Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 28, 2001)
Greg Smith criticizes Vera Katz* anti-beef stance E ^ n t î t f ot s s l l U of 0 Ii3.v3pi i 2 r L i b r a r y LU'..îïid, On 0 / 1 J-J State Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner) has joined other legislators to support Oregon cattle ranchers. This comes after the news that Portland Mayor Vera Katz had proclaimed March 20 the "Great American M eatout Day. "I support cattle ranchers 150 percent. Their contributions to Oregon’s economy are priceless," said Representative Smith. "I deeply resent Mayor Katz for portraying a false image that beef is harmful to consumers and the environment. I'm here to represent the citizens of District 59, not participate in that type o f nonsense." According to the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, cattle and calves are the largest commodity, other than nursery stock, in Oregon. "Now to have the mayor o f Oregon's largest city, with the largest port for imports and exports with 55 percent o f the greater Portland area jobs directly related to the Port o f Portland, to assign a proclamation that infers that by eating beef people will die, have strokes, get cancer, diabetes, or contact infectious diseases is absurd and could cause tremendous harm to not just cattle producers, but all Oregonians," said John V. Hays, president o f the Oregon Cattlemen's Association. "Mayor Katz should be promoting US beef, which is the safest in the world." Earlier, state representatives and senators throughout the capitol wore baseball caps, displaying their support for beef producers in Oregon. Said Representative Smith with a smile, "Tonight, I will be enjoying a pot roast in honor o f M ayor Katz." Representative Smith represents Baker, Crook, Gilliam, Grant, Sherman. Wheeler and portions o f Morrow and Wasco counties. Below is the "Meatout" proclamation signed by Portland Mayor Vera Katz: "Whereas a wholesome plant based diet of whole grains, vegetables and fresh fruit reduces the risk o f heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and other chronic and infectious diseases that cripple and kill nearly 1.5 million Americans annually and "W hereas such a diet helps preserve topsoil, water, energy and other production resources that are essential to human survival, and "W hereas such a diet helps preserve our forests, grass lands, and other wildlife habitats and reduces pollution of our waterways by soil particles, debris, manure and pesticides, and "Whereas for the past 15 years many dedicated Great American Meatout vol unteers have encouraged neighbors to explore such a diet "Now. therefore I, Vera Katz M ayor o f the City o f Portland. Oregon, the "City o f Roses" do hereby proclaim March 20, 2001 to be "Great American Meatout Day" in Portland, and encourage our citizens to explore a wholesome diet of whole grains, vegetables and fresh fruits." Pie in the face VOL. 120 NO 13 8 Pages Wednesday, March 28,2001 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Co-gen plant may be operating by mid-April The co-generation plant at the South Morrow Industrial Park (formerly Kinzua mill) should be up and operating by mid April, plant m anager Doug Dubuque told the Heppner C ham ber o f Commerce Tuesday. Dubuque, who came out o f retirement to head up the restarted electrical generating plant, said there will be about 16 full time jobs to operate the plant, which will produce about 10 m egawatts o f electricity by burning wood waste. "The jobs will pay between S14 and $17 an hour with full medical benefits," Dubuque said. The start up was good news for the com m unity which saw 136 job s go away when the Kinzua mill closed two years ago. M any o f the same people who worked at the co-generation plant when it was built are coming back to work there, Dubuque said. "I went out and looked for the ones who ran it before. That will cut down on our learning curve," he said o f the operation It will take approxim ately one truck load o f w ood w aste per hour to fuel the plant Dubuque said several sources are being looked at now, including using waste from the Potlatch wood growing operation in north county, and bringing waste from Pilot Rock. He said a large portable chipper will probably be brought in to chip logs and other waste to fuel the plant. "W e're probably looking at around 8,000 loads o f fuel coming in here per year," he said. A new fuel handling system which will lift the entire truck to dum p the hog fuel is now being installed to make unloading more efficient. "You've probably seen the trucks coming through town (with the equipm ent)," Dubuque said. There are also plans to add a second generator to the plant, which would produce an additional 3 megawatts o f power. Dubuque said everything at the plant is now being inspected to make sure it is working well, and added that the equipm ent looks in pretty good shape. The plant is a joint venture between former Kinzua ow ner Greg Demers and the Port o f M orrow, w hich owns the industrial park. Demers and the port will split the profit from operation o f the plant, and they have a 10 year operating agreement with 5 year options to renew. "I'm very positive about this," Dubuque said. "I see good things from this for the community." On April 17 a Department o f Environm ental Quality public hearing will be held to renew the perm it to operate the plant. It m ust be okayed by the DEQ before operation can begin, and Dubuque urged Cham ber o f Com m erce members to attend and voice their support for the perm it and the operation. The public hearing will begin at 6p.m. at the Bank o f Eastern Oregon in Heppner, with public testimony starting at 7 p.m. BMCC schedules area classes Blue M ountain Com m unity College has several classes scheduled for the Heppner area starting shortly after spring break. Residents o f the South Morrow County should have received a flier o f BMCC spring term classes within the past couple o f weeks. Anyone wishing to receive a copy o f class offerings for the area should contact Anne Morter, BMCC coordinator, at 422-7040. "Beginning G olf1 has been added to the schedule. This class will be held on Thursday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m. beginning