Newsish Roundup LIVE November 29 – December 6, 2018
In the news today, a new old clock for Adams Avenue! Also, a look at CASA of Eastern Oregon, Inc, some recent reports about Eastern Oregon from the state level plus another episode of the Bob and Kelley Show!
A big shout out to our sponsors Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, Anything2Digital, EONI, and Med Transport.
Hey La Grande Alive! In the news today, four EOU students head to Italy to learn opera…
…OTECC celebrates its 30th birthday…
…and things get a little spicy when Ron Wyden Comes to town. Only on your weekly Newsish Roundup brought to you by…
Four EOU students are holding a concert to raise money to go to Italy. Jessie, Avalon, Miguel, and Aubry recently were accepted a school of opera in Italy. You heard me right, Italy. At this school, they will be learning to sing Italian opera and experiencing the beautiful culture of the country. It’s a high honor to be accepted into this school, and this week two of them stopped in to chat with me about it.
But Italy is on another continent. And to get to another continent you have to fly. And to fly you need a plane. And planes cost money. And so does the school for that matter. So all four students are hosting a concert Monday, April 9, 2018 at the La Grande Methodist Church to raise money for the event. The concert is the first of two: they’re doing one concert now, to raise money, and they’ll do another one when they return from school to show off their new opera skills.
And if the students don’t raise the money? Well, all the money that they do raise will be donated to the Don and Lynetta Paul music scholarship. So no matter what, if you choose to donate, your money will be used to help a music student with their education.
Want to donate online? Links to the students GoFundMe accounts are listed in the description of this video.
Like this story? Share it along and get entered into our monthly drawing for a Le Bebe Cakes Gift Card. And congratulations to Kelly Anderes, the winner of the March drawing!
This story was brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
Oregon Trail Electric Co-Op is hosting their 30th anniversary celebration and you’re invited. But why would anyone want to go to an annual meeting of a power company? Well, because if you pay your power bill, you’re actually a part-owner of the company.
OTECC was founded in 1987-1988 when Dick Haynes and Peggi and Glenn Timm got 700 Union County citizens to donate a penny each to start a power co-op. And over the years the co-op has grown but remained a co-op. Every person who pays a power bill to OTECC is a part-owner. And because of this, OTECC strives to be a business that not only provides power but is also actively involved with their communities.
Now, the annual meeting is going to be held in Burns, Oregon. I know, a little far away. But actually there’s going to be a “fun bus” going from La Grande to Burns the day of the event free of charge. At the event, the CEO of OTECC is going to cover where the company has been and what their future hopes are.
The annual meeting is Saturday, April 14, 2018 and registration starts at 10am. A link to learn more about the event is located in the description of this video. La Grande Alive will have more from OTECC in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned.
This story was brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
Things got a little dicey when Ron Wyden came to town this week. Ron Wyden has been the Oregon State senator for over 20 years. In that time, he has attended over 850 “town hall meetings” all across Oregon. A town hall meeting is just a visit to a county to answer questions its citizens may have. And every year Ron has visited every county of Oregon for a town hall meeting and on Tuesday he came here.
Now, most of the meeting was cordial. Ron’s statements were generally lauded with loud claps, affirmations and even an amen or two. But when the subject got to healthcare, emotions got a little higher.
When asked whether he was going to support Senate ballot measure 1804 Wyden decided instead of answering a straightforward yes or no to answer a little differently.
Ron never gave a straightforward answer to the question and the town hall meeting ended shortly after. But the one thing that was the ultimate crux was that Ron does believe that healthcare is a right and that needs to be fought for.
The entire talk is available on the La Grande Alive Facebook page. The link is in the description of this video.
Like this story? Share it along and get entered into our April drawing for Le Bebe Cakes bakery $20 gift card.
This story was brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
And that’s it! One more big shout out to our sponsors!
Be sure to like and share the video and tune in to La Grande Alive for more local content. I’m Will Bowman.
In the news today, bullies, beers, and county commissioners…
Only on your weekly Newsish Roundup, brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
Matt Scarfo has owned Benchwarmers bar and grill for almost 20 years. As part of that job, he’s taken phone calls at 11pm, midnight, 1am, and 2 am. He’s had long conversations with three-beers-down customers till late at night. And he’s probably cleaned up a lot of puke. As the owner of benchwarmers, Matt is on the job 24/7. And he said if he gets the job as county commissioner, the job might almost be easier.
