Heppner celebrates grads
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
5(K
Above: I he Heppner
School ('lavs of 2013 gath
ers for one last photo before
the big event last Saturday.
Photo by Sandy Matthews
Right: Proud new graduates
Austin Gutierrez and Maggie
Collins recess after the llep-
pner High School commence
ment ceremony at the high
school on June 1, 2013. Photo
by David Sykes
Sage Center opens with
ribbon cutting
VOL. 132
N 0. 24 8 Pages
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Despite May rain, moisture
still down for year
Despite higher-than-
norm al rainfall for the
month of May, precipita
tion is still down by nearly
four inches for the water
year, according to NOAA’s
National Weather Service in
Pendleton OR.
Precipitation totaled
1.93 inches during May,
which was 0.27 inches
above normal. Measurable
precipitation of at least .01
inch was received on nine
days with the heaviest,
0.53 inches, reported on
May 28.
Precipitation this year
has reached 3.61 inches,
which is 3.67 inches below
normal. Since October, the
water-year precipitation
at Heppner has been 7.68
inches, which is 3.66 inches
below normal.
Temperatures in Hepp
ner averaged slightly warm
er than normal during the
month of May.
The average tempera
ture was 56.8 degrees, 0.6
degrees above normal. High
temperatures averaged 70
degrees, which was 1.3
degrees above nonna 1. The
highest was 90 degrees on
the 11,h. Low temperatures
averaged 43.5 degrees, 0.1
degree below normal. The
lowest was 28 degrees, on
May 1. There was one day
with the low temperature
below 32 degrees.
The outlook for June
from NOAA’s Climate Pre
diction Center calls for
above-normal temperatures
and below-normal precipi
tation.
Normal highs for Hep
pner rise from 73 degrees
at the start of June to 81
degrees at the end of June.
Normal lows rise from 47
degrees to 51 degrees. The
30-year normal precipita
tion is 1.38 inches.
Oregon wolf case settled
In the fall of 2011, Or
egon Department o f Fish
and W ildlife’s (ODFW)
authority to take (lethally
remove) wolves under the
State Endangered Species
Act was challenged by a
temporary restraining order
filed in the Oregon Court
o f Appeals by Cascadia
W ildlands,.Oregon Wild
and the Center for Biologi
cal Diversity.
O ver the past year,
these three organizations,
ODFW and the Oregon
C attlem en’s Association
have been in talks to try to
settle the case outside of
court. The Center for Bio
logical Diversity withdrew
from these negotiations this
past winter.
Last week, according to
a statement by the ODFW,
the remaining parties agreed
in principle to a combina
tion of rule changes and leg
islation that, once enacted,
will moot the court case.
The key changes to the
current rules regarding le
thal control of wolves are:
-Before ODFW can
use lethal control against
wolves, it must confirm four
Queen Krysten on
the road for
Morrow County
Morrow County Fair and Rodeo Queen Krysten Powell
represents Morrow County at the Spray Rodeo parade over
Memorial Day weekend. She also participated in the rodeo's
Grand F.ntry that Saturday. Powell is busy stay ins out and
about, representing the county at regional events: she attended
theArlington parade and Jackpot Rodeo on May ll.asw ellas
the Adams Days’ parade in April. -Contributedphoto
qualifying incidents within
a six-month time frame
(previously, it was two
depredation incidents and
no specific timeframe).
-Requires the develop
ment and public disclosure
of wolf-livestock conflict
deterrence plans that iden
tify non-lethal measures for
implementation by land-
owners.
-Requires that these
non-lethal m easures be
implemented prior to a dep
redation for the depredation
incident to count towards
lethal control.
-Puts in rule that any
ODFW lethal control deci
sion is valid for 45-days
(previously the timeframe
for an ODFW lethal control
decision was not standard
ized in rule; 45 days is
consistent with what other
western states have imple
mented).
The new tem porary
rules are online at http://
w w w .d f w .s ta te .o r . u s/
OARs/l 10.pdf. The Fish
and Wildlife Commission
will be asked to make these
rules permanent at their
June 7 meeting in Tigard,
OR.
“ We are pleased the
parties were able to come
to an agreement,’’ said Ron
Anglin, ODFW wildlife
division administrator. “We
look forward to finaliz
ing both the rules and the
legislation so the case can
be fully settled and we
can move forward on wolf
conservation and manage
ment.”
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
Ribbon cutting at the now Sage Center at Boardman. (Left to right): Port of Morrow Manager
Gary Neal; commissioners Jerry llealy, Joe Taylor, Don Russell and Marv Padherg; long-time
commissioner Larry Lindsay, cutting the rihhon with the big pair of scissors; State Rep. Greg
Smith; and Oregon State Sen. Bill Mansell. Photos by David Sykes
The new Sage Center
and Sustainable Agriculture
and Energy center at Board-
man held its grand opening
Friday night, when more
than 400 guests ate din
ner and tried out the new
interactive displays and
exhibits.
The Sage Center is an
interactive visitor center
that highlights sustainable
agriculture and energy. De
veloped by the Port of Mor
row, the center gives visi
tors a unique opportunity
to learn about the technol
ogy that takes place locally
within the Port o f Morrow
and the region without visit
ing each industry.
At 2 3 ,0 0 0 s q u a re
feet, the center hosts a
13,000-square-foot, two-
level exhibit space; 204-
seat theatre; large catering
kitchen; and store.
In addition to serving as
an interactive visitor center,
Neil and Tina Livingston try out the interactive tractor driving
at the Sage Center grand opening Friday. Neil is a member of
the Boardman City C ouncil. Photos by David Sykes
the Sage Center is available
to be rented for fundraisers,
winemaker dinners, civic
and social gatherings, as
well as school-related func
tions.
Friday was the grand
opening, and visitors dined
on barbecue and sipped
beverages while various
Port of Morrow members
and politicians addressed
the crowd.
On the first open days
of Saturday and Sunday, it
was reported that the center
averaged more than 600
visitors per day.
Irrigon city manager named
Aaron Palmquist has
been named the new Ir
rigon City Manager. He
will begin his new position
June 17.
Palmquist, who cur
rently lives in Bend, OR,
holds a bachelor’s degree
in management and com
munication, and a master’s
degree in business and pub
lic administration; he has
held previous positions
as chief executive officer,
chief financial officer, and
city manager and recorder,
among others.
Palmquist replaces cur
rent city manager Gerald
Breazeale, who retires this
month.
Premium book now online
The Morrow County
Fair premium book is now
available online for those
who want to get a jump on
planning for the centennial gon.com/county-fair/2013-
fair Aug. 14-17. The book morrow-county-fair-premi-
can be viewed online at um-book/.
http://morrow countyord’-
Celebrate Heppner June 14
This year's Celebrate
The schedule has some- event. There will be the an-
Heppner event will take thing for everyone at this
-See CELEBRATE HEPP-
place next Friday, June 14. year's Celebrate Heppner
NEE'PAGE FOUR
Tmj-Ckk gauge
The world's best rain gauge
Made in the USA
Quality since 1875
$a\&
$9.99
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 rorfinne<|iiipnMat.TMtonw«titt«atwww [