Susan Nason displays the new medical coding book that coders will learn from. Nason is in charge of the Health Information Department at Grande Ronde Hospital where she will help train personnel in the federally mandated ICD-10 medical coding system.

Old system is being upgraded nationwide to one that has 115,000 alpha-numeric codes, each 5 to 7 digits long 

LA GRANDE — Medical coders throughout the United States are under a federally mandated deadline to learn and utilize an entirely new set of medical codes by Oct. 1, 2014.

The current International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision or ICD-9 was developed by the World Health Organization, and it has been in use by coders since 1979. This system with its 24,500 codes seems simplistic now compared to the highly specific ICD-10 system, which has 115,000 alpha-numeric codes, each five to seven digits long. 

To the beat of the music, Jeanette Smith, center, leads a group of La Grande Middle School students in an energetic workout session. Fifty sixth-graders from the La Grande School District have been working out each Friday morning in May, for two hours, at the Grande Ronde Fitness Club as part of the National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. (CHRIS BAXTER/The Observer)

May is “National Physical Fitness and Sports Month” — a good opportunity to promote activity that will carry over for the rest of the year, especially among school children. 

The Grande Ronde Fitness Club in La Grande and the Baker County YMCA in Baker City are doing just that as they invite school children to their clubs to enjoy a fun workout.

“We have had about 50 sixth-graders from the La Grande School District here each Friday this month to work out on the different stations. It’s part of the ‘Adopt a School’ program for kids’ fitness this month,” Club Manager Cory Sudbrock said.  

WOLF CREEK RESERVOIR — Dominic Clay has been trying to beat Michael Rushton for the past three years, and last Saturday, Clay finally crossed the finish line before Rushton.

Clay won the Oregon Trail Sprint Triathlon at Wolf Creek Reservoir, finishing in a time of 1 hour, 4 minutes, 53.1 seconds. 

Lola Smith of La Grande gets a few pointers from birdathon volunteer helper Pat Kennedy on where to look to spot a bird Saturday morning at a viewing area along Foothill Road south of La Grande. (CHRIS BAXTER/The Observer)

The eighth annual Ladd Marsh Bird Festival had a record number of watchers last weekend. 

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist at Ladd Marsh, Cathy Nowak, there were 361 registered participants at the three-day event.

That is up from the 350 the festival had last year.

“We were hoping for that many,” Nowak said. “We expected to do a little better than last year.”

Chris Bohnenkamp and Jon Fregulia jet boat through the Whirlpool Rapids on the Niagara River recently. They became the first people to successfully make it to the base of the Niagara Falls. (Courtesy photo)

Local jet boaters take on Niagara River Gorge

Class 6 rapids, border patrol agents and an all-time first for jet boaters was how Chris Bohnenkamp and Jon Fregulia were introduced to Niagara Falls.

Blake Marlia shows how to target the piriformis (butt) muscle — simply sit on a foam roller and roll back and forth until you find the tight or tender spot. Hold it there until the tension releases. (Lisa Britton photo)

Have a sore muscle? Try “releasing” it by using a foam roller.

Here’s how it feels:

Ow.

Deb Gargalis, Worksource Oregon’s Eastern Region manager, accepts an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Seven Seals Award from State ESGR Chair Norm Koffman (left) and Vice Chair Dan Hitchcock. (Bill Rautenstrauch photo)

Boise Cascade, Deb Gargalis of the Oregon Employment Department and former Observer Publisher Bob Moody honored at Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves conference for helping soldiers find jobs 

PENDLETON — Local community leaders who helped soldiers returning from Iraq find jobs were honored last week during Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves annual planning and awards conference at Wildhorse Resort.

Emilie Montgomery-Jones (left) and Scilla Coe, both of La Grande, ride along with a cattle drive on the Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway Saturday east of Baker City. (Brad Mosher/The Observer)

Cyclists discover great outdoors on 134-mile ride through backcountry

It wasn’t the long uphill climb to the summit on Highway 203 Saturday that impressed most of the three dozen riders in the annual Grande Ronde Spring Ride.

Dr. Eli Mayes will be the new dental provider at the Elgin Health Clinic. He has been collaborating with the Elgin Health District for the last year and a half and will sign a 15-year contract with them later this month. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

Elgin Clinic expands hours, adds dental services 

The Elgin Health District has announced expanded medical hours and full dental services available later this month at the Elgin Health Clinic at 1400 Division St.