen establishing student connections quickly By Dick Mason The Observer
The pace oflife around public schools in La Grande and Island City remains brisk midway through the second week of the new school year. The pace is a little too quick in the eyes of Cody Bowen, the La Grande School District's new resource officer. Bowen is finding that a number of drivers are exceeding the 20 mph speed limit that is in effect in school zones when students are present. "A lot of people have forgotten that they have to slow down now that school has started. They need to be reminded," said Bowen, a Union County Sheriff's Office deputy who is conducting traffic patrol at schools when he is not inside them meeting with students. The new school year is only a few days old but Bowen is already making a strong impressionas thedistrict'sfi rstresourceoffi cer in at least four years. The impression is one See Bowen / Page 5A
CONTACT US
R F u ll forecast on the back of B section
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541-963-3161 Issue 107 3 sections, 26 pages La Grande, Oregon
LACK BERRY BONANZA: BURSTING WITH FLAVOR •000
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Email story ideas to newsC~lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A.
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