Heppner gazette-times., April 15, 2015, Image 1

HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 134
NO. 15
10 Pages
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Combe adds facilities
director to list of duties
By April Sykes
remaining 25 percent of his
Heppner High School time dedicated to teaching
and Heppner Elementa- two science classes at HHS.
ry School Principal Matt
This move will increase
Combe will add the job of administrative time in the
facilities maintenance di- south end schools to 1.5 full
rector to his job description, time equivalent positions,
following employment ac- although it is still short of
tion by the Morrow County
the 2.0 FTE posi-
School Board Mon-
tions prior to the
day night in Hep-
resignation of for-
pner.
mer HHS Principal
Combe is tak-
Daye Stone.
ing over as facilities
Combe said
maintenance direc-
that the head teach-
tor, following the
er positions held by
resignation of for- Matt Combe Greg Grant at HHS
mer facilities direc-
and Melissa Coiner
tor/finance director Andy at HES are still in effect.
Fletcher, who resigned from
The board also heard a
the school district to take a presentation by HES teach-
job with Columbia Basin ers Sue Gibbs, Melissa
Electric in Heppner. Combe Coiner and Pam Dowdy on
had held the facilities main- the new Smarter Balanced
tenance director position Assessment taught in the
previously.
school in preparation for the
Combe said that he will Common Core testing. The
spend approximately 75 teachers were enthusiastic
percent of his time as prin- about the new program
cipal at HHS and HES, with and said that it promotes a
the remaining 25 percent as “higher level of thinking”
facilities maintenance di- among the students.
rector. HHS science teacher
“It’s stepping kids up
Dieter Waite will be pro- to apply their knowledge,”
moted to three fourths vice said Gibbs, who added that
principal at HES, with the with this program, there is
sometimes more than one
right answer.
“We are ahead of the
game,” added Dowdy.
Superintendent Dirk
Dirksen was also enthu-
siastic about the program
and added that only two
students have opted out.
“It’s exciting; it’s prob-
lematic; it teaches kids
how to think,” commented
school board member Brian
Kollman.
Board Chair Thad Kill-
ingbeck said that he be-
lieves that this emphasis in
Morrow County Schools
will put Morrow County
kids ahead of the game.
Also at the meeting,
Community Counseling
Services director Kimber-
ly Lindsay, CCS Clinical
Manager Stephanie Hisler,
and CCS counselors Katy
Wilde and Amy George pre-
sented an overview of the
counseling program in the
Morrow County schools.
Dirksen, school administra-
tors and teachers were more
than enthusiastic about the
success of the program and
its positive effect on stu-
dents. The program is set
Health district CEO steps
down
Grigg to leave Heppner for new position in Burns
Morrow County Health to proceed. Grigg offered
District CEO Dan Grigg has to help the board with the
announced his resignation search process, as well as
to the health district
continuing to seek
board. Grigg’s last
a replacement for
day with MCHD
Dr. Betsy Anderson,
will be June 25.
who will be leaving
At a meeting
in August.
Monday night, the
Grigg, who has
board decided to
served as the health
begin the recruit- Dan Grigg
district’s Adminis-
ment process for
trator/Chief Execu-
Grigg’s replacement imme- tive Officer since May of
diately and discussed how 2013, is leaving Heppner
to take a position as CEO
of Harney District Hospital
in Burns, OR.
“I never expected to
leave this soon, but feel that
this is the right decision for
me and my career as well
as for my family,” Grigg
said in a letter to health
district employees. “I have
thoroughly loved my time
here with all of you and feel
that we have accomplished
some great things together.”
Ione school seeks new
principal
Crane to resign at end of school year
Ione Community
School is interviewing
four candidates for the
K-12 principal position
this Thursday, April 16.
The candidates are Nancy
Moon, Rick Lindblad, Hen-
ry Ramirez and Matthew
Murray.
A community meet and
greet is open to anyone
from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
in the elementary school
gym. The school board
encourages all to come and
give their input on the com-
ment cards.
was difficult because
The board accepted I feel very connected to
current principal
the students, staff
Sarah Crane’s resig-
and community of
nation at the March
Ione,” says Crane.
board meeting.