But why go into politics? Well, Matt said it’s really just the next step in his long-time dedication to this town.
Bottom line, Matt wants to play as part of the team.
If you want to know more about Matt’s run for County Commissioner? Visit his Facebook page. Like this story? Share it along and get entered into our March drawing for a Le Bebe Cakes Bakery gift card.
This story was brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
Were you bullied as a kid? I was. I know it’s hard to believe but I wasn’t always the tall, handsome, hairy weirdo that I am now. In sixth grade I was actually a short, chubby hairy weirdo. Go figure. That being said, all my bullying was face to face. My bullies were real people. They had names and faces that I saw every day at recess. But according to Katy Perry, a local high school sophomore at LHS, much of the bullying in today’s schools is digital and she said it’s almost worse.
But Katy is speaking out. As a part of an FBLA assignment, her and several of her friends are producing a short video PSA to show people the reality of cyberbullying and how people can help.
Like this story? Share it along and get entered into our monthly drawing for a Le Bebe Cakes Gift card.
This story was brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
And that’s it! Bullies, beers and county commissioners only on your weekly Newsish Roundup. One more shout out to our sponsors…
Be sure to like and share the video and tune into La Grande Alive for more local content. I’m Will Bowman.
District Attorney, La Grande, Boy Scouts, Eastern Oregon, Anthony Lakes ==================== Category: Newsish Youtube link: https://youtu.be/SP6MGTVXYZs
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Hey La Grande Alive! In the news today, a new district attorney for La Grande?
The boy scouts chop fruit and build snow caves.
And a shakespeare monologue competition at Art Center East, only on your weekly Newsish Roundup, brought to you by…Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
Laura Eckstein has a long history in legal practice. She’s also a business owner, a crossfit coach, an active member in her church, a cooking teacher and a sub, plus a mother with seven kids. And how does she fit it all in?
And on top of that, now she’s running for District Attorney in Union County. But she said if she does win, she’s going to retain her commitment to excellence.
If you want to know more about Laura and her campaign, visit her website and Facebook page. We will be getting an interview with the incumbent candidate Kelsy McDaniel in the upcoming weeks.
Like this story? Share it along to get entered into our March drawing for a Le Bebe Cakes gift card.
This video was brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
Let boys be boys, people often say. And the boy scouts were certainly being boys at their annual boy scout derby last week at Anthony Lakes. Some of the activities they participated in were building snow caves, climbing walls, shooting catapults, and smashing their way through old doors with their heads and shoulders. All in the freezing snow and icy wind. And Bryan Quebbeman, the director of the event, said that this was all good: the derby is all about learning how to survive in mother nature.
And Steven Chapman said it’s what boy scouts is all about.
Want to know more? Be sure to stay tuned for a longer piece on the derby La Grande Alive will be sharing in the upcoming weeks.
Like this story? Be sure to share it along to get entered into our March drawing for a Le Bebe Cakes bakery gift card.
This video was brought to you by Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com and Les Schwab Tires
Thanks, my friends and counterparts, you who tuned
Into the Newsish Roundup, you’re the best!
Also thank you businesses who sponsored us!
We would certainly love it if you liked And shared. I’m WIll Bowman.
eastern oregon university, play, theatre, devil boys from beyond, grande ronde hospital, foundation, patrick flynn ==================== Category: Newsish Youtube link: https://youtu.be/qqOA2HoVaDk
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Hello La Grande Alive. In the news today, an Irish-themed gala up on St. Patrick’s Day…
…plus hunky hunks and cross dressing up at EOU…
..Only on your weekly Newsish Roundup, brought to you by….
Have you ever seen a man dressed like a woman? Before that introduction, I mean. Living in La Grande, probably not. The closest thing to cross dressing we have here is the ranch we serve at our church potlucks. But a recent play coming to EOU is crossing that boundary with a little bit of fabulous flair to boot.
Devil Boys From beyond is a play about, well, about gay alien space-hunks come to earth and to impregnate old ladies. And, what’s more, the old ladies don’t think it’s that bad because the aliens are way sexier than their husbands. No, there’s no deeper meaning. Yes, the 80 year old grandmas are really men dressed in drag. The play is a campy romp, the crew said, and this week I got to sit down with several them to talk to them about, well, whatever this thing is that they’re putting on.
