PORTLAND — The discovery of blue-green algae in an Eastern Oregon reservoir has the Oregon Health Authority worried that drinking water near Heppner could be contaminated.

SALEM — After what one lawmaker called a “good old-fashioned legislative debate,” the state Senate on Monday rejected a $6.55 billion public school budget.

La Grande Beautification Award winner for a business is The Potter’s House thanks to some vigilant and diligent plant and landscape nurturing by Judy Jensen. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

Two lovingly landscaped lots were recently given La Grande Beautification awards.

American Legion members salute the American flag as they are disposed of in a Flag Day ceremony Friday. The Legion has an annual event to dispose of unserviceable flags in a dignified way. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

The American Legion Post No. 43 disposed of more than 100 unserviceable flags Friday.

The decision to scrap the Economic Improvement District has many wondering what the future holds for La Grande’s downtown 

After more than a year of planning to establish an Economic Improvement District, La Grande Main Street’s attempt to gain stable funding came to a halt last week leaving Main Street members wondering what the next step is for the program.

Wildfire season is in full swing in Colorado and a pair of fire crews from the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest are on the front lines as that state battles to get a handle on the growing number of blazes.

Dennis Clark, right, has led one of the most successful FFA chapters in Northeast Oregon over the past three decades. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

UNION — The phone call was one for the ages. About 20 years ago, Union High School agriculture teacher Dennis Clark was awakened at 6 a.m. by a city official who had alarming news. 

Sgt. Tyler Stuck, 25, a member of Eastern Oregon’s Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, Oregon Army National Guard, guides an M1A2-SEP tank off of a railcar at the Orchard Training Area south of Boise, Idaho. (Pat Caldwell/For The Observer

3rd Battalion moving tanks to Idaho training area for July exercise 

ORCHARD TRAINING AREA, Idaho — Guiding 70 tons of steel and several million dollars worth of high-tech gadgetry off a narrow railroad car on the high desert carries the potential to make anyone nervous.

Eastern Oregon University senior Timmy Brown is the valedictorian and President’s Scholar of Eastern’s Class of 2013. Brown will graduate from Eastern on Saturday with bachelor of science degrees in math and computer science and a bachelor of arts degree in English, all with high honors. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

Eastern Oregon University senior Timmy Brown is fast becoming a skilled language translator. Brown is converting an anthology of short stories by the popular Swiss author Peter Bichsel from German into English. Brown’s work has caught the attention of a book company in India, which may publish the translation the EOU student is completing.