City sells surplus property
By David Sykes
The city of Heppner
sold off two lots it had
owned on Willow Street
between the ire hall and
Murray’s Drug at its council
meeting Monday night.
Murray’s Drug of Hep-
pner was the sole bidder on
the property, turning in a
sealed bid of $15,000 for
the two parcels, which had
been advertised for sale for
the past several weeks. The
city had earlier replaced
the entire sidewalk in front
of the property on Willow
Street in preparation for
the sale.
The city had originally
come into ownership of the
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon land years ago as part of
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 134
NO. 48
10 Pages
The city of Heppner sold this lot on Willow Street with a sealed
bid Monday. –Photo by David Sykes
a trade with the Heppner the land plus cash for the
Gazette-Times. The news- former city hall building,
paper office was located -See CITY COUNCIL/PAGE
at the site and had traded
FIVE
Candidates ile for upcoming county positions
Morrow County Com- again iled for the clerk po- years then graduated from she graduated with a Juris
Several contenders the vote to make the change
have thrown their hats into came after the Sept. 10 il- missioner Leann Rea has sition. Childers was raised the Eastern Oregon Univer- Doctor degree in 1977.
the ring for county court po- ing date for the position, iled for Commission Posi- in Morrow County and sity in 1971 with a degree Spicer and her husband
sitions in the upcoming pri- so the oficial ballot title tion 1, which she currently graduated from Heppner in secondary education. He moved to Morrow County
High School. She worked taught for two years before in 1976 and purchased their
mary election. County posi- remains that of judge for the holds.
Rea was raised on the for Morrow County
tions up for grabs in next time being. Childers says
being recruited in law office in Heppner in
year’s election are Morrow whoever is elected would family farm near Ione. She School District from
1973 by the Oregon 1985. Spicer was Mor-
County Judge, Morrow serve as a part-time com- graduated as valedicto- 1990 until 2000,
State Police. Mat- row County District At-
rian from Ione High when she starting
County Commissioner Po- missioner accord-
lack retired from torney from 1980-82 and
School and, after working at Morrow
sition 1, Morrow County ing to the county
the Oregon State was deputy DA before that,
raising a family, at- County as Chief
Clerk, Morrow County Jus- court’s decision but
Police in 1999 after as well as serving with her
tended Blue Moun- Deputy Clerk. In
tice of the Peace, Morrow will serve the six-
25 years of service husband as city attorney
tain Community 2005 she became Kenneth
County Sheriff, Morrow year judge term and
and was a trooper for Heppner, Lexington,
College to further the County Clerk, Matlack
County Surveyor and Mor- most likely carry the
and detective in Stanield, Echo and Irrigon.
her education. She where she is cur-
row County Treasurer. All title of judge.
Morrow/Umatilla She has served on various
S w e e k i s a Leann Rea
has lived in sev- rently serving the last year County for 12 years. He has committees, including the
are four-year terms except
Heppner na-
eral communities of her third term. She holds served as Morrow County Oregon Trail Library Dis-
for judge and justice
tive. He graduated within the county and was several certiications related Sheriff since 2004.
of the peace, which
trict, board of direc-
from Heppner High first elected as a county to the position and currently
are both six-year
Current Morrow
tors for Domestic
School in 1970 and commissioner in 2008 and serves on the Change Con- County Justice of
terms.
Violence Services
worked at Kinzua has served on the
trol Board, which is the Peace Annetta
Greg Sweek of
and is on the board
Mill for a time be- county court since.
the body that makes Spicer has filed to
Heppner has filed
of the Hermiston
fore obtaining a She also served on
decisions on the retain her position.
for the position of
Chamber of Com-
changes to the State She has served as JP Annetta
M o r r o w C o u n t y Greg Sweek Bachelor of Science the Morrow County
merce.
degree in agricul- Planning Commis-
Oregon Centralized since her election in Spicer
Judge, which cur-
Candidates for
Voting System.
rent judge Terry Tallman ture from Oregon State sion for 13 years,
2010. Spicer grew
the Morrow County
Morrow Coun- up on Indian reservations Judge position must file
will vacate at the end of University in 1977. He took including time as
over as Morrow County As- the chair. She also Bobbi
ty Sheriff Kenneth throughout the west as her with the Oregon Secretary
next year.
Matlack has again father was employed with of State; the deadline to ile
The county court re- sessor in 1979 and retired served on the county Childers
filed for the posi- the Bureau of Indian Af- for the primary is March
cently voted to eliminate from that position after budget committee
the county judge position 34 years. His government for approximately 10 years tion of sheriff. Matlack fairs. She graduated from 8, 2016. Candidates for
and move to three part-time experience includes both and has served on the Mor- attended grade school in Portland State University all other county positions
commissioners with a full- his position as assessor and row County Health District Irrigon and Umatilla and in 1972 with a degree in may ile with the Morrow
graduated from Umatilla education and then attended County Clerk; the deadline
time, paid administrator. time spent serving on the Board for several years.
Current Morrow Coun- High School in 1967. He law school at Lewis & to ile for the May 17 pri-
However, Morrow County Columbia River Enterprise
ty Clerk Bobbi Childers has attended BMCC for two Clark in Portland, where mary is March 10, 2016.
Clerk Bobbi Childers says Zone board.
