Students voice support for new skate park
Bessie S e tse ll
U o f J Ne * 3 ya
Library
Eugene, uK »*Y4 j 3
Under latest proposal a new skate boarding park would be constructed at old pool site on Main and Cannon.
VOL. 121
NO. 47
8Pages
Wednesday, November 20,2002
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Neighborhood Center to distribute Thanksgiving baskets
High School students are
overw helm ingly in favor o f
construction of a new skate park
in Heppner, a recent meeting at
the school revealed.
City officials held a meeting at
th e sch o o l O c to b e r 28 to
measure student interest in a
skate park proposed to be built
at the old sw imming pool site on
M ain and C an n o n streets.
Students turned in three pages o f
signatures on a petition in favor
o f the park. The park would
provide a cem ented area for
young people to skateboard.
The city parks and lands
commission consisting o f city
manager Jerry Breazeale, city
council member Skip Matthews,
and public works director Craig
Canham met with the students to
"solicit input on a proposed skate
park at the old swimming pool
^ite.”
Students presented the three-
page petition w ith 169 signatures
on it. Some o f the students also
said that pictures o f other skate
p ark s and c o n stru c tio n
su g g estio n s had also been
acquired. Another student noted
that his cousin lives in a small
tow n like Heppner and that they
had solicited local donations and
built a skate park there. Several
students thought that it would be
a good idea to have an area
specifically for the younger
children.
Students asked why the skate
park could not be constructed
near Heppner's new' sw imming
pool, particularly since there is a
large area near the new pool not
in use. City officials pointed out
that the county owns the property
near the new sw imming pool, not
the city. Matthews also pointed
out that putting a skate park on
the old pool site w ould serve the
additional purpose o f completing
the clean up o f that site.
In response to questions
Canham stated that the area
w ould be largely fenced, the old
pool would be filled in and the
whole area would be asphalted.
He further stated that it might be
appropriate for the school shop
class to build the ramps needed
for the park. Matthews added
that volunteers and donations
could shoulder a lot o f the cost.
M erry B ran n o n , day care
director, said she would like to
see the skate park provide an
area for the smaller children. She
also noted that the young children
tend to emulate the older skaters
and the older ones need to be
aware o f that.
In response to a question,
Breazeale explained that city
council w ould have to address the
question o f insurance for a skate
park, which would involve a
substantial increase in cost for the
city.
The council discussed the
park and the student input at its
November 12 counci I meeting. “1
am going to come to you for
su p p o rt for a sk ate park,
Canham told the council. None
on the council voiced opposition
to the skate park.
Sports Award banquet announced at lone Site Council
Faye Seitz, a Neighborhood Center volunteer, works on filling this year's Thanksgiving baskets
It is that time o f year again, when the
community and the Heppner Neighborhood
Center o f South Morrow County get together
to create Thanksgiving baskets for local
families.
On Nov. 21, fifty families, from Heppner,
Hardman, Lexington and lone, will be receiving the
Thanksgiving baskets.
“The baskets are filled with everything needed
for a Thanksgiving dinner, and then some,” said Janice
Skaggs, Neighborhood Center coordinator.
HCC to hold public meeting to discuss Strategic Plan
Residents o f Heppner
and its surrounding area are
e n c o u ra g e d to a tte n d th e
Heppner Coordinating Council
evening meeting on Monday,
Nov. 25, at 6:30 p.m., at St.
P atrick’s Senior Center. The
C o u n c il is a g a in se e k in g
community assistance with the
re v is io n o f th e “ H e p p n e r
Strategic Plan.” The purpose o f
th e m e e tin g is to id e n tify
strategies and action plans for the
goals established at the previous
two public meetings.
In June, co m m u n ity
members worked together to
create and prioritize goals in the
c a te g o rie s
o f B u sin e ss
D e v e lo p m e n t, E d u c a tio n ,
Infrastructure, and Quality o f
Life. Since those meetings, the
H CC has been c o m p ilin g
supportive information to identity
strengths o f and chal lenges to the
community and to identity trends
that influence and will continue to
influence Heppner's existence.
The action plans will provide the
final ingredient as the Strategic
Plan revision is formulated.
The HCC meets twice
monthly at 7:30 a.m., and the
general public is invited to those
m eetings. M embers o f HCC
believe, however, that the early-
morning time slot does not fit
some people's schedules, though
their interest in the strategic plan
might be high. The committee’s
hope is that the people who
attended the June meetings w ill
return to help on Nov. 25 and
that many more civic-minded
individuals will join the evening
conversations.
