RECORDS AND MORE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020
COMMUNITY
Briefs
Check out your child’s
school materials,
Chromebook this week
LA GRANDE — Materials
for La Grande School District
students in fourth through
eighth grade who are begin-
ning the year in comprehen-
sive distance learning will
be available to pick up Aug.
27-28. From noon to 7 p.m.
Thursday and from 7 a.m.
to noon Friday, one person
per family may come to the
child’s school to check out
materials including school
supplies, Chromebooks and
other technology.
The same schedule applies
to all La Grande Learning
Academy students, from
kindergarten through 12th
grade. The virtual academy is
based at the former Willow
Elementary School, 1305 N.
Willow St.
La Grande High School
students enrolled in
comprehensive distance
learning may stop by LHS
for Chromebooks and other
materials Thursday, Aug. 27,
8-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m.
Some of these details
previously were reported
incorrectly. The Observer
regrets the error.
Art center seeks
supplies
LA GRANDE — In prepara-
tion for reopening its doors
next month, Art Center East,
La Grande, is seeking dona-
tions of cloth or disposable
face masks, hand sanitizer
and sanitary wipes. To make
arrangements to drop them
off, email Darcy at darcy@
artcentereast.org.
Registration open for
Ladd Marsh free youth
pheasant hunt
SALEM — Youth hunters
(age 17 and younger) can
sign up now for ODFW’s free
pheasant hunts happen-
ing around the state this
fall, including at the Ladd
Marsh Wildlife Area outside
La Grande on Sept. 19-20.
ODFW and partners stock
pheasants at these special
hunts that give youth a head
start on regular pheasant
seasons, which don’t begin
until October.
As with all other ac-
tivities, COVID-19 safety
measures will be in place
including social distancing
and mask requirements
(during check-in). All hunters
are also provided eye and
ear protection and hunter
orange clothing.
Register by logging in to
the youth’s account at MyOD-
FW’s licensing page. Then go
to Purchase from the Catalog
and look under the Category
tab for Class/Workshop/Out-
door Skills. Hunts are listed
alphabetically by city name.
Registration is only online.
For further details on the
Ladd Marsh event, email
kyle.w.martin@state.or.us or
call 541-963-2344.
These events are open
only to youth who have
passed hunter education.
This year, that includes
youth hunters who have
completed the workbook
or online course; the fi eld
day requirement has been
postponed due to the
pandemic.
An adult 21 years of age
or older must accompany the
youth to supervise but may
not hunt.
The hunts are free, though
participants need a valid
hunting license ($10 for
youth 12 and older, free for
age 11 and under) to hunt.
Youth hunters age 12-17 also
need an upland game bird
validation ($4). Licenses and
validations will not be sold at
the events.
OBITUARIES
Brian D. Osborn
La Grande
Brian D. Osborn, 51,
of La Grande, died Aug.
24 at Grande Ronde Hos-
pital. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel &
Crematory.
Marilyn R. (Jackson)
Rice
1938-2020 • La Grande
Marilyn R. Rice, 81, of
La Grande, died June 19
at Grande Ronde Hospital.
Arrangements were han-
dled by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory. A cel-
ebration of her life will be
held Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. in
the Riverside Park Pavilion.
Those who wish to join and
honor her are welcome.
Marilyn was born Sept.
2, 1938, in Mound City, Illi-
nois, to Mildred and Wilbur
Jackson. She was orphaned
at the age of 6 when both
of her parents died of TB
and lived with family for
the rest of her childhood.
Marilyn was married twice.
The fi rst marriage ended in
divorce and the second in
the death of her husband.
Marilyn was working in
a hospital in Illinois when
a nurse encouraged her to
go to nursing school. She
graduated with an RN
degree from Shawnee Col-
lege in 1982. She worked
in the ICU at Anna Illi-
nois Hospital until age 60
when she moved to Oregon.
She briefl y worked in
Bend before moving to La
Grande. Marilyn worked at
Evergreen Vista and Ever-
green Health and Rehab
before going to work on
the night shift on the med/
LA GRANDE — The
La Grande Parks and Rec-
reation Department on
Wednesday, Aug. 26,
announced is is starting an
after-school program.
The move is to address
“an overwhelming commu-
nity need as outlined by the
results of our community
survey,” according to the
press release from McKayla
Nitz, the city’s recreation
supervisor, to help provide
child care to families during
the COVID-19 crisis.
Due to the restrictions
to curtail the spread of the
virus, the city will be able
to serve 15 children a week,
the press release stated, and
registration will be week by
week and fi rst come, fi rst
served. Registration also
will open for the next week
each Tuesday.
