​It’s a new year and the perfect time to become engaged with your community. La Grande Main Street is looking for volunteers for its Promotions Committee.  The Promotions Committee is tasked with positioning Downtown as the center of the community and hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases La Grande’s unique characteristics.
 
This is a chance for you to use your talents and expertise for the greater good and help plan community events and retail promotions, such as the New Year’s Ball Drop, Crazy Days, Eastern Oregon Beer Fest, Downtown Trick-or-Treat, Plaid Friday/Small Business Saturday, and the Holiday Parade. 
 
Think this might be a good fit?  Call Taylor Scroggins, Executive Director, at 541-963-1223 or text Volunteer to 541-975-4591.

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​Hines Meat Company, founded in June 2016 by Paige and Jake Hines in La Grande, is a locally owned and operated butcher shop processing custom and wild game, with in-house curing and smoking, as well as on-site slaughter and retail meat sales. In November of 2020, a second store in Pendleton was opened, with more of an emphasis on retail, and they are also looking to add a restaurant that will serve prepared Hines Meat products.
 
Following a trend of bringing meat processing closer to where the livestock is raised, in 2016 Hines Meat Company brought 13 employees, including two experienced meat cutters, on board to answer a growing demand from local hunters and producers. In September of 2016, they opened their retail shop, featuring pork chops and steaks, bacon and sausages, beer bratwurst, and many side complements.
 
Prior to 2016, Jake Hines was a concrete contractor considering a career change. Jake spent years learning the craft of butchering by watching videos on YouTube, visiting local meat cutting facilities, and attending classes offered by the University of Idaho. The business immediately took off by word of mouth, demonstrating Jake and Paige’s initial belief in their mission of closing the distance between where the livestock is raised to the end customer.
 
Paige said that Hines Meat Company has experimented with more exotic meats in the past, but she has learned that customers tend to stick with the familiar meats, like beef and pork. However, one of her goals is to mix it up by offering mainstream meats prepared or presented in unique and distinctive ways.
 
We salute Paige and Jake for perceiving a need in our local community and filling it with hard work, imagination, and stellar products.

M.J. Goss Motor Company is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year as Eastern Oregon’s one-stop-shop automotive facility. As the region’s family-owned Chevy, GMC, and Buick dealer since 1922, they know how to provide an exceptional buying experience.
 
Goss Motors’ mission is to provide a stress-free and straightforward customer service process, respecting the wants and needs of each customer throughout all of the steps of buying a vehicle, as well as maintaining that vehicle throughout its life. The Goss Motors sales team is equipped with knowledge and expertise in all of the company’s inventory, and the pre-owned vehicle selection has undergone a rigorous inspection process, ensuring the best value for money.
 
To that end, they offer WARRANTY FOREVER, which provides great peace of mind and is offered on vehicles with less than 100,000 miles.  Goss Motors also has a fully equipped mechanic shop that is staffed with ASE Certified GM technicians and is the only GM-equipped body shop in the region.  Their parts department features genuine GM parts and accessories, as well as used parts. There is also a fleet of rental cars on offer for that special vacation or to fill in when there are repairs needed.    
 
Also, throughout their 100-year history, Goss Motors has given back to the local region through various community-centered events, such as the Food Drive co-sponsored with Elkhorn Media.
 
With their inherent respect for each individual customer and the value they place on that customer’s time, budget, and needs during each phase of the process of buying and caring for a vehicle, M.J. Goss Motor Company has ensured its success into its next century of service to the region. 

​Starting out in 1995 in Baker City, Oregon with a trailer in the parking lot of Lube Depot, Sorbenots has grown into an Eastern Oregon institution with espresso shops in five cities—Baker City, La Grande, Ontario, Hermiston, and Pendleton.
 
Sorbenots is headquartered in Baker City and is owned by Phil Stone and his wife, Andrea, along with Phil’s brother, Jason Stone (hence the company name, which is Stone Bros spelled backwards).  Sorbenots has always been a family affair with the brothers’ parents (Donna and Robin Stone) developing the roasting process and doing most of the roasting during the company’s first 12 years. Donna trained Phil and Jason in the art of roasting coffee beans and, though the brothers are doing most of the roasting, she is still the official master roaster.
 
Though Sorbenots reaches out to the many tourists visiting Eastern Oregon, the employee training and customer service strategy focus on keeping the local customers happy. Sorbenots strives to hire efficient and personable employees and trains them in providing a consistently excellent coffee product throughout all of its locations. This consistency is also reflected in the small-batch roasting process, which allows for fine-tuned quality control.
 
In addition to serving up uniformly delicious coffee and baked goods at their five Eastern Oregon locations, Sorbenots has always been very active in support of their communities.  Fundraisers, complementary gift certificates, coffee, mugs, and other items are available to help community groups reach their goals.
 
Sorbenots is now looking to expand whole bean roasting and wholesale sales, targeting wholesale coffee marketing and Internet sales with restaurants, hotels, and other businesses.
 
A much admired merchant in our community, Sorbenots is looking forward to another year of growth and giving back to La Grande and the other communities where it does business.