Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 12, 2013)
r Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 12,2013 ALLEN RETIRES -Continuedfrom PAGE ONE years. Don Cole, then prin cipal of Heppner Elemen tary, called and offered Al len a half-time sixth-grade teaching job. She accepted, but not without some jit ters about teaching older students, she says. “ I hung up and start ed crying. M can't teach sixth grade. They’ll eat me alive.”’ Her fears proved un founded; she ended up lov ing the students and has been teaching fifth and sixth grade ever since. “ It turned out quite good,” she says. In fact, over the years, she says she’s had several students in Heppner whose parents she taught in Fossil; the families moved after the mill in Kinzua shut down. “They (the Heppner students) love to hear sto ries,” Allen says. Allen says that, in her time as a teacher, two things have been her priorities giving her time to students and making her classroom a good place to be. “ I’ve always given a lot of time to students,” Allen says, adding that she would often stay late or get to school early—once as early as 4 a.m.— for kids who wanted to get a head start on their work. She says she did it because some kids don't have a computer at home, or may have a noisy environment with brothers or sisters or other inter ruptions, and may need a quiet place to work. She also made sure to make the environment welcoming for students. “ I wanted the kids to want to come to school,” says Allen. “ I want my classroom to be exciting, welcoming, fun. If they don’t want to be here, they won’t learn.” Some of the things she’s been glad of over the last 25 years have little or nothing to do with the classroom. “ In 25 years. I’ve never hit a deer...someone said I drive so slow, the deer would hit me, not the other way around," she quips. “I’ve never had head lice or pink eye.” Despite deer and other dangers, Allen says a big chunk o f her life will be missing when she walks out of that classroom for the last time. “The greatest thing about teaching is that ev ery day is different,” she says, adding that she loves watching her students grow up physically, mentally and em otionally through the year. “ I’m going to miss the day-to-day contact with Community bank honors customers with lunch, raffle the kids. There have been special kids over the years, so many special kids that just leave marks on your heart.” She says she will also miss special projects like Tupper Outdoor School and the Time Out for Reading program, as well as daily contact w ith many o f her friends. “My friends are here; I work, I teach with my friends,” Allen says, adding that it will even be strange to think of the year in terms of January through Decem ber rather than September through June. “I spend more time here than I do at home. It’s gonna be odd.” Despite the changes though, Allen is looking forward to retirement, with no shortage of plans. Visit ing family is high on her list. The Allens’ daughter, Elizabeth, lives in Portland, and son Stephen lives with his wife and daughter in Phoenix, AZ. “We plan to spend a lot of time in Arizona, spoiling our granddaughter. It will be nice to be able to go down there when it’s not 120 degrees, which I ’ve always had to do before,” says Allen. “ I’m looking forward to spending the winter time down there.” Allen says she also has a brother in Redding, CA. He is the only immediate family she has living, and the two have always been close, so she plans to spend as much time as she can with him and his extended family. Travel is also in her future. She says four retired teachers are planning a trip together this summer, and she and Dick will visit her cousin in Scotland for a month in October. She and some other teachers also are going to experience the yearly stern-wheeler trip on the first day of school... w ithout having to keep track of students. She won’t lose contact with students completely, though, say ing she wants to substitute teach in Heppner, lone and maybe in Fossil. “ It would be fun to go back there again,” she says. On the quieter side, Al len says she wants to write a children’s book about a run-in she had with wild horses when she was seven. Gardening, spending time with friends and reading also factor in. “Maybe spend a whole day reading a book,” she says, a little wistfully. “It’s going to be really strange when fall comes.” Teachers honored at assembly - SEVEN Lovers Lane bridge returns City Administrator Kim Cutsforth, teacher Jannie Allen and some Heppner eighth-graders joined past mayor Les Faustian and Mayor Joe Perry for the official ribbon cutting to celebrate the re-opening of Lover's Lane Bridge last Thursday, June 6. Concrete for the ness bridge was poured Tuesday, June 11. In late 2008, Paustian spoke about government to Jannie Allen's then-fifth-grade class. He mentioned that the city had many projects and not enough money to complete all of them. The class held a bake sale to raise funds to help defray costs, and it ssas a kick-start for the replacement of the decrepit and danger ous pedestrian bridge. The bridge has been greatly missed by the citizens of Heppner, and many will be happy to see it once again open to the public. Pictured (L-R): City Administrator Kim Cutsforth, Heppner Mayor Joe Perry, Kellie Eadler, teacher Jannie Allen, Jake Lindsay, Kane Ssvceney, Logan Grieb, Dimitri Schmidt, Sydney Qualls and past mayor Les Paustian. Photo by April Sykes Heppner pool offers swim lessons Willow Creek Water Park is still accepting stu dents