Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 19, 1999)
riith annual Columbia Plateau bicycle race hits local roads this weekend By Paul Laak ♦ ? F !. F ■ S S 1 E « E T »j 0 F OF. F. ;; r w S P A P ' R L t ‘ EUMENE OR 9'M With the draw of spectacular scenery, lightly traveled roads, friendly towns and a uniquely formatted race, the fifth edition of the Columbia Plateau Stage Race is ready to start this Fnday, May 21, as cyclists roll out for lone from Heppner at. 1 p.m. Only 40 racers in all entered the first year, back in 1995, and the organizers took a bath in offering a large prize list. But the rough spots are being smoothed out and last year a record field of 208 cyclists entered from more parts of the Northwest than ever before. The women's field has gone from a scant 20 entries in 1996 - - the first year women contested the event -- to a quality field of 47 racers last year and the intermediate divisions have become just as competitive as the pros. Last year, participants traveled from Oregon, Washington, Idaho. Montana, British Columbia and, for the first time ever, Wyoming and Colorado. What drives bicycle racers from all over the region to congregate to the Columbia ' Plateau in late May? The many factors include great weather (usually), scenery, the roads and a different format. Most multiple-stage races held throughout the Northern Hemisphere, like the popular Cascade Classic held each summer in Bend, all start and stop each day at about the same location. The Columbia Plateau Stage Race travels from point- to-point which makes for a traveling caravan of racers, support crews and all their gear. The race makes over night stops In the towns of lone and Fossil, where locals help ready the high schools to host dinner and breakfast for all the racers. Heppner, lone and Fossil are the point-to-pomts for the contested three road races, plus one time trial on Saturday. Stage I goes from Heppner to lone with a 1 p.m start Friday. The Pro 1/2 field traverses 76 miles with approximately 3,000 feet of climbing involved. The rest of the racers do 55 miles with just under 2,000 feet of climbing. Then, on the second day, this year's race makes a change from the past in that it will now do the time trial in the morning and then the Ione-to-Fossil stage in the afternoon. Race organizers felt that having the time trial in the afternoon, like last year, when it was competed under cold and wet conditions, made the racers less competitive during the lone to Fossil stage in the morning. Now, they hope that the racers will be more combative along the roads going from lone to Fossil, a course described as being a roller coaster ride that finishes 1,600 feet higher than the start. The time trial will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, The Ione-to- Fossil stage will start at 2 p.m, Saturday. And for this race, participants do not get any change to rest on Sunday. The last day is the longest of the race as everyone will travel 85 miles from Fossil back to Heppner on Highways 19 and 207 with 4,000 feet of climbing. A total prize list of $4,500 cash awaits the leaders when the make their return to Heppner Sunday afternoon. Museum to lone senior girls and celebrate 39th mothers enjoy tea birthday Museum hosts traveling exhibit, 'Treasures of Oregon' Photo by Allison Sykes Robert Harrison, Dan Brosnan and Jim Morgan, pictured left to right, pause during a tour of the traveling exhibit, "Treasures of Oregon", which came to the Morrow County Museum in Heppner May 16-17. Meeting set for School holds spelling contest The 1999 Morrow County SBE; participants Kevin Coen, strategic plan School District spelling contest ACH, and Kayla LaRue and A public meeting to discuss the Heppner Community Strategic plan will be held Thursday, May 20 at the Heppner High School library. The public is invited to attend and give its input. Volunteers to help with Lex. city business The Lexington city council held an emergency meeting Monday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at city hall to consider what actions needed to be taken to handle the current work on the city's 1999-2000 budget and other city business due to the impending resignation of City Recorder Sue Baker. The city is receiving temporary help from an experienced auditor, and some assistance was volunteered by a former city recorder. Any persons interested in the position with Lexington should write to Mayor Bill Sheirbon, the council announced. The city has been wrestling with an unexplained $2,000 shortfall m the 1996-97 budget as well as a $400 discrepancy in the 1997-98 bookkeeping system. Baker's four year term as recorder would have run out at the end of the year 2000. was held May 13 at Sam Boardman Elementary School in Boardman. Division I winner was Sarah Hickerson from Heppner Elemen tary School (HES). Division II winner was Til Tullis, lone Middle School (IMS). Division III winner was Joey Bourne, Heppner High School (HHS). Following is a complete list of winners: Division I-first Sarah Hicker son, HES; second Amy Jepsen, HES; third a tie between Steven Roberts, A.C. Houghton Elemen tary School (ACH) and Michael Memll, HES; fourth Krystal Keg- ler, Sam Boardman Elementary School (SBE); fifth a tie between Brent Parks, IES and Amanda Walker, ACH; sixth Jace Jones, Emily Rietmann, both IES. Division II-first Til Tullis, IMS; second Zach Baker. Columbia Middle School (CMS); third a tie between Tyler Henderson, Hepp ner Junior High School (HJH) and Jami Moore, CMS; fourth a tie between Tracy Griffith, IMS and Crystal Munoz, CMS; fifth Brian Haguewood, HJH; sixth Dan Jepsen, HJH; participant