The former Nampa man's experience within the Oregon judicial system began nearly two decades ago and concluded recently with a guilty plea.

Midway through her second year Oregon's child welfare director, Rebecca Jones Gaston says the agency is working hard to bolster training for its workers, improve response times on an abuse hotline, and address difficult issues such as structural racism.

Anthony Montwheeler's admission he was guilty of killing two people and injuring a third sets up his sentencing, scheduled for March 19.

Gridiron squads across the county open 2021 play under different circumstances because of Covid restrictions. The upcoming season will be four weeks and does not include playoffs.

Malheur County dropped from the extreme risk category to moderate risk Feb. 27, heralding a new beginning for area merchants. The new rules, though, are not set and stone and some businesses owners remain guarded about the future.

The Vale Book Club meets Thursday, March 4, to discuss its monthly selection, "The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House" by Kate Andersen Brower.

Melinda Harruko Pressley, 85, passed away at her home on Feb. 22. She was born Jan. 5, 1936, to Harry and Rose Tano in Grand Junction, Colorado. She was the youngest and only girl to three older brothers: Harry, Sam, and Benny. She was raised on her family farm where they grew onions and tomatoes. In 1948, after the death of her oldest brother Harry, Melinda and her family would leave Colorado and move to Ontario, Oregon. (Submitted Information)

Vale Oregon Irrigation District, Vale Irrigation, Sheriff’s Sale, Ironside Rural Road, Estate of Jeanne Margason Robinson, TVCC, Malheur County Court, Vale School District.

Curtis Culp left his Dunster home, where he had lived for 49 years, on Feb. 16. Curtis was born in Weiser, Idaho, on Jan. 7,1936. He lived on the family farm in Vale, Oregon, with his parents and five siblings until graduating from Vale Union High School in 1954. He joined the Army and served two years in Tokyo, Japan, as a military policeman. Curtis then moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he met and married Bonita Caywood and began his career as a state policeman in the Fish and Wildlife Division. They moved with their young family to Heppner, Oregon, where he received his degree in law enforcement from Blue Mountain Community College. After five years, he was promoted to detective in Ontario, Oregon. (Submitted Information)

Intimate partner violence persists in Malheur County despite local efforts to curb it. In a special report, Malheur Enterprise looks at three methods tried in other parts of the U.S. that show promise in addressing a crime that often occurs in the shadows.

Positions include Production Worker, CDL Driver, EHS Administrative Assistant

Kaye Kishiye (Morishita) Yamaguchi, 91, died peacefully at her residence in Beaverton, Oregon, on Feb. 13. Her children were with her during her passing. (Submitted Information)

Al Crummitt, 85-year-old former Vale, Oregon resident, passed away suddenly Tuesday, Feb. 23, at his home in Buffalo, Wyoming. (Submitted Information)

Residents of the tiny homes shelter project at Northwest First Street and Northwest Third Avenue said that loud music, drug dealing, and street crime in the area predates and is unrelated to them.

Malheur County residents share common concerns about challenges in the community, according to results of a survey conducted by the Malheur Enterprise. The survey showed a high level of volunteering - and that local people wanted to help solve local issues.

Officials at the U.S. Interior Department officials rescinded a 10-year grazing permit for Hammond Ranches Inc. and directed the Bureau of Land Management to further consider the matter. Four environmental advocacy groups on Thursday sued the Interior secretary and Bureau of Land Management, alleging last month’s permit approval on the final day of the Trump administration was “tainted by political influence” and that a “rushed and truncated public process” cut out opportunities for public participation required by law. The Oregon Farm Bureau argued that the Hammonds’ grazing permit should be restored and not issued or taken away based on “ever-changing regulatory whims,” according to farm bureau spokeswoman Anne Marie Moss.

Now that the county is out of the extreme Covid risk metric, indoor contact sports like volleyball can proceed with less restrictions.

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, has drawn both praise and criticism for his plan to save Idaho's wild salmon, but he says many opponents simply shut down when they hear the words "dam removal." He talks about the response – and the aims of his proposal – in this interview with Columbia Insight.

The Girl Scout cookie sale runs to 2 p.m. Saturday at two locations. Correspondent Susan Barton has the scoop on that as well as a blood drive underway at Nyssa Elementary School.

Local medical providers said they were working with community-based organizations to address disparities in vaccine distribution that affect communities of color.

Anthony Montwheeler pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and third-degree assault as a result of a settlement conference Friday in Malheur County Circuit Court

After months of inactivity, a change in the county's Covid risk level means area taverns and restaurants are once again accessible to residents.

Teams began practice for a shortened season this week in the snow.

Kevin Multop has been brewing his own ales for years, but now he's stepping it up with plans to open a new brewery in Baker City. He believes the town's brew-related businesses could make it a big draw for beer aficionados.

Ontario City Councilor Freddy Rodriguez has requested for a hearing with the Malheur County Circuit Court to contest the restraining order filed against him by a local woman last month. No hearing date has been set yet.

The city signed an agreement with Elkhorn Public Defenders in early February and the county already rents space in the facility for grand jury proceedings.

WATCHDOG: For nearly two years, Malheur County put up money for Gregory Smith & Company to pursue a much-needed federal grant for a publicly-owned industrial park. Now, a Pendleton firm is taking on the work for free, according to public records and interviews

The biggest problem in rural counties is a lack of access to providers offering culturally relevant services.

Positions include EHS Administrative Assistant, CDL Driver, Production Worker, Owyhee Irrigation

Thomas James Bronson Sr. was born on July 20, 1936, in Ontario, Oregon, to Otto and Loise (Domby) Bronson. He passed away in Boise Idaho due to heart complications on Feb. 1, 2021. (Submitted Information)

The city is working on grants for public art and economic development with Merchant MacIntyre, a firm based out of Washington, D.C.

Lawrence Richard “Dick” Grigg, 96, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away Feb. 18, 2021, at home in Nyssa, Oregon. (Submitted Information)

Senate Bill 16, sponsored by Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, is a key priority for the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board.

TVCC, Vale Irrigation, Sheriff’s Sale, Estate of Jeanne Margason Robinson

Gridiron squads will kick off a four-week season beginning in March. Local teams will also compete within a hybrid league that includes Ontario, Baker and La Grande.

The county will drop from the Extreme Risk level to Moderate Risk beginning Friday. That means bars and restaurants will be open for indoor service and larger public gatherings will be allowed.

The measure, supported by the non-profit, grass-roots group Greater Idaho, will require the Malheur County Court to meet three times a year to discuss the border modification blueprint.

Senate Bill 191 is just one of several pieces of legislation that aim to make changes to the minimum sentencing law state voters approved in 1994.

The new season is slated to start March 1. Some details, including safety protocols, still need to be finalized before the first football hits the grass.

The county logged just one new Covid case during a three-day period last week. While the trend may be a hopeful sign for the future health officials caution it is too soon to tell if the county has turned the corner in the Covid war.