SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Journalist with local ties to write comprehensive story on Heppner flood
H eppner, its flood
and its people will have a
new light shining upon it that
the whole world will have a
chance to see Joann Byrd, a
journalist with 47 years o f
e x p e rie n c e and ties to
H eppner, has decided to
undertake the project o f
writing the “whole story” o f
the 1903 Heppner flood
B yrd, cousin to
Heppner businessman Cliff
Green, had spent many a day
in Heppner visiting relatives
as a small child and had
alw ays heard about the
flood However, it w asn’t
until recently that she really
becam e interested in the
story. A fter reading the
book, “Days o f Sorrow,” and
hearing about the 100th year
commemoration, Byrd, who
now resid es in S e attle,
contacted Green and asked
for a little tour Green was
glad to accommodate her
and showed her the flood
monument and places the
flood had touched This led
Byrd to question who had
written “THE” story on the
flood and learned that not
much had been written On
her way home from the visit
to Heppner, she said she
became haunted with the
idea o f writing the story.
Writing is not a new
thing to Byrd. She began a
life-long career in journalism
at the age o f 13. Feeling that
the East Oregonian was not
covering activities at her
junior high school, McCune
Junior High in Pendleton,
she
a p p ro a ch e d
the
publisher/editor o f the paper
to do something about it.
They suggested she write
stories for the paper, which
lead to the c re atio n o f
“ M cC u n e ’s C o rn er” and
Byrd’s love o f writing The
job appealed greatly to her
and she enjoyed talking with
people and having a “license
to snoop around.”
Byrd continued to
write for the East Oregonian
th rough high school and
college and expanded her
writing fields. She attended
University o f Oregon and
never looked at any other
field than journalism.
H er c a re e r has
in cluded
w o rk in g
as
ex ecu tiv e e d ito r o f The
H erald in E v e re tt, WA,
ombudsman (internal critic)
for The Washington Post and
she retired in 2003 from the
position as editor o f the
editorial page at the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer. She has
also taught journalism ethics
at Poynter Institute and the
University o f Washington
She was also one o f three
outsiders brought in during
2003 to help the New York
Times figure out how Jayson
Blair could have gotten away
w ith
p lag iarism
and
fabrication at the paper She
is also the primary author o f
the ethics decision-making
p ro c e ss
known as
the Ethics
Tool. For
the past
six years,
Byrd has
also been
a member
of
the
P u litz e r
Board,
which
makes the
Joann Bvrd
f i n a l
decision on who wins the
Pulitzer Prizes.
N ow that Byrd is
retired, although she is still
on the Pulitzer Board, which
takes four months out o f her
year, she plans on writing
fu ll-tim e on th is book
project. In the book, Byrd
hopes to tell the whole story
o f the H eppner Flood,
focusing on the people lost,
the people who survived and
the people who helped She
also wants to shed a light on
how the flood has influenced
H ep p n er
and
th e
surrounding area through
the years. In the telling o f the
story,
she
plans
to
incorporate information on
the geology o f the Willow
C reek Valley, how flash
floods occur and how the
w e ath e r situ a tio n cam e
about Byrd also hopes to
make the story interesting to
bo th th o se in M orrow
County and those beyond.
She feels that the story o f
com ing th ro u g h such
devastation and continuing
to grow and flourish is a
story that is universal to all.
In addition to using
re so u rc e s such as the
M orrow County Museum,
h isto ric a l
so cie tie s,
newspapers, records at the
University o f Oregon, Byrd
hopes that descendants o f
those who went through the
flood will come forward with
sto rie s, jo u rn a ls, le tte rs
p ic tu re s
and
o th e r
information that can help her
find the complete story. She
also hopes to find out
in fo rm atio n
ab o u t
d e sc e n d a n ts w ho have
moved away from the area
Byrd is also looking forward
to being able to “ask all the
questions no one asks” and
find out the information that
som e assum e ev ery o n e
already knows. She hopes to
delve in to all aspects o f life
in Heppner and the Willow
Creek Valley at the time and
how it was affected and is
still affected by the flood.
Byrd plans on
spending approximately two
y ears on th is p ro je c t,
spending much time here in
cR e a l
Estate
By DAVID SYKES
REALTOR
PRICE ESTIMATE NOT APPRAISAL
Real estate brokerage is
primarily a listing and selling
business It is no secret that
almost every real estate office
would like the opportunity to
list your home for sale Many
offices offer market price es
tim ates at no charge to
homeowners A market price
estimate usually consists o f an
agent previewing the interior
and exterior o f the home and.
based on his or her experience,
verbally estimating the value
o f the home The v erbal mar
ket estimate is a reasonable
“guesstimate" and should not
Past Real Estate columns and
property listings are available
at wnnv.heppner.net/heritage
l
be mistaken for a formal writ
ten appraisal which may be
needed for insurance or legal
matters
An appraisal is a written
report based on the research
o f variables such as compa
rable sales, land values, zon
ing. construction costs, market
and financing conditions, etc.
