Elkhorn Media Group

12/04/2025

UNION -- During windy winter days, unbagged trash or unsecured cans can easily blow over city streets. Properly secured bags and cans will help prevent a lengthy and obnoxious cleanup

UNION – In a recent newsletter, the City of Union posted a reminder from Union ...Read More

12/04/2025

I-84 WESTBOUND CLOSED BETWEEN BAKER CITY AND PENDLETON. CLOSURE EXTENDED TO ONTARIO FOR TRUCKS.

LA GRANDE -- UPDATE 3:00 P.M. -- I-84 Westbound is now closed between Ontario and Pendleton to trucks/CMVs. The closure for all other traffic remains in place between Baker City and Pendleton.

OR-245 between Unity and Salisbury is also restricted to local traffic only.
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UPDATE 2:15 P.M. from ODOT: I-84 westbound is closed between Baker City and Cabbage Hill, milepost 302 to 224, due to a crash. Closure is expected to last a few hours. OR 204/Tollgate is closed to non-local traffic and is not a viable detour route for I-84 traffic.
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UPDATE 2:00 P.M. -- For La Grande residents, the LGPD will be diverting westbound traffic on east Adams onto Island Ave to ease congestion.
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ODOT is reporting a closure Westbound on I-84, 4 miles East of La Grande MP 265 - 224 westbound due to a crash near milepost 259.

OR-204 is restricted to local traffic only.

The La Grande Police Department are reporting congestion and Adams Avenue due to the closure. Local drivers may need to find an alternative route through town.

Stay tuned for further updates.

12/04/2025

VALE -- The reasons for the local education triumph vary with each district but the existence of a countywide truancy ordinance – approved by the Malheur County Court in 2023 – is seen by many officials as a key factor in the attendance boost.

VALE — The Malheur Education Service District has issued a release regarding a significant boost ...Read More

12/04/2025

🎁 The Christmas Toy Drive is ON! 🎁
La Grande Les Schwab has teamed up with Elkhorn Media Group, Ed Staub & Sons, House to Home Furnishings, and Paul Swigart Country Financial to help bring Christmas joy to hundreds of kids right here in Union County!

We’re collecting new, unwrapped toys now through December 15th — and we’d love your help!

✨ Drop-off locations:
• La Grande Les Schwab
• Paul Swigart Country Financial (La Grande & Baker City)
• Ed Staub & Sons Island City
• House to Home Furnishings La Grande

Let’s make this holiday season brighter for local families. ❤️🎄
Thank you for giving!

12/04/2025

JOHN DAY - Grant County Fairgrounds Manager Mindy Winegar said, "The RV park [project]—it’s been slow, but it is coming along. We did get the zone change. It was mostly residential, so we got it re-zoned to park reserve. We are still trying to get the site review done...We go to [John Day] City Council on [December] 9th, at 7 p.m.”

STORY: https://elkhornmediagroup.com/grant-county-fairgrounds-making-progress-on-added-camping-spaces/

PODCAST: https://omny.fm/shows/coffee-time/december-03-grant-county-fairgrounds

JOHN DAY – The Grant County Fairgrounds is working toward expanding their RV park by ...Read More

12/04/2025

EASTERN OREGON -- Additional detections have been reported in eastern Oregon, where early-season duck and raptor mortalities and snow goose deaths have occurred.

EASTERN OREGON – (Release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) People across Oregon ...Read More

12/04/2025

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12/04/2025

Congratulations to our White Christmas Ticket Winners. You have each won a pair of tickets to the Elgin Opera House for this Friday Night.
Please check your email to find out how to claim your prize
⛄Edward Gray
🎄Elena Bandel
⛄Jessica Hunt
🎄Landen Newberry
⛄Lacey Bluhm
🎄Paylan Hampton
⛄Jessica Green
🎄Mandy Springer
⛄Denise Mills
🎄Lisa Hays

12/04/2025

MAN ARRESTED ON A UNION COUNTY WARRANT FOR 10 COUNTS OF ENCOURAGING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE OUT ON BAIL

LA GRANDE – UPDATE 12/04/25 — CORNELIUS RELEASED FROM CUSTODY AFTER POSTING BAIL

Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen has confirmed to the Elkhorn Media Group newsroom that Thomas Melvin Cornelius is no longer in custody at the Union County Jail. Cornelius posted $1,000 bail on Tuesday after a local judge set his bail at $10,000, despite a request from the Union County District Attorney’s Office $50,000 bail.

Sheriff Bowen said he wants the community to be aware that Cornelius is once again out in the community pending further court proceedings.

Cornelius, age 60, was arrested on November 30 by the La Grande Police Department on a Union County Secret Indictment Warrant for 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a Class B felony. The arrest took place at an apartment at 1502 21st Street in La Grande.

LGPD confirmed they executed the arrest. The underlying investigation, however, was conducted by the Union County Sheriff’s Office, with the warrant originating from the Oregon Department of Justice.

According to public court records, the case was filed on November 20, 2025. The charges span individual offense dates ranging from June 30, 2024 to February 12, 2025.

A plea hearing is scheduled for December 29, 2025.

Sheriff Bowen emphasized public awareness given the severity of the charges and the reduced bail decision.

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Original article:

LA GRANDE – On Sunday, November 30, 2025, at around 10:40 a.m., 60-year-old Thomas Melvin Cornelius was arrested by the La Grande Police Department on a Union County Secret Indictment Warrant for original charges of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse 10x. The arrest occurred at an apartment at 1502 21st Street in La Grande.

