f s ? JP'-*
• "- , ^s~ •
■> ;'
» *
ù&s
» v V j «-, . ,
;• •
. •
«V M
A piece of Eden among the canyons
Record game animals on display
It may be one o f the last places
in Oregon you would expect to
find fruit trees bearing apples,
pears,
peaches,
plums,
nectarines, cherries and apneots.
Heck, you might not even expect
to find trees, period. Just a few
miles from the John Day Fossil
Beds, among the rim rock
canyons o f the John Day River
in the Grant County community
o f Kimberly, surprised travelers
unexpectedly find the 180-acre
Thomas Orchards— a business
that has been around now for
over 50 years.
Just another example o f
Oregon's tremendous diversity
o f agriculture-production taking
place at locations one would
never imagine.
"When outsiders come in, they
are surprised," says owner John
Thomas. "The orchard has been
here for 70 years. So all the
local people know about it and
think o f it as part o f the
community. But when outsiders
come, they are amazed to see
any orchard in Grant County,
as
Hunters will have a once-in-
a-lifetim e opportunity to see
some o f the Northwest's biggest
game animals at a display during
the M orrow County Fair, August
20-23, across from the Heppner
C ity Park.
The display w ill feature 20
world record animals. Hunters
Justice Court
Report
• >-
■
■
*
, V
.
«
•
•
* * *'-
•
V
• /
•
'
<\
‘
Tm
- ,
, * ..
« *> '. ,
* T , * **».♦.•.'-
■
i . •
■
. ::V •'
'■*
•
*. - ,
- v* - • > .
I.-
\.*
> V ^
!
[
*
* •
* ' • ’•
r
»
fer"
-.
V
-> V
?
*
I
*
y
: • ; • • /.•
.«• • . * A j
•: 1 '•.* •* V ;
^
-/
»
•
?
• %
;
' ■ ■*
**
\f v
•'
.
;r. V •
- t ' V •> \V;
;*..••
I
lify.
. ,f r • * ' . -.?■•••’
• . *• " f.'i'.
v f l
•.
•
v >
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 19, 1998
St
£
■
••■■•*
r
7 x*
¿v? # > í vV » r . {
The Justice Court office at the
courthouse annex bu ildin g in
Heppner reports handling the fo l
lowing business:
Shri K ath ryn Estes, 53,
Ashland-Illegal U-turn. S72 fine;
Sabrina W ellm an, 26, Ione-
D m ing While License Suspended
infraction. D rivin g Uninsured,
S214 fine;
Cheryl McBride, 40, Heppner-
N o Valid Operator’ s License, $72
fine;
Gerald Smith, 57, Heppner-Vio-
lation o f the Basic Speed Rule, 76
mph in a 55 mph zone, $127 fine;
Michael Lynch, 40, Lexington-
Dnving While License Suspended.
$502 fine;
Joseph P. McElligdtt,‘457 Tone-
two'counts Animal Abuse, $302
fine;
Phillip Tellechea, 19, Heppner-
Minor In Possession, $302 fine;
Barbara VanArsdale, 54. Lex-
m gton -V iolation o f the Basic
Speed Rule, 73 mph in a 55 mph
zone, $72 fine;
Kenneth Smith, 77, Heppner-
Disobeying Traffic Control D e
vice. $1 12 fine;
Kay Proctor, 43, Heppner-Vio
lation o f the Basic Speed Rule, 75
mph in a 55 mph zone, $72 fine;
Randy Anderson, 44, Heppner-
Violation o f the Basic Speed Rule,
77 mph in a 55 mph zone, $72 fine;
John Murray, 34, Heppner-Vio
lation o f the Basic Speed Rule, 73
mph in a 55 mph zone, $72 fine;
Ryan Nevala, 21, lon e-V iola
tion o f the Basic Speed Rule, 71
mph in a 55 mph zone, $72 fine;
Robert Pepperling, 36, A rlin g
ton-Driving Left on a Curv e, $142
fine;
A n th o n y
O rla n d o,
36,
Boardman-Disobeymg a Traffic
Control D evice (stop sign), $142
fine;
Terri Palmateer, 41, Ione-Vio-
lation o f the Basic Speed Rule, 74
mph in a 55 mph zone, $72 fine;
Janet Beamer, 63, Heppner-
Violation o f the Basic Speed Rule,
75 mph in a 55 mph zone, $82 fine;
Diana Paullus, 35, Hermiston-
Violation o f the Basic Speed Rule,
49 mph in a 35 mph zone. Driving
W hile License Suspended infrac
tion, $224 fine;
Paul Focht, 36, Im gon-Dnvm g
W hile License Suspended. D riv
ing Uninsured, $794 fine;
Dale Seavey, 47, Eugene-Vio-
lation o f the Basic Speed Rule, 76
mph in a 55 mph zone, $ 127 fine;
T o n y Fox, 20, Heppner-Ex-
ceeding Maximum Speed Limit,
80 mph in a 65 mph zone, $142
fine;
Josephine Kindsfather, 57, Lex-
m gton -V iolation o f the Basic
Speed Rule, 72 mph in a 55 mph
zone, $72 fine. •
may also bring in their horns,
heads or antlers to be measured
for the record books.
