Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon
A View from the Hill
By Doris Brosnan
E x p erien ce has
taught Willow Creek Ter
race residents that any day,
month or season of the year
can bring a mixture of joy
and sorrow. December 25
was just such a day. Billie
Kroske passed away at the
age o f 95, after infusing
the day with her positive
energy—as was her way—
enjoying the opening of her
Christmas gift, and having
celebrated Christmas Eve
with her room full of family
members.
The Terrace was
decked out for Christmas
and the holiday season, and
Billie had been able to join
the other residents for the
many holiday festivities
in December: the lighting
of the tree in the lobby on
December 6, the music of
the O l' Time Fiddlers on
the 9th, the high-steppin’
synchronized dancing by
the doggers on the 10th, the
December 21 piano recital
and caroling, and the quiet
Christmas Eve moments
and Christm as m orning
excitement brought by gifts
from Santa (and helpers).
Santa does visit the
Terrace, and his helpers
see that he does not miss
a single apartment. Each
resident, whether naughty
or nice, receives a gift gaily
wrapped and a handmade
stocking stuffer with some
handm ade sweet treats.
Though the Santa-assist is
not in the job descriptions
of the Terrace staff, it is
something the 11 elves en
joy providing each Christ
mas.
Other “elves” who
gifted the Terrace in De
cember include the Food
Elves, Odd Fellows and
the Meligans; the Sewing
Elf, Marlene Pointer, who
brought protective dining
wear that she had made;
and the Garden Elf, Frank
Jones, representing the
Morrow County Sheriff’s
Office, who supervised two
garden-cleanup workers.
The Holiday atmo
sphere continued to sur
round the residents and
staff through the last week
o f December, and when
December 31 arrived, all
residents had noisemakers.
Some residents said “good
bye” to 20 11 and “hello” to
20 12 when TV featured the
Ball-drop in Times Square
at 9 p.m., Heppner time.
Some residents retired ear
lier, content to greet the
new year when they awoke
on January 1. One resident.
Bud Batty, made certain he
was awake and ready with
his noise maker when the
old-year-new-year moment
arrived in Oregon live. Bet
ty Brown and Mary Eleanor
Gilm an, both long-time
residents o f the Heppner
area, are new members of
the Terrace community who
moved in just a few days
before seeing the new year
arrive at their new abodes.
They were also in time to
enjoy the delicious crab
feed on New Year’s Day,
compliments of Colin and
Erin Anderson.
No N ew -Y ea r’s
babies presently live at the
Terrace, though Anna Mae
Steagall can boast of hav
ing given birth some years
ago to a January-1 baby
and then a January-5 baby
a year later. The birthday
closest to January 1 among
the neighbors on the Hill
belongs to Alvina Padberg,
who will celebrate turning
91 on January 15.
O th er n o te w o r
Chamber holds
annual luncheon
m
i\
m
The Heppner Chamber of Commerce held its annual luncheon
Thursday, January 5. Top: The chamber elected 2012 officers
(L-R) John Gould, Kay Fowler, Michael Blauer, Les Paus-
tian, Lisanne Currin, Jeff Bailey and Nancy Snider. Bottom:
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheryll Bates (far
right), presented 2011 volunteer appreciation awards to Joe
Perry (left) for his efforts as parade coordinator. Bill Kuhn
(center) for his work with the annual Town and Country
event and Larry Mills (right) as parade announcer. -Photos
by David Svkes
thy (alw ays a question
able adjective) dates on
the January calendar are
Fruitcake Day (14th), when
the staff had planned to
hold a homemade-fruitcake
toss competition, but the
residents like the infamous
treat so well that it will
simply be tossed into their
tummies; Maintenance Day
(18th), when the staff and
residents pay tribute to the
maintenance staff who keep
“things” running well; Hat
Day (20lh), when staff will
wear interesting hats and
invite the residents to join
them; and Belly Laugh
Day (24'h), which is one
of the most enjoyable and
important days on the Hill
because of the funny sto
ries and incidents that will
pop up and the stimulating
effects on the endorphins
and blood flow in every
one’s brain. Three other
laugh-filled observances
follow, on Clothes-Clash
Day (26th)— when visitors
might wonder about color
blindness at the Terrace—
and Fun-at-Work Day and
B ackw ards Day (2 7 ,h),
when visitors might won
der how manager George
Naims has delighted her
staff so greatly as well as
wondering if anyone knows
if he/she is coming or going
or is totally confused.
If “laughter is the
best medicine,” 2012 has
started with a large dose
of medicine for the good
health of the staff and resi
dents at Willow Creek Ter
race. Everyone views this
as an important beginning,
and everyone remains eager
to welcome one more new
neighbor to their commu
nity on the Hill for another
new beginning.
