LOCAL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019
THE OBSERVER — 3A
L OCAL B RIEFING
Walden won’t seek re-election
From staff reports
By Gary A. Warner
EO Media Group
HOOD RIVER — U. S. Rep. Greg Walden,
the only Republican in Oregon’s congressio-
nal delegation, announced Monday he will
not run again in 2020.
Walden’s departure means the 2nd
Congressional District seat will be up for
grabs for the fi rst time in a generation.
Walden was fi rst elected in 1998 and won
10 re-election bids. Walden beat Democratic
opponents by more than 60% of the vote in
his heavily Republican district until Jamie
McLeod-Skinner of Terrebone held him to
56% in 2018.
“Greg Walden has done a great job of
representing Northeast Oregon. He has
worked hard to do what is best for Oregon.
I appreciate his service,’’ said Union County
Commissioner Donna Beverage.
Walden said he was not retiring out of
any concern that he could lose re-election
or fail to regain the House majority, where
he had served as chairman of the House
Energy and Commerce Committee before
Democrats took control in 2018. He is now a
ranking member of the committee.
“I am confi dent I could earn the support
of 2nd District voters for another term,” he
said. “I’m also optimistic that a path exists
for Republicans to recapture a majority in
the House.”
Walden, whose background is in radio,
gave no specifi cs about what he will do after
he retires from Congress.
“For me, the time has come to pursue new
challenges and opportunities,” he said.
Commissioner Beverage said Walden has
a strong interest in Union County and an
intuitive understanding of it.
“He understands what is important to
Union County,’’ Beverage said.
Former Union County Commissioner
Steve McClure echoes Beverage’s senti-
ments about the congressman.
“Greg was always a champion for rural
Oregon, especially Northeast Oregon,’’ said
McClure, who retired in January after a three
decade career as a county commissioner.
Walden’s statement would appear to rule
out running for any other political offi ce
next year. Merkley is running for a third
term in the U.S. Senate. Oregon’s secretary
of state, attorney general and treasurer po-
sitions are also on the ballot. As the state’s
most high-profi le Republican, Walden could
be pressured to run for governor in 2022
when Gov. Kate Brown is ineligible for re-
election due to term limits.
While the overwhelming majority of his
votes were solidly in line with the Repub-
lican agenda in the House, Walden has not
been in lock-step with President Trump on
issues.
As chairman of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee, he supported
Trump’s position on repealing the Afford-
able Care Act, to relax net neutrality rules,
and has backed Trump on the current
Ukrainian scandal.
— Dick Mason of The Observer
contributed to this report.
Bazaar begins with
coffee, ends with
soup lunch
LA GRANDE — The
La Grande First Christian
Church is hosting its Fall
Harvest and Holiday Bazaar
Nov. 2 at 901 Penn Ave. Doors
open at 9 a.m. Coffee, tea and
sweet rolls will be available
from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and a
lunch of homemade noodle
and turkey soup will be served
from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost of
the lunch is $5, $3 for age 6
and younger.
The bazaar will be selling
hand crafts, holiday crafts,
homemade noodles, baked
goods, candies and canned
goods, produce and plants, gift
baskets, and Granny’s Attic
fi ne used items. Proceeds from
the bazaar help organizations
such as Friday Backpack, J
House, Cove Christian Camp,
La Grande Shop with a Cop
and Medical Teams Interna-
tional.
Lower Valley Farmers
Market shifts hours
WALLOWA — The Lower
Valley Farmers Market’s
winter hours are 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The indoor market, located
in the Old Telephone Build-
ing in Wallowa, will continue
to sell produce and crafts
until Christmas Eve.
Homemade donuts,
baskets and books
featured at holiday
bazaar
Bookstore), 315 Fir St., La
Grande. There is a one-
time $20 membership fee.
Kids will be supervised
and checked in and out. No
mature-rated (M) games will
be played. Call 541-962-1352
or go to www.lagrandeparks.
org to register.
American Legion
serves potato bar
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande Presbyterian Church dinner
Holiday Bazaar will be held
from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 2
in the Presbyterian Friend-
ship Center, 1308 Washing-
ton Ave. Items for sale will
include homemade donuts,
themed baskets, produce,
baked goodies, crafts, books
and more.
LA GRANDE — The La
Grande American Legion
Post 43, 301 Fir St., is
serving a baked potato bar
dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Nov. 2. There will be a potato
bar with all the fi xings and
dessert. Members and guests
are welcome.
