Local fire fighters help with Hanford blaze
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(left- right) Steve Rhea. Rusty Estes, Andrew Johnson and Tom Wicklund helped battle Hanford fire
imes
VOL 119
NO 27
8 Pages
Wednesday, July 5,2000
Morrow County. Heppner. Oregon
Willow Creek Baptist VBS comes to a close
Four Heppner Volunteer
Firefighters were mobilized to
respond to the huge grass fire on
the Hanford Nuclear Reservation
in the Tri-Cities area last week.
The four. Fire Chief Rusty
Estes and firefighters Steve
Rhea. Tom Wicklund and
Andrew Johnson, left Heppner at
11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. June
28
.
They traveled first to
Hermiston where they met others
from their strike team, which
consists of the Heppner Fire
Department, the Hermiston Fire
Department, the Pendleton Fire
Department, the East Umatilla
County Rural Fire Department
and
the
Boardman
Fire
Department. The group, w hich is
on call from the 15th to the 31st
of each month for conflagration,
then traveled on to the West
Richland area where they were
assigned to protect the Hammer
Facility, an industrial training
center, and the police academy.
Estes said that the five area
departments were the first team
to respond for Oregon.
The men worked in 12-hour
shifts, mopping up hot spots after
the big air tankers dumped water
on the blaze. The firefighters
worked in extreme heat, with
temperatures around 101 degrees
with six percent humidity and
sustained 30-mile-an-hour winds.
"The fire, at one time, was
traveling 300 feet a minute," said
Wicklund. 49. "Before we got
there they told us it blew 20
miles in 90 minutes."
"My hat's off to the loeal
departments from over there,"
said Rhea. 45. "They’re the ones
who took the brunt of the fire. To
only lose 64 structures was
amazing for that type of fire
behavior. They’re the ones to be
commended."
All the Heppner fire fighters
agreed that the people in the Tri-
Cities area gave them a very
warm reception.
"The people there loved us,"
said Johnson, 34. "They brought
us food, they waved."
"We were very well received,"
added Estes, 42. "It was
unbelievable."
"The community support was
tremendous." added Wicklund.
"They donated food, water,
produce."
Improvements made
on Pro Rodeo
A new announcer's box, a
warm up arena, new bleachers,
fencing, lighting and new
handicap access is a great deal to
improve on in a few short years
at the Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
Arena but the improvements are
not done, says Sue Gibbs, media
chair.
A new pole building will be
constructed before rodeo time
this year at the east end of the
arena.
The pole building can be used
during fair and rodeo w here the
old tent has been put up in the
past. The pole building will have
a roof and w ill be excellent for
shade and shelter this year in
place of the tent, says Gibbs. The
building will be 30 by 40 feet
with 10 foot eves.
The committee raised enough
money for materials through
fund raisers and the labor w ill be
donated by Eckman Construetion
This pole shed will be a multi-
Volunteers and children attending the Willow Creek Baptist Church vacation Bible school at the Heppner ( ity Park last week assemble
with the food they brought and planned to donate to the Heppner Neighborhood Center. "This week has been really great." said Angie
Hanson. VBS organizer. "We saw lots of kids, sang lots of songs and had lots of fun." Hanson also fed the volunteers, many ol w hom came
from the Tri-Cities area.
"It was awesome." addedRachel Owens. 13, one of the volunteers coming from Kennewick. "I liked it a lot more than I thought, but it's
also a lot harder than I thought. I'm having a lot of fun.”
Lexington councilmen withdraw resignations
Duane Disque and Pat Baker
Disque and Baker were allowed
changed their minds Thursday back on the council because their
night and
withdrew their resignations had not been
resignations from the Lexington officially accepted.
city council less than a month
Thursday the remaining
after they had declared they were councilmembers accepted the
off the town's governing body.
resignations of Renfro and Kemp
Both of the men had resigned and then appointed Anderson as
by letter prior to last month's "moderator" of the council
town council meeting, a meeting meeting.
at which Mayor John Renfro and
The town's attorney Bill Kuhn
councilmember Marsha Kemp said he asked Disque and Baker
also submitted resignations and to rejoin the council in order to
walked out. That action left pass the budget.