The child care is at the
Riveria Activity Center,
2609 Second St., in the
classroom behind the gym
surgery fl oor at Grande
Ronde Hospital in 2001.
She retired from GRH more
than 10 years later and
stayed in La Grande.
Marilyn’s interests
included baseball. She
was a big Cardinals fan.
She loved to read, espe-
cially history. She enjoyed
working puzzles, watching
game shows and gaming on
her computer. She liked a
variety of music, classical to
heavy metal, and collected
praying mantis treasures.
Marilyn loved cats and
had many throughout her
life. They gave her much
comfort.
Marilyn loved to garden
and cook. She created
treats from her kitchen to
give friends and neighbors,
including apple butter, won-
derful spice mixes and a
Upcoming
local
services
tery, La Grande; bring your
own seating.
Aug. 29 — MIKE MAY:
4 p.m. memorial service,
Riverside Park Pavilion, La
Grande.
Aug. 30 — MARILYN
RICE: 5 p.m. celebration of
life, Riverside Park Pavilion,
La Grande.
Aug. 28 — JOYCE
STEVENS: 11 a.m. out-
door funeral, Cove Baptist
Church; 1 p.m. graveside
service, Grandview Ceme-
special cocoa mix.
Although Marilyn never
had children or much
family in her life, a group
of the nursing staff she
worked with became her
family. She called them her
— Calendar cour-
tesy of Loveland Funeral
Chapel, La Grande
Please follow guide-
lines regarding face cov-
erings and social dis-
tancing at all services.
“tribe.” Marilyn also was
fortunate to have helpful
neighbors. She was very
thankful for their friend-
ship. She was a kind and
loving friend who touched
many lives.
We can all take action to help prevent suicide
e all have heard
stats in the
media about
the increasing number
of deaths by suicide in
Oregon. My work for the
past 18 years has been in
know what we are looking
for. When we start to rec-
ognize the signs and guide
that person to the right
treatment at the right time,
there will be an amazing
shift in our community.
Each one of us
can learn to rec-
the signs
AARON GRIGG ognize
of emotional and
CENTER FOR HUMAN
mental health chal-
DEVELOPMENT
lenges, including
signs of depression,
the trenches working to
anxiety and trauma that can
prevent those deaths. There lead to thoughts of suicide.
are many things that lead to We can learn key words
suicide, but all stem from
and key questions that can
mental and emotional ill-
be used at key times to help
nesses. Culturally, we are
those around us. If we all
not good in this country at
did this, the whole com-
caring for our mental and
munity could be part of the
emotional health. We are
solution.
better at meeting the needs
In this coming year, the
of our physical health. I
Union County Safe Com-
understand this. It is much
munities Coalition and
easier to fi x what we can
the Suicide Prevention/
see.
Response Coalition will be
However, the reality is
partnering with schools,
that we can see the effects
law enforcement, county
of mental and emotional
and city offi cials, behav-
ailments every day if we
ioral health providers,
W
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
MONDAY, AUG. 24
8:47 a.m. — La Grande police
responded to a complaint about
vandalism on the 1600 block of
Adams Avenue.
9:36 a.m. — A La Grande
resident in the area of Jakob
Avenue and 18th Street asked
police to send extra patrols due
to loud parties.
10:43 a.m. — La Grande
police responded to a report of
a fi ght on the 1200 block of Hall
Street. Police arrested Jesse
Joe Shodin, 46, for violating a
restraining order.
1:05 p.m. — La Grande police
received a report of a burglary
at a residence on the 1200 block
of Greenwood Street.
5:12 p.m. — A caller reported
possible dog neglect on the
2600 block of Bearco Loop,
La Grande. About 30 minutes
later, police received a report
of suspicious circumstances on
the same block.
8:47 p.m. — A caller reported
a female pulled a child harshly
at Candy Cane Park, La Grande.
An offi cer responded and found
the child was fi ne.
TUESDAY, AUG. 25
11:49 a.m. — La Grande po-
lice received a report of possible
dog abuse on the 2300 block of
Q Avenue.
2:10 p.m. — A caller reported
an abandoned vehicle on Bond
Lane, La Grande.
2:11 p.m. — A caller reported
an abandoned vehicle at Sum-
merville Road and Highway 204,
Summerville.
2:23 p.m. — La Grande police
responded to the 1800 block of
26th Street on a report of a run-
away juvenile. An offi cer found
and arrested the juvenile.
