Saturday, January 22, 2022
tHE OBSErVEr — A3
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19
10:02 a.m. — An Elgin resident made a complaint about tele-
phonic harassment. A Union County sheriff’s deputy made contact
and took information.
2:24 p.m. — A La Grande police officer responded to Benton
Avenue and Depot Street on a report of a suspicious male and
warned him for trespass.
3:20 p.m. — An animal enforcement officer saw dogs on the
loose on the 62200 block of Peacock Road, La Grande, and warned
their owner.
3:24 p.m. — The animal enforcement officer then saw dogs on
the loose on the 62100 block of Chandler Loop, La Grande, and
warned their owners.
4:23 p.m. — La Grande police on the 1100 block of Washing-
ton Avenue questioned a man, and ended up arresting him. Ryan
Mitchell Kelty, 37, of Weston, had several warrants for his arrest,
including a Grant County warrant charging first-degree burglary,
second-degree theft, second-degree criminal mischief and vehicle
theft and a Walla Walla County warrant charging vehicle theft, driv-
ing while suspended, defrauding an innkeeper, possession of sto-
len property and second-degree identity theft.
5:17 p.m. — La Grande police responded to a residence on the
1900 block of Cove Avenue for a disturbance involving a juvenile.
Officers explained options.
6:36 p.m. — A caller reported an assault on the 1000 block of
Frontier Court, La Grande. Police responded and took information.
DEATH & SERVICE NOTICES
8:41 p.m. — La Grande police received a report of a disturbance
on the 1300 block of Washington Avenue. An officer responded
and asked a male to leave.
9:14 p.m. — Union County sheriff’s deputies and medical ser-
vices responded to the area of 65700 Hunter Road, Summerville,
for a crash involving injuries.
THURSDAY, JAN. 20
10:05 a.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about
fraud on the 3300 block of Columbia Street. An officer made con-
tact and explained options.
3:21 p.m. — A La Grande police officer helped a person who
requested assistance on the 700 block of K Avenue.
4:55 p.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about
harassment at The La Grande Inn, 2612 Island Ave. An officer made
contact and explained options.
8:15 p.m. — La Grande police received a complaint about theft
and a person experiencing a mental or emotional crisis. Officers
responded and took a report.
9:21 p.m. — A caller reported a suspicious person at Green-
wood Street and V Avenue, La Grande. An officer responded and
found a person was walking their dog.
11:34 p.m. — A caller reported a suspicious vehicle at Grocery
Outlet, 11301 Island Ave., Island City. A Union County sheriff’s dep-
uty responded and found a driver was resting after getting off
work.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
BIRTHS
GRANDE RONDE HOSPITAL
MEETING
• IMBLER — The Imbler School District Board of
Directors will meet for a special session on Wednesday,
Jan. 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the high school. The meeting will
begin with an executive session for the purpose of selecting
a superintendent. The public is welcome to attend all open
sessions of the Imbler School Board.
BRIEFS
Short-staffed library, city pool close temporarily
LA GRANDE — The Veterans’ Memorial Pool and
Cook Memorial Library, both in La Grande, had to close
this week due to staffing issues, according to a press
release. The pool closed Friday, Jan. 21, and the library
won’t be open Saturday, Jan. 22. Both the library and pool
plan to reopen with regular hours on Monday, Jan. 24.
Sign up for paint night in Union
UNION — The Catherine Creek Community Center,
located in the former Methodist Church in Union, is
hosting its first paint night on Thursday, Jan. 27, at 6 p.m.
The cost is $40 and includes instruction, all supplies,
snacks and drinks. For more details and to sign up, call
541-562-2038, check out the center’s Facebook page, or go
to www.catherinecreekcommunitycenter.com.
— The Observer
Catherine Creek Community Center/Contributed Photo, File
The Catherine Creek Community Center will host a paint night at
6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27. Cost is $40 and all supplies are provided.
BERG: Bentley Paul Berg, born Dec. 30, 2021, to Kaylee Ann
Berg, of La Grande. Grandparents are Brandy and Dan Berg.
BUTTERFIELD: Ellelee Rae Butterfield, born Dec. 29, 2021,
to Rachelle Dawn Butterfield and Jaymes Morgan Butterfield,
of Joseph. Grandparents are Ron and Cindy Bonney and Mark
and Anna Butterfield.
