Griffin Hewitt - Profile and Journalist Details

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• Local art collective bids farewell to community after 17 years

  By Griffin Hewitt Verified| Argus Observer Verified ONTARIO — Residents of Ontario are likely familiar with that purple house located at 443 SW 1st Street. This is no ordinary house, this is The House That Art Built, “an artist’s co-op featuring fine art and contemporary crafts” according to its advertising. After 17 years serving the local community, this local mainstay will close. “We have been proud to be a part of the community and thank you for your support all these years,” reads a line from the statement announcing the closure.

  By Griffin Hewitt Verified · Argus Observer

  Jan. 21, 2024

• Eddie Melendrez named as 1 of 4 Fields Artist Fellows for 2024-26

  By Griffin Hewitt Verified| Argus Observer Verified ONTARIO — Art can often bridge the gap in connecting people when other attempts to communicate have not succeeded. Local artist Eddie Melendrez, who has many different roles in the community, including Ontario City Councilor, has been awarded the 2024-26 Fields Artist Fellowship. Selected as one of four artists to receive this honor for cycle, the award includes $150,000 to be paid out to each of the four artists over the course of two years.

  By Griffin Hewitt Verified · Argus Observer

  Jan. 16, 2024

• Local art collective bids farewell to community after 17 years

  By Griffin Hewitt Verified| Argus Observer Verified ONTARIO — Residents of Ontario are likely familiar with that purple house located at 443 SW 1st Street. This is no ordinary house, this is The House That Art Built, “an artist’s co-op featuring fine art and contemporary crafts” according to its advertising. After 17 years serving the local community, this local mainstay will close. “We have been proud to be a part of the community and thank you for your support all these years,” reads a line from the statement announcing the closure.

  By Griffin Hewitt Verified · Argus Observer

  Jan. 21, 2024

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Company Info

Argus Observer

The Argus Observer is a direct descendent of a publication called "The Advocate," originally established Jan. 6, 1897, in Malheur County's county seat, Vale, Oregon. Partisan in nature, The Advocate supported William Jennings Bryan for president and was owned by E.R. Murray and then W. E. Lees. Twice in its early history, The Advocate attempted a daily publication. The first attempt took place in 1898 and the second in 1904. Between these attempts, The Advocate was moved from Vale to Ontario in 1899. The name of the paper changed to The Ontario Advocate. In 1936, Elmo Smith, who would go on to become Oregon's governor, established The Eastern Oregon Observer. The publication was founded as a shopper but later became a full-fledged newspaper. Eventually Robert E. Pollock and Jessica Longston owned the paper. The Eastern Oregon Observer operated for 11 years before being consolidated with the Ontario Argus. Bernard Mainwaring and Don Lynch then owned the Ontario Argus. Both publications were printing twice weekly. The subscription lists for both papers were consolidated, and the name of the publication was changed to the Ontario Argus Observer, which ultimately became the Daily Argus Observer and today is known simply as The Argus Observer. A key turning point in the history of the newspaper occurred in 1968 when Wick Communications bought the Argus Observer. The corporation still owns the paper. The first Wick publisher of the newspaper was Fran McLean, who managed the publication for more than 30 years. McLean's successor, Steve Krehl took over in 1998 and retired in 2009. Krehl still serves on the paper as publisher emeritus. In 2009, John Dillon, a Treasure Valley native, was named publisher to replace Krehl. The newspaper reaches a market in Eastern Oregon and Southwest Idaho consisting of residents living in Malheur County, Oregon and Payette, Adams and Washington counties in Idaho.