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• Cove City Council may reconsider Measure 91 decision By Dick Mason The Observer
COVE — Marijuana may not be in Cove's future after
all. The Cove City Council, which on Dec. 1 decided not to optoutofM easure 91the measurevoterspassedin 2014 thatlegalized the sale and production of recreational marijuana — may reconsider its decision. Cove Mayor Lyndon Rose has called for two special city meetings where the issue of marijuana will be discussed with the public. The meetings will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday and again on Dec. 22. eWewant to have a dialogue.We want to allow voters the chance to give input to the council," said Rose, who did not attend the Dec. 1 council meeting.eWejust feel better if we can get input SeeCove / Page 5A
u
Tim Mustoerrhe Observer
Loren Basso, left, gets help in reading from Sherry Neustel at the structured learning center at La Grande High SchoolThursday. The school's structured learning center students, part of the school's special education program, are making big academic leaps this school year — bigger than normal.
Police warn against scammers
By Dick Mason, The Observer
he students in La Grande High School's Structured Learning Center are afriendly, gregarious bunch, greeting teachers with fist pumps and high fives lytat enthusiasm puts smiles on thefaces of the teachers but it is not the only reason their instructors are smiling LHS's Strun!ured Learning Center students, part o f the school's special education program, are makirg big academic leaps this school year — bEggerthan normal. "It is just incredible what they are doing," said Carol Byron, the La Grande School District's special education director. Byron believes that a new highly structuredacademic program for the school's Structured Learning Center, which serves special educationstudents,is abig reason for thestudents'exceptional progress. Through the program, which started at the beginning of the schoolyear,studentsreceive
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• Rash of calls indicated La Grande target for recent scam
)
Dick Mason/TheObserver
Allen Strom, right, a student in La Grande High School's Structured Learning Center, pours cider at a pre-Thanksgiving luncheon put on by SLC students as Robert Crader, Strom's guest at the luncheon, looks on.
"They are not teaching above orbelow theskill level of any of the students. We are able to meet every student at their skill level." — Landon Braden, head of LHS's special education department and an SLCteacher who played a major role in designing the new cumculum
intensive individualized attention in 15-minute blocks of time for reading, writing, math and basic vocational skills. The 15-minute blocks students aretaughtin are designed to prevent student attention from
INDEX Calendar........7A Classified.......1B Comics........... 5B Crossword.....2B Dear Abby .....6B
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waning. The 15-minute blocks are divided into five-minute segments where students focus on one aspect of the subject they are studying. For example,in m ath they work with pencil and paper for five minutes, before working with
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manipulatives like counting blocks for five minutes. The session ends with work on an iPad for the final five minutes. 'They receive short bursts of instruction," said Landon Braden, head of LHS's special education department and an SLC teacher who played a major role in designing the new curriculum. Students are taught in groups of two or three who are at the SeeProgram / Page 5A
541-963-3161 Issue 146 3 sections, 26 pages La Grande, Oregon
MONDAY IN HOME CHRISTMAS IS COOKIE-MAKING TIME
onae ooul anne
Local law enforcement officials are urging caution against telephone scams as La Grande seems to have been arecent targetofat least one scam. Union County SheriA"s 0$ce Civil Deputy Terri Spears said she and others who answer phones at the sherif's office/La Grande Police Department have gottena lotofcallsoverthe last week, particularly about scammers saying they are with the IRS. "It's been definitely SeeScams / Page 5A
CONTACT US
Fu ll forecast onthe backof B section
Friday
By Kelly Ducote The Observer
Email story ideas to newsC~lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A.
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