97403
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
Morrow County School District
considers changes in sick leave policy
The Morrow' Coun
ty School Board, upon pro
tests from Morrow' County
E ducation A sso c ia tio n
president Marilyn Post,
tabled until next month a
policy which would put
restrictions on employees’
sick leave.
Post said that the
IHEIÎBMÏR
azettte
VOL. 130
NO. 11
10 Pages
Wednesday, March 16,2011
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
major concern with the
policy, which was in its
second reading, is that the
superintendent or supervi
sor may request a physi
cian’s verification as to an
employee’s claimed reason
for absence if the supervi
sor believes that no valid
grounds exist for the ab
sence. Post said, for ex
ample, if a teacher wakes
up with the flu and calls in
sick then he or she may be
required to go to a doctor’s
office and sit for hours just
to get a slip o f paper saying
they were sick.
Post also expressed
concern over a section of
the policy which included
not only regular school
work hours, but also “non-
attendance at required meet
ings and failure to perform
duties at school-sponsored
activities.”
Burrows empha
sized that the problem is not
with 99.9 percent o f district
employees, but the few who
abuse the system.
The issue will come
before the board at the April
meeting.
Also at the meet
ing Burrows announced
that Heppner High School
is joining the pilot pro
gram “Eastern Promise,”
which has been proposed by
Umatilla-Morrow ESD (In
termountain ESD) Superin
tendent Mark Mulvihill.
The program, in
volving Blue Mountain
Community College, East
ern Oregon U niversity,
Treasure Valley Commu
nity College and six eastern
Oregon high schools, will
enable students attending
HHS to receive college
credits if they pass certain
proficiency tests. HHS Prin
cipal Daye Stone told the
board that parents whose
children opt in will pay $10
per credit hour for the class
es. As a result students who
-See SCHOOL DISTRICT
SICK LEAVE POLICY/
Page SIX
Leprechauns prepare
for St. Pat’s activities
Two leprechauns were found working on their boxing skills
in preparation for Friday's Irish Boxing Smoker. The smoker
is just one of many St. Patrick's Celebration events that will
be held throughout Heppner this weekend. -Photo by Autumn
Morgan
29th annual Wee Bit O’lreland Schedule Speaker says state budget has $2 billion savings
Urges privatization, reduced tax credits, and compensation reform
March 17-20, 2011
By David Sykes
rural is s u e s
Thursday, M arch 17,
7:30 p.m.: “St. Oliver Plunkett” at St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish Hall, 560 NW Jones. Play written by
Father O’Condon, with original music by Joe Lindsay.
9 a.m. Fri-Sun: Lind’s Concession - Featuring com dogs, elephant ears, funnel cakes, nachos, beer bat
tered onion rings, cotton candy, caramel apples. Located in parking lot of Heppner Family Foods.
10 a.m. Fri-Sat: Rolling Thunder BBQ - Featuring barbecue sandwiches (tri-tip; pulled pork, pulled
chicken; BBQ nachos). Set up in front of Heppner Family Foods on Main Street
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat: Kessler’s Catering O ’BBQ - Chicken and ribs on the comer of Main and Center Streets
Friday, M arch 18
9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Friends of the Library - Annual book sale to benefit the Heppner Library - at City Hall
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Oregon Trail Library District/Heppner Branch - Story hour “Lucky Day” at 10:30 a.m.;
the movie “Darby O ’Gill and the Little People” will be shown at 2 p.m.
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.: Morrow County Creative Arts & Crafts show at Les Schwab Tire Center
10 a.m. -5 p.m.: “Wee Bit O ’ Western Fine Art Photography” by Denise Smith and Celia Moyer at City
Park
Vendor's Square: Enjoy crafts, food, and other treasures from local and visiting vendors. All day Friday
and Saturday at the Neighborhood Center on Main Street across from the Library/Museum/City Park.
Contact: 541-676-5024
1-
5 p.m.: Morrow County Heritage and Agricultural Museums
5- 7 p.m.: Mrs. O’Leary’s Stew Feed - St. Patrick’s Senior Center, 190 N. Main Street, prepared by the
Heppner United Methodist Church members. Adult - $6; Children 6-12 - $2, children under 6 - free
6:15 p.m.: Shuttle bus to Irish Boxing Smoker event. Meet at sign in front o f Heppner Family Foods
8 p.m.: Irish Boxing Smoker Event will be held at Heppner High School Gymnasium; sponsored by
Heppner Chamber of Commerce/Y 102 Haystack Broadcasting. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.. Admission - $10
(Adult-12 years o f age); $5(11-8 years of age) 7-under free. For information call Chamber office at 541-
676-5536. Drawing for $100 Pot O ’Gold
A rural issues ex
pert from a Portland-based
think tank told a Heppner
crowd recently that the state
could save up to $2 billion
by, among other things,
privatizing liquor distribu
tion and motor vehicle reg
istration in Oregon, cutting
back on energy tax credits,
and aligning state employee
compensation more with
the private sector.