But what’s it like to be a man playing a woman? I asked Jordan who plays one of the old ladies how he prepared for playing an old woman.
So, bottom line, if you like culture like the Naked Gun Series…
…or Austin powers…
…. or the Rocky Horror picture show…
…You just may love devil boys from beyond. It’s hilarious, Jordan and Xiola said. The show is not family friendly, though, so leave your kids at home.
Also, this weekend there will be a dinner dedicated to this play Saturday, March 3rd at 7pm at the Grande Lumiere Conference Center in La Grande. The play itself shows the 7th to the 10th of March. Shows begin at 7pm.
Like this story? Be sure to share it along and get entered into our February drawing for a $20 gift card for Le Bebe Cakes Bakery.
This story was brought to you by…Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com, and Les Schwab Tires
What are you doing on St. Patrick’s day evening? Don’t be that guy who spends his St. Patrick’s day evening watching rom-coms on Netflix, getting raging drunk, then waking up the next day and asking himself, what am I doing with my life? There’s no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow, let me tell you.
Instead, you should get get all dressed up in green and head on down to the St. Patricks’ day themed GRH foundation gala. At the gala, there’s going to be a world-class magician, music by a bon-e-fied Irish band, plus some of the tastiest food you’ll taste in La Grande cooked by chef Merlyn Baker the crem-de-la-crem of culinary caterers in the valley.
Now, the Gala is one of the fanciest events in La Grande, but the organizers want it to be as fun as possible.
Every year this gala is hosted by the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation. The foundation is a non-profit fundraising group dedicated to keeping the hospital up to date with healthcare technology. And this week I got to sit down with Patrick, the foundation director, and he said that the foundation is a great way of giving power over the direction of healthcare back to the citizens of Union County.
Now, if you’re interested in going to this gala, tickets are available online at the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation website. But get them quick! They’re selling out. The event will be at the EOU Gilbert center, and just to give you a taste of the entertainment, here’s a little bit of video about the magician performing, Hart Keene.
Like this story? Share it along and get entered into our February drawing at for a $20 Le Bebe Cakes Bakery gift card.
This story was brought to you by…Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, Anything2Digital.com, and Les Schwab Tires
And that’s your weekly newsish roundup! Quick! How many cards am I holding!
Be sure to like and share the video and tune into La Grande Alive for more local content.
Four EOU students are holding a concert to raise money to go to Italy. Jessie, Avalon, Miguel, and Aubry recently were accepted a school of opera in Italy. You heard me right, Italy. At this school, they will be learning to sing Italian opera and experiencing the beautiful culture of the country. It’s a high honor to be accepted into this school, and this week two of them stopped in to chat with me about it.
And if the students don’t raise the money? Well, all the money that they 
Matt Scarfo has owned Benchwarmers bar and grill for almost 20 years. As part of that job, he’s taken phone calls at 11pm, midnight, 1am, and 2 am. He’s had long conversations with three-beers-down customers till late at night. And he’s probably cleaned up a lot of puke. As the owner of benchwarmers, Matt is on the job 24/7. And he said if he gets the job as county commissioner, the job might almost be easier.
s almost worse.
And that’s it! Bullies, beers and county commissioners only on your weekly Newsish Roundup. One more shout out to our sponsors…
And a shakespeare monologue competition at Art Center East, only on your weekly Newsish Roundup, brought to you by…Northwest Furniture and Mattress, Grande Ronde Hospital, EONI, 
Let boys be boys, people often say. And the boy scouts were certainly being boys at their annual boy scout derby last week at Anthony Lakes. Some of the activities they participated in were building snow caves, climbing walls, shooting catapults, and smashing their way through old doors with their heads and shoulders. All in the freezing snow and icy wind. And Bryan Quebbeman, the director of the event, said that this was all good: the derby is all about learning how to survive in mother nature.
Have you ever seen a man dressed like a woman? Before that introduction, I mean. Living in La Grande, probably not. The closest thing to cross dressing we have here is the ranch we serve at our church potlucks. But a recent play coming to EOU is crossing that boundary with a little bit of fabulous flair to boot.