“I certainly didn’t
Crane is mov-
begin this job with
ing to Portland to
the intent of only
get married once
staying two years,
this school year is Ione principal but I was faced with
over. In July she Sarah Crane making a decision
will begin a new
that is best for my
role as a principal of Jack- future and my family.
son Elementary School in
“I am forever grateful
Hillsboro School District. for the experience I have
“The decision to move had in Ione.”
to expand next year.
Heppner High School
FFA members Logan Grieb
and Kolby Currin, along
with FFA Advisor Beth
Dickenson, presented a
program on the ongoing
pheasant-raising program at
HHS, the brainchild of the
late Sam Hornbeck, whose
goal was to have pheasants
raised to be released on
public hunting lands.
In other business, the
board:
-received the follow-
ing enrollment report: A.C.
Houghton Elementary
School, Irrigon-296; Sam
Boardman Elementary,
Boardman-345; Heppner
Elementary-177; Irrigon
Elementary-171; Windy
River Elementary, Board-
man-206; Heppner Junior/
Senior High School-159;
Irrigon Junior/Senior High
School-382; Riverside Ju-
nior/Senior High School,
Boardman-386; Morrow
Education Center, Irri-
gon-36; total-2,158.
-approved the follow-
ing employment action:
resignations/non-renewals-
Molly Blatz, IJSHS sci-
ence teacher, June 2015,
Rachelle Dow, SBE sec-
ond grade, June 2015;
retirements-Helen Bliss,
ACH head cook, June 2015,
Robert Carson, IES fourth
grade teacher, June 2015,
Nancy McElhany, SBE/
WRE library tech, June
2015; employment/pro-
motions/transfers-Katie
Burton, SBE first grade
teacher, 2015/16, Lynn
Calvert, transfer from SBE
kindergarten to English
Language Learner teacher,
2015-16, Ryan Keefauver,
IJSHS Principal 2015-16,
Pat King, RJSHS special
-See SCHOOL DISTRICT/
PAGE FOUR
Ione native named to Wrestling Hall of Fame
By Andrea Di Salvo
One of Ione’s native
sons will be recognized
next month for his com-
mitment to a long-time
passion.
Bob Akers, who now
District
positions are
contested in
May election
Several local positions
are open in the upcoming
May 19 Special Election.
Most of the positions
on the ballot are for district
positions such as local fire,
library, cemetery and park
districts. Most of the candi-
dates for those positions are
running uncontested, with a
few exceptions.
One contested posi-
tion is that of Oregon Trail
Library District Director 1,
for which both Sally Walker
of Heppner and Mary Jones
of Boardman have filed as
candidates.
Willow Creek Park
District has four candidates
running for the three open
Director at Large positions;
candidates include Skip
Matthews, Kim Cutsforth,
Joe Perry and Gary Proph-
eter, all of Heppner. Voters
will be able to vote for any
three of the four candidates.
In the north end, Stan
Anderson and Dave Cooley
of Irrigon are both running
for the Irrigon Park & Rec-
reation District Director 2
slot. Also contested is the
Umatilla Morrow Radio
& Data District Director 5,
with Mark Pratt of Board-
man and Marty Broadbent
vying for that position.
lives and coaches in Gresh-
am, OR, will be inducted in
the National Wrestling Hall
of Fame at a May 2 cer-
emony at Embassy Suites
Portland in Tigard. He is
one of six Oregon coaches
to receive the honor this
year. Plaques in the induct-
ees’ honor will be placed in
the National Hall of Fame
Museum in Stillwater, OK.
Akers, 72, is the son of
Berl and Margaret Akers.
He was born in Heppner
and raised on the family’s
wheat farm outside of Ione.
Though it’s been a while
since he lived on the farm,
he has vivid memories of
his childhood in the coun-
try.
“For 11 months of the
year, you’d wake up and go
outside and look for those
rain clouds,” he recalls.
“And then there’d be that
one month of the year when both OSU graduates, and he’s been there ever since. School Activities Asso-
Akers says he turned ciation) State Wrestling
you’d say, ‘Gosh, I hope it four grandchildren, whom
doesn’t rain.’”
Akers says are all to coaching shortly after Tournament Committee. He
has also volunteered at the
While Akers is
involved in sports. graduation.
