Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2002)
Health district Booster Club set for auction losses down B e s s ie f f e t z e ll U o f 4 Ne»»pa ;*r Library E u g en e, OR 9 7 4 0 3 VOL. 121______ NO. 40 8 Pages Wednesday, October 2, 2002 Creative Care Preschool plans open house Creative Care Preschool in lone will hold an open house on Sunday, Oct. 6. The preschool has recently completed a major renovation of their classroom space in addition to improvements in the rest of the building. These improvements included removing walls to create one classroom out of two classrooms and a hallway, and replacing light fixtures, windows, exterior doors and floor coverings throughout the building. The open house is an opportunity for com m unity m em bers who do not have children attending Creative Care Preschool to come and view the preschool's new classroom space as well as the improvements to the rest of the building. According to Lisa Rietmann, Creative Care Preschool’s treasurer, it is also an opportunity for the preschool to thank those individuals and organizations who made the renovations possible. All o f the demolition, construction and painting was completed by Mark Bruno; the electrical work was done by Loyal Burns and the new floor coverings were installed by Tim Hedman. The work was paid for by grants from United Way of Morrow County and the Baker- Morrow Regional Partnership as well as funds from the preschool’s recent “Gently Used Dress Sale” and other preschool funds. Smith pleaded no contest From the Hermiston Herald (9-20- 02 edition) By Joyce Hensley StaffWriter State Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, pleaded no contest in July in Morrow County Circuit Court to a misdemeanor charge of harassment involving his 7- year-old son. Morrow County District Attorney David Allen charged Sm ith w ith unlaw fully and intentionally harassing the boy by subjecting him to an offensive physical contact by striking him. The incident left bruises on the boy’s buttocks, according to Allen. “ He said he was disciplining him,” said Allen. “I took a different view on that.” The investigation began in Deschutes County. “He was detained in The • Dalles by an Oregon State Police detective,” said Allen. After Smith pleaded no contest. Morrow County Circuit Court Judge Jeff Wallace ordered him to obey all laws and court orders to not use any form of physical discipline or corporal punishment upon any of his minor children and to attend regular family counseling sessions. Sm ith issued the following press release Thursday: “ O ver the last three years, I went through a very bitter divorce, at the end of which. I was aw arded sole custody of my three young sons. As any single parent know s, raising children by yourself is a challenge, but I have alw ays worked to be a good father. “This past M arch, I spanked my middle son after being informed that he had broken a window at school and then lied about it. My former wife notified the D epartm ent o f Human Services, who consequently contacted the Morrow County District Attorney. I was initially charged with harassment by the Morrow County District Attorney for spanking my son. The Circuit Court Judge and the D istrict Attorney believed that it was best interest of the state of Oregon and the welfare o f my children, to discharge the case w ith the condition that I continue the family counseling that my boys and I had sought throughout the divorce. I was never indicted or convicted of any crime. “This is a personal family matter. The timing of this issue— being made public just weeks before a general election— is clearly an effort to hurt me politically.” If Smith completes the conditions of probation, the charge w ould be dism issed w ithout “adjudication of guilt and is not a conviction for purposes o f disqualifications or disabilities imposed by law upon conviction of a crime.” If Smith violates any of the probation terms, the court “may enter an adjudication of guilt and proceed as otherw ise provided.” Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon New mechanic in town By Katie Wall D arren B radford, 31, recently moved to Heppner and started a new mechanic shop c a l l e d Heppner Auto Service, located at 238 C hase St. The shop is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ifafii his w ife Darren Bradford B elinda, who does his bookkeeping and scheduling, and th eir two children came to Heppner from Pilot Rock. Before living in Pilot Rock, Bradford lived in Unity where he had his own mechanic shop from 1991 to 1995. Bradford went to Blue Mountain Community College for two years w here he studied mechanics and participated in their diesel program. However, Bradford said that he grew up working in a shop with his father. Bradford offers Napa auto parts and can work on a wide variety o f car problems. He is hoping to get computer diagnostic equipm ent some tim e in the future. When not working on cars, Bradford enjoys spending time with his family, taking his kids out into the mountains, as well as fishing and hunting. You can reach Heppner Auto Service at 676-8984. lone girl to speak on experiences in India Sheena C hristm an, a senior this year at lone High School, will speak about her experiences helping at an orphanage in India, at the United Methodist Church in Heppner on Sunday, O ct. 6. She is the daughter of Kelly Christman and Carl Christman. She will speak during a potluck following the worship service, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to attend. