PREP WRESTLING INSPORTS, 8A
OVER 300WRESTLERS FROM OVER 20SCHOOLS EXPECTEDTO PARTICIPATE INANNUAL MUILENBURGTOURNAMENT IN OUTDOORS 5.REC, 1C IN HEALTH 5. FITNESS, 6C
BUND COVEVETERANBAGSANELK WITHAUTTLEHELPFROMAFRIEND
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UNION COUNTY
By Kelly Ducote The Observer
The La Grande City Council is no longer set to
hear the site plan application for the new Union County Courthouse. Shelter From the Storm offic ialsdropped an appeal to the site plan application decision Wednesday morning, said La Grande City Planner Mike Boquist.
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LA GRANDE
New courthouse site plan final • Appeal dropped by Shelter From the Storm officials
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Withdrawal of the only appeal to the site plan decision means the city's deci'.;.l I I sion to conditionally approve the site plan stands. "It means it has been Observer file photo deemed a final decision," Bo- Shelter From the Storm officials have quist said. "Once it's a final dropped an appeal to the site plan for the SeePlan / Page 5A new Union County courthouse.
OREGON
CHILD CARE COSTS AMONG NATION'S • La Grande City C ouncil to consider moratoriumat next council meeting in January What's
By Cherise Kaechele The Observer
The La Grande City Council sent the ordinance establishing a moratorium on marijuana facilities to its second reading at Wednesday night's city council meeting. City Planner Mike Boquist said the marijuana facility ordinance recently passed by the city council was rushed due to time constraints and does not address many of the issues that may arise due to the Nov. 4 passage of recreational marijuana. Boquist said the marijuana regulation ordinance was taken from rules similar to thosethe state created. oWe don't have regulations addressing grow sites," Boquist said."If someone were to grow marijuana plants, then there's a concern about mold or health issues that could come from that for the owner or their neighbors." Information submitted to See Council / Page 5A
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IleXt? The council will have the second reading of the ordinance Jan. 14 and must have a unanimous vote to declare an emergency to enact the moratorium, according to City Planner Mike Boquist.
Tim Mustoe/TheObserver
Talia Welch, art teacher at Heidi Ho, helps the students with their art projects. Some of these students use the extended program so they can stay at school while their parents are still at work.
• Report says Oregon ranks as least aIIordable in nation for center-based infant care in 2012 pay $175 or $8,400 per year.
By Cherise Kaechele The Observer
Child care is often a necessary service for working parents. However, according to anauditreleased lastweek by Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown, the state's child carecostsare one oftheleast affordable in the nation. "Child care helps children with early learning and helps parentsenter theworkforce," Brown said in the report. "Oregon has to ensure access to aff ordable child care so that familiescan succeed." Accordingto the release, one national study ranked Oregon as the leastaffordable stateforcenter-based infant carein2012 for a m arried couple. The average yearly cost for center-based care was about $13,000 for an infant;
$10,000 for a 4-year-old; and
At Kids Club in La Grande, the day care center charges
$2.25 per hour the child is thereplusan additional$90 registrat ion fee.On average, a kindergarten student is there for five hours per day, five days a week for a total of $2,700 per year. For a student who spends most of the day at Kids Club, they average approximately two hours per day, five days a week — a
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Aly Glabe, kindergartner at Heidi Ho, colors during class. According to an audit released last week by Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown, the state's child care costs are one of the least affordable in the nation.
$5,000for a school-agechild.
who is at the school three
At Heidi Ho Christian Preschool and Kindergarten in La Grande, a preschool student, 3 yearsold orolder,
days a week costs $145 or $6,960 per year. The parents
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Transition
year looms for district • Kindergarten may be taught in three schools in 2015-16
totalof$1,080 peryear. Tim Mustoe/The Observer
INDEX Calendar........6A Health ............6C Classified.......1B Horoscope.....3B Comics...........7B Lottery............2A Crossvvord.....2B Record ...........3A Dear Abby .....SB Obituaries......3A
LA GRANDE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Opinron..........4A Outdoors .......1C Spiritual Life..6A Sports ............SA Television ......3C
of a preschool student who attends four days a week will
Kids Club is a before- and after-sc hoolprogram, according to Janine Thomas, directorofthe day care center.It's the only one of its kind in La Grande, she said. The center averages approximately45 students per day, ranging from 5 to 12 years old. See Costs / Page 5A
shuffle Kindergartners will be attending school at Willow,
By Dick Mason The Observer
The La Grande School Distric t' skindergarten map may change significantly next fall. All kindergarten classes are now taught at Willow Elementary, but this will likely not be the case during the 2015-16 school year. Kindergartners will be SeeDistrict / Page 5A
Greenwood Elementary and La Grande High School under a preliminary plan the school district is considering adopting.
CONTACT US
R F u ll forecast on the back of B section
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
33 Low
43/20
39/23
Rain and snow
Partly sunny
Sunshine
541-963-3161 Issue 149 3 sections, 26 pages La Grande, Oregon
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Email story ideas to newsC~lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page 4A.
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