Murrill, Hart

Citizens of Union County have a proposal for a wind energy generation facility to be constructed on the southern end of the valley, in close proximity to Hot Lake and the city of Union. Preliminary documents portray a project we feel is fiscally wasteful, aesthetically grotesque and environmentally damaging, and as a result we feel a need to highlight some issues.

Local budgets are lean yet our county commissioners are willing to forgive millions of dollars in revenue by allowing development under a Strategic Investment Program. Federal stimulus money, a large percentage that will be going out of country, is mainly responsible for the project development. Once constructed state tax dollars will be subsidizing the project at an approximate rate of $23.34/MWH.

One of La Grande’s best assets, the Blue Mountain Conference Center, is under new management these days. Here’s wishing the Union County Chamber of Commerce all success in running it.

The center, part of the National Guard Armory on 12th Street near Gekeler Lane, was built in 1998. Since then it has been the site of countless community events ranging from public meetings, to banquets, to seminars and classes and more. It is a hub of community life in the truest sense of the term, and a key factor in Union County’s economic well-being.

Letters and Comments for February 23, 2010

Students at Greenwood and Island City elementary schools will be learning more material faster in the near future, as fiber optic technology goes online. The Oregon Department of Education deserves a big thank you for making it possible.

Letters and Comments for February 22, 2010

Huber, McCracken

As of the Saturday before Valentine’s Day, I found myself engaged to a rabbit, a squirrel, a pheasant, two red-tailed hawks, a coyote and a deer.

It was a peculiar predicament.

When Haiti was shaken by that terrible earthquake, a funny thing happened thousands of miles away in La Grande: kids set an example for adults.

It happened twice at least. In Island City, elementary school students conducted a coin drive that netted some $1,100 for Haiti relief. In La Grande, middle school youngsters raised more than $1,400 for the same urgent cause.