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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2019)
SPORTS Eastern advances to second round in NIA national tournament ■✥✦s ✥✧★✥ ✥✩✪✫ ✬✭ ✮✫★❡ ★✯★✩✰ ✱ ❡✫✪✫✪r✫❡ ✥✬ s✲❡✩✰✯ ✮✬♦❡ ✳✴✬✳❦s ✭✬❡✇★❡❛ ✭✬❡ ❛★✮✴✩✯✧✥ s★✈✩✰✯ ✥✩✪✫ ❙♦✰❛★✮✵ ✶★❡✳✧ ❤✷✸ ➡➢➢➤ ➤➥➦ ➧➢ ➢➨➩ ➫➥➭➨➯➤ ➲➨➳➲➵➩➸➳➯➩ ➺➻➯➩➩➸ ➺➻➯➭➼➥➽ ➢➾ ➚➥ ➡➩➥➽➤➯ FRIDAY-SUNDAY ➓ ➔→➣↔↕ ➙➛➜➝➞ ➟➝➜➠ ➓ $1.50 World’s strongest grandma? Union County’s Prominent Women ❼ ➔➊→→➀➊ ➣➉➃➏ ➀➌ ➐ ➎➃➏➊➉➈➀↔➁➀➅↕ ➇➍➐➙➎➀➃➅ ❇û ýþ ý ❇ þ ✌ ☞✌✍ ✌✍ ❥✄ ❚❤ ❹ ✁❹ ☎✆ ❡ ➛❡➜ ✈ ❼ ❽❾ ❿➀➁➂ ❿➃➄➅➇➀➈ Debbie Brow is a 61-year- ✗✣✢ ✒✗ ✑✏✣✖✤✕✑✏✘ ✙✚✑ ✚✗✣✢✛ ✕ ✗ ✠ ✤✗✏ ✑✜✏✛ ✜✔✢ ✚✜✛ ✏ ✔ ✜ ✢✜ ✜✏✑ ✛✖✔✑✛✛ ✤✗✏ ✘ ✙✚✑ ✑ ➝❯ ✞ ✏ ❍✏ ✞ ❝➓ ●◆ plained she joined Mountain Valley Fitness when it opened ✖✔ ✜ ✏✜✔✢✑ ✖✔ ❴ ✡ ✘ ✕ ✕✚✑ ❞❯❘❞ ☞ time, she was going only be- cause she felt the need to stay healthy. After about a year, she started working with personal trainer Derek Harmon and continued training with him for a couple years. Harmon said Brow was not especially excited to come into the gym at the time. ✜✛ ✕✏ ✖✔ ✕✗ ✎✔✢ ✛✗ ✑ ❃➞ ✠ ✞ ❋ ✝ ◆ thing she was passionate about and enjoyed and she was really good at, and I kind of stumbled upon the fact that she was really strong for her age,” he said. He recalled challenging ➟ ✏✗ ✕✗ ✖✒ ✗✓✑✏ ✜ ✠ ✎ ✒✗ ✔✢ ❝➓❯◆ ✙✚✑ ✗✑✛ ✗ ✕ ✕✚✑✏✑ ✜✔✢ ✣✖✤✕✛ ✒ ✕✚✖✛ ✖ ✚✑✜✓ ✕✖✏✑✘ ✙✚✑ ❋ ✏ ✏ ❍ ❋ ✞ struggles but she lifts it up and ✖✒✛ ✖✕ ✜✔✢ ✏✑✜✣✣ ✛ ✏✒✏✖✛✑✢ ✚✑✏ ✎ ✞ ✏ ❾➉➐➅➑ ➒➁➐➀➉➇➐➌➊ ❇û ý ✌ ☞✌✍ ✌✍ ✼❷❡✄ ✁❡ ❸ ❚❤ ◆ self — surprised me a little bit too. I think that’s when it really clicked for her that she was a lot stronger than she was giving herself credit for,” he said. Brow said Harmon’s chal- lenge motivated her to start lifting weights, and that was when she realized she truly loves lifting and getting stron- ger. Now she can’t wait to go to the gym, and she even de- scribes herself as being “ad- dicted” to working out. “I never would have thought two years ago that I would be ☎✆ ❡❹❷❡❺❡ ✈ The Urban Renewal Agen- cy had a split reaction to a new point system policy for its Call for Projects program during Wednesday night’s ❈✳✴✵✶✷✸✹ ✺✻✳✶✳✸ ❇✒✓✔✕✖✒ ✗✔✘✓✙ ✚✖ ❲✛✜✒✢➆✖ s✚✖✣✛✘✤ ✗✛✢✣✙ ✔✢✥ ✣✛✥✔✤ ✚✖ ✦✢✣✒✘✢✔✣✚✛✢✔✧ ❲✛✜✒✢➆✖ ❉✔✤✱ ★✙✒ ✩✪✖✒✘✫✒✘➆✖ ✢✒✬✖✘✛✛✜ ✣✙✛✕✭✙✣ ✚✣ ✬✛✕✧✥ ✪✒ ✣✙✒ ✮✒✘✯✒✓✣ ✣✚✜✒ ✣✛ ✙✚✭✙✧✚✭✙✣ ✖✛✜✒ ✛✯ ✰✢✚✛✢ ✲✛✕✢✣✤➆✖ ✖✣✘✛✢✭✒✖✣✱ ✖✜✔✘✣✒✖✣ ✔✢✥ ✣✛✕✭✙✒✖✣ ✬✛✜✒✢t ❇û ✂üýþÿý ✌ ☞✌✍ ✌✍ ❚❤ ☎✆ ÿ ❆❡ ✁✂✄♦ ✈ e wish we could cover all of the many inspiring and empowered women in this area — unfortunately, we W ✚✜✢ ✏✗✗ ✤✗✏ ✗✔✣ ✎✓✑ ✛✗ ✑ ✝ ✞ ✟ ✠ ❉ ✁✁✂ ❇✄☎✄✆✂●✄ ❯✝✞✟✝ ✠✟✡✝☛② ✠✟❈❈✞☞☞✞✟✝✌✍ Donna Beverage just started her third year as one of Union County’s commissioners, and she said she’s excited for the opportunity to continue serving her community. ❉✂✆ ❉ ●✄ ✍☛☞ ✠✌✝☛✌✍ ☞☛ ✌ ✡☛✞ ✌ ✞✍✌ ☛✟✍ ✼❨ ✈ ❂ ❁ As the executive director at Art Cen- ter East, an art gallery and creative space in La Grande, Darcy Dolge ✑✜✏✛ ✜ ✣✗✕ ✗✤ ✢✖ ✑✏✑✔✕ ✚✜✕✛✘ ❃✠ ❄ ❅ “I work with partnership heads, grant writing, fundraising, curat- ✂✁❉ ✆✆✄ ✝✌✍ ✝ ✌✍ ☛✟✍ ✌✝ ✌ ✟☛ ☛✍✌✌☛ ❙ ☎✇ ❚ ❀ ■ ☎❏ ❂ ❏ Back ❀ in 1982, ✙✜✔✢ ✙✗✏✏✑✣✣✛ ✢✑ ✖✢✑✢ ✕✗ ✗✒✑✔ ✜ ✜ ✖✕✜ ✛ ✕✚✑ ✎✏✛✕ ✑ ✖ ✜✔ ✏✑✛ ✞ ✑ ▲ ✝ ✑ ▼ ✟ ▲ ● ✑ ◆ taurant in La Grande, and boy, was it a hit. Five years later she ✗ ✚✕ ✕✚✑ ✗✗✢✛✚✑✢ ✙✕✑✜ ✚✗ ✛✑ ❍ ✏❋ ✍ ❖ ✏ ✑✖✛✛✑✔ ✚ ✜✕✚✣✑✕✖ ✌ ✍ ✎✏ ✟ ✑ “My favorite part of the job is doing what I can to help busi- nesses succeed and expand in Union County — that’s my pas- sion,” she said. Beverage is also dedicated to the county’s environmental concerns, such as forest management, natural resources conservation and wild- nature and the desire to protect it comes from her experience of being raised on a ranch in Union County, and now managing her own. “I feel like it helps me under- stand how important water and our natural resources are, because we rely on them as ranchers,” she said. “It also helps me understand ☛ ✞ ✟ ✠ ✎✏✑ ✒✏✑✓✑✔✕✖✗✔✘ ✙✚✑ ✛✜✖✢ ✚✑✏ ✣✗✓✑ ✗✤ ● ❍ ✟❅ ✟ ❋ ❄ a few other roles including com- munications, team and organiza- tional leadership and human re- sources planning. “Anything ACE is pretty much run by the four of us (board members).” Dolge said she loves working in the arts because it makes her feel like she’s made a meaningful ✏ ❑ ☞ ✏✜✔✢✑ ✙✜✔✢ ✙✗✏✏✑✣✛ ✗ ✔✑✏ ✗✤ ✕ ✏✔✑✢ ✖✕ ✖✔✕✗ ✑✔ ✑✒✗✕ ✙✕✏✑✑✕ ✜ ✽❙ ✜✔✢ ✔ ✖ Ten Depot restaurant and bar in ✡ from a bankruptcy auction and ❨ ❙ La Grande; Charity Walter, presi- dent and CEO of Dainty Jewells fashion boutique in La Grande; director and women’s head bas- ketball coach at Eastern Oregon University. ❋ ✿❀ ✿❊ ❁ chose them based on prominence and tried to bring in a mix: Donna Beverage, Union County commis- sioner; Darcy Dolge, executive director at Art Center East in La ✖✔ ✑ ✚✖ ✖✕✛ ✛✚✑ ✛✜✖✢ ✣✖✛✕✖✔ ✗ ✽ ✾ ✏ tire in the outdoor area of Mountain Valley Fitness. ❃ ➉➊➋➄➊➌➁➌ ➍➊➈➎ ➏➀➁➍ ✠ state records and two weeks ago she broke a national re- cord. But she’s far from slow- ing down — in fact, she’s really just getting started. Brow began competing in powerlifting only two years ago, and she has ambitions to continue to national and even international competitions. Brow is originally from Eu- gene but has lived in La Grande ✑ URA discusses Call for Projects P ◗ ✟ bar and restaurant in La Grande serving a unique dinner menu ev- ery week with mostly organic food and regularly featuring live music. “I was looking to start a restau- rant and chose La Grande because there was nothing here,” she said, laughing. “I love food and was al- See Beverage / Page 5A ✢✖ ✑✏✑✔ ✑ ✖✔ ✕✚✑ ✗ ✔✖✕ ✘ ✎✑✣✢ ✖✔ ✜ ✏ ✏✜✣ ✗ ✔✖✕ ✜✔✢ ❄ ✑ ✑ ✝✝✏ ✞ “I’m honored to work in my ✏ ✑ ✝✝✏ ✞ have its support,” she said. “It’s important our community has access to the arts or (the opportu- nity to) learn something new not ✗ ✑✏✑✢ ✖✔ ✜ ✗✣✣✑ ✑ ✗✏ ✚✖ ✚ ✛ ✚✗✗✣ ❄ ✑ ❋ ❋ ✑ class so we can be well-rounded, See Dolge / Page 5A ways interested in nutrition, and working in the restaurant busi- ness is almost like theater — you put on a show every night.” ✙✗✏✏✑✣✛ ✛✗✣✢ ✜ ✜ ✖✕✜ ✛ ▲ ✝ ✑ ▼ ✑✜✏✛ ❘❯ ✞ ago because once other Mexican restaurants began rolling into town, the competition made things hard- ✑✏ ✗✔ ✛✖✔✑✛✛ ✜✔✢ ✖✕ ✜✛ ✢✖ ❍✏ ✠ ✣✕ ❱✑✏ See Sorrels / Page 5A ✂✆ the bedroom of her parents’ house ried and moved to La Grande, her ✂ ✄✆ ✖✔ ✗✏✕✚ ✜✏✗✣✖✔✜✘ ✓✑✏✕✚✑ ✔✑ ✕ ✚ ✛ ✜✔✢ ✛ ✚✗ ✑✕✗ ✔ ✖✔ ✖✕✚ ✍✌☞✞ ✌✝☛ ✝ ✠ years, the entrepreneur built a suc- one rack of clothing. Today, she