U OF ORE
NEWS PAPE R
LIB
EUGENE
974
OR
Kara Ansotegui selected to Scholars program
HEPPNER
imes
VOL. 113
NO 36
8 Pages Wednesday, August 31, 1994
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
County school enrollment down
provided with resources so
that, when coupled with other
support for which they qualify,
90 percent of the cost of tuition,
room, board, fees and books is
met. In the case of high school
graduates the awards are
renewable for four years. Those
selected are free to attend any
Oregon private or public col
lege or university of their
choice.
In addition to the financial
support provided, the founda
tion maintains contact with
each scholar each term and ear
ly next summer a leaderhip in
stitute for all Ford scholars will
be held at an Oregon resort.
Mr. Ford, in speaking at the
Kara Ansotegui (I), receives award from Charles Walter, Ken-
first
gathering of Ford scholars,
neith Ford, president of Ford Family Foundation and Carol
described
his own beginnings
McLaughlin.
and
commented
that he was
Kara Ansotogui of Heppner group and subsequent classes
"sp
ro
u
te
d
in
Enterprise,
was among the first class of may number up to 100
Oregon.”
He
noted
that even
Ford Scholars who recently met scholars.
though
leisure
had
not
marked
at the Benson Hotel to receive
Any Oregon graduating high
his
life
he
"in
creasin
gly
their awards from Kenneth W. school senior or any person
thought
a
balance
between
Ford, president of the Ford completing an associate degree
Family
Foundation
of at an Oregon community col work and play to be quite im
Roseburg. There are 43 Orego lege is eligible to apply. portant.” He said he had been
nians in the college scholarsip Preliminary screening is done thinking for a long time about
group, and they range in age by the Oregon State Scholar a program to help people with
from 17 to 50. They come from ship Commission and finalists initiative get a college educa
34 communities throughout the are interviewed by a statewide tion, and said he was happy "it
state and will be attending 13 committee of educators and is now underway." He ended
public and private Oregon col business leaders. Selection with his hope that "one hun
leges and universities this fall. criteria include an ability to do dred percent of the group
The Ford Scholars Program is college level work, a leadership would graduate from college”
a new project of the Ford Fami record in high school or com and then presented each
ly Foundation, and in commen munity college, solid evidence scholar with a signed certificate
ting about it, Governor Barbara of reaching out to help other naming him or her Ford
Roberts said, "Genersoity and people, and demonstration of scholar.
Douglas L. Collins, executive
opportunity are a great com personal initiative. The founda
Director
of the Oregon State
bination. Many Oregon tion is particularly interested in
Scholarship
Commission said,
students will have an oppor assisting people who have had
"The
Ford
Scholars
Program
tunity for a college education to surmount obstacles in order
meets
a
critical
need
by pro
they would not otherwise have to consider college attendance.
viding
financial
access
for
had, thanks to the generosity of In addition to the scholarship
talented
students
who
will
be
Mr. Kenneth Ford. I applaud application, interested can
the
future
leaders
of
the
his commitment to educa didates are asked to write three
tion...and I am confident his essay s dealing with their Oregon community. The com
gift will play an important role background and goals and with mission is proud to be a part
in the lives of many talented an appraisal of their current ner in this endeavor.” Charles
U. Walker, former president of
Oregonians.”
strengths and limitaions.
Linfield College, directs the
According to Mr. Ford, the
Candidates who succeed in program for the Ford Family
1994 class is viewed as a pilot becoming Ford scholars are
Foundation.
Jail situation critical for county
Photo by Joyce Hughes
Burke O’Brien, (I) department head of transportation in South Morrow County, helps new little
students find the right bus the first day of school in Heppner.
One thousand, nine hundred
and fifteen students trooped off
to Morrow County schools to
start the 1994-95 school year,
according to district figures
compiled Monday, Aug. 29.
The figure is down 113
students compared to last
year's records which showed
2,028 students as of Sept. 20,
1993. School officials, however,
have previously stressed that
some students do not begin
school until after Labor Day, so
early enrollment figures are
typically lower. School started
Friday, Aug. 26, with a new
four-day student week.
Complete 1994 enrollment
figures are as follows: Heppner
High School-143; Heppner
Elem entary and Middle
School-320; lone Schools
K-12-174; Riverside High
School, Boardman-362; Colum
bia Junior High, lrrigon-203;
Sam Boardman Elementary-
356; A.C. Houghton Elemen
tary, Irrigon-357.
Last year's figures are as
follow s: H eppner High
School-154; Heppner Elemen
tary and Middle School-343;
lone Schools K-12-176; River
side High School-397; Colum
bia Jr. High-194; Sam Board-
man Elementary-381; A.C.
Houghton Elementary-383.
Representatives from six
Oregon counties, Morrow,
Hood River, Wasco, Sherman,
Gilliam and Wheeler, met
recently concerning the jail
situation in their areas. Morrow
County Commissioner Ray
French, Undersheriff Verlin
Denton and Juvenile Services
director Carolyn Holt were
among a group of commis
sioners, district court judges,
justice court judges, district at
torneys, sheriffs, correction
managers and juvenile direc
tors who met in a strategy ses
sion to discuss problems con-
No, it's not a rat you smell.
It's a skunk-definitely a skunk.
Heppner area residents have
had a noseful lately as a record
number of the smelly little crit
ters seem to be migrating to
yards, gardens and streets
around town.
Bob Krein of the Fish and
Wildlife Department says that
he has had around 14 com
plaints of skunks in the area
recently, many more than nor
mal. He says that the problem
arises when the vegetation in
the outlying areas becomes too
dry and the skunks come to
town looking for greener
p astures and the worms
underneath the damper soil.