Don’t confuse the two. A free
market estimate is a rough
sales planning tool An ap
praisal is a defensible formal
document
180 W Baltimore #5
Heppner, OR 97836
W dtage Kami Co.
REALTO R 01
541 -« 76-9228
H ep p n er and trav elin g
aro u n d O reg o n , w hile
returning home to Seattle
periodically to take care of
other business. She hopes to
come out with a book o f
ap p ro x im a te ly 4 0 0 -6 0 0
pages, including pictures,
maps and footnotes
“I hope to produce a
book th a t will be TH E
reliab le so u rc e on the
Heppner Flood,” said Byrd
Those interested in
sharing their inform ation
with Byrd can contact her in
a variety of ways, or stop her
on the street in Heppner with
a story Byrd can be reached
by
e-m ail,
joannbyrd@ gbonline.com ;
by phone, (206) 285-7104;
or by mail, 2419 8th Ave N.
#302, Seattle, WA 98109.
She is willing to travel to find
a story and is interested in
any sort o f information
Sh eriffs Report
a Prohibited Area Doudna
was lodged at Clackamas
County Jail.
-M C SO
cited
Chelsey Rae Parker, 20, for
Driving while Suspended-
violation.
April 28: Boardman
PD cited L uis A lb erto
Nunez, 19, for Driving while
Suspended-violation The
vehicle was impounded.
-MCSO received a
report from a caller in Irrigon
that a fifth wheel trailer with
no plate or registration left
her residence Pamela Irene
B ert, 24, w as cited for
P e rm ittin g
U nlaw ful
O p eratio n o f a M o to r
Vehicle.
-M C SO
cited
Brittany Rose Kegler, 19, for
No Operator’s License
-M C SO a rre sted
Leobardo Solis Jaquez, 53,
on a Morrow County Circuit
Court warrant for Failure to
Appear/Unlawful Use o f a
Motor Vehicle.
-M C SO a rre sted
Michael Duane Bacon, 46,
on a Salem PD warrant for
Failure to A ppear/D U II.
B acon w as lodged at
Umatilla County Jail with no
local charges.
-MCSO cited Tony
Lee Wiser for Driving while
Suspended-m isdem eanor.
W iser was also cited for
D riving U ninsured. The
vehicle was impounded.
A p ril 29: M CSO
receiv ed a re p o rt o f a
d o m estic
d isp u te
in
B oardm an.
C h arles
Lockridge, 56, was arrested
fo r A ssault IV -felony.
Lockridge was lodged at
Umatilla County Jail.
-MCSO cited Diane
M arie H enkels, 40, fo r
Violation o f the Basic Rule,
72 mph in a 55 mph zone.
A p ril 30: M CSO
receiv ed a re p o rt from
Eugene PD that Kenneth W.
Hunter, 24, was arrested on
an Irrigon Justice C ourt
warrant for Failure to Pay
F in e /P o sse ssio n o f a
Controlled Substance- Less
than O ne O unce o f
Marijuana. Hunter was cited
and released from Lane
C ounty Jail to appear in
Irrigon.
-MCSO received a
re p o rt from U C SO th a t
Chad Ray Robbins, 34, was
arrested on an Irrigon Justice
Court warrant for Failure to
Pay Fine/Possession o f a
Controlled Substance- Less
than O ne O unce o f
M arijuana R obbins was
lodged at Umatilla County
Jail on U m atilla C ounty
w arran t w ith M o rro w
County hold placed
-B o ard m an
PD
arrested Juanita Longoria-
Holman, 34, on a Morrow
C ounty C ircu it C o u rt
w arran t fo r F ailure to
Appear/Attempt C Felony
Assault Public Safety Officer
and Interfering with a Police
Officer
May I: Boardman
PD arrested Jam es G ary
Jo h n so n , 41, on U C SO
w a rra n ts
for
P aro le
V io latio n /F o rg ery I and
T h eft II and P aro le
Violation/Forgery II
-B o ard m an
PD
arrested A ndres O ctavio
Chavarin, 23, on an Irrigon
Justice C ourt w arrant for
Failure to Appear/Theft III.
