Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 2008)
Heppner Gazette-limes, Heppner. Oregon Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Miller to celebrate 100 years Wind project to benefit several Morrow County taxing districts By April Sykes Morrow County As sessor Greg Sweek told the Gazette-Times Tuesday that a wind energy project, Wil low Creek Energy, LLC, will result in a $15-3/4 million increased in assessed value for Morrow County in 2009. Sweek said that construction is currently underway and is set to be added to the tax rolls in 2009. Sweek said that the whole Willow Creek En ergy wind project is valued around $75 m illion, with around $40 million o f that located in Morrow County. He said that the first $25 million will be taxable, with around two thirds o f that in Morrow County, resulting in the $15-3/4 million increase in assessed value for Mor row County. Sw eek an ticipates that the result would be an increase o f around $64,500 in tax monies to the lone School D istrict, but that would be offset by a reduc tion in the State School Sup port the lone district would receive; around $64,500 to M orrow C ounty; around $9,700 to the Morrow Coun ty Health District; around $7,300 to the Morrow Coun ty Unified Recreation Dis trict; and around $ 11,800 to the lone Rural Fire District. The Morrow County School District will not receive tax monies from this project, said Sweek. Court Street to see $2.5 million improvement project -Continuedfrom Page One out Jan. 22, 2009 and con and that tem porary ease ments will be needed for construction. There will be a total o f 22 different proper ties that will be affected. The p ro je c t final plans will be done October 30, 2008, the bids will go struction will be completed in 2009. The project was in cluded in ODOTs budget and construction schedule by Heppner State represen tative Greg Smith several years ago. Time for sports physicals Columbia River Community Health Services is providing free sports physicals again this summer. As in the past, free physicals will only be on Fridays in July and August, and only with an appointment. Sports physicals are available Monday thru Thurs day with a $25 fee, which is due at the time of the physical. At the time of the appointment the student will be required to provide their parental consent forms and wear loose clothing that they can move around in, such as shorts or sweats and athletic shoes. No jeans or denim shorts can be worn during the physical. For m ore inform ation about the free sports physicals, or if you would like to make an appoint ment call Columbia River Community Health Services, Sweek said that he and Morrow County Judge Terry Tallman, represent ing Morrow County in joint negotiations with Gilliam C o u n ty and th e en erg y company, also negotiated a $500,000 “ com m unity service fee” from the com pany which will be divided between all taxing districts where the wind project is located. In addition, he said that the lone School District will also receive $40,000 a year for five years for a renewable energy education program, the bent o f which is at their discretion. The “com m unity service fee” and the education program funds are not taxes, but fees and subsequently will not offset the State School Fund. He added that the increased valuation will benefit the lone School District in their bond measure proposed for this fall. Now, he said, the lone School D istrict has around $85 million assessed valuation. The new wind project will add another $ 16 million to their district. Sweek said that the next big energy project will probably be the Shepherd’s Flat project which will be a 900 megawatt project with 150 megawatts in Morrow County, huge compared to the 77 m egaw att W illow Creek Energy project. DA’s Report Morrow County District Attorney Elizabeth Bal lard has released the following report: -Gregorio Toves Torre Jr, 29, was convicted of DUII, a class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 180 days with 177 days of incarceration suspended, one year driver’s license suspension, 24 months bench probation, 40 hours o f community service, other numerous conditions, and pay $1,293 in fines, fees and assessments. -Christopher Luellen Gonzalez, 25, was convicted o f harassment, a class B misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 60 days with 30 days o f incarceration suspended, 