InterMountain Education Service District’s board meets Feb. 21

NORTHEAST OREGON — The InterMountain Education Service District Board of Directors will meet for a regular session on Wednesday, Feb. 21, beginning at 5 p.m. at the IMESD main offices, 2001 SW Nye Ave., Pendleton.

The public may attend in person or virtually via Zoom. Access information is available at www.imesd.k12.or.us — on the main page, click on the Events Calendar icon then choose the meeting for full details.

According to the announcement, the February board meeting’s agenda includes approving the 2024-25 IMESD licensed and administrative staff renewals, the 2024-27 IMESD superintendent contract and the 2024-25 IMESD budget calendar.

The InterMountain Education Service District serves 17 school districts in Union, Baker, Umatilla and Morrow counties. The IMESD is one of 19 education service districts in Oregon. ESDs are legislatively mandated to provide four core areas of service to students and schools: programs for children with special needs, school improvement services, technology support and administrative services.

The March IMESD Board Meeting is slated for March 20 at 5 p.m. at the Hermiston BMCC, 975 SE Columbia Drive, Room #237.

Women in Business session set for March 12

LA GRANDE — La Grande Main Street Downtown is hosting its next session for Women in Business on March 12, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Sure Shot Virtual Range, 10200 W. First St., Island City.

The session provides networking opportunities for women business owners and aims to offer insights into marketing businesses.

Special speakers include Tori Gandy with Elkhorn Media Group; Katie Martin, of Katie Martin Designs; Shannon McKone, with Elkhorn Media Group; and La Grande Main Street Downtown’s executive director, Sarah Marcotte.

For more information or to register, visit https://march2024lgmswomeninbiz.rsvpify.com.

Questions can be directed to Marcotte via email: director@lagrandemainstreet.org.

Women in Business is sponsored by the La Grande Soroptimist and La Grande Main Street Downtown.

OTEC announces 2024 board of directors nominations

LA GRANDE — Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative announced the nominations for the 2024 board of directors election.

Incumbent Austin Bingaman was nominated for Position 4 on the OTEC Board of Directors. The Union County nominating committee consisted of Donna Beverage, Cindy Edwards and Mary West.

The member-owned electric cooperative, based in Baker City, is governed by its board of directors. Board members are elected to serve three-year terms.

The nominees for Position 5 and Position 6 are also both incumbents. Wayne Overton secured the nomination for Baker County and Gary Miller was nominated in Grant County.

OTEC members in all three counties are still eligible to run for the 2024 board positions through a petition. Petition forms are available through the OTEC administration office and are due by March 4.

Election ballots, which will include candidate information, will be mailed to OTEC member-owners at the beginning of April. Results of the election will be announced at OTEC’s annual meeting on May 4 in Burns.

Scholarship available to EOU-bound Union County girl

LA GRANDE — The 2024-25 Union County PEO Tri-Chapter Scholarship is open for applications. The $3,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating high school senior girl who will be attending Eastern Oregon University.

Applications are evaluated for academic achievement, community service, financial need and commitment to higher education. The scholarship is funded by the three local chapters of PEO, a philanthropic organization dedicated to the education of women.

Scholarship applications are available from academic counselors at each of the high schools in Union County. The deadline for submitting an application is March 22.

Union library has ‘Last Chance’ shelves for books

UNION — People visiting the Union Carnegie Library, 182 N. Main St., Union, are encouraged to check the books in its two last “Last Chance” shelves.

Books that find themselves on the Last Chance shelves are those that have not been checked out for years. If the books are not checked out in the future, the library may discard them. The library does not keep books that do not circulate.

Union’s Carnegie Library has been part of the community for more than a century. It has not been changed from its historical structure and is still being used as a library.

In the summer of 1912 the city of Union received a letter from Andrew Carnegie, who offered to give the city $5,500 to build a new library. The city used the gift to build a brick building and construct a levee along Catherine Creek for protection.

It has not been changed from its historical structure and is still being used as a library. Hours are Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wallowa County grads invited to apply for natural resources scholarship

ENTERPRISE — Applications to the Bruce Dunn Scholarship Fund are now being accepted from Wallowa County high school graduates enrolled in a school of agriculture, school of forestry or other natural resource-related area of study.

While preference is given to applicants with at least college sophomore standing, graduating high school seniors are eligible for consideration. Preference also is given to applicants seriously contemplating a return to Eastern Oregon to work and live.

The deadline for applications, available at www.wallowaresources.org/university-education, is May 1. The fund’s advisory committee will review the scholarship applications and hold interviews in mid-May. Awards will be announced ahead of the county’s high school graduation dates.

The Bruce Dunn Scholarship Fund memorializes Bruce Dunn, a forester who served both his industry and the Wallowa County community for more than 30 years as well as helping prepare the next generation of natural resource professionals.

Wallowa Resources, with its focus on natural resources and outdoor education, is the fund’s fiscal sponsor. Donations can be made to Wallowa Resources with “Bruce Dunn Scholarship Fund” in the memo line, and mailed to 401 NE First Street, Suite A, Enterprise, OR 97828.