I
TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 1,2014
From the North Em
Boardman ranked in the 30
safest cities in Oregon
The SafeWise Report
released its “30 Safest Cit
ies in Oregon” report this
week. Boardman came in
at number 22 on the list.
Baker City came in at num
ber one while, more locally,
Umatilla made the list at
number 10.
To compile this report,
SafeWise used the most
recent FBI crime data from
2012 to analyze and rank
these cities, which all have
a minimum population of
2,500 people. They looked
at crim es from part one
of the FBI Unified Crime
Report (UCR) reported
crime data, which focuses
on violent crimes (aggra
vated assault, forcible rape,
murder and robbery) as well
as property crimes (arson,
burglary, larceny-theft and
motor vehicle theft). From
there, they calculated the
chances o f these crimes
happening out of a thou
sand in order to level the
playing field for cities of
varying populations. From
all the cities in Oregon, they
narrowed the list down to
30 and assigned rankings
according to data provided
by the FBI's UCR report.
“These Oregon cities
really exemplify what it
means to be a close-knit
community,” SafeWise se
curity analyst Rebecca Ed
wards said. “Half of the cit
ies on our list had less than
10 violent crimes reported
in 2012. Being a commu
nity o f trustw orthy law
enforcement and friendly
neighbors who look out for
each other really makes a
difference.”
To see the full list go
to http://w w w .safew ise.
com/blog/30-safest-cities-
Oregon/.
SafeW ise is a com
munity-focused security
organization that is the
source for everything safety
and security. They help
residents compare security
providers so they can best
protect their homes the way
they want to. The SafeWise
Report provides resources
to help make homes and
communities a safer place,
rhey provide home security
tips and tools, as well as
the most recent news in the
safety industry. Visit http://
www.safewise.com/home-
security/or for more helpful
safety resources.
Boardman high school to
benefit from Oregon GEAR
UP grant
Riverside Jr./Sr. High
School in Boardman will
be one of more than 20 rural
schools to benefit from an
Oregon GEAR UP grant,
the InterMountain ESD has
announced. Oregon will
receive $2.6 million a year
for seven years for college
readiness initiatives as part
of the statewide GEAR
UP program, the U.S.
Department of Education
announced last week.
Oregon GEAR UP,
which is an acronym for
Gaining Early Awareness
and
Readiness
for
Undergraduate Programs,
is
a
federally-funded
college access and success
program that increases the
number of low-income
students who are prepared
to enter and succeed in
postsecondary education.
As part of Oregon
State University’s Office
of Precollege Programs,
Oregon
GEAR
UP
works with cohorts of
middle and high school
students over a period of
seven years to meet their
specific educational needs.
Services and activities
include academic tutoring,
financial literacy, FAFSA
completion, college tours,
and parent engagement
programs, among others.
GEAR UP serves
students starting in seventh
grade and follows them
through the first year
of college. The work is
carried out by staff in
school districts in rural
communities around the
state, with a variety of
supports from the central
GEAR UP office and the
contributions of many
community partners.
“1
couldn't
be
more excited about the
opportunity to continue
the good work of GEAR
UP in Oregon,” said
Stephanie
Carnahan,
director of the Oregon
GEAR UP program. “Our
partnerships with rural
communities across the
state will make education
beyond high school a
reality for thousands of
additional students.”
Activities and services
will be concentrated in 21
rural communities, which
are expected to serve over
13,000 students over seven
years. Other area schools
to benefit include Stanfield
Secondary
School
in
Stanfield and Umatilla
High School and Clara
Brownell Middle School
in Umatilla.
BELL TOWER, GROUNDBREAKING
O ’Brien’s road depart
ment crew and staff also
dedicated time and effort
toward the reconstruction
project.
"There were a lot of
obstacles to overcom e,”
Wilson told the crowd.
“To be honest, when they
originally told me what they
wanted to do, I thought they
were a little crazy. Take the
tower down and fix it? You
do wonder how the original
workmen did get it up there,
though.
“It was an awesome
project to work on,” he said.
Both county commis
sioners, Leann Rea and
Ken Grieb, who backed the
restoration project from the
beginning, praised all in
volved and said their efforts
were much appreciated.
County Judge Terry
Tallman was master of cer
emonies at the dedication
and he pointed out many
visiting and local officials
and dignitaries, some from
other counties.
Tallman said the origi
nal estimate to fix the tower
was estimated at $500.000
and he knew there was not
enough money available,
so he called on engineer
Doug Ferguson, whose firm
came up with some ideas to
cut the cost and make the
project feasible.
“It was very gratify
ing to work with so many
people here in Morrow
County for which this proj
ect became both a labor of
love and a huge challenge,”
Heppner contractor Rod Wilson speaks to the crowd with the Ferguson said.
restored clock tower behind him. Photo by David Sykes
State Rep. Greg Smith
was
also on hand and told
-Continuedfrom PA GE ONE
“I don’t think we could
the
crowd
that the coun
to their authentic condition. have hired a better person
ty
’s
nam
esake,
Jackson
R eceiv in g a lot o f
Lee
Morrow,
if
here
today,
praise for the tower res
“would
be
proud
of
what
toration was contractor
you
have
done.