-M C SO cited a
fem ale su b ject fo r N o
Operator’s License and for
Possession o f a Controlled
Substance II. Daniel Joseph
Baker, 35 was arrested on
Umatilla County warrants
fo r F ailu re to A ppear/
Possession o f a Controlled
Substance II and Failure to
A ppear/H earing and was
cited on Parole Violation
B ecker was lodged at
Umatilla County Jail The
vehicle was impounded
-Boardman PD cited
Virginia Anna Kohn, 24, for
Failure to Carry Proof o f
Insurance and Failure to
O bey T raffic C o n tro l
Device
-Boardman PD cited
Maria Belen Mendoza, 36,
fo r F ailu re to R eg ister
Vehicle.
-MCSO stopped two
feihale
su b jec ts
in
B oardm an. Toui M arie
Pennock, 27, was cited for
Possession o f Less than One
O unce o f M arijuana and
D elivery o f a C ontrolled
Substance I. She was also
arrested on Irrigon Justice
Court warrant for Failure to
Pay Fine/Permitting Dog to
Run at Large; on a Umatilla
PD Probable Cause affidavit
fo r
F o rg ery
II
and
P o ssessio n o f a Forged
In stru m en t; and on a
Umatilla County warrant for
Parole Violation. Pennock
w as lo d g ed at U m atilla
C o u n ty Jail. A m anda
L orraine Davis, 19, was
arrested on a Union County
w arran t fo r F ailure to
Appear/Conspire to Deliver
a C o n tro lled Substance.
Davis was also lodged at
Umatilla County Jail.
-M C SO a rre sted
Jerry B ulow , 53, for
Possession o f a Controlled
Substance II.
-MCSO received a
report from Hermiston PD
that Craig M. Workman, 23,
was arrested on an Irrigon
Justice Court w arrant for
Failure to Appear/Criminal
Trespass II.
-MCSO cited Pedro
Hernandez Rodriguez, 33,
for Violation o f the Basic
Rule, 79 mph in a 55 mph
zone and fo r O pen
Container.
-MCSO cited Jeffery
R ay W h itb eck , 20, fo r
Permitting Unlawful Use.
M ay 2: Boardman
PD cited A ntonio Efrain
G om ez M ontes, 21, for
Violation of the Speed Limit,
43 mph in a 30 mph zone and
for Driving Uninsured
-Boardman PD cited
Roberto Bemal-Ruiz, 22, for
No Insurance. The vehicle
was impounded.
-MCSO cited Jeffery
Lynn R asch, 45, for
Violation o f the Basic Rule,
75 mph in a 55 mph zone
-MCSO received a
report that a female subject
was not sold alcohol so she
just walked out o f the store
w ith it. Faw n E lisabeth
Ironbear, 23, was cited for
Theft III
-MCSO received a
re p o rt from a caller in
H ep p n er th a t a subject
needed to be removed from
the caller’s property as he
was trying to start a fight
Vernon Shad Jeffreys, 37,
was arrested for Violation o f
a R estraining O rder and
Disorderly Conduct He was
lodged at Umatilla County
Jail Jesse James Jeffreys, 35,
was arrested for Disorderly
C o n d u ct, A ssault IV,
Harassment and Menacing
He was also arrested on two
H ep p n er Ju stice C o u rt
warrants for Failure to Pay
F in e /D riv in g
w hile
Suspended He was also
lodged at Umatilla County
Jail
T he
M orrow
C ounty
Sheriff’s Office (M CSO) re
ports handling the following
business:
-Boardman PD cited
Brandon Saucillo, 19, No
O p e ra to r’s L icen se and
Failure to Carry Proof o f
In su ran ce He w as also
w arned fo r D efectiv e
Equipment The vehicle was
impounded
-M C SO
cited
Ronald Ellis Dyer, 23, for
Violation o f the Basic Rule,
71 mph in a 55 mph zone
-M C SO arrested
C ipriano Vera, 51, on an
Irrig o n Ju stic e C o u rt
w arran t fo r F ailure to
Appear/DUII-A.
I
-MCSO cited Joseph
Lee Sw ope, 24, for No
Operator’s License, Driving
Uninsured and Failure to
Register Vehicle He was
also arrested on an Irrigon
Justice Court warrant for
Failure to Pay Fine/Hit and
Run P ro p erty and on an
U m atilla PD w arrant for
Failure to Pay Fine.
