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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2020)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 C OMMUNITY Meetings ISLAND CITY — Grande Ronde Hospital Auxiliary will meet Monday at Island City City Hall. Refresh- ments will be available at 9 a.m., and the meeting begins at 9:30. The speaker will be Aaron Curtis, man- ager of the Dietary Depart- ment. Anyone interested in becoming an auxiliary member is welcome to attend. LA GRANDE — Union County Retired Educators will meet Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at Denny’s. The program will feature Suzannah Moore-Hemann, executive director of the Union County Chamber of Commerce. Briefs Hoop-a-thon raises funds for school LA GRANDE — Grande Ronde Academy, 507 Palmer Ave., La Grande, is having a hoop-a-thon free throw basketball fundraiser Feb. 21 during regular school hours. Participants are gathering pledges (per basket or a fl at donation) to help the school provide Christian educa- tion for the children of the Grande Ronde Valley. Sponsored “shoot- ers” — students, faculty, alumni and friends — will shoot free throws for fi ve minutes, trying to make as many baskets as they can. This is not a competi- tion and the participants don’t have to be ballplay- ers to be a success. The EOU football team will be there to help out. The community is invited to attend and support the hoop-a-thon. For more information or to make a pledge, call the school at 541-975-1147, email con- tact@granderondeacad- emy.org or go to www. granderondeacademy.org. Community- wide pinewood derby includes workshops LA GRANDE — The La Grande Nazarene Church is hosting a community-wide pinewood derby March 1. Registration begins at noon. There will be brackets for all ages and a free lunch. Car kits may be pur- chased for $5 at the church, 109 18th St., on weekdays. Workshops with tools, paint and experienced help will be open to all at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 and Feb. 28 in the church fellowship hall. Go to www.lagrandenazarene. com for complete details. Workshop focuses on understanding your adolescent’s brain LA GRANDE — “Un- derstanding Your Child: Providing a Culture of Care” is a free two-part workshop for parents of adolescents (ages 12-18) Feb. 13 and 20 in La Grande. Participants will learn the latest informa- tion and research on brain states, epigenetics and more and how these affect learning and cognitive development in children. The La Grande School District reported it is starting to help children understand their brains in new ways to promote learning and encour- ages parents to support learning and good behavior at home. Social worker Lisa Laden- dorff leads the the work- shops, which run 6-8 p.m. in the La Grande High School library, part 1 this Thursday and part 2 next Thursday. No registration is required, and dinner will be provided at 5:30 p.m. For more informa- tion, call the school district offi ce at 541-663-3203 or go to www.neonoregon.org/ upcoming-trainings. MONOLOGUES Continued from Page 1A anything that was sexual or about exploring yourself,” Nielsen said. “Talking to my grandmother when she got older about those kinds of things, it was still kind of a ‘he he’ behind the hand. It was embarrassing for her. I grew up in an open family where we talked about things that were too much informa- tion, but it was important to us. So I can relate and kind of visualize my grandmother fi nally realizing it’s okay to talk about this. I shouldn’t be ashamed.” The play is often performed as part of the V-Day/One Billion Rising effort founded by Ensler to end domestic and sexual violence against women. Proceeds from the THE OBSERVER — 3A LOCAL upcoming La Grande perfor- mances go to Shelter From the Storm, the local nonprofi t dedicated to fi ghting against domestic violence. Emily Hastings with Shelter From the Storm has been working as the liaison between the performers and the shelter. “I think there is a lot of stigma around women’s bodies and appreciating your body, and especially in rural areas, sexual violence (and) domestic violence is not some- thing people have experience talking about,” Hastings said. “This show gives us a space to talk about it and start a conversation that we can and should have.” Sexual and domestic violence is not something that happens only elsewhere. Even in small towns like those in Union County, it is a reality. The La Grande Police Department from 2017-19 made 88 arrests for domestic violence, according to depart- ment records, and in 2019 received and investigated 308 reports of domestic violence. The department reported four incidents of forcible rape and made one arrest for rape in 2018, according to the 2018 Oregon Annual Uniform Crime Report. La Grande police received 187 reports for sexual assault from 2017- 19 and made 37 arrests for sexual assault. The Union County Sher- iff’s Offi ce reported from 2017 to Jan. 31 it made 23 arrests for domestic assault, six for domestic strangulation and 36 for restraining order violations. The sheriff’s