This
is a
Rod Wilson o f Heppner,
magnificent
moment
be
who worked many hours
cause
we
are
preserving
restoring the structure at its
Morrow County history.”
temporary home at the old
Kinzua Mill site.
Commissioner Ken Grieb
Student exchange program looking
for community area representatives
ASSE International
Student Exchange Pro
grams is seeking volun
teers to serve as local area
representatives. ASSE
provides academic year
and semester exchange
programs in the United
States for high school
students from around the
world.
Area representatives
recruit and screen pro
spective host families, in
terview students to study
abroad and su p erv ise
the exchange students in
their community. Area
representatives are com
pensated based on the
number o f students they Commissioner Leann Rea
are supervising. There
is also a great bonus op
portunity.
Friday, October 3, 5:30
For more info, call
p.m. - HHS Football Tail
1-800-733-2773 or email
gate dinner hosted by Colt
asseusawest@asse.com.
Football team and families:
The meal will include soup,
warm breadsticks, dessert
and a drink for $5. Come
out and support a great
cause and get a great meal.
They will serve dinner until
game time or until the food
is gone, whichever comes
first.
Saturday, Friday, Octo
ber 4,9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Mor
row County Harvest Festi
val - SAGE Center: This
event will take place at the
SAGE Center in Boardman
and will include local pro
duce, local handmade arts
Go to it Game! Hear a Concert! See a play!
and craft vendors. There
will be activities for kids;
O n e o f th e best tickets in tow n will alw ays be activities at
free horse buggy rides, free
o n e lo cal schools. F ootball S basketball gam es, con certs Sc
admission to the festival
plays. You can alw ays c o u n t on an enjoyable time. O ur
and SAGE Center all day
and adults will be given an
ch ild ren are o u r fu tu r e . L e t's g ive th em all the
e n co u ra g e m e n t th a t we c a n !
A t h a n k o f E a stern O regon,
we 're a p r o u d su p p o rter o f sc h o o l activities
S we 're p r o u d o f o u r ru ra l c o m m u n ity sch o o ls!
Supporting Morrow County - the place we call home.
C o m e see u s today f o r a ll y o u r fin a n c ia l b a n k in g needs.
Bank of
Eastern Oregon
Heppner Branch • 541-676-9125 / lone Branch • 541-422-7466
www.beobank.com
M em ber FD1C
to do this job.” said Pub
lic Works Director Burke
O ’Brien, who originally
noticed how decrepit the
structure had become and
brought it to the attention State Rep. Greg Smith: “You
of the county commission. are preserving history.”
Chamber Chatter
opportunity to taste local
beer, wine and cider. Ques
tions - Contact the SAGE
Center at 541-481-7678 or
visit http://visitsage.com.
Saturday, October 4,
6:30 p.m. - HHS Booster
Club Dinner and Auction
- Heppner Elks Club: Plan
now to attend the annual
HHS Booster Club Dinner
and Auction. The steak feed
dinner will start at 6:30
p.m., with the auction to
follow. Dinner is $15 per
person or $65 for a family.
The dinner and auction will
take place downstairs in the
dining room this year.
Thursday, October 16,
11:45 a.m. -1 p.m. - Can
didates’ forum held during
Heppner Chamber regular
lunch meeting: A candi
dates' forum will be hosted
by the Heppner Chamber,
with candidates for the
Heppner Mayor and City
Councilor positions. The
lunch will be served start
ing at 11:45 a.m. so we can
have the majority o f the
hour for the forum. RSVPs
for lunch will be required.
October 7 - October 23,
2014 - Domestic Violence
Services Volunteer Training
- Stanfield Public Library:
Domestic Violence Servic
es will be offering volunteer
training for answering calls
on their 24 hour crisis line.
If you are interested in tak
ing an active role against
domestic violence in your
community and would like
the opportunity to advocate
for victims o f domestic/
sexual violence, please
contact 541-276-3322 to
reserve your spot. There
are eight different training
classes offered.
PERs eased on Umatilla forest
As o f last Saturday,
public use restrictions
pertaining to chainsaw
use, sm oking and off
road travel were lifted
on the Umatilla and Wal
lowa-Whitman National
Forests. This allows fire
wood cutting to resume
all day.
S easonal cam pfire
restrictions will remain
in place until Oct. 31;
however, these campfire
restrictions do not apply
to designated wilderness
areas and specified ex
empted developed rec-
reation sites (see Forest
w ebsites for exempted
sites or areas).
“The intent is to al
low campfire use, while
promoting safe campfire
building techniques that,
in the long run, will pro
tect lives, property, and
our natural landscapes,”
said Brian Goff, Uma
tilla Fire M anagem ent
Officer.
As a reminder, there
are a lso site -sp e c ific
year-round public use
regulations still in effect
(see the Forest websites
for further information).
F orest v isito rs are
u rg ed to use c au tio n
when building and tend
ing campfires, cooking
fires, and fires in wood
stoves.
For more inform a
tion, visit www.fs.usda.
g o v /u m atilla, call the
Umatilla National Forest
at 541 -278-3716, or con
tact the Heppner Ranger
District at 541 -676-9187.
Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.