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TUESDAY EDITION
September 7, 2021
Lending
a helping
hand at
Round-Up
EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
A WELCOME
ADDITION
Union County Sheriff’s
Office will assist
with large crowds
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
PENDLETON — The
Pendleton Round-Up, one of
the largest events in Eastern
Oregon, is gearing up for its
111th rendition.
With upward of 50,000
slated to attend the week-
long event, law enforcement
from surrounding areas
is coming into Pendleton
to assist in overseeing the
crowds. Of the surrounding
counties, the Union County
Sheriff ’s Offi ce will be
sending several deputies to
Round-Up.
“The motivation is
helping our neighboring
counties with large events,”
Union County Sheriff Cody
Bowen said.
The current plan is for
Bowen and two depu-
ties to assist at Round-Up,
depending on schedule
availability. According to
the sheriff , deputies are
able to support Round-Up
so long as it doesn’t inter-
fere with their regular work
schedule in Union County.
Bowen says he will likely
attend one day, while he is
not sure about the schedules
of the other deputies yet.
The work is voluntary
and Umatilla County pays
the individual deputy for
the service. With such a
large event, law enforce-
ment from neighboring
counties provides additional
assistance in monitoring the
health and safety of those
involved.
“It’s basically just an
overtime shift that’s pretty
fun and something dif-
ferent,” Bowen said.
According to Pend-
leton Police Chief Chuck
Byram, the police depart-
ment begins planning for
Round-Up coverage in
April and heightens that
planning after the Pendleton
Whisky Music Fest in early
July.
“We’re expecting a
full-capacity crowd,”
Byram said. “We’re
expecting people to come
Fieldhouse will be
ready next fall
By DICK MASON
The Observer
L
A GRANDE — The athletic sky-
line at Eastern Oregon University
is rising.
The $9 million fi eldhouse, which
is currently under construction on the
south side of campus, will be at least
60,000 square feet and have a top height
of about 33 feet. The facility is expected
to be completed by April 2022 and be
ready for use by students and student
athletes by fall 2022, according to John
Garlitz, EOU’s director of planning and
facilities.
The steel frame for the fi eldhouse is
nearly complete and soon exterior panels
will be installed, providing the protec-
tion from the weather needed for crews
to do extensive interior work this winter.
“Seeing the fi eldhouse come to life is
a welcome addition to our campus,” said
Tim Seydel, Eastern’s vice president for
university advancement. “The improved
capacity and opportunities this new
building brings to EOU will be felt for
many years to come. It’s great to hear
students talking about the new building
Photos by Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Eastern Oregon University’s new athletic fi eldhouse is beginning to take shape over the head of an
employee with the Mike Becker General Contractor company on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.
BACKGROUND: Tom Hall (left) and Mark
Lowery on Friday, May 7, 2021, prepare
the foundation at the site of what will be
Eastern Oregon University’s fi eldhouse,
a multimillion-dollar facility that is
expected to be ready for use by fall 2022.
See, Fieldhouse/Page A5
See, Round-Up/Page A5
La Grande Education Foundation giving $25,000 in grants, scholarships
By DICK MASON
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The
La Grande Education Foun-
dation is set to achieve a
milestone.
The La Grande Educa-
tion Foundation’s board has
announced it will be giving
out about $25,000 in grants
and scholarships during the
2021-22 school year, the
most in the foundation’s
26-year history.
The La Grande High
School boys and girls bas-
ketball teams will both
receive $6,000. The
remaining $13,000 will go
to other LHS athletic teams,
a music club, books, school
furniture and scholarships.
“We want money to
be less of a barrier,” said
Zachary Lauritzen, a
member of the La Grande
Education Foundation’s
board.
Those who will be
receiving grants of between
$150 and $1,500 from the
foundation include:
INDEX
Classified ...............B3
Comics ....................B7
Crosswords ...........B3
Dear Abby .............B8
HOW TO DONATE
Information on making contri-
butions to the La Grande Edu-
cation Foundation is available
at www.lagrandeeducation-
foundation.org.
• A new screen
printing club at La
Grande High School will
receive $1,500 for a new
printer and training. The
printer will be used by
LHS students to create
WEATHER
Home ......................B1
Horoscope .............B4
Letters ....................A4
Lottery ....................A2
THURSDAY
Obituaries ..............A3
Opinion ..................A4
Records ..................A3
Sports .....................A7
and market custom T-shirts.
• School district teachers
will receive money for the
purchase of new classroom
furniture that is more fl ex-
ible and comfortable for
students. “Teachers have
found that this furniture is
helpful, especially in terms
of increasing student focus,”
Lauritzen said.
• A ukulele club in the La
Grande School District will
receive a grant for the pur-
chase of ukuleles and tuners.
• Schools will receive
Wednesday
54 LOW
86/53
Mainly clear
Mostly sunny
AS COVID HITS AGAIN, BUSINESSES PLOD ALONG
See, Grants/Page A5
CONTACT US
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
funding to purchase books
for students to start their
own personal libraries.
• The LHS golf team will
receive a grant to receive
training from a local golf
professional.
• The LHS’s boys and
girls soccer teams will
receive a grant for the pur-
chase of new equipment.
Since its founding in
1998, the La Grande Edu-
cation Foundation has paid
541-963-3161
Issue 105
2 sections, 16 pages
La Grande, Oregon
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