Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
The Wallowa County Chieftain · Wallowa, OR
Nearby: Wallowa, ORJOSEPH — A small earthquake, albeit the strongest in Northeastern Oregon in more than 30 years, was recorded late Monday, Nov. 9, in Wallowa County southeast of Joseph. The quake, recorded at 11:43 p.m., had a magnitude of 4.3, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network operated by the University of Washington and University of Oregon. The epicenter was near Carrol Creek, a tributary of Big Sheep Creek about 3 miles east of the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road and about 12 miles southeast of Joseph. The quake happened about 7.5 miles underground (the initial report stated 1.5 miles). Doug Gibbons, seismic lab coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, said that based on the network’s historical database, Monday’s temblor was the strongest in Northeastern Oregon since a magnitude 4.0 quake on Oct. 27, 1994, about 7 miles southeast of Halfway. Gibbons said on Tuesday morning, Nov.
The Wallowa County Chieftain · Wallowa, OR
Nearby: Wallowa, ORENTERPRISE — Wallowa County has not one but two opportunities for people to improve their balance, flexibility, strength and cognition, all of which are important as people age. Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise offers Balance Level I and Level II classes, which Emily Whitesides, physical therapist at the hospital, teaches. Natalie Butz, an occupational therapist at the hospital, also has been a co-instructor. Each level lasts eight weeks and then begins again. The classes meet Tuesday and Thursday at Cloverleaf Hall in Enterprise. Level I meets 1-2 p.m., and the second class meets 2-3 p.m. Whitesides said the first level class is a transition from physical therapy, or outpatient rehabilitative services, and for people, “who are just wanting to explore their level of balance, strength, flexibility and cognition.” She advised people to take Level I before taking Level II.
The Wallowa County Chieftain · Enterprise, OR
Nearby: Enterprise, ORENTERPRISE — The city of Enterprise will pay its new interim police chief about $10,000 a month, according to an agreement Beaverton and Enterprise provided Monday, Nov. 9. The six-month term of Alan Juilifs’ appointment as interim chief began Oct. 5. He remains an employee of the city of Beaverton and the payment arrangement is under an intergovernmental agreement between Enterprise and Beaverton through the the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police’s “linebacker” program. Juilfs represented the Enterprise Police Department at the council meeting. The agreement states that Enterprise will reimburse Beaverton approximately 80% of Juilifs’ salary, not to exceed $100,000. If Juilfs and Enterprise decide he will stay on as permanent police chief, the agreement can be renegotiated afterward. “It’s still on the table,” Julifs said. “We’ll see.” The council voted 6-0 in favor of retaining Juilfs at a special meeting Sept 24. In another matter Nov.
The Wallowa County Chieftain · Enterprise, OR
Nearby: Enterprise, ORENTERPRISE — Two creative casts are ready to perform their musicals for the community Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15, at the OK Theatre, 208 W. Main St. The original performances are directed by Amy Fairchild, a local piano teacher and composer, as part of the Wallowa Valley Music Alliance’s Eagle Cap Youth Musicals program. The musicals are split by age groups — youths in first through fourth grade will perform “My First Day as a Pirate,” while older actors in grades 5 through 12 are bringing “Pick a Quest, Any Quest” to life. “My First Day as a Pirate” shows at 3 p.m. on Nov. 14, followed by “Pick a Quest” at 5 p.m. Then, on Nov. 15, the cast of “Pirate” takes the stage at 1:30 p.m., followed by “Pick a Quest” at 3:30 p.m. Admission is by donation at the door. “It’s not something that they’re getting anywhere else,” Fairchild said.
La Grande Observer · Enterprise, OR
Nearby: Enterprise, ORENTERPRISE — A long time Eastern Oregon brewery and pub known for being the “middle of nowhere, center of the universe” is seeking new ownership. Ed and Sophia Millar, majority owners of Terminal Gravity Brewing in Enterprise, announced on Nov. 4 they are looking to sell. The Millars recognize how important the brewery and the pub are to the community, so they are dedicated to selecting the right person for the job. “Our first priority, obviously, is to keep Terminal Gravity intact — the pub and the brewery,” Sophia Millar said. “So those are the types of buyers that we are most interested in.” The announcement garnered immediate interest, Ed Millar said, including industry professionals. It would be great to have someone local from Northeastern Oregon or nearby, such as Walla Walla, take over, but if someone from further away like Bend or Portland, the Millars firmly believe they will need to relocate to Wallowa County.
The Wallowa County Chieftain · Enterprise, OR
Nearby: Enterprise, ORENTERPRISE — In a small town tucked into the foothills of mountains in the northeast corner of Oregon, a lightbulb sparked above two heads. Zach Halpern and Cody Sheehy didn’t know each other well when they realized they had the same dream. The pair of Wallowa County locals both wanted to bring a film festival to town. Enterprise and Joseph, in particular, have a vibrant arts scene, Halpern said, but there was a gap he’d noticed in the film format. “The community here is just so awesome and they care so much about art,” he said. “And there’s so many different forms of art represented here, but film felt like one of the art forms that was lacking.” Eight months later, that spark of an idea is about to become a reality for the co-founders, as the inaugural Eagle Cap Film Festival is set to run Nov. 5-7. For three days, across two screens, nine films will run for audiences in Enterprise.
Baker City Herald · Baker City, OR
Nearby: Baker City, ORBAKER CITY — A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for Jonathon Russell Romine, the 45-year-old Baker City man tased twice by Baker City Police after he fled from officers and resisted arrest on Oct. 25. Judge Matt Shirtcliff in Baker County Circuit Court signed an order on Tuesday, Nov. 10, for a mental health consultation for Romine, who has been in the Baker County Jail since his arrest. His bail is $200,000. A day earlier, on Nov. 9, Romine’s court-appointed attorney, Kyra Rohner, submitted a notice to the court stating that she was not sure Romine was mentally able to proceed in the criminal case. Romine had been scheduled to enter a plea to several charges on Nov. 16, but Shirtcliff canceled that and instead scheduled a hearing, to consider Romine’s mental condition, on Nov. 23 at 9 a.m. Baker City Police arrested Romine about 2:35 p.m. on Oct. 25 near Albertsons grocery on Campbell Street.
Baker City Herald · Baker City, OR
Nearby: Baker City, ORBAKER CITY — A Baker City man accused of hitting a letter carrier in the head with the stock of a BB gun in Baker City nearly two years ago has pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a federal employee using a dangerous weapon. Randy Warren Kahn, 50, has been in federal custody since he was arrested in December 2024. Kahn, who initially pursued an insanity defense but earlier this year withdrew that defense, was in a federal mental health treatment center in Missouri for several months in 2025 and 2026. Kahn pleaded guilty on Oct. 21, according to federal court records. He has not been sentenced, according to records. The maximum sentence is 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000, according to the plea agreement. Kahn admitted that on Dec. 14, 2024, in south Baker City he fired a shot from a BB gun when mail carrier Junya Uemura was delivering packages to Kahn’s home.
