Estate of John Kenneth Friend, Estate of Beverly K. McCall, Estate of Michael Dale Davis

No dirt has been turned to build the taxpayer-funded rail center but a major shipping firm is interested in purchasing all, or part, of the facility.

Area and state health officials utilized the Malheur County Fairgrounds Oct. 14 to conduct the Covid testing operation. More than 200 people were tested at the event.

Ontario attorney Cliff Bentz, former state legislator for the region, has far outpaced his opponent, Democrat Alex Spenser, in the quest for campaign funds. He's still hitting the campaign trail hard, and connecting with supporters.

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AROUND OREGON: New health guidelines Monday require everyone to wear a mask at indoor workplaces, even if they're more than 6 feet apart. The changes reflect a growing scientific consensus that the coronavirus travels via aerosol and can spread farther indoors.

Six community colleges, including Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, tried to salvage a deal with the state Corrections Department to continue teaching about 1,000 inmates. On Friday, the state said it would teach the inmates itself. In Ontario, layoffs loom.

With elaborate steps in place, Nyssa Elementary School recently welcomed kindergarteners to the school and their classrooms. Now, first graders will join in starting this week.

ELECCIÓN 2020: Los funcionarios locales predicen una participación récord para las elecciones del 3 de noviembre, ya que los votantes del condado de Malheur ayudarán a elegir a un presidente y también a decidir las contiendas locales claves para el comisionado y el sheriff del condado.

Experts say the flu shot is more important this year than in the past. That's because a severe flu season will place added burdens on hospitals already geared to care for Covid patients.

Oregon authorities sense people are tired of restrictions that limit their movements and social outings. They say the number of those infected has grown rapidly in the past six weeks, reversing a downward trend through late summer.

Vale elected officials signed off on a loan to buy the former Umpqua Bank building last summer. City personnel began to move into the former bank building last week.

Field Fresh Foods is hard at work renovating a warehouse in Nyssa in preparation of opening either later this year or early 2021. The firm is the nation's largest supplier of fresh-packed fruits and vegetable for public schools and plans to hire 45 people when fully operational.

Despite state efforts to help with the battle against Covid, local officials grapple with a persistently high virus rate in Malheur County.

ELECTION 2020: Casey Walker, on the November ballot as a candidate for Malheur County sheriff, talked about the job early this year, but he didn't respond to recent interview requests about his campaign.

Malheur County Sheriff Brian Wolfe presents voters with a conservative approach to budget and politics as he stresses his years of law enforcement experience in his run for re-election.

ELECTION 2020: Local officials are predicting a record turnout for the Nov. 3 election, as Malheur County voters help elect a president and also decide key local races for county commissioner and sheriff.

Officials hoped to acquire $15 million in federal cash to boost the project next to a rail reload center planned north of Nyssa. Malheur County said it will try again to get money needed to turn fields into factories.

Harper students are social distancing as they return to classes in the small Malheur County school district.

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Estate of John Kenneth Friend, Estate of Beverly K. McCall

Summit Health, an effort by health providers in the region, is offering a new option for health insurance coverage in Malheur County.

ELECTION 2020: Oregon spending reports show that political action committees are putting big bucks into the campaigns of state Sen. Lynn Findley and Rep. Mark Owens, incumbents in districts that include Malheur County. Meanwhile challengers Beth Spell and Carina Miller rely on smaller individual contributions to fuel their campaigns.

Events such as a funeral and other social activities are exposing more people more often. Health officials say complying with limits on the size of gatherings is necessary and that social distancing and masks remain key protocols.

The annual auction supporting Vale FFA scholarships has been canceled due to pandemic restrictions, but organizers say supporters can still help through their donations.

Kindergarteners and some other students are back in class this week in Nyssa, after the state reported several Covid cases among the staff. The return to in-person learning drew a rebuke from the Oregon Education Association, but district officials say they are following all precautions to keep students safe.

El republicano Ron Jacobs y el demócrata Byron Shock están compitiendo en la boleta electoral de noviembre para reemplazar al comisionado del condado de Malheur, Larry Wilson. Ambos hombres respondieron preguntas del Enterprise la semana pasada sobre lo que creen que son los temas claves para el condado.

Ontario police arrested a 28-year-old transient after two teens walking along a city street recently were confronted by racial slurs. Tyler J. Duncan also was accused of another bias crime after a fight two weeks earlier.

The drive-thru event, at the Malheur County Fairgrounds, will be from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. Testing is open to anyone age 7 and above and results are expected to be available within seven days.

The testing event will be from 10 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1309 Park Ave.