Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
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.
La Grande Observer · La Grande, OR
Nearby: La Grande, ORLA GRANDE — About 2,600 customers in La Grande were without power for about 25 minutes on the morning of Nov. 12, according to Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative. The outage was likely caused by high winds in the area, OTEC Communications Manager Shiraz Mukarram said. Linemen were able to quickly troubleshoot the issue and restore power. OTEC restored power to all affected members by 8:28 a.m., according to the cooperative.
La Grande Observer · La Grande, OR
Nearby: La Grande, ORLA GRANDE — Those looking for some handmade charm when checking off gifts from their holiday shopping list are in luck. Art Center East’s 18th annual Handmade Holidays Makers Market returns Nov. 20-21 at 1006 Penn Ave. in La Grande. The weekend market features a wide range of goods and artwork created by local and regional artisans. “ With this market, everything has to be handmade,” Gallery Director Jennifer Durr said. “ There’s no resale. There’s no MLM. There’s no selling other people’s handmade products. It’s the makers selling their own handmade goods.” This year’s market showcases 24 artists and artisans, according to Durr, offering a huge selection of gifts. Items include leather, woodworking, artisan foods, fiber arts, ceramics, glass, clothing, jewelry, blacksmithing, home decor, bath and body products, art prints, paintings, cards and much more. Admission is free on Nov. 20 from 4-8 p.m. and Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
La Grande Observer · La Grande, OR
Nearby: La Grande, ORLA GRANDE — Dr. Lewis Wright’s new practice, Wright Family Dental, is now open at 2502 Cove Avenue, Suite D in La Grande and welcomes new patients. Raised in La Grande, Wright is the son of Wade Wright, a retired biology teacher at La Grande High School, and Lezlie Wright. He earned a bachelor’s degree in science from Eastern Oregon University in 2021 and graduated from Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry in June. Wright and his wife, Alaina Wright, an occupational therapist, live with and care for her grandparents, retired dentist Dr. Russell and Mrs. Marlene Kilpatrick of La Grande. Wright said Dr. Kilpatrick remains one of his professional mentors. “My wife and I are so excited to be back home and to be serving the community we really love here,” Wright said. During his last year in dentistry school, the faculty at OHSU School of Dentistry awarded Wright the Implant Dentistry Award as the best student in that category in his class.
La Grande Observer · La Grande, OR
Nearby: La Grande, ORLA GRANDE — Veterans can enjoy a free meal Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Blue Mountain Bistro at Grande Ronde Hospital. GRH welcomes veterans and active duty military to enjoy the free meal as a thank you for their service, the hospital announced in a press release. Meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Blue Mountain Bistro, which is inside Grande Ronde Hospital, 900 Sunset Drive, in La Grande. “Veterans Day is an opportunity to recognize the service and sacrifices of our military members, past and present,” Director of Communications and Marketing Karrine Brogoitti said. “We’re grateful for all they’ve given, and it would be our honor to serve them.” No reservation is required. The menu includes a variety of options, including barbecue tri-tip with au gratin potatoes, Philly cheesesteaks, chili, fresh salad bar selections, personal pizzas and hamburgers.
