Kindle sentenced in
Heppner arson case
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Librar,
Universitv of Oregon
Eugene. OK 97403
HEPPNER
A Heppner man has
been sentenced in relation
to a November 2013 arson
and burglary case. Morrow
County District Attorney
Justin Nelson announced
last week.
On Thursday, July 10,
Judge Daniel Hill sentenced
Joseph Edward Kindle,
34, in connection with a
burglary and arson that
occurred on November 15,
2013, in Heppner. Judge
Hill sentenced Kindle to 65
months in the Department of
Corrections. The sentence
was “open sentencing,”
N elson said, with the that Kindle had completed
sentence left to the complete p reviou s p o st-p rison
discretion o f the
supervision only
court, with each
three months prior
side stating their
to c o m m ittin g
recommendation.
these new crimes,
Kindle pled no
Kindle’s training
contest to Arson 1,
as a v o lu n teer
and guilty to Theft 1, Joseph
firefighter, and the
Felon in Possession Edward
significant damage
o f a Firearm and Kindle
caused to the home.
Burglary 1.
N elso n said
Nelson reported that Kindle had engaged in
he asked the court to focus multiple criminal activities
on several factors when since 1998, including
con sid erin g K in d le's two separate convictions
sentence, including prior o f Theft II, convictions
criminal history, the fact o f Criminal M ischief I,
VOL. 133
NO. 24
8 Pages
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Burglary II, Assault IV,
Driving Under the Influence
o f Intoxicants (DUII),
Harassment, Criminal
Fair tab
Trespass 11, Contempt of
Court, Stalking. Criminal
deadline
M isch ief II, and two
separate convictions of
July 29
Felon in Possession of a
Firearm.
Anyone wishing to
Based on that history.
place a story or an ad
N elso n said , K indle
was considered a repeat
in the Morrow County
offender. Also, with only
Fair special edi
three months since his last
tion of the Heppner
supervision ended, there
Gazette-Times must
was not a “long period” of
conviction-free time.
have their informa
In fact. Kindle had been
tion into the Gazette
released from prison on a
by Tuesday, July 29,
prior sentence on August
at 5 p.m. You may
12, 2011, and had been on
post-prison
supervision
drop the information
until
August
10,
2013.
by the GT office at
In addition, Nelson
188 W. Willow St. in
s t r e s s e d , K in d le ’s
Heppner, mail to The
specialized training and
knowledge as a member
Heppner Gazette-
o
f Heppner’s Volunteer
Times, P.O. Box 337,
Fire Department made
Heppner, OR 97836,
him aware of the risk to
or email to megan@
the firefighters that would
be called out to fight the
rapidserve.net.
fire, but he still placed his
The fair tab will be
“firefighting brothers and
published August 6.
sisters” in danger when he
A young boy frolics in the fountains at Willow' Creek Water Park in Heppner Monday. Temperatures reached into the high set the fire at the residence.
Finally, Nelson said
90s and low 100s over the past several days, driving area residents to find w ays to beat the July heat. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo
there had already been more
than $60,000 in costs in
repairing the damage to
the home and items inside
the home.
Defense counsel Robert
Klahn requested that the
“start talking about it.”
said Deanna Koerner of
-Met several times with court run the sentences in
“We have a problem Heppner. “1 think this (non Morrow County planning all counts concurrent, for a
with loitering at city parks. smoking law) is ridiculous.” and other Morrow County total sentence of 32 months
Kids are smoking there and
In other busin ess, city officials to discuss the prison time.
Klahn also called
this would give the police a Cutsforth gave the following Marijuana Moratorium and
reason to talk to the kids,” report to the council:
related land-use issues. A s e v e r a l co m m u n ity
she said.
-The Beautification plan should be available members to testify that
Cutsforth also said she committee has continued to for discu ssion before Kindle had been doing
exceptionally well in the
did not like the buckets work on the Talking Rocks September.
outside o f Bucknum ’s project. Doris Brosnan has
-The youth soccer field community since he was
Tavern on Main Street with agreed to edit the plaques at Hager Park is complete. released from prison and
cigarette butts in them, so that they will have the Irrigation is done and it was returned to Heppner in
pointing out that right same format and flow. hydro seeded last week. August of 2011.
