World champion Blue Grass group to
perform at Hardman Center
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HEPPNER
Nolan Murray and String 'Em Up
imes
VOL. 118
NO. 18
10 Pages
Wednesday, May 5,1999
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
HEDC working on community response team
The Heppner Economic
Development Corp. is in the
process of formulating a
community response team to
assist businesses that may be
interested in locating in the
Heppner area, it was announced
at the bi-monthly Kinzua
transition meeting Tuesday.
The team would consist of .
various members of the
community who could be
assembled quickly to work out
problems, and also sell the area
to prospective businesses.
In other economic
development news, application
has been made to the state to
establish an enterprise zone at
the old Kinzua mill site. The
zone could be used as an
enticement for businesses who
may be interested in moving
into the area.
The economic zone would
offer property tax abatements to
businesses who wish to locate
here and offer employment
opportunities.
In addition a plan to extend
the economic zone now in place
in Boardman, is now before the
Oregon legislature. If approved
this COOTd make the Heppner
area part of north county's
economic zone.
It was also announced that a
final decision on whether
Pioneer Resources will donate
the old Kinzua mill site to the
Port of Morrow, will probably
be made around the first of
June. However, indications are
favorable that some sort of
property transfer will take
place.
It was also announced that a
proposed third shift at the Pilot
Rock mill, which could have
offered
opportunity
for
employment to some laid off
Kinzua workers, will not be
added.
Pioneer
Resource
officials said because of
maintenance requirements the
third shift could not be added.
Pioneer Resource officials
did indicate however, that
small log converter might be
added at Pilot Rock, which
could
open
up
some
employment opportunities.
It was also learned that laid
off Kinzua workers may be
eligible
for
extended
unemployment benefits beyond
the normal 26 weeks. However,
application has to be made
before those benefits can be
extended. It was recommended
that laid off workers contact
the Hermiston employment
office for more details.
Heppner High School to present two-act play
Heppner High School students
rehearse for upcoming play.
The Heppner High School
Drama Club will present a two-
act play, "Help! I'm Trapped in a
High School," this Friday and
Saturday, May 7 and 8,
beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the
HHS cafetena/stage.
The play has a big cast, with 34
students participating as cast
members or crew. The cast
includes Paula Spicerkuhn,
Mandy Sneddon, Molly Turrell, VanWinkle and Krista Adams.
Craig Scott, Bias Elguezabal, Jeff
Make-up is by Audra Bunch
Currin, Jake Roy, Julie Watkins, and Kim Hansen. The stage crew
Abby Kahl, Knsten Marshall, includes
Damn
Ployhar,
Brandon Blodgett, Autumn Matthew Van Liew and Samuel
Chick, Ashley Collette. Heidi Van Liew.
Turrell, Joey Bourne, Laune
Director is Shelly Rietmann.
Michael, TyLynn Smith, Marissa Assistant directors are Lea
McCabe, Nick Anthony, Mitch Calvert, Patti Allstott and Barb
Mathews,
Chns
Bowman, Watkins. Costumes are by
Allison Sykes, Sarah Saine, Sally Casey's Costumes.
Calvert, Courtney Nelson, Sarah
Admission is $2 each.
Eckman, Kim Pointer, Scott
lone Lions plan Italian dinner Park district
The lone Lions Club Italian
dinner will be held Monday, May
17, at Beecher's Cafe in lone.
The dinner, with two seatings,
at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., will
feature lasagna, spaghetti and
chicken cacciatore, with garlic
bread, salad, dessert, coffee or
meeting changed
soft drink and a complimentary
glass of wine for adults.
Reservations are by advance
ticket sales available at Beecher's
Cafe, Wheatland Insurance,
Heppner and lone Bank of
Eastern Oregon or any lone
Lions Club member.
The Willow Creek Park Dis­
trict meeting has been changed to
Lexington Town Hall on Thurs­
day, May 6, at 7 p.m.
The budget meeting will follow
at 8 p.m., also at Lexington Town
Hall.
)
Local residents who have a
fancy for top notch Western and
Blue Grass music will have the
opportunity to treat themselves
to a live, on stage performance,
and also satisfy their appetites
with a juicy ham dinner, Sunday,
May 16, according to a local
spokesman for the Hardman
group.
The scheduled two hour
performance will conclude at 6
p.m., followed by the Hardman
ham dinner for those who wish
to enjoy a Sunday evening meal.
Cost of the meal will be $5.50
paid at the door. Pre-school-age
children may eat free.
Through special arrangements,
the executive directors of the
Hardman Community Center
have contracted Nolan Murray's
1998 World Champion Blue
Grass "String-em-Up" recording
artists to appear in live concert
Sunday, May 16, at 4 p.m. at the
Hardman Community Hall.
