HORIZON WIND ENERGY, owner of the Elkhorn Valley wind farm at Telocaset (pictured above), hopes to build a second facility, the Antelope Ridge wind farm, near Union in 2011. The company says the two wind farms combined will provide revenues between $2.7 million - 6 million to local governments. The proposal to build the Antelope Ridge wind farm has met with stiff local opposition. - BILL RUATENSTRAUCH

Not only that, the two winds farms combined will account for more than 300 construction jobs and more than 90 direct, indirect and induced jobs.

But not everybody is buying it.

Elgin community members and students signed hundreds of footprints pledging their support for a drug-free community. The footprints are displayed in the high school’s gym. The footprints were signed as part of a drug awareness program led by Elgin High School students Rachael Jones, Lauren Sauers and Taylor Luse. - Submitted photo

This is why news of the three drug-related murders in the Elgin area last summer left the EHS students determined.

News of the Liberty Theatre renovation plans is an exciting possibility to those of us who once attended movies there, at the elite movie theatre in town.

That was where I watched all of the Shirley Temple movies and marveled over the little girl of the golden curls and cute dresses. I had all of her paper doll cut-outs until they ended up in our furnace by an over-zealous father in clean-up mode.

“You can buy more,” he encouraged as the last of the Dionne quintuplets followed suit as part of the moving to another house clean-up had progressed to almost all of the paper dolls standing on a ledge around the back porch, my failing for not having put them away in shoe boxes when play was last ended.

City worker Rick Croghan helps guide a block as it is lowered Thursday during the construction of a new batting cage complex at Optimist Field. DICK MASON/The Observer

A new batting cage complex is being installed. The complex, which will have two cages, is part of a community service project involving many volunteers.

The complex, which will replace the present one, will be safer for two reasons:

Jim Mollerstrom hopes the second time is the charm.

Mollerstrom, a 31-year La Grande resident with a long history of community service to his credit, announced this week he will run for county commissioner in November.

Two years ago, he tried for a board of commissioner’s seat but lost out to Mark Davidson. He said his desire to serve remains as strong as ever.

As community talk about the City of La Grande’s budget crunch continued Wednesday night, Mayor Colleen Johnson announced that the city manager and department directors have volunteered to take a wage freeze.

In a town hall meeting at the fire hall, Johnson said staff members have volunteered to give up cost-of-living and step increases for the next fiscal year.

Keith Stebbings, Wallowa Avalanche Center Director, teaches and practices avalanche testing in Wallowa County's backcountry. - Submitted photo

“The need has been obvious to local backcountry people for years,” said Roger Averbeck, longtime Wallowa County backcountry skier, guide, avalanche safety trainer and Wallowa Avalanche Center board member.

JOSEPH — We went out to photograph a rough-legged hawk, which are numerous this time of year, but every one of them got nervous and flew away when I got within camera range.

As we were returning home in disappointment, there was a bald eagle sitting in a cottonwood tree right along the road. He paid no attention to us, so I was able to get the accompanying picture, and consequently make the bald eagle my bird of the month.

Last visit I talked with you about traditions and habits in our lives that make us feel connected or comfortable with family and friends. But what happens when you find yourself involved in a tradition or custom from another culture that makes you feel threatened or uncomfortable?

I want to share one of those times where both Dale and I felt very uncomfortable and perhaps even a bit threatened.

This happened during the observance of a sporting event. Here in the United States sports are a part of nearly everyone’s lives in some way or another. Take watching a football or basketball game for example. We go to a game, find our seat, visit with friends, get up for a hot dog or a soft drink, come and go without any thought. We have fun and enjoy the people around us. Previously, I wouldn’t have put a sporting event into either a tradition or custom bin, but after the event I’m going to share with you, I think I would.

Union-Baker and Umatilla-Morrow education service district logos will not be appearing on television’s Antiques Roadshow in the near future, but they may soon be collectibles, the type coveted by local historians.

The logos’ stock might rise because the Union-Baker and Umatilla-Morrow ESDs may soon voluntarily merge. Their two names would be replaced by a single one — the Intermountain Education Service District.

The title, already agreed upon by both education agencies, would reflect a sense of equality a merger between the larger Umatilla-Morrow ESD and the Union-Baker ESD would have, according to Umatilla-Morrow ESD Superintendent Mark Mulvihill.