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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 2015)
HEPPNER G T 50¢ azette imes Lock-out at elementary school ends without incident Parents of Heppner El- ementary School students were notified of a “lock- out” that occurred at the school related to a police incident Monday morning. According to informa- tion released by the school, an incident in which police officers were involved oc- curred in the HES back parking lot. The Morrow County Sheriff ’s Office requested that Heppner Heppner Elementary underwent a “lock-out” Monday morn- -See HES LOCK-OUT/PAGE ing due to a police incident in the school’s back parking lot. EIGHT –Contributed photo VOL. 134 NO. 5 8 Pages Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Bedortha appointed to Heppner City Council By David Sykes Teresa Bedortha was appointed Monday to the Heppner City Council, fill- ing out the term of Skip Matthews, who moved up to the mayoral position fol- lowing his election to that spot in November. Bedortha, who was born and raised in Heppner and has spent the past 34 years here, works as a loan processor for the Bank of Eastern Oregon. “Being raised in Hep- pner I would like to help keep Heppner up and going as a strong community to live in,” she said in her ap- plication for the position. “I would like to help find ways to bring more people to Heppner,” she added. As qualifications for the position, she pointed to her history in Heppner and the community and her financial knowledge from working in the banking and title business. Bedortha’s was the Teresa Bedortha is sworn into office by Heppner Mayor Skip Matthews. –Contributed photo only application received from the public for consid- eration for the position. In other business, the council heard from Rich- ard Stoddard of Barnett & Moro CPAs about the com- pleted 2014 financial audit. Overall the city received high marks and a clean bill of health; however, the auditors did raise two areas of “concern.” Stoddard said the bond taken out to finance the city’s water project in 2005 requires net water revenues equal to at least 110 percent of yearly debt service. “The city’s 2014-15 budget appears to not com- ply with this covenant…We recommend that city review its costs to operate the wa- ter and sewer systems, cut costs if possible, and raise rates if necessary,” Stod- dard wrote in his audit letter to the city. In another area of city accounting Stoddard said “The functions of handling cash and the recording of financial transactions are not adequately separated.” He said, however, that in smaller cities such as Hep- pner this is not uncommon, since there is limited staff to handle financial transac- tions. In other business, the council reviewed the goals adopted for 2015: 1) Assist the city fire department with the plan- ning and construction of a new fire hall. 2) Update the Master Water Plan—to aide in pri- oritizing water projects and to seek funding. 3) Update the Trans- portation System Plan—to aide in prioritizing street improvements. -See CITY COUNCIL/PAGE SIX OSU economist to speak at WCVEDG annual meeting The Willow Creek Val- policy options for state and ley Economic Development local government agencies and organizations Group (WCVEDG) on topics as varied will hold its annual as globalization, a luncheon Thursday, bottled-water plant, Feb. 19, from 11:30 affordable housing, a.m. – 1 p.m. in the tourism, alternative St. Patrick’s Senior energy, local foods Center dining room. to schools, the vi- T h e g u e s t Bruce Sorte ability of small or speaker will be Or- egon State University Ex- adaptive farms, and grazing tension Service Economist on public lands. One of his Bruce Sorte, who will give current projects is estimat- a presentation on “Rural ing the economic impacts of agriculture and food in the Economics.” Sorte received his bach- five western states. Sorte has published nu- elor’s and master’s degrees 30 years apart at Oregon merous reports and articles, State University. He worked and he is a regular presenter in banking, manufacturing at service clubs and work- and retail prior to returning shops. He also served as a to OSU. He now analyzes -See WCVEDG MEETING/ the economic impacts of PAGE SIX 14 th annual Cruz-In set for March 14 Next school year to have Aug. 31 start date in county district schools School board gives Dirksen high marks on evaluation By April Sykes Also at the meeting, the The Morrow County board approved option 1 School Board, at its regular for the 2015-16 school cal- meeting in Irrigon endar with school Monday night, gave beginning before Superintendent Dirk Labor Day, on Aug. Dirksen high marks 31. Option 1 was on his annual per- the overwhelming formance evalua- choice of site coun- tion. Board Chair cil members, teach- Thad Killingbeck ers and administra- said that Dirksen re- Dirk Dirksen tors. With this op- ceived all excellent tion, staff in-service or outstanding marks in all will be held Aug. 24-27, categories, and commended with students beginning him for his “outstanding” Aug. 31 and the students’ work. last day June 9. Christmas F ind the S hamrock ! The Shamrock Hunt is back! After a long hiatus, the St. Patrick’s Day shamrock treasure hunt is back. The first person to find the hidden shamrock will win a 2014 Silver Eagle donated by the Bank of Eastern Oregon, which is on display at the Heppner branch. The Silver Eagle is valued around $50. -RULES- 1. A new set of clues to guide you to the hidden shamrock will appear in each edition of the Heppner Gazette-Times. 