BESSIE WETZELL
U OF ORE
NEWSPAPER LIB
Employment rate up
in Morrow County
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Rockets red glare, bombs bursting in air.
See uy 4 celebration on page 3. (G-T Photo)
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HEPPBIEH
TTT Til i
TIME
IIF.I'I'SKH.OK
Tlll'KSDAY. July 8, 1976
11 PAGES
15c
'Will save Heppner
"This project . . . besides
saving the soil, will save
Heppner and the valley,"
Cene Pierce, vice-chairman of
the Heppner Water Control
District said this week.
That infatic statement noted
the beginning of construction
work in the Heppner Water
Control District on area crop
lands. The first work on phase
one of the project is underway
and planning stages for phase
two are in the works.
The work on the critical
water treatment area started
two years ago after floods in
Shobe Canyon eroded away
almost 300 tons of soil per acre
in 19G9 and 1971.
The area that the project
covers is the entire water shed
area of Heppner, a parcel of
about 106 square miles, that
includes drainagea of Willow,
Hinton and Balm Fork Creeks.
The project is federally
funded by 75 per cent, with 10
per cent coming from the dis
trict and 13 per cent from land
owners.
The crop land will be treated
with diversion ditches and silt
dams in the canyons. Phase
I:-,.
A silt dam, foreground, and diversion ditches,
background, south of Heppner. (G-T Photo)
one, east of Heppner, is re
ceiving 322.000 feet of diver
sion ditches and 89 silt dams in
the draws of range lands.
The diversion ditches are
just that. They divert run off
waters from excessive rains
into grassed water ways. They
work to slow the water down
and channel it to the right
water way.
The silt dams are 10-foot
high dirt dams, built in the
range land draws. Along with
slowing the water down and
even stopping it, the dams
serve as catch-alls for debris
that floats with the water.
Some seeding of steep,
shallow cropland has been re
commended but with the
wheat prices high, most far
mers don't want to relinquish
their profits.
(Continued on Page 2
By Princess Kate Evans
Long distance taken in stride
Despite living 50 miles from Heppner. the home of Morrow
County Fair and Rodeo. Princess Kate Evans kind of likes
the north end of the county.
Miss Evans. 17 7earld princess this year, lives a few
hundred feet Into Morrow County. Just mile or two on the
west side of Umatilla.
The Columbia Hiver sets a serene pace from the window of
the Evans home.
The long distance, traveled frequently, even three times a
week, bark and forth to court activities In Heppner could be
kind of a drag for the nonlriver.
Hut, Kate doesn't mind the drive and she enjoys the bit or
privacy on the family ranch In Irrigon.
The privacy she geta she has to dig for though. Being the
oldest of seven girls. Kale has more responsibilities than the
average oldest child.
She can run down the list quickly, sometimes forgetting an
age, but close enough. She starts with Erin 13. moves to
Marie 13 then to Angle 11 and Anne. 10. Susie sis and finally
little Molly. sparky twoyraroid. Her parents are Vern and
Franclne Evans.
Katesays sin slslers lend to "grl In your hair nd IMollU
"spoiled" but the attitude she extends is one of love.
The sisters must help Kate like she helps them, during this
cluttered and full summer of courttappcarances in rodeos,
parados and dances.
Kale will be honored July 10 at Heppner fair pavilion in
her own dance with music by Jade.
Kale, an avid rodeoer herself, specializing In barrel
racing, has the ribbons and awards to prove her ability.
She started riding at the early age of three. Her father was
an avid rodeo'er and got the Riverside High School senior
started in her riding career.
For eight years, Kate was a member of 4 H In both horse
and sew ing capacities, Along with 4 II. she enjoys swimming,
biking and of course, riding her horse. Pete.
She has been riding the barrels for six years and competed
recently In the Heppner Junior Rodeo. She also competes In
jackpot rodeo in the area.
