RECORDS
Saturday, January 15, 2022
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
tHE OBSErVEr — A3
DEATH & SERVICE NOTICES
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12
THURSDAY, JAN. 13
8:18 a.m. — An Elgin resident on the 1100 block of Alder Street
reported a stalking order violation. A Union County sheriff’s dep-
uty made contact.
9:20 a.m. — A caller made a complaint about stray cats in the
70000 block of Fletcher Lane, Cove. An animal enforcement officer
made contact and referred the caller to a shelter.
9:35 a.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about a
restraining order violation at Grande Woods Apartments, 2005
Gekeler Lane. An officer made contact and explained options.
11:26 a.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about a
restraining order violation on the 2500 block of Depot Street. Police
arrested Joshua Caleb Meier, 32, on a restraining order violation.
12:54 p.m. — La Grande police received a report of fraud at the
Hideout Saloon, 219 Fir St. Police made contact and took a report.
4:34 p.m. — La Grande police responded to the 600 block of
18th Street on a report of gunshots. Police determined the sound
was from a BB gun and explained city gun laws.
6:52 p.m. — La Grande police responded to the 2700 block of
Empire Drive on a report of harassment. Police determined this
was an ongoing civil issue and explained options.
11:58 a.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about
fraud on the 2700 block of Bearco Loop. An officer responded and
took a report.
12:17 p.m. — La Grande police received a report of a sex crime.
An officer made contact and took a report.
1:21 p.m. — A resident on the 1700 block of X Avenue, La
Grande, made a complaint about telephonic harassment. An offi-
cer made contact and took a report.
3:01 p.m. — Grande Hot Springs RV Resort, 65182 Hot Lake
Lane, La Grande, reported fraud. A Union County sheriff’s deputy
made contact and took a report.
5:12 p.m. — A caller reported possible animal neglect at Balti-
more Street and South 17th Avenue, Elgin.
6:41 p.m. — La Grande police responded to a report of a domes-
tic disturbance on the 600 block of Crook Avenue. Police arrested
Terry Allen Higgins, 45, on a restraining order violation.
10:08 p.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about a
loud party on the 2100 block of Third Street. An officer responded,
and the subjects agreed to keep the music down.
Kaye R. Rogers
La Grande
Kaye R. Rogers, 87, of La Grande, died Jan. 13,
2022, at Grande Ronde Hospital. Arrangements are by
Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Cecilia B. Campbell
La Grande
Cecilia B. Campbell, 73, of La Grande, died Jan. 8,
2022, at her residence. A Mass of Christian Burial will
begin at 10 a.m. Feb. 4 at Our Lady of the Valley Cath-
olic Church, La Grande. Arrangements are by Loveland
Funeral Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
MENUS
Union County Senior Center lunch menu
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
MEETINGS
• IMBLER — The Imbler School
District Board of Directors will meet
for a work session on Tuesday, Jan.
18, at 5:30 p.m. in Room 1 of the high
school. The purpose of the meeting is
to conduct a training for the Superin-
tendent Search Screening Committee
and discuss contract parameters. A
regular session will follow at 7 p.m.
• PENDLETON — The Board of
Directors of the InterMountain Educa-
tion Service District will meet in reg-
ular session on Wednesday, Jan. 19, at
4 p.m., at the IMESD, 2001 SW Nye
Ave., Pendleton. The board will hold
an Executive Session at the end of the
meeting to discuss the superintendent
evaluation.
• LA GRANDE — A meeting of
the Union County Board of Commis-
sioners will be held virtually begin-
ning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
Access information and a link to the
meeting is available at www.union-
county.org/commission-meetings.
BRIEFS
Library shows free movie
for teens on Jan. 19
LA GRANDE — Cook Memorial
Library, 2006 Fourth St., La Grande,
invites those in middle school and
high school to the Teen Mid-Week
Movie on Wednesday, Jan. 19, starting
at 4 p.m. The free movie this month
is “Jungle Cruise,” starring Dwayne
Johnson and Emily Blunt, and will
be shown in the library’s Community
Room.
Play bingo in Union every
Wednesday
UNION — The Veterans of For-
eign Wars High Valley Post 4060
in Union is hosting bingo games on
Wednesdays at the VFW Hall. All are
welcome. Doors open at 5 p.m., with
early-bird games starting at 6 p.m.
and regular bingo at 7 p.m. The last
game of the evening is the jackpot,
and organizers say players could win
up to $500.
— The Observer
Wecks assumes role as Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon
somebody. It’s my extended family I
have gained,’” Radford-Wecks said.
“I have no reason to tell her not to.
… She is still very grounded in what
has been her goal. It has been her goal
since she was 6. It didn’t change. It’s
gotten stronger.”
The younger Wecks has benefitted
from her mom being a pageant judge,
as she can gain a behind-the-scenes
look at what a judge is gauging.
By RONALD BOND
Wallowa County Chieftain
JOSEPH — Destiny Wecks is offi-
cially in the saddle as Miss Teen
Rodeo Oregon, a title the former
Chief Joseph Days co-queen will hold
throughout 2022.
