We recently had a request for a profile of a local business owner. Suggestions to report on an interesting person or happenings at a business come in often enough. The person making this suggestion told us about this owner’s background, and it sounded promising. But that business owner did not want a story, did not want to talk about their life. Without their participation, there was no story.

We want people to keep making those suggestions, but understand sometimes we can’t do the story, though not for lack of trying.

On a related note, we get requests to cover events and happenings. Too often, though, we get requests the day before or even the day of something. The newsroom operates with a small staff — two full-time news reporters — so last-minute requests for coverage can be difficult to accommodate. Please keep the requests coming, but the sooner we get those requests, the more likely we can cover them.

Anyone suggesting stories or making requests for coverage should email news@lagrandeobserver.com. We are going to see these emails. While Facebook Messenger is a popular way to communicate, we don’t spend much time looking at messages there. Please, email us before using Messenger.

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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.

EO Media Group teamed with the University of Oregon’s Catalyst Journalism Project for a story about the concerns and hopes of the least heard voter voices — youth and those living in rural areas. A pair of Oregon students, Hannah Seibold and Zachary Jones Neuray, spent several days in Eastern Oregon talking to voters in Pendleton, La Grande and Baker City about what they, their friends, family and neighbors feel would make Oregon and the U.S. a better place for all. 

More than 50 Central and Greenwood elementary school children took part in the first SoleKIDS 3-mile race at Bernie Park, La Grande. The race capped an eight-week running program geared toward elementary students. The children had been meeting after school twice a week for 105-minute training sessions led by SoleKIDS volunteer coaches.

And, of course, kids of all ages were out in full force in downtown La Grande on Halloween in colorful costumes.

Looking ahead, we will have a look at how the Oregon Department of Transportation is working to address labor shortage which could hurt it this winter. And with Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 8, we have some more reporting coming about gubernatorial candidates and local races. 

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As always, we couldn’t do this without you. News gathering is a community endeavor, so we’d love to have your partnership and support for our efforts.