Tri County All Stars advance
to state tourney
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BESSIE
OF ORE
W E T 2 E L L
NE WS P AP E R L I B
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Hermiston Nationals in another
close game which Tri-County
won 9-7.
On Wednesday, July 14 the
stage was set for the
championship game between the
Tri-County All-Stars and the
Pendleton Nationals. Both
teams took to the field ready to
win and played hard, but the Tri-
County All-Star team took the
win, 5-4, and will advance on to
the state tournament in Bums.
"It was a total team effort,"
says coach Juan Elguezabal.
"This was baseball at its best,"
stated George Naims, mother of
player Kiel Naims.
The players who made up the
All-Star team are: Luke Murray,
Kyler Lovgren, Juan Jesus
Elguezabal, Kiel Naims and
Adam Wight, all of Heppner;
Billy Gates of lone; Zack Lantis
of Condon; Michael Sallee and
Jeremy Rosenbaum of
Arlington; Josh Kegler and
David Harris of Boardman;
Russell Madison and Jordan
Russell of Umatilla and Dustin
Swindler of Irrigon.
The coaches are Juan
Elguezabal and Tony Pupo of
Heppner and Dean Kegler of
Boardman.
The Tri-County All-Stars will
now move on to the North
Oregon Babe Ruth Baseball
State Tournament in Bums.
Their first game will be on
Saturday, July 24, at 3 p.m.
against the District 8 champions.
If they lose they will play on
Sunday at 5:30 p.m. and if they
win they will play on Monday at
9 a.m.
Senator Smith presents
award to Nikki McElligott
Hunter ed
classes slated
Senator Gordon Smith (right) presents an American Red Cross Certificate of Merit to Nikki McElligott of lone
in a ceremony in Pendleton June 26. McElligott was honored for saving Lee Ansotegui (left) Heppner, from
drowning in 1997. The certificate is Red Cross' highest lifesaving award. McElligott, 17, is the daughter of
Jeri and Joe McElligott, lone.
Town of Lexington getting finances in order
A group of volunteers is
assisting the town of Lexington
in getting their financial
information in order, according
to Jean Brazell, who is acting as
volunteer city recorder.
Brazell said Tuesday that the
files have been updated, but the
information has not yet been
reviewed by an accountant.
"I really feel like we're getting
somewhere," said Brazell. "The
decisions we've been making
have been based on upholding
the law."
The town of Lexington is now
seeking applications for a town
council person and a permanent
city recorder.
The council is asking that those
interested in applying for the
council position submit a resume
and a letter indicating interest in
the position hopefully by this
Friday, July 23, but at least by
Monday, July 26. The council
intends to appoint a councilor at
their meeting Tuesday, July 27,
which begins at 7:30 p.m. at city
hall.
Mayor John Renfro says that
the council plans to appoint a city
recorder at their first August
meeting with applications due
prior to that date.
Brazell said one major issue
facing Lexington is the on-going
project concerning the town's
water supply system. City
officials are planning to consult
with an engineer on updating the
system, but they don't expect to
be able to work on the system
until next spring. The town has
been seeking a grant for the
project, but, said Brazell, they
have been told by officials that
the prospects are not good-
because of the town's low water
rates and the economic situation
of the town's residents.
The town's system needs an
update because the water
pressure is so low that some
people cannot get water, said
Brazell. "We do have a problem,"
she said.
She said that the water rate will
go from $15 to $25 with the next
billing, but the town may be
looking at additional increases
down the road to fund the system
updates.
In addition to Brazell, others
have volunteered their services
following
discovery
of
discrepancies in the town's
bookkeeping.
Volunteers
include: Betty Christman, who
has been cleaning city hall;
Sherron Woodside, who has
helped get the accounting system
into the Quicken computer
program; council person Marcia
Kemp, who has donated one day
a week to provide office help;
John Edwards and Bob Taylor,
who have worked on water
rights issues; and Lorrene
Montgomery, who helped out in
office support earlier.
M onday - Friday 7-6
Saturday 7-5
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M orrow C ounty G rain G rowers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1 -800-452-7396
For farm equipnwnt, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net
Tri-County team came out on
top with a score of 3-2.
The second game for Tri-
County was on Monday, July 12,
vs. the Hermiston Americans
which the Tn-County boys won
easily, 18-1, in five innings.
They then had to play again on
Tuesday, July 13, against the
The Morrow County Health
District, at a special meeting
Thursday night, July 15, in
Boardman, approved a four-year
contract with Dr. Robert Boss.
The board, who had been at
odds with Boss over contract
negotiations for years, voted to
give him $50,000 a year to
provide medical care in
Boardman and another $75,000 a
year to pay the salary and
benefits for a physician's
assistant to work in Boss's office.
