n z L o c a ls a rre ste d in drug bust HEPPNER Undersheriff Verlin Denton (left) and OSP Senior Trooper Tim Cundell pour diesel on marijuana imes VOL. 115 NO. 44 12 Pages Wednesday, October 30, 1996,______ Morrow County Heppner, Oregon H eppner home burns Morrow County Undersheriff Verlin Denton (left) and Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Tim Cundeii prepare to unload marijuana plants from pickup Flames engulf Scott home The home o f Alan and Debbie Scott. 230 Rock Street in Heppner, sustained fire, beat, smoke and water damage in a fire that broke out around 7:29 p.m. Sunday, October 27. According to Heppner Fire Chief Rusty Estes, the fire was initially reported by Heppner Police Officer Mike Sweek, who saw smoke coming from the eaves o f the home. Estes said that 15 fire fighters responded and three engines were dispatched to the scene. "The north end o f the house was pretty much destroyed." said Estes. Estes said that the Scott family dog was killed in the blaze. There was no official cause o f the fire and no estimate of the damages as o f presstime Tuesday. Voters go to the polls Nov. 5 Morrow County ty voters will go to the e pol polls for a general election Tuesday, November 5, to decide the fate o f federal, state, district, county and city candidates and state measures M o rro w C o u n ty Commissioner:Three candidates. Democrat John Wenholz, Irrigon, Republican "Whisker Bill" Marren and Independent Jerry Peck, both Boardman, will face off for the position o f Morrow County Commissioner. Commissioner Don McEUigott chose not to run for another term. Morrow County Treasurer: Gayle Gutierrez, , Heppr Heppner, and incumbent Margo Sherer will vie for Morrow County Treasurer, a non-partisan position. Morrow County Tax Base: Voters will decide whether to approve a new tax base of $4,094, 973, effective for the 1997-98 fiscal year. City o f Heppner Charter Revision: Voters will choose whether or not to adopt a new charter for the city of Heppner. Lexington City Council: Three candidates, Duane Disque, Stan Kemp and Jean Brazell, will compete for two four-year positions on the council. No one filed for the position of mayor. lone City CounciEFour candidates, Cleo Childers, Joe Barnett. Robert Ball and Betty Gray, are running for two four- year seats on the council. City o f Boardman Mayor: Two, candidates, Terry fci.M i lO f tn m Tall man. and incumbent Bill Brown, will oppose each other for the mayoral spot. Boardman Rural Fire District Measure: Shall the district be authorized to approve $190.000 o f bonds for a fire truck and related equipment. Circuit Court Judge Sixth District: Attorneys Garry Reynolds, Hermiston. and Robert Ridgway. Pendleton, seek the judge's position previously held by Bob Abrams, Pendleton, formerly o f Heppner. who retired from that position because o f health reasons. State Senator 28th District: Ted Ferrioli, Republican, and Kevin Campbell, Democrat, both seek the senatorial spot. U.S. Representative in Congress: Republican Robert F. "Bob" Smith has emerged to run for the position he held previously, most recently held by Wes Cooley, who resigned. Smith will run against Democrat Mike Dugan and Libertarian Frank Wise. U.S. Senator: Republican Gordon Smith. Pendleton, and Democrat Tom Bruggere. head up this race wruch also includes Michael Hoyes, Natural Law, Brent Thompson, Reform. Paul "Stormy" Mohn. Libertarian, and Christopher Phelps, Socialist. Voters will also decide on U.S. President. Oregon Secretary o f State. Oregon State Treasurer and Oregon Attorney General in addition to 23 state measures. Morrow County Clerk Barbara Bloodsworth reminds voters to vote both sides of their ballot. