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Two sections, 14 pagesLa Grande, Oregon

INDEXBUSINESS / 1BCLASSIFIED / 4BCOMICS / 2BCROSSWORD / 5B

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Amid tragedy,EOU enters season

with high hopes

Citizens voiceopinions aboutfatal shooting

BILL RAUTENSTRAUCHThe Observer

ELGIN — Passions ran hotand heavy at the ElginCommunity Center Tuesdaynight, as Union County andcity of Elgin officials met witha large crowd to talk aboutthe recent killing of a resi-dent by a police officer, andother issues connected withthe police department.

Between 150 and 200 peo-ple showed up to air theirthoughts and feelings aboutthe Aug. 1 killing of Richard“Dick” Shafer by Officer EricKilpatrick, and also to weighin on the issue of whetherthe council should dissolvethe police department andcontract for services from theUnion County Sheriff’sOffice.

Before public testimonygot under way, Union CountyDistrict Attorney TimThompson and Capt. CraigWard of the Sheriff’s Officetalked about the ongoinginvestigation into Shafer’sdeath. Shafer was shot Aug. 1by Officer Eric Kilpatrick.

Thompson said that until

the investigation is complete,he is unable to talk specifics.

“This is a homicide andwe’re treating it as we wouldany other case. It may or maynot turn out to be criminalwhen the investigation isdone,” he said.

He said the investigation isa complex one involving theUnion County Major CrimesTeam, the Oregon StatePolice crime lab, state pathol-ogists and other investigators.

The public should notexpect quick answers,Thompson said.

“We’ve got perhaps 20 offi-cers investigating and eachperson is assigned a specifictask,” Thompson said.“Nothing’s going to happenin the first two weeks.Something may happen intwo to four weeks.”

Thompson said that whenthe investigation is done, hehas the option of convening agrand jury to determinewhether criminal chargesshould be filed.

Though Thompson saidhe doesn’t yet know if he willdo that, Ward said conveninga grand jury is likely to happen.

“It’s rare not to convene agrand jury in cases like this,”he said.

See SHAFER, 2A

A G I L I T Y P U T T O T E S TNew principalat CoveHigh

DICK MASONThe Observer

MatMiles wasnot lookingto leave theLa GrandeSchoolDistrict, butwhen apromisingopportunityknocked, hehad to answer.

Miles, an administratorwith the La Grande Schoolthe past 11 years, was recentlynamed the new principal ofCove High School. He suc-ceeds Todd Shirley, who leftafter four years as CHS princi-pal to take a position with theDayton School District in theWillamette Valley.

“We are very excited tohave him,’’ said Cove SchoolDistrict Superintendent JeffClark. “He is an excellenteducator and has a wealth ofexperience.’’

See PRINCIPAL, 2A

About 200 residentsattend meeting atCommunity Center

Former La Grandeadministrator Mat Miles hired

KATY NESBITT | The Observer

LINDSAY KEMP AND MAX took home the Intermediate Open grand champion prize at theWallowa County Fair’s Saturday dog agility competition. The fair runs through Saturday inEnterprise.

LISA MCMAHANThe Observer

Union native StephanieMcClaughry knows how to make amean pot of chili.

So mean, in fact,that she won firstplace at last month’s“Oregon’s Best” StateChampionship ChiliCookoff.

It’s a recognitionnoteworthy because,at 21, she is theyoungest CASI (ChiliAppreciation SocietyInternational) statechampion ever.

Also noteworthy?It was only the sec-

ond time she’dcooked chili.

“The first chili I made thenight before,” McClaughry said.

After winning the July 17 com-petition, she and boyfriend Josh“Cowboy” Malcom of Longview,Wash., went on to compete at theWashington State Tolbert Chili

Cookoff in Kalama July 23.McClaughry took second.“Those were my first two chili

cookoffs,” she said.The chili champion, who was

born and raised in Union andlived in La Grande forthe last five years, wasintroduced to the spicysport of chili cookoffsby her boyfriend, whomshe met in 2007 atTongue Point Job CorpsCenter in Astoria.

Malcom started cook-ing chili with his friend,Tom, in 2009.

“Just the way Joshand Tom talked about itkind of caught my inter-est,” McClaughry said.“I’m pretty much good

at anything I put my mind to.”Malcom won the Pacific

Northwest BBQ Association’s“Smokin’ on the Columbia”cookoff last year.

See CHILI, 5A

LHS grad pens novel about JFK assassinationDICK MASONThe Observer

Did President John F. Kennedy fakehis own assassination in 1963 and livethe remaining years of his life on aGreek island owned by AristotleOnassis?

No, but a new political thriller “TheGreatest Patriot,’’ by Dan Sullivan, a1982 La Grande High School gradu-ate, tells how such a scenario couldhave unfolded.

