Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1997)
u * m p r J ’ | r U O .r ' c- ■ r> r » » ORK . ., £ L * e. r. r r * » Q * 6 7 All is calm, all is bright Brightly lit fir trees make for a picturesque Christmas scene along the newly-remodeled Main Street in Heppner. This spring the Christmas trees will be replaced by permanent deciduous trees. City manager Gary Marks says that 46 trees, including 12 Crimson Sentry Maple, 17 Spring Snow Crabapple, nine Redspire Pear and eight Chanticleer Pear, and 106 shrubs of four different varieties are to be planted. The trees and shrubs, funded through a U S Forest Service grant, will be placed along Main Street between the two Willow Creek bridges. Marks said that more shrubbery may be planted along the greenway between the bridge and the mini park and flowers will be planted in the island at the mini park. The Heppner Ranger District donated the small fir trees and placed them on stands which were made by high school students and many participated in the lighting of the trees. First house set at Heppner lake development VOL. 116 NO. 52 8 Pages Wednesday, December 24,1997 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Wilkinsons donate $30,000 to MC fair building project # ■ * • *— r * ' A 3 B A . ' Aà » f ; ¿ U H ttf___I T __ ■ • "1 v 1 M First home placed at new housing development overlooking Willow Creek Lake Story and Rietmann photo by Nova Jane and Bob "Mac" MacDonald, formerly of Eugene, have put up the first house at Lake View Heights, a new housing development that is above ‘ the campground overlooking Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner. The house is a Harrison style Stratford home. The MacDonalds are putting in a basement, foundation and a two- car garage. The 1650 square foot house has Virginia and Dick Wilkinson (center) present a $30,000 check toward the new fairgrounds multipurpose building to Fair Board Chairman Sam Bellamy (left) and board member Kelwayne Haguewood Virginia and Dick Wilkinson had both been thinking separately that they wanted to contribute toward the plan to construct a new multipurpose arena at the Morrow County Fairgrounds in Heppner. Well, the Wilkinsons put their heads together and did their part . . . and then some. The long - time area ranchers donated $30,000 toward the project. Their generous gift boosted the project up to 60 percent of their goal. The Wilkinsons said that they wanted to give something to agriculture. Dick has been in agriculture all his life-he was bom and raised on the ranch he still farms. Virginia, who was originally from Florida, has been involved in agriculture since their marriage on October 31, 1950. Ironically, the couple met at the old fair pavilion that was downtown in Heppner where the city park is now. "We've been active in agriculture all of his life and most of mine," said Virginia. "This is something I think we should do. We had never discussed it, but we both were having thoughts." Virginia said that they decided to contribute after attending the Morrow County Livestock Growers meeting Dec. 12. "It (the multipurpose building) , will be here a long time, we hop«," added Dick. "We want agriculture to perpetuate and we wanted to help." The Wilkinsons were selected as the 1997 Morrow County Conservation Farm of the Year and in 1994 they were awarded the "Landowner of the Year" by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife "in recognition of the outstanding contributions to the fish and wildlife resources of Oregon." Dick served around 20 years on both the Columbia Basin Electric Board of Directors and the Federal Land Bank and was a member of the Rural Fire District Board and the Game Commission. He is a charter member of the Heppner High School FF A Chapter and still serves on their advisory board. Virginia helped for many years during fair. She was also State Worthy Grand Matron of the Eastern Star, heading up the state organization, which at the time had 32,000 members. While raising two daughters Virginia worked with the Rainbow Girls. The goal of the fair board is to have the 125x225 foot multipurpose building up by July 1. Morrow County Fair Board Chairman Sam Bellamy said that the building will almost double the space they currently have. The new building will house three show arenas-one for hogs and swine, sheep and beef. "There will be lots of room," added Bellamy. "We might even have room for something else." Bellamy said that the facility's seating capacity will be at 299 people. The board says that the building could house special events, winter farm shows, sports, school programs, livestock exhibits, commercial exhibits, 4-h horse and animal