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UNION COUNTY COFFEE PRICES
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• Law enforcement's VAWA grants could come under scrutiny if Shelter From the Storm goes away
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By Kelly Ducote The Observer
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Phil Bullock /The Observer
Al MacLeod combines beans to create his Triumph blend, a mix of Colombian, Brazilian and lndian beans used for espresso. MacLeod does not anticipate having to increase prices due to the coffee rust damaging crops in Central and South America.
• Central, South American cofee plant disease unlikely to afect the cost of your cup of Joe By Kelly Ducote The Observer
More information
Coffee loversneed not fear. A fungus called coffee rust that has caused more
Hemileia vastatrix is especially deadly to Arabica beans, which make up most high-end specialty coffees. Scientists believe the spread of the fungus, is due to either climate change, which is bringing more rain to mountainous Latin American regions and is helping the pathogen spread, or by modern mass-farming techniques that have thrown off the ecological balance in which the fungus previously existed. It's possible that both are factors driving the epidemic.
than $1 billion in damage to the coffee crop in Central and South America is unlikely to cause prices to rise at your local coffee house. Al MacLeod, a local roaster and owner of Joe Beans in downtown La Grande, says he's heard of the situation but hasn't felt the effects. "I haven't dealt with the risingcostsatthem oment," he said."Coffee is an agricultural product just like any other harvest-
Phil Bullock/The Observer
MacLeod hasn't noticed a stark increase in coffee prices from his supplier and is hopeful he can absorb anyincreases. Other coffee shop owners say prices should stay unchanged for customers. able commodity." And recent harvests have been hit hard by the coffee rust in Guatemala,
El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica. The fungus is especially See Coffee / Page 5A
Det. Scott Whittington has a specific job. He is charged with investigating domestic violence crimes for the La Grande Police Department, a job outlined by a Department of Justice Violence Against Women Act grant award. "It's easily funded to the full-time position," Whittington said."It keeps me very busy." The three-year grant, which covers Whittington's salary and equipment, including a brand-new car, funds the detective for investigating domestic violence, stalking, restraining order violations and sexual assault crimes in La Grande. 'The unique thing about this is now we have adedicated person to doallthat,and it freesup patrolto do otherthings,"said Whi ttington, who began working under the grant in October 2013. See Grants / Page 5A
NORTH POWDER
Phil Bullock /The Observer
Two North Powder Elementary students flew in this Robinson R-44 helicopter Tuesday.
Books help
amSaignfor river'scar sramSsuSstudents soar The Associated Press
OREGON
SALEM — A coalition of groups in Oregon is preparing for what they say could be a hard-fought campaign to approvea ballotm easure granting driving privileges to people who can't prove they are legal residents of the U.S. Unions, immigrant-rights groups and a hospitality-industry lobby group have started pouring money into theYES on Oregon Safe Roads campaign account,
which launched in early May and
has raised $35,000 sofar. They want voters to approve a measure, which Gov. John Kitzhaber signed last year, grantingfour-year restricted licenses, called driver's cards, to people who don't have documents proving they are in the country lawfully. They say it's aboutpublicsafety and access to transportation for allOr-
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egonians, but opponents say it would reward illegal actions and encourage illegal immigration. The bill was set to go into effect in January, but opponents collected enough signatures last falltoputitbefore the voterson the November ballot this year. It would allow immigrants and others to apply for the driver's cardsifthey havelived in Oregon for at least a year and meet other requirements. The cards cannot be used to vote,
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board aplane,getgovernment benefits or buy firearms. Supporters of the measure don't yet have a campaign budget. But with the May primaries over, they plan to ramp up outreach and fundraising efforts even more.
owe are looking at a pretty sp-
endy campaign," said Jeff Stone, a member of the campaign's leadershipand executivedirector of the Oregon Association of See Cards / Page 5A
Plenty of fun in the sun almost certainly awaits North Powder Elementary School students Eric Newman and Jodi Bingham during their upcoming summer break. The odds are, though, that nothing they do will top what they did Tuesday morning. Eric and Jodi received a ride in a Robinson R-44 heli copter asa reward for beingthe top two readers in their school. The ride was provided free of charge by pilot Troy Woydziak of Baker Aircraft. Woydziak gave Eric, Jodi and See Ride / Page 5A
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Issue 64 3 sections, 34 pages La Grande, Oregon
WALLOWA LAKE GETSNEW MANAGER •000
By Dick Mason The Observer
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