Nearby Communities
State Edition
National Edition
🌱 Why La Grande’s EOU just earned an A+ for teacher training
La Grande, Oregon Patch AM: a 4 min readWhat's up La Grande! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Why La Grande’s EOU just earned an A+ for teacher training
- How a La Grande-area traffic complaint reunited a missing Idaho man
- How close were the Hilgard and Perry fires to La Grande?
Also on today's calendar: Eastern Oregon Livestock Show and 5 more events.
Today's riddle: What do sweet potatoes wear to bed? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
Today's La Grande Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T-Mobile and UScellular have joined forces to connect people from big cities to small towns and everywhere in between. UScellular is now a part of T-Mobile. Find out more at T-Mobile.com/Better-Together.
Find a T-Mobile store near La Grande.
- Friday: Sunny much of the time, with a high of 79 and low of 44 degrees.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, temps: high: 80, low: 46.
- Sunday: Sunny and very warm, with a high of 86 and low of 47 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
📰 News we're reading
1. Eastern Oregon University Teacher Preparation Programs Earn Top National Rating (eou.edu) — Eastern Oregon University in La Grande just earned A+ national ratings for its elementary teacher preparation programs, specifically for training future teachers in evidence-based reading instruction. The recognition from the National Council on Teacher Quality highlights EOU’s role in preparing educators for rural Oregon classrooms. Local families and students can take pride that a hometown university is helping address teacher shortages with strong literacy training. 
2. OSP finds missing Idaho man after I-84 traffic complaint near La Grande (prismnews.com) — A recent welfare check on I-84 near La Grande ended with Oregon State Police safely locating a missing 70-year-old Meridian, Idaho man and reuniting him with family. Troopers, alerted by an erratic-driving complaint, tied the vehicle’s plate to a missing-person report and found him in the La Grande area. The case highlights how quickly interstate emergencies can land in Union County and the importance of coordinated missing-person systems.
3. Multiple agencies respond to fires near Hilgard and Perry. Investigation continues (elkhornmediagroup.com) — Small wildfires near Hilgard and Perry along I-84 were quickly contained this week, with La Grande Fire Department and La Grande Rural Fire Protection District among many agencies responding. No structures were threatened, no injuries occurred, and crews remain on scene for mop-up as investigators work to determine the cause amid unusually dry early-season conditions.
4. 10 Oregon College Towns Worth Exploring on a 2026 Weekend Trip (myfamilytravels.com) — La Grande gets a spotlight as one of Oregon’s most appealing college towns for a 2026 weekend trip, praised for its Blue Mountains backdrop and small-town pace. The article highlights Eastern Oregon University, nearby Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Hot Lake Springs, and the Elgin Opera House as reasons to visit. It positions La Grande as a relaxed, outdoorsy base for exploring Eastern Oregon.
📸 Around La Grande
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓
Upcoming Events in
La Grande
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
-
Summer Regional Athletics Competition in La Grande →
Eastern Oregon University, One University Blvd, La Grande
9:30 am
Saturday June 13
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
-
3148832 - ACT Testing →
La Grande SD 1 708 K Avenue La Grande, OR 97850
7:00 am -
Eastern Oregon Livestock Show →
Eastern Oregon Livestock Show, 760 E Delta Ave, Union
4:00 pm -
3275299 - Fiddle Club Camp (Backup if Birnie Park doesn't work) →
La Grande SD 1 1108 4th St. La Grande, OR 97850
8:00 am -
3263380 - Driver's Ed →
La Grande SD 1 708 K Avenue La Grande, OR 97850
5:30 pm -
3275299 - Fiddle Club Camp (Backup if Birnie Park doesn't work) →
La Grande SD 1 1108 4th St. La Grande, OR 97850
8:00 am -
3275593 - Volleyball Open gym →
La Grande SD 1 708 K Avenue La Grande, OR 97850
6:30 am -
3263380 - Driver's Ed →
La Grande SD 1 708 K Avenue La Grande, OR 97850
5:30 pm
Saturday June 13
Monday June 15
Tuesday June 16
Wednesday June 17
Thursday June 18
📣 La Grande Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
-
Chalk It Up to Rett Syndrome →
Cook Memorial Library, 2006 Fourth St, La Grande
9:30 am -
3194302 - 3rd - 8th Grade Football Camp with LHS →
La Grande SD 1 708 K Avenue La Grande, OR 97850
8:00 am
Saturday June 20
Monday June 22
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- RB American Group posted a job opening for Team Member in La Grande. Apply here.
- Denny's Corporation posted a job opening for Service Assistant - Franchise in La Grande. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near La Grande here.
Ok La Grande! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Yammies! (Thank you Lynda S. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
👉 Help make Patch AM better
- Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
- Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
- List items for sale or services offered
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.