100 Years Ago

April 24, 1921

Heavy snow falling again in the Blue Mountains has made the Old Oregon Trail practically impassible between Meacham and the road from Hilgard east. Work of opening the highway for travel started last week by N.K. Olmstead demonstrating the Shawnee Power grader under the auspices of the Eastern Oregon Auto Club will continue this week through to La Grande. While cars are making the trip over the mountain, the road is reported in bad condition from Dead Man’s Pass to the bottom of California Gulch approaching La Grande. Of the 52 miles over the mountains, about half are hard to travel and the rest in fair condition.

50 Years Ago

April 24, 1971

Despite near blizzard conditions Hermiston High School’s track team ran away from Redmond Friday, 81-55. “It snowed off and on throughout the meet, and when it wasn’t snowing the wind blew,” said Hermiston Coach Terry Boatman. Yet the Bulldogs got double wins from Rick Meyers, George Wells and Randy Kraut to whip the Panthers. Boatman said sprint times were slow because of the conditions but his own Glenn Counsell and Redmond’s Bob Berchtold ran head to head in both the 100-yard dash and the 220. Berchtold nipped Counsell in both but Counsell’s 220 time was his best of the season.

25 Years Ago

April 24, 1996

Equipped with shovels and tree seedlings, boys from Homestead Youth Lodge in Pendleton did their part recently to restore a section of Two Mile Creek near Meacham. Working in teams and braced against rain and snow, the boys planted between 750 and 1,000 ponderosa pine and Douglas fir trees along the stream, restoring its bank as it meanders through a mountain meadow. Years from now the work accomplished by the Homestead teens will pay off with vibrant fish habitat and clear, cold water shaded by tall evergreens. But directors at Homestead Youth Lodge say a more immediate payoff is encouraging a better lie for troubled kids.