Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2010)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 18,2010 EOU receives affirmation of accreditation status E astern O regon University’s reputation for delivering high-quality edu cation has been reinforced with an official nod from the organization that as sesses the region’s institu tions of higher learning. The N o rth w e s t Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) reaffirmed EOU’s status as an accredited school after completing an interim re view this spring. “To have our ac creditation reaffirmed is critical to our success,” said Bob D avies, EOU president. “Accreditation is absolutely essential to a university’s credibility. It ensures our ability to re ceive federal financial aid, and most graduate programs require applicants to have a degree from an accredited university.” During the review the commission looked at EOU’s institutional research capabilities, assessment, planning and budgeting processes. It also reviewed the university’s work in the general education cur riculum, post-tenure review process and evaluations of online instructors, transpar ency in decision-making and its relationship with the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. “This outstanding accomplishment is the re sult of members of the uni versity community coming together as a team and tak ing an active role,” Davies said. The com m ission reviews colleges and uni versities in the Pacific Northwest every 10 years. EO U ’s last com prehen sive accreditation visit took place in 1998. Preliminary recom mendations were received from NWCCU in April and EOU acted on them. The accreditation team wrote in their final report that there is ” ... a revitalized sense of optimism on campus... there is a shared excitement about the future of Eastern Oregon University.” Davies said that he sees this sense of optimism reflected among the faculty, staff and students at EOU, as well as members of the Oregon University System Board of Directors. “This notice from NWCCU is just one more indication of EOU’s return to prominence and that we are a viable and sustain able university,” Davies said. “As we head into the upcoming academic year, this attitude is essential as we continue to build on this foundation of success and maintain our momentum of progress.” Burt family yard named Yard of the Month By Kay Proctor The Heppner Gar den Club has selected the home of A1 Burt and his late wife, Jo Burt, at 565 Elder as Yard of the Month for August. O riginally from Minnesota, A1 came out west to fight forest fires in 1968. He and Jo met on a blind date in Idaho, married and ended up in Heppner where A1 worked for the US Forest Service, Kinzua Mill, retired from MCGG and now flags for the county. The B urt’s spent 32 years of their 40 mar ried years together in the home across from Heppner Elementary School. The original home was built in 1893 on a waywardly sloping lot. Working as a team, the two built a front porch (ATs favorite part of the yard), a storage shed, fencing, carport, a second story and an addition. They also put on new siding, a metal roof, new windows, and built an extensive back patio. Jo grew up on a dairy farm in Idaho and continued with her strong work ethics learned then; she had her own tool belt and ladder and knew how to use them during new construction and remodeling. The south side of their 132’ long lot used to slope sharply. A1 and Jo terraced this with railroad timbers and created a col orful flowerbed. On this same terraced side, rocks from topsoil screenings and grade leveling were used as fill to create a double park ing space. Fenced areas are gated for different uses; a productive garden for Jo (including rhubarb and raspberries), a grassy lawn to enjoy, a pea-graveled play area where their sons as kids played with toy trucks. The boys, Al, Tony and Andy, are grown up and now six grandchildren, ages ranging from one to 18, have taken th eir turns enjoying the yard. The e n tir e lo t is n e a tly b o rd e re d w ith flow Jo Burt erbeds. The B u r t ’s planned for spring to fall color. Some of the plants used are crocuses, hya cinths, daffodils, tulips, rock cress, cranesbill, heath, creeping Phlox, campanula, creeping nettle, alyssum, dahlias, columbine, seath- rift, bleeding hearts, Ore gon grape, hens and chicks, heuchura, irises, and Vir ginia Creeper. Trumpet vine and feeders attract hum mingbirds. Al has fittingly nicknamed an unknown variety of sedum ‘Porj^ and Beans’. California poppies planted by son Tony over 20 years ago still return. Al recom m ends “old fashioned gardening” so there is always color in the yard. He says garden ing does not need to be “too fancy” and to just “have fun”. Both Al and Jo liked to collect rocks, stones and boulders and used them extensively as stepping- stones, mulch, weed blocks, edging and landscaping. A wood privacy fence is deco rated with a collection of lanterns. Two old timed, hand pushed lawnmowers are propped up close by. ate precautions to protect themselves against mos quito bites,” said Dr. Emilio DeBess, state public health veterinarian. This is the first case o f West Nile virus in the State of Oregon in 2010. Washington State and Cali fornia have had WNV mos quito activity since early summer. M osquito pools testing positive in any area could lead to human as well as animal infection so health officials recommend Bank of Eastern Oregon W hen experience & know ledge in m ortgage lendin g m atter to you, talk to us! W e’ve been serving o u r eastern O regon rural co m m u n ities for over 65 years. Slemhtr H W New Home l oans Refinance We’re experienced! We’re knowledgeable! We’re local! ICES (Internation al Cultural Exchange Ser vices) is a non profit student exchange organization that is currently looking for American host families. With 20 years of experience the program offers students between the ages of 15 and 18 the opportunity to study and live in the United States. The academic year program is designed to provide an international cultural ex perience that will expand the normal scope of world understanding. ICES offers a ten-month academic year program and a five-month semester program. Students have full medical insurance, spending money, and the hope of experiencing life in America through the eyes of a caring host family. ICES has a system o f local support for each and every state. Regional Directors have a team of local area reps that provide ongoing care and support to our international students and host