Murray"s "String 'Em Up"
group have made appearances in
Nashville and other major U.S.
cities.
They
reached
international acclaim in 1998
when they captured the World
Champion Blue Grass crown in
competition. They have received
world attention ever since.
Although Hardman is off the
beaten track, Nolan Murray's
group has consented to appear at
the
Hardman
Community
Center. Seating is limited and
will be available to those
without tickets on a first-come,
first-serve basis.
Tickets for the concert are $10
for adults and $7 for students
and seniors. Tickets are on sale
at Murray Drugs in Heppner.
CAPECO to assist displaced workers
Bernice Erskine
A program designed to assist
displaced mill workers, and
others adversely affected by the
closure of Kinzua Resources in
Heppner, has been opened in
Heppner and is ready and willing
to help out.
Bernice Erskine, a workforce
development specialist with
CAPECO, just opened an office
in the Pettyjohn Building in
Heppner.
"We want to be of service to
the community to help displaced
workers get through the red tape
of federal programs and make it
as easy as we can," said Erskine.
"Government help is available
and it is exactly for people in this
situation and they deserve it."
"It's hard for people to ask for
help," added Erskine, "especially
when they've been working for
20-30 years."
The program can help
displaced workers assess their
skills and career interests; help
them fill out job applications,
help with interviewing skills and
stress management; can assist in
job searches and can help them
with expenses
necessary in
seeking jobs, such as lodging,
meals,
transportation
and
relocating expenses;
can
provide up to 50 percent of the
displaced worker's wages; and
can also help with expenses for
attending vocational retraining or
college.
Erskine says that the displaced
workers are now eligible for two
sets of benefits-from both
CAPECO and the Oregon
Employment Division through
A,
which
provides
extended unemployment benefits
as well as retraining money.
Erskine says that many people
who were laid off when the mill
shut down came to CAPECO
initially. "Most people prefer to
remain in the area," she said.
"We did help relocate one man
who went to work in the
Willamette Valley. Most people
are seeking retraining."
Around nine people are
enrolled
in
the
Oregon
Department of Corrections
Program; three are attending an
industrial
m aintenance
technicians program to work in
food processing plants; three are
attending lineman's school and
two are attending school in
automotive technology and two
people are seeking associate
degrees in criminal justice.
Erskine says that in addition to
displaced mill workers, the
program will also aid those who
lose their jobs as a result of the
mill shut down. For example,
says Erskine, if a logging
operation or log truck operation
has to shut down, a business has
to cut back or a gas station is
forced to close, these workers
would also be able to apply
benefits. She says that the
benefits apply to business owners
as well as employees.
Erskine, who moved to
Heppner from Pendleton in
March, has had over 20 years
experience in her field. She
began working for East Central
Oregon Association of Counties
in 1977 and has been working for
CAPECO since 1992. She
received a bachelor's degree in
liberal studies with an emphasis
in business and communication
in 1997
Erskine, who grew up in
Scappoose,
has
lived
in
Pendleton since 1969. She and
her husband, Pete, who is from
Clarkston, WA, have three
children, two who are living in
Pendleton and one who is in
Seattle, and four grandchildren.
Erskine is interested in
genealogy and has discovered
that her French-Canadian great-
great-grandfather, a voyager with
the Hudson Bay Company, was
one of the first white people to
come to the Willamette Valley—
before the arrival of the first
wagon train. He married a
woman who was half-Indian, so
Erskine has a diverse cultural
heritage. "I started researching
the family around 1990 and I
haven't stopped since," laughs
Erskine.
CAPECO plans an open house
at its workforce development
center at the Pettyjohn Building,
430 Linden Way in Heppner,
this Thursday, May 6, from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. Representatives
from Blue Mountain Community
College and the Oregon
Employment Department will
also be on hand. Everyone is
invited to stop by to visit with
staff from all three agencies:
Erskine, Deborah Hayward and
Deanna Peck, CAPECO; Karen
Reeder and Chuck Matteson,
BMCC; and Kathy Davison,
Oregon Employment Division.
District spelling
contest May 13
The annual Morrow County
School District spelling contest
will be held on May 13, 1999, at
6:30 p.m.. at Sam Boardman
Elementary School, Boardman.
The public is welcome to
observe the district contest.
Theresa -Proctor-Reece is in
charge of local arrangements at
Sam Boardman Elementary
School.
Refreshments will be served at
the end of the competition.
D anner Boots
15% OFF
through May 15th
(Can order sizes or styles not in stock!)
M orrow C o u n t y G r a in G rowers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
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