La Grande Observer

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La Grande Observer

Local news, sports, business, arts & entertainment, outdoors, home and opinion for Union and Wallowa

09/11/2024

Bicyclists from around the nation and globe gathered in Elgin this week to kick off the final Cycle Oregon event of the year. The weeklong rally will have riders exploring Elgin and Enterprise, all in the shadow of the Wallowa Mountains.

ELGIN — Cyclists from around the nation and globe gathered in Elgin this week to kick off the final Cycle Oregon event of the year.

09/10/2024

Even though the 2024 wildfire season isn't over, Gov. Tina Kotek says work to recover from the blazes must start immediately. The governor answered questions from EO Media Group journalists on a variety of topics, including housing and Greater Idaho.

LA GRANDE — Even though the 2024 wildfire season in Oregon isn't over, Gov. Tina Kotek says work to recover from the "unprecedented" blazes needs to start immediately.

09/10/2024

Union County officials are trying a different approach for their drug "deflection" program. The plan gives certain drug defendants a chance to opt for treatment instead of prosecution; if they finish treatment, the charge is wiped off their records.

UNION COUNTY — When the 2024 Legislature made possession of small amounts of drugs a misdemeanor, it also gave Oregon counties the chance to develop their own programs designed to

09/07/2024

Warning of the potential for thunderstorms across the region, the National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for Sunday. Forecasters said the storms could bring "abundant lightning."

PENDLETON — Warning of the potential for thunderstorms across the region, the National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for Sunday, Sept. 8.

09/06/2024

A leisurely walking tour of La Grande historic homes offers a hint of bygone craftsmanship and style -- and opens a window into a rich past. Here's how to start your tour.

LA GRANDE — La Grande has always been recognized as a town rich in history and architectural charm.

09/05/2024

The Soda Blitz in downtown La Grande has new co-owners, Shaun and Kristine Halladay. To celebrate, the store will celebrate a ribbon-cutting grand reopening on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.

LA GRANDE — The Soda Blitz, 1609 Adams Ave., will celebrate a ribbon-cutting grand reopening event under new co-owners Shaun and Kristine Halladay on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 11 a.m.

09/05/2024

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has once again declined to submit a statement to Oregon’s state-issued voters’ pamphlet, skipping an opportunity to make his case to the state’s 3 million voters. But Trump will be on the November ballot.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump once again declined to submit a statement to Oregon’s state-issued voters’ pamphlet, skipping an opportunity to make his case to the state’s 3 million voters.

09/05/2024

Children and teenagers in La Grande will again have the chance to explore an outdoor classroom when the Wild School programs start this fall. The program started as a homeschool co-op during the pandemic, but has expanded since then.

LA GRANDE — Children and teenagers will again have the chance to explore an outdoor classroom when the Wild School programs start this fall.

09/05/2024

Warning of high temperatures that could reach 102 in the lower elevations, the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Union County beginning at 1 p.m. Thursday and running until 9 p.m. Saturday.

PENDLETON — Warning of high temperatures that could reach 102 in the lower elevations, the National Weather Service office in Pendleton has issued a heat advisory for Union County beginning

09/03/2024

For people living in the unincorporated community of Bingham Springs, at the bottom of a valley in the Blue Mountains near Tollgate, there's only one way out in the event of an evacuation. In the middle of fire season, that can be worrisome.

UMATILLA COUNTY — As fire season burns across Eastern Oregon, residents living near the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness are feeling boxed in.

09/03/2024

Exciting updates on surgical expansion at Grande Ronde Hospital and welcoming a new orthopedic surgeon while bidding farewell to a beloved doctor.

Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics is honored to welcome Dr. James Mathis, a distinguished Orthopedic Surgeon with over 21 years of surgical expertise, to our team. Dr. Mathis joins our

09/02/2024

A Sunday afternoon traffic crash at Island Avenue and Riddle Road in La Grande has disabled the traffic lights at the intersection. Officials say it could be several days before the traffic lights can be repaired.

