Sen. Wyden Schedules Pendleton Town Hall, Nearest Stop for Union County Residents

Union County residents have until tonight at 5:00 p.m. to reach Pendleton High School Auditorium, 1800 NW Carden Ave., where Sen. Ron Wyden holds the nearest scheduled town hall on his 10-county eastern Oregon swing.

Wyden's office issued the updated schedule March 25, listing sessions running from March 28 through April 3 across the Columbia Gorge, eastern, central and southern Oregon. The calendar names Umatilla County's Pendleton as the closest stop for Union County constituents; no session was scheduled in La Grande, Enterprise or anywhere else in Union County.

The senator framed the tour around a standing pledge to hold open meetings annually in counties across Oregon, stating in the announcement that he "made [the] town hall pledge because all Oregonians' voices matter." For Union County residents, acting on that pledge means a roughly 55-mile drive west on I-84.

Federal timber and forest policy is among the most direct pressure points for Union County, given the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest's footprint across the county. Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande operates under Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement structures set at the federal level, making rural healthcare funding another high-stakes topic for the region. Broadband gaps across rural stretches of the county, I-84 corridor maintenance, grazing allotments on federal land, and wildfire preparedness funding each carry consequences that trace back to decisions made in Washington.

Anyone attending tonight should arrive no later than 4:00 p.m., when doors open. The senator's office has imposed a clear-bag policy; large backpacks and non-clear bags are not permitted. Coming prepared with a focused, single-question ask and a one-page summary of relevant local data, whether Grande Ronde Hospital reimbursement figures or timber sale statistics from the Wallowa-Whitman, can help ensure the concern reaches Wyden's staff even if time at the microphone runs short.

Residents who cannot make the Pendleton drive can check the senator's official website for options to submit questions in advance and for video recaps posted after each session.