Mustangs slide into
semifinals spot
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
5(K
The Heppner Mustangs pulled
out a come-from-behind 4-3
win against the Union Lady
Cats during a home game in
the Class 2A/1A quarterfinals
last Friday. The win secured
the team a spot in the semifi
nals, the furthest any Heppner
softball team has advanced in
the postseason. The Mustangs
played the Enterprise/Joseph
Cubs in Enterprise on Tues
day (results not available at
press time). Above: The Mus
tang softball team celebrates
the 4-3 win over Union last
Friday. Right: Natalie Rauch
stretches to make the catch
that puts the runner out. -Pho
tos by Sandy Matthews
Two speakers at last County negotiations
chamber meeting
going to mediation
VOL. 131
NO. 21 8 Pages
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
By David Sykes
area. McLane said public stance, providing a “fun
The Heppner Cham meetings on this project are curriculum for students in
ber of Commerce had two planned for July 10 and 11, the 4th through 8th grades.”
speakers at its weekly lun and more information on The exploration-in-science
cheon meeting last week. the meetings will be coming boxes available include
Carla McLane, Mor out later.
curriculum on brain, bones,
row County Planning Di
Other projects include bones and muscles, ear, eye,
rector, gave an update on the Carty gas-generating guts and mouth.
development and planning facility planned near the
In the Future Health
activities going on around coal plant in Boardman, a Professionals program, high
the county, saying
methane digester school students interested
she is spending
at Threemile Can in pursuing a health profes
much of her time
yon Farms, and sion can learn fundamental
dealing with energy
electrical transmis skills required for health
projects, including
sion projects being careers, and can earn two
new wind farms
planned, including college credits from Eastern
and transmission CouDty
Cascade Crossing, Oregon University in the
line projects.
Boardman to Hem- process.
Planning
“ M o r r o w Director Carla in g w a y ,
A college pro
County produces McLane
UEC trans-
gram is also avail
a lot o f power
mission
able for those con
and uses a lot of power,” line and the Carty
sidering a career
McLane said about the Lateral.
in the health care
trend in the county toward
field, including ex
“ I feel like
more and more wind farms an energy plan
periencing a gradu
Dunkak, ate
and, also, new data centers ner som etim es,” Amy
program
e c u t i v e for school
going in at the Port of Mor McLane said of all D E x irector
a
day,
where
of
row.
the projects current NEOAHEC they attend a lec
To illustrate her point, ly being planned in
ture, meet actual
McLane passed out a map Morrow County.
students and see
showing the locations of
Also at the chamber what life as a student is like
all the met towers through meeting was Amy Dunkak on the campus of Oregon
out the county. Met towers of Northeast Oregon Area Health and Science Univer
measure wind and give Health Education Center, sity. A health speaker series
companies the information or NEOAHEC.
is also available, in which
they need on where to build
Dunkak gave a run students can hear fist-hand
future wind farms.
down on her organization experiences from members
The county recently and what educational ser of the area medical com
approved a 51-tower wind vices it provides, including munity.
farm at Ella Butte near lone In-A-Box, Girls in Science,
The purpose of NEOA-
(an appeal of which was re Saturday Science, Med- HEC’s programs is to use
cently dropped, see related Quest, MedStars and Future education to bring health
story); another 310-tower Health Professionals.
professionals to rural Or
farm is planned east of
The educational ser egon. Their office is located
Heppner on 60,000 acres vices are wide-ranging, in La Grande; their website
in the Freeze Out Ridge with the In-A-Box, for in is www.eou.edu/neoahec.
Wind farm appeal dropped
An appeal to the deci
sion by the county planning
commission to site a wind
farm in the Ella Butte area
of lone has been dropped.
James Jepsen, who
filed the appeal to the Or
egon Land Use Board of
Appeals, dropped the action
May 21. No reason was
given for the decision.
2Morrow Energy, LLC
has plans to build a 52-tur
bine wind farm north of
lone; Jepsen, in February,
appealed the decision to al
low the project, citing noise,
potential medical problems
and loss of business if the
wind farm is built.