Admission is $3 for adults;
children up to 15 years old w ill
be admitted free.
Show hours are as follows:
August 20, 3-8 p.m.; August 21-
22. 10 a m.-9 p.m.; August 23,
10 a m.-3 p.m.
Copy Paper
Ream • Carton
Gazette-Times
Young people take time to volunteer
by Scot Jacobson, C R C
Who says kids don’t volunteer?
Pioneer Memorial Nursing Home
is the welcome recipient o f
volunteer visits from young
people within our community.
For the past four years, during
the
school
year
Heppner
Elementary teacher Lea Calvert
and her second grade class visit
the residents and staff each week.
Once a week, the class walks up
the hill to the nursing home,
stops for cold drinks at the water
fountain in the lobby, and heads
down the hall to say hello and
visit for an hour.
"They are
wonderful" says Tonya Jones,
activities director for the nursing
home. "W e can count on them
each yyegk, to bring smiles to our
folks." . Memories o f happy times
and having fun as a youngster
come back to many o f the
residents who look forward to
these visits.
During the summer, several*
young people volunteered their
time to visit, play games, read
books, or just listen.
Sarah
Jacobson, Mindy Wenburg and
Tim Jacobson have spent many
hours with the residents. Sarah,
11, Mindy, nine and Tim, 13
have gotten to know several o f
the residents better through their
interaction.
"It’s kinda like
having my grandma around all
the time," said Sarah Jacobson.
"She lives far away, and since I
t
can’t see her, I like to come
here."
Volunteers do many things
They help the staff with passing
snacks and ice water; they help
with the weekly picnics on the
outside patio; and they help make
beds.
For the past year Jayme
Hansen, who graduated from
Heppner High School this year,
has come to the nursing home to
play games.
"Volunteers are a special part
o f the patients and residents
lives" says Scot Jacobson, human
resource director for the health
district, "their interaction with
the residents allows them to see
someone else besides staff
members.
Volunteers can be
their family members, friends or
neighbors. It is always nice to see
someone you know."
Tonia
Adams o f Heppner, has brought
her children, Trisha and Brad, to
visit for several years. "Y o u can
see it in their eyes how exicted
the residents get when young
people visit", says a staff
member. "Some o f the residents
seem to ’come to live’ when the
young people come around."
"The M orrow County Health
District salutes these young
volunteers for a job w ell done.
Volunteers are always a welcome
part o f the Pioneer Memorial
Nursing
Hom e."
Anyone
interested in helping out may
contact Jacobson at 676-9133.
Oregon."
Tim ber has long been king in
Grant County.
Agriculture
usually takes the form o f cattle
ranching and some production o f
alfalfa hay.
But the climate,
combined with the expertise and
willingness o f a fam ily like the
Thomases,
can
produce
a
com m odity not normally found
in that geographic area. Thomas
Orchards proves you can't
necessarily tell a farmer what
they can or cannot grow.
"The fact that you can
successfully grow tree fruit in
Grant County says something
about the diversity o f the state,"
says Thomas.
