SPORTS
EOU hauls in awards
WEDNESDAY
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☎✆✝✝ ✞✟
✠✡ ☛☞✌ ✍✎ ✡✏✑
✒✓✔✑ ✕✖✏✗✠✘✙ ✚✏✑✠✡✑✘
✛✠✔✔ ✜✢✣✤✥✦✧✤★✩✜✩ ✪✘
✗✗✗✤✑✪✫✤✑✬✫✭✡✏✑✠✡✘✑
✮✪✘ ✡✍✖✯✑✡✰
↔↕➙➙↕➛➜➝↕➞➟➠➡➛➡➢
➸➺➺➻➻➼➽➾➺➺➚➪➶➼➹➚➘➻➴➚➷➴➬➪➮➷➘➪➱➹➺➪➘✃➬➘❐❒➼❮❮➘➪➺❮❰➹Ï➮✃
➤ ➥➦➧➨➩ ➫➭ ➯➲➳➵ ➤ $1.50
Cove area residents
exchange goodwill
during tour of Vietnam
❇✱ ❺✷❻❼ ❽✳✸♦✴
❚❤✻ ✼✽✾✻✿✈✻✿
Four Cove area motorcyclists rolled into
the past and reached out to the less fortu-
nate during a recent visit to Vietnam.
The motorcyclists, Phil Hassinger and
his adult sons, Jed and Seth, along with
family friend Craig Schmitt, delivered 200
pounds of children’s clothing to impover-
ished rural communities during a tour of
northern Vietnam. The clothes, primarily
sweaters, jackets and coats, were all do-
nated by Union County residents.
Word of the party’s arrival in the rural
communities always spread rapidly.
“All of a sudden there would be a
(friendly) mob. People would show up
right away,” Seth Hassinger said.
The Hassingers and Schmitt, who were
making their tour with Mototours Asia,
also extended a hand to a rural hospital.
With the assistance of trucks and vans
in their caravan, their party brought six
wheelchairs to a hospital in rural Viet-
❾❿➀➁ ➂➃➄➅ ❿➇➄ ➈➄➉➊➄➋➄➌ ➍➎ ➈➄ ➍➃➄ ➏➇➐➍
wheelchairs the hospital has had.
➑➒➂➃➄ ➃➎➐➓➊➍❿➉➔➐ ➐➍❿→➣ ↔❿➐ ↕➙➐➍ ➄➛➐➍❿➍➜
ic,” Phil Hassinger said, noting the en-
➍➊➇➄ ➐➍❿→ ➛❿➀➄ ➍➎ ➐➄➄ ➍➃➄ ❿➇➇➊➋❿➉ ➎➝ ➍➃➄
wheelchairs.
The Hassingers had picked up two
of the wheelchairs at a Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hanoi after
making prior arrangements. The other
four wheelchairs had been purchased by
the Mototours Asia group leader.
Even though there are no speed limits and
rough roads in rural Vietnam, riding motor-
cycles seemed to be relatively safe to Seth
Hassinger because the party encountered
❲❳❨❩t❬❭❪ ❫❴❳t❳
➲❛❦❜✉ ❹❧⑦➳❜❝❝ ⑧✇③❢③ ①❜❝⑦ ③✇➳❢ ✇♣ ❝⑦❢ ➳❦❞✐➵❜❢❝❞❦➳❢③❢ ⑧❢✇⑧♥❢ ⑦❜③ ⑧❦❛❝✐ ➳❢❝
q⑨❛❜❞✉ ❜❝③ ➳✇❝✇❛❧✐❧♥❢ ❝✇⑨❛⑤
no accidents during their rides. However,
riding motorcycles in cities such as Hanoi,
Vietnam’s capital, is hair-raising.
Phil Hassinger said.
According to the World Health Organiza-
tion website, “14,000 people lose their lives
each year in Vietnam as a result of road
➑➂➇❿➞➛ ➊❾ ➟❿❾➎➊ ➃❿➐ ❾➎ ➇➙➉➄➐➁ ➠➎➙
➃❿➋➄ ➍➎ ➉➄❿➇❾ ➍➎ ➡➎ ↔➊➍➃ ➍➃➄ ➢➎↔➤➥ ➦➄➍➃ ➍➇❿➞➛ ➛➇❿➐➃➄➐➤ ❿❾➌ ➀➎➍➎➇➛➅➛➉➊➐➍➐ ❿➛➛➎➙❾➍
for a high proportion (approximately 59%)
Hassinger said.