“There are so many wacky conspira-cy theories out there. I thought itwould be fun to come up with onewhich would blow the rest of the oth-ers away,’’ Sullivan said Saturday dur-ing a signing for “The GreatestPatriot,’’ at Looking Glass Books.

Sullivan’s work, which doubles as ahistorical novel, tells of how Kennedy

learns that Soviet Union leader NikitaKhruschev is planning to assassinatehim in retaliation for how he embar-rassed the Soviet leader during theCuban Missile Crisis.

“It quickly becomes apparent thatKhruschev will go to any lengths to kill

Kennedy, an event that will startWorld War III,’’ Sullivan wrote ina piece describing his work.

Kennedy, out of options,“...decides to beat Khruschev tothe punch.’’

Sullivan’s book was inspired inpart as a response to the often-asked question — how differentwould the world be today ifKennedy had not beenassassinated?

Sullivan’s book proposes a sce-nario in which the world wouldnot have been different ifKennedy had lived, since he has

been alive all this time. Sullivan, in“The Greatest Patriot’’ tells howKennedy influenced events while inhiding. In Sullivan’s book, the

See BOOK, 3A

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocksplunged again Wednesday asinvestors turned their attentionback to the weak global econo-my and Europe’s debt problems.Most of the big gains that fol-lowed a Federal Reserve pledgeto extend super-low interest ratesvanished.

The Dow Jones industrial

average fell 345 points, or 3 per-cent, to 10,895 in early after-noon trading. The average plum-meted more than 300 pointswithin minutes of the openingbell and was down as many as456 points by late morning.

On Tuesday, the Dow gained429 points after the Fed said itplanned to keep interest rates

extremely low at least throughthe middle of 2013. It was thefirst time the Fed announcedsuch a timetable.

But by Wednesday, investorswere focused on the pessimisticside of the Fed’s announcement:The central bank expects theeconomy to stay weak for at leasttwo more years.

Dan SullivanAuthor

‘The GreatestPatriot’

Chili champUnion woman wins ‘Oregon’s Best’State Championship Chili Cookoff

StephanieMcClaughry

Mat Miles

Stockmarket

takesanotherplunge

E L G I N

Effortlaunchedto bring backAmtrak

LOCAL FUNERALSAND VISITATIONS

Aug. 10 — Richard ‘Dickie’Shafer, casual dress celebrationof life, 5 p.m., Elgin Stampedegrounds; potluck to follow

Aug. 12 — Barbara AnnMurdoch, graveside service, 10 a.m., Haines Cemetery;memorial lunch follows, NorthPowder School cafeteria

Aug. 13 — Theodore Hooey,celebration of life, 3 p.m.,American Legion Post 43, La Grande

Aug. 13 — John J. Gregory,graveside, 11 a.m., WallowaCemetery

Pierre L. InghelsFormerly of La GrandePierre Louis Inghels, 91, for-

mer long-time resident of La Grande, died Aug. 8. Amemorial service will be heldat a later date.

Autumn Funeral Home of Bend is in charge ofarrangements.

Memorial contributions maybe made to Hospice ofPartners in Care.

Ernest LaRoyFollett

Formerly of Elgin1941-2011

ErnestLaRoyFollett, 70,formerly ofElgin, diedAug. 6 inPendleton.Visitationwill be from6 to 8 p.m.Thursday atPendletonPioneer Chapel, Folsom-Bishop. Funeral services willbegin at 10 a.m. Friday at the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsin Pendleton.

He was born in Elgin onMarch 20, 1941, to Lee andHazel (McClune) Follett.LaRoy spent most of his

younger life on the familyranch in Elgin. He rode hishorse to school and went to aone-room schoolhouse at PineGrove. He was a member ofthe Elgin Stampede DrillTeam.

In 1957, he moved toPendleton and married DanaSue Sykes. The couple lived inPendleton their entire marriedlife, 54 years.

LaRoy was active with theBoy Scouts of America and theSpout Springs Ski Patrol,Nordic. He was very active inhis church. He loved to be out-side hiking, working, readingor teaching his grandchildrenthe mysteries of nature.LaRoy’s favorite place to hikewas the High Wallowas wherehe took his boys many times.He loved long rides in themountains and, if possible, he took the back roads.

LaRoy worked the ranch hegrew up on, milked dairy cowsand worked for the state gamecommission. He has also beena full-time instructor for BlueMountain Community College,and owned his own landscapeconstruction business. Thosewho knew LaRoy say he wasnot afraid of hard work andwas always willing to help peo-ple in need. He also served asStake Missionary for theChurch of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints with theConfederated Tribes of theUmatilla.