There are advantages and
disadvantages to the orchard's
location. Pests seem to be less
o f a problem than in areas o f
more widespread and intensive
tree fruit production. The soil
and climate tend to give the
Kim berly fruit more flavor than
other orchards, especially those
outside o f Oregon.
On the
downside, markets tend to be far
away
as
are
agricultural
suppliers.
"This happens to be where we
live and we just make the best o f
it," says Thomas.
The orchard is no secret to its
legion o f loyal customers.
About
20
percent
of
its
production is sold directly at the
on-site fruit stand. Kim berly is
$139 for 2
August 29 only
Resort
C A S I N O
A tte n tio n Steak Lovers!
K E S O M T
Visit tire wildhorse Restaurant during
J)
C A TTLE BARON M O N TH
Special Menu Rems AH Month
T-Bone
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
?
Guess the
9
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
The King of Steaks, more than a pound of ten
der, m outh-w atering pnme beef
o
0
Top Sirloin
Thick and tender, with garlic and onions for a
real western style treat Plus, all our Regularly
featured Cuts served with Tasty Vegetable
Side Dishes
o
^
In te rn e t M ystery Person A
~
win $251
!
9
1
*)
•
Get your clues at
9
•
9
nrurur.AepiQnet.net
Th e f irst correct entry wins! ^
???????$
? Who is the M ystery Person? ?
ty New clues added every few days!
•
*
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
The O fficial Newspaper
o f the City o f Heppner and the County o f M orrow
Heppner
G A Z E T T E -T IM E S
New York Steak
Los Hermanos
Brothers
t
yon got the w in i
m ate of too Hi
Thick, juicy and smothered in mushrooms and
onions
Kg M ont
Wildhorse Pow-Wow Grounds
Picnic-style seating
All seats General Admission
Gates open 5:30 pm
Concerts at 7:30 pm
Thursday Session 6 30 pm
Tickets
Friday Session 6 30 pm
Sunday Session 2 30 pm
Don’t fo rp t,
$15
Tickets available at W ildhorse Casino and TicketM aster
locations, including G.l. Joe's and Meier & Frank,
or Charge-By-Phone (503) 224-4400
N O W OPEN!
OTHER LOCAL TICKET OUTLETS
• Bridles N Britches
LaGrande
• Triangle L
M ilton/Freewater
• Roemark s
Hermiston
• Area PGG Locations
TunastsUkt
Cultural Institute
• Book & Game
w alla W alla
< Arrowhead Truck Plaza
Pendleton
• Hot Poop
Walla w alla
History and vision from a unique perspective
The on(y Indian-owned interpretive center
along the entire route of the National Histone
Oregon Trail
Center includes permanent and temporary
exhibits, multi-purpose theater, cafe and
institute store featunng fine Native American
art and crafts
Play In A Place Like No Other.
a M
Í fc* y
^ v '•*'•
¿V .
^ I’ i» -j 1
>• ' '
We make
Posters
Gazette-Times
■t
Bingo
j J ,
Op«n Daffy 9 am to 5 p n
Admission $6 for Adults, $4 For
Children & Seniors
U S P S 240-420
I : Ù '+ X
3
; v v U / V .*
The rodeo/fair band w ill
rehearse on Thurs., August 20,
from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Heppner
High School band room.
The band w ill be playing the
school song.
Ralph W em er,
HHS band leader, invites all band
members sixth grade through
seniors in high school to
participate.
Includes one nights lodging in King or Double
Room, Tw o Concert Tickets, los Hermanos Brothers
CD, Dinner for Tw o in the Wildhorse Restaurant
and Casino Discount Package worth more than $20
W I L D M O B S E
Heppner Gazette-Times
o
Rodeo/fair band
plans rehearsal
W ildhorse Hotel
‘Concert Escape Package’
(Our New Cop) Machine Makes Great Copies)
o
Kimberly's orchard after he died
and gradually expanded.
"Onn Kimberly gets the credit
for starting an orchard, but my
father gets credit for seeing a
bigger potential and working to
turn it into reality," says John
Thomas.
Thomas Orchards is beginning
to transition some o f its fruit into
certified organic production.
Once again, niche marketing is
part o f the plan.
But the
Thomases are also concerned
with keeping the production
sustainable
under
an
increasingly
environmental
microscope.
