Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (July 11, 2020)
COMMUNITY Saturday, July 11, 2020 Obituaries Community Meetings • COVE — The public is invited to view a special meeting Tuesday, July 14, of the Cove City Council for a presentation of the city’s updated charter, which will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. According to a press release, an information sheet has been sent out to the res- idents of Cove. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at city hall; connecting to the meeting virtually is encouraged. For instructions, go to www.city- ofcove.org or request a link by emailing cityadmin@cityof- cove.org. Briefs Library resumes take-out service, offers weekly trivia contest and call-in storytime LA GRANDE — After a brief hiatus due to the local COVID-19 outbreak, Cook Memorial Library resumed its take-out service this week. If you received confirmation that items are waiting for you, pick them up Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon and from 4-6 p.m. If you placed items on hold during the hiatus, you will be notified as soon as they are packaged and ready. If you’d like to place an or- der, you can place items on hold in the online catalog or call in your requests at 541- 962-1339. When picking up or dropping off items, patrons are asked to wear a mask. The library is not charging late fees and is working to update patrons’ accounts to reflect this. Join Cook Memorial Li- brary on Tuesdays online at 5:30 p.m. for a quick round of trivia. There are six questions total, and the whole event lasts about 10 minutes. The person who gets the highest number of first-post- ed correct answers during the livestream (and is not a recent winner) gets a $5 gift certificate to the La Grande Farmers Market. On Mondays at 11 a.m., parents may call 541-314- 4256 to access a read-aloud storytime for children. A new story is read each week by Miss Carrie or one of the community’s local celebri- ties. Menus Union County Senior Center takeout lunch menu Pickup 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at 1504 N. Albany St., La Grande. For delivery, call 541-963-7532 before 10 a.m. Age 60+, $3 suggest- ed donation; all others, $5. JULY 13-20 Monday: stuffed pork tenderloin, rice pilaf, apple Waldorf salad, baked bread, dessert. Tuesday: chicken Alfredo, Caesar salad, freshly baked bread, fruit tarts. Wednesday: mini ba- con-cheese tarts, garden salad, freshly baked bread, dessert. Thursday: loaded chef salad, bread, fresh fruit. Friday: Reuben sandwich- es, potato salad, coleslaw, cookies. Union County kids free grab & go lunch menu Pickup 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at Riveria Activity Center, 2609 Second St., La Grande. Free for age 1-18; all others, $4. JULY 13-20 Monday: roast pork, veggies, steak fries, baked apples, rolls. Tuesday: BLT sandwiches, fruit salad, veggie sticks, cookies. Wednesday: chicken Alfredo, salad, fruit, rolls, pudding. Thursday: pulled-pork slid- ers, tater tots, veggies, fruit salad, Jell-O. Friday: mac and cheese, veggie sticks, fresh fruit, rolls, dessert. Donna J. (Sherod) Emmons 1931-2020 • Formerly of Wallowa Donna Jean Emmons, 88, formerly of Wallowa, died March 17 at her home in Medford. A graveside service will be held July 18 at 11 a.m. at the Wal- lowa Cemetery, followed by a celebration of her life at the home of Elsie and Red Evans. Arrangements are by Bollman Funeral Home, Enterprise. Donna was born July 22, 1931, in Wal- lowa, to Glen and Hilma Sherod. She was a 1949 graduate of Wallowa High School, where she was a member of the Gamma Theta Sorority. Donna was introduced to LeRoy Emmons of La Grande by a friend. They were married Sept. 24, 1950, and made Wallowa their home. They had five children (one who passed away just days after his birth). They had been mar- ried for 29 years when LeRoy passed away in April 1979. Donna worked many jobs in Wallowa, retiring from US Bank in 1996. After retirement she enjoyed planting, reading and col- lecting wind chimes. She also took care of her youngest daughter, Jeannie, who battled cancer for 24 years. After Jeannie passed away in March 2007, Donna decided to move to Med- ford, where she could be closer to her remaining family. In her new home she had a beautiful sun- room where she continued to collect wind chimes and grow the best Christmas cactus you’ve ever seen. She enjoyed making new friends 5:15 a.m. — The Union Coun- ty Sheriff’s Office arrested Mark Alvin Wisdom, 62, of North Powder, on accusations of interfering with making a report, four counts of menacing, four counts of pointing a firearm at another and unlawful posses- sion of a weapon. 7:50 a.m. — La Grande police received a report of the theft of a vehicle from the 1300 block of Jefferson Avenue. 11:40 a.m. — A caller reported a prowler near a residence on the 3000 block of Birch Street, La Grande. Officers arrived and found the suspect was a relative of the homeowners. 