Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 2, 2008)
Sponseller named 4-H agent at MC Extension Service By A u tu m n M o rg an 1111111 i I ■111■■111■11 11111 •• 11 Bessie W et/ell Newspaper Library University o f Oregon Eugene, OR 97403 The Morrow County Extension Service recently named Claire Sponseller as the new 4-H agent. She steps into the position vacated when Bill Broderick retired on November 30, 2007 after 21 years o f service. Spon seller began work as the Morrow County 4-H agent on February 15. S ponseller m oved to the area from Idaho. For the past three years, Spon seller and her husband have lived in Stanfield to split the bachelor's degree in animal commute time. Her husband science production from the works for Fish and Wildlife University o f Idaho and a in Pendleton. m aster's degree in W h ile in integrated resource Idaho, Sponseller m anagem ent from was an intern and Colorado State. worked at exten Sponseller's sio n o ffic e s in jo b involves many Id a h o . F o r the responsibilities. She p ast tw o y e ars, is currently the sec she has worked retary for the Mor at the M orrow Claire Sponseller row County Live C ounty Exten- stock Growers and sion Service as a 4-H pro- acts as a liaison between gram assistant. She holds a the 4-H program and the L ivestock G row ers. She also keeps OSU informed o f w hat is going on w ith the Morrow County 4-H pro gram. She is also in charge o f 4-H fairs and camps. “ I enjoy my work," said Sponseller. "I have an open door policy and I want the community to know that they can call me with con cerns or ideas.” S ponseller can be re a ch e d at the M orrow County Extension Service at 676-9642. Sheriff Matlack runs for re-election VOL. 127 NO. 14 8 Pages Wednesday, April 2, 2008 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Spectacular hay fire lights up night sky Ken Matlack recent ly announced that he will be running for re-election to the position o f Morrow County Sheriff. M atlack atten d ed grade school in Irrigon and moved to Umatilla in 1959 where he graduated from Um atilla High School in 1967. H is w ife, D onna, was raised in Irrigon and they were married in 1967. The couple, who has raised two daughters, recently cel ebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. A fter high school, M atlack a tte n d e d B lue Mountain Community Col lege and graduated from Eastern Oregon University in 1971 with a bachelor's degree in secondary educa tion. He was a high school social science teacher and coach for two years at Pow der Valley High School in North Powder until he was recru ited by the O regon State Police. In 1974, M atlack joined the Oregon State Po lice and served as a trooper, d e tec tiv e , d etectiv e ser geant, and patrol sergeant. He also served as the as sistant station commander at The Dalles where State Police operations were su pervised in five north central counties. At the time o f his retirement in 1999, Matlack was the outpost commander in Arlington where he super vised state police field op erations in Gilliam, Wheeler and a small portion o f Mor row Counties. Matlack spent 12 years working in Morrow and Umatilla County as a trooper and detective. He was a graduate o f the Drug Enforcem ent A dm inistra tio n 's School in narcotic and dangerous drug law enforcement and a graduate o f the School of Police Staff and Command from North western University’s Traffic Institute, Evanston, 1L. M atlack has been involved in community ser vice in Morrow County as an elected member o f the Irrigon City Council, Mor row County Health District, M orrow C ounty School Board and the Irrigon Cem etery District. He currently serves on the Irrigon City ficers. “Because we select Council and works w ith the good re serv e s, we have Irrigon Watermelon Festi hired several as full time d ep u ties,” said M atlack. val. According to a new s “We continue to seek good release from Matlack, some men and wom en for the program. When I o f h is a c c o m p lis h m e n ts as was elected Mor I I row County Sher sheriff include: -T h e M orrow ' iff in 2 0 0 4 ,1 made County Sheriff’s a commitment to the voters o f Mor Office modified row County that 1 the city o f Hep would be a “w ork p n e r c o n tra c t ing s h e r iff' and which saved the you would see not city o f Heppner Sheriff Ken Matlack only the s h e riff approximately $ but also the un 75,000 by reduc ing the number of officers dersheriff working in the from three to two. The city field with the deputies. We was able to use these dol have done this, backing up lars for other much needed our deputies, taking com city services. In 2007, the plaints, making arrests and sheriff’s office provided ap prov iding other assistance proximately 750 additional when our deputies needed hours to the city at no cost it. This will continue if I am and would have given more, elected to a second term as but was short staffed several your sheriff.” The Morrow County times during portions of the year. The sheriff’s office has Sheriff's Office re-negoti asked the city several times ated their jail contract w ith if this is working or if they Umatilla County. Because would like to hire another o f the re-negotiation, the officer and the city has said sh e riff’s office has been they are satisfied with the able to increase their beds cost savings and the police and lodge more prisoners at service they are receiving. no extra cost. While many -The sheriff’s office agencies in Umatilla County in itiated a contract with often times struggle to find the city o f Irrigon for one open bed space at the jail, position that provides code the contract has allow ed work and additional cover the sheriff’s office to lodge age. They also initiated line more prisoners. “As the political sea items in their budget for animal control in both the son progresses, you will county as well as Irrigon. undoubtedly hear rumors The sheriff's office is also and stories about your cur providing additional hours rent adm inistration,” said to animal control in the city M atlack. "A lready false inform ation is being put o f Heppner as well. -The sheriff's office out. Please, when you hear initiated a method in their rumors or stories I encour dispatch center that records age you to call me at work at area checks in various lo 541 -676-5317 or at home at cations o f the county as a 541 -922-5173 so that I have means to document when an opportunity to correct deputies have checked out these errors or discuss other concerns. Other sheriff's of lying areas and roads. The Morrow County fice information will be sent S heriff’s Office currently to you in the near future. I has six reserve deputies. am very excited about serv They continually try to ex ing another term as Morrow pand their reserve program. County Sheriff. I hope our The standards are high and efforts have shown that we a strong commitment is nec are providing the type o f ser essary. The sheriff's office vice you want and the v oters continues to look at their o f Morrow County will give reserves first when making us another opportunity to hiring decisions for new of serve you.” Morrow County Health Department calendar Thursday, April 3 - Heppner Clinic 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (closed 12-1) Monday, April 7 - Boardman Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30-1) Tuesday, April 8 - Boardman Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30-1) Thursday, April 10 - Heppner Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed 12-1) Monday, April 14 - Boardman Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30-1) Tuesday, April 15 - Boardman Clinic 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (closed 12:30-1) Thursday, April 1 7 - Heppner Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed 12-1) Monday, April 21 - Boardman Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30-1) ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. A (ire that engulfed several hay stacks at the JVB Dairy near lone Monday night, resulted in a spectacular blaze that lit up the night sky for miles around. Calls went out to tire departments around 7:45 p.m. and firelighters from Heppner. lone and Lexington responded. Firemen worked mostly on containing the blaze into the night, and the next day revealed a smoldering pile of burnt hay. Dairy owner John YandenBrink was unavailable for comment Tuesday, so the cause and exact tonnage of hay lost in the fire was unavailable. The fire was located away from the milking build ings, home sites and the animals, and no structures appeared to he damaged, and no animals harmed -Phr>fn\ bv David and Andrew W t $ 75.00 Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 * 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment, visit our w*h sit« at www mc*i net 1