LA GRANDE — A Sunday afternoon traffic crash at Island Avenue and Riddle Road in La Grande has disabled the traffic lights at the intersection — and it could be

08/30/2024

A Portland semitruck driver was killed Tuesday afternoon after his truck struck another semitruck on Interstate 84 outside of La Grande. State police said the driver's truck ended up overturned in the median. The other driver was not injured.

08/30/2024

Orv Goddard led local high school athletic teams to numerous triumphs during a career which spanned five decades. But along the way Goddard did much more than win. Goddard died Aug. 13; a celebration of his life is scheduled for Sept. 7

08/30/2024

Oregon’s summer fire season has been unprecedented in the number of acres burned, it’s already cost hundreds of millions of dollars — and it's far from over, Gov. Tina Kotek and wildfire officials warned Thursday.

08/30/2024

Polo is allowing Quinn Evans to see the world. The Union High School graduate recently played for a U.S. team that defeated a French side in a match played in Paris. Now Evans is sharpening his polo skills in a three-month stay in Argentina.

08/28/2024

The future of the Jefferson Avenue Corridor Redevelopment Plan is coming into sharper focus. City councilors got an update this week about the project, which aims to create a more active Jefferson Avenue and a more cohesive downtown.

LA GRANDE — The future of the Jefferson Avenue Corridor Redevelopment Plan is coming into sharper focus.

08/28/2024

Hundreds of bicyclists are gearing up for a Cycle Oregon rally next month that will bring them to Union and Wallowa counties for five days. Businesses are gearing up as well for what they see as a big opportunity.

A sea of bicyclists from around the nation and globe is gearing up for the final Cycle Oregon event of the year, a September rally that will showcase the beauty

08/28/2024

A wildfire southeast of Pendleton has closed westbound lanes of Interstate 84 between Pendleton and Baker City, and the eastbound lanes between the cities remain closed due to a crash outside La Grande. Length of the closures is unknown.

LA GRANDE — Interstate 84 remains closed eastbound on Tuesday, Aug. 27, due to a crash outside La Grande — and its westbound lanes are now closed between Baker City

08/28/2024

La Grande officials say Morgan Lake will reopen for recreational use beginning Wednesday. Overnight camping at the area, which has been halted since late July, also will be permitted beginning Wednesday.

LA GRANDE — La Grande officials say Morgan Lake will reopen for recreational use, effective Wednesday, Aug. 28.

08/27/2024

A vehicle crash outside La Grande has closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 84 from 7 miles east of Pendleton to milepost 304 near Baker City. The closure is due to a crash involving a semitruck and is expected to cause lengthy delays.

LA GRANDE — Interstate 84 is closed eastbound on Tuesday, Aug. 27, due to a crash outside La Grande.

08/27/2024

LA GRANDE — Interstate 84 is closed eastbound on Tuesday, Aug. 27, due to a crash outside La Grande.

08/27/2024

The president of the Oregon Cattleman's Association says the financial disaster wildfires wrought this summer in Eastern Oregon will linger long after the final ember has cooled. And it's a timespan that will be measured not in months, but in years.

Matt McElligott said the financial disaster wrought by the wildfires that have scorched more than 1 million acres this summer in Eastern Oregon will linger long after the final ember

08/26/2024

Fire restrictions on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry-Northeast Oregon District will be lowered from extreme to high fire danger beginning Tuesday. But officials warn that forest fuels remain critically dry.

Fire restrictions on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry-Northeast Oregon District will be lowered from extreme to high fire danger beginning Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 12:01 a.m.

08/22/2024

Officials have lifted all the evacuation notices that had been issued earlier in the week due to the Boulder Creek Fire, burning northwest of Boulder Park in the Eagle Cap wilderness.

Rappellers and firefighting aircraft are responding to a new fire in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

08/22/2024

The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help to locate the person responsible for shooting and leaving a cow elk to waste outside of Elgin.

