Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1976)
W E T Z E I I U OF ORE NEWS PAPER flEUGENE OR L i D 97403 virs BESS I E ione II main mas with kit airways Before Orvllle and Wilbur Wright were even thought of,' men were trying to Join their feathered friends In flight. Some tied wooden frames to their backs, others fashioned feathered wings. Neither worked. But today, with the super sonic Jets and helicopters that maneuver anywhere, It doesn't seem that man would still try to fly without some sort or propelsion. He does and this time, it works. Rick Peterson of Ione is one of a handful of area hang glider enthusiasts who each week, strap themselves to huge kites of durable cloth and fly through the air. Peterson, 19, has been flying for Just over a year but he's no novice to the sport. He got interested at Blue Mountain Community College last spring term. A poster on a bulletin board caught his eye. it told of a new hang gliding shop in Pendleton. The long time motorcyclist was interested. The first day the shop opened, Rick was at the door. He wanted lessons and the shopman asked when he'd like to start. Rick said later that week. He went back to school. But that afternoon, his enthusiasm grew. Adrenalin pumping, he went back to the shop that afternoon and started his flying career. Last week he placed fifth at the Clickitat Hanging Gliding competition in a field of 46, including a man from Tri-Cities that is the 28th best kiter in the world. Peterson is one of many. Others in the area include Peterson's flying buddy, Dan Akers, along with Tom Heimbigner, Joe Halvorsen, Mike Warren and Ron Palmateer from lone and Jack Chidey of Heppner. Peterson, ranked a hang 2, will try, more than likely successful for his hang 3 rcting this weekend at Tri-Cities. The highest rating is a hang 5. He flies a 32 foot Dragon Fly. A high performance kite, it is rated for a flier with a hang 4 rating but Peterson said he "cut some corners to get it." The kite has a custom spread with probably an extra couple hundred bucks worth of options. A kite of that caliber can run to $1,000. This is Rick's second kite. The kite he started with was a 19 footer. Rick said a beginner could probably get a good kite to start with for around $600 or even cheaper. Most of the rolling hills in the area don't offer great flying access, but one big bluff, five miles from Ione, is rated as one of the top flying areas in Eastern Oregon. Saddle Butte, owned by Ron Haguewood and Dick Sherer, (Continued on Page 3) ... Rick Peterson and his Dragon Fly soar through the air (G T Photo) sT i i r r 7ii w M v-U.-- -V, "A W 'i Finally united last week were Bonnie Graves, Rita Wootsey, and Ken Gates ( G'T oio) Adopted sister finds family after 26 years "Keep looking honey, you'll find her." When Bonnie Graves was seven months old and her brother Ken Gates was Just a week, they became part of their grandparents family. A few years later they were legally adopted. When they were nine and ten years old, their grandparents, who they called mom and dad, told them of another sister. She was three years younger and had been adopted when the too was Just a week old. Since that time, 20 years igo, Bonnie and Ken have mind. A year ago, Bonnie and Ken's father came to visit. "Did you know you have a little sister?" he asked. They told him they knew but didn't know where or who. He gave them a name in Athena to call. On Aug. 9, Bonnie called and finally got hold of Glen Goss, Rita's uncle. Three days later, the long lost little sister was talking to her brother. "Hello Ken. This is your sister." Ken went screaming from his Lexington home to Bon- "Identical." That's the way the two girls described them selves. Bonnie said she and Rita sat and drank coffee an1 talked for about six hours one morning this week. They found that even their dislikes were the same. A striking resemblance has fooled more than one. About 12 years ago, when Rita was living in Seattle, her next door neighbor, a Mrs. Lamb, came to Heppner to visit her mother. While she was in Heppner, shopping at a grocery store, Mrs. Lamb saw Bonnie and Keep looking honey, you'll find her.1 been looking . . . quizzing . . . thinking hard about a lost little sis. Last week they found her. "As long as I was old enough to know," Rita Woolsey, their sister said, "I've been look ing." Rita lived in Seattle throu ghout much of her childhood and into adulthood. She is 26 now and lives In Phoenix, AZ. For 28 years, the threesome had not met, talked or even really seen wch other through photos. What went through their minds in all those years, knowing they had a sister and brother somewhere? "Curiosity I What do they look like? Medical history? hair color, eye color, do thev chew their fingernails, smokt?" Rita said. With 26 year to think about It. many things must have crossed her nie's in Heppner. He beat on her door and she said she knew something was wrong. "We'd had so much sadness all year." But when she answered the door, Ken's smile was from ear to ear. He told her about the call and Bonnie too, recei ved a call from Rita later. Throughout their lives, the threesome has been looking. Rita, she said, used to sneak downstairs and read her adoption papers at night. It told her ho she was but she still had no Idea about finding her relatives. While Bonnie and Ken have been raised as "country kids", going to school In Bates and L'klah, Rita