HUDDLESTON: Arella Fay Sue Huddleston, born Jan. 7,
2022, to Brittiny Spurgeon and Andrew Huddleston, of La
Grande. Grandparents are Gail Huddleston, Melissa McCoy and
David Spurgeon.
KNIGHT: Violet Knight, born Jan. 3, 2022, to Allyson Smith
and Keb Knight, of La Grande. Grandparents are Ron Smith,
Vickie Slattery, Frances Weatherwax and Polly Parsons.
MATTSON: Kalem Dale Mattson, born Dec. 31, 2021, to Katie
Lee Mattson and Cody Dale Mattson, of La Grande. Grandpar-
ents are Robert Fisher, Robert and Kelly Jo Lovelady, and Stacey
and Loey Mattson.
SANDERS: Brick Bryant Crawford Sanders, born Jan. 5,
2022, to Lynique Tiare Oveson and Brian Leon Sanders, of Elgin.
Grandparents are Greg and Eva Oveson and Dale and Julie
Sanders.
VAN ARSDALE: Talon Van Arsdale, born Dec. 31, 2021, to
Peyton Mathis and John Van Arsdale, of Elgin. Grandparents
are Jody and Lisa Van Arsdale, Chad and Laurie Marx, Kevin and
Voda Smolkowski, and Steve and Barb Mathis.
MENU
Dwight Brooks
Union
Dwight Brooks, 92, of Union, died Jan. 17, 2022,
at his home. Arrangements are by Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Halfway.
Mary L. Clark
La Grande
Mary L. Clark, 84, of La Grande, died Jan. 20, 2022,
at her home. Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Johnnie Durante
La Grande
Johnnie Durante, 78, of La Grande, died Jan. 5,
2022, at Grande Ronde Hospital. Arrangements are by
Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration
Center, La Grande.
David P. Kennedy
Elgin
David P. Kennedy, 72, of Elgin, died Jan. 20, 2022,
at his residence. Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Dawn M. Murphy-Lewis
La Grande
Dawn M. Murphy-Lewis, 68, of La Grande, died Jan.
2, 2022, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise. Arrange-
ments are by Accent Funeral Home and Cremation,
Meridian, Idaho.
Rose M. Reece
Formerly of La Grande
Rose Marie Reece, 73, formerly of La Grande,
died Jan. 17, 2022, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in
Nampa, Idaho. Arrangements are by Loveland Funeral
Chapel & Crematory, La Grande.
Armia J. Shawver
La Grande
Armia Jean Shawver, 92, of La Grande, died Dec. 30,
2021, at a local care facility. A memorial service will be
held Jan. 25, 2022, at 1 p.m. at Daniels-Knopp Funeral,
Cremation & Life Celebration Center, La Grande.
UPCOMING LOCAL SERVICES
UNION COUNTY SENIOR CENTER LUNCH MENU
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. 24-28
Monday: lemon-almond chicken, rice pilaf, salad greens,
bread, fresh fruit, cookie.
Tuesday: beef stew, layered salad, bread, dessert.
Wednesday: country-style ribs, baked beans, steak fries,
fresh fruit, dessert.
Thursday: turkey-bacon-avocado sandwich, deli salad,
fresh fruit, chips, cookie.
Friday: meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables,
rolls, light dessert.
Please follow guide-
lines regarding face cov-
erings and social dis-
tancing at all gatherings.
Jan. 22 — WAYNE
WOLFE: 1 p.m. Mass
of Christian Burial,
St. Katherine Catholic
Church, Enterprise; vault
interment follows at Wal-
lowa Cemetery.
Jan. 25 — ARMIA
SHAWVER: 1 p.m.
memorial service, Dan-
iels-Knopp Funeral, Cre-
mation & Life Celebra-
tion Center, La Grande.
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
Three featured in next Fishtrap Fireside Bikepacking tour
Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — The
February episode of Fish-
trap Fireside will launch
online on Friday, Feb.
4, with readings from
three Wallowa County
writers: longtime Fish-
trap friend Rick Bombaci,
retired health professional
Kathy “Kat” Johnson and
poet Katherine Marrone,
according to a press release
from Fishtrap.
Fishtrap Fireside is a
monthly reading series
designed to feature diverse
voices from local Wallowa
County writers. Anyone
anywhere can take in Fire-
side online at Fishtrap.org
and on Fishtrap’s YouTube
Channel.