The LGPD confirmed their agency carried out the arrest but noted that the actual s*x abuse investigation was conducted locally by the Union County Sheriff’s Office. UCSO in turn confirmed that the warrant originated from the Department of Justice but elected not to provide additional information beyond that publicly released in the press log at this time.

According to public court records, a case was filed on November 20, 2025. The full charges include ten counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree (a Class B felony), with individual charge dates ranging from June 30, 2024, to February 12, 2025.

A plea hearing is currently scheduled for December 29, 2025. Bail for Cornelius is set at $10,000.00

12/04/2025

HARNEY COUNTY-Frosty Fest Light Parade is almost here as well as the sign up deadline.

HARNEY COUNTY-Frosty Fest Light Parade will be taking place Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 5:00pm. ...Read More

12/04/2025

🎉 HAPPY BIRTHDAY & ANNIVERSARY SHOUTOUTS! 🎉
Today’s birthday submissions for December 4
🎈Happy Birthday Keshia Zamarron- From Katrina
🎈Happy Birthday Destiny Wecks- From your Friends and Family
🎈Happy Birthday Trevor Buck- From Aimee
🎈Happy 9th Birthday Roland Dillon- From mom, dad and your brother

🎂 Today’s (12/4) Papa Murphy’s Pizza Winner: Trevor Buck🥳

We’re celebrating YOU on Real Country 104.7 KCMB and 102.3 The River every weekday morning around 7:20 AM during our Birthday & Anniversary Show!
Want to have your favorite person’s birthday or anniversary announced on the show?
📧 Email [email protected] with:
✨ Name
🎈 Birthday or anniversary date
💖 Age or years married
📬 Who the wish is from
📞 A good contact number & address
Each weekday, one lucky name is drawn to win a Pizza from Papa Murphy’s in La Grande — open 10AM–8PM, 7 days a week in La Grande!
📲 Don’t forget — you can stream ALL our stations anytime on the FREE Elkhorn Mobile App and at www.ElkhornMediaGroup.com

12/04/2025

ROAD CONDITIONS for December 4, 2025

(All reports below are according to the last update by ODOT via Tripcheck and WSDOT)

**OREGON**

I-84 Ontario- No Report
I-84 Three Mile Hill- Bare Pavement
I-84 Burnt River Canyon- Spots of Ice
I-84 Pleasant Valley- Spots of Ice
I-84 Baker Valley- Spots of Ice
I-84 Ladd Canyon- Spots of Ice
I-84 Perry- Spots of Ice
I-84 Meacham- Spots of Ice
I-84 Cabbage Hill Westbound- Bare Pavement- Ground Fog
I-84 Cabbage Hill Eastbound- Bare Pavement- Ground Fog
I-84 Pendleton- Spots of Ice
I-84 Hermiston- Bare Pavement- Ground Fog
I-84 Biggs Junction- Bare Pavement
I-84 Arlington- Bare Pavement
I-84 Hood River/The Dalles- Bare Pavement
I-84 Cascade Locks- Bare Pavement
I-84 Troutdale- Bare Pavement
US197 The Dalles- Bare Pavement
US197 Maupin– Bare Pavement
US20 Burns – Spots of Ice
US20 Stinkingwater Summit- Spots of Ice
US20 Juntura- Bare Pavement
US20 Vine Hill- No Report
US26 Ochoco Summit- Spots of Ice
US26 Austin Junction- Spots of Ice
US26 Eldorado Pass- Spots of Ice
US26 Brogan Hill- Bare Pavement
US395 Pendleton South- Sports of Ice- Ground Fog
US395 Canyon Mountain- Packed Snow
US395 Battle Mountain – Spots of Ice
US395 Devine Summit- Spots of Ice
US395 Meadowbrook- Spots of Ice
US395 Long Creek- Spots of Ice
US395 Lakeview- Spots of Ice
US95 Jordan Valley- Bare Pavement
US95 Basque- Bare Pavement
US97 Moro – Bare Pavement
US97 Shaniko- Bare Pavement- Ground Fog
US97 Cow Canyon – Bare Pavement
US97 Bend- Bare Pavement
ORE11 Pendleton - Milton Freewater- Spots of Ice- Ground Fog
ORE19 Condon- Bare Pavement
ORE204 Weston Mountain- Bare Pavement- Ground Fog
ORE204 Tollgate- Packed Snow
ORE207 Heppner-Spray- Spots of Ice
ORE244 Ukiah- Spots of Ice
ORE3 Flora- No Report
ORE7 Tipton Summit-Spots of Ice
ORE7 Sumpter- Spots of Ice
ORE78 Folly Farm- No Report
ORE82 Minam Summit- Spots of Ice
ORE82 Enterprise- Spots of Ice
ORE86 Halfway Hill- Spots of Ice

A-Carry Chains or traction tires
B-Chains required on vehicles towing or over 10,000 GVW
C-Chains Required. Traction tires allowed in place of chains on vehicles under 10,000 GVW and not towing. Vehicles towing must use chains.

**WASHINGTON**

I-82 Oregon State Line to Kennewick, WA- Clear roads, slower traffic at Umatilla Bridge
I-90 Snoqualmie Pass- Bare and Wet, Snow and Slush in Places. Traction Tires Advised, Oversize Vehicles Prohibited.
US395- Pasco to Ritzville- Clear Traffic, No Alerts
US12 Walla Walla- Clear Traffic, No Alerts
US12 White Pass (West of Yakima)- Bare and Wet
US195 Colfax to Spokane- Wet
I-82 Manatash (Yakima to Ellensberg)- Mostly Bare and Dry
I-97 Satus Pass (Biggs Jct. to Toppen*sh) – Bare and Dry, Wet in Some Places