Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 28, 2014)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon DA’s Report M o r r o w C o u n ty D istrict A ttorney Justin Nelson has released the following report: -Bobby Gene Burgess, 48, w as c o n v ic te d o f one count o f Possession o f M e th am p h eta m in e, a C lass C felony. The defendant’s driver’s license was suspended for six months and the defendant sentenced to 18 months s u p e rv is e d p ro b a tio n subject to 90 sanction units with 30 jail units. Other conditions o f probation include substance abuse evaluation, mental health evaluation, enrollment in and completion o f social re-ed u ca tio n /life sk ills training program, 160 hours o f com m unity serv ice, and 10 days jail time with credit for time served and to run consecutive to the below case. Fines, fees and assessments totaled $891. -Additionally, Bobby Gene Burgess, 48, was convicted o f Failure to Appear I, a Class C felony, and sentenced to 24 months supervised probation, to include substance abuse evaluation, mental health evaluation, enrollment in and completion o f social re-ed u catio n /life sk ills training program, 160 hours of community service, and 10 days jail time with credit for time served and to run consecutive to the above case, concurrent with any other sentences currently being served. Fines, fees and assessm ents totaled $500. -Eric Torres, 28, was convicted of one count each of Burglary 11 and Theft 1, both Class C felonies. On both counts, Torres was sentenced to 20 months prison time per count with credit for tim e served, sentences for the two counts to run consecutive with each other and concurrent with any other time being served. In addition, the defendant was given one year post prison supervision. Total fines, fees, assessments and restitution were $1,374: -James Ernest Stout was found in violation of probation and sentenced to 15 days of previously suspended jail time with credit for time served, as well as 20 additional CSW. Money judgments totaled $183. - C h r is tin e E ile e n Johnston was found in violation of probation and sentenced to 30 days of previously suspended jail time with credit for time served. Money judgments totaled $25. -Richard Keith Fisler, 33, was convicted o f one count o f possession o f methamphetamine, a class C felony, and sentenced to six months driver’s license suspension, 60 days jail time with credit for time served, to run consecutive to time currently being served, and one year post-prison supervision. Fines, fees and assessments totaled $ 1,741. -Wade Merle Padberg, 57, was convicted of one count o f harassm ent, a Class B misdemeanor; the defendant was sentenced to 90 days jail time but execution of incarceration was suspended and the defendant sentenced to 24 months bench probation, probation to include 40 h o u rs o f c o m m u n ity s e rv ic e , no o ffe n siv e physical contact with the v ictim , and successful c o m p le tio n o f a n g e r management. Additional co u n ts w ere d isp o sed without conviction. Fines, fees and a s se ssm e n ts totaled $793. COUNTY ELECTION -Continuedfrom PAGE ONE o f Republicans and 20.4 percent o f nonaffiliated. C ounty-w ide a total o f 1,884 out of 4,744 eligible voters cast their ballots. As is typical of local elections, lone registered the highest p ercen t o f voting at 56.3 percent, with Heppner second at 53.2. Irrigon produced the lowest percent turnout at 30.8, then came Boardman at 31.5. Lexington voters turned in ballots at 43.7 percent participation. In state-wide race s M orrow c o u n ty Republicans picked Dennis Richardson for Governor, Greg Walden for 2nd District C o n g ressm an , M onica Wehby for U.S. Senate and G reg Sm ith (w ho was running unopposed) for state representative. Justin Nelson was running unopposed for the non partisan Morrow County District Attorney. Democrats in M orrow County picked incumbent Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senator, Aelea Christofferson for US 2nd District and, for governor, John Kitzhaber. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available and that help Is FREE of charge. If Y O U h a v e a fa m ily m e m b e r w h o su ffers fro m g a m b lin g ad d ic tio n . Y O U c a n a ls o re c e iv e F R E E tr e a t m e n t e v e n if th e g a m b le r is not re c e iv in g tre a tm e n t. If you a r e a re s id e n t o f M o rro w C o u n ty a n d you w ish to ta k e a d v a n ta g e o f th e s e rv ic e s a b o v e o r d e sire m o re in fo rm atio n , P le a s e call a n y o f th e follo w in g n u m b e rs to s e t up a L O C A L a p p o in tm e n t or ju s t to talk: B o b b y H a rris @ 5 4 1 - 6 7 6 - 9 9 2 5 o r 5 4 1 - 2 5 6 - 0 1 7 5 Community Counseling Solutions (C C S ) @ 541-676-9161 O R 1 - 8 7 7 - 6 9 5 - 4 6 4 8 ( 1 - 8 