2:47 p.m. — A resident on the 63100 block of Gekeler Lane, La Grande, reported a burglary. A Union County sheriff’s deputy with her neighbors, walking her dog to her daughter’s house just down the street, spoiling her great-grand- children and jokingly giving the ones she loved most a hard time. As Donna grew older, her decision to move to Medford proved to be a blessing. Her son Roger was able to move into her home to assist with her care. When her condition declined, she was constantly comforted and cared for by her daughter Vickie and, with multiple trips from his home, her son David. Surviving relatives include her children, David Emmons and his wife, Rox- anne, Roger Emmons, and Vickie Sutton; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father, Glen Sherod; mother, Hilma Sherod; husband, LeRoy Emmons; sister, Genevieve Keyser; daughter, Jeannie Emmons; and son-in-law, Craig Sutton. Upcoming local services Glen R. Marshall Formerly of La Grande Glen Raymond Mar- shall, 90, of Sumpter and formerly of La Grande, died July 9 at his residence. Arrangements are by Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, Baker City. Joyce Wicklander Joseph Joyce Wicklander, 77, of Joseph, died July 8 at her home. Arrangements are by Bollman Funeral Home, Enterprise. Alice Gipson July 18 — DONNA EMMONS: 11 a.m. grave- side service, Wallowa Cemetery; followed by a celebration of life at the home of Elsie and Red Evans. July 24 — IRMA ROGERS: noon graveside service, Hillcrest East Cemetery, La Grande; please wear a mask. — Calendar courtesy of Loveland Funeral Chapel, La Grande Formerly of Cove Alice Gipson, 75, of Ontario and formerly of Cove, died May 13. The celebration of life planned for July 25 has been can- celed due to the pandemic. Instead, a private service will be held. Interested friends may contact the family with questions. Wallowa County Fair coming together By Bill Bradshaw EO Media Group ENTERPRISE — Plans still are underway for a Wallowa County Fair to be held July 31 to Aug. 8 at the fairgrounds in Enterprise, and organizers are begin- ning to get an idea of how it’s going to look. Initial plans, so far, are to avoid any close- packed group gatherings to comply with Gov. Kate Brown’s executive restric- tions for the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have a small com- munity fair and we think we can conduct it” under those restrictions, said Todd Nash, the Wallowa County commissioner who is most closely involved with the fair. “Our fair’s quite different from most others around the state. We think we can come in under what’s required of us by the governor’s executive order and do it safely.” Nash and Brenda Stanley, chairwoman of the Wallowa County Fair Board, said they expect to EO Media Group file photo FFA and 4-H sheep handlers line up outside the livestock arena during the 2019 Wallowa County Fair. Under guidelines the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners and the fair board are working out, no such group gatherings are likely at this year’s fair to comply with Gov. Kate Brown’s restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. limit the number of animals each youth can show to one. A youth will be able to bring a market animal or a breeding-stock animal, but not both. “We can’t have them bring a whole herd,” Stanley said. “We just can’t contain them.” First-time homebuyers eligible for grants The Observer LA GRANDE — Oregon Housing and Community Services has awarded Community Con- nection of Northeast Ore- gon’s Housing Resource Center a $300,000 grant to provide down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Applicants can receive up to $15,000 in down pay- ment and closing costs toward the purchase of their home. Eligible applicants must have gross annual income less than the Area Median Income, be first-time home- buyers, have net worth lim- itations, and be lender-ready within one year. Area Median Income for the counties served by CCNO are: •Baker County, $58,100 •Grant County, $60,800 •Union County, $58,900 •Wallowa County, $64,400 In addition, Commu- nity Connection provides pre-purchase counseling to residents interested in purchasing a home. The program helps posi- tion prospective buyers for lender approval by addressing budget, credit and debt and offers edu- cation on available loan products. The agency also offers Individual Development Accounts for first-time homebuyers, allowing qualified buyers to save up to $12,000 toward a down payment over a course of three years, as well as foreclosure intervention and default counseling. For more details on the down payment grants and CCNO’s other programs, go to www.ccno.org or contact Debbie MacBaker, manager of the Housing Resource Center, at 541- 963-3186 or debbie@ccno. org. Public Safety Report WEDNESDAY tHE OBSErVEr — 3A took a report. 4:05 p.m. — A caller on the 600 block of Fourth Street, Powder River, reported a dog in distress. 6:17 p.