Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1992)
A wee bit o’ Ireland almost here 35C azette imes VOL. I l l NO. 8 8 Pages Wednesday, February 26, 1992 Morrow County Heppner, Oregon iJ K S T B A I L Cardinals celebrate district win By Anne Morter The lone Cardinals wrapped up a state tournament berth and the Big Sky Conference Champion ship with a victory over Sherman County last Friday at Umatilla High School. By defeating the Huskies, the number-one team from the East Division, the Cards claimed the conference’s number- one seeding, heading into the state tournament to be held March 3-7 in Baker City. The game was close from the start. The Cards came out with the hot shooting hand, grabbing a 17-12 first quarter lead. By halftime, the Huskies worked their way back into the game and into a 28-28 tie with the Car dinals. It was a three or four point, back and forth game in the second half. In the fourth quarter. Sherman held a five-point lead before the Cards came roaring back. Gabe Garcia hit a three- pointer to tie the game and then down the stretch David Wagenblast hit six crucial free throws in a row to ice the win and the Cardinals first trip to the state tournament since 1980. Mike Garrett led all scorers with 22 points. Ryan Halvorsen, playing a super first half, added 17 points shooting eight for 10 from the floor. Garcia added 12 and Wagenblast had 10 to pace the Cardinals in double figures. Mike Garrett pulled down 10 boards to lead the Cards to a 30-24 rebounding edge. Halvorsen and Aaron Heideman added seven each. Along with his clutch free throw shooting, David Mustangs/Fillies head for District Four teams Columbia Basin Conference teams are headed for District Tournament action this weekend Feb. 28 and 29 at the Pendleton Convention Center in Pendleton. In the girls bracket second place Heppner (10-2) faces off against third place Pilot Rock (7-5) in a 1:30 p.m. match and number one Weston-McEwen (12-0) plays fourth place Wahtonka (5-7) in an evening game. The winners of these games will play Saturday at 1:30 p.m. to determine the top seed at the Class 2A regional tournament held March 6-7 in Pendleton. The Heppner Mustangs (8 ^ ) are headed into the tournament in third place and will play the se cond place team Wasco County Redsides (9-3). The Mustangs split with with the much bigger Wasco County in regular league play and are looking for another win when they meet again at 3 p.m. at the Convention Center. League cham pion W eston- McEwen (11-1) will play fourth place Pilot Rock (6-6) in an even ing game beginning approximate ly at 8:30 p.m. for the right to ad vance to the Class 2A regional tournam ent M arch 6-7 in Pendleton. The winners of these games will play Saturday at 3 p.m. to determine seed for regional s. If the league champion loses in the first round it would play at home against the loser of Satur day’s game in a challenge for the No. 2 regional tournament seed. Heppner residents have no water and all to attend the pageant Saturday, March 14 at 8 p.m. night at 7:30 p.m .. .a great place to go after Mrs. O ’Leary’s Irish Stew. V olksw alk-the Valley Volkswalkers and Rose City Roamers will be hosting a volkswalk between noon and 2 p.m. at Heppner High chool and ending at 5 p.m. Route informa tion is available at the Chamber office. Of course, KUMA Coffee Hour, the parade, bed race and the traditional events of the past will be repeated. Remember, the St. Patrick’s auction to be held across from the city park, brings in funding for next year’s event, so one and all are encouraged to donate auction items. Hughes and Ball encourage everyone to become involved and to send brochures and posters to friends and relatives. RV Park ing will be available at the fairgrounds. “ It takes a lot of leprechauns to make Heppner’s annual “ Wee Bit O ’ Ireland” a success,” says Hughes, “ and the many volunteers are to be com mended.” Get ready for the wearing ‘o the green.” Buttons-this year is the 10th an niversary so a special “ pot o'gold button has been created by Judie Laughlin. Purchase of this $5 but ton by anyone over 18 will make them eligible to win the $500 “ pot ‘o gold” to be drawn Sun day, March 15 during the lamb barbecue at the fairgrounds. O ’G olfer Challenge-the Willow Creek G olfers are challenging golf cart owners to decorate their vehicles for the parade. Of course, extra points just might be given if there hap pens to be a leprechaun at the wheel. Sounds like an event that might grow each year. Shuttle Service-the Senior Center will be offering a shuttle service from the St. Patrick’s Senior Center to the craft fair located at All Saints Episcopal Church and on to the sheep dog trials. The shuttle will run from 10 to noon and 2-4 p.m. on the half hour. Donations to the leprechauns pot will be accepted. Concert-returning this year will be the Whammadiddle Dingbats from the valley. They will be featured at the junior high Friday County health care a good deal according to study A research report by Mountain States Health Corporation and the University of Idaho has determin ed that the health care system in Morrow County is economically viable. According to the report, there is a $380,908 return to the community on the $173,901 taxes invested in Pioneer Memorial Hospital. “ For the amount of money the county puts into it, you’re getting two for one,” said Neil Meyer, economist from the University of Idaho. “ You’re getting more out of it than you’re putting in.” Out of total revenues of $2,380,675, $173,901 came from taxes and $380,908 was return ed to the community While most health care givers at a meeting Tuesday evening in Heppner were pleased with the results, others felt it did not reflect the changes since the study began. “ I’m happy with the results,” said Heppner physician Jeanne Berretta. “ Having Western Health Resources (hospital management firm) come in was an incredibly big boost. The study educated people in both the north and the south areas of Morrow Photo by Wayne Hams County.” Jay Straley, PMH laboratory clinician, however, said that he Wagenblast had nine assists and felt the study did not adequately Garrett led the team with three take in to account the changes at steals. the hospital since the study was The Cards shot 25 of 55 for 45 initiated. More lab