offi ce did not receive any reports Staff photo by Sabrina Thompson From left, EOU students Reshme Sandhu and Julia Huyg, EOU alumnus Candi Nielsen, EOU faculty Naomi Tuinstra and EOU alumnus Catie Johnson rehearse a group monologue, “They Beat the Girl Out of My Boy… or so They Tried”, from “The Vagina Monologues . The piece touches on the experiences of some trans- gender women. of forcible rape or other sex crimes during that time. Union County District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel did not respond to requests for the number of domestic violence and related cases her offi ce is prosecuting. of a company or adviser. this spring to designate more Wild and Scenic riv- ers and streams in Oregon. “Oregonians’ overwhelm- ing response shows both that our state enjoys a unique love affair with our iconic rivers and that Oregonians support efforts to do more to protect these treasured waterways,” Wyden said in the news release. Wyden said he is proud Oregon now has 2,173 miles designated in the Wild and Scenic Rivers system but the total remains a small fraction of Oregon’s 110,994 miles of rivers and streams. The bill he plans to introduce would build on legislation Congress passed last year to add more than 250 miles of Wild and Scenic rivers in Oregon. Wyden in the release also stated outdoor recreation supports 172,000 jobs in Oregon and generates $16.4 billion in economic activity statewide. N EWS B RIEFS Swindlers scam $200K from 80-year- old Oregon man SALEM — Valentine’s Day is almost here, and the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation warns: Don’t get catfi shed. Recently, an 80-year-old widower lost $200,000 in catfi sh scam. The state agency in a news release reported the unidentifi ed fraudster stole a Florida woman’s identity to befriend the Oregonian through an online dat- ing service, over months convinced the elderly man they were in a long-distance romantic relationship and proposed an opportunity to support an art gallery in Florida. The scammer pretended to seek investors to cover $5 million in transporta- tion costs to ship a 500- ton marble lion sculpture from China. The con artist promised the return of the investments plus a percent- age of the profi ts from the sale of the sculpture. “The widower even received fabricated docu- ments detailing the contract with the museum and bank statements. Relying on the documents and his roman- tic relationship, the victim made a series of payments over fi ve months to various individuals and overseas bank accounts totaling more than $200,000,” the regula- tion division reported. “The widower lost his entire in- vestment, and investigators have been unable to locate the scammer.” Andrew Stolfi , division ad- ministrator, stated romance scams typically target older individuals and victims often wire funds overseas or to third-party transfer agents, making it diffi cult to track the money and identify the con artist. The division encourages consumers to do their homework before making any investment and provided tips to avoid getting catfi shed or falling for an investment scam: •Donotsendmoneyto anyone you have not met in person, and be cautious about sharing personal or fi nancial information. •Donottransfermoney to unknown people or intermediaries. If you need to use a third party to send money, use a licensed money transmitter. •Keepcopiesofallcom- munications with scammers and report them to the divi- sion, the online dating site, the local police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Trade Commis- sion. For more information and tips about investing, visit dfr.oregon.gov/fi nancial/in- vestments. Consumers also can contact the division’s advocates at 888-877-4894 to ask questions, fi le com- plaints or check the license Wyden receives more than 15,000 nominations WASHINGTON — Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden announced he received more than 15,000 nominations to protect 4,000-plus miles of rivers and streams in Oregon as Wild and Scenic Rivers. The Democrat sought nominations to add Oregon waterways to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, which Congress established in 1968 with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to preserve certain rivers. More than 2,200 Oregon waterway fans sent their nomininations, ac- cording to the news release from Wyden’s offi ce, with many submitting more than one designation. Wyden will consider the nominations as he devel- ops legislation to introduce P UBLIC S AFETY R EPORT MONDAY A caller at 6:55 a.m. reported a tree fell and took down some type of line on the fi rst block of North Fourth Avenue, Elgin. A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded and determined the line was a cable. An Imbler caller at 7:35 a.m. reported cows on the road on the 3100 block of Cedar Street. And an Island City caller at 8:22 a.m. reported a rooster on the loose on Valley Street. Law enforcement at about 11:25 a.m. responded to a report of someone on the 2400 block of Riddle Road suffering a mental or emotional crisis. Mental health workers