WEDNESDAY • July 4, 2012 •
75¢
BUSINESS
REPAIRING THEATER'S BRICKS
AGLIFE
WAR ON WEEDS
ARTS AND LEISURE MAGAZINE
SERVING UNION AND WALLOWA COUNTIES SINCE 1896
Mavor calls toreconomic summit
THIRD WETTEST ON RECORD
Tonighrs the night
Soggy June
By Bill Rautenstrauch The Observer
Phil Bullock iThe Observer
Fireworks from a previous year's show light up the night above Community Stadium.
Sparks will fly at La Grande, Wallowa Lake The skies over La Grande and Wallowa Lake will be awash in spectacular colors this evening. Fireworks shows are set for La Grande and Wallowa Lake. Both shows begin after dark. Community Stadium will be one of the best places to view the :fireworks show in La Grande. Gates open at 7 p.m. at Community Stadium. Thousands will watch from their front lawns and at Wallowa Lake State Park. People should come early to the park to get a good spot to view the show.
'Horse tripping· video fuels debate over oregon rodeo event Richard Cockle The Oregonian (MCT)
JORDAN VALLEY - Abill to ban "horse tripping" in Oregon went nowhere last year after rodeo advocates convinced lawmakers that the practice doesn't happen at the state's big competitions. Critics also worried that the prohibition might lead people to go after calf and steer roping next - both crowd-pleasing rodeo staples. But a new YouTube video getting thousands ofhits is renewing the call to make it a crime for cowboys to lasso horses around their necks and forelegs. The clip - made by animal rights activists at the Jordan Valley Big Loop Rodeo in May in southeastern Oregon - shows horses crashing into the dirt, See Clip I Page .5A
Brad Mos her !The Observer
A downpour saturates Ed Mosiman of La Grande as he participates in the 3 Rivers Race staged in the Grande Ronde Valley on June 2.
• Colder than normal temperatures accompany rain This was the third wettest June on record. The wettest was 3.59 inches in 1993. Temperatures at La Grande averaged colder than normal during June. According to preliminmy data received by NOAA's National Weather Service in Pendleton, the average temperature was 59.4 degrees which was 2.3 degrees below normal. High temperatures averaged 71.2 degrees, which was 3.5 degrees below normal. The highest was 89 degrees on the 22nd. Low temperatures averaged 47.5 degrees, which was 1.2 degrees below normal. The lowest was 35 degrees, on
• Popularity of meal program at Riveria Activity Center grows By Dick Mason The Observer
The children and teenagers who come to lliveria Activity Center each weekday for lunch are an inquisitive lot. The youths enjoy asking questions. One query, though, is never heard - ''What's today's lunch special?' The youths have no reason to pose such a question, for meal discounts are mathematically impossible to offer. All lunches served at lliveriaActivity Center this summer are again free for those age 1 to 18. The lliveria Activity Center is one of six sites in Union and Wallowa counties providing free lunches on weekdays through a program funded by the Brad Mos her /The Observer federal government. Austin Stockhoff serves himself a salad at lunch while Hayden Carr looks on recently at
Record ........... 3A Sports ............ 8A Sudoku .......... 4B Wallowa Life 10A Wonderword ... 48
FRIDAY IN OUTDOORS
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See Lunch I Page 2A the Riveria Activity Center.
WEATHER Ho roscope .. ... 7B Lottery............ 2A Movies ........... 2A Obituaries...... 3A Opi nio n .......... 4A
See Summit I Page 5A
There is such a thing as a free lunch
INDEX Business ........ 1B Classifi ed ....... 58 Comics ...... ..... 4B Crossw ord ..... 78 Dear Abby ... 108
June 6. Precipitation totaled 2.73 inches during June, which was 1.19 inches above normal. Measurable precipitation -at least .01 inch - was received on 12 days with the heaviest, 1.22 inches reported on June 5. The outlook for July from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center calls for near to above normal temperatures and near to below normal precipitation. Normal highs for La Grande during July are 85.4 degrees and normal lows are 53.9 degrees. The 30-year normal precipitation is 0.68 inches.
La Grande Mayor Daniel Pokorney thinks it's time to check economic pulses in the city and surrounding regions. During a recent city council work session, Pokorney called for a broad-based summit designed to determine whether local leaders can do more for the area's economic health. He passed out a La Grande Mayor Daniel written statement giving his Pokorney said he views on the envisions afoursubject. hour meeting at "This is an ideal think theBlueMountain needs to be Conference Center, discussed by a Pokorney facilitated by the wide range of interests in the Northeast Oregon Economic community," Development District or another he said. "I have asked many of entity involved in economic the people who zssues. I ~ill suggest we invite, and everyone, to the person, was enthusiastic about it and said they would make it a priority to attend." Pokorney said he envisions a four-hour meeting at the Blue Mountain Conference Center, facilitated by the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District or another entity involved in economic issues. One or two economic development professionals would speak, then the conference would tum to specific local issues. "We'd ask questions like, how are we really doing? What could we do better? Is government working with the people or is there a perception that government is standing in the way?" Pokorney said. Pokorney presented a lengthy list of potential invitees, including La Grande and Union County governments, representatives from the cities of Union, Summerville, Elgin, Island City, North Powder, Cove and Imbler, people from Eastern Oregon University; and others. The council and others at the table agreed the idea is worth pursuing, but left the details to be worked out
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Thursday
42 LOW
82/46
Clear
Sunny
ENDURANCE IN THE SADDLE
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Issue 124 3 sections, 36 pages La Grande, Oregon
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Online at lagrandeobserver.com
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