8 8 - M Y L IM IT ) Wednesday, May 28,2014 - SEVEN Irrigon City Council sets new utility charges, lowering rates? Positive things continue to take place in Irrigon, according to Irrigon City Manager Aaron Palmquist. One such area is that of utility rates; the city council voted to establish new, lower utility rates, effective with the July billing cycle. This has resulted from an outside accounting firm’s r e c o m m e n d a tio n s to improve the city’s fiscal health in the w ater and sewer utility funds. “ It is seldom to see government lower rates,” says Palmquist. T he r e s u lt is th a t o p eratio n ch arg es and debt charges are accounted for in the separate funds, compared with previous co-mingling of resources. Palmquist noted that staff worked to provide options to provide better transparency, accountability and fairness to all system users. The city also provided public notices in the East O regonian and v a rio u s lo c a tio n s throughout town during the approval process. For the lowering of the monthly minimum charge, the chosen option is to have a minimum required monthly charge of $32.91 for debt payments to all developed properties— whether occupied, rented and/or vacant—that have a permanent use. The end result will be that those o c c u p ie d p r o p e r t i e s will go from a monthly minimum bill o f $106.61 to $98.33. Properties such as foreclosures, seasonal dwellers, etc. will have the minimum charge of $32.91/ month. Palmquist noted these rates are for those within the city limits. The water and sewer documents are available at city hall. As an additional plus to im proving the fiscal s tr e n g th , th e b u d g e t committee approved paying an ad d itio n a l $30,000 toward debt principal in the 2014-15 budget. This action saves the city over $74,000 and three years on a note. Other news in Irrigon is the soon-to-be-completed new parking lot to the east of city hall and opening of the library with reduced layout. Beginning June 15, the city will embark on a goathead bounty program, “a great way for our youth and community to partner with the city and earn some extra spending money,” says Palmquist. Sheriff's Report February 7 (cont.): -MCSO advised that roads were very icy and ODOT was advised. -MCSO Deputy advised he was out with a disabled vehicle. The subject said he was waiting for a friend and the deputy advised him to wait somewhere else. -M C S O r e c e iv e d request for a funeral escort for the next day in Heppner. -M C S O r e c e iv e d report from public works of a white Honda parked on Gooseberry Rd. in lone partially blocking the road. MCSO responded, but the vehicle had been moved. -M C S O D e p u t y discovered two vehicles parked at the ODOT shed location. He advised them to find a different location to meet up. -MCSO Deputy made contact at the Irrigon mini mart where they advised that a male subject was mad because they would not sell alcohol to him without a license. -MCSO received report o f a semi n 1-84. OSP advised that they didn’t have anyone in position. MCSO set up at the Port o f Morrow for intercept. MCSO made contact and determined that the semi’s lights were covered with snow. The driver was in the process of cleaning them off and then going to the Boardman rest area for the night. -MCSO received report ofaFord Explorer with lights turned off on Homestead Lane, Boardman. MCSO cited Michael Brian Oliver, 21, for D riving W hile Suspended/violation. He was also given verbal warnings for violation of the basic rule concerning w eather conditions and driving uninsured. -M C S O r e c e iv e d report of a vehicle off the road north of the railroad bridge in Irrigon. A deputy responded but was unable to locate the vehicle, although he saw where the vehicle went off the road and went back on. February 8: Boardman Police Department received report from Oregon State Police that they had contact with a woman in Boardman and advised o f an assault th at took p lace and a restraining order violation. OSP was unable to locate a restraining order and “kicked the male subject loose.” They reported that the female was possibly intoxicated and driving around. -BPD Officer reported being out with a three- w heeler at a Boardman location. -BPD received report from a su b je c t at the Boardm an M arina who reported a blue Ford pickup with Washington plates pulling a boat trailer and was concerned they could be stuck on the water. BPD responded and advised they were pulling the boat out at the time. -BPD received report of a jack-knifed truck and trailer on 1-84 Boardman. -BPD received report from a Boardman woman that she saw a Jeep driving around the corner with a man hanging o ff the passenger side hitting the speed sign. -BPD received report from a man that he had walked into the south Shell station, all the lights were