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. The M orrow County Health D istrict narrow ed its losses down to $5,930 for the month o f August, even with a temporary reduction in Medicare reimbursements and additional costs for supply RNs because of a nursing shortage, according to a report from Nicole Mahoney, chief financial officer. Mahoney said that the August financials also included a grant for a defibrillator and a donation from the Pioneer Hospital Auxiliary for a new vehicle for the district. Losses for the year are $38,094. Mahoney also reported that the district is also paid up to date with its vendors. V ictor Vander D oes, MCDH CEO, said that the auxiliary, which recently received a sizeable donation, will also provide patio improvements and enlargement, patio area fencing, a sta ff patio w indbreak with furniture, vinyl for a clinic exam room and carpet for the hospital office at a cost of $12,600. In other business the MCHD board: -referred the decision to switch retirement plans to the employees; -voted to expense assets under $5,000 rather than depreciate them, on the advice of their accountant, Michael R. Bell & Company, because Pioneer M em orial H ospital is now a Critical Access Hospital and is reimbursed based on costs. The district had previously expensed items under $1,000. -approved a list of items to be surplused and agreed to let district em ployees have first chance at the items, which include old nursing home beds, a wood cabinet, chairs, refrigerator, laundry cart, riding lawn mower, piano, organ, a phlebotomy chair and three vehicles, among other items. -learned from Vander Does that the nursing home passed inspection with two items to c o rrect-a deadline for fingerprinting an employee was missed and doors in the nursing home need painting. Last year’s inspection was perfect. -heard an update from Vander Does on the district’s marketing plant, which includes redesign o f the district’s website, information posted on cable TV in Heppner and Irrigon, scheduling of a customer service training, providing health and EMS classes and attendance at chambers of commerce and service clubs. -learned that the district plans to initiate breast cancer and pro state cancer aw areness programs. -approved a plan to report any unlawful conduct by employees to local authorities. The district is required to inform specific agencies and in the event that those agencies were not available to call 911. Angie Hanson of the Heppner Booster Club shows some of the items to be auctioned off. They include autographed blazer basketball, stadium blanket and quilt. The Heppner booster Club will hold its annual steak feed and auction on Saturday, October 12 at the Elks Club in Heppner. Dinner is from 6 to 8p.m. with the auction to follow. Some of the items to be auctioned include a rifle, jewelry, hunts and college football tickets. Dinner this year will feature BBQ New York steak and baked potato with salads and homemade bread and desserts. Cost o f the dinner is $10 each. For more inform ation contact Angie Hanson at 676-9041. HHS Site Council needs to fill two vacancies E lections to fill two vacancies on the Heppner High School Site Council will be held at the Oct. 9 Site Council meeting to be held at HHS library at 6:30 p.m. C andidates m ust be parents o f students enrolled at Heppner Jr Sr High School and are required to attend monthly m eetings held on the second Wednesday of the month at HHS library . Candidates w ill be elected two a tw o-year term and are elected by other parents o f students attending Heppner Jr/Sr High. Site Council is a group composed of parents and staff whose purpose is to: develop plans to im prove the sc h o o l’s instructional program s; researching, developing and implementing professional growth opp o rtu n ities for the staff; assisting in the communication between the community and the s ta ff w ith regaid to school improvement issues and efforts; and presenting plans for school improvement to the board of directors. Currently, Site Council is researching issues such as class offerin g s. D istance L earning, and TAG classes/ programs. Any questions can be directed to the Heppner High School, 676-9138. Hardman throws annual feed Skill Building Funds and training available Pat G rose, program m anager w ith the O regon D epartm ent o f C om m unity C olleges and W orkforce D evelopm ent, will present a bidder’s informational session from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Oct. 10, at the Tamastslikt Institute near Wildhorse Casino in Pendleton. The session is open at no cost to any employer or agency wishing to submit an application for the new round of $1 million discretionary Oregon Workforce Investm ent Board Skill Development funds. For m ore program in fo rm atio n , link to w w w .w o rk fo rc e .sta te .o r.u s/ wfprograms/cws/cwrfp/ cwrfp.htm and click on rfp. Coffee and brunch items will be served. RS VP prior to Oct. 4 to the Morrow and Umatilla County (Region 12) Workforce Investment Board at (541) 276- 9050, ext. 230. Shirley Rugg volunteers serving at the annual salmon and oys ter feed Saturday night in Hardman. The crew served 400 people this year. All the proceeds will he used to repair and upagrade the Hardman community center where the feed is held. Every thing was especially fresh this year as John Gochnauer of Heppner drove to Coos Bay and picked up salmon and oysters on Fridav. GET READY FOR COLD WEATHER! N O W IS THE TIME T O FILL YOUR HEATING O IL TANK s | s . ' - 1% V* Call Morrow County Grain Growers # Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 f t « farm tqwpntni m»t our w» at www mcgg ntt
