Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 2000)
So. Morrow Tournament Fri. & Sat. n033Ì9 " o t z o l l u o f 0 N o 3 p 1 99 r f .l b r n r y E o jo n e , oit 97433 VOL. 119 NO. 50 8 Pages Wednesday, December 13,2000 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Schools to put $22 million bond to voters The Morrow County School Board, in a unanimous decision Monday night, approved a $22 million bond levy for new school construction and remodeling which would go before county voters in the May election. The board added that certain conditions must be met in order for establishment of a new high school in Irrigon to be considered. The board said plans will proceed only if no measures or state funding formulas adversely affect the district's financial situation; and the district's esimated growth projections would remain on track. The bond levy would include: -new elementary schools in Irrigon and Boardman at a cost of $5,833,879 each; an upgrade of outside sports facilities and additional parking at Columbia Middle School in Irrigon, which would essentially transform it into a high school, at a cost of $240,000; miscellaneous projects in Irrigon and Boardman for $2,314,340. -replacement of the Heppner Middle School gymnasium/cafeteria/music room and locker rooms, for $3,404,747 with additional remodeling projects for an additional $4,654,868: -addition of elementary classrooms to existing high school at lone for $3,553.001, plus an additional $737,875 in renovations. The board also heard a report from County Road Department head Burke O'Brien concerning the department's budget crisis. O'Brien told the board that the recent failure of the county operating levy will force the road department to cut an additional $400,000 from their budget and perhaps several employees from lone girl takes first in state-wide poster contest Miranda Hunt with plaqua for first In statawtd# poster contest. An lone girl, Miranda Hunt, 12, a sixth-grader at lone Middle School, took first place in a state wide poster contest. Miranda depicted lone, following the theme of "Reflections, My City, Then and Now", as an assignment in teacher Dean Robinson’s language arts class. Miranda was awarded a plaque and a $500 savings bond at the 75th anniversary banquet and annual conference of the League of Oregon Cities in Portland on Saturday, November 11. She also received free lodging at the DoubleTreeJantzen Beach Hotel. Oregon Public Broadcasting was co-sponsor of the award. A high school essay contest winner was also announced. The entrants of both contests were asked to research their city's history and compare the results to the present. The middle school students were urged to visit archives, go the library, speak to senior citizens, meet with the mayor or go to a city council meeting and use the results to create a poster that shows what their city was like 75 years ago and what it is like today. The theme targeted civic responsibility-Were citizens involved in community development then and now?; environmental stewardship-How can youth work to protect and develop the Northwest's natural resources?; and leadership-What are the qualities of a good civic leader and how are they inspired to get involved in their community? Miranda's poster featured a portion in black and white to decpict lone "then" and a portion in color to depict lone "now." Miranda is the daughter of Becky and Gary Hunt of lone. HEDC annual meeting slated their work force. As a result, the road department may not be able to respond as quickly nor as thoroughly county-wide to weather-related road problems this winter. Wyden plans Heppnar town hall Dec. 16 Senator Ron Wyden will hold a Morrow County Town Hall on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Morrow County Courthouse in Heppner. Wyden will meet with Morrow County residents to answer questions about what's been happening in the latest Congressional session and to hear about constituents' concerns. Wyden began these town halls when he first gained the Senate in 1996 as a means of making himself as accessible as possible to all Oregonians. "It's amazing how many good ideas I carry back to Washington from these meetings," said Wyden. "These town halls are one of the most valuable tools available for making sure Oregonians throughout the state get what they need." Booster Club selling mats The lone Cardinal Booster Club is in the process of funding a project to improve the appearance of the lone gym. The wall mats on either end of the gym need be replaced with 45 new wall mat panels that extend door to door. Mats will be sold for $75 each. A plaque will be hung in the hallway listing the contributors. "Donate in your name, or in memory of someone," said a club spokesperson For more information, or to buy a mat, contact Jeri McElligott at 422-7257 or Monica Swanson at 422-7162. Arts and Crafts Club plans party The Morrow County Arts and Crafts Club will hold their annual Christmas celebration on The annual meeting of Thursday, Dec. 21, at GD's Heppner Economic Development Restaurant (Cal's Restaurant). Members and guests are Corporation (dba Willow Creek Valley Economic Development invited to share Christmas treats Group) will be held on and a $10 gift exchange. The party will start at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 8:30 a.m. in the Heppner Ranger District with a short meeting to follow at conference