5:02 p.m. — A Union County
deputy reported vandalism to
a building on the 100 block of
Adams Avenue, La Grande.
7:50 p.m. — La Grande police
responded to the 500 block of
Adams Avenue on a report of
people fi ghting. Offi cers warned
the people involved.
10:45 p.m. — A caller report-
ed someone may be breaking
into a moving truck on the 1300
block of Jefferson Avenue, La
Grande. Law enforcement ar-
rived and found the person was
an employee and working.
Recent Oregon State Police
citations and arrests:
Aug. 18 — Oregon State Po-
lice stopped a black Kia Optima
at 10:51 a.m. for traffi c viola-
tions on the westbound side of
Interstate 84 near milepost 268.
The trooper subsequently cited
Christopher Michael Oak, 46,
for misdemeanor possession of
methamphetamine and heroin
and for delivery of meth, a Class
B felony.
La Grande announces after-school program
The Observer
THE OBSERVER — 3A
from 1-5 p.m., with late
pickup until 5:15 p.m. The
cost is $60 per week (cost
per week will be adjusted
for short school weeks)
All registrations are
online at at www.lagrande-
parks.org.
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public health and other
community agencies to pro-
vide training opportunities
for all residents in Union
County to better under-
stand how to recognize and
assist those who may be
struggling with thoughts of
suicide. Be on the lookout
for those opportunities.
If you have thoughts of
not wanting to continue
your life, you are not alone.
Many of us have been
where you are at. Through
support from friends, loved
ones and professionals,
there is hope and healing.
We encourage you to reach
out.
Even though we are
physically distancing at this
time, we can still reach out
to one another — over the
fence, across the yard, by
phone, text or video.
We can show more
compassion.
I heard it said once,
“When you meet someone,
treat them as if they were
in serious trouble, and you
will be right more than half
the time.” We all have trou-
bles regardless of our situ-
ation, and sometimes it just
takes another reaching out
with kindness to make a
difference.
Additionally, Sept. 6-12
is National Suicide Pre-
vention Week. I encourage
all of us to fi nd ways to be
more compassionate toward
those around us. Chances
are they are struggling.
Our words will make a
difference.
Some warning signs
may help you determine
if a loved one is at risk
for suicide, especially
if the behavior is new,
has increased or seems
related to a painful event,
loss or change. Seek help
by calling the Center for
Human Development or
the Lifeline (see numbers
below) if you or someone
you know exhibits any
of these: talking about
wanting to die or kill them-
selves, looking for a way
Oregon man dies at Anthony Lake
EO Media Group
ANTHONY LAKE
— A 71-year-old western
Oregon man died Sunday
morning, Aug. 23, at
Anthony Lake in an
apparent drowning.
According to a press
release from the Baker
County Sheriff’s Offi ce,
Robert James Akers, who
is from Brownsville in
the southern Willamette
Valley between Eugene
and Albany, was on the
lake in a kickboat, a type
of infl atable watercraft.
Anthony Lake is in the
Elkhorn Mountains about
35 miles northwest of
Baker City.
According to the sher-
iff’s offi ce, Akers and his
wife had been camping
near Granite. They drove
to Anthony Lake, about 25
miles from Granite, for a
day trip. Akers was out on
the lake when bystanders
on shore noticed that he
was having some kind of
trouble, according to the
sheriff’s offi ce.
He then fell from the
watercraft. Akers was not
wearing a life jacket.
All credit cards accepted
Baker County Dispatch
received a report of the
incident at about 11:30 a.m.
Two people in a canoe
reached Akers after he had
been lying face down in
the water for three to fi ve
minutes,according to the
sheriff’s offi ce. The pair
in the canoe pulled Akers
onto rocks in the lake and
began performing CPR.
Medical personnel pro-
nounced Akers deceased at
the scene.
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to kill themselves, talking
about feeling hopeless
or having no reason to
live, talking about feeling
trapped or in unbearable
pain, talking about being a
burden to others, increasing
the use of alcohol or drugs,
acting anxious or agi-
tated, behaving recklessly,
sleeping too little or too
much, withdrawing or iso-
lating themselves, showing
rage or talking about
seeking revenge and having
extreme mood swings.
We can all help prevent
suicide.
For more information or
help, contact CHD Crisis
at 541-962-8800 or the
National Suicide Prevention
Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
———
About the Author
Aaron Grigg is the
mental health director at
Center for Human Devel-
opment in La Grande.
He spends his spare time
enjoying the outdoors with
his wife and six daughters.
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