Skunks are pretty much om
nivorous, says Krein, eating
worms, small lizards, snakes
and insects in addition to the
cat or dog food placed out on
the porch. Skunks are not big
or scrappy enough to catch and
eat cats, as is rumored, unless
perhaps, small newborn kit
tens, he said. A skunk is
around the size of a housecat,
but has a thicker body and is
slightly heavier, five to six
pounds at the most.
Krein says that he has around
eight live traps. Anyone
wishing to have a skunk trap
ped may call him to be put on
a waiting list to be lent a trap,
but right now he says he has
had more skunk calls than traps
available. Krein says he will
pick up the trapped skunks.
Krein theorizes that more
young ''inexperienced” skunks
may be contributing to the
skunk odor complaints around
town. A young skunk may be
more likely to be spooked and
thus more likely to let fly with
his scent. Tomato juice or a
commercial scent remover are
both effective in removing the
skunk odor.
Krein said that rabid skunks
are not a problem in the area
and added that a rabid skunk
would be obvious to spot with
the telltale signs of drooling,
staggering and disorientation.
Heppner High School kick
starts the year with an event
ful Homecoming week Sept.
6-9. The Heppner Mustangs
and Fillies both take on the
Riverside Pirates. The Fillies
play in volleyball action Thurs
day Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. and the
Mustangs will meet Friday
night at 7:30 p.m.
This year's homecoming
theme is "Sink the Pirates” .
Dressup days include '50's-
'60's day on Tuesday; staff
look-a-like day on Wednesday;
Pirate day on Thursday and
Blue and Gold on Friday.
Students will vote for the
1994 Hom ecoming Court
Thursday, Sept. 1. Results of
the voting will be announced
Tuesday Sept. 6 in a school
assem bly. Stu den ts will
decorate the halls from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2
when there is no school. Hall
decorations will be judged
Tuesday morning.
The Heppner Fillies take on
the Riverside Pirates in a
volleyball match. The C team
begins play at 5 p.m. followed
Wheeler counties have relied
on whatever space available
and have utilized Klickitat
County's facility in Golden-
dale, WA, whenever possible.
French said that the cost of
housing a prisoner at the near
by Umatilla County Jail is pro
hibitive at around $80 a day,
almost double the rate at the
Benton-County Jail, which is
around $48 a day. He said that
Morrow County spent around
$144,000 last year housing
prisoners.
Those attending the session
estimated that a minimum of
100 spaces are needed.
French says that the situation
has reached a critical point.
"There's no use in serving war
through 6th grade.
rants,
if there's no place to put
Students will be screened on
the following schedule: Sam them (prisoners),” said French.
Boardman Elementary, Sept. If there is no jail space prisoners
21, SBE alternate kindergarden, will be released immediately or
Sept. 22; A.C. Houghton released prematurely. "W e
Elementary, Oct. 12; SBE want to be assured a space,” he
recheck, Oct. 10; A.C.H. said.
French said that one possibili
recheck, Nov. 2; lone and
Heppner Elementarles, Nov. 8, ty considered would be to build
a facility at Rufus, which is in
rechecks Nov. 21.
The hearing screening is the center of the six-county
done by the Umatilla-Morrow area, is on the freeway for easy
ESD for public school students access if a prisoner has to be
of Umatilla and Morrow Coun transported and land is
ties. It is cooperatively spon available in that area. The
sored by local school districts. group discussed a prefabricated
jail facility, which would also
Approximately 4000 children
will be seen. Children who fail provide the opportunity for ex
pansion later if needed, he
the initial screening will be re
said.
screened within a three-week
French said that the group
period.
will discuss funding options,
Parents who do not want
including government ap
their child's hearing to be
propriations. The recently-
screened should notify the
school as soon as possible. passed "Crime Bill” may pro
vide new opportunities for jail
Anyone with questions regar
construction,
which is difficult,
ding the hearing screening pro
if
not
impossible
for small
gram, should contact the school
counties
to
afford.
principal, or the Speech,
A second meeting of the
Language and Hearing Depart
group
is set for Sept. 6 in
ment at the Umatilla-Morrow
Arlington.
ESD, 276-6616, extension 140.
Hearing screenings to be held
The Umatilla-Morrow Educa
tion Service District (ESD) will
be providing hearing screening
to public elementary school
stu den ts
including
all
kindergarten
students,
students in grades one and
three; new students to the
county
and
parent/teacher/principal refer
rals of students in kindergarten
HHS homecoming Sept. 6-9
Skunks prolific in Heppner
cerning transportation of
prisoners, jail space and the
possibilities of locating a
regional justice center.
Morrow County has con
tracted with Benton-Franklin
Justice Center in Kennewick,
WA, for jail space but has been
notified that the contract will be
cancelled January 1, 1995. The
other counties are in similar
positions. Hood River County
has reached maximum capaci
ty; Wasco County has a
36-hour holding facility with a
maximum capacity of 10
spaces; Sherman, Gilliam and
by the JV and Varsity teams. At
the conclusion of the games a
community pep assembly will
be put on by the Heppner High
School cheerleaders.
A downtown parade will
start around 4:15 p.m. Friday.
Floats decorated by each class
will be paraded through Main
Street.
The homecoming queen will
be crowned at halftime of the
football game Friday. A dance
will follow the game starting at
10 p.m. at the Elks Lodge with
music provided by Dan Burns
of Pendleton. The dance will
end at 1 a.m. followed by a
breakfast downstairs.
W e w ill b e
Closed Monday
Sept. 5, for Labor Day
"Haw a great Weekend"
M o r r o w C o u n ty G r a in G r o w e r s
Lexington 989-8221
1-800-824-7185