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TUESDAY EDITION
May 4, 2021
5 candidates
race to serve
on Imbler
school board
By DICK MASON
The Observer
Editor’s Note
This article contains informa-
tion about the candidates run-
ning for Position 5 on the Imbler
School Board. The Observer’s
May 6 edition will have informa-
tion about Position 3 candidates.
IMBLER — The Imbler
School Board election is the hot-
test in Union County.
Two of its three races this year
are contested, those for positions
3 and 5. No other Union County
school board has more than than
one contested race.
Three candidates are running
for Position 3, and two are vying
for Position 5. Neither incum-
bent for those seats is running for
reelection.
Position 3 candidates are Bud
Whitcomb, the owner and oper-
ator of a custom body and paint
shop; Tim Phelps, a sales and
marketing director; and Joseph
“Joe” Fisher Jr., a building offi cial.
The race for Position 5 is between
Jason Beck, a rancher, and LaVar
Bowles, a project manager for a
construction company.
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Nez Perce drummers perform during ceremonies Thursday, April 29, 2021, surrounding the turning over of the ownership of the now-closed Wallowa Methodist Church to the
tribe. About 60 people, both from the tribe and the church, were on hand for the ceremony.
‘We are here forever’
Nez Perce Tribe
takes title of
Wallowa church
See, Election/Page 5A
Fog remains
over Joseph
City Council
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA — The Nez Perce Tribe took
another step toward reestablishing itself in
its traditional Wallowa County homeland on
Thursday, April 29, when the tribe received
the title to the now-former Wallowa Meth-
odist Church.
The ceremony on the lawn behind the
church included about 60 people, most of
whom were Nez Perce tribal members from
the Lapwai, Idaho-based reservation. Also
in attendance were members of the United
Methodist Church’s Oregon-Idaho Confer-
ence, which has held title to the land and
building since it closed.
“It’s the transfer of deeds so this church
is going back to the Nez Perce Tribe. We’re
very honored to be able to be here today for
this,” said Casey Mitchell, vice chairman of
the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee.
“Any land that comes back to the tribe is a
blessing for us, considering this is originally
our homeland that we were pushed out of.”
Mary Jane Miles, a NPTEC member who
was tabbed at the last moment to hostess the
event, spoke of the gratitude the Nimiipuu
— Nez Perce in their own language
meaning “the people” — for receiving the
land.
“The bishop of the Oregon-Idaho annual
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
JOSEPH — The Joseph City
Council recently made progress
toward replacing Larry Braden,
who resigned as city admin-
istrator/recorder, but failed to
answer the question of whether
there will be an investigation into
Braden’s claim of harassment.
The council went into exec-
utive session Wednesday, April
21, to seek advice from Wyatt
Baum, attorney for the city, but he
declined to discuss in open ses-
sion any advice he gave on a pos-
sible investigation.
The question was at the fore-
front of the minds of several
councilors April 16 when Mayor
Belinda Buswell read aloud Bra-
den’s resignation letter in which
he stated, “the stress of the job as
it is today and constant harass-
ment from members of the current
city council has become too much
for me to handle and is aff ecting
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee Chairman Shannon Wheeler, center, receives the title to the former Wallowa
Methodist Church from Allen Buck, of the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church, as NPTEC
Vice Chairman Casey Mitchell, left, and NPTEC member Mary Jane Miles watch Thursday, April 29, 2021, in Wallowa.
conference of the United Methodist Church
has indicated this is an opportunity to join
in a partnership with the tribe,” she said.
“This came to me this morning. I opened up
my book and there it was, Luke 1:78-79 (she
paraphrased): ‘Our God will bring the rising
sun to visit us, to guide our feet into the way
of friendship, love, strength and peace.’”
At this, Miles looked to the sunny sky
and seemed to acknowledge the fulfi llment
of prophecy.
“The Nimiipuu — the people — are tied
to this land,” she said. “I heard one of the
ladies say this morning, ‘We are here for-
ever.’ It just seemed to warm my heart with
what is happening today, how favored we
are to be getting this land back to our home-
land. And the Nimiipuu are here to stay, and
I thank you for your drums that just bring in
the spirit of the Nimiipuu. ... The Creator is
See, Church/Page 5A
Step back in time on Mother’s Day in Elgin
See, Joseph/Page 5A
Elgin Museum begins
third year at town’s
former city hall
By DICK MASON
The Observer
ELGIN — Locals can revive
memories of an old grocery store
and lumber mill on Sunday,
May 9, when the Elgin Museum
opens for its spring and summer
season.
New features at the museum
include a small wooden shopping
basket for the old Model Grocery
Store in Elgin and a collection of
photos from the town’s old Han-
INDEX
Classified ...............3B
Comics ....................7B
Crossword .............3B
Dear Abby .............8B
Home ......................1B
ford F. Reed Lumber Co. All are
items people have provided to
the project during the past six
months.
“We are so thankful for all
the help we have received from
the community,” said Gerald
Hopkins, president of the board
of directors of the Elgin Museum
and Historical Society.
The Model Grocery Store
basket is empty, but next to it
are the prices of groceries from
the store, which is believed to
have operated in the 1920s and
1930s. They included: 10 pounds
of sweet potatoes for 42 cents,
See, Museum/Page 5A
WEATHER
Horoscope .............4B
Letters ....................4A
Local........................2A
Lottery ....................3A
Nation.....................7A
THURSDAY
Obituaries ..............3A
Opinion ..................4A
Sports .....................8A
State ........................6A
Sudoku ...................7B
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Gerald Hopkins (left) and Charlie Horn inspect a painting in the main lobby of the
Elgin Museum Saturday, May 1, 2021. The Elgin Historical Society’s museum opens for
its spring and summer season Sunday, May 9, on Mother’s Day.
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Wednesday
37 LOW
76/55
Mainly clear
Some sun;
warmer
JOHN HANLEY’S POLITICAL CARTOONS
CONTACT US
541-963-3161
Issue 51
2 sections, 16 pages
La Grande, Oregon
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