handled the situation. A caller at 1:50 p.m. reported possible child abuse at a site in Island City. A Union County sheriff’s deputy responded and talked with the parent. Law enforcement at about 3:45 p.m. responded to Depot Street and Jackson Avenue, La Grande, for a tree on a vehicle. La Grande police at about 10:40 p.m. responded to a noise complaint on the 100 block of Fir Street. Police warned several people at the scene. TUESDAY The animal control offi cer at about 11:40 a.m. responded to the 62200 block of Robin Road, La Grande, for a dispute over a dog, which led to the owner getting the dog. La Grande police at about 1:10 p.m. responded to the 2300 block of Q Avenue for break-in at a residence. Police took a report. A Union caller at 4:06 p.m. reported a dog bit someone. A caller at 6:51 p.m. reported juveniles smoking on the 2300 block of Q Avenue, La Grande. An offi cer contacted the caller and will follow up. La Grande police at 5:28 p.m. received a report of animal cruelty. Law enforcement and La GRANDE AUTO REPAIR medics at 8:11 p.m. received a report of a person in La Grande suffering mental or emotional distress. An ambulance took the person to the hospital. La Grande police arrested Dustin Michael Webb-Davies, 27, of La Grande, for third-degree as- sault and criminal mistreatment. And La Grande fi refi ghters responded to seven calls for medical assistance on Tuesday and six on Monday. 975-2000 www.lagrandeautorepair.com MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE Joe Horst ACDelcoTSS Thank You Chamber Members GRANT CUSTOM HOMES O BITUARIES Loray N. (Allen) Clark Island City 1933-2020 Loray Nadine Clark, 86, of Island City, died Feb. 5 at her residence. As she requested, there will not be a service. Loray will be buried with her mother at Grandview Cemetery. Loray was born Oct. 15, 1933, in Shoshone, Idaho, to Max and Helen (Ambrose) Allen. She attended elemen- tary school in Weiser, Idaho, until April 1946, when her family moved to Wallowa. Loray was a member of the National Honor Society at Wallowa High School and graduated in 1951. In 1954, Loray married Eugene Childers, and their daughter, Coby, was born in 1955. The marriage ended in divorce, and Loray moved to La Grande to be close to her mother and two sisters. Loray was employed in the business offi ce of what is now Eastern Oregon Uni- versity for seven years and then at Reynolds Insurance Agency. In February 1975, she began working at the State Employment Offi ce in La Grande and retired in March 1995. In September 1982, Loray married Donald L. Clark. When they both retired, they moved to Island City and have lived there since. Surviving relatives include her husband, Donald; daugh- ter, Coby Childers Hallgarth of La Grande; brother, Jim Allen of Klamath Falls; sisters, Faith Folsom of Cove and Teresa Sable of Valley Springs, California; and one granddaughter and three great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her parents, Max and Helen, and two nephews. Online condolences may be made to the family at www. lovelandfuneralchapel.com. Linda Y. (Lovell) Johnston Elgin 1943-2019 Linda Y. Johnston, 76, of Elgin, died Nov. 27, 2019, at Grande Ronde Hospital. A celebration of her life potluck will begin at 1 p.m. April 18 at the Elgin Community Center. Arrangements were entrusted to Loveland Fu- neral Chapel & Crematory. Linda was born in 1943 in Roseburg to Russell and Lorrane Lovell. She attended Roseburg High School. Linda had two children: Enid and Sheilia. In 1987 in Springfi eld, she married Jim Johnston. Linda enjoyed collecting porcelain dolls, painting and fi shing. Surviving relatives include her husband, Jim Johnston of Elgin; daughter, Sheilia of El Cajon, California; grand- children and great-grandchil- dren; and siblings, Robert and Betty, both of Washington. JESS FURGERSON SCULPTURE www.VisitUnionCounty.org Call today to connect with a Justin R. Bowling Island City SENIOR LIVING ADVISOR Justin R. Bowling, 44, of Island City, died Feb. 7 at OHSU in Portland. A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 29 at Grande Ronde Academy. Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory is handling the arrangements. INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE A Place for Mom has helped over a million families find senior living solutions that meet their unique needs. There’s no cost to you! (888) 651-5669 ! We’re paid by our partner communities UPCOMING FUNERALS AND VISITATIONS Sponsored by Portable Oxygen For The Way You Want to Live Includes Everything You Need to Regain Your Freedom At just 2.8* lbs, the Inogen One G4 is the ultralight portable oxygen concentrator you have been waiting for. The Inogen One G4 is approximately half the size of the Inogen One G3. Meets FAA Requirements for Travel JUST 2.8 LBS. Feb. 14 Stanley Morrison: 10 a.m. celebration of life, Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande; casual dress preferred. April 3 Loren Fihn: 5 p.m. burial of cremains, Island City Cemetery; followed by reception dinner. 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