■ ■ I. » MIX
Lexington writer helps keep community alive
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A whirlwind of activity at 75
years, Delpha Jones of Lexington
has been chronicling the lives of
Lexington residents in her
Gazette-Times column for over
40 years.
“ I’ve lived through several G-
T owners,” laughed Delpha,
‘ ‘the Crawfords, the Joiners, the
Heards, the Sheldons and the
Sykes. That's been quite an ac
complishment in itself. I was
tempted to quit several times, but
then people would call up and say
we need a reporter. I don’t know,
it’s just habit I guess.”
rhings have changed quite a bit
in Lexington since Delpha first
began reporting. “ When I first
started,” said Delpha, there was
the tavern, two grocery stores.
Photo by Joyc# >
Van Homs and Hatfields, and the
Lexington correspondent Delpha Jones is right at home
post office. I miss the school ac
behind a typewriter.
tivities when Lexington had a
eight years, secretary of the same time Kenneth was bom .”
school. That was fu n .”
Her son was delivered by Dr.
Delpha says that people complain Rebekah Lodge for 30 years,
president
of
the
Morrow
County
Tibbies,
but both Dr. Tibbies and
more about what’s not in the
Dr.
McMurdo
delivered babies
Historical
Society
for
12
years
paper than about errors.
(“
They
said
it
was
just
until
we
there,
said
Delpha.
The nursing
Besides writing about the com
got
going.
I
guess
we
just
haven’t
home
was
located
where
Wavel
ings and goings of her friends and
got
going
yet,”
she
laughed.),
Wilkinson’s
home
is
now,
near
neighbors, Delpha just seems to
master
of
the
Lexington
Grange
the
Catholic
church.
have the knack of getting herself
Over the years of writing news,
appointed reporter or president of for eight years, secretary of
Pomona
Grange
for
six
years,
Delpha
says two things stand out
the many clubs she has joined
and
fair
committee
chairman
for
in
particular-the
flood in Lex
over the years.
five
years.
She
also
still
works
as
ington
around
1950
and an inci
She has been the deputy for
a
volunteer
at
the
fair
office
dur
dent
with
the
mayor
of
Portland,
Wheatland Pomona Grange for
Bud Clark, both of which could
ing fair.
Delpha is not a Morrow Coun have turned out to be disasters.
ty native, but fate just kept retur
“ In the flood,” said Delpha,
ning her to the Lexington area. “ the
w ater came from
She was bom in Baker City on Blackhorse, across Main Street
Dec. 22, 1916 to Florence and down Willow Creek. It flood
Wegworth, Naomi Jan Johns, (Spence) and Fred Merrit. She ed the basements of homes.”
Jefferson Todd Hiatt and Michael was raised by her grandparents
In the incident with Bud Clark
Dean Lynch.
and came to Lexington to live it was the case of too much of a
Wegworth, 30, Lexington, was around 1921. When Delpha was good thing. Delpha was in charge
charged with child endangering, in the first grade they moved to of arranging a speaker for the
frequenting a place where con Arlington. She returned to Lex 1985 Morrow County centennial
trolled substances are used and ington around 1930 to live with affair planned at the fairgrounds.
possession o f a controlled her mother and stepfather, Ted She called Bud Clark, who has
substance. Bail was set at $8,000.
McMillan and her two half- ties to the Heppner area, but his
Johns, 28. 575 Hager St. sisters, Jo Irvin, now of Irrigon office said he would not be able
Heppner, was charged with child and Pat Cool of Pendleton. She to attend. So Delpha arranged to
endangering, frequenting a place graduated from Lexington High have Jack Morton, the retired
where controlled substances are School in 1935.
dean of students at Western
used, conspiracy to possess a con
In 1936 she traveled to Baker Oregon State College in Mon
trolled substance and conspiracy to visit her grandfather, Thomas mouth, to be the guest speaker.
to deliver a controlled substance. Spence, and it was there she met In the meantime, Clark’s office
Her bail was set at $23,000.
her husband-to-be, Cecil Jones. called to say that he would, in
Lynch, 33, also of 575 Hager They married on Aug. 12, 1937 deed be able to speak at the ban
St. ¿nd Hiatt, 28, Lexington, at LaGrande. They lived in Union quet. No problem, said Delpha,
were both charged with posses for two years and then returned and the banquet had two honored
sion of a controlled substance, to Lexington. Cecil got a job with speakers.
Still going strong. Delpha has
conspiracy to deliver a controll well drillers who were drilling the
no
plans to quit writing. “ It’s just
ed substance and conspiracy to city well at the time. They travel
something
I do. We want to keep
ed around the country while Cecil
possess a controlled substance.
Lexington
alive,” said Delpha.
Bail was set at $25,000 each.
worked for the drillers and lived
“
I
still
get
letters from people
All were lodged at the Benton in Missoula, Mont., Nampa and
who
have
left.
It helps people
County, Washington jail.
Rathdrum. Idaho, Yakima, WA.,
Denton said that the drug raid where their daughter Charlene keep in touch with Lexington.”
resulted in the seizure of metham- was bom in 1942, Hanford and
phetamine, marijuana, drug Hermiston. They were gone from
paraphernalia, guns and other the area for 11 years until they
finally decided to settle down in
property.
Denton said that the individuals Lexington when Charlene was in
had been under investigation for first grade. Cecil got a job at the
some time, but information con Lexington Oil Co-op, now the
cerning local drug activity receiv Morrow County Grain Growers.