“Athletics is one of high school state wrestling
being recognized
“I’m lucky to
for his contribu-
get four good grand- the best classrooms we’ve tournament since 1962.
got these days, getting the
Akers, who says he has
tion to wrestling,
kids,” he says.
he wasn’t always
Ironically, Ak- kids involved and teaching a lot of cousins and friends
an avid wrestling
ers never really was them responsibility,” he still in Ione, as well as a
proponent. When Bob Akers
a wrestler himself. says when asked what drew sister in Hermiston, was
attending Ione High
He says an injury him to coaching. “I think inducted in the Ione Hall
School, he was a “main- kept him from going very kids can learn so much of Fame several years ago.
stay” on the gridiron. It far in the sport; he tried for from athletics about being He has also been inducted
wasn’t until after his gradu- the OSU wrestling team good citizens and being into the Centennial School
ation from IHS in 1960 but could never make the hard working and being District Hall of Fame. He
that he discovered his love cut. Instead, he got as close responsible for themselves says he values those pieces
for wrestling, first during as he could to the action, and budgeting their time.” of recognition.
He retired from teach-
“It’s great any time you
his two years at Columbia working in the athletic
Basin College in Pasco and departments at Columbia ing in 1996, but it seemed can go back and be honored
then for three years at Or- Basin and OSU and spend- his coaching career wasn’t by the kids and families you
grew up with and be told
egon State University.
ing a lot of time with the quite over.
“I thought I was all fin- you’ve been successful,”
It was while at Pasco wrestlers.
that Akers met and lat-
“(I was) always getting ished but they said I could says Akers. “I got my start
er married his wife of 52 beat up by the good guys,” coach one more year,” Ak- at Ione and a lot of my phi-
years, Hermiston native he recalls, adding that a lot ers says. “Since I retired losophies are what I learned
Janice Losness. The couple of the wrestlers he knew in I think I enjoy coaching from Ione High School and
has a son and a daughter, his weight class went on to more. I keep telling ev- from growing up on a wheat
become national champi- erybody I’ll go ‘One more ranch, where you learned
that no matter what day of
ons. “I liked to tease them year.’”
All told, Akers has the week it was, there was
later that they wouldn’t
have gotten so good if they coached football for 50 work to be done.”
“When people give you
hadn’t gained confidence years and wrestling for
an honor like that it tells
from beating me all the about 28 years.
“I’m afraid to quit you you’ve done a good
time,” he says.
After graduating OSU (coaching football) now job of supporting the com-
with a degree in education, because, if they win the munity and giving back to
of nutrition centers and
Akers taught in Corvallis, state championship after I the community,” he adds.
rehabilitation areas; and the
Of his upcoming recog-
OR, and then in Portland quit, they’d blame me for
replacement of furniture.
public schools before he not winning the last 50 nition at the national level,
“The Oregon Veterans’
Akers says it is “quite an
moved to Gresham to work years,” he jokes.
Home in The Dalles is im-
Aside from coaching, honor.”
in what later became Cen-
portant to our region and
tennial School District. Akers is a long-time mem- -See HALL OF FAME/PAGE
our state,” said Rep. Greg
TWO
That was 1966, he says, and ber of the OSAA (Oregon
Smith. “Not only is this
upgrade fiscally prudent,
it allows us to take better
care of those that served our
country and state.”
The State Home Con-
SELECT HARDWARE, PLUMBING,
struction Grant program
requires a match rate of
4 WHEELER PARTS & MUCH MORE!!
35 percent of state funds,
which equates to $1.5 mil-
lion. ODVA’s match would
Rep. Smith votes to approve
$2.8 million for renovation
of Oregon Veterans’ Home in
The Dalles
SALEM—Friday, Rep.
Greg Smith (R-Heppner)
voted to approve the sub-
mission of a federal State
Home Construction Grant
application to the U.S.
Department of Veterans
Affairs in the amount of
$2,805,305 for renovation
of the Oregon Veterans’
Home in The Dalles.
Planned upgrades in-
clude basic maintenance
and updating or replac-
ing high traffic areas and
fixtures, including floor-
ing, lighting, new paint,
wall coverings; upgrades to
resident rooms and nurses
stations; the remodeling
SPRING CLEANING SALE
STARTING MAY 1
SAVE BIG 50-60% OFF
-See VETERANS’ HOME/
PAGE THREE
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net