Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 2014)
I I 3IX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 10,2014 lone science teacher Ambre Energy, Port of Morrow appeal recognized for mural Oregon Dept, of State Lands permit decision lone science teacher Orissa Burghard was recognized at the Au gust school board meeting for her design and work on a mural outside the school by the lone pool. Pictured: Chairman Bill Jepsen presenting the award to Burghard. Contributed photo lone Elementary ASB officers elected PORTLAND, Ore —Am bre Energy and the Port of Morrow in Boardman have filed appeals against the permit decision made by the State of Oregon’s Depart ment of State Lands (DSL). Last month, DSL de nied a removal/fill permit for the M orrow Pacific project, a proposed coal export facility. The permit is needed to construct a dock at the Port of Morrow to transfer a bulk commod ity to barges. “The permitting pro cess for a rail-to-barge fa cility should be project-spe cific and not influenced by the commodities involved,” said Everett King, execu tive director, president and CEO o f A m bre Energy North America. “It’s pretty clear the politics o f coal overshadowed this process from the beginning.” In the opening segment of the appeal Ambre Energy writes: “In its A pplication, Coyote Island Terminal proposes to place pilings in the Columbia River to construct a new barge loading dock at the Port o f Morrow near Boardman, Oregon Coyote Island Ter minal seeks to use the dock to load a bulk commodity into barges fo r shipment overseas Because that bulk commodity’ is coal, it is a process that the State o f Oregon does not support politically. [1] Instead o f fa irly evaluating Coyote Island Terminal ’s applica tion, DSL chose to base its decision on factors that far exceed the scope o f analy sis DSL has previously engaged in, im properly elevating special interests above long-standing, statu torily preferred Port indus trial uses. In doing so, DSL exceeded its lawful author ity while ignoring its legal obligations. The decision must be reversed. “ We d isag ree w ith DSL’s decision. We de signed the project to protect the environment while sup porting the economy,” said John Thomas, VP of legal, Ambre Energy. “ W e've done that, and we will prove ” that again through the ap peals process.” “Not only does this permit denial create a road block for the well-designed Morrow Pacific project— it sets new regulatory prec edent that has the risk of shutting down future de velopment opportunities at the Port of Morrow,” said Gary Neal, general man ager, Port of Morrow. “We are appealing so that this political decision does not limit economic opportunity in rural Oregon.” In the opening segment of the appeal the Port of Morrow writes: “As the second largest p o rt in the State o f Or egon, the Port o f Morrow must be able to enter into leases fo r development o f its lands without the State unduly interfering with the Port o f Morrow's eco nomic decisions. The Port o f Morrow has invested over $50 million in devel opment o f infrastructure to support the Port o f Morrow East Beach Industrial Park, which is slated to include five docks including the dock proposed by Coyote Island Terminal - to sup port the Port o f Morrow s econom ic developm ent plans. The dock is slated to be constructed in an area specifically set aside by the United States Army Corps o f Engineers for port indus trial development, and will not interfere with fishing. The Port o f Morrow is com mitted to Eastern Oregon and helping to revitalize O regon’s economy With this decision, the State oj Oregon has sent the clear message that it does not support the Port o f Mor row in these endeavors, and that allegations o f fishing will overpower the state and federal determination that the Port o f Morrow is the best location for Port Economic Development. Following the notice of appeal, DSL has 30 days to send the notice to an administrative law judge. Under the rule, the judge must assign a hearing date within 30 days of receiving the notice. - ” VA education and training available to vets, family members First Morrow County Harvest Festival coming Oct. 4 Morrow County Veterans office has announced that many benefits are available to advance the education and skills of veterans and service members. Spouses and family members may also be eligible, they say; in fact, 25 percent of those benefitting from VA’s edu cation programs are non- Veterans. Some might find they’re eligible for more than one benefit or that one program is more suited to certain education and train ing goals than another. The Post-9/11 G1 Bill offers higher education and training benefits to veter ans, service members and their families who served after Sept. 10, 2001. The Montgomery GI Bill assists active duty and reservists with the pursuit o f higher education de grees, certificates, and other education and training, which might include flight training, small business development, licensing and certification. VA representatives say these opportunities can open new doors to employ ment by getting licensed or certified as a mechanic, medical technician, attor ney, or other professional. Often required for work in certain fields, these tests may be eligible for GI Bill reimbursement. The GI Bill also is available for training at non-college-degree insti tutions. This includes the training in areas such as HVAC repair, truck driving, emergency medical train ing, and barber/beautician school. Accelerated payment assistan ce could cover high-tech programs in the animal sciences, food and technology, communica tions, and