Rita Van Schoiack
Financial Advisor
www.bluemountaininvest.com
• Investment Management
• Retirement Plan “ Rollovers"
• Retirement Planning
• IRA’s
• Tax Advantaged Investments
• Bonds, Stocks, M utual Funds
• Investment Consulting and Guidance
• Invest.nents for Retirement Income
For an Appointment Call: 541-676-5226
Toll Free: 1-866-325-5326
The Pettyjohn Building, 430 W. Linden Way Heppner, O R 97836
rita@bluemountaininvest.com
Securities and Investm ent A dvisory Services offered through M uiti-Financiai
Securities Corp Mem ber FIN R A / SIP C Blue Mountain Investm ent
Managem ent LLC is not affiliated with M ulti-Financial Securities Corp
FIVE
Heppner elementary holds
geography bee
The first week in
January marks a big occa
sion each year at Heppner
Elementary School. The
annual G eographic Bee
was held Friday, January
6 in the HES Gymnasium.
Contestants, students, staff
and visitors filed into the
gym to the tunes “We Are
the W orld,” “On Top of
the World” and "W hat a
Wonderful World” as the
stage was set for the com
petition.
Students in grades
four through six took a
qualifying test in November
to see who would com
pete in this important con
test. The top scorers who
earned a spot in the bee
were: fourth grader, Jorden
Sweeney; fifth graders Zach
Bredfield, Claire Grieb,
Jaiden Mahoney, Hayden
Q ualls, O livia Schm idt
and Leo Waite; sixth grad
ers Cara Arbogast, Jared
Geier. Riley Gorham, So
phie Grant, Katlyn Harper
(who was ill and unable to
compete), Alex Lindsay,
Kevin Smith and Mitchen
VonGunten.
Moving on follow
ing the preliminary round
were Cara, Sophie, Kevin,
Jorden, Mitchell and Leo.
As the questions grew pro
gressively more difficult,
the field was narrowed to
the final round of Sophie
and Jorden. A fter three
questions were asked and
answered, Sophie claimed
the championship and a
medal, and Jorden the run
ner-up position. Sophie also
was presented a globe bank
and Jorden a pillowcase. All
of the competitors received
KzJ
tit.*
KJ
l
?
Top (L-R): Geography bee qualifiers Olivia Schmidt, Jaiden
Mahoney, Claire Grieb, Hayden Qualls, Cara Arbogast, So
phie Grant, Jorden Sweeney, Zach Bredfield, Riley Gorham,
Kevin Smith, Mitchell VonGunten, Jared Geier, Leo Waite and
Alex Lindsay. Not pictured is Katlyn Harper. Bottom: Jorden
Sweeney (right) and Sophie Grant (left). -Contributedphotos
Wonders of the World cal
endars for 2012.
To celebrate the
accomplishments o f all of
the geographers, cookies
from around the world were
served to the students and
their families.
Sophie’s next step
in the com petition is to
take a written test in hopes
o f qualifying for the Or
egon State Geography Bee
in April. The winner for
the United States wins a
$25,000 scholarship and a
trip...last year the trip was
to the Galapagos Islands.
GRAVEL FEE
-Continuedfrom PAGE ONE verification. Failing to com He said his company has
rhetorically. “It is clearly a
tax,” he told the court.
Neal said because
income from the fee would
be split evenly, 50 percent
to the road fund and the oth
er half to the general fund,
that made it a tax and sub
ject to a vote of the county
residents. Neal also said the
fee violated the U.S. Con
stitution on restrictions on
interstate commerce.
“You are discrimi
nating when you pick one
com m odity to ta x ,” he
added.
The argument o f
why gravel was being taxed
and not other commodities
such as wheat, hay and
cattle shipped outside the
county, was raised many
times during the hearing.
“ W hat com es
next?” asked Marvin Pad
berg, chairman of the Port
of Morrow, “Wheat? Lum
ber?”
As part of the or
dinance, producers would
have to keep records o f
where all their gravel was
going and then make those
payments to the county
quarterly. Under the ordi
nance, the county would
have had the authority to
come into the businesses
and examine records for
ply with the collection and
paym ent would be con
sidered a criminal misde
meanor offence and subject
to a fine up to $700 and 90
days in jail for the gravel
producers or shippers.
A lso te s tify in g
against the proposed fee
was Chuck Rose, Aggre
gate Area Manager for the
Cemex company, a global
building materials company
with offices at the Port of
Morrow in Boardman. Rose
said estimates by the county
of two barges of gravel be
ing shipped out of the port
to Portland was “highly
inflated.”