He is survived by his wife,Dana Follett; sons, DouglasFollett and his wife, Jamie,David Follett and his wife,Carrie, and Timothy Follettand his wife, Leisl; and sixgrandchildren. He is also sur-vived by his sister, Linda(Follett) Lively; nieces andnephews; and many cousins.He was preceded in death byhis parents, Lee and Hazel;granddaughter, Meagan;nephew, Jeff Lively; andnumerous aunts and uncles.

Henrietta H.GavinFormerly of

Wallowa County1927-2011

Henrietta Helen Coe QuinnGavin, 83, ofPendletonand formerlyof Joseph,Enterpriseand Milton-Freewater,died Aug. 5at her home.A gravesideservice willbegin at 11 a.m. Friday at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery. Visitationfor family and friends will runfrom 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at theMunselle-Rhodes FuneralHome, 902 S. Main, Milton-Freewater. A gathering for fam-ily and friends will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the JosephMasonic Lodge.

She was born Oct. 19, 1927,to Harold and Ora Coe inMilton-Freewater.

She was a cheerleader andgraduate of McLaughlin UnionHigh School in Milton-Freewater. In February of 1946,she and L. Gordon Quinn mar-ried in Walla Walla. Afterbeginning their life together inMilton-Freewater, they lived ashort time in Belton and ElPaso, Texas, while Gordon wasin the Army. Upon his dis-charge they returned to Miltonand lived on the family ranchon Lincoln Mountain. Theylived a short time in Pendletonwhile Gordon worked in theshop at Harris Pine Mills andthen moved to Joseph wherethey were ranchers.

Their daughter, Karen, wasborn in Walla Walla, anddaughter, Patricia, and son,Robert, were born inEnterprise.

She loved the Joseph area.Friends and family said theymarveled at her talents as acook, seamstress, painter,entertainer, golfer and publicservant.

She had active membershipsin American Legion Auxiliary,PTA, Order of the Eastern Star,Daughters of the Nile, MotherAdviser Order of Rainbow forGirls, Alpine Meadows GolfCourse and the Methodistchurch in Joseph. She workedmany years to promote ChiefJoseph Days as court chaper-one and court luncheon chair-person. She sold rodeo pro-grams, and helped with theShriner’s breakfast on MainStreet.

She helped prepare mince-meat for the MethodistChristmas bazaar and prepareddishes for the church tea-tast-ing. While Karen and Pattiwere members of 4-H, sheencouraged and supportedtheir efforts and during theirhigh school years was leader ofthe Joseph Empire Builders 4-H service club.

Friends called her Henri,and some called her Hank.Those who knew her say sheknew how to have a good time,and could even make workseem like fun.

She was preceded in deathby Gordon, and marriedCharles Gavin in Joseph onAug. 17, 1984. He precededher in death in 2000.

She was also preceded indeath by her son, Robert, in1957; her parents; sister,Dorothy; and brother, Donald.

She is survived by a brother,Leland, of Sacramento, Calif.;daughters and sons-in-laws,Karen and Gary Prout ofPendleton and Patricia andDoug Nielsen of Portland; andmany grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions maybe made to the AmericanCancer Society, Albertina KerrHomes or the Alzheimer’s

Association in care of thefuneral home.

Paul B. WoodsEnterprise1973-2011

Paul Bryan Woods, 37, ofEnterprise, died Aug. 4. Amemorial service will begin at2:30 p.m. Saturday at NewSong Community Church,

3008 CoveAve. in La Grande.

Paul wasborn Nov. 19,1973, inEugene. Heattendedgrade schoolin Wallowabeginning in1979. He

graduated from Imbler HighSchool in 1991. He married in1999.

He graduated from EasternOregon University June 10,2007 with a bachelor of sciencedegree. Paul worked at PizzaHut throughout college.

Paul was working in associa-tion with Wallowa ValleyCenter for Wellness inEnterprise. He held variousclasses and did peer counselingon a volunteer basis.

Bryan was preceded indeath by his father, Burl H.Woods; two children, PaulBryan Jr., 12, of Wallowa, andLenorann, 11, of Alaska;fiancee, Misty Wilkinson ofHermiston; and his mother,Judith Woods of Imbler.

POLICE AND FIRELa Grande Police

Arrested: Nicholas R. Brown, 30,address unavailable, was arrestedTuesday on a Union County warrantcharging failure to appear. The origi-nal charge was recklessly endan-gering another.

Larceny: A resident in the 1500block of Adams Avenue requestedofficer contact Tuesday regardingthe theft of his mail. An officerresponded and the items werereturned.

Assist: An officer assisted with anon-injury accident at Sixth Streetand N Avenue Tuesday. Informationwas exchanged.

Suspicious circumstances: Acitizen reported the front door to thelibrary was unlocked and all of thelights were out Tuesday. An officerresponded and the building wassecured by a city employee.

Assist: An officer assisted on amedical call Tuesday.

