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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (May 24, 2022)
INSIDE LOCAL ATHLETES COMPETE IN EUGENE FOR STATE TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS | SPORTS, A7 lagrandeobserver.com | $1.50 TUESDAY EDITION May 24, 2022 ON THE AIR Elgin plans to bring back own police force ( SORT OF ) KEOL radio station space at Eastern Oregon University to be reimagined as a podcast studio By DAVIS CARBAUGH The Observer A GRANDE — The former student-run radio station at Eastern Oregon University is being revital- ized to host a new medium. The KEOL radio station at the university is currently in the works to become the KEOL podcast studio, which students can utilize to start up and host their own pod- casts. After the radio station was disbanded in 2021, the space will now serve as a hub for creative talk shows for students, faculty and staff across campus. “Students can graduate with some experience putting together podcasts and getting those pub- lished,” said Tim Seydel, East- ern’s vice president for university advancement. “It will be fun to see what gets generated out of there and what gets picked up. It will be exciting to see how the students uti- lize the space.” The radio station, 91.7 KEOL, housed in the Hoke Union building, was voted away by the student fee committee, due to costs associated L with FM licensing and the impact of lessened interest. With the utili- zation of a modern and aff ordable format, the podcast studio will not require student fees. “We wanted to make sure we still had something exciting in that space for the students,” said Lacy Karpilo, vice president of student aff airs. “It still allows for the spirit of what the radio station was, but utilizes the technology and expertise we have without the same funding issues as with the radio station.” The space will likely be used by the communication department, where students can gain real-world experience. “What we wanted was something that could be tied to academics, while also giving the freedom to stu- dents and clubs for something they can access,” she said. “It was a very wonderful proposal to be able to support the co-curricular activities that we want our students to be able to engage with.” Jesse Cimon, the website admin- istrator at Eastern and co-owner of HQ on Depot Street, is spearheading See, KEOL/Page A6 City council votes against renewing contract with Union County Sheriff’s Office Tim Seydel Eastern’s vice president for university advancement By DICK MASON The Observer ELGIN — A major change on the law enforcement front is looming in Elgin. The Elgin City council voted on Wednesday, May 18, not to renew its contract with the Union County Sheriff ’s Offi ce for enhanced law enforcement services and plans to add back its own police department, one it disbanded about 10 years ago. “We intend to have a police chief hired by July 1,” said Brock Eckstein, Elgin’s city administrator. The police chief would come on board after the contract the city of Elgin has with the Union County Sheriff ’s Offi ce expires at the end of June. Elgin, under the terms of its cur- rent contract, is presently receiving 420 hours of enhanced law enforcement services per month from the Union County Sheriff ’s Offi ce. Much of this is in the form of regular patrols by dep- uties. Without a contract for enhanced ser- vices Elgin would receive periodic patrols from Union County Sheriff ’s deputies but signifi - cantly less service than it does now. Eckstein said the city council voted not to renew its contract with the Union County Sher- iff ’s Offi ce because state regulations are pre- venting it from serving the city as well as it could. One reason, he said, is that a county agency cannot cite people on charges of vio- lating city ordinances. For example, Eckstein said the sheriff ’s offi ce cannot enforce a city ordinance such as one addressing the use of motorcycles and all ter- rain vehicles in town. He said there are times when people ride motorcycles in town that lack mirrors and turn signals required by a city ordi- nance. Sheriff ’s deputies, however, are unable to cite these motorcyclists for ordinance violations because they are not with the city of Elgin. Eckstein said that when Elgin has its own police department, its offi cers will be able to cite such motorcyclists and all people violating city ordinances. He said the city council’s deci- sion does not refl ect dissatisfaction with the quality of work the deputies are doing. “We have received very good service,” Eck- stein said. Lacy Karpilo Vice president of student aff airs at Eastern Jesse Cimon Website administrator at Eastern and co-owner of HQ Equipment in the Eastern Oregon University podcast studio in Hoke Union building stands at the ready on Friday, May 13, 2022. The revitalized FM radio station space will be reimagined as a podcast studio for students, faculty and staff at Eastern next fall. Davis Carbaugh/The Observer Mayor supports the move Elgin’s mayor, Risa Hallgarth, supports the step the city of Elgin is taking. “I think it is a very positive move,” Hallgarth said. Like Eckstein, she said the sheriff ’s offi ce is doing a good job but she believes it is time to make a change. See, Elgin/Page A6 Chairman of the board Chess helps feed Clem Falbo’s love of mathematics By JEFF BUDLONG Wallowa County Chieftain JOSEPH — A pandemic was not going to corner Clem Falbo on the chess board and force him to resign. His love of mathematics and chess is too great. The 91-year-old Joseph resident refers to the Wallowa County Chess Club as the “oldest chess club in Eastern Oregon,” which began in 2011. “When we moved here from Cal- ifornia, I was a member of the U.S. Chess Federation and had run some chess tournaments, but there was hardly anyone to play here,” he said. “Finally, I found out some kids were interested along with some adults, so we got the club going.” The club boasts a roster of 35 people who have played over the years with between seven and 14 people playing on a weekly basis. COVID-19 forced Falbo to put the club’s weekly meetings on hiatus for about a year beginning in February 2020, but as of a few weeks ago pieces and boards were back in action every Monday at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture. WEATHER INDEX Classified ......B4 Comics ...........B7 Crossword ....B4 Dear Abby ....B6 See, Falbo/Page A6 Home .............B1 Horoscope ....B4 Local...............A2 Lottery ...........A2 Obituaries .....A5 Opinion .........A4 Sports ............A7 Sudoku ..........B7 Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain Clem Falbo of Joseph makes a move on his chess board Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Falbo is resurrecting a local chess club that had been going since 2011 until the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to stop. Full forecast on the back of B section Tonight Wednesday 53 LOW 76/49 Cloudy Sun, some clouds CONTACT US 541-963-3161 Issue 62 2 sections, 16 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com. More contact info on Page A4.