room. The public is 1:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend. invited to attend. The third annual South Morrow County Basketball Tournament will be held in Heppner this Fnday and Saturday, Dec. 15-16. Participating teams are the girls' and boys' varsity squads of Helix, Joseph, lone and Heppner. Action begins Fnday afternoon at 3 p.m. as the Heppner Mustang girls take on the Helix Grizzlies, as will the Heppner boys at 4:45 p.m. lone Cardinals will meet the Joseph Eagle girls at approximately 6:30 p.m. with the Cardinal boys to face the Eagle boys at 8:15 p.m. Saturday's action begins at 1 p.m. with the losers of the Friday games pairing off in girls' play followed by a boys' contest at 2:45 p.m. The winners of Fnday's girls' games will meet at 4:30 p.m. with the championship boys' contest at approximately 6:15 p.m. Admission to the contests is $3 for adults and $2 for non- Heppner High School/Heppner Junior High School students. Admission to one game per day is good for all games. There will be a benefit spaghetti feed and raffle on Fnday from 4:30-7:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Cost is $5 for adults, $2.50 for children eight and under, or $15 per family. On Saturday night the senior parents are conducting a pizza, desert and drink meal for $3 per person from noon until 7 p.m. in the home ec. room. Gary Neal Oregon economic development leader of 2000 Gary Neal (left) receives plaque from Port of Morrow Board of Directors President Jerry Healy. Port of Morrow general manager Gary Neal was awarded the 2000 Governor's Economic Development Leader of the Year award. Neal, who was nominated by the Eastern Region's team from the Oregon Economic Development Department, received the award in a ceremony at the Portland Jantzen Beach DoubleTree Inn on October 27. Bill Scott, manager of the Oregon Economic Development Department, presented the award. A surprise party in celebration of Neal's award was held at the Riverfront Center in Boardman on December 4. As Port of Morrow manager, Neal has been instrumental in siting new businesses and bringing millions of dollars of expansion to Morrow County. The port vied against 36 other communities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California in its successful bid to site the the Tillamook Cheese plant in the county. HES project brings in 469 pounds of food Santa and reindeer to visit Heppner A special visitor will be in Heppner this Sunday, Dec. 17. Santa Claus, along with his reindeer, will be at Central Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pictures with Santa and his reindeer will be available for $5 each. Lexington's mammoth tusk under study The city of Lexington's newsletter has informed the town's residents that a mammoth tusk discovered in Lexington has been taken for study by Blue Mountain Community College. According to the newsletter, Professor Stan Prowant transported the four-foot, 350- pound tusk to the college. Prowant, A1 Brazell and LaRoy Cline began the dig on November 10. The tusk, carefully uncovered, was found to be in a crumbling condition. Plastic was placed over the tusk and a plastering process began. The plaster hardened overnight and the tusk was rolled onto a pallet to continue the plastering and removal. Prowants classes will continue the tusk’s preservation will determine its identification. The tusk will eventually be returned to the town. Photographs were taken and will be displayed at town hall. Lexington lighting contest The Lexington Christmas lighting contest will be held on the evening of Monday, December 18. Out of town judges will determine winners in the following categories: residential- best theme, best use of lights and judge's choice; and commercial- judge's choice. Prizes will be awarded by Columbia Basin Electric Coop and the Lexington Town Council. HES teacher Cara Osmin and her class with 469 pounds of food donated by students to the Neighborhood Center. A project at Heppner Elementary School was not only an exercise in math, but also in the spirit of giving. Students at HES competed to see which class could brtng in the most food items to donate to the Heppner Neighborhood Center. Each day the children added up the net weight totals of the food, calculating from ounces to pounds. The students brought in 469 pounds of food. Jannie Allen’s class was first with 93 pounds; Osmin's class was second with 63 pounds; and Karen Smith- Gnffith's class was third with 57 pounds. Heppner High School to present Wizard of OZ The cast of Heppner High School's (HHS) May 2001 production of "The Wizard of Oz" has been announced. Leads include Julie Proctor as Dorothy; Kelly Paullus, Whitney Sherritt and Nick Anthony as Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow; Kelli Bates as the Wicked Witch; Krista Adams as Glenda the Good Witch; and Jody Maddem as the Wizard. Supporting actors include a cyclone, crows, magic trees, flying monkeys, Ozians and Winkles. Kindergarten students will be the Munchkins. Myma Van Cleave will be the pianist. The HHS production, directed by language arts teacher Lea Mathieu, will follow the MGM musical script, by permission from Tams-Witmark Music Library. San+a Says.... For Last M inute Shopping Ideas, Check Out Morrow County Grain Growers! Uniden: P ro 510 X L for $45.95 or Pro 52X L for $65.95 M o rro w C ounty Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396