12 months bench probation, other numerous conditions, and pay $413 in fines, fees and assessments. -Travis L. Davis, 33, was convicted o f possession o f methamphetamine, a class C felony, and was sentenced to 18 months supervised probation, six months driver’s license suspension, 90 sanction units with 30 jail units, complete 80 hours o f community service, other numer ous conditions, and pay $1,778 in fines, fees and assess ments. -Travis L. Davis, 33, was convicted o f theft in the first degree, a class C felony, and was sentenced to two years o f supervised probation, 120 sanction units with 60 jail units, complete 80 hours of community service, other numerous conditions, and pay $6,028 in fines, fees and assessments. No Chamber lunch meeting this week F i l l e r Hume steps in at St There will not be a Chamber lunch meeting this week. Next week, the speaker will be Steve Eldredge from the Umatilla Electric Coop. Cerne in and check 9 »t ear newlg designed stiere? NEW ITEMS ARRIVING DAILY! ^ MuMup D juu ) .INC. Serving the Willow Creek Valley: Heppner, Lexington, & lone Patrick’s Catholic Church Father Ken Hume so Father Condon could visit has stepped in to minister at Ireland. W i t h St. Patrick’s Catho 21 -plus years in the lie C hurch w hile military, has served Father Gerry Con all over the world. don is in Ireland. H “This com m unity Father i (M has the best, most Hume is a retired b lessed p eople I U.S. Army chap hav e e v er m e t,” lain. He works with said Father Hume. orphans, disadvan Father Ken “Everyone in town taged and abused Hume knows your name ch ild re n in nine and your p ro fes countries. During the past three years he has sion. No one is a stranger come to Heppner and lone in Heppner, Lexington or lone.” 217 North Main St., Heppner • Phone 676-9158 • Floral 676-9426 H azel M iller has w hen the tow n of Boardman lived in M orrow County had to be completely moved for many years, 100 to be when the John Day Dam was exact, on August 5, built. C o n stru c and has seen many tion o f the dam changes. began in 1958 and M iller’s fa was completed in 1971. W hen the th er m oved from dam was built, it Decatur, 1A, to lone raised the river and where he set up a much o f the land h o m e s te a d . S he in the Boardman was born in lone a re a w as c o m (G ooseberry) and Hazel Miller pletely covered, went to school there forcing the town for 12 years. M ille r has m any to move locations. M ille r and her memories o f changes that have taken place over the husband Russell, now de years. She remembers see- ceased, have four children, ing her first car at the age o f Daughters M ildred Baker five or six. She remembers and Grace C arpenter live when commercialized flying in B oardm an, son Jam es came into being. Her first Miller lives in Arizona, and airplane ride was during d au g h ter P atricia M iller a 4th o f July celebration in lives in Hermiston. M iller’s Arlington. Miller went for husband, R ussell, was a a ride with the pilot and county com m issioner for two other people in a plane 12 years. A birthday celebra w ith no w indow s. When M iller's son was in the ser tion for Hazel M iller will vice, she was able to travel be held on Saturday, August to Italy and visit different 2, at the Senior C itizen ’s Building in Boardman from countries. The biggest change 1 to 6 p.m. Friends and rela that M iller rem em bers is tives are invited to attend. Smith helps vets launch Traumatic Brain Injury Program for vets “ W hen our brave men and women in uniform return from battle, we need to take care o f their needs, especially serious medical conditions like Traumatic Brain Injury (TB I),” said State Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner). “They stood up for our freedoms; we should stand up for them in return.” Today, Smith and other com m unity leaders will unveil a proposal to help veterans with Trau matic Brain Injury at the Eastern O regon Training Center (ETOC) in Pendle ton. Official estimates show more than 300,000 vets are retu rn in g from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI and many experts refer to this as the “signature injury of the war”. The plan will be an nounced at a Town Hall meeting this evening (Fri day, July 18th) sponsored by the G o v e rn o r’s Task Force on Veterans Services. The 27-member Taskforce is currently conducting a statewide tour to learn how