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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 12, 2002)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday. June 12, 2002 The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow' H eppner G A Z E T T E -T IM E S U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act o f March 3, 1870, Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 147 Willow Street Telephone(5411676-9228 Fax (541)6"76-9211. E-ntail: gt it heppner ne( or gt u raptdserve ne( W eb site: www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times. P.O.. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 47836. Subscriptions: $24 in Morrow County, $18 senior rale (in Morrow County only; 62 years or older); $30 else where. David Sykes ................................................................................................................ Publisher Sarah Coller..................................................................................................................... Editor News deadline is Monday at 5 p m. For Advertising advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p m Cost for a display ad is $4 75 per column inch Cost for classified ad is 50c per word Cost for Card of Thanks is $7 up to 100 words Cost for a classified display ad is $5.35 per column inch. For Public/Legal Notices public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 pm Dates for publication must be specified Affidavits must be required at the time of submission Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required) On the HEPPSER WEBSITE: www.heppner.net • Start or C hange a Subscription • Place a C lassified Ad • Subm it a N ew s Story • V iew Real Estate for Sale • City Council & Planning Minutes • Local Businesses • County Park • Willow Creek Park Reservations • Free Digital Postcards • Senior Housing • and more! Long time worker retires from Heppner Post Office M m a Jeri W ight helps one of her last customers at the Heppner Post Office Jeri Wight’s co-workers were really surprised to hear about her retirement from the Heppner Post Office, but maybe no one was more surprised than Jeri. She had been working to process the paperwork for some time, but when she heard last Thursday, June 6, that her last day was the very next day, she went into a state o f shock. It was happy shock, mind you, but the prospect of immediate retirement was still a little overwhelming for the 28-yt^ar postal veteran. Jeri, 54. started with the Post Office in Spray in 1974. She transferred to the Heppner office in March of 1990. “That was a big step, but 1 had the advantage of know ing quite a few people when I came,” said Jeri, whose brother and sister had also worked in Heppner. Jeri came to Heppner originally as a part-time worker and then went to full time in July of 1992 when both Ken Naims, w ho was postmaster, and Floss Watkins, long time postal worker, retired from the Heppner office. I t’s been a very interesting and rewarding time here,” says the petite strawberry blonde, w ho greets each customer with a cheerful, freckle-faced smile. “I’m going to miss my customers. It’s been fun getting to know everybody and learning to be part of the community." After 28 years with the Post Office, Jeri has had her share o f both am using and frustrating experiences, but one that comes to mind involves a somewhat bizarre parcel. “The one that stands out is when Dick Temple (a local veterinarian) came in to mail a dead cat to some laboratory for testing,” laughs Jeri. Jeri says she plans to sit on her deck for a while, but also hopes to travel w ith Gary, her husband of 39 years. “My first priority is to go to Mississippi to see my brother that I haven’t seen in 10 years,” says Jeri. Retirement will also give her more time to spend with her mother-in-law, Velma Wight, who is “like a mother” to her, her son, John, his wife. Shelly, who Jeri says is the “daughter we never had” and their children, Adam, 16, and Riley, 14, all of Heppner. Jeri and her husband were both born and raised in Spray. She and Gary married young, but she was determined to stay in school and graduated from Spray High School in 1966. H eppner Postm aster Sally Larson and co-worker Barb Watkins are at once happy for Jeri and yet sorry to see her go. While someone will be hired to fill the spot, the position may be vacant for some time. Food Handler’s class Blue Mountain Community College and the State Health D ivision will offer a Food Handler's class on Tuesday, June 25. from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Heppner High School cafeteria. This class offers an opportunity for those planning to work at sum m er festivals or fairs to acquire a Food Handler’s card. A Food Handler’s card is required by the State of Oregon for all employees who handle or prepare food in food service facilities in O regon. This includes dishwashers, waiters, staff and businesspersons. Additionally, the card is now required of all day care workers. A $10 licensing fee, payable to the State Health Department, will be charged after successful completion of the written test. Registration will be done at class. For further inform ation, contact Anne Morter, BMCC South M orrow County Coordinator, at 422-7040. Obituaries Jerry M. Dougherty Jerry M. Dougherty, 64, of Heppner died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at his home. Recitation of the Rosary was held June 6 at the St. Patrick Catholic Church in H eppner and memorial mass was June 7. M r . Dougherty was born to C liff and Roberta Dougherty on D ecem ber 8, J e r ry M. 1937, at Dougherty Heppner. He attended Heppner schools and graduated from Heppner High School. He m arried Patricia Steagall on September 8, 1958, at Heppner. He worked on the family farm went he