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HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR HANNAH HULSE SPEARHEADS PROJECT,SERVES ON CITY COUNCILAS STUDENT COUNCILOR IN SPORTS, 8A
IN OUTSKIRTS, 7A
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OREGON WINTER WEATHER
STATE'S SNOWPACK CONDITIONS
• Lawmakers convene today in legislative session where numbers favor Democrats In COntml
By Taylor W Anderson
WesCom News Servrce
Tim Mustoe/The Observer
Cade Cunningham and Owen Cunningham play in the snow Friday afternoon at the ski resort near Spout Springs. The resort is closed, with no activity because of the lack of snow this winter.
• Eastern Oregon snowpack levels at 69 percent of normal, according to USDA experts By Cherise Kaechele
~
The Observer
The SALEM — The 78th Democ r ats Oregon Legislative Assembly hold a 18-12 will be just hours old after it a d v antage in convenes Monday when con- the Oregon troversial bills from the last S e n ate and a 35-25 session will begin moving. It will mark a quick start ad v antage in on pieces oflegislation that the House. were considered by both sideslastsession to besome of the biggest non-budgetary issues. Two failed by a single vote in the Senate. Another that would lower the carbon content of Oregon fuels could imperil other proposals. With strong Democratic majorities in both chambers, Oregonians are poised to see what happens when one party holds enough power to pass See Session / Page5A
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Oregon's snowpack is looking dismal for much of the state. For Eastern Oregon, the "normal" has become less than what it really should be, but conditions may improve. A recent video by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service said Western and Central Oregon has not seen a lot of snow accumulation this year. owe have very few storm systems moving through ithis year)," said USDA Hydrologist Julie Koeberle.SWe have picked up little snow. Western and central snowpack is well below normal." However, in an interview, Koeberle said for our neck of the woods, the Grande Ronde Valley is seeing 65 percent normal snowpack for this time of year. "Eastern Oregon, even though the snowpack is below normal, it is in better shape than its western neighbors, which is good," Koeberle said."The one thing different than last year is snowpack is better for most parts in Eastern Oregon and we've been wetter than last year. October and December were really wet months." JeffBloom, recreational specialistfortheforestserviceout of Walla Walla, Washington, was at Spout Springs Ski Resort Friday afternoon. He said the resort is "probably half of normal or less." Bloom said the resort was able to open for only one See Snow / Page5A
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School district targets publicity
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Posted • Cove starting meetings effort tobetter Cove's Bruce publicize meetings Neil said
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By Dick Mason The Observer
The Cove School District is launching an effort to advertiseitsboard meetings more thoroughlyand improve the proceduresitfollowsat meetings. The district is taking thisstep in response to requests by Arnold Coe of Cove, a retired school district superintendent. Coe recently See Cove / Page5A
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meeting notices were posted at the Cove Post Office and outside the front door of the elementary school building.
EndofdighornsheegheNcouldhelgolhers Courtesy photo
Biologists plan to use a helicopter to capture the three known survivors of the Sheep Mountain herd of bighorns.
INDEX Classified.......4B Home.............1B Comics...........3B Horoscope.....5B Community...6A Lottery............2A Crossword.....5B Obituaries......3A Dear Abby .....SB Opinion..........4A
• Sheep Mountain bighorn sheepherd on Idaho-Oregon border to becaptured WE A T H E R
Outskirts ........7A Record ...........3A Sports ............SA State.............12A Sudoku ..........3B
EDNESDAYI ED CATIO •000
BOISE, Idaho — The Sheep Mountain herd ofbighorns on the Idaho-Oregon border once contained nearly 90 members until the arrival ofbacterial pneumo-
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SHEEP MOUNTAIN
By Keith Ridler The Associated Press
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River in the upper end of Hells Canyon. nia. Now, biologists plan to use a "Nobody has seen a sheep on the helicopter this week to capture the Oregon side in a long time," said three known survivors in Idaho Brian Ratliff, a wildlife biologist with the Oregon Department of and search for others that might be on the Oregon side of the Snake SeeHerd / Page5A
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Issue 14 2 sections, 20 pages La Grande, Oregon
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