Show of support Fishin' is good for two Heppner men
prompts Lex.
mayor not
to resign
VOL. 118
NO. 45
8 Pages
Wednesday, November 10,1999
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Lexington Fire Heppner woman works to
Dept. Auxiliary establish radio station
For several months now been dispersed throughout the
Monika
Hunter, has been community and will arrive with
. to form
working on this idea of the Columbia Basin Electric bill.
Members of the Lexington
community
discussed
the
organization of a fire department
auxiliary at the October meeting
of
the
Lexington
Fire
Department.
The purpose and goals of the
auxiliary will be fund raising for
the fire department, fire safety,
and public awareness programs
and training.
The auxiliary hopes to see
smoke detection devices in every
home in the community with
regularly scheduled battery and
maintenance checks.
One of the immediate fund
raisers includes placing jars
throughout the community to
raise contributions. Future fund
raisers are planned to purchase
needed equipment such as
firemen's clothing, decking
material, scba’s (self contained
breathing apparatus), new truck
tires and other items.
The
following are planned fund
raising projects: chili supper,
bake sales, raffles and others.
Immediate upcoming events
for the auxiliary are to sponsor
the old 1948 Ford Fire Truck
(still works) in the Heppner City
of Lights parade December 2.
Volunteers are needed to help
"spiff up" the truck and get it
outfitted for the parade with
lights, signs, ribbons and tinsel.
A generator has been located but
the group needs a place to wax,
polish and decorate the fire
truck. Also planned for the same
evening is a hot chocolate/coffee
bar with a free cinnamon roll by
Marcia Kemp.
Meetings are planned for twice
a month, with the next meeting
scheduled for Thursday, Nov.
11, at 7 p.m. at town hall.
Future meeting will involve
forming bylaws and election of
officers of the auxiliary.
"Membership is open to all
and everyone is welcome and
encouraged to participate," said
Kemp. "There are no dues just
your energy and ideas. The
auxiliary is a community project
that will benefit everyone in
Lexington."
For futher information contact
Luella Taylor 989-8508 or
Marcia Kemp 989-8178.
"Please come join us and work
for the betterment of the town of
Lexington," added Kemp.
SWCD, Weed
Board to meet
establishing a radio station in
Heppner, finding a location,
seeking people to help out and
looking for funds. As of late,
says Hunter, many things are
starting to materialize.
The radio station "KNOW" will
have a fund raising dance at
Heppner High School on
November 18, featuring the
talented local music group Final
Warning. The dance starts at
7:30 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m.
Admission will be $3.
"Come help out with the radio
station promotion dance and if
you're lucky you can win a door
prize too," says Hunter.
A survey designed to provide
feedback on the radio station has
North Lex Livestock donates
to fairgrounds
Veterans Day observance
North lex Livestock Club lays turf at the W ilkinson arena
North Lex Livestock 4-H Club
recently received a grant which
was used to purchase turf and
sprinklers for Morrow County
Fairgrounds.
On October 17, 15 club
members and helpers laid the
new 6000 square foot lawn
outside the new Wilkinson Area
according to club President
Adrienne Swanson.
"Our club junior leader Shelby
Krebs and Morrow County
Extension Agent Bill Brodenck
wrote a request to Oregon State
4-H Foundation and we were all
thrilled to learn that we had
received a grant for community
beautification," said Swanson.
Those participating were:
Shelby
Krebs,
Adrienne
Swanson, Karl Morgan. Emily
Key, Abby Key, Molly Barrow,
Sara Barrow, Diana McElligott,
Salli McElligott, Jim Swanson,
Virgil Morgan. Tim Key, Steve
Peck, Charity McElligott and
Wilbur Jackson.
St. Patrick mini carnival slated
A special board meeting of the
Morrow SWCD/Wced Advisory
Board will be held Monday,
November 15, at 3 p.m. at the
Pettyjohn
Office
Building
Conference room in Heppner to
address unfinished business
from the previous meeting.
The public is invited to attend.
"Name That Saint" is just one
of many games that will be
featured at the St. Patrick
Church
mini-carnival
on
November 14.
Fun for the young is the
purpose of the fish pond,
basketball shoot and mini-golf.
Young and old may enjoy the
NEWS DEADLINE
cake walk and Bingo. While,
participating in the many games.
5 p.m. Monday
Hunter asks that people take a
small amount of time to fill it
out and mail it back or turn it in
at numerous locations, such as
Beecher's, the lone Post Office,
the Cenex store in Lexington,
and Heppner’s Central Market,
Murray Drugs or the Post Office.
"Your input is important to
us," said Hunter. "The radio
station will only be as good as
the community will make it. If
you would like to get involved
there are many things you can
do."