“They are talking
about school consolidation
(in Salem) to save money,”
expert Karla
Edwards says,
“but we don’t
have to do that.
First we must
stop ta lk in g
about a short
fall. We don’t
have a deficit.
We spend what
we have, not
what we don’t
have. We have
to live within
our means.”
Edwards
Karla Edwards of the Portland-based
Cascade Policy Institute, spoke about rural
topics, including the budget, wolves and
forest rules, at a recent public meeting in
Heppner. -Photo by David Sykes
says the
-See STATE BUDGET
SAVINGS/Page TEN
Biggest wind farm ‘in the world’ gearing up near lone
Shepherds Flat on the move, ICABO told
By David Sykes
In addition to sup Oregon, Shepherds Flat
It was wind,
plying 338 wind tur will supply energy to Cali
wind and more wind
bines, the General fornia’s Southern Califor
discussed at the an
Electric Company nia Edison utility, which
w
ill provid e 10 must secure 33 percent of
nual
meeting
o
f
the
Saturday, M arch 19
years of operational its power from renewable
Daylight to dark: Sheep Dog Trials will be held at Thompson’s Ranch, three miles northwest of Heppner
lon e Com m unity
on Bunker Hill Rd. off Hwy. 74, between mileposts 41 and 42
Agri-Business Or
and m aintenance sources by 2020.
7- 10 a.m.: Heppner Elementary School sponsored O ’Breakfast at St. Patrick’s Senior Center; $6-adult
services to the proj
Last
week
g a n iz a tio n ’s an
$3-12 and under.
nual m eeting last
ect. The Shepherds Neuschwander said to ex
All day: Vendor’s Square at the Neighborhood Center across the street from Library/Museum/City Park;
Flat farm project pect 4,000 trucks bringing
Wednesday.
Rummage Sale 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
is owned by New in the turbines, which, as
F
ir
st
up
8 a.m.-5 p.m.: “ Wee Bit O ’ Western Fine Art Photography” by Denise Smith and Celia Moyer at City Park
York-based Caith anyone who has traveled
at the lo c il eco Darin
8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Morrow County Creative Arts & Crafts show and sale at Les Schwab Tire Center
9 a.m.: St. Paddy's Arena Cross (Sign up from 7-8:30 a.m.). Sponsored by Morrow County Fair and
nom ic d e v e lo p Neuschwander ness Energy. A l -See SHEPHERDS FLAT/
Clear View Auto Glass. $5 admission. Ages 5 and under are free. Contact Jeff Botefuhr at 541-314-2876
though located in
m en t g r o u p ’s
Page NINE
9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Friends o f the Library - Annual book sale to benefit the Heppner Library - City Hall
meeting was speaker Darin
9:30 p.m.: Remembrance Walk and 5K Run - Meet at All Saints Episcopal Church; coffee at 8:30 a.m.
Neuschwander, site manag
9:30 a.m.: Iron Leprechaun Bike Ride - Meet at Shamrock on Main Street (sponsored by Scotts Cycle &
er o f Blattner Energy, which
Sports)
is putting in the $1.4 billion
10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Face Painting/your name written in Chinese at Cornerstone Gallery
in wind turbines that will
10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Cruz-in vehicles will be parked and displayed on “ Willow Street” between Heppner Fam
produce 845 megawatts of
ily Foods and St. Patrick’s Senior Center.
10 a.m.: “WellyToss” - Team Toss 10-12:30; Children’s and individual toss from 1:30-3. Playoffs to fol-
electricity on the “biggest
low.Held on Willow Street (between Murray's and Artisan Village) Ages two to adult are welcome.
wind farm in the world”
10 a.m.: KUMA Coffee Hour upstairs at the Elks Club. Come hear music, stories, and blarney. Enter the
called Shepherds Flat and
Irish Brogue Contest and win cash prizes
located on 30 square miles
10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Live Mannequin Show by HHS Drama Club in window of Sweet Productions Ice Cream
o f farmland west of lone.