His father agrees.
➎➝ ➍➃➄ ➇➎❿➌ ➍➇❿➞➛ ➛➎➉➉➊➐➊➎❾➐ ➊❾ ➍➃➄ ➛➎➙❾➍➇➅➁
See Vietnam / Page 5A
➑➂➃➄➅ ➌➎ ❾➎➍ ➃❿➋➄ ➇➄❿➉ ➍➇❿➞➛ ➛➎❾➍➇➎➉➤➥
La Grande’s Diet Doc makes
nutrition personalized
❀ ▲❁❂ ❃❄❁ ❅❈❁❂ ❅❉❊ ❄❁❋● ❍❉■
❣❁❂ ❏❑❊▼ ❉◆ ❂❄❑❂ ❖❁P ◗❁❑❘❙s
❯❁s❉❋■❂❈❉◆ ❱❈❁❂ P❑❣❉◆
❇✱ ❆✲✳✴✵✳ ✶❡✷✸✹✺♦✵
❚❤✻ ✼✽✾✻✿✈✻✿
❲❳❨❩t❬❭❪ ❫❴❳t❳
❵❛❜❝❝❞❢✐❥❦❛❧❜❦♠♥❢♣❝♠❦❞qr❞✉❜❢ ❵❛✇①❞ ❦❛❢ ②❦❥❛❦❞q❢➆③ ④❜❢❝
④✇❧⑤⑥⑦❢✐❦❛❢ ⑧❜❧❝⑨❛❢q ⑦❢❛❢ ❜❞❝⑦❢❜❛✇♣⑩❧❢ ❜③❦❝❶❷❶❸❜❛❹❝⑤
Even though Union County still has
mounds of snow refusing to melt and a
thick layer of ice coating some streets,
summer is approaching fast — there’s
less than three months left to get that
summer bod you promised yourself you
would work toward at the new year.
Maybe you’ve tried every diet on the
internet and have even followed tips
from friends and family, but nothing’s
working. You just can’t stick with it, so
you give up instead of trying again.
Before you despair over failed diets
and weight loss programs, know you
aren’t alone — there’s someone right
here in La Grande who can help.
Brittney Garcia, the owner and opera-
tor of The La Grande Diet Doc, wants to
teach everyone she can how to eat nutri-
tionally and lead a healthy lifestyle. The
Diet Doc is a global franchise, and Gar-
cia’s operation in La Grande has con-
sistently made the top 10 list out of the
more than 150 locations worldwide for
revenue since she opened her storefront
at 212 Fir St. in October 2015. She thinks
See Diet Doc / Page 5A
Despite tensions,
New nonprofit looking for
Cove City Council
premises in La Grande
❇❡✴✷➨❡➩
gets down to business ❇✱ ❚❤✻ ➧✺✳✴❻✷✸❻✳
✼✽✾✻✿✈✻✿
❇✱ ➧✺✳✴❻✷✸❻✳ ❇❡✴✷➨❡➩
❚❤✻ ✼✽✾✻✿✈✻✿
The monthly Cove City
mayor in the charter and re-
minded the council the voters
of the City of Cove voted him
➫➎➙❾➛➊➉ ➀➄➄➍➊❾➡ ➡➎➍ ➎→ ➍➎ ❿ ➊❾➍➎ ➎➞➛➄➁
rocky start when an opening
➑➂➃➄➅ ➃❿➌ ➍➃➄ ➛➎❾➏➌➄❾➛➄
statement by Mayor Delbert in me, evidently, to vote for
➑➭➄➉➥ ➯➊➍➍➉➄ ➎→➄❾➌➄➌ ❿➍ ➉➄❿➐➍ me. I’m hoping down the
three council members.
line the council will develop
In his opening statement, ❿ ➐➊➀➊➉❿➇ ➛➎❾➏➌➄❾➛➄ ❿❾➌
Little said he sensed a lack of we’ll be able to work better
➛➎❾➏➌➄❾➛➄ ➝➇➎➀ ➍➃➄ ➛➎➙❾➛➊➉➁ together and make deci-
He reviewed his authorities as
sions for the betterment of
the city,” he said.
