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ALSO INTODAY'S PAPER: CHECK OUT 84AND MORE WAYS TO DISCOVER NORTHEAST OREGON
THE SERVING UNION AND WALLOWA COUNTIES SINCE 1666 I
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OREGON EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
EOU hosts first two presidential candidates during meet-and-greet opportunities
• Proposal will get a full House vote following 5-4 vote Thursday by rules committee
Tim Mustoe/The Observer
Marysz Rames, right, a finalist for the president's position at Eastern Oregon University, speaks with Dixie Lund, left, on Wednesday. Lund is a member of EOU's board of trustees and a former interim president of EOU.
: :• l Dickinson State University provost • Dakota State's interim president optimistic about future of Eastern Oregon : :sees resilience in La Grande university By Dick Mason The Observer
Marysz Rames, the interim president of Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota, is used to working long hours. "I'm a late-night person. I don'tneed a lotofsleep,"the EOU presidential finalist said on Wednesday following a presentation at a public forum. Rames may be a late-night person, but she is speaking
of a new dawn at Eastern Oregon University. "I thought before that Eastern had a bright future, and my visit has reaffirmed this," Rames said at the start ofher presentation at the forum. The many reasons for Rames' optimism include the quality of Eastern's programs, niches of students Eastern is perfectly fit to serve, its new board of See Rames / Page 5A
By Kelly Ducote
got her bachelor's degree at Willamette University, her Looking to bring her interdisciplinary master's educational work full circle, at SouthernOregon UniCynthia Pemberton gave an versity and herdoctorate in energetic presentation at education at Portland State Eastern Oregon University University. Thursday, where she hopes to Recognizing the trials become the university's next Eastern has been through president. lately, her message to faculty, Pemberton, who curstafFand students was "chalrently serves as provost and lengesare opportunities." vicepresident for academic Today, higher education is afFairs at Dickinson State facing many challenges. University in North Dakota, See Pemberton / Page 5A The Observer
By Sheila Kumar
Inbox
The Associated Press
People who use marijuana recreationally after it becomes legal July 1 might face a choice ifa gun background check bill moving through the Legislature becomes law: Consume pot or buy guns legally? Page 11A
SALEM — Despite several attempts by Oregon Republican lawmakers Thursday to derail legislation expanding background checks on gun sales, the proposal will be getting a full House vote. In a5-4 party-linevote, Democrats on the House Rules Committee narrowly approved a bill requiring background checks for nearly all private firearm sales. The proposal has been flying through the Legislature after being introduced in late March, in part because last year's election saw Democrats cement their majorities in both chambers. Two previousattempts topass similar legislation failed in the Senate. If the bill passes, nearly all gun sales and transfers between people who aren't closely related would have totake placein frontofa licensed gun dealer. The gun dealer would then, for a fee, do a background check through the Oregon State Police. There are exemptions for buyers and sellers who live See Bill / Page 5A
Busysummerofroadgrojectslnnms • Oregon Department of Transportation has 30 projects set for this summer
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
m ent, replace old bridges and culverts and other work. While the number of projects is large, the work slated for the By Pat Caldwell summer is not unusual, according to ForThe Observer ODOT Region 5 Public Information OfThe Oregon Department of Transficer Tom Strandberg. "It is all pretty typical of what we do portation is poised to kick ofF a large number of construction upgrade projects every summer," Strandberg said. across Eastern Oregon this summer, One of the largest local projects will including a number of key local road occur on Interstate 84 between Hilgard renovations. State Park and Kamela at exit 246. This The department will labor on 30 venture— actually a projectstretched projects across the region, and a number overseveralyearsand consisting of of those ventures are already under phases — consists of pavement upway. Highway road crews will conduct grades, replacement ofme dian barriers projects to repairand resurfacepaveand construction of climbing lanes. Ac-
INDEX
WE A T H E
Calendar........7A Classified.......1B Comics...........7B Crossvvord.....3B DearAbby.....SB
Health ............6C Horoscope.....3B Lottery............2A Obituaries......3A Opinion..........4A
Outdoors .......1C Record ...........3A Spiritual Life..6A Sports ............9A Television ......3C
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ROAD WORK AHEAD
cording to ODOT, this project — which will include single-lane traffic on both the westbound and eastbound traffic during the construction phase — is slatedtobecompleted by November. Another area project will include crack seal work along fog lanes on both eastbound and westbound lanes of I-84 from North Powder to Baker City. The work is already ongoing and is sched;;~ l l lIllllllll(g)I uled to be finished some time in June. In the La Grande area, ODOT crews will update traffic signals along U.S. Highway 30 and complete some work on Island Avenue with work expected to be Cherise Kaechele/The Observer finished in November. ODOT will also One of the largest local summer projects for the Oregon make intersection renovations and Department ofTransportation will occur on Interstate See Work / Page 5A 84 between Hilgard State Park and Kamela at exit 246.
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541-963-3161 Issue 49 4 sections, 30 pages La Grande, Oregon
MONDAY IN OUTSKIRTS SCOTT NAMED TREE FARMER OF THE YEAR
Save the bate. Zointhe Fun.
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Email story ideas to newsC~lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A.
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This freeevent is sponsored annually by Grande Ronde Hospital, Inc. for promotinghealth, vt lellness...and just for the fun ofit! •
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Includesthe 17th Grande Ronde Rehab Run. More info at www.grh.org
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