Parlour
“There will be a
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Morrow County Heritage and Agricultural Museums
crew o f 255 people put
11 a m.-2p.m.: Heppner Daycare’s craft booth with face painting; craft - $3 and face painting $1. BEO
parking lot.
tin g in 338 tu rb in es,”
II a.m.-3 p.m.: Oregon Trail Library District/Heppner Branch
Neuschwander said o f the
11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: O'Senior Center Lunch - Chili/combread and dessert; $6 adults; 12 and under $3.
one-and-one-half-year proj
Catered by Heppner Elementary School, served in Senior Center Dining Room.
ect to complete the wind
11:30 a.m.: Leprechaun Run for grades K-6; meet at 11:15 a.m. at the steps of the library/museum
farm. Presently the biggest
1 p.m.: The Great Green Parade downtown Main Street.
operating
wind farm in the
Immediately Following Parade: O ’Kiddie Tricycle Races for 2-5 year olds. Event to take place at BEO
work is the 781-megawatt
drive-thru. Tricycles will be provided. The event is free and sponsored by the Heppner Daycare & Pre
school
farm near Roscoe, Texas.
2-
4 p.m.: CEILI upstairs at the Elks. Irish entertainment featuring John Doherty & the Irish Singers and
Oregon ranks fifth among
more. Drawing for $100 Pot O ’Gold.
states in existing wind proj
2 p.m.: Ewe-Do-Bingo - Live sheep activity between BEO/AmeriTitle. Sponsored by HHS Cheerleaders;
ects, following Texas, Iowa,
$5 per square, winner wins $300. Bingo squares sold until full or at 2 p.m.
California
and Minnesota,
3 p.m.: O ’Ducky Race - starts at the bridge in front o f the Morrow County Courthouse Adopt a duck to
the American Wind Energy Parwan Province, Afghanistan - 1” Sgt. David McCurry (left)
win a prize of $10 to $100 -ducks can be “adopted" at table in front o f Bucknum's. Sponsored by Colt
of Heppner, Company B, I" Battalion, 168* Aviation Regiment,
Association says. Oregon a National Guard unit from Oregon attached to Task Force
Football Program
4-7 p.m.: St. Pat's Ham Dinner and Homemade Pies at St. Patrick's Catholic Parish Hall, 560 NW Jones
has been aggressively pur Tigenhark. receives the Purple Heart medal from Maj. Gen.
Street. Live musical entertainment on stage. $9 adult; $5- 4-12 years of age; 3 and under free.
suing renewable-energy John Campbell, Combined Joint Task Force - 101 commander,
6-
9 p.m : Elks Irish Buffet Dinner - Com beef and cabbage with live music
firms with a 50 percent on March 8 at Bagram Airfield for injuries sustained from
8- 11:30 p.m.: Teen Disco Club Night for ages 14-19 years. Music, dancing, snack and specialty drink
tax
credit to offset capital an indirect fire attack at Foward Operating Base Salerno on
menu - $2 charge. Location - Sweet Productions Ice Cream Parlour & Diner
February 15. - Photo by Staff Sgt Todd Pouliot, TF Falcon
costs.
6:30 p.m : Entertainment with “Old Time Fiddlers Show at the Fairgrounds Dance Hall. No admission
McCurry receives Purple Heart
charge, funded by the Morrow County Unified Recreation District.
7- 9:30 p.m.: Entertainment with “Tiller's Folly and intermission by “The NeverCanEvers" at Heppner
Elementary Gymnasium. No admission charge, funded by the Morrow County Unified Recreation District.
9 p.m.-2 a.m.: Wee Hours O ' The Momin' Breakfast at the fireball; sponsored by HHS boys’ baseball
team.
Sunday, March 20
All Day: Sheep Dog Trials at Thompson's Ranch. See Saturday for location
Visit Local Churches: Attend the church o f your choice - All visitor’s welcome
I 30 p m : Road Bowling at Balm Fork Road Get your team o f up to four people ready to play Meet at I
p.m Park on Balm Ford Road and follow shamrock's to starting line
For more information about St. Patrick's Celebration events visit www heppnerchamber com, visit the
Facebook site at “St. Patrick's Celebration Heppner Oregon USA", or call 541-676-5536
I II
K
Si l i) l \ m .T i’M'lt:
Now i n
S t o c k !!
1 Garden Seeds
Potting Soil Gardening Soils & Compost
Pansies & Primroses Cole Crop Vegetable Starts
Seed Potatoes * O nion Sets Lams Garden Fertilizer
______ Uww T hatcmw A ffoTonmw row hint ___________
M orrow County Grain Growers Green h eed A Seed
242 W. Lltwton WMy, Huppnur » >76-9422 « 889-8221 (MCOO main office)