The board said that the
$125,000 will help Boss provide
care for people in the area who
have traditionally had difficulty
affording medical care, including
the Hispanic population,
Medicare and Medicaid patients,
the indigent and the chanty-care
population.
Boss, who has a loyal
following in the Boardman area,
had also been cnticized by some
for not providing adequate health
care for those populations.
According to the contract, if the
physician's assistant doesn't
generate $90,000 in annual
revenue, the district will pay the
difference to Boss. If the
physician's assistant generates
more than the $90,000, the
district will pay an additional
$5,000 for additional clerical
work for Boss. Boss will retain
receipts from the clinic, but will
submit to an annual audit of his
financial records, which had been
a bone of contention with Boss in
his previous contract negotiations
with the district.
After contract negotiations with
Boss broke down several years
ago. Boss, who had been
practicing in the district-owned
Boardman Medical Clinic, built
an office next door to the clinic.
The clinic and Boss' office, the
Boardman Healthcare Center,
operated in competition until the
district shut down its clinic July 2
of this year.
In Boss' previous contract with
the district, he was paid $130,000
a year and was provided medical
offices free of charge. In the
previous contract, as in the
contract currently proposed. Boss
kept the clinic receipts. In 1996
Boss asked for an additional
$2,000 a month, above and
beyond the $130,000. The board
agreed to the raise if Boss agreed
to a comprehensive audit. Boss
declined to submit to the audit;
however the board, in March of
1996 agreed to extend his
contract.
Contract negotiations again
broke down in 1997 and Boss
declined to accept the district's
offer. The district hired another
physician and Boss established
his own clinic next door.
Boardman area residents,
complaining that the district
treatment of the north Morrow
County populace unfairly, and
dissatisfied with the district's
financial status petitioned to be
withdrawn from the district. The
petition was denied by the
Morrow County Court in January
of this year.
Health district approves
contract with Dr. Boss
A hunter education course has
been scheduled for the Heppner
area. The course will be held on
August 3, 6, 7, 10 and 11. The
sessions (except the one on the
seventh) will be from 6-9 pm at
the Forest Service office in
Heppner.
The August 7 session will be
a field day from 8 a m. to 1 p.m.
As a general rule, all sessions
must be attended for the student
to pass. Another class will not
be offered in the area this
summer and young hunters who
need this class should attend this
one.
In addition to learning safe and
responsible hunting techniques,
students taking the class will
learn proper hunter ethics,
wildlife management and
outdoor skills. The course is
required for all hunters younger
than 18 (unless they hunt on
their own property) in Oregon.
Anyone interested or for more
information, call Russ Morgan
at 676-5230 or Tom Wolff at
676-5114. A $5 donation is
requested to cover the cost of
ammunition and targets for the
With the 1999 Morrow
field day.
County Fair and the Oregon
Trail Pro Rodeo fast
approaching August 18-22, a
building dedication and kick-off
dance are scheduled for the
evening of July 30 at the
fairgrounds.
A ribbon cutting ceremony at
7:30
p.m. that day will dedicate
The deadline to submit news the new
Wilkinson Arena. This
articles and ads for the Fair Tab, large covered
x 225 foot
the Gazette-Times special building, which 125
was
completed
edition, will be Friday, July 30, at this year, will provide
ample
5 p.m.
space
for
all
livestock
exhibits
The Fair Tab will come out
show rings. The building
August 11, the week before the and
was
constructed to also
Morrow County Fair and Oregon accommodate
year-around
Trail Pro Rodeo.
community events.
The building is named for
Advertising Deadline
major donors, Dick and Virginia
12 noon Tuesday
Wilkinson, who will be on hand
Dedication, dance
set
at
ceremony.
is invited to attend.
fairgrounds for The Prior the public
to the dedication of this
Fair tab story,
ad deadline
July 30
»
vest H o u rs
On Friday, July 9, boys who
make up the Tn-County 13-year-
old Babe Ruth All-Star team
traveled to The Dalles with one
thing on their minds. . .to play
tough baseball.
The boys first game was on
Saturday, July 10, against
Columbia. After nine innings the
building, the Morrow County
Livestock Growers are holding a
brand board party. Cattle brands
and logos of clubs or individuals
who contribute to the Wilkinson
Arena are being imprinted on
prepared brand boards. These
plaques, along with sponsored
banners, will be permanently
displayed inside this new
building, in recognition of
contributors.
A fair and rodeo kick-off dance
will follow the dedication,
featuring the music of
entertainer Zac Grooms. This
composer and singer is a
teenager from Arlington, whose
recordings have soared on the
country-western music charts.
Former
resident
injured
in Former
rodeo
area resident Gail
Papineau was injured Sunday,
July 18, while barrel racing at a
LaGrande rodeo.
According to relatives, she was
life-flighted to Boise, where she
remains in a coma. However,
they said that her vital signs are
good, she is now responding to
touch and is expected to regain
consciousness.