BESSIE
V OF ORE
NEWSPAPER
EUGENE OR
' E T 2 E L L
L I 8
97403
VOL. 100. NO. I
Contractor threatens city with arbitration Willow
The contractor installing
Heppner ' new water line
threatened to take the cily into
arbitration hearings Monday,
after the city council refused
to grant him an extension to
finish the project.
Contractor Robert McGrew
of Vancouver, Wash, came to
Monday's council session and
asked for more time to finish
laying the water pipe across
Willow Creek, which is part of
the $4:10,000 water system
rehabilitation project.
McGrew said water in
Willow Creek Is too high at this
time, and he is unable to
divert the flow to lay the pipe
across the stream tied.
According to the city's
contract with McGrew, he has
until March 3 to finish the
project, after which he could
be penalized $250 per duy.
McGrew told the council he
will not be able to finish by
that date, and he asked for
more time. He did not specify
how much time he would need,
however.
The council went into closed-door
executive session to
discuss the request, and then
returned to opening meeting
to announce no extension
would be granted.
"The city is not in dire need
of this water," McGrew told
the council, "and I feel there is
some prejudice here." He did
not elaborate, but said he
would consult his attorney and
then ask for an arbitration
board to dit'ide whether or not
his contract should be extend
ed In other business, the coun
HHS Drama Club presents
The Great Big Doorstep'
f Sit
- I Ji , S " II
By MARY ANN CERULLO
The curtain rose for Heppner High School's first stage. production of the year last Tuesdav
March 3 with "The Great Big Door Step". ay'
The three act comedy is set on the mud flats of the Mississippi River during the 1930's where a
poor Cajun family is struggling to survive. The story is based around the fictorial Crochet
family who dreams of better days when they can afford a house that will go with their fancy new
doorsteps, which they found on the river and now sit in front of the family's miserable shack.
Pictured are (L to R) Evvie (Marti Baker), the younger sister, Arthur, (Danny Fortenberry)
the rebellious teenage son, Mrs. Crochet (Polly Fortenberry) the hardworking mother, Topol
(Karen Kenny) the pretty older sister, and Topol 's Texan admirer (Earl Hammond).
The play will run one more night, Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m.
GAZETT1
Morrow County's
THURSDAY,
cil heard from George Koffler
of the Heppner Lions Gub,
who asked the city for $6,500 to
help finance a solar water
heating project at the Heppner
swimming pool.
"We have eleven thousand
dollars In material and labor
now in the project, and we
need about seventeen thous
and in cash to finish it up,"
Koffler told the council.
He said money for the
projwt has not been easy to
raise from private donations.
"Money is hard to come by.
Our fund raising has tot been
as lucrative or as quickly as
we had hoped."
In pushing for the funds,
Koffler said the solar system
could save the city "thousands
of dollars" over the next five
to 15 yearr
He said Condon has installed
a solar system at its swim
ming pool, and reduced its fuel
bill by 71 percent.
Heppner's projected cost for
fuel in 1982 to heat water for
the pool is $4,198. Koffler
pointed out.
He said the solar project
would pay for itself in six
years with an estimated
savings of $3,000 per year in
fuel costs.
"Die council was reluctant to
give money for the project for
two reasons.
City councilman Ron For
rar, who has worked hard to
install the solar system, told
the council last year when the
project was started that no
money would be needed from
the city.
Monday, Forrar told the
council, "I said last vear we
IS
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The Heppner
Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
MARCH , 1982
t PAGES
would put the system together
without any help from the city.
That's irrelevant. The point is
it's costing us a lot of money to
run the pool," he told the
council. "I feel It's (the pool) a
lost child out there. The pool
belongs to the city and we
have to take the responsibility
to take care of it."
The council also heard from
the city attorney, who said the
money requested by the Lions
Club is part of a 1971 bond
issue earmarked for repair of
damages caused during a
flood that year. The attorney
said it may not be legal to use
the funds for a solar heating
project.
In other business, the coun
cil: - heard from the cily
engineer, who told them a
mistake had been made in
construction of the city's new
water storage tank, and that
the reinforcing bar had been
left out when a wall of the tank
was built. He said part of the
tank would have to be either
torn down or an extra wall
added inside, which would
reduce the capacity of the
tank by 7,000 gallons, or about
one percent, he said. The
council took no action.
- discussed a possible in
crease in TV cable rates in the
city. No amount was named,
however, the cable company
has not raised rates since 1976.
- gave Pacific Northwest
Bell permission to lay under
ground phone lines on S. Main
St. from the Coast to Coast
store up to the swimming pool. .
3-TIM
25 CENTS
Eight 127 ft. long girders
were trucked into Heppner
Monday and about 12 men
began placing them between
a pier and an abutment on the
Morrow Co. Sheriff
under investigation
Morrow County Sheriff Lar-
ry Fetsch is under investiga
tion by the Wheeler County
District Attorney's office.
Wheeler Co. D A. Mark Nien
staedt said Tuesday. Nien
staedt would not disclose the
reason for the investigation.
Morrow County D A. Ann
Spicer said her office works
very closely with the sheriff's
office, so the investigation was
turned over to Wheeler
County.
Six Irish families to be honored
Six Irish families who set
tled in Morrow County many
years ago will be honored
during activities in Heppner
on St. Patrick's Day. March
17. '
All the families settled in the
county between 1870 and 1890,
and all have descendants still
living and farming in the area.
Radio station KUMA of
Pendleton will broadcast its
popular "Kofffe Hour" show
from the Farley Motors show
room from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Wed.. March 17, and the six
families have been invited to
530 attend
About 530 Elks members
and out-of-towrt guests attend
ed the 85th Heppner Elks
Annual, reports Rick Smith,
manager.
