Could mean 12-15 jobs if plant starts operating ayain
Sweet Home company signs option to purchase
Heppner bio-generating plant at industrial site
Bv David Sykes
A Sweet Home
based company, T2, Inc.,
has signed a deal with the
Port of Morrow to purchase
the now idle bio-generation
facility in the South Mor-
HEPPNER
imes
VOL. 128
NO. 30
8 Pages
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Back in the saddle again
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
1949 court rides in to take up court duties
The 1949 Fair and Kodeo Court (right to left): Dorothy Wiglesworth Graham, Faye
Cutsforth, Shirley Rugg. Betty Walker Edwards and Ingrid Mermen Crawford.
The 10-megawatt generating facility at the industrial site may be back produc
ing power if a deal between a Sweet Home company and the Port of Morrow
goes through.
row Industrial Park for $4 source available.” He said “The fuel is the key.” Lawn
million, it was announced at he was also working now said he would be giving the
a special Port meeting last on finding buyers for the Port an update report at its
Thursday.
electricity the 10-megawatt next meeting August 12.
Under terms, T2 plant will produce. "In fact
Neal also said
has 60 days to accept the I have a conference call there was a w indow of op
deal and another 30 days today talking to potential portunity for the plant to
to purchase the facility, buyers,” he said.
begin operation and then
Lawn said T2 has be able to get the pow er out
which will include 20 acres
of property and various some experience in bio to the grid. He said w ith all
equipment. Company of fuels and actually operates the w ind generation moving
ficials estimate if the plant four “sides” in the forests into the area that window
goes into operation generat chipping and grinding fuel may not be open for much
ing electricity from wood for use in bio plants else longer.
The proposed sale
waste, it could employ 12 where. The company also
has two other sides avail includes all equipment,
to 15 people.
Stephen Lawn, able to bring into produc fixtures, and improvements,
business operation man tion if demand warrants plus a truck, fuel handling
ager at T2 told the Hep it. T2 intends to use forest system, boiler, turbines,
pner Gazette Tuesday he is residuals (waste) and some electric power infrastruc
working on securing fuel urban wood. Lawn said, ture, water treatment sys
for the plant and also lining including construction and tem and the truck scale at
the industrial park.
up customers to purchase demolition debris.
"We have a lot of
The sale also in
the electricity it generates.
Columbia Basin Electric hurdles to make this thing cludes the right of water
has agreed to “wheel” or work, but I am cautiously usage from wells on other
transport output of the elec optimistic,” Port of Mor parts of the port-owned
tricity to the overall electri row General Manager Gary industrial park property
Neal told the Gazette. He for use by the generating
cal grid.
“Finding fuel for said T2 would be looking facility.
The bio-generat
this plant has always been for a steady supply of fuel,
an issue,” said Lawn, “but and a long term contract ing plant has not operated
we think we have private to sell the power to make since 2003. The Kinzua
as well as some Forest things work. “When they sawmill closed at the site in
Service” fuel to use. “We feel they have a handle on 1998, and the Port of Mor
don't w ant to be unrealistic, the fuel they will be able to row acquired the property
but we are looking at every move forward," said Neal. shortly thereafter.
Getting
geared
up
for
fair
Morrow County Fair & Rodeo underway this week
The 1949 Fair and Kodeo Court gets together again in 1999 (right to left): Dorothy Wigles-
worth Graham, Faye Cutsforth. Shirley Rugg. Betty Walker Edwards and Ingrid Hermen
Crawford.
she spent on the court all gether five years ago and
By David Sykes
those years ago Rugg said rode in the Morrow County
W ith no local
young women applying for
the Fair & Rodeo Court this
year, the 1949 court is com
ing back together to pick up
the slack.
When 1949 Queen
and local rancher Shirley
Rugg heard there would
be no court this year, she
called the fair and offered
the services of the court that
reigned 60 years ago. "I like
it,” say Rugg about coming
back as a group. “It is our
last hurrah,” she says with
a smile.
Recalling the time
the five girls were “pleased
as punch to represent our
county and our town.” She
said the girls were 16 to
18 years old. Among the
rodeos and parades they
attended were Round-up,
and Elgin and Fossil ro
deos. “We provided our
own transportation for our
selves and our horses,” she
said. She remembers the
girls going to a luncheon
at the Catholic Parish Hall
where they all introduced
themselves.
The court got to
Heppner man indicted on
sex abuse
charges
Morrow County Sheriff’s Office arrested Steve
Clayton Rollis, 36, Heppner, on July 28 in Irrigon, on
sex abuse charges. He was lodged at the Umatilla County
Jail in Pendleton with SI00,000 bail.
Rollis was indicted by a Morrow County Grand
Jury on six counts of first degree sodomy, four counts of
first degree sex abuse and two counts of incest. All are
felony charges.
The case continues to be under investigation by
the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office.
parade and also in the Pend
leton Round-up parade.
Rugg said the group had
planned to get together this
year to ride in the Morrow
County parade, but when
it was discovered there
was no court this year, the
group agreed to step in and
assume the honorary court
duties. The youngest of
the group is 75 and Rugg
herself is 80, but she is still
going strong and rides on a
regular basis working cattle
for a local ranch. She said
this may be the last year the
court gets together.
Rugg’s four prin
cesses, Faye Cutsforth,
Betty Walker Edwards,
Ingrid Hermen Crawford
and Dorothy Wiglesworth
Graham, are coming from
the Tri-Cities, Pendleton,
Weiser and Sun City, AZ,
respectively. When on the
court, all the girls were
from the Heppner area ex
cept Dorothy Graham, who
came from Echo.
Patrick Collins, II, in his first year of sewing, speaks to 4-H sewing judge Darcy Tim
mons, Milton-Freewater. Also pictured are brother Roy, five, sister Maggie, 13, mom
Jeannie Collins and 4-H Superintendent Rita Bergstrom.
Peggy Fishhurn. quilt superintendent
klynn McNamee, 18 months, helps out her
mother Kristi McNamee and her grandma
Pam Worden, clothing co-superintendents
on Tuesday at the fair.
GREEN FEED & SEED IN HEPPNER:
Super
Fai
r
Week
Specials!
Purchase $35 or more of any Wrangler clothing &
A ll M ontana Silversm ith
Jewelrtj 2 5 % OFF
get FREE ticket to Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)
Fair Secretary Ren'ee Yocom, right, with Kellie Nelson. Tim Nelson and Kevin Murray
(right), pictured in the fair office Tuesday, prepare for a busy week.