families. With the structure o f support pro vided, ICES is able to walk you families through each step of the process from beginning to the end. For more informa tion contact Linda Corbin at 541-676-5270 or Te resa VanDoom at 541 -676- 5985. Qualls places in National Garden Club Youth Poetry Contest Sydney Qualls, a student at Heppner Elementary School, wrote a poem that won third place in the National Garden Club Youth Poetry Contest. The poem was pub lished in the national magazine The Mahonia. Five Senses In our beautiful World, I hear the birds singing I hear the wind whistle. In our beautiful world, I feel the grass against my ankles I feel the snow fall on my skin. In our beautiful World, I smell the pine trees I smell the fragrant roses. In our beautiful World, I taste a juicy mango I taste the freshwater from the stream. That’s what I see, hear, taste, smell, and feel In our beautiful World. Pictured is A l Burt on his porch, looking out at his award winning yard. -Photo by Kay Proctor A cross breeze from nearby Hinton and Willow Creeks helps cool things off during hot weather. Mature Ponderosa Pine and Green Ash trees provide shade to backyard seating areas. A Maple and Persian Iron- wood tree planted by the B u rt’s are beginning to provide shade. The soil is not deep and part of their house’s foundation sits on bed rock. Over the years, bro ken glass, horseshoes and lots of square nails have been found while digging. Al made a movable sprin kler system from PVC pipe to keep up with watering. A co rn er o f the front yard has some of Jo’s favorite plants; snapdragons and Johnny-jump-ups. She especially liked the pansies with faces. Among their yard decorations is a refurbished M oline, Illin o is horse- pulled plow. The Bust’s name is attached to the top spelled out w ith old, welded horseshoes. The plow and horseshoes came from Jo’s family ranch and was given to her by a relative. R o ses are A l’s favorite plant and at one time, they had over 50 rose bushes. He recently planted a yellow rose in memory of Jo. Al credits Jo with being the ‘mastermind’ for their many projects and speaks of plans they had made; they already have a garden of memories. Yard of the Month recognition is co-sponsored by the City o f Heppner, MCGG-Green Feed, Wind- wave/Heppner TV and the Heppner Garden Club. First mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus in Oregon for 2010 West Nile virus, a mild flu-like disease spread by mosquitoes, has been reported to have been found at a site near Irrigon accord ing to Oregon Public Health officials. Health officials are advising people in Morrow County to take precautions against mosquitoes in order to avoid the risk of infec tion. “The risk of con tracting West Nile virus is low but we do encourage people to take appropri- ICES looking for host families mosquito bite protection especially in the evening hours. Mosquito traps are set at night in various loca tions throughout the county. The trapped insects are sorted by species and tested for West Nile virus. Eighty percent of people infected with West Nile virus exhibit no symp toms. O f the remaining 20 percent most have very mild symptoms, such as fever, headaches and nausea lasting from three to six days. In a few cases, more severe sym ptom s occur including convulsions or disorientation. The central nervous system also may be affected resulting in febrile headache, aseptic meningi tis or encephalitis. DeBess says simple precautions can prevent the spread of West Nile virus: -Eliminate sources of standing w ater that are a breeding ground for mos quitoes, including watering troughs, birdbaths, clogged gutters and old tires; -Avoid outdoor ac tivities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active; -Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants in mosquito-infested areas; -Use mosquito re pellents containing DEET, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or Picirdin and follow the di rections on the container; -Make sure screen doors and windows are in good repair and fit tightly. Additional infor mation about West Nile virus is available at: http:// www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/ acd/diseases/wnile/wnile. shtml.; http://www.oregon. gov/DHS/ph/lhd/county_ directories/M orrow .pdf; and http://morrowcounty- oregon.com/. Kinzua Lunch group plans next meeting The Kinzua Lunch group met August 13 at Service Creek. • T hose-attending were Marilyn and Sheri dan Ledford, Scött and Pat Reed, Mel Bailey, Bonnie Campbell, LaVonne and Bob Slinkard, Jackie and Pete Hester, Bob and Peg Nelson, OL and Jean Ann A dam s, Bob and M ary Lee Britt, Cenone Benson, Windy Liptak, Rollene Al len, Peggy Reed, Marry Bryant, Montell McDonald, and Ada Schell and Bill Potter. The next lunch will a potluck at Ernie and Ada Schell’s in Twickenham on September 11. Willow Creek Baptist Awana Club to hold free bowling party The Willow Creek Baptist Awana Club is spon soring a free bowling party Sunday, August 29, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Stable of Youth. Pizza and drinks will be provided. The club is open to all kids between four years of age through 6lh grade. Parents are welcome. Awana is a nondenominational organization. Their main focus is Bible memorization and numerous games for the kids. Regular club meetings will start up in mid Sep tember and be held every Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. For more information or rides, call Dale Bates 541-676-5773. lone Cheerleading Camp to be held lone Cheerleading Camp will be held Thursday and Friday, August 26 and 27, for incoming preschool ers through 5th grade from 5 to 7 p.m. The cost is $25 per student and includes a t-shirt. For more information contact Misty Stefanie at 541-422-7142. Mitchell wins Mutton Busting buckle lone Community School Upcoming Events Call FO R I .O C AI, M O R TG A G E SE R V IC E S, W E ’RE T H E O N E S T O CALL! M elissa Lindsay M ortgage M anager M ortgage Division 676-9884 1-877-472-6217 www .bcobank.com lone Community School will hold student regis tration on August 23 for grades 9-12. Students need to call (541) 422-7131 ahead of time for an appointment. Free sports physicals will be given August 23 at 6 p.m. Football and volleyball practices will also begin on August 23. Football practice begins at 7 a.m., volley ball practice begins at 6:30 p.m. Landon Mitchell is presented a M O C O Rodeo Mutton Bust ing buckle by sponsor Dr. Tim Dickenson from Dickenson Chiropractic. Photo bv Sandy Matthews