April 24: Boardman
PD arrested Matthew James
Pesicka, 19, for Possession
o f a Controlled Substance I,
Possession o f a Controlled
Substance II, Delivery o f
C o n tro lled S ubstance I,
D elivery o f C o n tro lled
S u b stan ce
II
and
C om m ercial
D rug
Trafficking He was lodged
at Umatilla County Jail.
April 25: Boardman
PD cited L au ra M arie
Seibert, 19, for Possession o f
a Controlled Substance-IV,
Less than One Ounce o f
Marijuana.
-M C SO arrested
Kevin Lee N o rto n on a
UCSO warrant for Failure to
A p p e a r/D riv in g
w hile
Suspended-m isdem eanor.
N o rto n was lodged at
Umatilla County Jail.
-MCSO cited Jeffery
Daniel M ironuck, 27, for
Violation o f the Basic Rule,
79 mph in a 55 mph zone.
-M C SO arrested
Andrew Scott Gomez, 20,
on a UCSO Felony Warrant
for Failure to Appear/Theft
I-Unlawful Use o f a Motor
Vehicle. Gomez was lodged
at Umatilla County Jail
A pril 26: M CSO
arrested Debbie Sue Paine,
47, on two Union County
w a rra n ts fo r F ailure to
A p p e ar/P o sse ssio n o f a
C ontrolled Substance II.
Paine was lodged at Umatilla
County Jail.
-MCSO cited Jesse
Lynn Reid, 24, for Driving
while Suspended-violation
and No Insurance
-M C SO
cited
Shannon Lee Avila, 29, for
Violation of the Speed Limit,
50 mph in a 25 mph zone.
-B o ard m an
PD
arrested David Ramirez, 22,
for DUII.
A pril 27: M CSO
receiv ed a re p o rt from
UCSO that Prestin James
Hugley, 21, was arrested on
a M orrow County Circuit
Court warrant for Failure to
Appear/Contempt o f Court
H ugley w as lodged at
Umatilla County Jail
-MCSO received a
re p o rt from C lackam as
County Sheriff’s Office that
Dallas Jonathan Doudna, 34,
was arrested on a Heppner
Justice Court warrant for
F a ilu re to Pay Fine/
Operating Motor Vehicle in
Extension
Service
offers tillage
workshops
How does tillage
affect your soil? What signs do
you look for to know how soils
are changing? The Oregon
State University Extension
Service will explore those
questions and more in a senes
of workshops focused on the
rhizosphere and featuring
Canadian soil ecologist Jill
Clapperton.
The workshop series
begins at 9 a m. on Monday,
May 16, at the Discovery
Center in The Dalles. This
full-day session will allow
Clapperton and other regional
experts to provide the
background that will help land
managers better understand
the intricate relationships
betw een
soil
quality
conditions and tillage
practices.
C lapperton
is
considered the guru of the
rhizosphere, widely respected
for her work on how soil
biology and ecology interact
with soil m anagem ent
systems to facilitate long-term
soil quality and productivity,
according to Brian Tuck, OSU
Extension horticulturist in
Wasco County.
P re-registration is
req u ested by calling the
Wasco County office of the
OSU Extension Service at
(541)296-5494, by May 12.
A $ 10 registration fee will be
collected at the door and does
not include lunch Lunch will
be available for purchase at
the Discovery Center Café.
The next three days
will be spent on the road as
local farmers and orchardists
have the opportunity to
examine soil conditions with
C lapperton in their own
production areas under
different practices.
On Tuesday, May 17,
participants will meet at 7:45
a m. at the Auction Yard on
Highway 197 in The Dalles.
The group will caravan to
meet Clapperton at soil pits in
a Wasco County orchard,
various w heat farm ing
systems (no-till, minimum till
and plow ed) and an
undisturbed site. The
afternoon trip begins at 1 p.m.
at the Sherman Experiment
Station in Moro and travels to
sites in Sherman County.
On Wednesday, May
18, growers from the Condon
area will have the same
opportunity, beginning with a
two-hour seminar followed by
field visits to demonstration
pits. This workshop begins at
9 a m. at the Bill Jepsen ranch,
along the Liberty School Road
between Condon and Ruggs
The program runs from 9 a m.
to 4 p.m , with a $10 fee to
cover lunch and refreshments
for the day. Please call the
Morrow County Extension
Service at 676-9642 to
register and guarantee a lunch.
On Thursday, May
19, the two-hour seminar will
be repeated for U m atilla
growers The program begins
at 9:15 a m at the Adams
Community Center in Adams.
There is no charge for lunch
that day and reservations can
be made by calling (541) 278-
5403