Oregon Trail still calls to adventurous
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Representative Smith gives report on
just concluded legislative session
State Representative Greg Smith (center) speaks at the Heppner Chamber of Commerce meeting
State representative Greg
Smith, just back from Salem and
his first session in the legislature,
told the Heppner Chamber of
Commerce he represented the
59th district well.
"I ruffled a few feathers, but I
represented District 59 well,"
Smith told the large lunch crowd.
He said at times he even went
against his own Republican
caucus.
Overall Smith said the
legislature did well. He said there
never seems to be enough money,
but, in fact, the budget was up 17
percent over the last legislative
session. School funding was
increased 8 percent, or $500
million, to $5.3 billion over the
last session.
Smith said another
accomplishment was getting some
senior projects put in the budget
that were cut by Governor John
Kitzhauber.
He said he helped small
business owners by protecting the
SAIF workers compensation
system resources, and held off
more regulation on small
businesses.
Smith he helped get more
funding for small hospitals like
Pioneer Memorial Hospital, voted
against increased fees by the
Department of Motor Vehicles
(the bill passed even with his no
vote), and worked to continue
funding for county fairs, which
had been threatened with cuts.
On the kicker, which returns
surplus taxes to Oregonians,
Smith said he voted no when the
state wanted to keep the money.
"I vote for you folks and for youi
right to keep your hard earned
dollars," he said. "The budget
was up 17 percent, and I felt that
was enough."
He also voted against a bill to
modify term limits. Even though
the bill eventually passed. Smith
said he felt it was too self-serving
and should only be changed by
voters.
As a freshman legislator. Smith
said he made a decision to avoid
much of the politics and just
concentrate of serving the 59th
district. "If you want to help your
district be on Ways and Means
(committee) that is where I am
concentrating my efforts," he
said.
Judge halts board
member removal
Circuit Court Judge
Ronald J. Pahl has issued a writ
of review and order on behalf of
board member Bamey Lindsay
staying further proceedings by
the Morrow County School
Board.
The stay will prevent the
board from filling Lindsay's
position which they declared
vacated and will prevent the
board from further proceedings
concerning the matter.
The board had set aside
August
20
to
interview
candidates to fill the two vacated
board positions formerly held by
Lindsay and Keith Lewis.
The board had earlier
voted to vacate the positions after
a judge hired by the district ruled
that Lindsay and Lewis did not
live in the district from which
they were elected. Lindsay was
elected from Zone 6 in the north
Lexington area and Lewis from
Zone 4 in Heppner.
According to Heppner
attorney Bill Kuhn, the school
board can choose to file a
response to challenge the stay,
but they must to do by August 2.
If they do not challenge the stay,
it will remain in effect until the
circuit court judge makes a final
decision.
Kuhn estimated that it
could take as long as three to six
months before the issue receives
a full hearing in circuit court.
Adventurous souls are
still answering the call of the
Oregon Trail. Although the
mode of transportation for
present-day
travelers—the
bicycle-is definitely more high-
tech than the covered wagon, it
rivals the Conestoga in terms of
rigorousness.
One such group _jof
bicyclists
passed
through
Morrow County in the midst o f a
heat wave last Friday en route to
their final destination 160 miles
away at Trails End at Oregon
City. That day the cyclists had
braved the heat over the
mountainous route from Pilot
Rock to Heppner The next day
they
planned
another
mountainous trek to Fossil. This
trip also included being chased
by a tornado in Nebraska.
The cyclists' ages are as
varied as their hometowns. They
range in age from the mid-30s to
the mid-70s and hail from all
over the U.S.-Bend, Oregon,
Vancouver, WA, San Francisco,
Santa Fe, Lincoln and Fort
Calhoun. Nebraska and Grand
Haven, Michigan. This group
even includes one Brit, David
Wrass from
Nottingham,
England.
The group, organized via
the Internet by tour guide, Tom
Armstrong, Lincoln, Nebraska,
started
off June
10
at
Independence,
MO.