has ✞✝☛② ✌ ✌ ☞ cessful empire out of her passion ✜ ✒✣ ✛ ✛ ✜✏✑ ✤✗✗✕ ✜✏✑ ✖ ✑ ✙✗✏✏✑✣✛ ✚✜✏ for fashion and designing clothes. ✚✗ ✛✑ ✕✚✜✕ ✜✛ ✛✒✑ ✖✎ ✜✣✣ ✖✣✕ ✤✗✏ ✼❳ ❩❬❨ ❆ ✽❬ ❭ ■ ❂❀ See Brow / Page 5A ❵ ❛ ❀ ■ ❜ ● ❘❯ ② ✇ ❫❫ ❴ ❖ Now, every year, Dainty Jewells ✛✚✖✒✛ ✗✏✑ ✕✚✜✔ ✝ ❝❯✟❯❯❯ ✒✖✑ ✑✛ ✗✤ ✑ clothing worldwide, with Canada and Germany being the top inter- national buyers. Walter got mar- As Eastern Oregon University’s ath- letic director and head women’s bas- taineers began in 1989 when she enrolled as an undergraduate and reinstated the softball club. Then, in 1994, she came back to EOU in a full- time capacity to coach the softball team, and did so for 11 years. For six of those years, Weissen- ❖ ✎✏ ✐❩ ❥✽❦❳ ❧ ❀■ ♠ ♣❀ q ✆❀❫❫ ✾ ❤❫ ❁❂ ♥ ❀❁❤ ❀ ■ ❁ ❪ ✿☎ ✑✕ ✜✣✣ ✗✜ ✚ ✔ ✖ ✑✖✛✛✑✔ ✚ ✖✛ ✜ ❍ ✑ ✑ ✟ ☞ ✌ ✍ ✝ ✎✏ force to be reckoned with. Her long- time relationship with the Moun- ✚✜✣✛✗ ✗✜ ✚✑✢ ✕✚✑ ✗ ✑✔ ✛ ✜✛ ✑ ✑ ✠ ✝ ▼ ❍ ◆ ketball team. Then she decided to put all of her focus on basketball. ✠ ❞❯❘❝ ✠ ◆ ✑ ✑ ✠ ◆ ✞ ❍✏ her business needs with funds from an urban renewal grant. The ware- house and storefront, decorated in a minimalistic femme style with See Walter / Page 5A ✙✚✑ ✑ ✜ ✑ ✛✜✕✚✣✑✕✖ ✢✖✏✑ ✕✗✏ ✛✖ ✑✜✏✛ ✜ ✗ ✜✔✢ ✖✛ ✚✑✏ ✕✚ ❍ ✑ ✝ r❜✉▼ ✑ ✑ ❋ ✝ ✉❻☞ ✑ ✝ ✝◆ bers supported the clarity of the system, while others said it is now too stringent and no longer requires the agency members to even participate. Agency Director Robert ✙✕✏✗✒✑ ✒✏✑✛✑✔✕✑✢ ✕✚✑ ✑ ✑✏✛ ✝ ✝❍ with the updated policy that ranks the CFP applicants for the funding. The agency members have had multiple discussions regarding their concern about how the applications for fund- ing were selected. Agency mem- bers have argued previously they aren’t business majors and don’t know how to judge a busi- ness on its viability through the information they receive. The result of those discussions was a new method for judging ap- plications that awards points on whether the applicant provided a business plan and points for the proposed location. The sys- tem gives more points to proj- ects in the Central Business See URA / Page 5A Established hemp farm