RECORDS AND MORE
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020
OBITUARIES
NEWS BRIEFS
Panhandle Rodeo
and Fair canceled
Jack R. Hackney
Upcoming
local
services
1942-2020 • Elgin
HALFWAY —
Melody Huff tried to
remain optimistic that
not even a pandemic
could stop an event that’s
been a Baker County
summer tradition for
almost a century.
The Baker County
Fair and Panhandle
Rodeo at Halfway was
set to celebrate its 99th
year during the Labor
Day weekend.
(The event is separate
from the Baker County
Fair in Baker City,
scheduled for the fi rst
week of August.)
“We were excited,”
said Huff, who’s in her
second year as president
of the Pine Valley Fair
Association.
But as the number
of COVID-19 cases
began to rise in Oregon,
and Gov. Kate Brown
set a limit of 10 people
attending indoor social
gatherings, Huff’s opti-
mism confronted reality.
Last week the Fair
Association’s board of
directors and members,
about 20 people in all,
met in Halfway to dis-
cuss the situation.
Huff said the con-
sensus was clear. The
association voted to
cancel the fair and rodeo.
The youth live-
stock show and sale will
happen on Sept. 6, prob-
ably as a virtual event
in which children will
record videos of the ani-
mals they have raised,
and bidding done online.
Krischele Whitnah, the
livestock superintendent,
said she is working on
the details of that event.
Huff said the imped-
iments to putting on
the fair and rodeo were
insurmountable. She
said she had talked with
organizers of the Haines
Stampede Rodeo, which
took place July 3 and
4. She said the changes
made in Haines due to
the pandemic, including
sanitizing the bleachers,
would not have been pos-
sible in Halfway.
The reason, she said,
is that many volunteers
are older than 60, in the
higher-risk group for
severe complications
from the virus.
The obstacle for the
fair is the limit on the
number of people who
can attend an indoor
event, Huff said.
With just 10 people
allowed in the exhibit
hall the event just isn’t
practical, she said.
“It’s just not going to
work,” Huff said.
In addition to the spe-
cifi c challenges with the
rodeo and fair, Huff said
an overriding concern
was the possibility that
a child could become
infected while partici-
pating in the fair.
Hydropower topic
of Brown Bag
ENTERPRISE —
A virtual Brown Bag
Lunch Tuesday, July 28,
will feature Matt King,
Renewable Energy Pro-
gram manager at Wal-
lowa Resources Commu-
nity Solutions Inc.
King will address
the fast-growing, small,
hydroelectric-generation
programs happening now
in Wallowa County.
Rich Wandschneider,
library director at the
Joseph Center for Arts
and Culture, Joseph,
announced the center is
going back to holding
two Brown Bags each
month, and for now they
will all be Zoom.
To participate in the
July 28 presentation,
join the Zoom meeting
at https://us02web.zoom.
us/j/5208664824, with
Meeting ID: 520 866 4824.
— EO Media Group
Jack Raymond Hackney,
77, of Elgin, died July 17 of
heart failure. No service is
planned at this time.
Jack was
born Aug. 25,
1942, in Pasco,
Washington,
to Albert and
Rose (DeRan-
leau) Hackney.
In 1961, he
graduated from
Grandview
High School,
where he
played football.
Jack joined the U.S. Air
Force in 1962 and retired
as a veteran of the Vietnam
War. He served three
tours in Vietnam and was
awarded multiple medals,
including the Distinguished
Flying Cross.
Jack spent his retirement
traveling on his motor-
cycle, visiting campsites
July 25 — DAVE
MURRILL: 11 a.m. grave-
side service, Enterprise
Cemetery.
— Calendar cour-
tesy of Loveland
Funeral Chapel, La
Grande
across the U.S. and Canada,
including Nova Scotia. He
loved to go on the annual
Motorcycle Christmas Toy
Run and participated in
the Memorial Day Run for
the Wall motorcycle ride to
the Vietnam Memorial in
Washington, D.C.
Jack never met a
stranger. He was a giving
person and was always
willing to lend a hand. In
1991, when a F5 tornado
hit the Wichita, Kansas,
area, he helped 19 of his
neighbors repair their roofs
before repairing his own.
He passed peacefully
with his fi rst and last love,
Sue Baird, nearby.