work is done percent from the floor. At the in county, he said, and a new line, they were 16 of 24 for 67 physical therapist at PMH will percent. Sherman also had some keep more money in the county. good shooting numbers, hitting Two physicians now operate the 25 of 40 from the floor for 62 PMH Clinic while in 1987 there percent and 11 of 15 from the line was only one physician in Hepp for 73 percent. ner, Dr. Wallace Wolff. “ The kids played well. I was Meyer said, however, that pleased with the way they played while the study model was based down the stretch,” said coach Del in 1987 the figures are from LaRue. “ They kept their poise— 1990. they were determined to go (to The study also did not take in state),” he added. to account the social value of the The Cardinals will kick off hospital, said Meyer, which can State Tournament play against not be measured. Wallowa in Baker City. That Meyer suggested to hospital game is scheduled for Thursday, and clinic officials that “ you buy March 5 at Baker High School. what you can locally. Give local people the opportunity.” According to data from the study the county’s entire medical system, including the hospital, nursing home, doctors and den tists, are eleventh out of 20 coun ty wide in terms of value added Several Heppner residents sud denly found themselves out of at $3,100,000, ranking behind water one day last week. And the food production, food processing, city found themselves in hot government industry, electric ser vices, communications, catde water. According to Heppner city ad production, wood products, ministrator Gary Marks, the city ow ner occupied dw ellings, neglected to notify residents general retail trade, and road con ahead of time, before turning their water off. “ The city apologizes for our error,” said Marks. Marks said that normal policy is to give notice to property owners who are at home in af fected areas, unless there is an emergency. The water outage affected residents in the Rock St. area out to the fairgrounds. Cards win Big Sky Conference, District Tournament Champions OUt'urfJ /.j Heppner’s Irish celebration co- chairmen Claudia Hughes and Diana Ball feel it’s probably no secret that the festivities are March 13, 14 and 15. Some 30 plus committee members have been meeting monthly while numerous others are behind the scenes participating in the pageant, cooking, making costumes, painting signs, gather ing auction items, making but tons, cleaning the creek, prepar ing for the ducky race, practic ing Irish music, and doing all the other jobs required for a suc cessful celebration. Some changes and new events this year are: Concessions-those organiza tions having concessions are to sign up at the city hall after the owner of the property has ap proved the location. This will en sure that concessions are easily accessible to all events and that the information booth knows their location. Pageant-a new and exciting event for Heppner. “ Erin Came to County Morrow” will be a family pageant to include history, music, all generations and fun for everyone. Jane Rawlins and crew are hard at work and invite one struction. Value added is defin ed as wages and salaries, capital income and direct business taxes.) Roger Cash, medical board member from Boardman, com mented however, that many of the people who work at the food processing plant and PGE in north Morrow County do not live in Morrow County and do not return money to the Morrow County economy. In terms of employment, the county’s health care system ranks ninth out of 20 in employment, with 106 and tenth out of 20 in em ployee com pensation at $2,500,000. According to the report, for every dollar that Pioneer Memorial Hospital spends to pro vide services, 42 cents is paid directly to employees salaries an benefits, four cents is used to pur chase goods and services from within the county (including building maintenance, utilities, postage, printing, etc.) and 54 cents is used to buy goods and services from outside Morrow County (including laboratory and medical supplies, medical equip ment and maintenance.) For every dollar that PMH Medical Clinic in Heppner and the Boardman Health Care Center spends to provide services, 50 cents is paid directly to employees as salary and benefits, six cents is paid to purchase goods and services from within the county and 44 cents is used to buy goods and services from outside Morrow County. Get your St. Pat’s button A lucky person with the right “ Pot O’ Gold” button can win $500 during the Heppner St. Patrick’s celebration. The St. Patrick’s Day buttons, created by Judie Laughlin, are available for $5 each at Murray’s Drug, Heppner TV, Bank of Eastern Oregon, Shoe Box and First Interstate Bank. Anyone 18 or over is eligible to win. The drawing will be Sun day, March 15 during the lamb barbecue at the Morrow County Fairgrounds. Wallace files for district judge Jeff Wallace Jeff Wallace, Morrow County District Attorney, announced that he has filed with the Secretary of State's office to become an of ficial candidate for Umatilla- Morrow County District Court Judge. The position will be on the ballot in the May primary election. Wallace also announced that former legislator Stafford Hansell and Milton-Freewater farmer Martin Buchanan will serve as co-chairmen of his campaign steering committee. The commit tee also includes Pendleton realtor Kalvin Garton, Dan Daltoso of Boardman, former Riverside High School principal, Weston farmer Chuck Price, Umapine farmer Marvin Key and Bob Cooper of Hermiston, a former member of the Umatilla County Fair Board, Keith Lewis of Hepp ner will serve as campaign treasurer. Wallace has served as Morrow County District Attorney since 1987. He was also a deputy district attorney in Umatilla County and was in private law practice in Milton-Freewater and Pendleton for four years. He served as city administrator for Weston from 1981 to 1983 and is a former state FFA officer and a lifelong Eastern Oregon resident. “ I believe that my broad base of experience in criminal pro secution, municipal law and private practice will be assets on the district court bench,” said Wallace. “ I would also bring a solid background in both agriculture and law enforcement, as well as years of experience as a trial lawyer, to the district court.”