Jepsen, ow ner o f
Dobyns Pest Control of
lone, whose home and busi
ness are near the proposed
wind farm, said, also, that
the “installation o f the
windmills, transmission
The Heppner High
School Baccalaureate ser
vice will be Wednesday,
May 30, at 6 p.m. at St.
Patrick’s Catholic Church,
525 N. Gale St. in Hep
pner. The HHS graduation
ceremony will be Saturday,
June 2, at 2 p.m. at the high
school gym.
The lone High School
Baccalaureate is set for
Tuesday, June 5, at 7 p.m.
at Valby Lutheran Church,
60492 Valby Rd.. lone. The
lone High School gradua
tion will be held on Friday,
June 8, at 7 p.m. at the lone
lines will lower our prop
erty value, make our home,
property and business un
salable. Also ruining our
view of sunsets, dark starry
nights, skies and having to
look at the visual pollu
tion of the windmills, wind
sensor noise and the noise
generated by the windmills
and impact on wildlife and
endangered species in the
area.”
Graduations approaching
High School gym.
Irrigon High School
graduation will be Friday,
June 1, at 7 p.m. at the
school.
Riverside High School
graduation will be Satur
day, June 2, at 1 p.m. at the
school.
By David Sykes
Negotiations between
Morrow County and the
Teamsters Union, which
represents the Morrow
County Sheriff’s Depart
ment, is headed to me
diation, it was announced
at last week’s meeting of
the county court.
The county and the
sheriff’s office have been
negotiating for the past
year and have been unable
to reach a new labor agree
ment. There is no animosity
in the negotiations, it was
reported.
At last Wednesday’s
meeting, the court agreed
to set aside a certain amount
of funds to eventually pay
back cost-of-living increase
amounts that have yet to be
settled.
The other two groups of
unionized workers, the road
department and general
workers, have just begun
negotiations for the fiscal
year 2012-13, while the
Teamsters and the county
are still working on 2011 -12
year. The two other groups
are represented by the AF-
SCM, American Associa
tion of State and County
Municipal workers.
In other business, the
court
-decided to hold their
north county meetings at
the Port of Morrow.
-discussed a request to
spend $21,000 of the com
munity Development Block
Grant from Greater Eastern
Oregon Development Corp.
for administrative expenses
on the larger total grant of
$400,000 for low income
home rehabilitation mon
ey available for Morrow
County.
-heard that a $12,000
metal detection system had
been installed at the court
room. A $3,125 security
system has also been in
stalled for the county Men
tal Health Department.
-awarded a contract
for operation of the Land
ing concession stand at the
county Off Highway Ve
hicle Park to Gay and Patty
Harshman. The contract is
good for them to operate the
food concession from May
23 until closing on Dec.
24,2012.
Kandy Boyd and Leann
Rea will not face off in No
vember general election for
the county commissioner
seat, as was reported in last
week's Gazette.
It was earlier reported
that, although Boyd had lost
the primary election to Rea,
241 to 320, the two would
run against each other in
the fall because Boyd had
received the most write-in
votes on the Republican
ticket, which would have
allowed her to run as a
Republican. Both o f the
candidates are Democrats.
However, a subsequent
ruling by the Morrow Coun
ty Clerk changed that deci
sion, and it was determined
Boyd would not be eligible
to be on the ballot.
Boyd and Rea will not face
off in general election
Annual Heppner FFA chapter
banquet held
By Lilly Sandford
Blue and red banners
are hanging around the
room, as well as various
pictures that have been
taken throughout the year.
This is the banquet room
for the annual Heppner FFA
chapter banquet in Heppner
on May 10, 2012 at 6 p.m.
During the banquet,
members o f the Hepp
ner FFA chapter received
awards won throughout the
year. The dinner was bar
becued lamb, pork and tri
tip, as well as various side
Newly Initiated FFA Heppner chapter officers of 2012-2013
(L-R): Asst, reporter Khayman Heard; asst, secretary Tate
Gentry; historian Garrett Robinson; reporter Mackenzie
Correa; secretary Joslynn Troxell; president Micha Hintz;
president Lillian Sandford; treasurer Shane Miles, and
-See FFA BANQUET/PAGE vice
sentinel
Kenzi Hughes. -Contributedphoto
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