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Polling places are as follows: Precinct #1 (North Boardmanj-Greenfield Grange; #2 (South Boardman)-Lutheran Church; #3 (Hardman)-Morrow County Courthouse; #4 (lone)-Ione City Hall; #5 (North Irrigon )- North Morrow Annex; #6 (South Irrigonj-Old Irrigon City Hall; #7 (Lexington)- Mormon Church; #8 (Northeast Heppner)-St. Patrick's Senior Center; #9 (N o rth w est H eppner)- Pettyjohn Building; #10 (Southeast Heppner)-Morrow County Courthouse; # 11 (Southwest Heppner)-New Forestry Building. MCSO said that the Hunter found (MCSO). hunter was discovered by A Portland hunter who had been reported lost around 1 n.m. on Wednesday, October 23, was discovered the following day around noon, according to the Morrow County Sheriffs Office Forest Service personnel at Wilson Creek Road in the Upper Rhea Creek drainage. Morrow County Search and Rescue was also involved in the search. A drug bust by the Blue Mountain Drug ta sk Force (BMDTF), which includes the Morrow County Sheriffs Office and the Oregon State Police, resulted in the arrest of two Heppner-area women and two people from the Portland area, all members o f the same family. At presstime, charges were pending against Janet Nadia Beamer. 62, and her daughter, Carrie Elaine Vernon. 38. both Heppner. Beamer's son. Douglas C. Preston. 45. and his wife, Betty Jo Preston, 38, both Rhododendron, were both charged with possession of over an ounce o f marijuana, conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and manufacturing a controlled substance. According to the Morrow County Sheriffs Office (MCSO). BMDTF acted on a tip from local Oregon State Senior Trooper Tim Cundell. MCSO said that the Prestons were arrested on Thursday, Oct. 24. around 4 p.m. as they were stopped at the intersection o f Balm Fork Road and Willow Creek Road near Heppner. heading back to the Portland area. The MCSO and Cundell said that around 27 pounds of dried marijuana and 200-300 pounds o f green marijuana w ith stalks were confiscated. Marijuana was also discovered growing and in various stages of Veterans' Office closed M CGG annual meeting Nov. 4 Veterans' Service officer Rita Hedman will be attending the semi-annual veterans con­ ference in Bend, Nov. 4-8. The Heppner office will not be open Thursday, Nov. 7. Power outage planned Nov 2 " A power outage, affecting all Columbia Basin Electric C ooperative custom ers receiving electrical service from the Bonneville Power Administration's Boardman Substation, has been scheduled for this Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 to 11 a.m. Customers in the Heppner, lone. Lexington. Ruggs. Olex. Cecil, Morgan. Hinton Creek. Willow Creek, Rhea Creek, Rock Creek, Shutler Flat. Lower Willow Creek, Mikkalo. Clem and Ajax areas will be without power. The Morrow County Grain Growers annual membership meeting w ill be held Monday, Nov. 4, at the fairgrounds in Heppner. Dinner will be serv­ ed by the Willow Grange at 6:30 p.m. The featured speaker will be Dr. Patt Schwab. Dr. Schwab has worked at Penn State, the University of California and the University of Washington. She is currently president of "Fun­ damentally Speaking," where she presents training programs that invite the audience to look inside themselves for a humor­ ous perspective on everyday production at Beamer's residence. They estimate the street value of the marijuana at around $60,000, with an ounce estimated at $100-$ 125 and a pound between $900 and $1,000. They added that this was the biggest commercial operation that has been discovered in south Morrow County. A 1993 Ford pickup and several thousand dollars in cash were also seized in the arrest. the Umatilla County Jail on $60,000 bail each. The BMDTF also includes the Hermiston. Pendleton and Milton-Freewater police departments, and the L'matilla Countv Sheriffs Office. problems and challenges. Dr. Schwab's clients include Nord­ strom, Hewlett-Packard, Wey- erhauser and Paccar. The business portion of the meeting will include reports from company officers and the election of directors. The no­ minees for the four director positions are: Keven Hague- wood, Travis Harrison, Steve Hill, Mike Jones, Dave Matheny and Paul Proudfoot. The associate director nomi­ nees are Jeff Cutsforth, Ken Klinger, Barney Lindsay and Bill Tews. Free babysitting w ill be pro­ vided in the dormitory build­ ing. Food drive planned in lone A food drive has been tanned in lone Thursday, [ov. 7. beginning at 7 p.m. to collect food for food baskets for the Neighborhood Center S to distribute to the needy of south Morrow county The lone Youth Group is in charge of the food drive. For more information call Jeri McEUigott. 422-7257. Be Winter Ready Anti-Freeze Gallon or Bulk now in stock Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 1-800-452-7396 _____ ip» m< + m m r4m 0 f 1 < • * .« y , .Vi I,., , * ; ê 0 \ • M s A-. k . * *:.&'U