only councilmember Glenn
"You have a huge breakdown
Anderson on the council and in the ability to w ork together in
raised questions about the the city of Lexington." Kuhn
financial future of the town.
said. "These people I thought
Without a governing body the were the ones who could work
town's budget could not be together.” Kuhn said he also
approved and. according to spoke to Renfro but did not
accessor Greg Sweek. would contact Kemp
result in the town not being able
Kuhn announced that he had
to draw tax money in the coming
also
spoken with
county
year
assessor Sweek. who indicated if
Because of the looming
the city did not pass a budget
financial crisis Disque and Baker
Sweek would be forced to report
agreed to come back, and
Thursday they and Anderson it to the Oregon Department of
approved the city's budget for the Revenue. Municipalities are not
supposed
to collect taxes
coming year.
without a budget
In other business:
It was announced that Richard
Kempas was hired as the new
maintenance man for the city,
and that Jean Brazell would w ork
through the summer as city
recorder.
The council voted to approve
the city budget.
The coundil heard that Shirley
McCarl had resigned from the
budget committee
The council decided not to
release the results of a Oregon
Department
of
Justice
investigation into the town's
finances that was recently
completed. The report may be
released to the public at a later
date.
Horse show
The Morrow County Open
Horse show w ill be held Saturday.
July 22 at the Morrow County
Fairgrounds starting at 9 a m En
try forms are available at the fair
office. 676-9474. or from Ruby
Shear. 422-7290. For more infor
mation. contact Ruby Shear.
purpose building lor other
activities as well such as football,
biking, 4-H or other equine
events.
There are also plans for the
building in the future. This year
it will be a simple pole building,
however if more funding is
raised, the committee hopes to
enclose the building and add
plumbing, a kitchen and
bathrooms. If these features are
added it can also be used for
snack shacks, an office area or
meeting room, says Gibbs.
"Improvements are a great way
to enhance our community." she
said. "The committee members
of the Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
continue to strive for quality
facilities at the arena. The
facilities can be used for local
events safely and comfortably,
yet the rodeo arena attracts out of
town people into our community
to use the arena and equipment
because of the outstanding
quality and improvements."
Echoes of the Past Fair theme 2000
Motorcycle rider
dies in crash
"Echoes of the Past" w ill be the
topic as the Morrow County Fair
gets underway August 16 for
four days of entertainment,
contests, wine-tasting and the
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo.
The premium books will be
available the week of July 10 at
the local post offices, fair office
and Extension Service. Contact
the fair office for an exhibitor's
number and premium sheets.
"There is a category for
A Canadian man died in a
motorcycle
accident
near
Cutsforth Park around 11:4 a.m.
June 29.
According to the Morrow
County Sheriffs office, the
operator of the motorcycle.
Bryson K Heartwell. 46. Spruce
Grove. Alberta. Canada, was
pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the sheriffs
office, the motorcycle was
\n informational meeting on
northbound on Road 53 with
formation
of charter schools will
several other motorcycles, when
it drifted into the southbound be held on Tuesday. July 18 at the
lanes w hile rounding a curve and Elks Lodge in Heppner beginning
struck the pickup head on.
at 7 p.m.
The driver of the piekup truck.
fhe meeting will be conducted
Leonard D Currier of Tigard, b\ JoamcGillis, Oregon Dept of
was not injured in the accident.
Education, and John Nelson. Or-
everyone so see how many
exhibits you can enter this year,"
said fair secretary LaRae Kindle.
"How about challenging a friend
to see who can bring in the most
exhibits'1 It is a proven fact that a
person enjoys the fair more if
they are an active participant. If
you haven't entered an exhibit in
previous year stop by the fair
office and I will be happy to help
you with your forms.” said
Kindle.
Meeting set on charter schools
egon ( harter School Serv ice (’en
ter
All parents whose children at
tend Heppner schools and all other
interested persons are invited to
attend and find out about the rules
governing charter schools.
HARVEST HOURS
Starting JulyJth: Weekdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Closed Sundays
M
orrow
C
ounty
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
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