graduated, raising wheat and cattle. He lived there with his family all his life. Mr. Dougherty loved to hunt, fish and spend time with his family. He especially liked to watch his grandchildren participate in their various activities. He served as a Morrow County Rodeo Committee board member for several years and was a member of the Heppner Elks Lodge for 43 years. He was a member of St. Patrick Church and enjoyed cooking at the annual Valentine’s Day breakfast and volunteering at the St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Fie was survived by his wife, Pat; daughter, Cindy Leasy o f Pilot Rock; sons C liff Dougherty o f Heppner, Scott Dougherty o f Lexington and Jason Dougherty of Portland; and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister, Yvonne Lovgren and his parents. Memorial contributions may be made to the Heppner Elks 358 Foundation. P.O. Box 494, Heppner, OR 97836; Pioneer Memorial Home Health Care, P.O. Box 9, Heppner or a charity of choice. Sweeney Mortuary of H eppner is in charge o f arrangements. Memorial service to be held A memorial service for Douglas R. Carey who passed away in January will be held on Saturday, June 22, at 11 a.m., at the park south of the McNary Lock and Dam in Umatilla. A potluck will be included in this celebration o f D oug’s life. Participants are asked to bring a favorite dish and any photographs and memories of Doug. For more inform ation, please contact DeAnna Reade at 541-278-3493 (home) or 541 -969-1469 (cell). Death notice Helen L. Currin Helen L. Currin, 90, of Heppner died June 9 at Pioneer Memorial Hospital. Recitation of the Rosary is Thursday, June 13 at St. P atrick ’s Church in Heppner. Funeral Mass will be held Friday, June 14, at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's. Concluding service and interment will be at Heppner Masonic Cemetery. A complete obituary will be published in the Gazette-Times next week. Correction The Lexington town yard sale will be held Saturday, June 29 only. Sales will begin at various times. Births Casey Trey Fletcher A son, Casey Trey Fletcher, was bom to Andrea and Andy Fletcher of Boise, ID on May 16, 2002, at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, Boise. G randparents are Archie and Diana Ball of Heppner, Carolyn Fletcher of Pendleton and the late Bill Fletcher. continued from page one because of seniority and that could affect several schools in the district. The Heppner community also expressed concern that Heppner High School is losing its business teacher through retirement and thus much of its business program. Some business classes, such as keyboarding, will be absorbed by other teachers. An accounting class is scheduled The Justice Court office at to be offered at HHS through a V-tel program. the courthouse in Heppner reports Board m ember Gary handling the following business: Frederickson, Boardm an, -Shirley Elaine Happ Wamock, adm onished the delegations 54, Heppner; Endangering the opposing teacher cuts, saying that Welfare o f a Minor, $100 fine. the teacher to student ratios -Zachary Dillingham, 22, Lyons; throughout the county are “not Unlawful Taking of a Deer, $631 even close to equitable,” with fine. north end schools having greater student to teacher ratios. “I think -Betty Gray, 62, lone; Criminal we’d better wake up or we might T re s p a s s II, $257 fin e; have to close some schools,” he Telephonic Harassment, $157 fine. warned. South end community -Bonney Jo Hill, 22, Heppner; members are concerned that their Careless Driving w/ MVA, $210 schools, experiencing lower fine. enrollment, are losing electives -W illiam Joseph K uhn, 51, and will have difficulty attracting H e p p n e r; F a ilu re to W ear teachers and retaining students. Seatbelt, $59 fine. The board voted to -Keith Thomas Hanson, Jr., 39, postpone approval of the cuts until Heppner; Speeding/VBR 73/55, June 27, in order to have a better picture of school funding by the $77 fine. state. However, said board -D a rle n e Sue member Larry Mills, “There will M a rq u a rd t, 55, A th e n a ; be cuts. I don’t want anyone Speeding/VBR 75/55, $77 fine. walking away thinking there -Kerry P. Mclain, 23, H eppner; Passing Violation, won’t be cuts.” The meeting will $ 132 fine. be held at the district office on -Tessa R. Bailey, 20, June 27 at 6 p.m. Heppner; M inor on Licensed The board declined to Premises, $ 111 fine. reconsider a request from m em bers o f the H eppner- Lexington Advisory Committee to change the height o f the stage By Claudia Hughes that will be built as part of the Chamber Executive Director H eppner Elem entary bond “Welcome” to Grieb Land construction from 18 to 36 inches, Company, our newest Chamber their original request. Advisory of Commerce member. It’s great m em bers Virginia “G eorge” to have a good mix o f Ag Naims, Mike Armato and chair businesses as well as downtown Mark Rietmann said that the businesses and individuals additional cost of the higher stage enhancing the Cham ber could easily be accommodated membership mission, “a non-profit organization dedicated to creating because the HES project came in a positive environment where at $450,000 underbid. They business, community and people sought a higher stage so that grade school students could be thrive.” Heppner’s Strategic Plan, a better seen and heard by combination of the plans from members of the audience during school programs. different entities, involving The board also declined education, quality o f life, a request for funds to keep the infrastructure, business and economic development is in the old FJeppner Junior High School process of revision. The people gym operational another year, who come to the table the second delaying its demolition so that practices could continue to be and fourth Tuesday o f every held there until construction of the month want this to be your plan new gym is complete. Board and have planned two public member Larry Mills said that meetings which they hope you will doing so would be a waste of attend. The m eetings are money that could be used better scheduled for Tuesday, June 25, elsewhere. Postponing demolition at St. Patrick's Senior Center 11:30 a.m.