How does this orchard
compare with those in the fruit
bearing regions o f Jackson
County, Hood River County,
Milton-Freewater
and
the
Willamette Valley?
"The traditional areas have
more o f a high tech philosophy
perhaps," says Ron Peterson,
field supervisor with O D A's
Commodity Inspection Division,
who inspects Thomas Orchards'
controlled atmosphere storage
facility. "But this location gives
him easy access to a substantial
number o f people in Central
Oregon."
Visitors offer
familiar
questions nearly every day: How
come this orchard is out here?
There aren't any other ones out
here— how do you make this one
work?
"W e've managed to survive and
make a living here," says
Thomas. "I want to see this stay
productive for another 100
years, maybe 500."
In Oregon, a lot o f different
kinds o f agriculture can take
place in a lot o f different regions
i f the producer has the expertise
and desire to succeed.
For more information, contact
Bruce Pokamey at (503) 986-
4559.
Look What’s Happening.
COPIES I Of • Double-Sided Copies 17(
V
w ell o f f the beaten path— north
o f U.S. Highway 26 and not
really on the way to any popular
destination.
So
drive-up
customers
are
unlikely
to
stumble upon the orchard by
accident. Still, they come to buy
some o f the state's most
flavorful and juicy fresh fruit.
"The word has got out," says
Thomas. "There are people in
the Willamette Valley that know
about us. There are people on
the Oregon Coast. There are
people in Nevada and Idaho who
drive over to see us at times.
People from Bend or Portland
like to drive to the John Day
V a lley— maybe to the fossil
beds. They w ill stop by the
orchard and pick up some fruit.
It makes for a nice day trip."
Thomas Orchards also supplies
fresh fruit to many o f Central
Oregon’s supermarkets.
It is
clearly marked in the produce
section as locally grown. In fact,
consumers in Bend, Pnneville,
John Day and other Central and
Eastern Oregon cities who want
local fresh fruit are probably
going to end up buying from
Thomas.
"W e are not that significant in
the total economic production o f
this area," says Thomas. "But
we are a substantial part o f the
local area's diet. I f we weren't
here, there would not be a lot o f
fresh fruits on the local scene."
Most o f the fruit is trucked out
to
packers
and
brokers,
eventually reaching other parts
of
the
U.S.
and
some
international markets. Fruit is
also shipped specifically to
Montana for local distribution—
a niche that works w ell for
Thomas Orchards.
Thomas is modest about the
business's impact on the county
economy.
Annual payroll is
more than $200,000. Operating
costs are more than a half
m illion dollars each year. That
has a ripple effect on local
suppliers o f related goods and
services.
Orin Kim berly was the first to
plant fruit-bearing trees in the
area earlier this century. By the
late 1930s, he sold about a
thousand dollars worth o f fruit
each year. That was a lot o f
money at the time.
By then
W.B. Thomas, John's father, was
growing berry plants near John
Day while looking for other
agricultural opportunities. He
found the Kim berly orchard-
small but full o f more potential-
and decided to start an orchard
o f his own. In the 1960s, the
Thomases
bought
Mr.
M orro w C o u n ty's H o m e -O w n ed W e e k ly N ew spaper
Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon
under the Act o f March 3.1879 Periodical postage paid at Heppner. Oregon O ffice at 147
W W i l l o w Street T eleph on e ( 5 4 1 ) 676-9228 Fax ( 541 ) 676-9211 E-mail:
gt a rapidserve net Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P O.
Box 337, Heppner. Oregon 97836 Subscriptions $18 in Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam and
Grant counties, $25 elsewhere
David Sykes .................................................................................................... Publisher
April Hilton-Sykes............................................................................................. Editor
l- 8 0 0 -6 5 4 -W IL D .« 4 s»>
R I$ @ IR T
http: wwwwildhorseresort.com
I H i I v i i 21 (>. l o u r M ile « , l a v i o l P e n d l e t o n , O K
Management rese»ves Mie n^ht to me* suspend
or w rh d n w offers promotions nt any time
i
‘
• • i * v. •
. V .*
v v-
..
•
'V .
.
.
» • -
.
.W
v--,.
_
. .
-
. -
;> v
■ '
:
.