>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

UNION — The second of Union United Inc.’s strategic planning meetings falls this Monday at the Fellowship Hall of the Union United Methodist Church.

Food and refreshments will be offered at 5:30 p.m., with the actual session running 6 to 9.

As with the initial visioning meeting, held over two days in mid-February, the process will be facilitated by Vernita Ediger of the non-profit group Rural Development Initiatives, which Union United contracts with.

For 18 years, the city of La Grande has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation for the city’s commitment to community forestry.

Recently, La Grande was notified it has also been honored with the Tree City USA Growth Award For 2007. Both awards will be officially presented by the Oregon Department of Forestry during Wednesday’s city council meeting. 

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, criteria to merit the “prestigious growth award ... recognizes environmental improvement and higher levels of tree care in Tree City USA communities.”

The innovative legacy La Grande’s Don Calder left as a cherry grower will soon be blossoming again in the Grande Ronde Valley.

Blossoming perhaps like never before.

A cherry tree developed and patented by Calder is available for the first time in several years. Eastern Oregon Nursery and Landscaping in La Grande and Enterprise received 100 of the trees Wednesday.

lighting the way: 36 new street lamps are set to light up Division Street evenings in Elgin. The lighting project, which began last November, is expected to be completed this week. - The Observer/TRISH YERGES

This marks the last phase of the Highway 204 reconstruction project of November 2006. At that time, the city lacked the funds to buy and install the lamp posts and luminaries.

Di Lyn Larsen-Hill has given up her seat on the La Grande City Council.

Less than a year ago, Larsen-Hill was appointed to Position No. 2 when John Bozarth resigned in June 2007.

“It was simply a personal decision. After (previously) serving on the council for 12 years, I realize the time commitment it requires. My personal and professional work loads are just overwhelming right now — something had to give,” Larsen-Hill said Wednesday morning.

The La Grande School Board’s search for a new superintendent has been dealt a setback.

A finalist the board wanted to hire has been lost to a Central Oregon school district.

Rick Molitor, a Central Washington educator, was named the new superintendent of the Madras-based Jefferson County School District on Tuesday, according to The Bulletin newspaper in Bend. Molitor, 41, has been associate superintendent of the Wahluke School District since 2003. He received a three-year contract and will be paid $120,000-plus in his first year.

Welcome to spring in Eastern Oregon.

So far, the week of spring break has brought no break with winter weather. Partly sunny, partly cloudy with a mix of rain, hail, sleet, snow and temperatures dipping below freezing after sundown.

Wednesday night the wintry weather contributed to more than one accident on I-84 and prompted a closure at about 9 p.m. for both east and westbound traffic between Meacham and Pendleton.

Elected and appointed officials from Union and Wallowa counties showed up in La Grande in force Tuesday to register their concerns over ethics reporting requirements mandated by the Oregon Legislature.

During a sometimes-heated discussion of state-mandated requirements on public disclosure, at least three officials said they will quit rather than comply with the new requirements, which they see as too intrusive.

It isn’t flashy: It doesn’t hold big fundraisers or make the front page of the local paper often. It doesn’t take a whole lot of time, effort or overhead to administer, either. But as a service to the community, it works very well.

What is it?

The Underground Network. Most people may not have even heard of it.