Rose the said his
com pany had “ invested
millions o f dollars in the
Port o f Morrow to ship
downriver. That aggregate
never saw a county road.”
He said the fee would “put
us at a disadvantage to pro
duces in Portland and other
places.”
Bill Montgomery,
Aggregate Sales Manager
with Cenex, agreed, saying
timing of the fee could not
be worse.
“ We have been one
o f the hardest hit indus
tries with the construction
slump,” he told the court.
Chamber Chatter
Bl
Wednesday, January 11,2012
Boardman
The January Eco
nomic Outlook Chamber
Lunch will be held Wednes
day, January 18 at noon at
the Port of Morrow. We will
have a panel discussing the
outlook for Morrow Coun
ty, so come prepared to ask
your questions. Lunch is ca
tered by Judy Scott Chuck
Wagon; RSVP is due by
Friday, January 13 because
of the Monday holiday.
The Tillicum Club
will be selling carnations
and roses for Valentine’s
Day. All proceeds go to
Tillicum Club projects.
Flower sales will continue
until January 27. All or
ders must be paid for when
1
placed. To order, email
tillicumclub@live.com or
call Shelby Pearcy at 541 -
771-0103.
The 22nd annual
Citizens Award Night will
be held Friday, February 3
at the Port of Morrow. We
are taking nominations for
Citizen of the Year, Educa
tor of the Year, Business of
the Year and Pioneer. Call
or email the chamber to
receive a nomination form;
they are due by this Friday,
January 13. Invitations are
being mailed out today.
The C om m unity
Health Improvement Part
nership (CHIP) o f M or
row County is offering the
Biggest Winner program
seen reduction in income of
50 to 60 percent in the cur
rent recession. “When some
companies lose $50,000,”
he said, “we lose $50 mil
lion.”
Jane Clark of Pend
leton, who operates a rock
quarry near the Morrow-
Umatilla county line, said
her company would actu
ally benefit if the fee were
enacted. “I have a pit on the
county line which makes
my value higher. I pay taxes
in Umatilla County, and I
will be hiring the experi
enced people you will be
laying off,” she said.
A fter testim ony
from the audience, the court
decided not to move for
ward with the fee. “When
I came in here, I was ready
to vote yes,” said Commis
sioner Rea. “I thought it
was a heck of a good idea
when we first considered it.
But there were lots of things
we didn’t think about.”
However, she also
told the audience to expect
cuts in services from the
county if they do not re
ceive additional revenue.
“People here have
to be willing to have your
services cut. Be prepared
for cut-backs of road main-
tenance, road repairs and
public safety,” she said.
Rea also pointed
out that the county is deal
ing with union negotiations,
which will probably add ex
penses to the county budget
in the coming year.
Commissioner Ken
Grieb at first asked if the
county should delay a vote
on the proposed fee.
“I learned a lot and
I would like to continue
the hearing. I would like to
think about it and bring it up
next week (at the meeting in
Irrigon).”
Grieb made a mo
tion to continue which died
from lack of a second.
Judge Terry Tail-
man said he was against the
fee from the beginning.
“I had major res
ervations about this in the
budget committee,” he said.
“I did not think it was a
good idea then.”
He also said the
committee did not consider
the commerce clause of the
Constitution when the bud
get committee enacted the
proposal. Tallman urged the
court to make a decision,
and the court then voted
unanimously not to move
forward with the proposed
aggregate fee.
to support your efforts to
achieve a healthy weight
loss and allow you to partic
ipate in wellness education
to establish lifelong healthy
behaviors. The weigh-in
education activity will be
on Mondays at Sam Board-
man Elementary, Heppner
Elementary School and the
lone Community Church
and on Tuesdays at Irrigon
Jr./Sr. High School. For
more information, call 541 -
676-2538
T he B o a r d m a n
Chamber will be hosting
a booth for the Sportsmen
Show at the TRAC in Pas
co. The show is January 20
- 22. If you are interested in
working in the booth, give
Diane a call.
The Ford Institute
for Community Building
is working on year two
for Morrow County on Ef
fective Organizations for
non-profits and community
organizations. Training is
provided by Rural Develop
ment Initiatives. There is no
cost to attend but you will
need to fill out a registration
form by January 15. This
training is most beneficial
for directors, board mem
bers. and staff and volunteer
who work with non-profits
and service organizations;
it also has proven helpful to
local government, service
districts and institutions
such as schools and clinics.
For more information, con
tact Diane at the chamber or
Alicia at the Ford Family
Foundation 541-957-5574.
I