October 28, 2009 03:05 pm
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 WIND MACHINES: Turbines like these at the Elkhorn Valley Wind Farm at Telocaset may rise on Craig Mountain southeast of La Grande if the state Energy Facility Siting Council approves Horizon Wind Energy’s plan to build the Antelope Ridge Wind Farm. Observer file photo Horizon Wind Energy’s plans to build a 300 megawatt wind farm near
La Grande picked up steam last week as the company formally filed a
site application with the state Energy Facility Siting Council.
Horizon plans to build the Antelope Ridge Wind Farm on a 47,000-acre
site in the area of Craig Mountain, about 10 miles southeast of La
Grande. The site is said to be one of the windiest in all the Pacific
Northwest.
“This is a great area. The wind peaks in the winter time, which is
when people need power the most,” said Horizon spokeswoman Valerie
Franklin.
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October 21, 2009 03:26 pm
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 Donna and Mark Beverage UNION — Joshua and the 10 other Beverage grandchildren all are named after something at Joshua’s Country Store and Inn at 1598 N. Cove St., Union.
Mark and Donna Beverage bought a small ranch nestled in Union and restored it into a quaint country store and bed and breakfast in July of this year.
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October 14, 2009 03:31 pm
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 the boss: Dave Lowry bought Johnson Electric 14 years ago, and built it into a successful business serving commercial, agricultural and residential accounts throughout the region. Observer photo/BILL RAUTENSTRAUCH In times of economic stress and strain, it’s good to know that some
Union County businesses are intact and growing. Witness Johnson
Electric, a homegrown success story if ever there was one.
Recently the company, which provides family-wage jobs and benefits
for nine people, moved into spanking new headquarters at 62234 Landmark
Lane, off Pierce Road, near the Outdoors RV plant.
The 40-by-96 building, put up this summer, has plenty of room for
offices, company vehicles and a huge inventory of electrical supplies.
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October 14, 2009 03:28 pm
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As summer wound down in Union County and greater Eastern Oregon,
news from the Oregon Employment Department was less than upbeat.
Regional Economist Jason Yohannan reported that the jobless rate in
Union County climbed in August after two months of slight improvement.
The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 11.5 percent for
the month.
“After a couple of months of improvement, August’s unemployment rate
changed direction and moved back to its highest level since May,”
Yohannan said.
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October 07, 2009 03:35 pm
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 NEW MAN ON BOARD: Jason McNeil, of Resource Assistance for Rural Environments, recently joined the La Grande Community and Economic Development Department for an 11-month internship. He will concentrate mainly on implementation of the Oregon Main Street Program. - The Observer/BILL RAUTENTRAUCH Local efforts related to the Oregon Main Street Program will get a boost with the addition of an intern to the City of La Grande’s Community and Economic Development Department.
Jason McNeil, an intern from the University of Oregon’s Resource Assistance for Rural Environments project, came on board Sept. 21, joining a staff that includes Community and Economic Development Director Charlie Mitchell, Planner Mike Boquist and Planning Secretary Barbara Trick.
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September 30, 2009 03:13 pm
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Oregon Trail Electric Co-Op was recently honored with a first-place
award for its YouTube video productions and a second-place award for
its radio program “Your Voice,” which is aired locally on KLBM/KBKR.
The awards, from the Northwest Public Power Association, were both in the Wild Card category.
“It truly is an honor to be recognized,” said OTEC Communications
Specialist Michael Howe. “There were a number of worthy entries and for
OTEC to receive these honors is quite humbling.”
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September 23, 2009 03:09 pm
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 LOCAL BUSINESS ON DISPLAY: Oregon State fairgoers visit the display set up by Sun Storage of Joseph. The business, owned by Jonathan Monschke and Louis Perry, builds solar array packages and markets them nationwide. Submitted photo Sun Storage, a Joseph-based solar energy company, was among a select
group of businesses featured in the second annual Sustainable Energy
pavilion at the 2009 Oregon State Fair, held recently in Salem.
Sun Storage joined its photovoltaic panel supplier, SolarWorld, in representing solar energy at the popular exhibit.
Prominent among the broad variety of technology booths, the solar
energy exhibit was a go-to site for those interested in solar power for
on- or off-grid application.
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September 23, 2009 03:06 pm
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Just about anybody can benefit from instruction in money management,
most anytime. In a tough recession, people need it even more.
That’s why the Region 13 Worksource Oregon Board is getting set to
unveil “Financial Fitness” workshops in Union, Baker and Wallowa
Counties.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
In La Grande, the classes will be held 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 6 and Oct. 8 at the Oregon Employment Department building, 1901 Adams Ave.
In Baker City, sessions are planned 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 20 and Oct 22 at the Baker County Senior Center, 2810 1/2 Cedar St.
In Enterprise, the workshops will take place 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 27 and Oct. 29 at the employment office, 104 Litch St.
The workshops are free, but pre-registration is required.
Those wanting to attend the La Grande sessions should call 541-963-7111. The Baker City number is 541-523-6331. In Enterprise, call 541-426-4972.
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September 16, 2009 03:59 pm
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To help promote small businesses, the Oregon Department of
Transportation’s Procurement Office has created the Small Contracting
Program for Construction.
The goal of the program is to increase economic opportunities for
Oregon workers and businesses, diversify the size of companies that are
awarded ODOT construction contracts and boost participation in
transportation projects.
To do this, a selection of ODOT construction projects valued at
$100,000 or less have been set aside for this program. Only contractors
who have pre-qualified under the Small Contracting Program for
Construction will be eligible for these contracts.
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September 16, 2009 03:57 pm
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 Flu Fighter: The Undetectable Nasal Insert invented by local resident David Foggia could be used as a vaccine delivery system. The Observer/PHIL BULLOCK Two little polyester balls, connected by a short piece of
monofilament. Inventions — especially those with the potential to
change the world — just don’t get any simpler than that.
David Foggia, a La Grande resident with a penchant for innovation,
believes his Undetectable Nasal Insert, invented initially to help
people cope with bad odors, has bigger, far more important
applications. It could even play a role in fighting flu pandemics.
He’s so convinced, he’s asking the Food and Drug Administration to
evaluate the device for use as a vaccine delivery system and a pathogen
destroyer. And he’s hoping to see the day when health-conscious people
everywhere are using it.
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