We conducted an opinion poll of visitors to the Democrat's booth at the Union County Fair. Here are the results:

New Union County book club studies Huck Finn

Carole Halvorson announces the "Books You Should Have Read in School, but missed" book club, beginning July 27, 6 p.m. at the Bohenkamp/Community Workshop Bldg in La Grande.  The Workshop is located at 1301 Adams Ave, La Grande, and the book club is open to all.

The first book to be discussed is Mark Twain's classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  This book has been widely discussed and sometimes censored for its frank and uncomfortable treatment of race and status in our nation's recent past. 

La Grande residents came together to meet with Oregon's nominee for Governor in 2010, John A. Kitzhaber. The event was very well attended even though the meeting was added to the former Governors' schedule at the last minute. The meet-up took place at Foley Station in downtown La Grande on Wednesday, June 2, 2010.

Former Governor Kitzhaber fielded questions about taxation, local USDA meat certification, health insurance costs. education costs and more.

He was very comfortable with the crowd, offered direct answers to questions, and had a good grip on all the issues addressed.

For more information on the Kitzhaber campaign visit http://www.johnkitzhaber.com/.

Community Connection Transit Center conference room.

The transit facility is located near the Social Security office and Senior Center off Cove Avenue and Portland Streets.

Syd Gleeson with Community Connection is preparing a delicious lunch of Manicotti, salad and dessert for only $7 per person. Any profits that she makes from the lunch will go into her Senior food program.*

The Attorney General will be in Eastern Oregon this coming week to hold a public meeting on transparency in government. Visit the Oregon Department of Justice site for more information. Many of us have deep beliefs in the importance of an open government with good access to public records.

As we saw last year, John is willing to speak candidly about his office and initiatives and I foresee this meeting as an open dialogue with the state's chief attorney. He is certainly open to discussing his stance on the national health care reform legislation and its constitutionality.

If you visit the AG's website, you will see John's goals, to: fight crime; protect crime victims; improve the well-being of Oregon's children; protect the environment; fight for Oregon consumers, workers, investors and taxpayers; promote a positive business climate, provide great legal services to Oregon's state government; and defend the rights of all Oregonians. This lunch is an opportunity for us to have a good discussion about what those goals mean and how they affect ordinary Oregonians, and particularly those of us living in rural places.