activities, FFA events, equestrian events and training, high school and college rodeo events, amateur and professional roping events, jack pots, barrel racing, team penning, cow cutting, rodeo schools, horse training, private practices, horse and bull sales, flea markets and car shows and could be rented to large and small groups. The board hopes to raise a total of $62,500 toward the project by March 25. The building, to be named after the Wilkinsons, will be officially named at a later date. Punch Car d winners drawn Twenty five dollar gift certificate winners this week in the Heppner Christmas Punch are as follows: Betty Christman won a $25 gift certificate to Lott's Electric. Nadine Toombs won a gift certificate to Shoe Box. Lea Calvert won a certificate to Green Feed. And Donna Maben won a gift certificate to Central Market. The winners can pick up their gift certificates at the businesses. There will be a new set of winners next week, the final week of the contest, and remember all punch cards go into the final grand prize drawing of $700 in gift certificates to be given away Dec. 29. three bedrooms and a sun room and was shipped from Post Falls, Idaho. It arrived a day late due to weather. At about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 18, with the help of a crane from Kinzua, the crew from U.S. Tank and Construction Co., Inc., placed the MacDonalds' house onto the foundation. The MacDonalds, who have lived in Eugene for 20 years, decided to move to Eastern Oregon to get away from the inclement weather and the congestion. They are currently employed at Columbia Basin, where Mac is a lineman and Jane is a member of the office staff. The couple have grown children and grandchildren. Jane MacDonald said that they are really happy about living in Heppner and they're anxiously waiting for their house to be finished. Developer is E.J."John" Leason, owner of U.S. Tank and Construction Co., Inc., out of Redmond. Health District board meeting held The Morrow County Health District Board, at its regular meeting in Heppner on Monday, Dec. 8, discussed staffing Pioneer Memorial Clinic with a receptionist, nurse and lab and x- ray technicians when Dr. Ed Berretta works at the clinic, approximately one weekend a month. Berretta, former Heppner physician, now has a clinic in Walla Walla. The board learned that the number of patients who make appointments to see Berretta would probably justify additional staffing at the clinic. In other business, the board: -heard a financial report on Pioneer Memorial Hospital. Business manager Dan Grant said that revenues have been hurt because the hospital lacks a third provider (physician or nurse practitioner), because of billing problems and because of cutbacks in Medicare reimbursements. Grant added however that the November financial situation was improved over October and that December should be in "good form". Grant said that the district should receive its tax monies within the next few weeks, which will help alleviate the financial crunch; -heard discussion on a family practice grant which the hospital may apply for. Nurse practitioner Wendy Haack suggested that a proposal might include tele radiology equipment. In tele- radiology, x-ray and ultrasound results may be transmitted via computer to experts in other locations. Haack said that capability to confirm a diagnosis via computer would reduce the number of patients sent out of town for diagnosis. -reviewed ambulance protocol; -heard a report from Molly Rhea, Home Health director; -heard a request from board member Sharron Meyers to contact Dr. Robert Boss concerning his possible employment with the district. Boss operated the health district- owned clinic in Boardman before establishing a clinic of his own there. Dr. Boss and the district could not come to an agreement concerning his contract with the district. -heard that revenue is down at the Boardman clinic. Christmas tree pickup available The Heppner High School senior class will have Christmas tree pickup for area residents on Sunday, January 4, starting at 1 p.m. Anyone wishing to have their tree picked up and disposed of may call Jayme Hansen, 676- 5247, or April Sykes, 676-9939 or 676-9228. The seniors are asking that anyone having their tree picked up make a donation toward the senior class trip. A meeting for seniors and their parents will be held that same day, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. at the HHS library. We will be CLOSED Dec. 24th at noon and Christmas Day MeWuf CbsUilmaA, jfia+n a ll of uà a l MGQQ MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS Lexington 989-8221 1-800-452-7396________________________
