Flanked by Tom Insko (left), president of the EOU Foundation Board of Directors, and Eastern Oregon University president Bob Davies (right), Cindy Olson accepts recognition for her parents’, Charles and Rhoda Chollet, posthumous donation of $934,000 to the EOU Foundation during the EOU Foundation President’s Gala Friday. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

Gift of $934,000 from Charles and Rhoda Chollet is third largest the school has received 

by Dick Mason/The Observer

Seven decades ago Charles Chollet said goodbye to his small hometown of Colville, Wash., and came to La Grande to enroll at Eastern Oregon University.

by Kelly Black/For The Observer

COVE — Four candidates are competing for two positions on the Cove School Board.

Proposed 2013-14 La Grande city budget features few changes from 2012-13 fiscal year 

By Kelly Ducote/The Observer

La Grande’s 2013-14 proposed budget is largely unchanged from this fiscal year’s budget. 

Four vying for two seats on La Grande School Board 

By Dick Mason/The Observer

Two of the three races for positions on the La Grande School Board are contested. 

A project installing traffic lights at the intersection of Highway 203 and McAlister Road near the Flying J Travel Plaza south of La Grande is on the horizon. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

by Kelly Ducote/The Observer

No objections and few questions were raised at the Oregon Department of Transportation’s public meeting Thursday night. The meeting covered three upcoming projects in Union County.

Six-year-old Tanner Rovey gathers eggs at Cove Schools Agriculture Education and Marketing Center. Rovey and other kindergarten classmates gather and clean eggs every morning under the direction of sophomores Hailey Hulse and Conner Logoz. (Kelly Black/For The Observer)

by Kelly Black/For The Observer 

On nearly three acres in Cove, 
50 chickens, four pigs, one calf, a greenhouse and a garden are teaching students at Cove schools about small-scale sustainable agricultural production.

La Grande’s Ag and Timber Twilight Parade has been canceled, according to the parade’s organizing group, Women in Timber. The group is now looking into moving the parade to Island City. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

New liability form causes event organizers to pull plug on holding parade in La Grande 

by Kelly Ducote/The Observer

La Grande’s Ag and Timber Twilight Parade has been canceled, according to the parade’s organizing group, Women in Timber.

A fire destroyed a camp trailer in North Powder Thursday afternoon but caused no serious injuries. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

Staff reports

NORTH POWDER — A fire in North Powder Thursday afternoon destroyed a camper trailer but caused no serious injuries.

Special education teachers (from left) Craig Lankford, Kate Dunlap, Cathy Worcester and Tracy Davidson meet as part of the La Grande School District’s Professional Learning Communities program. The district is seeing a decline in the number of students needing special ed services because of various programs, like the PLC program. (Chris Baxter/The Observer)

by Dick Mason/The Observer 

The La Grande School District is bucking a statewide trend. 

Howard Elmer, of Pigtail Pork in Cove, holds a specialty ham that he entered at a meat competition in Helena, Mont., on April 26. (Kelly Black photo)

Peppered bacon earns Pigtail Pork accolades at Northwest Meat Processors Association show 

by Kelly Black/For The Observer

Howard Elmer, owner of Pigtail Pork in Cove, won the coveted best in show award for his peppered bacon at the Northwest Meat Processors Association show in Moscow, Idaho, on April 6.