Survivors include his
daughter, Jeanne Beckman
of Wichita, Kansas; son,
Johnny Hackney of Justin,
Texas; stepson, Thai Tran
of Arlington, Texas; seven
grandchildren and one
great-grandchild; sisters,
Judy Oberding of Pasco,
Washington, and Kathy
Roberts of Vancouver,
Washington; brother,
Gary Hackney of Bur-
bank, Washington; and
former brother-in-law,
Rick Roberts of Richland,
Washington.
Online condolences
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
TUESDAY
6:17 a.m. — Emergency medical services
and the Union County Sheriff’s Offi ce
responded to the 72400 block of Palmer
Junction Road, Elgin, for a traffi c crash.
10:06 a.m. — A La Grande resident
reported an ex-boyfriend continued to make
unwanted contact.
3:09 p.m. — A caller reported animal
cruelty on the 2200 block of Island Avenue,
La Grande. The animal enforcement offi cer
arrived, found the animals in question were
not in distress and talked to their owners.
7:02 p.m. — La Grande police received a
report of a possible sex crime.
8:41 p.m. — A resident of the 800 block of
West Arch Street, Union, reported dogs that
have killed chickens were in the yard.
9:35 p.m. — La Grande police responded
to the 3200 block of Union Street on a com-
plaint about vandalism. Police took a report.
10:19 p.m. — A Union County sheriff’s
deputy responded to the 63400 block of
Gekeler Lane, La Grande, to assist fi refi ght-
ers with a possible fl are up of a site that was
on fi re that morning.
WEDNESDAY
12:38 a.m. — A male yelling outside on
the 1200 block of Eighth Street, La Grande,
prompted a call to police. Offi cers respond-
ed and found the person, who agreed to be
quiet.
10:21 a.m. — A caller complained about
a code violation on the 2300 block of Jeffer-
son Avenue, La Grande.
10:24 a.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s
Offi ce received a call about animal neglect
at Cedar Street and Fifth Avenue, Elgin.
1:01 p.m. — Union County sheriff’s dep-
uties responded to the 2400 block of Riddle
Road, La Grande, on a report of a domestic
disturbance. Deputies arrived and separated
the parties.
1:34 p.m. — La Grande police received a
report of possible child abuse.
8:56 p.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s
Offi ce responded to a report of domestic
violence on the 300 block of North 10th
Street, Elgin. The sheriff’s offi ce arrest-
ed Robert Leon Trump, 52, of Elgin, on
accusations of fourth-degree assault and
strangulation.
THURSDAY
6:31 a.m. — A caller reported a possible
transient camp at Pioneer Park, La Grande.
Police planned to provide extra patrols for
the park.
1:48 p.m. — And the Union County Sher-
iff’s Offi ce received a report of a transient
camp in the Umatilla National Forest off
Summit Road, La Grande. A deputy will
follow up.
3:44 p.m. — A caller in Elgin reported
possible sex abuse. A Union County sheriff’s
deputy will follow up.
5:57 p.m. — The Union County Sheriff’s
Offi ce received a report of a domestic
disturbance on the 70 block of North Eighth
Avenue, Elgin. A deputy responded and
explained options.
7:48 p.m. — La Grande police responded
to the 1100 block of Jefferson Avenue for
a possible drunk driver. Offi cers arrested
Gerald Orlan Dudek, 77, of North Powder, on
accusations of driving under the infl uence
of intoxicants, felony driving while suspend-
ed and hit-and-run.
9:29 p.m. — A caller reported a mentally
ill person was wandering around La Grande
in the area of Albany Street and R Avenue.
975-2000
everyone she met.
Survivors include her
sons, Bailey Allen and
Leonydis Andrew of Elgin;
partner of eight years, Mart
Van Dine; mother, Shawna
Roba of Elgin; honorary
dad, Glenn Moodenbaugh;
brother, Jimm Roba of
John Day; sister, Jeannie
Little of Hillsboro; grand-
parents, Jim and Bettie
Currie of Prineville; and
many aunts, uncles, nieces
and nephews.
Online condolences
may be made to the family
at www.lovelandfuneral-
chapel.com.
Terry D. Mentgen
Elgin
Terry D. Mentgen, 66,
of Elgin, died July 22 at
Providence St. Mary Med-
ical Center in Walla Walla,
Washington. Arrangements
are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory, La
Grande.
coupled with mask and phys-
ical distancing requirements,
makes Library Take-Out(side)
a lower risk event.
