Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1999)
Sheriff mails surveys E r S S 1 fr it OF ORF The Morrow County Sheriff this week sent out 219 citizen surveys representing 4.3 percent of the county's 5000 registered voters who were selected at random to respond to questions. The purpose of the survey is two-fold. First, Morrow County Sheriff Verlin Denton wants to determine public feeling about the department's performance. Secondly he wants to find out what the county's citizens feel should be the department's priorities for the coming years. Sheriff Denton's intends to use the survey to determine the department's course and priorities for the immediate future. R LIP Local grad named top UI student Tom Kemp was named top sophomore of the year in the College of Agriculture at the University of Idaho. Kemp, an agribusiness major, was awarded a cash award and plaque at the annual agriculture banquet and honored for her academic achievements and activities. VOL. 118 NO. 17 8 Pages Wednesday, April 28,1999 Student arrested for threats at Riverside A 15-year-old Riverside High School student was arrested at school Wednesday, April 21, after he threatened to make "Riverside look like Denver." Riverside Principal Duane Yecha said that the threat was made in the presence of students and staff at RHS, which has a student body o f around 430 students from Boardman and Imgon. He said that the student did not have a weapon and did not appear to have a plan to carry out the threat, but, because of some "history" with the student, authorities were called in. Juvenile authorities were contacted who then called police. Boardman Police and Morrow County Sheriffs officers responded at the scene and BPD arrested the student. The student was charged with menacing, a Class A misdemeanor, and lodged at Umatilla County Juvenile Detention Center in Pendleton. Yecha said that the incident was "definitely in relation to the Colorado incident" in which two students shot and killed 12 other students and a teacher before turning the guns on themselves. Yecha said that the RHS incident has promoted much discussion among students and staff. "We've not had to do much to provoke discussion," he said. "One o f the best things to do is to be sensitive and know the kids and stay in touch with how they're doing," he added. "Students need to watch out for kids who are hurting and troubled. Parents need to stay on top of things, as do administrators. We all need to be aware and be watching for all the warning signs. In other words, what you want to do is help people before something happens." Boardman Police Chief Greg Sayles reiterated that the student did not have a weapon and had no plan to carry out the threat, but added that the threat was specific enough to scare people at the school. He said that a message needs to be sent that this type o f behavior is "simply not going to be allowed” and added that Riverside High School is ahead of other schools in that respect. Sayles said that law enforcement agencies throughout the county plan to get together to plan a response in the event that a situation occurs at county schools. He said they also plan to have a dialogue with school principals. Hoax taken seriously at HHS Heppner High School Principal Ron Anthony and other staff searched lockers and other areas of the school after a student found a bomb threat scribbled on a piece of paper Monday, April 26. Anthony said that the note, which said that there was a bomb in the building, was found on the floor shortly after lunch. Anthony said that the threat "did not appear to be serious, but in light o f what went on in Colorado, we took it seriously." The school was not evacuated. In an earlier situation at Heppner High School, a student was suspended from school Thursday, April 22, following an "incident with another student." Anthony said that the situation occurred after he spoke with a student concerning the district wide dress code policy. He said the student had worn black to school, which, he says, could be included in the policy as detracting from the learning environment. Anthony said that the student was not suspended for wearing black, but for the incident which occurred after their discussion. The two students who attacked other students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, wore all black clothing. 'Jungle Carnival' planned The lone Drama Club and Creative Care Preschool are planning a day of family fun with a "jungle carnival" and children's theater production of "Tales from Five Continents" at the lone City Park on Sunday, May 9. Activities and games at the carnival will include a fish Pond, putting challenge, bean bag toss, dolphin nng toss, cake walk, photo booth and a ball toss Additionally, a Birthday Express Birthday Party Package (for eight) of your choice, will be raffled off, including a cake donated by Fran Barnett and stick balloons. Balloons, popcorn and pop will also be sold. Proceeds from the carnival will go to support the program at Creative Care Preschool. Admission to the play is free "It's sure to be a fun day for all, so bring a picnic and enjoy the day's activities," said a preschool news release. The carnival will be held from 1-3:30 p.m. and the play will begin at 2:30 p.m. She is a member of Alpha Zeta Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Agribusiness club, CFFA and is a delegate to the National College Quiz Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee this August. Kemp, a Lexington resident, is a 1997 graduate of Heppner High School. Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Man suffers heart attack on Rolling Hills run A man is alive today thanks to the quick action o f total strangers. A 55-year-old Weston man, Jerry Fifield, had signed up to run in Saturday's Rolling Hills Run, an event to benefit the South Morrow County EMT Association, and was about a mile and a half out on the run when he collapsed on the roadway, having suffered an apparent heart attack. Three walkers in the event from the lone area, Theresa Hams, Sharon Camarillo and Kerry Rietmann, were near Fifield on the other side of the road, and had headed back into town from their walk which began earlier, when they saw him collapse. "He didn't trip or anything," said both Hams and Camarillo."He just collapsed." According to Camarillo and Hams, the three ran up to the man and saw that he was not breathing and had numerous wounds he had on his head, arms and legs from the fall. "The scariest part," said Camarillo," was that he had major cuts on himself and no blood." Hams had seen Dr. Ed Berretta, a former Heppner physician who