Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 8, 2007)
Heppner Gazette-Tim es, Heppner, Oregon Algae advisory lifted for Willow Creek Reservoir The algae advisory for Willow Creek Reservoir has been lifted, the U.S. Army Corps o f Engineers announced. R e c e n t w a te r sampling confirms reduced levels of a species of blue- green algae that can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals. The advisory was issued in June due to high levels o f a toxic species o f algae in the reservoir. State guidelines recommend w aiting tw o weeks after algal cell counts fall below state-specified levels before lifting advisories related to algae blooms. The O re g o n D e p a rtm e n t o f H um an S ervices advises people w ho recreate in O regon reservoirs to always be alert for signs o f algal blooms. People and their pets should avoid water contact if there are visible clumps of algae in the water. F or local inform ation, contact The Dalles, John Day, Willow' C reek P ro je c t at (5 4 1 ) 5 0 6 -7 8 0 2 . For h e a lth information, contact DHS e n v ir o n m e n ta l h e a lth specialists, Ken Kauffman at (971) 673-0435, or Deanna Conners at (971) 673-0444. Additional information on blue-green algae can be found on the DHS Web site at http://oregon.gov/DHS/ ph/en v to x /m aad v iso ries. shtml. Wednesday, August 8 ,2 0 0 7 - THREE EQIP funds available for fire-damaged grazing lands; federal dollars to help private landowners affected by Oregon wildfires In r e s p o n s e to this su m m e r’s w ild fires th at have b u rn ed m ore th an 3 5 0 ,0 0 0 a c re s in O regon, USDA N atu ral R esources C o n serv atio n Service (NRCS) State Conserv ationist Bob Graham has announced a special g ra z in g la n d s w ild fire initiative to assist private landowners impacted by the blazes. The initiative allows affected landowners to sign up for financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQ IP) W ildfire Special Initiative between August 7 and August 17, 2007. "N R C S is tak in g immediate action to assist ranchers whose grazing lands were damaged by w ildfires,” said Graham. “The EQIP Wildfire Special Initiative w ill help them m aintain their operations while they take steps to speed range recovery, reduce erosion, and protect the health o f the overall watershed.” The p ro g ra m provides a one-tim e $16 per-acre incentive payment for landowners who agree to reseed the site w here needed and defer grazing activities until the spring o f 2010. Deferred grazing will minimize erosion and accelerate establishm ent o f h ealth y and re silien t plant com m unities. The payments are intended to offset costs associated with range reseeding and deferred grazing. Privately owned and tribal grazing lands that have grasses and shrubs as the dom inant vegetation and that were damaged by wildfires in 2007 may be eligible. Individuals may enroll up to 2,500 acres of grazing land under this special initiative. NRCS has directed $150,000 for Oregon’s EQIP Wildfire Special Initiative for the remainder of the 2007 fiscal year. A pplications will be selected based on the follow ing considerations until all fiscal year 2007 funds have been exhausted: -p e rc e n ta g e o f grazing land damaged by fire, -vulnerability to soil erosion, -presence o f critical habitat for threatened and e n d a n g e re d o r a q u a tic species, and -p e rc e n ta g e o f d am ag ed acres that the landowner agrees to defer from grazing. Those who do not meet the August 17 deadline or w ho are a ffe c te d by additional w ildfires later in the season may have the opportunity to apply for assistance under the 2008 fiscal year funding cycle that begins on October 1. Applications m a te ria ls for the EQ IP Wildfire Special Initiative and other NRCS conserv ation p ro g ram s can be found online at www.or.nrcs.usda. gov or at the local USDA Service Center. Heppner Serv ice Center telephone: (541)676-5021. BEO Bancorp declares two for one stock split BEO Bancorp has announced that its board o f directors declared a two- for-one stock split in the form of a 100 percent stock dividend. The shares will be distributed on August 20, 2007, to shareholders o f record as o f August 19, 2007. S h areh o ld ers will receive one additional share o f common stock for every share currently owned. BEO Bancorp has 440,329 shares outstand ing and will have 880,658 shares outstanding after the stock split. “ We are intent on building shareholder value. This move will seek to im prove the liquidity o f the stock and increase our fran chise value,” said E. George Koffler, president and CEO o f BEO Bancorp and its subsidiary. Bank o f Eastern Oregon. "We continue to post good results and are pleased to share our good fortune with the loyal group o f shareholders we have,” said Koffler. Late in July, BEO Bancorp reported a net in come increase o f 73 percent year over year for the first half of 2007 to $1,039,000 and the earning per share improved for the same pe riod from $.81 per share to $1.32 per share. The loan portfolio grew 9.9 percent year over year and total assets grew 7.3 percent to $196,252,000. For further infor mation on the company or to access Internet banking, please visit our website at http://www.beobank.com. BEO Bancorp is the holding company for Bank o f Eastern Oregon, which operates 11 branches and three loan production of fices in nine eastern Oregon counties. Branches are lo cated in A rlington, lone, Heppner, Condon, Irrigon, B oardm an, B um s, John Day, Prairie City, Fossil and Moro; loan production of fices are located in Hermis- ton, Ontario, and Enterprise. Bank o f Eastern Oregon also operates a mortgage division and offers broker age services through BEO Financial Serv ices. Bank of Eastern Oregon’s website is www.beobank.com. A cco rd in g to the news release, “The state ments contained in this re lease that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based upon man agement's current expecta tions and beliefs concerning future developm ents and their potential effect on BEO Bancorp. There can be no assurances that future de velopments affecting BEO Bancorp will be the same as those anticipated by man