>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

ENTERPRISE Prisoners from Wallowa County are now housed in the Umatilla County jail in Pendleton. Wallowa County will pay Umatilla County $146,000 annually for eights beds.

That helps out Umatilla County with its budget woes.

It also helps out Wallowa County, which will save more than $100,000 by switching from the Union County jail, Wallowa County Sheriff Fred Steen said.

Though the contract took effect Sunday, Umatilla County Sheriff John Trumbo agreed to take some prisoners Wednesday.

Wednesday was the first day of a two-day, pre-trial hearing for Liysa King-Northon, 39, who is accused of killing her husband, Chris, Northon, 44, at a Lostine River campground last October.

King-Northon, who has been held in the Union County jail since October, made a bid at the hearing to be released.

Wallowa County Circuit Court Judge Phillip Mendiguren ruled that King-Northon will remain in jail without bail.

At the conclusion of King-Northons hearing she was transported to the Umatilla County jail. The trial is scheduled July 16-27 at the Wallowa County Courthouse in Enterprise.