Video Game Club fall
session is underway
Meat shoot held in
Union Sunday
LA GRANDE — Orga-
nized by La Grande Parks
and Recreation, the fourth
season of the Video Game
Club began in early October.
The season will have two
more meetings: Nov. 4 and
Dec. 2. The club meets for
play from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
at Clanktronics (Archives
UNION — A meat shoot
is set for Nov. 3 at the
Union Sportsmen’s Club,
one-fourth mile east of
Union on Highway 203.
All are welcome. The event
begins at 9 a.m. Lunch
will be available. For more
information, call Dave at
541-910-5728.
daughter, Charlotte; and
granddaughter, Amy.
Memorial donations may
be made to Gideon Inter-
national at www.Gideons.
org or by mail to Gideons
International Processing
Center, P.O. Box 97251,
Washington, D.C., 20090-
7251, or to the American
Stroke Association at www.
stroke.org or by mail to
American Stroke Associa-
tion, 7272 Greenville Ave.,
Dallas, TX 75231.
obituary is forthcoming.
Loveland Funeral Chapel
& Crematory will be han-
dling the arrangements.
O BITUARIES
Tyler J. Kahut
La Grande
1994-2019
Tyler Jay Kahut, 25, of
La Grande, died Oct. 24 at
his residence. A memorial
service will
be held at 11
a.m. Nov. 2 at
the Island City
Lighthouse
Pentecostal
Church, followed by a
potluck.
Nicknamed “Ty Ty,” Tyler
was born June 6, 1994, in
Portland, to Raymond and
Sarah (Thompson) Kahut.
He resided in La Grande
and graduated from La
Grande High School.
Tyler enjoyed football,
playing video games and
hanging out with friends.
He was a good friend to
UPCOMING FUNERALS
AND VISITATIONS
Sponsored by
everyone and was always
there for his mom.
Surviving relatives in-
clude his parents, Raymond
and Sarah Kahut of La
Grande; brothers, Justin
Kahut, Jacob Kahut, Kyle
Kahut, Ben Sidel, Peter
Lomwe, and Court and
Jordon Wickham, all of La
Grande; aunts and uncles,
Tom Weir, Rosalie Gibbson,
Russell Kahut, Doreana
More and Carla Baker;
stepfather, Clarke Dal-
rymple; stepmother, Annita
Kahut; step-grandmother,
Pam Kahut; 11 nieces
and nephews; and several
cousins.
He was preceded in death
by his grandmother, Susan
Weir Thompson, and grand-
father, Lenord Kahut.
Online condolences may
be made to the family at
www.lovelandfuneralcha-
pel.com.
Twila M. (Moon) Roper
La Grande
1926-2019
Nov. 2
Virginia “Tobie”
Williams:
2 p.m., celebration of
life, Elgin Stampede
Hall; casual dress
preferred.
Nov. 12
Phillip
Mendiguren:
2 p.m., Rosary and
Mass of Christian
Burial, Our Lady of the
Valley Catholic Church,
La Grande.
Twila Marie Roper, 93, of
La Grande, died Oct. 28 at
Grande Ronde
Hospital. A
funeral service
will be held at
11 a.m. Nov.
1 at Daniels-
Knopp Funeral, Cremation
& Life Celebration Cen-
ter. A lunch will follow at
the Union County Senior
Center. Private interment
will be at the Summerville
Cemetery.
Twila was born Aug. 21,
1926, in Marshalltown,
Iowa, to Dave and Irene
Pearl (Brown) Moon. She
attended school in
P UBLIC S AFETY R EPORT
UNION COUNTY SHERIFF
Accident: Nobody was injured
in a traffi c accident Tuesday on
Walton Road in Island City. The
accident was reported at 8:42
p.m.
Accident: Nobody was
injured in a traffi c accident on
Godley Road in the Union area
this morning. The accident was
reported at 5:11 p.m.
LA GRANDE POLICE
DEPARTMENT
Arrested: Amber Darlene
Garcia, 37, unknown address,
was arrested by the Klamath
County Sheriff’s Offi ce on a
Union County warrant sus-
pending post-prison supervi-
sion. The warrant was con-
nected to an original charge of
delivery of methamphetamine.
LA GRANDE FIRE
DEPARTMENT
Firefi ghters responded to six
calls for medical assistance on
Tuesday and nine on Monday.
Wisconsin and Kansas and
graduated from high school
in Salem. Twila worked for
Woolworth’s and became
assistant manager of the
fountain in Salem before
being transferred to the
Woolworth’s in Medford.