They
traveled
through
Kansas,
Nebraska, Wyoming and Idaho
before moving into Oregon
territory, all-m-all over 2013
miles. They planned to arrive at
Trails End on July 16.
The oldest in the group.
Bob Lupini, 75. a retired
elementary teacher from San
Francisco is on his fourth
Oregon Trail bicycle excursion.
Bob, who has taken the role of
camp cook during the trip,
commented that the experience
was "like running away to join
the circus." Bob and Tom were
both in on the bike tour that
celebrated the 150th anniversary
o f the Oregon Trail. The pair also
stopped in Heppner en route to
the Trails End in 1997. "This is a
nice area," said Bob. "You're
lucky to live here."
"It's
kind
of
an
* adventure,"commented
Pat
Jennings, Santa Fe. "You get a
chance to break loose and see all
those different places you haven't
seen before."
The youngest member of
the group, Scott Howell, a tax
preparer from Bend, said that
despite the heat and their
rigorous schedule, for the most
part it has been "Happy Trails"
for the diverse group ’"'We
know the end is in site." laughed
Scott. Besides, after riding 50-60
miles a day we've worked out all
our aggression."
The bicyclists, who ride
touring bikes with 24-plus gears,
are accompanied by their scout, a
van that forges ahead, checks out
the camping sites and carries
food, a large butane stove and
other gear. The driver of the van
also occasionally checks on the
cyclists for any problems that
may have occurred on the trail.
The group starts out early,
around 5 a.m. and then breaks
during the heat of the day. Each
of the cyclists consumes at least
a gallon of water every day. By
8:30 p.m. they are all very
grateful for their tents and
bedrolls.
Economic development money awarded Fair edition
The
Baker-Morrow
Regional
Partnership
has
awarded several grants which
will
benefit
economic
development in the Willow
Creek Valley area
The partnership awarded
$8,000 to the Willow Creek
Valley Economic Development
Group for the "Zero Money
Marketing" plan to pay for
brochures and postage. The Zero
Money Marketing plan is a
locally-based campaign designed
to attact businesses to the South
Morrow Industrial park at the
former Kinzua Mill site.
Willow Creek Valley
Assisted Living received a
$40,000 grant to provide gap
financing for furniture and other
items for the proposed assisted
living center to be located in
Heppner.
According to Heppner
city manager Gerry Breazeale.
the
partnership
invited
representatives from the assisted
living group back for additional
consideration for grant monies.
The Port of Morrow
received a $100,000 award to
build an "incubator" building at
the old Kinzua site. The money
would be used to remodel the
inside of the old planer building
so that it could be occupied by a
prospective business.
The Port also received
$10.000 for a marketing project
which would include brochures,
folders and descriptions of
industrial sites at the port in
Boardman and at the South
Morrow Industrial Park in
Heppner.
Another $15,000 was
awarded from the partnership's
business incentive fund to assist
in relocation of businesses from
the state of Washington
deadline July 27
The deadline for news
articles for the Gazette-Times'
annual Morrow County Fair and
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo tab
edition will be Friday, July 27.
News and photos must
be in at the G-T office by 5 p.m.
that day.
The fair tab will be
published on Wednesday. August
8 .
Bicylists traveling the Oregon Trail stop for the night at the Morrow
County Fairgrounds in Heppner (left to right): Bob Lupini. San
Francisco, Scott Howell. Bend. Pat Jennings. Santa Fe. New Mexico.
Tom Armstrong, Lincoln. Nebraska. Jan Snow and Rick Snow.
Vancouver, WA. Not pictured are David Wrass, Nottingham.
England. Fritz Brace, Grand Haven. Michigan, and Tim Oelke. Fort
Calhoun, Nebraska.
M orrow Countv Horse
Show this weekend
Morrow County Open
Horse Show organizer Ruby
Shear has planned a "whole new
show" to revitalize the event
planned this Saturday, July 21. at
the Morrow County Fairgrounds
in Heppner.
