Inside
in Go!
EOU men’s wrestling
takes to the mat, 7A
New location for JaxDog, 1B
Dia de los Muertos
Celebrate
Día de los Muertos
Nov. 1 at ACE
page 6
Also inside:
‘An Inspector Calls’: page 3
‘The Addams Family’: page 7
Halloween events for kids in Baker,
Union & Wallowa counties: page 5
Follow us on the web
WEDNESDAY • October 23, 2019 • $1.50
Elgin
shelter
now in
place
■ City-owned facility
was 18 months
in the making
By Dick Mason
The Observer
A light rain was falling
when a small structure ar-
rived in Elgin late Monday
morning, but that did not ap-
pear to dampen the spirits of
those welcoming its arrival,
one at least 18 months in the
making.
A structure that may seem
heaven-sent for those using
it in the months and years
ahead.
It was a shelter delivered to
the city-owned Hu-Na-Ha RV
Park from Island City that
will provide temporary ac-
commodations for transients,
domestic violence victims,
travelers stranded in Elgin
because they ran out of gas
and others.
“I’m excited. I think this
will show the compassion
the community has,” Elgin
Mayor Allan Duffy said on
Tuesday.
The shelter is an 8-by-12-
foot shed with an electrical
hookup and vinyl fl oor, outfi t-
ted to serve as a cabin. It has
an electrical heater, fi ve win-
dows, a light and a porch. Fur-
nishings will be installed later
including three or four beds,
one of which will be a bunk,
plus a small refrigerator, a
microwave oven, curtains and
a table and chairs. It is on a
concrete pad that vehicles will
be able to park on.
The structure, which cost
$7,436 to build and install,
is the result of work done
by the Elgin Ministerial
Association and the City of
Elgin. The two entered into
an agreement on Aug. 26 for
providing a temporary shel-
ter at Hu-Na-Ha RV Park.
Duffy said he was im-
pressed with how the city
and the Elgin Ministerial
Association worked together
to bring this project to near
completion. The ability of
groups in Elgin to work
collaboratively, Duffy said, is
why the community is con-
tinuing to move forward.
See Shelter / Page 5A
Good day to our valued subscriber Robert Bork of La Grande
Arson
plea
hearing
delayed
Sweating for
SETH
■ Fundraising event scheduled for Reser Stadium
in Corvallis to benefit La Grande native Stephanie
Raleigh and her husband, Seth, who was diagnosed
in 2015 with stage three anaplastic astrocytoma, a
type of brain tumor with cancerous cells
■ Kael Knight
hearing postponed
to November
By Sabrina Thompson
The Observer
Tish Battaro of Powers Photography
The Raleigh family has remained
strong during Seth’s battle with
cancer through communication.
Seth, Stephanie and their two sons,
Sawyer and Finn, are shown here.
The plea hearing for Im-
bler resident Kael C. Knight,
19, on the charges of arson
and evidence tampering has
been pushed to Nov. 19 to al-
low for further investigation
and the possibility of mental
evaluation, according to the
initial hearing Tuesday.
Knight was arrested Sept.
25 by the Union County
Sheriff’s Offi ce and charged
with four counts of arson and
one count of tampering with
evidence. He has remained
in custody of UCSO with
bail set at $250,000. Knight
attended his plea hearing
Tuesday via video call from
Union County Jail and was
represented by his lawyer,
Rick Dall.
Ryan Rodighiero from the
Union County District Attor-
ney’s offi ce represented the
state, and Judge John Kelly
from Hood River presided
via video call for the proceed-
ings.
See Hearing / Page 5A
Tish Battaro of Powers Photography
Seth and Stephanie Raleigh have been married for 11 years. Four years ago Seth was diagnosed with cancer.
After four years of fi ghting cancer Seth and Stephanie are now fi nding ways to have the best quality of life in
the time he has left.
By Sabrina Thompson, The Observer
“Cancer sucks.” This has been Stephanie and Seth Raleigh’s sentiment
since September 2015 when Seth was diagnosed with Stage III anaplastic
astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor with cancerous cells. After four years of
fi ghting cancer, Seth and Stephanie are now fi nding ways to have the best
quality of life in the time he has left.