He had asked no com-
ments be made during his
opening statement. As soon
❿➐ ➃➄ ➏❾➊➐➃➄➌ ➫➎➙❾➛➊➉➀❿❾
Matt McCowan, who was
visibly upset, interjected.
“I do object to your lectur-
ing of the council,” he said.
McCowan suggested the
meeting be immediately
adjourned, but the other
council members did not
agree. McCowan then said
he was leaving “before I say
something I’m gonna really
regret.” He apologized to
See Cove / Page 2A
Community Kindness of Eastern
➚➇➄➡➎❾ ➊➐ ❿ ➈➇❿❾➌ ❾➄↔ ❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍
organization in La Grande created
by a couple who is determined to
give back to their community.
Liz Meyer has lived in La Grande
for 18 years. Liz and her husband,
Grant, have volunteered for other
❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍➐ ➈➄➝➎➇➄ ➈➙➍ ❾➎↔ ➃❿➋➄
started their very own. Liz Meyer
is now dedicating all of her time
to help the community in any way
she can as president of Commu-
nity Kindness of Eastern Oregon.
“We want to step forward and
help the community because we
are so thankful for this commu-
nity,” she said.
Liz plans to open a thrift store
to serve as the headquarters of the
❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍➁➦➃➄➊➐➛➙➇➇➄❾➍➉➅➐➄❿➇➛➃➊❾➡
for a location and is collecting dona-
➍➊➎❾➐ ➍➎ ➏➉➉ ➍➃➄ ➐➍➎➇➄ ➎❾➛➄ ➊➍ ➎➓➄❾➐➁
Liz said she hopes the thrift
store will also be a place for com-
munity gatherings like open mic
nights and community dances.
She has experience working with
the La Grande ReStore.
Community Kindness, has a
board with six members including
Grant and Liz, and is registered as
❿ ❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍ ↔➊➍➃ ➍➃➄ ➚➇➄➡➎❾ ➦➄➛➜
retary of State.
➯➊➪ ➐❿➊➌ ➐➃➄ ➃➎➓➄➐ ➍➎ ➈➄❾➄➏➍ ➄➋➜
➄➇➅➎❾➄ ➐➃➄ ➛❿❾ ↔➊➍➃ ➍➃➄ ❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍➁
She has already reached out to a
❾➙➀➈➄➇ ➎➝ ➉➎➛❿➉ ❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍➐➤ ➈➙➐➊➜
nesses and organizations rang-
ing from the Youth in Transition
➓➇➎➡➇❿➀➤ ↔➃➊➛➃ ➈➄❾➄➏➍➐ ➛➃➊➉➌➇➄❾
↔➊➍➃➎➙➍ ➃➎➀➄➐➤ ❿❾➌ ➶➊➉➌➢➎↔➄➇
Lodge, which is a home for those
with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
She has even reached out to vet-
erinarians in the area to see how
➫➎➀➀➙❾➊➍➅ ➹➊❾➌❾➄➐➐ ➛❿❾ ➈➄❾➄➏➍
❿❾➊➀❿➉➐➁ ➘➄➴➍ ➎❾ ➃➄➇ ➉➊➐➍ ➊➐ ➏❾➌➊❾➡
a way to help local veterans.
“There’s always something
else,” she said, “It’s a matter of
reaching out to the community,
seeing what we can do for them
and going from there.”
➯➊➪ ➐❿➊➌ ❿➉➍➃➎➙➡➃ ➍➃➄ ❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍ ➊➐
still coming together, she is amazed
by how fast things are happening.
Liz and Grant began the process
❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍ ➍➃➇➊➝➍ ➐➍➎➇➄➐ ➈➅ ➋➎➉➙❾➜ ➎➝ ➛➇➄❿➍➊❾➡ ➍➃➄ ❾➎❾➓➇➎➏➍ ➊❾ ➉❿➍➄
See ➷➬➮➱✃➬❐❒ / Page 2A
teering for Barkin’ Basement and
LHS students
need help
raising money
for state
competition
❇✱ ➸➺❡✺✷✸❡ ➻✳❡❻➺❡➼❡
❚❤✻ ✼✽✾✻✿✈✻✿
Sixteen La Grande High School
students are heading to state after
winning the Oregon Mock Trial
➇➄➡➊➎❾❿➉ ➛➎➀➓➄➍➊➍➊➎❾ ➝➎➇ ➍➃➄ ➏➇➐➍
time since the team was reinstat-
➄➌➏➋➄➅➄❿➇➐❿➡➎➁ ➂➃➄➅ ↕➙➐➍ ➃❿➋➄➍➎
➏❾➌ ➍➃➄ ➝➙❾➌➐ ➍➎ ➡➄➍ ➍➃➄➀ ➍➃➄➇➄➁
The mock trial competition is
an annual event where regional
teams compete while arguing and
defending a case. The students act
as witnesses, defendants, attorneys
— every facet of a regular case in a
courtroom.