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about someone going through a dumpster on the 2000 block of Second Street. Subsequent reports about the same com- plaint in La Grande came in at 7:57 p.m. on the 2200 block of Island City and at 8:19 p.m. on the 1900 block of Fourth Street. THURSDAY 7:49 a.m. — A caller report- ed someone left dogs in their vehicle with windows up at Walmart, 11619 Island Ave., Island City. 9:31 a.m. — A caller reported vandalism to a vehicle on the 2800 block of Adams Avenue, La Grande. Police responded and took a report. 10:58 a.m. — La Grande police cited an 18-year-old Elgin male for minor in possession of alcohol. 1:03 p.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office received a report of people shooting in a prohibited area off Fox Hill Road, La Grande. A deputy checked the area but did not find anyone. 1:29 p.m. — La Grande police received a report of vandalism to a sign on the 1900 block of Island Avenue. 3:11 p.m. — A caller reported vandalism to a building on the 2600 block of Second Street, La Grande. 9:22 p.m. — A caller reported juveniles caused a disturbance on the 1200 block of Cedar Street, Elgin. going to go.” However, he and Stanley emphasized, no firm deci- sions have yet been made. Just rough outlines of a number of the events have been agreed upon. “Nothing’s set in stone,” Nash said. The commissioners Nash agreed, after dis- cussing it with fair repre- sentatives at the county commission meeting Wednesday, July 1. “If you take a market animal, you won’t be able to also take a breeding animal,” he said Thursday. “Likely, that’s the way it’s have worked with livestock superintendents and the fair board to set times for weigh-ins, animal shows and auctions. The partic- ipating youths have been notified. Stanley said they don’t want the year’s hard work put in by 4-H’ers and FFA youths to go for naught. “Despite the COVID, kids have still been working,” she said. “Our main focus … is to have a fair for these kids.” While desiring to have the best fair possible under the circumstances, orga- nizers are not ignoring the safety aspect. “We encourage anyone who thinks they’re particu- larly threatened by COVID or have a compromised immune system to not come,” Nash said. He said he doesn’t know when all the particulars of this year’s fair will be in place. “The rules tend to change for us quite often,” he said. “We hope to know by fair time.” Eagle Cap Excursion Train cancels season The Observer ELGIN — The Eagle Cap Excursion Train will not run this season. The Friends of the Joseph Branch Board of Directors on Friday announced the cancellation of the train’s season. The board reported in a press release it has watched the status of the coronavirus pandemic and decided to not operate the Eagle Cap Excursion Train this season. “When considering the average age of pas- sengers and volunteers, the enclosed and close environment on the train and what it would entail to reduce the risk for all involved, the board mem- bers voted unanimously not to run,” according to the press release. “Instead, they will concentrate this year on making fur- ther improvements to the equipment, work with the Wallowa Union Rail Authority to upgrade the tracks and lay the ground- work for an amazing season in 2021.” “A majority of our pas- sengers are of the pop- ulation most vulnerable to the virus and it would be difficult to keep the Observer file photo A group of veterans exit the Eagle Cap Excursion Train in Elgin in this 2017 file photo. The Friends of the Joseph Branch Board of Directors announced Friday the cancel- lation of the train’s season due to the pandemic. social distance parame- ters during the trips, while carrying enough passen- gers to cover costs,” Ed Spaulding, board presi- dent and engineer, said in the press release. “As always, our top priority is the health and safety of passengers and volunteers, and to ensure they have an enjoyable experience. We believe the best way to achieve that is to delay all activity until the virus is under control.” After announcing a busy season in March, the group cancelled its May and June trips, then announced delaying the season until fall. The board reported it negative impacts shutting down will have on Union and Wal- lowa County businesses. “We look forward to serving our passen- gers again and will work hard to help rebuild the tourism industry in 2021,” Spaulding concluded. The nonprofit Friends of the Joseph Branch is contacting people with people with reservations and offering refunds or vouchers for use in 2021. Eva Bennett The family of would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your kindness and thoughtfulness during the recent loss of our loved one. A special thanks to Dr. Gornowicz, the staff of Grande Ronde Hospital and the staff of Grande Ronde Hospice for their care and guidance the last six months, the staff of Grande Retirement Residence for their attendance to her everyday needs, Ian Murphy, Zee Koza and the staff of Loveland Funeral Chapel for their professionalism and compassion in these strange times and all of you who sent cards, food, flowers, donations and kind thoughts and prayers. The Brogoitti’s Cathy, Allen, Carrie, Dutch, Meggen, McKenzie, Stella and Maggie
