Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 2012)
M in im i Area battens down hatches in face of severe wind 111 > 1111111111 Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library l ni versi ty of Oregon Eugene. OR 97403 1 “ “ " " " " " " HEPPNER 5(K azette imes VOL. 131 N 0. 51 6 Pages Wednesday, December 26, 2012 Above: City workers and Century Link employees work to clear downed trees that fell across CenturyLink lines. This convergence of two fallen trees on Court Street in Heppner was just one example in a list of problems that ranged from lost shingles and gutters to fallen trees dur ing the severe wind storm that tore through South Morrow County last week. There were even reports of a shed that blew off someone's property and past several houses before landing near a creek. According to Heppner City Manager Kim Cutsforth, the Lexington airport measured sustained winds of 45-48 mph during the storm, with gusts to near 80 mph. “It wasn't as bad as it could have been. The city crew got right out there...they were out late and up early in the morning. They did a great job,” she said, though she added that she could tell local residents were feeling the stress of the constant wind and threat of damage. “I could tell there was a lot of anxiety from it." Below: A fallen tree in front of the Heppner library also caused some problems for city crews. -Photo bv David Sykes and April Sykes Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon County-wide task force seeks to capitalize on energy projects By David Sykes McLane is heading up the which was a result of this A county-w ide task new task force, with Wil larger session, met Tuesday, force has been formed to low Creek Valley Economic Dec. 18, to begin the ac prepare for an influx of Development Group (WC- tual work of implementing workers for construction VEDG) director Sheryll ways all communities in and operation of new wind Bates serving as the county can ben farms, transmission lines vice chairperson. efit from the new and gas-generating plants Last month a growth. coming to Morrow County. larger group of 30 Members of the The majority of workers are community leaders task force include expected to begin arriving including mayors, Sheryll Bates o f in the county in March or city managers and WCVEDG, County April of 2014. elected county of Sheryll Bates Planner and com Although no definite ficials, along with of WCVEDG mittee chairperson number of construction or a number of state C a rla M cL an e , permanent workers has been officials, met for a M orrow C ounty determined, some o f the day-long session at the Port Commissioner Leann Rea, projects slated for of Morrow to dis lone M ayor-elect Linda the county include: cuss how the coun LaRue, Irrigon City Man Cascade Crossing ty could handle the ager Jerry Breazeale, EO transmission, Coy influx of people and R epresentative Oregon- ote Springs substa do it to the county’s Economic Revitalization tion, Carty gas-gen e c o n o m ic b e n Team Scott Fairley, Lex erating plant, UEC efit. That meeting, ington Town Recorder Dee wind farm, and Ella which was initiated Burch, Heppner Mayor- Butte and Heppner Carla by the WCVEDG, elect Joe Perry, Morrow McLane Wind wind farms, County hammered out the County Planning C om as well as various Planner problems and op mission Chairman David data farms, substa portunities facing Sykes, Irrigon Mayor David tions and other proj the county with the Bums, Boardman Chamber ects at the Port of Morrow. coming new growth. Director Diane Wolfe, and County Planner Carla The smaller task force, Boardman City Manager Karen Pettigrew. One issue the task force agreed to deal with is where to house both temporary and perm anent w orkers coming to the county. The group agreed to contact RV park owners to find out what vacancy r^Jes they have. Temporary workers could stay in the parks; however, the task force was sensitive to recreational us ers who may be displaced from by the workers. The group also discussed zon ing rule changes that may allow temporary workers to stay on undeveloped private property for short periods of time. The task force also talked about the impact on schools and agreed to try to get school officials involved in the planning. South Morrow County sees the influx of workers as a way to increase the number of children in the schools, which have seen a drop-off in enrollment dating back to the closure of the Kinzua Mill in Heppner in 1998. “Bah. humbug!’’ Even polar opposite* like Santa Clause and F uture m eetings o f Ebenezer Scrooge put aside their differences for a tempo the task force are planned rary truce during Heppner’* Celebrate Christmas event last in different cities in the Thursday, Dec. 20. Attendees reported a good time for all, county. The next meeting with a festive meal, picture* with Santa, reward card and oth er prize drawing*...and, of course, appearance* by the most will be held at the Town of famous of all Christmas humbugs, Scrooge himself. -Photo by Lexington’s new city hall building. Alita Nelson -See Page 6 fo r more Celebrate Christmas Scrooge vs. Santa? Boardman takes first step in creating gang ordinance At their Dec. 11 meet ing, the Boardman City Council took the first step in passing a gang ordinance. The ordinance changes the city’s municipal code to include language estab lishing a procedure for law enforcem ent to identify and designate persons who are associated with crimi nal gangs and involved in criminal gang activity. The ordinance also includes language for those persons to appeal the gang designa tion. A person who meets the criteria set in the ordinance, designating them as a gang member, will be recom m ended to the M orrow County District Attorney’s Office to be placed on a list of designated gang mem bers. This list will be a use ful tool for law enforcement in cases where it may be a parole violation for some one to be in the company of known gang members. The designated gang mem- L-R: Boardman Councilor Ed Glenn, Mayor Chet Phillips and Councilor Steve Doherty. The mayor presented the two exiting councilors w ith certificates of appreciation. -Contrib uted photo bers list will clearly outline those individuals. By a vote o f four to one. the ordinance had its first reading Tuesday night and is expected to have a second reading and pas sage at the Jan. 3,2013 city council meeting. In other city business, the council approved an Intergovernmental Agree ment with the Port of Mor row for providing water to city w ater customers on Laurel Lane. The city’s au ditors, Fife and Cockbum, presented the annual audit review. The auditors gave the city a clean audit opin ion w ith no exceptions. The council also said goodbye to Ed Glenn and Steve Do herty as they both attended their last city council meet ing as councilors. Their terms end Dec. 31. Mayor Phillips presented them each with a Certificate of Appreciation. G-T closed for New Year’s The Gazette-fimes the Jan. 2 edition will be resume Wednesday. Jan 2. will be closed Tuesday, Jan. Friday, Dec. 28 at 5 p.m. We wish everyone 1, for New Year’s Day. The Normal business hours will a safe and happy new year, news and ad deadline for ' . - ' > w \ ■■■ —j r lave a H appy N ew Yea ri Al flotations will be c l o s e d New Y earV D ay' r -~ i > r V * ' S M o r r o w C o u n t y G r a in G r o w e r s \ L e x in g t o n 9 8 9 -8 2 2 1 • 1 -8 0 0 -4 5 2 -7 3 9 6 F o r f i r m « j u l p m f n t . r l a l t o u r w » b s i t a a t « w w m rK K .n e t /