Calvin Smith, 17, is the president
of the LHS mock trial team. This is
➃➊➐ ➝➎➙➇➍➃❿❾➌➏❾❿➉ ➅➄❿➇ ➊❾➍➃➄➛➉➙➈➁
➽❾➌ ➃➊➐ ➍➄❿➀ ➏❾❿➉➉➅ ➀❿➌➄ ➊➍ ➐➍❿➍➄➁
“We practice the whole she-
bang,” Smith said of the fake cases.
Union County District Attor-
ney Kelsie McDaniel is one of
the team’s advisers. McDaniel,
Smith and the other students also
had the help of LHS government
teacher John Lamoreau, Brytney
Stanley, Union County deputy DA,
❿❾➌ ➂➊→❿❾➅ ➟❿❾➐➄❾➤ ↔➃➎ ↔➎➇➾➐ ➊❾
the juvenile department, to help
them practice for the competition.
Smith said the team has prac-
ticed twice a week for most of the
winter season. The case for this
year’s regional competition was a
civil case (they alternate between
civil and criminal) and the team
had to know every fact about the
case in order to be the prosecuting
attorney and defense.
“That will continue for state,”
Smith said of the case.
The team will enact the same case
at the state competition in Portland
March 15-16, and this time the stu-
dents will be competing with more
than 14 other teams. They’ll have
three rounds to compete, and the
See Mock Trial / Page 5A
❄✜❅❇❉
❞❡❢❣❤❡✐ ❥✉❦❦ ❧♠♦♣qrst♠✈t✇♣①rq②♠❧③s♣qt④♠✈ ✚✛✜✢❆✚✢ ✣✤ ❍❆❱❇❆ ✤✢✛●❏ ❄❅❇❆❑
❈✄☎☎ ✔ ✆✝✞✟✠✡✞☛☞✞☛✌✞✍✡☛✎✎✏✄✑
⑤⑥⑦⑧
⑨ ❻ ⑩❶
⑤⑩❿➀➁➂➃➄
✥✦✶✧★✩✪✧✪✶✩✶
◗✿❁ ❳❙✾✬✬✴ ✴✷✭❙ ❩✴ ✱ ✮ ✭ ❂❯ ❁✮ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ✼ ❬ ❲ ❲ ❫✮✾❁◗❴❴❵❯
❯
❯
❯
❯
❯
❬
◗
❯
❃✽✴
✸
✴
✵
✸❯
✼❛❲
✺✒✓✲
✕✖✲ ✄ ✖ ✘☛✄✌✻✞✎✠✡✞☛☞✞☛
✓✕✓✎☛✡✞✌✻✄✌✞✏✄✗
☎ ✑✎
❷❸❹
❺
❼❽❾
❷
❼
✫
✬
✬✭✮✯✰
✌✞✍✡♥☎
✳
✙
✎✏✳
✯✬✮✷✱ ✾ ✴✵ ✸❂✮✹❃❁
✸✬✹✼✰✽✾✿✮✬
➅➆➇ ➊➍➋➌➎➏ ➈➉➊➈➋➌ ➊
➐➋➊➑➒➓ ➔➒➋→➣➓ ▲✾❀❁
❳✵❭✴✷✬❯❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❪❲ ▲✵✱ ❃❴✴ ✱ ✱ ✮ ✭ ❁ ✾❁ ❵❯ ✴ ❯ ✮ ❯ ✬❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯❪ ✯ ◗ ◗ ❜✽✵❁✱✬ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❝◗
✮✿✵✸
FRIDAY P❘❖▼■◆❊◆❚ ❖▼❊◆❖❋✁◆■❖◆✂❖✁◆❚❨ Online at lagrandeobserver.com