Rick Bombaci grew
up in rural Connecticut.
After a brief stint living and
working in Portland, when,
he had a view of Mount St.
Helens before it blew up, he
moved to Wallowa County,
where he’s been more
or less stuck ever since.
Contributed Photo
Rick Bombaci is one of three writers who will read Friday, Feb. 4,
2022, during an online Fishtrap presentation.
Rick has worked as a U.S.
Forest Service wilderness
ranger, a waiter, a bicycle
mechanic, a high school
teacher, a computer consul-
tant, a grant writer and a
nonprofit consultant. He has
one daughter and a number
of obsessions, including
long distance hiking and a
grandson.
Kathleen “Kat”
Johnson was born and
raised in Col-
orado. She has
been a substi-
tute teacher,
library aide,
Scout leader,
Johnson
EMT, nurse,
and companion
to cats, dogs, ducks, goats
and horses. After more
than 30 years, finding her-
self happily retired but
not so happily widowed,
she decided to begin a
new chapter of her life by
joining her daughter, Fish-
trap Executive Director
Shannon McNerney in Wal-
lowa County.
Katherine Marrone is
a writer, activist and editor
of Fishtrap’s
community
zine, Circle of
Seasons. She
works as a
legal advocate
at Safe Harbors
Marrone
in Enterprise,
where she
helps survivors of domestic/
sexual violence and stalking
seek justice and safety
in Wallowa County. Her
poems and essays explore
gender, human rights
and empathy; the mean-
dering path of healing after
trauma; finding pockets of
joy in the mundane; trav-
eling alone as a woman; and
her obsession with the ques-
tion: How and who do we
love — and why?
Learn more at Fishtrap.
org.
webinar is Jan. 25
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA
COUNTY — A webinar
on the Wallowas Bike-
packing Tour will be
hosted by Dirty Freehub
at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Route designer Ben
Groeneveld will discuss
his latest adventure and
why this is his favorite
place to ride in North-
eastern Oregon. With
the snowcapped Wal-
lowa Mountains as the
backdrop, the towns of
Halfway, Cove, Wallowa
and Imnaha will be part
of the tour, as will the
Hells Canyon overlook
and the Zumwalt Prairie.
The webinar will be
moderated by Linda
English, the execu-
tive director of Dirty
Freehub, a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization
that is an online guide
for five-star gravel bike
routes. Dirty Freehub’s
goal is to build a com-
munity of gravel cyclists
who care about where
they ride.
The group hopes to
get participants involved
as advocates, volunteers
or donors with organi-
zations that protect and
preserve recreational
lands.
To participate in the
Zoom webinar, go to
https://us02web.zoom.
us/j/86410473402?p-
wd=TWV2bCtGR-
jFMZFI1YmY4c2V1TH-
pzQT09. The meeting ID
is 864 1047 3402 and the
passcode is Bikepack.
Those without Zoom
capabilities can attend
by phone by visiting
https://us02web.zoom.
us/u/kb1jspCctn to find a
local phone number. The
meeting ID is 864 1047
3402 and the passcode is
36012512.
Union County Warming Station seeks donations and volunteers
The Observer
Kaleb Lay/The Observer, File
A man rests on a bench, braced against the cold, in December 2020 in
La Grande. The Union County Warming Station is looking for volun-
teers to help it provide a warm place and meals for those who need
them during the winter.
LA GRANDE — The
warming station is in need
of more volunteers. Com-
munity members who are
interested in donating their
time to help people be
warm and safe during frigid
nights — or to donate items
or cash to support the orga-
nization’s mission — will
find the details at www.
ucwarmingstation.org.
The Union County
Warming Station, 2008
Third St., Suite B, La
Grande, is a volunteer-run
effort to preserve the life
and health of those with no
place to sleep during cold
Union County winters. The
free shelter offers safe and
warm sleeping accommoda-
tions overnight during the
winter months as well as
food and warm drinks.
All are welcome to take
shelter at the warming sta-
tion, from those facing
house instability to people
who have lost power or are
stranded by closed roads.
More information
is available by calling
541-624-5895.
alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
A note from a visitor to the Union County Warming Station reads, “I
just wanted to take the time to say thank you from the bottom of my
heart and I appreciate you guys, your time, and what you do. Thank
you. Happy Holidays. — Trapped Traveler”