The next radio statidfl
planning committee meeting will
be November 30. Involvement
from the public is invited,
donations of expertise, office
furniture, etc., can be used.
Lexington Mayor John Renfro
retracted his earlier resignation
announcement, and said Monday
he would now stay on the job.
Renfro last month said he
would resign from the job after
he learned some people were
intending to start a recall petition
against him.
Renfro changed his mind after
hearing supportive comments
from many Lexington residents.
Monday a letter signed by 100
town residents in support of
Renfro was presented at the
council meeting.
'There were people who
wanted me to vacate the
position," Renfro said Monday
"What I didn't know was how
many people wanted me to stay."
Renfro had disagreements
with several members of the fire
department, and also his handling
of filling a vacant council
position seat.
Monday he
extended a hand and asked his
opponents to consider a fresh
start.
"There are negative feelings,"
he said, "but I hope you can step
over that and work on the issues
that affect all of us. Let's put the
past behind us."
Renfro then appointed Glenn
Anderson to fill the vacant
council seat. (Anderson recently
won an advisory vote taken in
Lexington on who
people
wanted on the council.)
The council then spent some
time discussing the town's
finances, which apparently have
been in disarray for some time.
Budgeting procedures were
apparently not followed correctly Ernie McCabe with monster King Chinook
in the past, and the council
This is the big one that didn't King Chinook salmon on October
Monday began taking action to
23.
correct the problems, which get away-the ultimate tall "tale,"
McCabe took 35 minutes to
but
with
photographic
proof.
included illegal transferring of
land
the monster between
Ernie McCabe of Heppner
funds
between
accounts,
Boardman
and Imgon on the
incomplete and late review data caught a 45 inch, 36-1/2 pound
Columbia River.
to the town's accounting firm,
and overspending the town's
general fund by $8,693.
The eight thousand dollars will
have to be "paid back" to the
town's general fund, according to
state of Oregon officials.
The council also decided to
assign each counci lperson to a
town department: water, TV, fire
department, general fund and
streets. The assignments will in
part place tighter financial
controls
on
the
city's
expenditures.
It was also announced that a fire
department auxiliary will be
formed to help with fire
department funding, fire safety,
training,
smoke
detector
program, public relations and to
get funds to purchase fire
department equipment.
The
auxiliary plans to maybe hold a
chili supper and bake sales to
raise the money. The auxiliary
membership is open to everyone
and there are no dues.
At this time no one has
volunteer to be fire chief.
It was also learned that
Lexington
Machine Works
would donate scrap metal to be
sold for the city coffers. Another
resident offered to transport the
scrap metal to Portland for sale.
In other cost control
measurers, the council voted to
cut the town's maintenance
worker back to 20 hours per Morrow County Commissioner Dan Brosnan shows the 4001b Blue Marlin
week for the months of Dec., Jan. he caught in Cabo San Lucas Mexico Nov. 1. The fish took two hours to
land.
and Feb.
It was also learned that a certain
Lexington citizen has filed a
complaint with the Oregon
Secretary of State's office, saying
A Veteran's Day Observance Charles Davidson. Louis Carlson
that the recently concluded
has been planned for Veterans will read the names; Darren Van
advisory questionnaire resembled
Day. the 11th day, 11th month. Cleave will play taps and Pastor
a ballot and looked like a ballot,
11 th hour, on Thursday, Dick Metz will deliver the
and it was not a legal election.
November 11, beginning at 11 benediction.
a m. at Hager Park in Heppner
The community is invited to
attend.
and culminating in a fly over.
The American Legion will
present the color guard and Fr.
Gerry Condon will deliver the
invocation. Bob Taylor of VFW
will raise the flag and Sonia
McCabe will sing the National
Willows Grange has planned
Anthem. Heppner Mayor Jerry
their turkey dinner for Sunday,
Breazeale will lead the pledge of
The Morrow County Arts and
Nov. 14, from 12:30-2 p.m.
alliegance.
Crafts Club will meet Thursday,
Cost is adults, $6; children six-
Speakers include veterans, James November 18, at 1 p.m. at Cal's
12, $3.50; and preschool
Norene, Warren McCoy and in Heppner
children, free.
everyone may also enjoy a hot
dog lunch and punch and coffee.
The mini-carnival will start at
noon on Sunday and last until 2
p.m.
Featured at this year’s event
will be the raffle for a special-
made pine cabinet crafted by
Kathy Bntt of Lexington.
The community is invited to
"join the fun" at St. Pat's parish
hall this Sunday.
Willow Grange
plans turkey
dinner
Arts & Crafts
club to meet
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