for swimming les sons. The first session starts Monday. Swim lessons are $40 per session or $35 with an individual or family pass. Sessions are: session one, June 17-27; session two, July 8-18; session three, July 29-Aug. 8. Sessions are Monday through Thurs day only. Regular pool hours are Monday through S atur day, I p.m. until 8 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Rates are $4 for adults 18 and up, $3 for students five to 17, and $2 for children four and under. Senior citizens are $2, and the family rate (immediate family only, five maximum) is $140. Individual passes for the year are $75; family passes are $ 140. For more information, call 541-676-5752. Perfect attendance awarded The Heppner branch of Community Bank held a customer appreciation barbecue last Tuesday, June 4. Along with bar becued hamburgers and hot dogs with all the livings, the bank raffled off prizes for south and adults. Above: Charlie Mullins, age 1-1/2, son of Jamie and Shaun Mullins of Heppner, won the raffle for a raft-full of fun summer toys. Below: Suzan Lytton won the adult raffle for a new barbecue grill. Photos by David Sykes Heppner Elementary School honored two teachers at their end- of-the-year assembly recently. Mrs. Allen (left) has taught for 29 years in Fossil and Heppner. The staff presented her w ith a vase with her favorite poem etched on it. Mrs. Smith-Griffith (right) has taught for 34 years in Spray and Morrow County. The staff presented Mrs. Smith-Griffith with deck furniture. They both received wooden teacher chairs with plaques for their years of service. The students and staff gave them a stand ing ovation: they will be greatly missed. -Contributedphoto Heppner Elementary School recently awarded perfect at tendance students for the entire year. Bottom (L-R): Keegin Chitty, Morgan Cutsforth, Daemon Worden, Hayley Akers, Chance McCormack, Cedie Dayandante, Alexis Cutsforth and Serenity Rodriguez. Top (L-R): Cheyenne Shaw, Jorden Sweeney, Charles Cason, Tiffany Akers, .lacee Currin, Claire Gricb, Suzanneah Cason and Aaron Petzoldt representing Les Schwab. Contributed photo DA’s Report Community lunch menu Willow Creek Baptist and Elohim Covenant church members will serve lunch on Wednesday, June 19, at St. Patrick’s Senior Center. The meal will include barbecue chicken, potato salad, cucumbers and onions, sliced to matoes, bread sticks and chocolate pie. Milk is served at each meal. Suggested donation is $3.50 per meal. Menu is subject to change. BURNING Morrow County Dis trict Attorney Justin Nelson has released the following report: -Daniel Roy Walchli, 39, was convicted of: Theft I, a Class C felony, and sentenced to four months in jail, one year post prison supervision, with numerous conditions, and ordered to pay $6,300 in restitution to the victim and $310 in fines and fees; Possession of Methamphetamine, a Class C felony, and was sentenced to four months in jail, one year post-prison supervi sion, six month suspension of his driver’s license, with numerous conditions, and ordered to pay $260 in fines and fees. -Marion Ivan Taylor, 53, was convicted of Pos session o f M etham phet amine, a Class C felony, and was sentenced to 60 days in jail with one year post-prison supervision and numerous conditions, six-month suspension of his driver’s license and ordered to pay $210 in fines and fees; Escape III, a Class A misdemeanor, and ordered to pay $210 in fines and fees. Additional charges o f Unlawful Possession o f Methamphetamine and Unlawful Possession o f Marijuana, less than One Ounce, were dismissed. -Kristina Louse Moore, 25, was convicted of Deliv ery of Methamphetamine, a Class B felony, and was sentenced to 38 months in prison, three years’ post prison supervision, with numerous conditions and ordered to pay $960 in fines and fees; Criminal Driv ing While Suspended or Revoked, a Class A misde meanor, and ordered to pay $100 in fines and assess ments. She w as also ordered to pay an additional $ 1,060 in fines, fees and assess RAFFLE!- I talian dinner for 8 You and seven of your friends will have a delightful evening with amazing food In a peaceful country setting! Effective June 15, 2013, the Fire Chief of the C ity of H eppner is im posing a C L O S E D S E A S O N for open burning based on local fire safety concerns. This burning ban is for the City of Heppner. A rem inder that open burning also includes a “burn barrel.” The closed season will remain in effect until further notice this fall as per O R S 478.960. $5 each • ALL MONEY FROM TICKET SALES will benefit Relay for Life Tickets can be purchased at the Heppner &. lone Wheatland office and during Celebrate Heppner Dinner prepared by Carr! and M issy at the Snider home on Rhea Creek, with the Wheatland staff serving. ments. Additional charges o f Unlawful Delivery o f Methamphetamine Within 1,000 Feet of a School and Unlawful Possession o f M etham phetamine were dismissed. -Christine Luzette Men doza, 39, was convicted of Harassment-Constituting Domestic Violence, a Class B misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, suspended, with 24 months' bench probation, 20 hours of community service and numerous conditions with $440 in fees, fines and as sessments. An additional charge of Assault IV-Con- stituting Domestic Violence was dismissed. m i sms 'Page Design ’Complete 5ites “Hosting Heppner Gazette- Times The date and time of the dinner will be determined once the winner has been drawn. 676-9228 Drawing will be held during Relay for Life the first weekend In August. J s