wants to process in Union County ❇û ý ✌ ☞✌✍ ✌✍ ✼❷❡✄ ✁❡ ❸ ❚❤ ☎✆ ❡❹❷❡❺❡ ✈ Rona Lindsey is hoping to help local hemp farmers save money by processing the crop here instead of sending it to the west side of the state. Lindsey said this is her second year growing hemp in Union ✗ ✔✕ ✘ ✙✚✑ ✏✑ ✑✔✕✣ ✜✒✒✣✖✑✢ ✤✗✏ ❵ ✏ ✞ ✑ ✞ a conditional use permit to use a processing machine on her property. Hemp produces CBD oil, among other products. “Right now, I have to send (the hemp) to Eugene,” she said, noting the processors ✕✚✑✏✑ ✕✜ ✑ ❖ ➓❯ ✕✗ ❢❯ ✒✑✏ ✑✔✕ ✗✤ ✑ give up a lot of time as a coach and athletic director. Eastern is my fam- ily and has been for a long time.” EOU’s women’s basketball team the revenue from the top. By processing the plants herself, Lindsey — and other farmers in the region who wish to use the machinery — will be saving money. “We could be fair to the farmers,” she said. See ④⑤⑥⑦⑦⑤⑧⑨⑩❶ / Page 5A See Hemp / Page 8A ● ✞ ❋ ✟ ❞❯❘① ❘① year as the women’s coach. “Eastern has been a big part of my ✣✖✤✑✕✚✑✒✜✛✕ ➏❽➐➑➒ ➪➶➹➘➴➶➷ ➬➮➱➱✃❐❒❮❰ÏÐÑ ❐ÒÑÓ❮ÔÏ❰Õ❐✃ÖÐ❮❰Ñ×❐Ò ✾✿❀❁❁❂❃❂❄❅❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❏❑ ❬❄❀❳ ❭❪❪❫❍❍❍❍❍❴❑ ❵❝❜❅PP❳❁❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❣❑ ùøúôõö ñõ÷òøôõö ✾P◗❂❱❁❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❲❑ ❵❪❂❜❝❀❳❂❄❁❍❍❍❍❍❍❲❭ ✐❞❂❳❂❜❝❀✿❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❥❭ ✾❳P❁❁❨P❳❅❍❍❍❍❍❩❑ ❵❞❂❢❂P❢❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❏❭ ✐❞P❳❜❁❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❧❭ íí îïð èéêëì åÙÛæçÚãÜâßäÝ áâÞÛÜÝ ãÜâßäÝ MONDAY ✠ ✟ ✏ ◆ ❣✏ ✏ ◆ ✂✁ ✄ ✄✁ ✌ ✟❈✌✝ ☞ ☞ ✌☛ ✠✟ ✝ ☛ ✌☛✞ ✞✍✌ ☛✟✍ ❯ ❩❙❙ ▼ ❢✟❯❯❯◆ ✟ ❵ ity Walter is a strong business- woman in the area. Walter started her fashion boutique business for “modest women,” Dainty Jewells, when she was only 16 years old in ❆ ✏ ❍ ✿☎❪ ✑✑✕✖✔ ✘ ✙✗ ✑ ✝ ✹❖▲▲✺✻❖▼❋❖❘❚✹❊▼❊◆❚✼❆✽❆❚✼❊◆❚✺ ✑✜✏✛ ✛✚✑✛✜✖✢✘ ✗ ❝❯ ✞ ✟❅ ❃③ ✏ ñòóôõö èéêëé ØÙÚÛÜÝ ÞßààÝ ❻❼❽❾❿❻❾ ➀➁ ➂➃➄➅➆➇➈➅➈➄➇➄ ➉❁❁❝❄ ➊➋ ➊ ❁❄❱❜❂P❢❁➌ ❣❴ ❞❀❺❄❁ ➍❀ ➎❳❀❢❅❄➌ ❵❳❄❺P❢ ♠◗❀❂✿ ❁❜P❳❫ ❂❅❄❀❁ ❜P ♥♣qt✉①③④⑤③♥⑥♣ ⑦⑧t♣⑤⑨♣⑤⑩❶⑦❷❍ ❸P❳❄ ❱P❢❜❀❱❜ ❂❢❃P P❢ ❹❀❺❄ ❏❭❍ Online at lagrandeobserver.com