Recognizing that many
thoughts next Monday will be
turning to Thanksgiving, the HCC
has decided to add the draw ing
o f an appropriate door prize to
the evening’s agenda. At the end
o f the meeting, one person in
attendance will win a frozen
turkey. The refreshments and the
turkey are intended as a "Thank
Y ou” to e v e ry o n e w ho
participates in the work and
contributes to a strategic plan that
truly reflects w hat the citizens of
the area recognize as important
to Heppner.
L iste d below , by
category, are the top goals
resulting from the June meetings
o f com m unity members. On
Monday everyone will work to
plan strategies and actions for
attaining these goals:
Business Development And
Employment Opportunities:
Development o f a marketing plan
and strategy that will promote
small business and light industrial,
therefore providing jo b s for
youths and adults; Retention o f
local m edical facilities and
services and promotion o f the use
o f local sen ices; and Provision
o f in fo rm atio n to p ro m o te
development o f small business
and p ro m o te and en h a n c e
to u rism ;
E ducation:
M aintenance o f all cu rren t
curricular program offerings;
Expansion o f access to and use
continued page two
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
At the Nov. 13 lone Site
C o u n cil m e e tin g , it w as
announced that Tuesday, Nov.
26, lone High School will be
having its Fall Sports Awards
banquet at 7 p.m. They also
noted that Thanksgiving Break
would begin at noon on Nov. 27.
Other site council news
included:
-The recognition o f
Diana M cElligott and Mike
Radie who received bronze
m e d als
from
W en d y ’s
International. Each year Wendy’s
International recognizes 20
students from each state who they
feel are ab le to b alan ce
a c a d e m ic s, a th le tic s and
community service. McElligott
and Radie will continue to the
national competition where they
co m p ete for gold or silver
medals.
-The Cardinal football
team went to state quarterfinals
finishing in the top eight.
-The Lady C ardinal
volleyball team progressed to
state playoffs where they placed
third in the State 1A competition.
Diana McElligott and Natalie
McElligott were named state all
stars as well as district all-stars.
Caitlin Orem and Megan M.
M cCabe received honorable
mentions at the district level.
-Both the volleyball and
the football team placed second
this year for the Dairy Farmers
Cup.
-A ccelerated R eader
(Elementary): Updated software
has been ordered and the books
we need for this program.
-SOS Reading Program
(Secondary) Our next in-service
will be on the Nov. 22. There will
be tw o additional in-services.
-Site C ouncil By-Laws:
We will discuss it at the next
meeting.
-Plato Demonstration-
D a rle n e and D ean gave a
computer demonstration o f how
the Plato softw are w orks. There
was a question / answer time after
the demonstration.
-T estin g S ch ed u le:
Principal Mike Stuart set up a
schedule for taking the online
TESA as well as make-up days
for those students who might
happen to be absent. These tests
w ill be c o m p le te d b efo re
T hanksgiving break. Stuart
explained how the test score
results work and how teachers
may use the scores to see what
skill areas students should be
working on. There was quite a
bit o f discussion o f the testing
process and whether students
have to re-take the test once they
have p assed . T h ere w as
discussion also o f the schedule.
Morror Co. Fair and Oregon Trail Pro
Rodeo announces next year’s court
L-R: Morrow County Fair and Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo Court Princesses
Megan McCabe and Lexi Kennedy
M egan M cC abe o f
Lexington and Lexi Kennedy o f
Boardman w ere chosen to be the
2002-2003 Morrow County Fair
and Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
Court. Last year both girls were
pennant bearers for the Court.
Megan, the daughter o f
Kevin and Lori McCabe, is a
junior at lone High School this
year. Lexi, the daughter o f Kev in
and T rade Kennedy and Tami
Kennedy, is a junior at Riverside
High School.
The Morrow County
F air O ffic e is still t aki ng
applications for pennant bearers
for this year's Fair and Rodeo
Court. They w ill be trav eling to
parades with the court. For
information or an application, call
Renee at 676-9474.
IN SHOP PARTS AND LABOR
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Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 9 8 9 -8 2 2 1 • 1 -8 0 0 -4 5 2 -7 3 9 6
For linn t^ui^Aiwt xtjit out tob titt it tmtntt hicu ^ sot