Sponseller named 4-H agent at MC Extension Service
By A u tu m n M o rg an
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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
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