Oregonians feel about cur rent programs and policies. The Town Hall runs from 7 PM to 9 PM at the Pend- Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. / Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Pharmacy Hours: 9 -1 and 2 - 6 Mon-Fri G reat R ates A re J u st A Q u ic k D r iv e A w a y Platinum C h ec k in g 1 R a te 2 A P Y S 100 - $49,999 1.10 1.11 B E F O R E YO U R E N O V A T E There are two truths about home renovation: Every proj ect costs more and takes longer than expected. So, before you start, keep your cost estimate high and remember the words, “ Return on in v estm en t.” Whether you hire professionals or do the renovation yourself, be aware that your investment will not always result in dollar- for-dollar increase in the value of your home. Although some homeowners do make a profit on their remodeling, history tells us that some homeown ers won’t even recover their costs. Do your homework. Get es timates on the costs. Study the local real estate market to be sure you’re making improve ments that home buyers want and will pay for. Don’t go overboard. Getting your money out of a house priced well above neighbor ing houses will be difficult. As a general rule, the value of the home AFTER renova tion should not exceed the value of any house in your neighborhood by more than 20 percent. S a v in g s3 S 1 0 0 - S 4.999 R a te2 1.05 APY 1.05 S 5 0 .0 0 0 - S99.999 1.50 1.51 S 5 ,0 0 0 - S24.999 1.10 1.10 S 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 & over 2 .2 0 2.22 S 2 5 .0 0 0 - S99.000 1.15 1.15 S 1 0 0 .0 0 0 & over 1.25 1.26 A lso a sk ab ou t ou r great CD rates. D on’t settle for less - stop by either o f our Hermiston branches the next time you’re in town. H e rm isto n M a in H e rm isto n N o rth H ill 204 E. Main Street 541-567-0303 50 E. Theatre Lane 541-289-4480 C o m m u n ity Property listings are available at www.sykesrealestate.net 188 W. Willow • P.O. Box 337 • Heppner, OR 97836 (541) 676-9228 • Ceil (541) 980-6674 Fax (541)676-9211 E-mail: david@sykesrealestate.net - THREE Local Money Working For Local People www.communitybanknet.com 1 P la tin u m C h e c k in g r e q u ire s a $ 2 5 ,0 0 0 a v e ra g e m o n th ly c o m b in e d b a la n c e to a v o id a m o n th ly se rv ic e c h a rg e 2 R a te s aa o f 7 /2 5 /2 0 0 * R a te s a re su b je c t to c h a n g e at a n y tim e 3 M in im u m b a la n c e to o p e n a n d ea rn in te rest is $ 1 0 0 M e m b e r F D IC leton A rm ory 2110 NW 56th Drive in Pendleton. The Task Force heard from residents in La Grande on Thursday evening. “ This com m unity has the space, the place; the will and the skill to provide returning service members with what they truly need to overcome the effects of TBI,” said Michele Brad ford, one o f the key orga nizers for the new Veter ans Traumatic Brain Injury Coalition. “ Here they can heal, gain skills, and move forward w ith their peersund families to a quality o f fife that is their choice.” ETOC has been home to people with devel opmental disabilities over the years but many o f the programs are being down sized as clients move to community settings. There are 17 structures on the 10 acre cam pus many offer suitable housing for veterans with TBI. O ne o f the o th e r leaders in the Coalition is Norm Winters, Vice Presi dent o f Community Bank in P endleton. “ As a US Navy veteran I was drawn to the fact we, as a country, are not adequately helping our veterans with TBI. The repositioning o f the EOTC to a TBI center will help our brave veterans, keep livable wage jobs in Pendleton, and may act as a catalyst for fur ther professional opportuni ties down the road. “ A re c e n t R A N D Corporation study found up to 19% o f combat troops in Operation Enduring Free dom and O peration Iraqi Freedom may have suffered TBI, but m ore than h a lf aren’t evaluated for brain inuries. Traum atic Brain Injury is caused by a brain shaking event that occurs during nearby blast like an Im provised Explosive Device, or close mortar at tack. Smith is working on legislation for 2009 to as sist the Coalition's project. “Several other states have increased screen in g and education for veterans with TBI but very few facilities like the one envisioned at ETOC,” explained Smith. Coalition members hope to work with state, federal and community agencies in the months and years ahead to make their vision become reality.