Admission is free and
concessions will be available,
provided by R&W Drive In.
The show will feature
events in three arenas. The
Wilkinson arena will host the
English classes and jumpers,
getting underway at 10 a.m.: the
Morrow County outdoor arena
will host the Western classes,
also beginning at 10 a.m.; and the
grass arena will host the halter
classes and kids' horse show,
beginning at 9 a.m.
Entries
close
the
morning of the show at 8:30 a.m
Cost for entry is $5 per class for
a horse/nder combination or $25
all
day
per
horse/nder
combination.
Western classes include:
showmanship, equitation, green
horse equitation, novice horse
equitation, pleasure, green horse
pleasure, novice horse pleasure,
reining, trail course, pattern
class, working cow horse and
bridleless class.
English classes include
showmanship, equitation, green
horse equitation, novice horse
equitation, pleasure, green horse
pleasure, novice horse pleasure,
hunt seat over fence, trail course,
pattern class, dressage class and
jumper class.
Halter classes include:
mare and foal, weanling and
yearling fillies, weanling and
yearling colts, geldings two years
and olcer. mares two years and
older, stallions two years and
older, minis and ponies, all other
breeds, champion and reserve
champion class.
The kids' show, which
immediately follows the halter
classes, includes showmanship,
walk-trot equitation, walk-trot
pleasure, trail class, put and take
stick race: carry water in a cup
race: boot race; bubble gum race;
gunny sack race; and a bareback
dollar bill race. The children may
have a helper as needed for
safety.
There will also be a
driving class-horse and driving
class-mini-pony.
"The kids' horse show is
to have fun and play with the
horses." said Shear. "We want to
have the kids come out and have
fun. Every kid gets an award."
Shear said that Central
Red Apple and Murray’s Drug
have sponsored prizes for the
kids' show. Prizes provided by
sponsors will also be awarded in
the Western and English classes.
A bridle and reins will be the
high point aw'ard for the Western
class and a horse sheet will be
awarded for high point in
English. High point and reserve
will be awarded for Western and
English for 15 and under and 16
and over. Each o f the first place
winners, except in the kids’
classes will receive a $15 gift
certificate from Green Feed and
Seed or Columbia River Tack.
Shear
is
seeking
volunteers to help with the show.
"With three different arenas, it’s
going to be busy." said Shear
"We hope everyone shows up.
We're trying to encourage a lot
more county participation."
For more information or
to volunteer to help, call Shear.
422-7290.
Hunter’s ed class scheduled
A hunter's education class has
been scheduled in August. The class
will be held August 20. 21. 27 and
28 from 6-9 p.m. with a four-hour
field exercise the morning of August
25.
Each class period and the field
day participation are mandatory
to complete the course. Volunteer
instructors Tom Wolff and Jim
Marquardt will lead the course with
guest instructors and a speaker from
the Oregon State Police Game
Enforcement division.
All Oregon hunters under the
age of 18 must have successfully
completed the hunter education
course before hunting. The course
is also recommended for non-hunters
who may have casual contact with
firearms, archery gear. etc.
Parents or guardians are
encouraged to attend the class with
students. The class is allowed a
maximum of 25 students, with no
exceptions
Any adult interested m becoming
a volunteer certified instructor is
asked to attend or call for more
information To register, contact
Tom Wolff at 676-5114.
Jack and Jill tourney set
The Willow Creek Country Club
golfers will have a Jack and Jill
mini-tournament on Friday . July
20 at 6 p.m.
The tournament will involve a
nine-hole modified couples-type
of play with the format determined
by the committee in charge
Prizes will be awarded for low
scores and special events.
Hie charge will be $3 per couple
for members and $10 per couple
for non-members.
Light snacks will be provided
by the committee in charge
Hosts will be Bob and George
Naims. Craig and Debbie Gutierrez
and Mike and Cindi Doherty.
TAKE ADVANTACE OF OUR
HARVEST HOURS!
M onday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 » 1-800-452-7396
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