Community group plans food assessment
II. lnlinlil»IH""
Library
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper
University ot Oregon
Eugene. OR 97403
By David Sykes
H ow we grow ,
raise, process, distribute,
access and recycle our food
will be the subject of a food
assessment study now un
derway by CAPECO (Com
m unity A ction Program
East Central Oregon), a
representative of the orga
nization told the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce last
week.
Community Food
Resource Developer Karen
Wagner of CAPECO said
her organization will soon
begin studying all aspects
o f food in the Columbia
Plateau region. The re
gion stretches from Eastern
Washington down into Or
egon including the Willow
Creek Valley.
Wagner said be
cause most of us rely on
food that is trucked in and
sold at retail stores, our food
supply is not “secure”. She
said the assessment study
might show that it would be
better if people grew more
of their own food for the
own consumption.
She said the Co
lumbia Plateau produces a
lot of food, but most of it
is shipped somewhere else
to feed other people. “How
can we keep some of that
food here?” she asked. “If
you live near good land you
can have access to grow
your own food.”
She gave an ex
Karen Wagner, Community Food Resource Developer, was
program speaker at the Heppner Chamber of Commerce last
week. Photo by David Sykes
ample of “local food” as the
school in Fossil that has a
green house. The kids will
grow things as part of their
education," she said. “The
town depends on a big truck
coming in every couple of
weeks with food,” Wagner
said, which can lead to
food insecurity. She said
CAPECO supports farmers
markets and community
kitchens and those efforts
at growing and distribut
ing food in communities.
Wagner said people need
to get control of their food
and their nutrition. “ We
have the first generation
of kids who are going to
live shorter lives that their
parents, and that’s prepos
terous,” she added.
Wagner said Com
munity Food Assessment
will “tell the story of what
is happening w ith food in
our region.” The assess
ment and other aspects of
the program are funded by
federal stimulus money, and
she said a grant of $350,000
in stimulus funds is also
available for a larger food
project that has yet to be
developed.
Morrow County voters said no to 66 & 67
Following an Eastern & Southern Oregon trend, all pre
cincts voted no on both tax increases
VOL. 129
NO. 5
10 Pages
Wednesday, February 3,2010
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Kegler files for county judge
D ean K egler o f
Boardm an has filed for
Morrow County Judge.
According to the
Secretary of States website
Kegler filed for the position
on January 29, 2010. In the
past he has been self em-
ployed grocery owner from
1986 to 2009. He owned
K eg ler’s Sentry M arket
in Boardman. Kegler has
also worked for Denver
Burglar Alarm Sales from
1985 to 1986 and in sales
for Boyd Coffee from 1982
to 1985. He is Currently
unemployed.
He is a graduate of
Sheldon High school and
the University of Oregon.
Two file for county DA
Justin N elson o f
Lexington and Elizabeth
Ballard o f Heppner have
both filed for M orrow
County District Attorney.
Ballard, who is the
incumbent, graduated from
Indian Hills Community
College, Missouri Western
State College with a bach-
elor’s degree in psychology
and University of Oregon
with a Doctoral Law de
gree.
Nelson is a resi
dent of Lexington and is
currently Umatilla County
Deputy District Attorney.
He graduated from Heppner
High School and attended
Following the trend of most
counties in Oregon, Morrow County
voters said no to both tax increase
measures last week in a big way.
All five precincts in the
county voted against the measure,
and the county as a whole voted
down both tax increases by about a
60 to 40 percent margin.
Morrow County echoed the
feelings of voters in all of Eastern
and Southern Oregon which voted
against both measures. Only 11 of
the state’s 36 counties said yes, with
Multnomah County logging the big
gest yes vote by a 70 to 30 percent
margin. The state on a whole passed
both measures with approximately
46 no to 54 yes percentage. Graph 1
is the breakdown of Morrow County
precincts and how they voted
M easure 66
Yes votes
Precinct 2 Irrigon
260
419
No
votes
344
437
Precinct 3 Lexington
Precinct 4 lone
43
74
187
236
Precinct 5 Heppner
321
522
263
411
347
445
189
235
533
Precinct 1 Boardman
M easure 67
Precinct 1 Boardman
Precinct 2 Irrigon
Oregon State University
where he received his bach
Precinct 3 Lexington
41
elor’s degree in agriculture
Precinct 4 lone
74
business. Nelson received
Precinct 5 Heppner
312
his law degree from Wil
lamette University College
GRAPH 1
of Law. He also is currently
serving on the M orrow
Following is a break down of w ho the major contributors to the election on
County Planning Commis
both
sides
were. As of January 26,2010, “Vote Yes for Oregon’VDefend Oregon which
sion.
was in favor of the tax increase, reported raising approximately $6.85 million. The
major contributors to that effort are displayed on Graph 2.
Condon farm family pops their wheat
By David Sykes
A Condon farming
family has found a new way
to prepare their wheat, and
have started a home based
business as well. They pop
it.
The family busi
ness makes four different
kinds o f popped wheat,
plain, ranch, Italian and
brittle, which it markets un
der the name Wheat Springs
Bakery.
