The heat is on. Again.

Temperatures around the region are going to once again skyrocket this weekend but based on some of the reporting in the East Oregonian over the past few days it looks the hot climate will not linger. Make sure you drink plenty of water and try to stay out of the hot climate as much as possible during the hottest hours of the day.

Fall sports seasons have kicked off for area prep teams and at Eastern Oregon University, and that means lots of sports action across the region. That means if you get the chance don’t forget to go out and cheer on your local prep team, whether it be in soccer, football, volleyball or cross country.

One of the biggest events of the year in the region — the Pendleton Round Up — is just around the corner. Pendleton will expand in terms of population and fun during Round-Up week and the annual event draws plenty of visitors and interest from around in Union County.

So, there is plenty of events on the local docket during the next couple off weeks and we will be sure to furnish you, the reader, with as much information about all of the local happenings as we can.

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If you missed one or more issues of The Observer this week, here are a couple of stories you might have missed.

Reporter Shannon Golden reported on how during the commission of the Oregon Public Defense Services’ vote last month on the fate of director Steve Singer, Jared Boyd, a local attorney, kept tabs on the hearing from hundreds of miles away. Boyd was in agreement with the final verdict — to fire Singer. Although the decision occurred in the state’s capital, Singer’s directorial decisions and work conduct made waves in the halls of the Union County Courthouse — and brought Oregon’s crippling public defense service shortage into the limelight.

School district officials in Union County expressed positive feelings about a guidance recently issued by the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Education regarding what COVID-19 health and safety protocols they will be required to follow as a new school year opens.

The Ezra Meeker Oregon Trail marker at 110 Walnut St., La Grande, received some extra security, thanks to Steve Witty, the owner of Witty’s Concrete, who, poured a concrete form for the base of the stone Oregon Trail marker. The concrete form is expected to make it much harder for the marker to be moved between now and when the time capsule, whose contents were installed in late June, is set to be opened in 100 years.

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