A ladies champagne tea was
held during the afternoon,
while officers from the Condon
lodge initiated new members
ES
HEPPNER, OREGON
Cr. Bridge
--I
new Willow Creek Bridge
Tuesday.
The girders, manufactured
in Tacoma, will support the
bridge deck, said Resident
Nienstaedt said a police
agency was involved and had
questioned some area resi
dents and that material gath
ered in the investigation would
be presented to a Morrow
County grand jury on March
12. He said any charges
against Sheriff Fetsch would
be determined by the grand
jury. "It's possible that no
charges will be made," he
added.
attend.
Also that day there will be a
no host ham and egg breakfast
at the Elks Lodge from Ham.
to 12 noon: cost is $3.50.
Following is a list of the six
Irish families to be honored:
Brosnan - Jeremiah Brosnan
settled in the Butter Creek
area in the 1970's. Jerry and
family, the fifth generation,
still operate the ranch there.
Currin - George J. Currin
settled in Morrow Co. in the
early 1890 s. George and sons
still operate a ranch in the
county.
Hughes - William. John,
85th Elks
at a lodge meeting. A dinner of
crab, shrimp, roast beef and a
variety of salads was served
during the evening and danc
ing followed at 9 p.m. with
music by the Leonnig family
upstairs and Bill Nelson
downstairs.
Many state officers attend
ed the annual, as well as most
' 1 . --1 - v - ' '- .. - J j. J '- - - .
Weather
by The City
High Low Preclp
Feb. 18 60 43 06
Feb. 17 56 34 .01
Feb. 18 60 36 04
Feb. 19 67 44 trace
girders transported, placed
',"f' -WW
Engineer Don Johnson. "We'll
probably get two (girders) in
today (Tuesday), said John
son. "We're planning to have
the bridge done in four or five
IV2 miles of Willow Cr. Rd.
permanently closed
One and one-half miles of
the "old" Willow Creek Road
were permanently closed off
to traffic Monday as part of
the Willow Creek Dam and
road relocation project.
Motorists can go up Willow
Mustangs take 2nd
See sports page 6
Matt and W E. (Eb) Hughes
settled here in 1876, and still
ranch with their sons.
Kenny - Michael Kenny
started raising livestock in
1882 in the Buttercreek area. A
daughter resides in the Sand
hollow area, Cecilia Kenny
Bucknum resides in Heppner,
and grandsons still farm most
of the original ranch.
Doherty - Jimmie Doherty,
or "Blackhorse Doherty" set
tled in the Blackhorse area in
approximately 1880. The land
is now being farmed by Tony
Doherty.
Annual
of the north east district
officers, said Smith.
Del Meyer of Hermiston was
the winner of a three-wheel all
terrain vehicle drawing, with
proceeds going to the family of
Winn Crist.
Smith stated, "Everything
turned out and I think every
body enjoyed themselves."
Feb. 20
Feb. 21
Feb: 22
Feb. 23
Feb. 24
Feb. 25
Feb. 26
Feb. 27
Feb. 28
March 1
of Heppner
days as far as having the
girders in place," he said.
Many people who happened
to be on Main St. Tuesday
morning stopped to watch the
Creek by driving up Heppner
Highway (207) and turning
onto the new Willow Creek
Highway or by traveling up
Cowins Street and then turn
ing left on a gravel detour
road, said a corp spokesper
Planning Comm.
A Heppner City Planning
Commission meeting, sche
13 seek 9 positions
on school board
Thirteen county residents
are seeking election to fill nine
available positions on the
Morrow County School Dis
trict board and advisory
committees in a March 30
election. One position is open
on the district board and seven
advisory committee positions
will be filled.
On the district board, Ken
neth Broadbent's position,
zone 1, Boardman, a four year
term, is being sought by Joe
Stevens and Robert McKinley.
In position number one on
the Heppner - Lexington
Advisory Committee, Helen
Riehl and Karen Stack, both of
Heppner are seeking election
to the two year term. Stack
currently holds the position.
Position number six on the
Heppner - Lexington Advisory
Committee, now held by Brok
Tucker, is being sought by
Julie Ashbeck of Pine City.
Position number six is a three
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31
.01
snow .03
snow .10
snow .01
0
0
.02
.01
.01
.41
Normal Feb. precipitation is
1.12. Feb. 1981 precip. was
1.26. Feb. 1982 precip. was .58.
long bed trucks, carrying the
girders, go through town.
About a dozen cars filled with
spectators watched the place
ment of one of the girders.
son.
"Cowins Street will also be
severed in the near future ,"
said Resident Engineer Don
Johnson. "It's probably better
to go along the Ruggs High
way (207), he added.
meeting cancelled
duled for March 8 at Heppner
City Hall has been cancelled.
year term. Position number 4,
a three year term now held by
Judy Wright, is being sought
by Barbara Hayes of Heppner.
Two Lexington residents, Ed
Struthers and Nella Britt are
vying for position number
seven, previously held by
Steve Peck of Lexington.
Position number three on
the Boardman - Irrigon Advis
ory Committee, a three year
term, is being sought by John
Jensen, Marshall Richmond
and Carol Titus, all of Board
man. Titus presently holds the
position. Burrel Cooley, Ir
rigon, is seeking re-election to
position number four, also a
three year term.
The lone Advisory Commit
tee has two available posi
tions; position number three,
a three year term presently
held by Harold Holtz is being
sought by Perry Morter and
Marvin Padberg is seeking
re-election to position number
two, also a three year term.