was somewhat of a rity girl, growing up In Seattle li.i (he two definitely dif ferent lifpntylrs slowed their reunion? No wav. mistaked her for Rita. Mrs. Lamb yelled at Bonnie, "Rita, what are you doing down here." Bonnie didnl know who any Rita was and shrugged the shout off. The threesome is enjoying their first reunion, one that surely won't be their last Along with a brother anc sister, Rita now has a coupU of niere and a nephew, "Keep looking honey, youT find her," Bonnie's grand mother kept saying. "God was with us," Bonnie said. The threesome hugged each other. Bonnie Is married to Dean Graves, a truck driver, and has son, Kenneth Dean, age . Ken Is married to Candy ard they have two daughters, Melissa Lynn, 7 and Metanie, 3. He alM drives truck. Rita has a gone, Sean Michael, atge 7. THE GAZETTE-TIMES VOL.93. NO. 32 HEPPNER. OR. Thursday. Sept. 23. 1976 10 Pages ISe Jim Deputy Attorney General Jim Durham, candidate for the highest law office in the state, the attorney general, will be in Heppner Monday. Steve Peck, Durham's Mor- row County campaign mana ger, has planned a full after noon and evening of activities with the people for Durham. Peck will fly Durham from Pendleton around noon Mon day. The first stop of the afternoon will be at the Paul Taylor ranch in the North Lexington area. From about 1:30-2 p.m., Durham will talk with local farmers on their needs. In particular, Taylor, and other area ranchers, has problems with water. Their wells have been shut down D urham because the state has termed them critical ground water Jim Durham areas but the ranchers say the state did the cut off "without rhymn or reason." After the ranch tour, Dur ham will go to Kinzua Corpo ration for a hand shaking, introduction type stint during a shift change. Tentatively, the time for that has been set at 3:13 p.m. From 4-5 p.m., Durham will be on main street, meeting local businessmen and citi zens of Heppner. After a dinner, Durham will attend a reception at the Episcopal Parish Hall in Heppner. Invitations have been sent but the reception is open to the public. For those that can't make the 7 p.m. time, Durham will hold a Town Hall public meeting at 8 p.m. at the same , 4L Jl--- - we 1 k 4.' Marty Smith's car went off Pioneer St. into the ditch Tuesday, Smith said the steering jammed. McMillan to speak Urn MrMMIaa hat accepted an laviutloa le be guel ptker at the annual meet ing. The directors of the Morrow ' County Historical Society held their September meeting at the C.C. Jones home. Sept 20. Directors Delpha Jomn. Ra chel Harnett, Ruth MeCabe. Barbara nitwHliworth. Harold Becket. Taul Hitler, Bryce Keene and Bill Weatherford were present. Tie Imard maite plan for the society's annual meeting. the first Sunday in IVtohrr at the Lexington trrtnK" Hall. The meeting will be prwedwl by a potlutk dinner ol I p m. for which the society will provide the meat and coffee. Along with other huiinesa matters, four new director need to te elected to replace Barbara r.lNtiorth. Harold Iktket. Barton Clark and lMn Gilliam hoe terms are ex piring After the binine meeting Ihirothy Krrlw how her sliftr " ILippy Birthday Am erica", and olr fnUiu.n ment is being planned. All persons interested in county history and its preservation are invited to atend At the conclusion of the September board meeting, Director Harold Becket was honored because it fell on his birthday Two birthday cakes that rre baked and decorat ed by Barbara Bloodmorth and Ruth McCabe were served by rimless iH'Ipha Jones alng with tee cream and coffee. o o n visit Episcopal Parish." 'T The town hall meeting will slate a brief message by Dur ham, followed by a question and answer period by the attorney general candidate."" Durham will go on to Board man and North Morrow Coun ty Tuesday. He will have a breakfast meeting at 7:30 a. m. at the Nomad Restaurant and will stay in Boardman till 'about 10.30 a. m. Mustangs, Vilcs head CBC list Heppner's Mustangs kept their hat in the ring toward an undefeated season Thursday night, bouncing Pilot Rock on the Rocket turf, 20-6. Heppner remained in a tie for first place in the Columbia Basin league lead with powerhouse Umatilla. Both teams boast identical 2-0 records. The Vikings, termed the p re-season favorite with Weston-McEwen and Sherman County, has impressively knocked both those schools off in their first two games. The Viks have stopped both squads scoreless and given up less than 100 yards to both. Although Heppner's stats aren't quite as impressive, their games in the win-loss column still match their Columbia River rivals. At 1-1 in the league, Weston-McEwen, Oregon Trail, Sherman County and Pilot Rock are all knotted. Wasco County and Riverside are both 0-1 and Condon, after a pair of games, is winless at 0-2. COLUMBIA BASIN CONFERENCE W L Pet. HEPPNER 2 0 1.000 Umatilla 2 0 1.000 Weston-McEwen 1 1 .300 Pilot Rock 1 I .500 Oregon Trail 1 1 .500 Sherman County 1 1 .500 Wasco County 0 1 .000 Riverside 0 1 .000 Condon 0 2 .000 Planners set meeting Monday The Morrow County Planning Commission will meet Monday, Sept. 27 at I p m at Riverside High School, Boardman. A public hearing con cerning a presentation of preliminary piat plans of Ployhar Lank- ford subdivision on the north side of Dee Cox Road near Heppner wil be reviewed A second hearing will be held on a minor amendment to the preliminary plat of the Kastregaard Est tea near Boardman.