County school board
hears of classroom
technology
By April Sykes
Heppner Junior/Se-
nior High School teacher
Andrea Nelson told the
Morrow County School
Board Monday night of
the advantages of using
Chromebooks in her class-
room. Nelson, a language
arts teacher, had applied
for a grant and received 30
Chromebooks for the use of
her students.
A Chromebook is a
laptop computer with a key-
board which is backed up
to the “Cloud” via Google.
Nelson says that stu-
dents in her class no longer
have to worry about bring-
ing paper or pencils to class.
“And there is no more ‘I
forgot my work at home,’”
she adds. “The kids think
it’s great.”
She said that she can
access the information on
her phone, so she can check
students’ progress. Nelson
said she can also send direct
messages to the students,
send them private messages
and can see what they are
writing while they are writ-
ing it, making suggestions
and comments as they go.
She said it is also helpful in
keeping parents up-to-date
on their child’s assignments
and progress.
Members of the Hep-
pner High School football
team, winners of the 2015
state championship, and
their coach, Greg Grant,
were recognized at the
meeting.
Also at the meeting,
members of the Heppner
High School FFA Club
presented a program on
their trip to the national
convention and members
of the HHS Future Business
Leaders of America told of
their trip to the FBLA com-
-See SCHOOL DISTRICT/
PAGE FOUR
G-T Trophy Corner
Mark Engle, son of Jack and Bonnie Engle of Heppner, bagged
this 4x4 bull in the Heppner Unit on opening day, irst season
with a 7mm Remington 700. –Contributed photo
Les Paustian receives
Area pastors invited to
Beautiication recognition submit Christmas messages
Businesses, individuals also invited
to send in Christmas greetings
The Heppner Gazette-
Times will publish a Christ-
mas edition on Dec. 23.
Area pastors are invited
to submit Christmas mes-
sages to be published in the
Dec. 23 edition. The dead-
line is Monday, Dec. 21,
at 5 p.m. Messages can be
dropped off at the Gazette
ofice, emailed to editor@
Heppner Beautiication Commission member Merle Cowett,
far right, presents former mayor and Heppner resident Les
Paustian with a certiicate of appreciation for his work in keep-
ing Heppner attractive. Left to right are commission members
(seated) Martha Doherty, Vi Wilgers and Caitlynn Bailey and
(standing) Beautiication Chairman Jo Anne Burleson. “We
are recognizing you for your overall dedication, contributions,
and hard work towards creating the attractive environment
of our community,” the certiicate read. –Photo by David Sykes
CREZ Board funds
housing grant project
for Morrow County
The CREZ (Columbia
River Enterprise Zone)
Board voted on Friday,
Dec. 11, to continue to
fund the housing grant proj-
ects throughout Morrow
County (Boardman, Ir-
rigon and South Morrow
County). They approved
giving $100,000 to each of
the housing programs.
Willow Creek Valley
Economic Development
The Heppner Gazette-Times wants to
see pictures of your trophy animals
from this hunting
season. Stop by
to have your pic-
ture taken, drop
off photos, mail
them to PO Box
337 in Heppner,
email them to
editor@rapid-
serve.net or text
cell phone photos to 541- 980-6674.
(WCVEDG) will continue
to administer the housing
grant and now has the fund-
ing for eligible home pur-
chases. The purchase must
be within the South Morrow
County Boundaries; FHA
loans are not eligible.
Contact the Heppner
Chamber at 541-676-5536
for program details.
rapidserve.net, or faxed to
541-676-9211.
Any businesses or in-
dividuals who would like
to purchase space on our
special Christmas greeting
page in the Dec. 23 Gazette
should call 541-676-9228
or email megan@rapid-
serve.net by Monday, Dec.
21, at 5 p.m.
Celebrate Heppner Christ mas
Thursday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m.
Morrow County Fairgrounds
6:00 pm: Dinner served by Gateway Café for the irst 100
guests for $6 per guest, $20 per family of four. A no-
host beer and wine bar will be catered by Bucknum’s.
-Receive a $10 rewards card for every meal purchased;
-Find Scrooge and see if you can get him to hand over
a reward card or two;
-Get pictures with Santa on the stage - $5 (6-7 p.m.)
-Penny Board and rafle basket items will be set up in
the dance hall.
-Reward card prizes will be set up in the Annex. Print
name clearly on the rewards cards and drop them in the
speciic prize container before 7:15 p.m.; purchase rafle and
penny board tickets for an opportunity to win more prizes.
-Penny Board prizes: 43” Class LED Element TV HD-
MIx3 HDTV; Keurig 2.0 with Carafe; Kindle Fire with 7”
screen; Polaroid 9” Tablet, Bluetooth keyboard, case tablet
stand and earbuds.
-Rafle prizes: Nikon Coolpix L340 Camera; Kindle Fire
with 7” screen; Polaroid 9” Tablet, Bluetooth keyboard, case
tablet stand and earbuds; iHip Bluetooth Sound Machine –
Portable Bluetooth speaker
7:00 p.m. Special Entertainment – The Jingle Bell Dancers
7:15 p.m. Announcement of reward card winners and draw-
ing of winners for the penny and Christmas rafles.
DISCOUNTS
UP TO $3000
LIMITED INVENTORY!
NON-CURRENT
SNOWMOBILES
LIMITED TO
STOCK ON HAND
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net