The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current, November 18, 2021, THURSDAY EDITION, Page 2, Image 2

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    2
THE OPENING ACT
NOVEMBER 17�24, 2021
STAFF
What we’re into
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EDITOR
Lisa Britton
Go! Editor
editor@goeasternoregon.com
541-406-5274
Sarah Smith
Calendar Coordinator
calendar@goeasternoregon.com
SUBMIT NEWS
Submit your event information
by Monday for publication the
following week (two weeks in
advance is even better!).
Go! Magazine is published
Wednesdays in the  Wallowa
County Chieftain and Blue
Mountain Eagle. It publishes
Thursdays in The Observer, Baker
City Herald and East Oregonian.
Samantha O’Conner/Baker City Herald
OWLS
About a year or so ago, I had
been texting my best friend until
around nine at night. I said good
night and proceeded to fail at
going to sleep.
Instead, I was browsing You-
Tube and came across a docu-
mentary on the lives of snowy
owls raising their chicks in Alaska.
The video was informative and hi-
larious when the wildlife photogra-
pher got a little too close and the
angry male owl chased him away.
Two hours later, I texted my
friend: “Dude, I am three inches
taller, if that, than the wingspan
of a snowy white owl!”
Needless to say, she was con-
fused, but that wasn’t the fi rst
time I had texted her about owls
out of the blue.
I’m not positive when I started
loving owls, but like any fan of
the franchise, I would guess
it was around the time I fi rst
watched “Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone.” I won’t lie —
Hedwig is my favorite character.
The snowy owl is one of my
favorites but my main favorite
is the elf owl. I watched a recent
video about elf owls that said
they grow to be around 5 inches
tall and weigh less than a tennis
ball. That is tiny!
I don’t get to see many owls
outside of YouTube, Instagram
and Planet Earth, but I did have the
amazing luck to see one a year or
RAISING THE CURTAIN
ON THIS WEEK’S ISSUE
so ago on a walk with my mom.
We were trekking the Leo Adler
pathway in Baker City, nearing the
Lion’s Park. Boredom had me look-
ing up at the trees and I saw a tree
blink at me. It was an owl! He nearly
blended into the tree he perched
on and seemed mildly annoyed
that I was openly gawking at him.
I fl agged my mom down and
attempted to take a photo of
him. Apparently, they are camera
shy because he took off before I
could get a snapshot.
Now, every time I go down the
pathway, I look up at the trees
hoping to see another one. I
haven’t had much luck yet.
My love for owls has caused
me to collect a rather large
amount of stuff ed owls. I also
have a few decorative ceramic
owls on my work desk, an owl
Scentsy, and a calendar featur-
ing North American owls.
I may have a problem, but
that’s fi ne.
— SAMANTHA O’CONNER,
REPORTER, BAKER CITY HERALD
New
releases
‘AGAINST THE WORLD’
BY HANSON
The guys from Hanson are
celebrating 30 years as a band
next year, and if that makes
you feel old, it’s not their fault.
They’ve even put out an album
to help you feel young again.
The seven-track “Against
the World” is a rich and
diverse group of songs that
showcase the brothers’
range, musicianship and
infl uences — ones that leave
their monster sugar pop hit
“MMMBop” far in the rear-
view mirror. The Hansons’
harmonies are glorious in the
Queen-like “Stronger,” “One”
is a nice plea for unity and the
anthem “Fearless” leans on
an orchestra as the brothers
soar above strings.
— THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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