Arrested: Michael JamesO’Brien, 43, Portland, was arrestedTuesday on charges of assault inthe fourth degree and disorderlyconduct in the second degree.

Suspicious circumstances: Aresident of Rapid Run Loop report-ed someone going through a camptrailer in front of her residence. Thesubject left and an officer advisedthe resident.

Prowler: Dispatch received areport of a possible prowler in the2500 block of May Lane earlyWednesday. Officers responded andsearched the area but were unableto locate anything.

La Grande Rural Fire No incidents to report.

Elgin PoliceNo incidents to report.

Enterprise PoliceNo incidents to report.

Union County SheriffArrested: Arthur A. Newton, 54,

La Grande, was arrested Tuesdayon a charge of driving under theinfluence of intoxicants.

Arrested: Brandy Jean Toy, 23,Elgin, was arrested earlyWednesday on a charge of drivingwhile suspended-misdemeanor.

Wallowa County SheriffNo incidents to report.

Oregon State PoliceArrested: Earl L. Rowton, 28,

address unavailable, was arrestedTuesday on a Union County warrantcharging failure to appear. Originalcharges were giving false informa-tion to police, failing to obey a trafficcontrol device, driving while sus-pended/violation and failure to carryproof of financial responsibility.

Information for the record isobtained from police departments andother public agency logs. Personscharged with crimes are presumed

innocent until pleading guilty orproven guilty in a court of law. Thosewho appear in this column who havehad charges dropped or have ques-tions about information contained inthe record should call The Observer at541-963-3161.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011 The Observer 5 A

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7922

Many people havebeen asking

if preplanned funeralarrangements are trans-ferable from one funeralhome to another. Thesimple answer is yes,they are. And the processis easy.

Call Loveland FuneralChapel today, and let ustake care of the details

for you.

Ernest LaRoy

Follett

Henrietta H.

Gavin

Paul B.

Woods

CHILI from 1A

“It was the Oregon StateChampionship for Tolbert,”Malcom said. “I won it, so Ibecame the Oregon Statechampion.”

Tolbert and CASI are likerival chili organizations,McClaughry said, comparingtheir relationship to the Union-Elgin athletic rivalries. Tolbert

is a smaller organization whileCASI is known worldwide.

A CASI girl and a Tolbertguy together are “like cowboysand Indians,” she said. “It’sstrange that we ended up cook-ing like this.”

The organizations have dif-ferent rules, including whichingredients are allowed in thechilis.

McClaughry’s state title qual-

ified her for the TerlinguaInternational Chili Cookoff inTexas Nov. 5.

“I actually just got myTerlingua invitation,” she said.

This chili, in contrast tohomestyle chili, cannot containbeans.

“The main basics to the chiliare the chili powder, the ham-burger or other meat and thebroth,” McClaughry said of her

ingredients. “You use chickenor beef broth — I use both, sodoes Josh.”

The Texas Red chili isjudged based on color, texture,aroma, taste and the “back-heat” or “linger.”

The result, Malcom said,depends on timing, ingredientsand heat.

“It’s a real science,” he said,noting that atmospheric pres-

sure also comes into play whilecooking.

The couple bring their ownsupplies to cookoffs, using atwo-burner Coleman stove.

“We have all our own stuffand we carry everything withus,” Malcom said.

McClaughry and Malcomlive in Astoria and both work atthe local Safeway. They hope tocontinue competing at cookoffs

as much as possible and alreadyhave some planned for Augustand September.

As she readies for the inter-national cookoff in Texas,Stephanie might look to ahandmade trophy, an obeliskcarved out of old growth Bird’s-eye maple by Malcom’s dad, forinspiration.

“Now I’m hooked,” she said.

Result depends on timing, ingredients and heat

Surgery forcescountry star tocancel concert

The Loretta Lynn concert,previously scheduled forSaturday at Wildhorse, hasbeen canceled.

The country music singerhad to cancel the show due toan emergency surgery.

Organizers said she hopes

to reschedule a show for 2012.The Wildhorse ticket

refund policy has been estab-lished as follows:

• All phone and Internetticket orders will automaticallybe refunded and shouldappear on the purchaser’s

next credit card statement. Nofurther action is required onthe part of these customers.

• All tickets purchased atthe Wildhorse Gift Shop willbe refunded at the satellitecashier cage on the gamingfloor at Wildhorse. Customers

need to bring intact tickets.Refunds will be processed 8 a.m. through 10 p.m. dailyuntil Saturday.

• Guests who purchasedtickets at the Wildhorse GiftShop who are not able to visitWildhorse prior to Sept. 13

may mail tickets to theWildhorse Gift Shop at 46510Wildhorse Boulevard,Pendleton 97801 for a fullrefund; be sure to includename, address and intact tickets.