Caitlin Orem, IMS. Division Ill-first Joey Bourne, HHS; second Randi McElligott, lone High School (IHS); third Jus tin Cole, Riverside High School (RHS); fourth Cheryl Rodgers, RHS; fifth a tie between Chnssa Chapm an, RHS and Katie Tworek, IHS; sixth Leah Denton, HHS; participant Stephanie Clough, HHS. IHS, HHS plan graduation The Heppner and lone baccalaureate services will both be held next Wednesday, May 26, at 7 p.m. lone's will be held at St. Williams Catholic Church and Heppner's will be at St. Patnck's Catholic Church. Commencement for lone will be Fnday, May 28, at 7 p.m. at the high school gym. Heppner’s graduation ceremony will be Saturday, May 29, at 7 p.m., in the gym. Riverside High School's graduation will be Sunday, May 30, at 2 p.m. Legion, Aux set poppy sale The Heppner Legion and Auxiliary will hold their annual poppy sale this Fnday, May 21, at the Heppner Post Office, staning at 8 a m. The sale was onginally set for The Morrow County Museum is celebrating its 39th birthday with an open house on Saturday, May 29, Memorial weekend. The museum itself will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Everyone, frequent patron as well as first time visitor, is invited to stop by and see exhibits, photographs and the Genealogical Resource Center. According to the museum staff, "Whether it's been two weeks or 20 years since you've dropped by the museum, there's always something new to see." The spotlight event of the day will be a "roll-out" of the large equipment in the agricultural collection housed in the former MCGG elevator on Riverside Street.. Members of the Morrow County Museum Commission will move the equipment out into the area in front of the elevator so that visitors can get a good look at this important collection donated by Harold and Edna Peck, the Osmin Family, Fritz Cutsforth, Jean Nelson and others. Commission members will be on hand to discuss the tractors, thrashers, plows, etc., and to answer questions about the museum's development of this auxiliary museum site that will house and exhibit the agriculture collection. The equipment will be on display from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. There is no admission charge for entrance to the museum or to view the agriculture collection. Ion» High School senior, Roseanne Baker, and her mother, Robin Baker, enjoy the Senior Girls Mother/Daughter Tea, sponsored by the lone Topic Club at the lone Legion Hall. The lone Topic Club members honored the lone High School senior girls at their annual tea at the Legion Hall on April 28. Girls and their mothers present were: Niki Sullivan and her mother Lori; Tori and Nansea Odinet; Katie and Lucy Tworek; Roseanne and Robin Baker and Jessica and Maureen Krebs. Lela Gribskov and her mother Kathy Gates were unable to attend. A special program for the day was a showing of a collection of dolls belonging to Leola Hawthorne. She told about dolls of many kinds, showing some of various types of construction and different time periods from Eskimo dolls, Barbie dolls, movie personalities and an old handmade doll out of her collection of some 500. Hostesses for the day were Kathenne Lindstrom, Alice Harper and Betty Gray with the assistance of all the club members. Willow Creek Water Park sets open house Lifeguard training offered Lifeguard Training will be offered by Blue Mountain Community College at the lone High School pool, beginning with an orientation session on Thursday, June 17, at 5 p.m. In this course, students will leam about the duties and responsibilities of a lifeguard. Students will leam techniques appropriate to life guarding at a swimming pool facility. Participants must be at least 15 years old and in good enough condition to pass a pre-session skills test. The course consists of 11 three-hour sessions, which will be scheduled at the June 17 orientation session. Cost of the class is $108 which includes books and certification fees. Pre-registration is required. Contact Anne Morter, BMCC coordinator, at 422-7040, to register, or for more information. DeltaD Willow Creek Water Park will have an open house Thursday, May 20, at the pool from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The open house will provide an opportunity for anyone to sign up for swimming lessons and to purchase season passes. The pool will open June 5. The schedule will be as follows: open swim weekdays 1-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and weekends 1-5 p.m. A ji adult swim will be offered weekdays 9-9:30 a.m. Swim lessons will be held on weekdays 9:30 a.m.-12 noon and 6-7 p.m. on the following dates: first session, June 14-25; second session, July 12-23; and third session, August 2-13. Those interested in signing up should call and reserve their lesson dates. Staff will be present to help determine your child's level. Private lessons will also be available. For more information call 676- 5752 and leave a message. An aquatic exercise group will be available weekdays from 9:30-10 a.m. and from 6:30-7 p.m. Swim team practice will be from 5-6 p.m., with meets to be announced. Gardeners offer garden plots The Blue Mountain Master Gardeners are announcing the third growing season of the Irish Green Community Garden. Garden plots became available May 1. They are 10x10 feet and the cost is $12 per plot. For more information or to reserve a plot for an individual or group, call Kay Proctor at 676-9827. DELTA P ic k u p T o o l B o x e s 20% OFF For stock on hand only • Through May 29th M orrow Lexington 9 8 9 - 8 2 2 1 • C ounty 1 -8 0 0 -4 5 2 -7 3 9 6 G r a in G row ers For farm equipment, nut our web site at www mcgg net
