Storm brings rain, flooding
Crews work to clean up the aftermath
University ofOregon
F imene. OR ^403
509
Heppner Public Works Director Brian Harmon works a front loader across from Green Feed
as city crew members Michael Angell (left) and Robert Whalen clean up mud and other debris
that washed down Linden Way in Heppner Monday night. -Photo by April Sykes
VOL. 131
NO. 17 10 Pages
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
The storm that pro­
vided a light show Monday
night also dropped heavy
rain that ca\ised flooding
throughout the Heppner
area.
According to Hep­
pner Public Works Director
Brian Harmon, Heppner re­
ceived more than an inch of
rain in half an hour. Harmon
said crews would be work­
ing to clean about 10 spots
with debris in the road.
Your candidates: lone crowns prom
County commissioner
royalty
In view of the upcoming election, the Gazette-
Times asked some questions of the candidates in one of
the contested races, the run for county commissioner.
Here’s what they said:
Kandy Boyd
Leann Rea
Age: 50
Age: 71 years young.
Place o f birth: Even though Place o f birth: Redding,
CA.
my parents
Where have
w ere liv ­
you lived?
ing in the
I lived in
lone area,
C alifornia
1 was bom
u n til age
in Portland,
19, w ith
OR.
my parents, Boyd
Where have Leann Rea
who were
you lived?
I grew up
both born and raised in
on the family farm in the Central Oregon. My grand­
lone area. When Jerald and parents on both sides were
I were married in 1959, we ranchers and long-tim e
lived in Heppner for five business owners. I left there
years, and then moved to in 1980 to join the military.
Condon and operated an I enlisted in the Air Force
equipm ent business for and went on to Texas and
another five years. We then Colorado for basic training
moved to the Lexington and tech school and then
area while we developed was stationed in Spain for
a home site at the current three years, until 1984. I
location o f Finley Butte worked in Aircraft Mainte­
Land Fill. We lived on the nance Supply and was part
farm at Finley Butte for 15 of making sure our aircraft
years. We then moved into kept flying safely. I left the
a house in Boardman where Air Force and moved to
we only lived a few months Nebraska for five years and
before moving to the farm a worked for the Department
few miles out of Boardman. o f Social Services, which
We lived on the farm for opened the mind to become
26 years. We just recently an adoptive parent. 1 moved
moved back to Heppner and from Nebraska to Oregon
purchased a home near the in December o f 1989 to
be near my parents, who
Assisted Living Facility.
Educational background: I had retired and returned to
graduated as valedictorian their home state. I lived in
from lone High School. Central Oregon from 1989
After raising our family, to 1992. I met my husband
1 attended Blue Mountain there and we moved to Har­
Community College for ney County, OR, as his job
two full terms, and have with the Forest Service was
taken many night classes. there. That job then took us
After being elected as coun­ to Paulina, OR until 2001.
ty commissioner in 2008,1 The Forest Service once
attended County College, again took us to Montana
which was sponsored by for two years and finally
the Association of Oregon back to Oregon in 2003.
Counties and OSU.
The Forest Service has
Family: Jerald Rea and taken us many places and
I were m arried in lone allowed us some great op­
in 1959. We will be celebrat­ portunities.
ing our 53rd anniversary the Educational background: I
end of May. We have four am a high school graduate
grown children; three sons with many different train­
and one daughter.
ings under my belt that were
What, if any prior govern­ and continue to be related to
ment experience do you the jobs 1 have held.
have? I have served as your Family: I have been married
county commissioner the for 17 years to Dale Boyd.
past three-plus years. Prior We have two children, 16
to the election in 2008, and almost 17; their names
I served on the Morrow are Meeka and Jesse.
County Planning Commis­ What, if any, prior govern­
sion for 13 years, serving ment experience do you
as the chair for the last few have? I am currently em­
years; I also served on the ployed as C hief Deputy
county Budget Committee Clerk-Elections with Mor­
approxim ately 10 years row County.
prior to my election and Why do you feel you are
have served on the Mor- better qualified than your
-See COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES/PAGE SIX
J
“It’s going to be a
long day,” he added.