on and the door unlocked, but no one was there. BPD responded and secured the scene. - M o r r o w C o u n ty Sheriff’s Office received report from a man that he had received information that his kids might be left home alone at a Hermiston location. He was connected directly with Hermiston Police Department. -MCSO received report of a pug tied up outside in cold weather in Irrigon. -M C SO re c e iv e d a parking com plaint with a school bus parked part way in the road on Linden Way near Pettyjohn’s in Heppner. -M C SO re c e iv e d a transfer call from Umatilla County. The caller was disconnected after Affordable Family Eyewear • r t A two complete Frames & Lenses ot»* $89.00 Includes: Single Vision, Bifocal, Trifocal or Progressive, Plastic Lenses Excellent Selection of Frames Some exclusions apply stating that a female was threatening someone. -MCSO received report from a Boardman woman that teenagers were driving erratically in her driveway in sedans. She said she thought they were doing it intentionally. -MCSO received rep o rt from an Irrigon man of people on a four- wheeler in the field across from his house. MCSO was unable to locate or hear a four-wheeler, but located a family sledding in the”shoots”. -MCSO received request for the city o f Heppner workers to plow Chase Street Hill for a funeral procession that needed to go up the hill. The city advised they would plow the hill before the procession. -MCSO received report from Lakeview Heights that a resident had tried to commit suicide and a transport was needed to Juniper Ridge. The subject was at Pioneer Memorial Hospital getting cleared. -MCSO received report that a four-wheeler was pulling kids on a toboggan in the park in Irrigon. The caller was concerned about a motorized vehicle in the park. -MCSO received report that a blue Ford Focus would be sitting at Heppner High School until a tow company could get to it. -MCSO Deputy advised of a red Jeep that had slid off the road on Hwy. 207 Heppner. Lexington Auto responded. -MCSO received request from a Heppner woman to contact a male subject. She said she was unable to get through and wanted to make sure he was OK. M CSO made contact and the male subject contacted the woman. February 9: -MCSO was notified by a woman in Heppner that she had a deer in her yard that looked like it had been hit by something. ODFW was notified. -MCSO was advised that a repossession agent Eastern Oregon's ONLY SAME DAY SERVICE for Prescription Lenses!! ( 541 ) 567-3790 se habla espanol www.affordablefamilyeyewear.com was going to repossess a vehicle in Heppner; he requested that a deputy drive by the location to verify the vehicle was there. -M CSO received a report of juvenile sledding dow n W ater S treet in Heppner. The juveniles were advised not to sled on the street. -A deputy reported being out to assist a car stuck due to the snow; vehicle was clear and able to drive away. F e b r u a r y 10: -A woman near Lexington reported that she kept getting texts from the same number and would like an incident number created. Text messaging contained number only. February 11: -MCSO received a report o f a possible intoxicated driver in Boardman; caller advised the subject was getting into a black vehicle and there was something hanging out the back. Caller advised she could smell alcohol on him and his eyes were bloodshot and he was slurring his words. An officer responded and was unable to locate. February 12: -MCSO cited Lindsay Suzanne Wise, 21, for failure to carry proof of insurance and failure to signal. -MCSO arrested Verlena Rae Hutchinson, 47, on a Morrow County C ircuit C ourt (MCCC) warrant for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle; she was released on her own recognizance to appear at MCCC. -Canyon County, ID advised MCSO that they a rre s te d Kayl a Mari e Vierra, 25, on a MCCC warrant for parole violation on burglary I. She was lodged at Canyon County Jail with no bail. -MCSO was advised the Umatilla Police Dept, arrested Suzanne Bergo, 29, on a MCCC warrant for failure to appear on counts o f crim inal trespassing and assault IV. Subject was released on her own recognizance to appear at MCCC. -M CSO cited Billy D ennis Fry Jr., 54, for violating the speed limit 78/55. -MCSO arrested Sabrina Patricia Minnick. 21, on a Gilliam County w arrant and the subject was transported to Gilliam County. -An MCSO deputy was flagged down in lone. A tumbleweed was stuck to the bottom of the patrol car; problem was fixed. -A man in H eppner advised MCSO that he was accidentally shot in the arm by his friend. He had a couple of pellets in his arm. -M C SO cite d Ivan Tinoco Rodriguez, 28, for driving without headlights. February 13: -MCSO cited Joaquin Rodrigues Jr., 23, for failure to obey traffic control device. -MCSO was advised of -C ontinued on PAGE TEN