more. Others offer various education and training ben efits or increased benefits to certain reservists, vet erans and their survivors and dependents, such as: Reserve Educational As sistance Program (REAP); Veterans Educational As sistance Program (VEAP); Survivors & Dependents Educational A ssistance Program; Educational As sistance Pilot Program; National Call to Service Program; Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhance ment Program; Tuition As sistance - Top-Up; and the Tillman Scholarship. For more info, http://www.ben- efits.va.gov/gibill/. State benefits include the Voyager Tuition Assis tance Program, the Oregon Nonresident Veteran Fee Remission, statewide ap prenticeships (BOL1), and college credit for military training. BOARDMAN, Ore - The first Morrow County Harvest Festival is coming to the SAGE Center Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is presented by the Boardman, Heppner and Irrigon chambers of commerce in conjunction with the SAGE Center, 101 Olson Road, Boardman. SAGE Center manager Kalie Davis said there will be a wide variety of fun, cider tasting is available for adults from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. “This is a great oppor tunity for all of the Mor row County chambers and the SAGE Center to work together to promote all of the talented individuals in our communities and give them a wonderful event to showcase what they do,” Davis said. A fall-them ed ch il d ren ’s obstacle course, pumpkin-painting station, and photo booth will be available throughout the day at the Kids Comer. Free horse and buggy rides will also be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. T itle sp o n so rs in clude Threemile Canyon Farms and Abengoa. Lamb Weston ConAgra Foods sponsored the Kids Comer and Cascade Specialties is the event’s vendor sponsor. The event is planned to be held annually. For more inform ation visit http:// visitsage.com or call the SAGE Center at 541-481- 7243, Irrigon Chamber of Com m erce at 541-922- 3857, Heppner Chamber of Commerce at 541-676- 5536, or the Boardman Chamber of Commerce at 541-481-3014. The lone Elementary School Associated Student Body has an nounced the election of its officers for the 2014-15 school year. Pictured front left to right: Ola Kietmann, Treasurer; Tiffany Hollis. Publicist; and Jessica Medina, Vice-President. Back left to right: Larysa Burright, Secretary; Eva Martin, President; and Hunter Padberg, Activities Director. -Contributedphoto Justice Court Report Morrow County Justice of the Peace Ann Spicer has released the following Justice Court report: -Glen George Griffith, 57, of lone was found guilty of exceeding truck speed 75/55 and fined $160. fall-themed activities at no cost and the event will give people an opportunity to learn about all the local tal ent in Morrow and Umatilla county communities. Vendors range from fresh produce to jam s, bread, and pies, to home made jewelry, coffee, art, and wood work. There will also be food vendors serv ing lunch as well as frozen yogurt. Beer, wine, and The uray to a loonnomeh.'b keo.,^. Qhaning qua mo/itgage denAir\g fenouAedye at BEO Mo/itgage DiuauorL Come &ee ua ¿ addyoun horne doari neecL. o / i M ay 5: -M o rro w County S heriff’s Office received report of two ve hicles abandoned in lone after a house fire. -MCSO received report of a car backed into while the owner was at work. No note was left. -MCSO received report that Marin Lua Estrada, 32, was arrested on a Mor row County Circuit Court warrant from a Grand Jury Indictment for five counts of Sodomy II, two counts of Sex Abuse I, Rape II, Un lawful Sexual Penetration II, Custodial Interference II. He was lodged at Umatilla County Jail with $500,000 bail and an Immigration Nationalization Services (INS) hold. -MCSO received report of a sighting of a gray Acura matching the description of a Washington Amber Alert in Irrigon. -MCSO received report of a black Toyota Corolla with a female driver with a hood over her head circling the school for the last 20-30 minutes. The caller said the custodian saw in at 5:30 a.m. also. MCSO arrested Jennifer Kay Martinez, 31, on a Umatilla County war rant. She was to be lodged at Umatilla County Jail. -MCSO received report of a male subject who was medically cleared and ready to be transported back to jail from the Oregon State Hospital. -MCSO received report from a subject driving from Umatilla to Irrigon that a female driver just passed them and threw a can of Pepsi out the window at them. -MCSO received re quest for assistance from a victim’s advocate. -MCSO received report from a subject in Irrigon that his cell phone was sto len out of his vehicle that was parked at A.C. Hough- ton Elementary School. -MCSO received report from a subject in Irrigon that he went into a rental property to clean it out and found drug paraphernalia. MCSO responded and took it into custody. -MCSO received report from a man in Boardman that a drunk male tried to get a juvenile female to go into his house, but she was able to pull away. Board- man Police Departm ent and MCSO responded and checked the area, but was unable to locate him. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. Wheatland Insurance Center, Inc. Term Loans. Lines of Credit. Commercial Reai Estate Loans. Hobby Farm Loans B ank o f Sheriff’s Report NMLS #414459 Arietta Arnsplger NMLS# 500276 Mortgage Lending Manager www.beobank.com I Grower Meeting September 18th, 2014 6:30 PM lone School Cafeteria Learn the latest about the Farm Bill and Crop Insurance. For questions, contact Stacie Ekstrom at 541-422-7410 or by email at stacie@wici net I I