April 12 at W illow Creek Country Club. The six-week course costs $30 plus $20 for a tem porary m em bership to W CCC for all non-members. Spanish Basics I and II are being offered on M ondays and W ednesdays at lone Elementary School. The instructor has offered to move the class to Lexington or Heppner if there is interest in those locations. Contact Morter for further details. Volunteers stuff envelopes for marketing effort Students and visiting "dignitaries" didn't look so dignified during a contest at Heppner High School last week. The contest consisted of Fishing a piece of gum from a whipped cream pie and then blowing a bubble. The First to blow the bubble won. The activity was a part of a motivational presentation at the school, co-sponsored by the Morrow County Sheriffs Office. Court hears Boardman senior center request By Doris Brosnan Representatives of the Boardman Senior Center spoke at the March 21 session o f the Morrow' County Court to report fund raising results and efforts to obtain grant funding for the building o f a center. They explained the center's current operation and the plans for the future and requested funding help from the county. In discussion o f the issue. Commissioner Dan Brosnan asked for the estimated annual operating expenses and Commissioner John Wenholz noted the need to treat all such centers in the county consistently and the need to follow the process for a tippage-fees funding request. The Court heard that a commitment from the county would be necessary' within the next two months and Judge Terry Tallman explained that the court is supportive and would have to include the request in the budget process. Surveyor Ron McKinnis requested from the Court the purchase of a reconditioned 36-inch- format copier and a stand. Judge Tallman explained that the purchase would be funded by the assessor's office, public works, the surveyor's budget and possibly the planning department. The Court approved the purchase. McKinnis added that the sale o f maps produced w ith the copier will add revenues to the surveyor's budget. County Clerk Barbara Bloodsworth submitted a two-year contract with a com pany for maintenance on the ballot counting machine The Court examined the details o f the contract, asked Bloodsw orth several questions and agreed to have the contract reviewed by County Counsel Bill Hanlon County Assessor Greg Sweek described for the Court the properties petitioning for annexation into the Heppner Rural Fire Protection District and parcels that property owners are preparing to petition for inclusion. The Court initiated the annexation process for territory into the Heppner Rural Fire Protection District. Sweek also reported that, despite the tape drive replacement, the tape backup still is not functioning properly. He expressed concern about efforts to correct the problem, reporting that LSD plans to replace the controller next. Public Works Director Burke O'Brien reported completion o f the Blackhorse Bridge project, work on the Balm Fork Bridge and the new guardrails on Morter Bridge, and work on Four-mile and Gooseberry O'Brien also reported that two employees are attending mine-safety training. He told the Court that the Boardman City Council has agreed to cost-share some work on Columbia Avenue. He announced that the ODOT vacuum sweeper will clear the county parking lots on March 30. O ’Brien awaits the agreement for the Ruhl Pit and the Court expressed concern about the delay's possible effect on the county's w ork schedule. O’Bncn reported that two employees are now w orking on weed control. Work continues on development of a cost factor for crushing. O'Brien said. He also described an attempt to develop a list o f maintenance projects on county buildings. Use of a form will help in planning and prioritizing time and budgeting, O’Brien noted. The repainting o f the courthouse windows and the need for repainting the clock tower to avoid rot problems are examples for the use o f a prepared form. Other actions o f the Court include: -approval o f annexation o f territory into the Oregon Trail Library District; -approval of a replacement printer for the sheriff s office; - allocations o f vehicles from public works; - agreement to change from four years to tw o years the time period in the management salary scale for moving from Step B to Step C, effectiv e w ith the 2001-2002 fiscal year. School budget meeting April 2 The Morrow County School District will hold their first budget com m ittee meeting on Monday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m at the district office. Account to benefit injured woman An account at the Bank o f Eastern Oregon has been set up to help Lexington resident Shari Stahl who was injured in a m otorcycle accident on March 18 . Stahl, who broke her back in three places and dislocated and broke her hip in the accident, has undergone hip surgery and is still hospitalized Oregon Health Science University. Donations will help with Stahl's expenses. TIM E TO Ten thousand is a lot, as volunteers stuffing envelopes have found out this past week The volunteers are stuffing 10,000 envelopes as part of the Zero Money Marketing Plan, which is attempting to attract businesses and jobs to the South Morrow Industrial Park (former Kinzua mill) in Heppner The Marketing Plan (which uses mostly donated labor and services), under the direction of the Willow Creek Valley Economic Development Corp (formerly HEDC), Is using direct mail, signs, news releases and telemarketing to find businesses that may be interested in locating and providing employment at the park Following the closure of the Kinzua Mill, and loss of 136 jobs two years ago, the park has been taken over by the Port of Morrow. The Port currently has located two employee type tenants at the industrial park: Miller Manufacturing, and the soon to be activated co-generation plant (see related story this issue). Above (left to right) David Sykes. Debbie Koffler, Ron Lindner, Marsha Kemp and John Edmundson put Heppner brochures and flyers about the site into envelopes in prepartion for mailing He«* flie Tir«‘ D ep a rtm en t nt* M orrow C ounty C rain Ci ro w e rs Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 tm in» mu »«nt »« >i >w meg»«