Kate was born in Heppner and has alwa liked the
ftimiMphft here living in Irrigon may be a littfc tumpriii
for the 17 year-old bul she gets to (his end of Morrow County a
week. And Heppneriles enjoy her smilt face each time she
conies
Employment grew slowly in
Morrow and Umatilla Coun
ties but for the third consecu
tive month, the increase was
less than would be seasonably
expected.
In Morrow County, last
year's figures and this year's
figures just don't Jive. Even
though the May, 10.0 per cent
seasonally adjusted unem
ployment rate in the county
represented a slight improve
ment over the April, 10.4 per
cent rate, it was still con
siderably above the 5.4 per
cent level of a year ago.
Significant employment
gains in lumber and wood
products and contract con
struction (continued growth at
Portland General Electric's
coal-fired plant) were the
major positive factors in the
Morrow County employment
pictures, according to Labor
Force Trends from the State
Employment Division.
However, the lumber and
wood product increase re
gained less than 70 per cent of
the losses which occurred last
month at the Kinzua plant in
Heppner. In addition, another
employment layoff was ex
perienced in whole sale trade
at Oregon Potato in Board
man. The biggest May employ
ment gains, according to
Labor Force Trend, were re
gistered in the lumber and
wood products sector in Mor
row County as loggers were
finally able to get back into the
woods, and the Kinzua Cor
poration plywood plant here in
Heppner was able to begin a
resumption of operations.
Lumber and wood products
remained relatively stable in
Umatilla County.
Contract construction acti
vities continued to rapidly
expand during May. Again,
the major portion of the em
ployment gains were at the
PGE coal-fired plant con
struction site near Boardman
in Morrow County.
Construction workers at th
PGE site increased from 211
in April to 341 in May. Th
wholesale-retail trade sectoi
posted a moderate employ
ment gain in spite of seasonal
losses which occurred in
wholesale trade in Morrow
County.
The wholesale fresh-pack
potato sheds are now conclud
ing the season's activities, and
will not expand employment
again until the new crop is
harvested in late July or
August.
Most of the employment
gains registered in the service
and miscellaneous sector are
related to increasing numbers
of architectural and engi
neering personnel working at
the PGE coal-fired plant.
The Heppner city
I council accepted the
J resignation of Ernie
I Ceresa Tuesday night.
I See page 5 for story.
I J
DA goes
full time
T
So7 treatment project underway
Morrow County will have a
full time district attorney and
he will be located in the court
house.
Dennis Doherty, acting as a
part time DA, has been
appointed to full time capacity
and will take over the office
currently housing the county
health nurse.
Pat Wright, county health
nurse, and her clerk, Betty
Marquardt, will move to the
Lexington school building.
Doherty will move into the
office and start full time work
as soon as the move is final.
Reasons for the move in
clude lack of space, and a
demand for the full time work
as soon as the move is final.
Reasons for the move in
clude lack of space, and a
demand for the full time DA.
Judge Paul Jones said Tues
day. Also in the DA's office will
be the Veteran's Affairs
Office. Doherty's secretary.
Sharon Biddle will handle that
office.
; si hi
llliimnm,
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Randall Peterson, merchant
president marks prices loxc, low,
low for bazaar. (G-T Photo)
$pend Fri.
in Heppner
Heppner merchants will move hundreds of bargains into
the streets Friday, July 9 as they present the 13th annual
sidewalk bazaar.
Along with merchant participation, local organizations will
also take part.
The Heppner Swim Club will sponsor a dunk tank for those
that get a little warm in the summer's heat. For the pallet,
the Lions Club will sell popcorn and cotton candy.
The Lexington Rebekah's plan on a home-made pie sale but
they will have some competition from the Degree of Honor
Lodge. The Degree of Honor Lodge will feature sandwiches,
punch and pie.
There will be free parking, according to Randall Peterson,
president of Heppner Merchants Committee.
Many sale items are advertised in this paper. Take a look
and spend your Friday in Heppner.
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