UNION COUNTY — The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help to locate the person responsible for shooting and leaving a cow elk to

08/21/2024

Citing rule violations and continued high fire danger, La Grande officials have closed Morgan Lake again, effective immediately, the city announced Wednesday. The area had been closed since July 28, but reopened for day use only Monday.

LA GRANDE — La Grande officials have closed Morgan Lake again, effective immediately, the city announced in a news release Wednesday, Aug. 21.

08/20/2024

More than 200 people gathered last week in La Grande to discuss affordable housing in Eastern Oregon. But first, organizers of the Eastern Oregon Housing Summit had to find a venue big enough to accommodate the demand for the event.

LA GRANDE — More than 200 government officials, builders, construction workers and architects met last week in La Grande to discuss housing in Eastern Oregon.

08/19/2024

Update: The Boulder Creek Fire, burning about 1.5 miles northwest of Boulder Park, has triggered evacuation notices Monday for some residents in Union and Baker counties. The 150-acre fire was first reported on Sunday.

Rappellers and firefighting aircraft are responding to a new fire in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

08/19/2024

Rappelers and firefighting aircraft are responding to a new fire in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The 150-acre Boulder Creek Fire was first reported on Sunday. It's burning a few miles north of Boulder Park in Union County.

Rappellers and firefighting aircraft are responding to a new fire in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

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Videos

Live from the scene in Elgin.

EO Media Group has launched a two-part investigative series showing how systemic and cultural obstacles have prompted Indigenous survivors to use their stories of trauma to empower others and encourage change. If you missed the first two stories published over the weekend: “Indigenous women tell stories of violence and recovery,” and “Indigenous assault survivor empowers other traumatized women," you can find them online at lagrandeobserver.com. Look for the second story on Saturday. Resources are available for trauma survivors at the Strong Hearts Native Helpline and the National Sexual Assault Helpline.

The west side of Oregon State University’s Reser Stadium in Corvallis was imploded Friday, Jan. 7.

Annual Christmas parade through downtown La Grande.

The Umatilla County Sheriff's Office has released a portion of body cam footage from the June 20 shooting of an adult male chimpanzee. Sheriff's deputies responded to the the home where the chimpanzee, Buck, had resided for approximately 17 years after receiving a call from the chimpanzee's owner that the primate was out of his cage and had bit her adult daughter, who is 50, multiple times.

Union County Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen

And Union County Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen.

Union County sheriff candidate Bill Miller

And here is Union County sheriff candidate Bill Miller.

Union County sheriff candidate Cody Bowen

It's Election Day. Union County voters as of this morning have returned almost 46% of ballots, according to the Oregon Elections Division, which is well above the state average of 35.1% but still leaves about 10,000 ballots to go. We asked the candidates for Union County sheriff to submit short videos we would share. We're posting the videos from Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen and challengers Bill Miller and Cody Bowen. Candidate Shane Rollins wasn't able to submit a video. We literally pulled names out of a hat to determine the order of posting. Bowen is first.

Oregon 2nd Congressional District Replication Forum - Group 1

Oregon 2nd Congressional District Replication Forum - Group 1 Sponsored by EO Media Group and Alive TV

Behind the Headlines: InterMountain ESD

East Oregonian reporter Antonio Sierra goes behind the headlines with InterMountain Education Service District superintendent Mark Mulvihill to discuss school closures and high school senior graduation requirements.

Time for match 2. No. 14 EOU hosting No. 10 Embry-Riddle Eastern is ready to go

Soccer doubleheader set to begin in less than 10 minutes between Eastern Oregon and Embry-Riddle (AZ). Men at 4, women at 6:30. If you can't make it down, check @lgoBond on Twitter for updates.

Nathan Harden gave EOU a 10-0 lead with this 34 yard field goal. SOU scored on the final play of the half to make it a 10-7 ballgame at the break.

Joaquin Real just scored 82.5 in the saddle bronc riding at the EOLS. It’s officially rodeo season.

Softball coach Kirk Travis and baseball coach Parker McKinley speaking to the fans who went to Pioneer Park to welcome the teams back to town earlier this afternoon.