now lives in Walla Walla and who was a runner in the race, pass them, so she called to him. Hams said Berretta returned and instructed Camarillo and Rietmann to lift the man's legs to assist circulation while he and Hams did CPR-he did the breathing, while Hams did the compressions. Hams and Camarillo both said that the man was resuscitated, only to stop breathing again. The Lexington Quick Response vehicle, which had patrolled the race, arrived on the scene. According to Hams and Camarillo, the man was shocked at least twice by medical personnel to restart his heart. Molly Rhea, Heppner, a nurse and director of Pioneer Memorial Home Health, also a runner in the race, ran to the scene, called the ambulance and also assisted in CPR. EMTs and EMT director Carl Lauritsen, Heppner Police, the Rev. Andrew Johnson and ambulance personnel, among others, also assisted at the scene. "By the time they had him loaded in the ambulance, he had his color back," says Hams, who resumed the walk and finished with the other walkers in third place. "I had to finish the walk," she said. "By then I was in tears." Rhea also went on to finish the race and ended up first in her age group. "It was an awesome experience," said Hams. "I don't want to ever do it again. But I would in a minute if I had to." "Everybody comes down and says, 'you're a hero,' but that's not how I feel," said Hams, who works at Beecher's Restaurant in lone. "If God had wanted him then, he would have taken him. God's the one who kept him alive. This is just something I could do that could make a difference in someone's life." "I'm so glad we were there," said Camarillo, who added that the man had recently been to a doctor, was "supposedly a picture of health" and ran in many races. Hams and Camarillo, who saw the man off as he was airlifted to St. Charles hospital in Bend, have communicated with the man's wife and have heard that he has had balloon angioplasty (whereby an opening is widened with the use o f a tiny balloon to increase blood flow to the heart) is doing well and is expected to be released from the hospital on Friday. Family support program assists developmentally disabled Patti Pappas The Family Support Program, a new state-funded program to assist families who have family members with developmental disabilities, is now underway in Morrow County. Patti Pappas, case manager with Morrow County Behavioral Health, will facilitate the process for people who want to apply. "We're trying to recruit families with members who have disabilities," said Pappas, who added that the program can be tailor-made to fit families' needs. She said that the program can help answer a wide variety of needs, including : respite care for families who need a break in caring for a disabled member of the family; care for other children in the family so that parents can do some sort of activity with their disabled child; stipends or tuition so that people with a disabled family member can attend related workshops and conferences in other areas of the state; vocational rehabilitation not covered by traditional means; installation of hand grabs for bathtubs; lifts; computers and software related to the disability. Pappas said that to qualify. disabled persons or their families must feel that they have needs that are not being met by traditional means and must have exhausted all other funds for services. Pappas says that her role is to facilitate the application process. "There are rules I have to go by and roadblocks, but we work to help people get around those roadblocks" like preventative medicine. She hopes to help families before a crisis situation occurs-before the disabled person loses his job or is forced to move from his home. Those applying for the program must apply for case management services and be eligible. Pappas will assist them in writing a plan, using their supports, strengths and needs. "Having someone on their side is important," added Pappas. Developmentally disabled children and adults and adults who suffered a head injury before the age of 18 and their families are eligible to apply. The program does not serve mentally ill children. The Family Support Program is funded by monies which were previously used to fund Fairview, an institution for the developmentally disabled which has been closed. Morrow County Behavioral Health has also received a grant which was used to purchase two computers, one for the Boardman office and one for the Heppner office, and a laptop computer for Wheeler County. The grant requires that the computers be used by families of disabled children. Pappas said that there are Internet chat rooms, bulletin boards and other services that the families can access. She said that MCBH will train families and individuals to access information on the Internet. Anyone interested in applying for the Family Support Proguai nay call Morrow County Behavioral Health and talk to Pappas or Shannon (Bara), She says that the program's Boor, family support consultant, goal is to be proactive, sort of 676-9161. Heppner High School crowns prom royalty lone prom this Saturday The lone High School prom will be held this Saturday, May 1, from 9-1 at the lone Legion Hall. The theme for the prom is "Endless Summer." The prom court includes the 1999 graduating class-Ton Odinet, Roseanne Baker, Katie Tworek, Lela Gribskov, Jessica Krebs, Nikki Sullivan and Ryan Bennetto. Crown bearers are Tanner Rietmann and Cassie Arbogast. Volunteers needed To get your need for a volun teer listed in this column, call 676- 5886. This week, volunteers are needed to help clean the agricul ture museum site on Tuesday. May 4. The Heppner High School prom court was crowned in a ceremony during the dance held April 24. Pictured L-R are: front- prince Derek Gunderson, queen Jaci Hughes, king Jared Eckman; second row - princesses Brooke Sweeney and Jill Barber; third row - prince Shane Matheny, princesses Amber Peck and Janelle Healy; fourth row - princesses Bobbie Rankin and Julie Watkins; back row - princes David Bates, Tim Dickenson, Casey Evans and Elliott Strouse. Piano students Little League to hold recital meeting set The piano students of Debbie Wryn, Myma Van Cleave and Debbie Basile will have their spring piano recital on Tuesday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church. The public is invited to attend. A Heppner Little League meeting will be held this Thursday, April 29, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Neighborhood Center. Danner Boots 15% C OFF G G M orrow ounty rain rowers Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 for farm equipment, nut our web sit* at www mcjg net
