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TUESDAY EDITION
September 21, 2021
COVID-19
Schools
face the
challenges
of coping
with virus
La Grande and Imbler
school districts have
students and staff out
due to COVID-19
By DICK MASON
The Observer
UNION COUNTY — The
fi rst 16 days of the school year
have been fast-paced for Doug
Hislop, Imbler School District’s
interim superintendent.
Still, Hislop does not talk like
time is fl ying by.
“It feels like I’ve been in
school six months instead of 16
days. We’ve had a lot of things
happen in a short period of
time,” Hislop said on Monday,
Sept. 20.
Hislop explained that he
has his hands full addressing
COVID-19 issues and taking on
added responsibilities because of
teachers who are out due to the
pandemic. The Imbler School
District as of Friday, Sept. 17,
had about 20 students out due
to COVID-19, one who tested
positive and another 19 who are
quarantined because of close
contact with a positive case.
The numbers are also dis-
heartening in the La Grande
School District where last
week 21 students tested posi-
tive for COVID-19 and 56 stu-
dents were quarantined because
of close contact with someone
who is COVID-19 positive. This
means 77 La Grande School
District students are out due to
COVID-19.
“There is a lot of COVID-19
in the community,” La Grande
School District Superintendent
George Mendoza said.
In addition, the school district
had three staff members out after
testing positive for COVID-19
and another four out because of
close contact with someone who
was COVID-19 positive.
A school-by-school break-
down indicates that last week
La Grande High School had 16
students who tested positive for
COVID-19, La Grande Middle
School and Greenwood Elemen-
tary School each had two stu-
dents out and Central Elementary
See, Schools/Page A5
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Longtime musician and newly hired Imbler music teacher Mark Emerson teaches a class of middle and high school students at Imbler on Wednesday, Sept. 8,
2021. Emerson is working with all ages across the district.
A new challenge
Imbler music instructor Mark
Emerson brings accomplished
past to new position
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
IMBLER — Mark Emerson is
embracing his next challenge in life.
The accomplished musician this fall
became the K-12 music instructor in the
Imbler School District. Emerson is looking
to use his background in playing music
and teaching private lessons to elevate the
music instruction at Imbler.
“I enjoy working with all diff erent age
groups because there’s such a large spec-
trum,” Emerson said. “Music education is
ginormous, there’s always something to
learn.”
Taking on a new challenge with
students, instead of audience
Emerson moved to La Grande in 2012
after living in California following his
graduation from the University of Oregon
with a bachelor’s degree of music in per-
cussion and performance in 1987. In Cal-
ifornia, Emerson performed as a studio
drummer and classical percussionist. He
played at big-name Hollywood venues
such as the Whisky a Go Go, Hollywood
House of Blues and the Viper Room, and
collaborated with many accomplished
producers and musicians.
Emerson and his wife, Lea Emerson,
an accomplished musician and teacher
herself, spent 24 years in California
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Mark Emerson, the new music instructor at Imbler High School, performs at the Eastern Oregon Beer
Festival with The Wasteland Kings on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021.
before moving to La Grande. Since then,
the couple has taught private lessons in
the area, and Emerson has performed
with The Wasteland Kings.
Emerson and his wife began doing
college ministry at Eastern Oregon Uni-
versity at the K House on campus, while
taking on K-8 private Christian school
contracts, private lessons and substi-
tute teaching. Emerson was open to the
challenge of being a full-time music
instructor and drawn by the health ben-
efi ts and retirement off ered at the school
district.
“It became a natural fi t to gravitate
from the private music teaching into the
public sector,” Emerson said. “It was kind
of one of those things to pursue because I
enjoy teaching music and it’s good for my
family.”
Setting the tempo
Emerson is excited about teaching a
wide age range at Imbler. With years of
experience teaching all ages, he knows that
See, Emerson/Page A5
Statewide vaccine mandate looms locally
State employees, education and health care workers face deadline
By DICK MASON
and DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
UNION COUNTY
— La Grande Fire Chief
Emmitt Cornford, like
many people, isn’t looking
forward to Monday, Oct. 18.
That’s the day Oregon
Gov. Kate Brown’s
COVID-19 vaccine man-
dates take eff ect. The man-
date will apply to state
employees, health care
workers, and teachers, sup-
port staff and volunteers in
kindergarten through 12th
grade schools. All will be
required to be fully vacci-
nated by as early as Oct. 18.
Cornford said the vac-
cine mandate is causing
extreme concern among his
fi refi ghters and his emer-
gency medical technicians.
“I think we could lose
a number of positions over
INDEX
Classified ...............B4
Comics ....................B7
Crossword .............B5
Dear Abby .............B8
Home ......................B1
that,” Cornford said at the
La Grande City Council
meeting on Sept. 1. “We
just can’t aff ord that.”
‘It’s a real tough spot
to be in’
The fi re and emergency
services employs 12 fi re-
fi ghters, three captains, one
administrative assistant
See, Mandate/Page A5
WEATHER
Horoscope .............B5
Letters ....................A4
Local........................A2
Lottery ....................A2
Obituaries ..............A3
THURSDAY
Opinion ..................A4
Records ..................A3
Sports .....................A6
State ........................A8
Sudoku ...................B7
Alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
Doses of the Pfi zer COVID-19 vaccine sit in a tray at the Center for
Human Development vaccination clinic in La Grande on Friday, Aug.
5, 2021.
Full forecast on the back of B section
Tonight
Wednesday
46 LOW
74/43
Mainly clear
Mostly cloudy
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