A nursing home auxiliary
ed from Jack R. Townsend, a When her step-father died they meeting will be held Jan. 9 at 7
federal fugitive arrested by the moved out to the ranch, which p.m. upstairs at Kates Pizza.
Umatilla Police Dept, hastened they later purchased.
The club is still recruiting new
The Jones’ son Kenneth was members so anyone interested is
the arrests.
Denton said that child en bom in Heppner in 1947 at Cor- invited to join them. The District
dangering and frequenting a place da Saling’s Nursing Home. “ I’ll representative will be at the
where controlled substances are bet half the kids in town were meeting, weather permitting.
used are both misdemeanors, bom there.” added Delpha. “ She
Anyone interested, but unable
spoiled us to death. She fed us all to attend the meeting should call
while other charges are felonies.
kinds of goodies. Four people Tonia Adams, 676-9616 or
A rraignm ent is expected
were having babies there at the Tonya Jones, 676-9133.
sometime this week.
n R
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35C
azette
imes
VOL. I l l
NO. 1
_M
6 Pages Wednesday, January 8, 1992
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
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Four locals arrested in Tuesday drug raid
Photos by Joyce Hughes
(above l-r) M.C. Deputy Jim
Hankins, undersheriff Verlin
Denton and city police chief
Doug Rathbun examine a
case looking for drugs.
Inset-scales used for
measuring drugs found at the
Lynch residence.
Verlin Denton displays STP oil can and the drugs that had
been stuffed up inside the bottom.
Burglars strike three
Heppner businesses
Burglars broke into Central
Market and Napa Auto Parts
store and an outside refrigerator
at Miller’s Mini Mart and
Chevron in Heppner in the early
morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 5.
According to Heppner Police
Chief Doug Rathbun. burglars
ripped apart a pop machine for
money and took a handgun at
Napa Auto Parts and stole a
camera, a handgun, a police scan
ner. beer, wine and cigarettes
from Central Market. An attempt
to pry open the safe at Central
Market was not successful, said
Rathbun, but the store's office
had been broken into. The thieves
broke a hasp to steal food from
die storage refrigerator at Miller's
Mini Mart. The value of the
stolen items and amount of
damage done has not yet been
determined, he said.
The break-in at Central and
Miller’s was discovered at open
ing Sunday, and the owner of the
auto parts store discovered the
damage when he went to the store
to work on Sunday, said Rathbun.
Rathbun said that their office
does have some information con
cerning the break-ins and the in
cident is under investigation.
Penalties for burglary I and
theft I. both C-felonies. are five
years in jail minimum for each of
fense. although the sentences may
run concurrently, said Heppner
Police officer Merle Cowett.
St. Pat’s meeting
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Kelly Rafferty
A Heppner girl, Kelly Raffer
ty, remains in critical condition
at Emanuel Hospital in Portland
following a severe reaction to
medication.
parents are staying at the Ronald
McDonald House, which pro
vides housing for the families of
seriously ill children.
Kelly, 10 years old, is a fifth
grader in Mrs. Dowdy’s class at
Heppner Middle School. The
family has lived in Heppner
around two years. Dennis is em
ployed with the Forest Service
and Beth is a nurse at PMH Kel
ly has been active visiting and
helping patients at the PMH Nur
sing Home.
Donations to help with Kelly’s
medical and family expenses may
be made to the First Interstate
Bank in Heppner.
Kelly, the daughter of Beth and
Dennis Rafferty, was admitted to
Pioneer Memorial Hospital in
Heppner Dec. 27, and then flown
to the University Hospital in
Portland. She was then transfer
red to Emanuel’s bum center.
Kelly may not receive any
flowers or gifts because she is in
isolation, but cards may be sent
to the Emanuel Hospital Bum
Center, fourth floor, 2801 N.
Gantenbein Ave., Portland, OR
97227. The family requests that
you please do not call the
hospital, but if you want informa
tion about Kelly you may call the
Ronald McDonald House in
Portland, switchboard 494-5200
between 9 and 10 p.m. Kelly's
Bank o f Eastern Oregon
Announcing
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Rates as low as 73A %
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HOME LOAN PROGRAM
♦ ♦ ♦
A meeting of the St. Patrick’s
Committee will be held Wed.,
Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. at Kate’s Piz
za. Topics will include final
scheduling for St. Pat’s weekend.
People are reminded that the
St. Patrick’s celebration is less
than two months away
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Heppner girl remains in critical condition
Booster Club plans
winter chili feed
The Heppner High School
Booster Club will hold its annual
winter chili feed during the
Wahtonka game Friday, January
10 beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the
Heppner High School cafeteria.
The menu will include chili,
baked potato, homemade bread
and pies, punch and coffee.
Members are reminded that
membership dues should be paid
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Nursing home
auxiliary plans
meeting
Four local people were arrested
in an early morning drug bust
Tuesday, Jan. 7, that involved of
ficers from the Morrow County
Sheriffs Office, the Oregon State
Police, the Hermiston Police
Dept., the Umatilla County
Sheriff s Office, the U.S. Forest
Service law enforcement divi
sion, the Oregon National Guard
Morrow County Undersheriff
Verlin Denton said that search
warrants were served on three
area residences-the first at 7 a.m.
at a residence up Willow Creek
and then simultaneously at a
residence in Heppner and one in
Lexington.
Arrested were Laura Jean
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