WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL IN SPORTS, 1C
MOUNTAINEERS WINTHIRD STRAIGHTAND IMPROVETO 5-1INTHE CASCADE CONFERENCEWITHWEEKEND SWEEP IN HOME 5. LIVING, 1B IN COMMUNITY LIFE, 6A
CQLD WINTERSEASQNISTHE PERFEC TTIMEFORSOUP
JEANS BUILDDREAMSRAISESMONEY FQRHABITATFQRHUMANITYHQUSE
SERVING UNION AND WALLOWA COUNTIES SINCE 1896 Follow us on the web
I
H
• New county commissioner to be sworn in by phone By Kelly Ducote The Observer
Jack Howard will be sworn in by telephone today
I
r
I
I
I
I
r
H
I
r
r
I
OREGON
UNION COUNTY after he was seriously injured in a sledding accident New Year's Day. Howard was transported by Life Flight late Thursday toLegacy Emmanuel Hospital in Portland for
a number of facial injuries. He underwent surgery Saturday and is Howard re covering. Union County Clerk Robin Church said she conferred with the
Oregon Secretary of State to determine how to handle Howard's swearing in, which was scheduled for 9 a.m. this morning. "There's nothing prohibiting Jack from taking the oath over the telephone," she said."I do have to have
2014 8
a healthcareprovider verify he is of a clear mind to take the oath." Church was not sure when that would take place today. Incumbent Commissioner Steve McClure took his oath this morning. SeeHoward / Page 2A
gOO(f
year for police • No Oregon law enforcement oficers killed in the line of duty in 2014
SHELTER FROM THE STORM
ByAndrew Clevenger WesCom News Service
~+IAUL "
WASHINGTON — Oregon ended 2014 without a single law enforcement fatality in the line of duty, the first time since2012 the statehas enjoyed a fatality-fiee year. Nationally, there were 126 deaths in the line of duty forlaw enforcement ofFtcers, according to the National Law Enforcement OfFtcers Memorial Fund's preliminary review of 2014 data. That's a 24 percentincreasefrom last year, when 102 officers were killed nationwide. Firearms i50l and trafFtc incidents i49l were the top causes of death in 2014. Gun deaths jumped 56 percent from 2013, when there were 32 deaths. Despite 2014's increase, gun deaths for police have decreaseddramatically since SeePolice / Page2A
I /r Ft o
or
fO
'%
963-o
Cherise Kaechele/TheObserver
Cherise Kaechele/The Observer
A U-Haul truck is ready to be unloaded Saturday at the new Shelter From the Storm Community Advocacy Center in Island City.
Shelter From the Storm is nowopen at10901 Island Ave. The nonprofit recently moved from its location on the county campus.
• Shelter From the Storm vacates Union County campus location for new facility on Island Avenue By Kelly Ducote The Observer
Shelter From the Storm is ready to reopen for business. The nonprofit opened this morning at 10901 Island Ave. after a two-week whirlwind of preparing the building for the move. Volunteers — from the general community and contracting comm unity —donated hours ofwork at the old center and new location.
Walls were put up and doors from the old location were moved. "This building is really working out well," said MaryEllen LaBerge, a SFS board member. ''We did lose 1,000 square feet,but stafFhave been utilizing this space more functionally." Staff members helped create a revised floor plan for the new building, which was formerly called Edge. Once everything is in place, the center will include a
counseling room, client rooms, two for us." Loy Carrington, SFS board areasforchildren — one adjacent chair, said the community rallied to the counseling room, a Sexual to help them get the space ready Assault Response Team exam room,stafFareas and space for just in time. SFS board members SFS's food bank. and supporterslooked atmo re LaBerge is especially excited than 30 locations in 2014 in about the SART exam room. SFS hopes of finding a new location, ultimately signing a lease for the secured grant funding for the exam room equipment last year Island City location just days before Christmas. but hasn't been able to utilize it. 'This will be up and running The nonprofit was formally this week," she said.'This is huge SeeShelter / Pbge 2A
BOARDMAN TO HEMINGWAY
Power line open house scheduled By Kelly Ducote The Observer
A proposed transmission line that would go through Union County — and near Morgan Lake — has been in the works since 2006. Idaho Power initiated the project, which would add 300 miles of new highvoltage transmission line across Southwest Idaho and Northeast Oregon, years ago, but the public is now invited to comment on the project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement that was recently released by the Bureau of Land Management. Open houses on the Boardman to Hemingway project are also scheduled this week. One in La Grande will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Blue Mountain Conference Center. SeeMeeting / Page2A
Cherise Kaechele/The Observer
Carol Lauritzen andTeresa Brain volunteered to help the Shelter From the Storm move into their new location on Saturday. The nonprofit opened this morning at 10901 Island Ave. after a two-week whirlwind of preparing the building for the move.
INDEX Classified.......4B Comics...........3B Community...6A Crossword..... 5B Dear Abby .....SB
WE A T H E R Home.............1B opinion..........4A Horoscope.....5B Record ...........3A Letters............4A Sports ............1C Lottery............2A State...............5A Obituaries......3A Sudoku ..........3B
EDNESDAY I ED ATIO •000
Fu l l forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Tuesday
35 bOW
46/31
Cloudy
Partly sunny
'%+.
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 2 3 sections, 18 pages La Grande, Oregon
STUDENTSELECTEDFOROVERSEAS TRIP •000
•
• •
s I
•
51 1 53 0 0 1 00 I
•000
6