Wecks, 18, will be honored during
an event at the Enterprise Elks Lodge
at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, unofficially
kicking off a year of promoting the
sport she has come to love.
“Yes, it’s kind of exciting,” Wecks
said during a Dec. 30, 2021, interview
of settling into the role, “but also (at)
the same time a little nerve-racking …
not exactly sure what the year has to
bring and what to expect.”
One thing Wecks does know is that
she will be busy. She has a goal of
trying to attend a rodeo almost every
weekend, and at each one will be
doing what she can to help the events
she is attending.
“My plan is to go to as many
rodeos across the Pacific Northwest as
I can,” she said. “I will be doing grand
entry with the other rodeo queens, I
can help with selling programs, auto-
graph signing during and after, as
well as if they need help in the arena
moving cattle, setting up barrels (or
running a) sponsor flag. I will be able
to speak on radio if other rodeos need
it, (or) luncheons for myself promoting
tryouts.”
It’s the third of what Wecks hopes
eventually will be five rodeo titles.
She previously has donned a crown
in her rodeo career as Miss Rodeo
Oregon Sweetheart and Junior Miss
Rodeo Oregon.
The next one hopefully on the
slate is Miss Rodeo Oregon, and the
top hope is Miss Rodeo America,
which, if garnered, would make
her the first Oregonian to hold each
honor. Mackenzie Carr Ivie is the
only Oregonian to be named Miss
Rodeo America.
Wecks wants to use her position in
promotion to help the next generation
learn about rodeo and the lifestyle of
the West. One of her dreams, she said,
is “to really just spread more knowl-
edge about rodeo and the Western way
of life, (and) to teach other young kids
Opie
robert McLean/Contributed Photo
Destiny Wecks, shown with Opie, will be
crowned as Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon during
an event at the Elks Lodge in Enterprise on
Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022.
they can do whatever they want if they
put their mind to it.”
In her blood
That Wecks has reached this level
of success in rodeo at such a young
age really should not surprise anyone
who knows her or her family. Her
mother, Vixen Radford-Wecks, is a
former CJD queen who judges rodeo
pageants and coached Carr Ivie.
“It’s definitely always been in my
family, in my blood, in my heart —
just growing up around it, the more
and more I get to experience and
create these friendships,” Wecks said.
But it’s not solely because of that
heritage that she is where she is at —
it’s her own drive and growing love
for rodeo, for the Western way of life.
“It’s definitely made my passion
stronger, and my dream become more
big and real,” she said.
The passion has even extended
beyond anything her mother can com-
prehend, even though the two have
shared countless marathon drives
from one rodeo to the next, horse
trailer in tow. Radford-Wecks even
asked her daughter about it one eve-
ning on a long drive.
“I think people think I make her do
it, (but) she said, ‘It’s because of the
family I have gained. I can be any-
where in (the) state … and I know
UPCOMING LOCAL SERVICES
Wecks has spent most of her time
in rodeo with one horse as her main
steed — an American quarter horse
named Opie.
“Technically, he’s my mom’s horse,
but I might have accidentally stolen
him,” she quipped.
When the family purchased the
horse at age 4 — he’s now 11 — he
was going to take some work.
“He was really lame in his feet.
The people didn’t want to spend the
money and the time to make him
rideable again,” Wecks said. “We
took him as a ranch horse in case we
needed to do a lesson.”
The horse did have some profes-
sional training in his background,
and in time, largely with Wecks’
guidance, he became her partner in
the arena.
“Hours in the saddle, time on
the road, time spent with him. He’d
never done any rodeo queen things —
packing flags (or) a parade. That was
an experience with him.”
Coronation
Wecks is excited to have the cor-
onation and to share it with that
extended rodeo family — including
people who may not have heard of
Wallowa County previously.
“You have coronation in this small
remote part of Oregon that is home
to me — it’s amazing that I can wel-
come all these other Oregonians to my
hometown to show them what it is to
me,” she said.
The event is a fundraiser for the
year ahead, and Wecks said she is
looking for more sponsorship help.
Those who wish to be a sponsor can
reach out at destinywecksrodeo@
gmail.com.
Barbara “Bobbie” Ann Ashburn
August 18, 1930 – January 8, 2022
Please follow guide-
lines regarding face
coverings and social
distancing at all
gatherings.
Jan. 15 — AUDREY
BEAN: 9 a.m. viewing,
10 a.m. funeral; Island
City Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Jan. 15 — MAMIE
McCRAE: 11 a.m.
funeral, Bollman
Funeral Chapel,
Enterprise.
Jan. 15 — JIM
LUNDY: 2 p.m. memo-
rial service, Gilbert
Center, Eastern Oregon
University, La Grande.
Jan. 22 — WAYNE
WOLFE: 1 p.m. Mass
of Christian Burial,
St. Katherine Cath-
olic Church, Enterprise;
vault interment follows
at Wallowa Cemetery.
Feb. 4 — CECILIA
CAMPBELL: 10 a.m.
Mass of Christian
Burial, Our Lady of the
Valley Catholic Church,
La Grande.