To celebrate Seth’s life, and raise money for medical
expenses, Burn Boot Camp in Corvallis will be hosting
a fundraising event called Sweat for Seth on Oct. 26 at
Reser Stadium.
Seth was diagnosed with cancer after he had a seizure
while at home in Corvallis June 2015. Later that year his
doctors did a biopsy and found evidence of cancer in the
tumor located near his occipital lobe. After two surgeries
to remove some of the tumor, then radiation and chemo-
therapy to hopefully destroy the rest, a second tumor was
found in his left temporal lobe. The third surgery, which
happened in July of 2019, to remove that tumor took
away some of Seth’s mobility and speech functions. Test-
ing revealed it was a now a Stage IV glioblastoma, and
Seth was terminal. The most recent testing has shown
continued growth of the tumors.
“With initial Stage III diagnosis, it was all so over-
whelming,” Stephanie, who was born and raised in La
Grande, said. “I spent about a year where it felt like I was
fl oating. I was in shock.”
After the fi rst year of treatment, things began to
normalize for the Raleighs, according to Stephanie. The
family found a new sense of normal, and there were many
good days. Stephanie said the key to getting through all of
this has been talking things out and living every day and
every hour in the present.
“We all have a long road ahead of us. Seth’s just might
INDEX
Business ...... 1B
Classified ..... 3B
Comics ......... 7B
Crossword ... 4B
Dear Abby .... 8B
Horoscope ... 4B
Lottery.......... 2A
Obituaries .... 3A
FRIDAY
Opinion ........ 4A
Sports .......... 7A
Sudoku ........ 7B
Weather ....... 8B
By Claire Withycombe
Oregon Capital Bureau
be shorter,” Stephanie said.
The couple has two young boys, Sawyer and Finn, who
were 2 years old and 3 months old, respectively, when
their father was diagnosed. Stephanie said that while it
has been diffi cult raising her sons and helping care for her
husband, having the support of family and the community
makes things so much easier. She said that because of the
kids’ ages not much has changed for them. However as
they are getting older, with Sawyer turning 7 in Novem-
ber and Finn turning 5 in March, they are beginning to
understand more about what is happening. She also said
that being open and honest with her children, and getting
them counseling, is important.
“Before July, we never used the word ‘cancer,’” Stepha-
nie said. “They’ve had family and people they’ve known
who died of cancer, and before July we were not at that
point yet. But now we are open with them, talking to
them about the changes they may see.”
SALEM — An attempt to
repeal a new state law allow-
ing undocumented immi-
grants to get Oregon driver’s
licenses has hit a snag.
Oregon Secretary of State
Bev Clarno on Tuesday halt-
ed a proposed ballot initiative
to walk back House Bill 2015,
saying it doesn’t comply with
requirements stated in the
Oregon Constitution.
The bill, passed earlier
this year, allows Oregonians
to present forms of ID that
don’t prove a person’s legal
immigration status in order
to get a driver’s license. The
licenses will not be available
until Jan. 1, 2021.
Undocumented immigrants
— or others without docu-
ments proving U.S. citizenship
or that they are in the country
legally — have been barred
from getting driver’s licenses
in Oregon since 2007.
Supporters of the petition
want to prevent people who
are here illegally from getting
state driver’s licenses.
The campaign to repeal
See Seth / Page 5A
See Proposal / Page 5A
“
WEATHER
Clarno
rejects
ballot
proposal
With initial Stage III diagnosis, it was
all so overwhelming. I spent about a
year where it felt like I was fl oating. I
was in shock.”
— Stephanie Raleigh
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Thursday
26 LOW
58/37
Clear
Mostly sunny
LONGTIME MAILMAN RETIRES
CONTACT US
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Call The Observer newsroom at
541-963-3161 or send an email to
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More contact info on Page 4A.
Issue 126
3 sections, 24 pages
La Grande, Oregon
Online at lagrandeobserver.com