If you don’t have a mask,
the library will provide one,
and library staff will limit the
number of browsers at one time.
To avoid having to disinfect
and quarantine the browsing
collection, visitors will need
to slip on a pair of food han-
dler gloves before they start
browsing, which will be avail-
able along with hand sanitizer.
For those who prefer to
place holds online or to call
and request items, Library
Take-Out(side) remains an
option. Go online at www.
cookmemoriallibrary.org to
place holds on items you want
or call 541-962-1339 and tell
us what you want. Once your
order has been confi rmed, you
can pick up your items Monday
through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon
or 4-6 p.m.
For more information about
library resources, go to cook-
memoriallibrary.org.
Eagle Cap Shooters
hold AR-15 target shoot
ENTERPRISE —
Eight AR-15 enthusiasts
participated in this year’s
AR-15 Target Shoot at the
Eagle Cap Shooters Asso-
ciation range on Ant Flat
Road on Saturday, July 18.
Targets were placed at
distances of 100, 200, 300,
400 and 500 yards. The
match required a mixture
of standing, sitting and
kneeling using various
bags and barricades —
with participants fi ring 10
rounds per stage.
There were two classes:
iron sights and scoped
rifl es. Mike Musia won
the scoped blue ribbon
and a silver dollar.
Steel on the inside where it matters most.
Shops
Garages
Commercial
Industrial
www.WSBNW.com
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Sandy, OR
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Staff photo by Phil Wright
Lisa Hill says the outdoor labyrinth she helped create at
Fifth Street and Spring Avenue, La Grande, remains a
place the public can use to relieve some stress.
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Joe Horst
Natasha “Tasha” Gail
Roba, 35, of Elgin, died
July 20 at her residence. At
her sons’ request, there will
not be a service.
Known as
Tasha, she was
born July 8,
1985, in John
Day, to Edward
and Shawna
(Huggins)
Roba.
Tasha loved crafting and
enjoyed spending time out-
doors. She would say her
greatest accomplishment
was giving this world two
wonderful sons, whom she
loved very much.
Tasha always gave 110%
and always put others fi rst.
She had kind words for
EO Media Group
www.lagrandeautorepair.com
ACDelcoTSS
1985-2020 • Elgin
LA GRANDE — Browsing
the stacks at the Cook Memo-
rial Library is coming back —
in a fashion.
“While we continue to ready
our building for the day we
can fi nally welcome you back
inside, we decided we needed
to fi nd a way to allow you to
be able to browse for books,
audiobooks, and movies,”
Library director Kip Roberson
said in a press release.
The La Grande public
library is introducing Library
Take-Out(side) on Tuesday,
July 28 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
to coincide with La Grande
Farmers Market hours. The
“library” will be set up on the
sidewalk just outside the main
entrance at Fourth Street and
Adams Avenue. Browsing will
be available every Tuesday
afternoon, weather permitting.
Outdoor events are safer
than indoor events when it
comes to contracting the coro-
navirus. Roberson in the press
release said being outdoors,
The Obsever
La GRANDE
AUTO REPAIR
Natasha ‘Tasha’ G.
Roba
The Observer
By Phil Wright
LA GRANDE — Lisa
Hill recounted when she
and a local group created
the walking labyrinth a few
blocks from downtown La
Grande.
“We went around and
found donated bricks from
people,” she said.
That was around 2004,
she said, and the bricks out-
line the walking path in
the grassy lot at the corner
of Fifth Street and Spring
Avenue and lead to a center
featuring wooden seating
under a young tree.
She said she has three
regulars who walk the path.
Given the stress people are
feeling because of the coro-
navirus pandemic, Hill said
she wanted to remind locals
the small park is a place
that can relieve stress and
bring a sense of tranquility.
Hill also said she works
to maintain the labyrinth,
such as clearing grass and
whatnot from the bricks,
which are starting to show
their age. She said she
would welcome any help
with that work, and she
welcomes anyone to take a
moment, walk the path and
have a rest in the labyrinth’s
center.
may be made to the family
at www.lovelandfuneral-
chapel.com.
Cook Memorial Library
off ers outdoor browsing
Outdoor labyrinth available to public
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215 Elm Street La Grande (541) 963-5440
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