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.