2. A total of five clues beginning with the Feb. 11 edition will be published each week on the front page. 3. The hidden shamrock is not on private property and no digging or moving of objects, dirt or other materials is neces- sary to find the shamrock. 4. The first person to find the shamrock and bring it to the Heppner Gazette-Times office will claim their prize. CLUE #1 A chatty stone is just the Rx To contemplate here about beginning your quest Listen close to what it says And you may just end up out there ahead 3 Numerals on this clue reside Add them up - don’t be shy Keep this integer in your mind So in your search you don’t fall far behind Sponsored by Bank of Eastern Oregon and The Heppner Gazette-Times break will be from Dec. 18 to Jan. 3 with school resuming on Jan. 4. Spring break is the week of March 21-25. Also, when Monday is a holiday, school will be held on Friday. Calendar option 2 also called for staff in-service Aug. 24-27 and students beginning Aug. 31. How- ever, with this option there would be no school on Friday when Monday is a holiday, so the last day of school would have been June 16. Option 3 called for an early start date, with staff in-service Aug. 17- 18 and Aug. 24-25 and students beginning Aug. 26 with students’ last day June 7. Option 4 had staff in-service Aug. 17-18 and 24-25, students beginning Aug. 26 and students’ last day June 15. With this op- tion there would have been no school on Fridays when Monday is a holiday. The board also touched briefly on a “lock out” at Heppner Elementary School on the morning of Feb. 9. HES Principal Matt Combe said the Morrow County Sheriff contacted him and advised him to institute a lock-out at the school because of an in- cident with a suspect in the school parking lot. He said the person in question was arrested and then the lock-out was discontinued without incident. Dirksen commended teachers, administration, parents and students con- cerning the news that the district’s graduation rates for all three high schools far exceed the state aver- age. Heppner High School had a 96.3 percent four-year graduation rate, “nearly 25 percent higher than the state average.” Riverside High School in Boardman had an 83.1 percent four-year graduation rate and Irri- gon High School had a 79 percent rate. The district’s average was 83.23 percent, compared to the state aver- age of 71.98 percent. Concerning school en- rollment, Dirksen said that enrollment was still up around 67 students district- wide. In other business, the board: -adopted new gradua- tion requirements. -adopted new bidding requirements. -approved a resolu- tion on open enrollment. The board will accept no non-resident students for the 2015-16 school year, based on current enrollment projections, staffing and available resources. -received the follow- ing enrollment report: A.C. Houghton Elemen- tary, Irrigon-288; Sam Boardman Elementary, Boardman-354; Heppner Elementary-180; Irrigon Elementary-168; Windy River Elementary, Board- The annual Cruz-In, set this year for March 14, shows off classic cars ranging from vehicles like this oldie-but-goodie to modern street rods. -File photo On March 14, the 14 th annual St. Paddy’s Cruz-In will be held during the 33 rd annual St. Patrick’s Cel- ebration in Heppner. The car show area will be on Willow Street, between Heppner Family Foods and St. Patrick’s Se- nior Center, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For anyone who has a classic vehicle and wants to join the show, registra- tion will start at 9 a.m. The entry fee is $20 per vehicle. Awards this year will in- clude Leprechaun’s Choice, Mustang’s Choice, Best Convertible, Best 1910s – 1920s Car or Pickup, Best Street Rod, Best Paint, Best Restomod Car, Best of Show, and more. Also, there will be a Participant’s Choice award to be voted on by the car owners them- selves. Judging will begin at 10 a.m. The awards will -See CRUZ-IN COMING/ PAGE EIGHT Heppner planning commission to hold hearing on medical marijuana zoning The Heppner Planning Commission has announced it will conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m. on March 2 at Heppner City Hall regarding proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance. The proposed amendments are regarding land use regulations in response to medical marijuana dispensary legislation. The commission says it is considering either com- mercial or industrial zones for any medical marijuana -See MCSD MEETING/ facility, grow site or laboratory, though both would require PAGE EIGHT a conditional use permit. VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL! 20% off M ontana S ilver J ewelry Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed 242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)