— calendar cour-
tesy of Loveland Funeral
Chapel
Barbara
“Bobbie”
Ann Ashburn, 91, of La
Grande, passed away on
Saturday, January 8, 2022
at Grande Ronde Hospi-
tal. At her request, there
will be no service.
Barbara was born on
August 18, 1930, in Grand
Mound, Iowa, to Lau-
rence and Anna (Ihrey)
Lindaman. She resided in
California, Iowa, Minne-
sota, and Oregon.
Barbara was a devot-
ed wife and mother to 3
children. She enjoyed
baking, cooking big meals
for her family, sewing,
crafts, loved watching
her grandchildren and
great-grandchildren,
dancing, watching rodeos
and her grandchildren ride
in horseshows, and espe-
cially loved being with
family. She volunteered at
the hospital and the senior
center and at the Legion
Hall.
Barbara is survived by
her children; Ron Ash-
burn (Carleta) of Elgin,
OR, Ken Ashburn (Vicki)
of Union, OR, and Bever-
ly Bowers (Dana) also of
Union, OR; 6 grandchil-
dren and 8 great-grand-
children.
Online
condolences
may be made to the fam-
ily at www.lovelandfuner-
alchapel.com.
Dine-in meals: Served from 11:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m.; use front entrance and observe social
distancing.
Takeout meals: Pick up from noon to 1 p.m. at
kitchen’s back door.
Cost: Age 60+, $3 suggested donation; all others, $6.
JAN. 17-21
Monday: baked potato bar, chili, salad greens, fresh
fruit, dessert.
Tuesday: sweet and sour meatballs over rice pilaf,
spinach salad, cottage cheese and fruit, chocolate chip
cookie.
Wednesday: tender beef, whipped potates and gravy,
salad greens, fresh fruit, dessert.
Thursday: chicken tenders, coleslaw, baked beans,
fresh fruit, cookie.
Friday: Salisbury steak over noodles, steamed vege-
tables, salad greens, fresh fruit, dessert.
Grange to hold
chili cookoff Jan. 22
Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — A
competitive chili cookoff
is being hosted by the
Hurricane Creek Grange
to coincide with the con-
clusion of the 2022 Eagle
Cap Extreme Sled Dog
Race, according to a press
release.
The cookoff will take
place from 9 a.m. to
3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22,
at the grange, 92930 Air-
port Lane just west of
Joseph.
There is an entry fee
of $10 each for the con-
test, with a $50 cash first
prize and a second prize
of a basket filled by local
vendors.
People who come to
enjoy the chili will be
charged $5 for a bowl and
some corn bread. Pies
will be available for des-
sert. Whole pies go for
$15.
There also will be a
local vendor market, the
release stated.
For information, call
Barbara McCormack at
541-605-8233.
State: Union
County adds 42 new
COVID-19 cases
The Observer
SALEM — The
Oregon Health Authority
announced its daily
COVID-19 update on
Friday, Jan. 14, docu-
menting 42 new cases in
Union County. Wallowa
County tallied three new
COVID-19 cases in the
report.
The latest report
increased Union Coun-
ty’s total to 3,870 since
the start of the pan-
demic, while Wallowa
County saw its total rise
to 879. Neither county
recorded any new deaths
in the latest report. Union
County has recorded 31 or
more cases in all three of
the last daily reports.
Across Oregon, 8,672
new confirmed and pre-
sumptive COVID-19 cases
were reported. The state’s
total case count is up to
513,391 since the start of
pandemic. OHA tallied
13 new deaths across the
state, bringing the death
toll to 5,883.
There are currently 811
patients hospitalized with
COVID-19 in Oregon,
which is an increase of
34 individuals from yes-
terday’s report. OHA
reported that there are 153
COVID-19 patients cur-
rently in intensive care
unit beds.
Out of 666 total adult
ICU beds in the state, 42
are currently available.
There are 222 open adult
non-ICU beds out of 4,122
in Oregon.
The state’s seven-day
running average of vac-
cine doses per day is
16,382.
John Richard Shafer
November 1, 1999 – January 3, 2022
John Richard Shafer,
22, of La Grande, passed
away on Monday, Janu-
ary 3, 2022.
A Celebration
of Life will
be held on
Friday, Janu-
ary 14, 2022
at 3:00 pm at
Elgin Naza-
rene Church.
Casual dress
is preferred
by the family.
John was
born on No-
vember 1, 1999 in La
Grande, OR, to Richard
“Dick” and Gloria Shafer.
He graduated from Elgin
High School and resided
in Elgin and La Grande.
John worked at the
saw mill and various con-
struction jobs. He enjoyed
hunting, fishing, camping,
hiking, and anything out-
doors. He loved music,
poetry, and drawing.
John is survived by
his mother,
Gloria Sha-
fer of La
Grande and
sisters,
Ra-
chelle Shaw
of Union and
Kristy
Pe-
laye of Sand
Springs, OK.
He was pre-
ceded in death
by his father,
Richard Sha-
fer; grandfather, Juan
Wise; and grandfather,
Howard Swagger.
In lieu of flowers, me-
morial donations can be
made in John’s name to
Elgin Community Bank.
Online
condolences
may be made to the fam-
ily at www.lovelandfuner-
alchapel.com.