At the city sew­
er plant, Assistant Public
Works Director Chad Do­
herty said the heavy rain
caused the plant to over­
flow.
“ It had a little
trouble keeping up,” said
Doherty.
Doherty said work­
ers pumped out the plant
and cleaned the effluent,
which will go to the golf
course to water the grounds.
He added that the tanks are
cleaned every two weeks,
anyway.
One o f the area
homes hardest hit was the
residence of John and Alita
Nelson. The family worked
to keep out the flooding,
stacking sandbags around
their home, but despite their
efforts and the help they re­
ceived from friends, neigh­
bors and Heppner volunteer
firemen, flooding spread
onto their wood floors and
carpeting. They ended up
having to vacate their house
and stay with friends. Still,
John Nelson said it could
have been worse, some­
thing he knows first-hand
after heavy rains flooded
their home last year.
“ It’s not near as
bad as last time. Last time
it was over our boots,” Nel­
son said.
Other area build­
ing weren’t spared. Kathy
Cutsforth, custodian at Hep­
pner Elementary School,
said about half an inch of
water crept into the school
gym; the water spouts just
couldn’t keep up. The Bank
of Eastern Oregon reported
some flooding in a back
closet. The city shop got
flooded, as well as the Ga­
zette-Times office; flooding
at the G-T swept from the
back all the way to the front
door, leaving a couple of
inches o f water and mud
for owner David Sykes to
mop up.
Is more of the same
on the way? According to a
forecast from The Weather
Channel, Heppner can ex­
pect evening thunderstorms
through Wednesday, with a
50 percent chance of rain
on Wednesday, followed
by partly cloudy skies and
a 10-20 percent chance
of rain for the rest of the
week.
lone students celebrated a magical prom night at the Port of
Morrow last Saturday. Seniors Steven Holland (L) and JoAnna
Patton were named the 2012 prom king and queen. -Photo by John Nelson surveys the damage in his home. Despite sandbags
and the efforts of neighbors, flooding caused damage to floors
Erin Heideman
-See PAGE SEVEN fo r more pictures and furniture. -Photo by April Sykes
Rolling Hills Run this Saturday
ttigfNER. PBEfiQN
The 2012 Rolling
Hills Run will take place
Saturday, April 28, at 10
a.m. at the Morrow County
Fairgrounds in Heppner.
Race-day registration and
number pick-up will be
held from 9-9:45 a.m. at
the Morrow County Fair­
grounds.
“Last year we had
a great time and a lot of
participants at the Rolling
Hills Run,” said a Mor-
row County Health District
spokesperson. “In support
o f the countywide focus
on a healthy lifestyle, and
in order to promote the
M orrow County Health
District’s vision of promot­
ing wellness and improv­
ing health, we’re happy to
sponsor the Rolling Hills
Run again in 2012.”
The event will in­
clude a 5K walk/run, a 10K
run and a Kids’ Fun Run.
The course will be the same
as in years past, beginning
at the Morrow County Fair­
grounds and following the
scenic Highway 74 with
paved roads and beautiful
views o f the surrounding
1 n a ilo n
Remember:
Election Day
is May 15.
I
g a l l i s i !
countryside.
Awards will be giv­
en after the events. Awards
will go to the fastest overall
male and female partici­
pants in the 5K and 10K
runs. Additionally, male
an4 female age-group rib­
bons will be given three-
deep for age groups 14 and
under, 15-19,20-29,30-39,
40-49, 50-59 and 60 and
over. The one-mile Kids’
Fun Run will begin at 11:15
a.m. Parents are encouraged
to accompany young chil­
dren. Children will be given
participant ribbons, with
recognition of the top three
male and female finishers in
the kids’ race.
Proceeds from the
event will go toward com­
munity health education in
Morrow County.
Registration for the
5K or 10K is $12; the Kids’
Fun Run is free. Registra­
tion will be allowed up to
the day of the race; unfor­
tunately, T-shirt and sweat­
shirt availability will not be
guaranteed.
For additional in­
form ation and to regis­
ter, look for a brochure or
visit http://w w w .active.
com/running/heppner-or/
rolling-hills-run-2012. For
questions, email rolling-
hillsrun@gmail.com.
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