-l p.m. (bring a brown was estimated to cost almost bag lunch), or you may attend the $23,000. A dvisory members voiced the concern that students evening meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. Why have this plan? It and families would suffer because simplifies the grant process for o f very early and very late entities that wish to apply for practices that may be required in funding for various projects; it order to work out a practice gives the community goals and a schedule to accommodate all focus; it helps us all to look teams during the interim period. together in the same direction. For Advisory members had earlier told an hour and a half, come, be heard the G azette-Tim es that they and be involved. New faces, old planned to again ask for construction of a double gym, faces, come help to plan rather than a single gym because Heppner's future. Ask questions, of the underbid, but the issue did make suggestions, share ideas. not arise at the Monday night The plan is yours. meeting. They said that they had Next week the Cham ber program will be Molly Rhea, earlier been asked by architects hospice program, and Rep. Greg and the district to trim the gym project because of costs, and then Smith. later found that the project was Thought for the week: underbid. “Nothing in life just happens. You Also at the m eeting have to have the stamina to meet Monday night, Mike Armato the obstacles and overcom e objected to the amount of money them.” the district had earmarked as carryover, especially during the year that 17 teachers were laid off. He said that according to the district’s audit, the district had sufficient monies to avoid the la y o ffs. T he d is tric t had maintained that the amount o f carryover was necessary to avoid financial min and keep the district Justice Court Report Chamber Chatter P fiB U R N IN G BAN Effective June 14, 2002, the Fire Chief of the City of Heppner is imposing a C LO SED SEASO N for open burning based on local fire safety concerns. This burning ban is for the City o f Heppner. A reminder that open burning also includes a “ burn barrel." The closed season will remain in effect until further notice this fall as per ORS 478.960. 4 School board from having to borrow money to meet expenses. In other business, the board: -approved employment of Lester McCormick, principal at Heppner Elementary School and Heppner High School; -approved employment o f Erin Andreason, half-time Riverside High School health teacher; Shirley Donovan, three- hour Sam Boardman Elementary assistant cook; Mike Burrows, district office m aintenance, replacing Ted Ost; -accepted resignation from C hristina Wahl, A.C. Houghton Elementary School English as a second language educational assistant; -approved installation o f- a composite roof for new school buildings to be constructed at Boardman and Irrigon. Metal; roofs were also considered, but were more expensive and the board determined that they may:. not last any longer than composite"' roofs. -agreed to have the;, superintendent draft a letter to the:: state legislature advocating passage o f an income tax. surcharge in order to increase - school funding. Two members voted against the proposal; -approved $78,250 for; asbestos abatem ent and hazardous material removal at the Heppner and lone construction ; sites; -approved $40,031 for a consultant agreement for material. testing and special inspections a t: the Boardman. Irrigon, Heppner and lone construction sites; -approved a bid with McCormack Construction for construction o f the Heppner Elementary School gymnasium and cafeteria for a base bid of $2,198,000 with the following add ons: translucent panels in gym- $ 11,800; concrete street benches- $3,770; curtain at cafeteria- $8,885; salvage brick for pavers- $3,850; install acoustical panels- $2,090; -approved a bid with ; Knerr C onstruction for : construction at lone for a base bid • of $2,216,700 with the following ; add-ons: expand gymnasium to •' standard size-$254.452; library ; remodel-$l 17,677; classroom I cabinets-$8,524; locker room rem odel-$69,917; classroom ; renovation-$45,220; kitchen I renovation-$ 118,057; n o rth ; restroom remodel-$15,014; -heard a technology j report from Nate Arbogast that : the fiberoptics project is nearing • com pletion. The board ; commended Arbogast for his I foresight and expertise in • overseeing the project. -approved a cooperative • sponsorship between Heppner ; and lone for the baseball program; ! -approved the lone High • School International Club trip to : Italy which uses no district funds; • -approved a jo b ; description for a special education l teacher on special assignment; ; -adopted the 2002-03 : board calendar; -approved the second ; reading and adoption of the head ' teacher job description, which ; would apply to the new head : teacher position at Heppner J Elementary School and head ; teacher positions at new schools l in Boardman and Irrigon; -heard the follow ing ; announcements: budget adoption I meeting and next board meeting, ; district office, 6 p.m.. June 27; : board meeting, district office. 7:30 • p.m., July 8. ; W e Print Business Cards Heppner Gazette-Times 6 7 6 -9 2 2 8 As o f Friday, June 14, 2 0 0 2 , Norco service o f g a s e s and w elding su p p lies will b e located at Miller Manufacturing located in th e old Kinzua sh o p at 5 4 1 7 3 tlwy. 74, Heppner, Oregon. ( 541) 6 7 6 -5 4 7 2 .