Conceived out of
the search by mother Donna
Bates to find a way to di
versify her family’s wheat
products, she came up with
the idea to pop some of the
soft white they grow on
their farm. “These light and
tasty snacks are made from
wheat exclusively grown on
the Bates Ranches’ family
farm outside of rural Con
don, Oregon,” according to
advertising literature sup
plied by Sam and Donna
Bates, who recently attend
ed the Heppner Chamber
of Commerce to talk about
their product.
SEIU Local 503 (Oregon Public Employees Union)
$229.200
$100.000
$75.000
$30.000
$25,000
$20,000
$10,000
Alida Rockefeller Mesinger
Senate Democratic Leadership Fund
Sam Bates shows his home grown popped wheat to the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce. -Photo by David Sykes
The fam ily does
the whole process from
their farm including pack
aging and marketing. The
price ranges from three to
four dollars for a 4oz bag,
and $9.75 to $12.75 for a
16oz bag depending on the
flavoring.
A description of the
different types says that the
plain popped wheat “many
people like to use this flavor
as a cold cereal or in yogurt
to give it a crunch. This fla
vor has also been used as a
substitute for Rice Krispies
in Rice K rispie treats.”
The Ranch flavor is “great
in salads, on top of baked
potatoes or ground to use
as a breading for chicken
or fish." The Italian is “also
great in salads, on top of
baked potatoes and as a
breading for chicken or fish.
Also excellent on its own
as a snack”. And the fourth
flavor, Brittle, is “a great
sweet snack, is a great base
for trail mix and can be used
to make granola bars”.
available.
M ark L em m on,
Bank of Eastern Oregon’s
chief financial officer and
H ep p n er H igh S chool
wrestling coach, has been
instrum ental in organiz
ing the bank's sponsorship
of the event. “The bank's
management has been very
involved in establishing
this annual tournament and
looks forward to the 2010
competition. The inaugural
2009 event was outstand
ing and we intend the BEO
Invitational to be a “can’t
miss" tournament on every
school’s future schedule,”
said Lemmon. “We appre
ciate bank staff and local
citizens who volunteer to
help at the event or spon
sor amenities; their help
makes the tournament run
smoothly.”
Anyone who would
like to volunteer to help or
have any inquiries concern
ing the upcoming event,
c o n tact H eppner High
School’s athletic director,
Greg Grant, at 541-676-
9138 or Mark Lemmon at
541-676-0224.
A L L NEWS AND ADVERTISEM ENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
7
$400,000
Oregon AFT Political and Legislative Action Network
PAC
Oregon Health Care Association
American Federation of Teachers
Oregon School Employees Association
Nurses United PAC
BEO to host Invitational Wrestling Tournament
Bank o f Eastern
Oregon announces the invi
tees to the Bank of Eastern
Oregon 2010 Invitational
Wrestling Tournament to
be held at Heppner High
School on February 6. High
schools scheduled to com
pete are Adrian, Colton,
Crape, Enterprise/Wallowa,
G rant U nion, H eppner,
Imbler, Irrigon, Joseph,
McLoughlin (JV), River
side, and Union.
The com petition
will begin at 10 a.m. Tickets
are available at the door
and concessions will be
Amount
$1.65 Million
$850.00
C ontributor
Oregon Education Association (Teacher's Union)
I
Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney
GRAPH 2
As of January
26, 2010 Oregonians
A gainst Job-K illing
Taxes, who were op
posed to the measures,
reported raising about
$4.56 m illio n. The
major contributors are
listed on Graph 3.
C ontributor
Amount
Associated Oregon Industries PAC
$357,000
Oregon Bankers Association
$150.000
Nike Chairman Phil Knight
$150.000
Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle
$75.000
Weyerhauser Company
$75.000
Qwest Communications
$65.000
Portland Business Alliance
$37.000
$20,000
Oregon Restaurant Association
GRAPH 3
Health Dept. plans ‘rest stop flu clinic’
By David Sykes
In an effort to reach
more people who might not
have received their H1N1
swine flu vaccination, the
Morrow County Health De
partment is planning to set
up a clinic at the rest area
near Boardman (Milepost
161) on 1-84 February 10.
Public Health Di
rector Sheree Smith says
they will be stationed at
both the east and west
bound rest stops between
10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Feb
ruary 10 and will offer the
H 1N 1 vaccine to those who
have not yet received it. The
Boardman Fire Department
is helping by setting up
tents, tables and chairs. “We
hope to reach some of those
people who have not had an
opportunity to receive the
vaccine," says Smith. As an
example she points out that
truck drivers may be away
from home for long periods
of time and not have the
chance to be immunized.
-See REST STOP FLU
CLINIC/Page FOUR
GREEN FEED & SEED IN HEPPNER:
V alentine’ ó V a y Special 4 m o n t a n a
20 %
OJJ
Montana Silver
EDD
S IL V K R S M I I I I S
Valentine’s Day February 14th
I M orrow County Grain Growers Green F eed & S eed
I_____ 242 W. Linden Way, Heppner » 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCOQ main offic»
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