May 22, 2008 01:03 pm
|
The big blockbuster movie of the summer of 2008 is not “Spiderman does St. Paul” or even “Godzilla eats Denver.”
The sites of the upcoming political conventions are not in jeopardy.
It’s “Super Delegate to the Rescue.”
Yes, for the first time since gas cost 34 cents a gallon and the only
man on the moon was made of cheese, the Oregon primary this spring
played a role in the race for president.
|
May 22, 2008 12:47 pm
Most of us agree that we need a commitment to excellence in our
schools. And to do that the school environment needs to be first rate.
That’s why we salute the La Grande School Board Facilities Committee’s
common sense solution to put a $20 million ceiling on a bond measure
for maintenance and construction in November. In this time of nearly $4
per gallon gas, and rapidly rising costs for milk and bread, pocketbook
issues are becoming all the more important.
|
May 21, 2008 02:24 pm
In a perfect world, the cost of living would always stay the same and
rates for such basic services as water and sewer would never go up.
But since the perfect world has yet to be invented — and likely never
will be — some sharp-toothed little thing is always going to come along
and nibble at the edges of our disposable income. It’s just the nature
of things.
Yes, water and sewer rates in the City of La Grande are going up this year. The decision was cemented last week
when the 14-member La Grande budget committee wound up its
deliberations on the 2008-2009 budget.
|
May 20, 2008 12:35 pm
|
Warm weather brings strange pleasures like hanging the laundry to
dry outside on the line. The same antiseptic qualities of the sun that
dries our denim and other cottons stiff inspire us to pursue small joys
whether it be yard saling, fishing, sunning or preparing a jar of sun
tea.
My dad once told me that people don’t wake up until they are outside
under the sun. “You mean the sun comes through our windows and wakes us
up?” I asked. No, he said, it was more than that — a strict step
required for living bodies to start their day. Going outside was
necessary or else people would be asleep even though they were moving
around.
|
May 20, 2008 12:21 pm
A wave of excitement surged through Northeast Oregon recently with the
campaign visits of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Former President
Clinton visited Baker City on Mother’s Day to campaign for his wife,
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. The other leading contender in the
Democratic race for president, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, visited
Pendleton Sunday as the Oregon primary hit the home stretches.
We’re delighted that Oregon’s primary vote finally mattered for
something in a presidential election. It’s perhaps the first time since
1968 that has been true. But we are scratching our heads over something
else. Why didn’t the Clinton and Obama campaigns pick centrally located
La Grande for the visit?
|
May 19, 2008 02:00 pm
Tuesday is primary election day in Oregon. Ballots are due at the county clerk’s office by 8 p.m.
The Observer editorial board’s endorsements for the primary follow. The board did not make endorsements in every race and does not make endorsements in uncontested races.
|
May 17, 2008 12:00 am
|
Pettit, Slater, Bare, Savage, Hurd, Samples, Ault, Byron, Terry, Lamoreau, Hibbert, Hills, Britton, McDaniel, Costigan, Hassinger, Clements, Shaw, McFetridge, Bozarth, Jones, Beith, Maxwell, Bartel, Fund, Knox, Barber, Erwin, Mendiguren, Ousley, McClure, Burke, Smiley, Clapper
|
May 15, 2008 03:00 pm
|
Most often dog walks are a commune with nature. We overlook the scenery. The dogs race in circles while I stop frequently, professing a sudden fascination with plants.
“Look, a blossoming yellow-bellied craberosa,” I’ll exclaim between panting.
“Sure, Dad,” the dogs seem to say, rolling their eyes. “You’re just old.”
|
May 15, 2008 02:53 pm
|
We are voting yes on the proposed 3,669-acre Mount Emily Recreation Area, which is a yes vote for local control, for sustainable and managed natural resource production, for economic development and for keeping land open for the public for recreation.
Without a viable wood products industry in Union County, every economic and aesthetic aspect of our community suffers — housing prices, goods and services, recreation, quality of life, etc. Today more than ever, the viability of the wood products industry in Union County depends on sustainable production from private timberlands. By far the largest percentage of logs purchased by Boise Cascade comes from private timberlands — less than 10 percent comes from public lands.
|
May 14, 2008 03:36 pm
|
More than 2,500 Carnegie libraries were built around the world between 1883 and 1929. Their benefactor, Scottish-American businessman Andrew Carnegie, was known as the patron saint of libraries.
If Carnegie were alive today, he’d be proud to know that many of these libraries are being converted into arts and culture centers. One that got a major boost forward is the 1909 La Grande building, vacated a few years ago when the Cook Memorial Library was built. Sure, the old library needs some serious sprucing up. But it does hold great potential.
|
|
Opinion