ONTARIO — A half-day workshop designed to help Eastern Oregon organizations and businesses succeed in heritage tourism is set for June 7 in Ontario.

The workshop is titled “Succeeding with Heritage Tourism: Market Information, Resources and Ideas for Attracting More Visitors through Creative Collaboration.”

Sarah LeCompte, director of the BLM’s Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City and a member of the Oregon Heritage Commission, the workshop’s sponsor, said tourism workshops that took place last spring contributed to a busy tourist season, with some sites reporting 15 to 20 percent more visitors than the previous year.

“Looking for opportunities to collaborate and cross market to build new audiences, they learned about the need to start connecting heritage attractions with other activities that might not seem compatible at first glance,” LeCompte said. “Museum and brew pub? Historic sites and street fairs and bicycle rentals? Art gallery to museum to fishing spot? It’s easy to get focused on promoting our own area of interest, and forgetting that most humans generally have more than one favorite pasttime, and want a travel and vacation experience to match their unique set of interests.”

The workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. MDT at Four Rivers Cultural Center, 676 SW Fifth Ave. in Ontario.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. You can register online at www.oregonheritage.org.

Local clothier business breaks ground Wednesday

LA GRANDE — The expansion of Dainty Jewell’s Clothier, a local business owned by Charity Jewell Walter, begins this week with a groundbreaking ceremony May 24 at 1:30 p.m. at the La Grande Business and Technology Park, 3009 Blue Mountain Drive. Dainty Jewell’s, which specializes in modest clothing with a classic and vintage look, is expanding into a 6,000-square-foot warehouse. “Come dig in the dirt with Charity and the Chamber, and be a part of Dainty Jewell’s enormous growth,” said the Union County Chamber of Commerce.

Attorney workshop offered to small business owners

ENTERPRISE — Are you a small business owner who seeks basic legal information? Learn about the factors that you should be taking into account as you make decisions, including how to hire a professional service provider, at a free workshop sponsored by the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District on May 31 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Fishtrap House, 400 E. Grant St., Enterprise. To register for the workshop, which will be led by Sadie Kennedy, contact Kristy Athens at kristyathens@neoedd.org or 541-426-3598. Preference will be given to business owners with low-to-moderate incomes (income verification will be required).

Baker City tavern celebrating milestone anniversary

BAKER CITY — The Idle Hour tavern in Baker City is celebrating its 70th birthday in 2017.

The business, which hs operated since 1947 near the corner of Broadway and 10th streets, has expanded its hours for the summer, opening at 9:30 a.m. seven days a week, manager Rhonda Colwell said.

The Idle Hour’s original location was on the north side of Broadway.

The business moved across Broadway to its current building after a fire, Colwell said.

Ed and Laura Huggins of Baker City have owned the Idle Hour for almost a year.