Kindle also was given
next door is Windwave’s Before the end of July, they Grass should be growing
an
opportunity
to address
office with planters on the will ready to send to the within 20 days.
the
court,
during
which
sidewalk.
plaque manufacturer. Pam
-T op lock A sp h alt
time
he
apologized
to the
In the sample Baker and Mark Wunderlich and Maintenance Co. crack-
court
for
his
actions.
He
City ordinance passed out Frank and Cara Osmin have sealed Riverside Ave. and
informed
the
court
that
to council members, that agreed to donate boulders South Court Street.
city banned all cigarettes, for this project.
-Granite Construction he had no excuses for
cigars, pipes, electronic
-Cutsforth met with should be here next week to what he did and wanted to
cigarettes, hookahs and r e p r e se n ta tiv e from crack- and chip-seal Hager take responsibility for his
nicotine vapor products. Travel O regon. They Street. This will be the last actions.
“The exceptional work
The Baker ordinance were v isitin g several phase of the Beautification
by
the
Morrow County
says banning sm oking eastern Oregon towns to Project.
Sheriff’s
Office led to the
“promotes public health familiarize themselves with
The council heard a
by decreasing citizen s’ the local areas. Several report from Fire C hief successful prosecution in
exposure to secondhand different representatives Rusty Estes who said during this case,” said Nelson.
Ash trays like this one on Main Street may not be needed smoke and creates smoke from our community gave the month o f June there
“I believe the court
anymore if Heppner passes an ordinance to ban smoking on free environm ents for presentations.
imposed
a fair sentence
was
one
false
alarm
at
the
sidewalks. -Photo by David Sykes
citizens through regulation
-S h e attended an grade school, four wild land in this case, taking into
By David Sykes
Cutsforth presented the in all public parks and walk Oregon Bikeways meeting. fires in town, one rekindle account Mr. K indle's
The city o f Heppner council with a sample ways.”
The m eeting follow ed structure, one wild land extensive criminal history
is considering making it ordinance from Baker City,
The ordinance does a bike tour o f the Blue rural fire, the helicopter and the danger he placed
against the law for anyone where they have enacted not spell out penalties for Mountain Bikeway. Several land zone was secured two to members of the Heppner
to smoke on its sidewalks the ban. The Heppner City breaking the law. A member local bikers attended along times, they responded to Volunteer Fire Department
or in city parks, it was Council did not request of the public attending the with representatives of the six motor vehicle accidents, when he set the house on fire.
announced at the monthly the law be considered; meeting objected to the idea Oregon Bikeways group. there were two mutual aid It is because o f Oregon’s
council meeting Monday h o w e v e r , C u tsfo rth of the city passing the non They have requested official runs to lone and 42 chief repeat property laws and the
passage of Measure 57 in
night.
presented the ordinance smoking law.
permission to park for 24- calls.
City Manager Kim and said the council should
“It’s a public sidewalk," 48 hours at a time. This is
In other action, the 2008 that allows us to hold
just to reassure travelers council appointed Jay repeat property offenders
that their vehicles are safe Keithley to the Utilities accountable and protect the
public.”
from towing.
Commission.
zette
imes
Locals beat the heat at the pool
City considers public smoking ban
Would outlaw smoking in parks and on sidewalks
Demolition operations ongoing
this week on Bombing Range
The Morrow County
Sheriff's Office says the
E x p lo siv e O rdinance
Disposal (EOD)
Detachment Northwest
from W hidbey Island
Naval Air Station will
be conducting explosive
demolition operations at the
Boardman Bombing Range
l
Monday through Friday,
July 14-18.
All operations will
occur during daylight hours
in the northeast and central
sections of the range. Dust
clouds and ground vibration
may result from these
operations. NAS Whidbey
Island stated that safety
precautions have been
taken to ensure operations
pose no threat to people or
property.
MCSO says it does not
expect any issues or traffic
problems on Bombing
Range Road but will keep
the public updated as
needed.
»
«PS* NEW S
CUSTO M ^
HARVEST HOURS:
M onday - Friday 7am - 6pm
Saturday 7am - 5pm
MIXEDÆÎUTOTOg
IM PLEM ENT PAI N il
Morrow County r v f a Grain
Growers
m v iif M iu iiit m n t iiu iim a e a i
Lexington 989-4221 * 1-800-452-7396
I
k
I