While in Medford, Twila
met Curtis Roper. She went
with him for two weeks and
then he traveled to Fort
Lewis and was discharged
from the Army. Once
discharged, he returned to
Medford and a week later,
on Nov. 16, 1945, Twila and
Curtis were married in
Grants Pass. They had one
son, James P. Roper.
Twila worked for Mont-
gomery Wards, Moon Drug
Store and also for Bill and
Jack when they bought
Moon Drug Store. She also
worked for the La Grande
Livestock Commission at
the lunch counter and for
Payless Drug Store in the
sporting goods and in the
pharmacy for 17 years until
she retired. Following her
retirement she and Curtis
volunteered at the Union
County Senior Center for
many years and they were
active in the VFW and
VFW Auxiliary.
Twila enjoyed her family,
playing cards and doing
crafts. She and Curtis
enjoyed going to Canada
to go fi shing and the many
friends they made there,
and she kept in contact
with them until her death.
Surviving relatives in-
clude her son, James Roper,
and his partner, Mary Ellen
Taal; 13 grandchildren; 14
great-grandchildren; and
fi ve great-great-grandchil-
dren.
She was preceded in
death by her parents;
husband, Curtis, in 2012;
granddaughter, Tonya
Roper; and six brothers and
two sisters.
Gwendolyn E. (Hudson)
Baca
Formerly of Union
1933-2019
Gwendolyn Elaine Baca,
formerly of Union, died on
her 86th birthday, Oct. 25,
in Albany. A
celebration of
her life will be
held at 11 a.m.
Nov. 1 at the
Canby Funeral
Chapel, followed by a
reception.
Known as Gwen, she
was born Oct. 25, 1933, in
Union, to Howard Hastings
and Eva Marie Hudson.
She was the ninth of nine
children and was the last
surviving member of her
immediate family. Gwen
married Onesimo “Bill” Ju-
lian Baca on May 7, 1953.
They had three daughters:
Charlotte, Patty and Julie.
Gwen was a wonderful
homemaker and day care
provider. She was so happy
to say it was God who
provided her day care for
36 years, six months and
four days.
Gwen loved the Lord, her
Bible, singing, playing the
piano and writing poetry.
She loved her family, her
day care children and their
families. Gwen was a mem-
ber of the La Grande First
Christian Church.
Surviving relatives
include her daughters and
sons-in-law, Patty and
Larry Glaze and Julie and
Dean Bundy; seven grand-
children and 11 great-
grandchildren; and numer-
ous nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in
death by her husband, Bill;
FAMILY
OWNED
www.lagrandeautorepair.com
ACDelcoTSS
10106 N. ‘C’ • Island City
Jesse F. Snively
Enterprise
Thomas G. Hiatt
Jesse F. Snively, 88, of
Enterprise, died Oct. 27 at
Wallowa Memorial Hospital.
An obituary is forthcoming.
Loveland Funeral Chapel &
Crematory will be handling
the arrangements.
La Grande
Rosemary Gustavson
Pendleton
Rosemary Gustavson, 93,
of Pendleton, died Oct. 27
at a local care facility. An
541-786-8984
Thomas G. Hiatt, 83, of
La Grande, died Oct. 25 at
Grande Ronde Hospital. A
viewing will be held from 1
p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Nov. 8 at
Loveland Funeral Chapel.
A funeral will follow at 2
p.m. An obituary is forth-
coming. Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory will
be handling the arrange-
ments.
Alliance Self Storage
2105 E L Ave., La Grande • allianceselfstorage123@gmail.com
Happy
Retirement
Deborah (Deb) Morrill
has announced her retirement after 8 years
as a Financial Specialist for Northwest Farm
Credit Services. Deb will be dearly missed
by her co-workers and the many customers
she has interacted with. Her last day will be
215 Elm Street La Grande (541) 963-5440
northwestfurnitureandmattress.com
An Independent
Insurance Agency
Reed & Associates for
excellent service LOCALLY!
Nicole Cathey
Carol Ann Laumen, 78,
of Summerville, died Oct.
27 at Wyoming Medical
Center in Casper, Wyo-
ming. An obituary is forth-
coming. Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory will
be handling the arrange-
ments.
Please stop by the Northwest Farm Credit
Services office in Baker City to wish her
good luck on her new adventure. There will
be doughnuts and coffee available from
8-11 AM on November 1.
975-2000
Joe Horst
Summerville
November 1, 2019
La GRANDE
AUTO REPAIR
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Carol A. Laumen
541-975-1364
Medicare, Auto, Home
insurance and Annuities
Toll Free 1-866-282-1925
www.reed-insurance.net
Kevin Reed