agement. “Actual results may differ from those projected DA’s Report « in the forward-looking state ments. These forward-look ing statements involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties in clude, but are not limited to: competitive pressures in the banking and financial in dustries; changes in interest rate environment; general economic conditions, na tionally, regionally, and in operating markets; changes in regulatory environment; changes in business condi tions and inflation; changes in securities markets; and future credit loss experi ence.” Grant funds available The Umatilla-Walla Walla-Willow Creek OWEB Sm all G rant Team, co n sisting o f m em bers from the Morrow SWCD (541- 676-5452), U m atilla Co. SW CD (5 4 1 -6 7 6 -8 1 3 1 ), Umatilla Basin Watershed C ouncil (541-276-2190), W alla W alla W atersh ed C ouncil (541-938-2170), Tiicham SWCD and CTUIR (Confederate Tribes o f the Umatilla Indian Reserva tion) (541-966-2325), an nounces the availability o f up to $10,000 small grants to private landowners, and others eligible for regular OWEB (Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board)grants, for the purposes o f enhanc ing watershed conditions to improve water quality and quantity while meeting the needs o f all beneficial uses; flood plain and upland improvement and enhance ment; and reducing erosion, sedimentation and nutrients. Projects will also be consid ered dealing with invasive plants and noxious weeds. Funding is prov ided through OWEB. OWEB Small Grant inform ation is av ailab le on their website at www'. oregon.gov/O W EB/index. shtml. Interested landown ers can also contact a team member in their area. A two week signup for small grants will be held August 15-31 with funding decisions be ing made in September. St. Patrick’s Sheep Rock auto Senior Center tour offered menu A John Day Fossil Beds National Monument park ranger w ill lead a fossil beds auto tour on Saturday, August 11. This two-hour tour will travel along some of the back roads of the na tional monument and feature the geologic landscape and fossil history o f the area. The tour will begin at 10 a.m. at the Sheep Rock Unit's Thomas Condon visi tor center, located near Day- vi 1 le, Oregon. Participants will need to bring their own vehicle, and good tires are recommended. Reservations are not needed and there is no fee. For further informa tion, contact the monument at 541-9872333. T he St. P a tric k 's Senior C en ter menu for Wednesday, August 15, will be shepherd's pie, fresh veg etables, whole wheat rolls, green salad and watermelon. Members o f the Christian Life Center will serve. T h e me n u for Wednesday, August 22, w ill be barbecued chicken, ov en- baked potatoes, green beans, fruit, hot rolls and pudding. Members o f the Seventh- day Adventist Church will serve. T he me n u for Wednesday, August 29, will be baked ham. new potatoes w ith peas, green salad, hot rolls and mixed m elons. M em bers o f the Willow Creek Baptist Church will serve. M o rro w C o u n ty District Attorney Elizabeth Ballard has released the fol lowing report: - J a im e C a s tillo Guerrero, 25, was convicted o f Failure to Register as a Misdemeanor Sex Offender, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 170 suspended, with two years’ bench pro bation, 40 hours o f com munity serv ice. He was also ordered to pay $631 in fines, fees and assessments. -Johnny Rafael Va lencia, 24, was convicted o f C rim inal M isch ief in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail Kathy Turner, manager o f the St. Patrick's Senior with 150 days suspended, 24 m onths’ bench proba Center Apartments, asks that people observe the reserv ed tion. He was also ordered parking signs behind the center. She says that there has to write a letter of apology been a problem with people parking in reserved spots. to the victim, pay $688 in fines, fees, assessments and restitution and submit to electronic surveillance pro gram monitoring. Observe reserved signs at senior center For a unique dining experience, Stanley's Steakhouse offers an elegant setting with an exceptional menu offering the most delectable cuisines. Come and m eet our friendly staff; enjoy a fabulous four-course dinner by our executive chef, Alan, and sous chef, Sant)no; and see w hat our customers are raving about. Now Serving Lunch in the Sage Lounge! See Our New Hours! ) Dinner Hours: Wed - Thurs 5p-9p, Fri 8i Sat 5p-10p, Sun 5p-8p. (Dinner reservations are highly recom m ended.) Lounge Hours: W ed - Sun ll:3 0 a -2 p , W ed & Thurs 5p-10p, Fn 8t Sat 5p-Mid, Sun 5p-9p 202 South Main Street Condon, OR 97823 541.384.4624 ww w. HotelCondon .com [d in n e r at S t a n l e y ’s fjtc a \ò r\ o u se is trulg an e xp erien ce to savor! t r, H o te l C o n d o n S t e a k h o u s e c£ Co u n g e \ Sheriff's Report The Morrow County Sheriff's Office reports han dling the following busi ness: J u l y 19: M CSO deputy, BPD officer reported they saw a horse at a place on Tom 's Camp Rd. that could not get up. The ow ner said he would take care of it. -M C SO re c e iv e d report from a subject who said that a red pickup ran him off the road and into the median. A deputy spoke to both parties. -MCSO, Boardman Fire Department received report o f a big fire in the field on the C anal Lane side o f Paul Smith Board in B o ard m an . The pile was just smoking when a deputy arrived. The property owner was told to put out the fires. -M C SO re c eiv e d report o f chickens missing from a Heppner residence. -MCSO cited Steve Paul Humphrey for Violation of the Basic Rule, 78 mph in a 55 mph zone. -M C SO re c eiv e d report of dogs chained up and crying at a Heppner residence. The owner came l home and unchained them. -M C S O a r r e s te d Dobie Doran Wilbur. 45, on a Umatilla County Sheriff's Office warrant for Failure to Appear. -B oardm an Police Department officer reported that w hen ch eck in g the G re e n fie ld G ra n g e, the lights were on and one o f the deadbolts not secure. -BPD o fficer reported an open door on the south end o f the old Boardman City Hall. -BPD received report from a male subject that another male was upset w ith -Continued on pane four
