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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 2016)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 3, 2016 DEVELOPMENT St. Paddy’s Cruz-In ECONOMIC the area. encourage professionals to “You still have your He recommended that out of Heppner, Lex- planned for March 19 keystone businesses and WCVEDG visit three other work ington or Ione one or two -Continued from PAGE ONE Classic car enthusiasts take a look at entries in last year’s Cruz-In. -File photo On March 19, the 15 th annual St. Paddy’s Cruz-In will be held during the 34 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. – 3 p.m. For anyone who has a classic vehicle and wants to join the show, registration will start at 9. The price is $20 per vehicle. Awards this year will i n c l u d e L e p r e c h a u n ’s Choice, Mustang’s Choice, Best Convertible, Best 1910s – 1920s Car or Pick- up, Best Street Rod, Best Paint, Best Restomod Car, Best of Show and more. Also, there is a Partici- pant’s Choice award to be voted on by the car owners themselves. Judging will begin at 9 a.m. The awards will be given out around 2:30 p.m. on Willow Street. The event will include a participant’s poker walk through five downtown businesses, with cash prize for the irst and second-best poker hand. The public is invited to come and walk through the cars and reminisce as long as they wish. Depending on the weather, cars from all over are expected to attend. The following are spon- soring the awards: Heppner Auto Parts, Heppner High School, Les Schwab Tires, Lexington Auto Body, Pet- tyjohn’s Supply, Morrow County Grain Growers, Lexington Machine, Lex- ington Mini Market, Os- min’s Century Welding and Heppner Family Foods. With questions, to have obtain an entry form for the Cruz-In or to volunteer to help, please contact Hep- pner Chamber of Com- merce at 541-676-5536 or Gary Jones at 541-676- 5456. HIGH SPEED CHASE -Continued from PAGE ONE and his two passengers. pursuit crossed I-84 and entered property belonging to Green Wood Resources (Boardman Tree Farm). Deputies continued to pur- sue the Nissan through the tree farm access roads, where Perrin again drove at speeds of up to 95 mph. The pursuit then went into farm ground to the east of the tree farm. Thirty minutes into the chase, around 8:49 a.m., Perrin tried navigate a left turn on County Line Rd. but lost control, sliding the pickup into a dirt embank- ment. The accident caused two lat tires on the right side, effectively disabling the vehicle, and deputies were able to detain Perrin The passengers were identiied as Brian William Barnes, 29, of Umatilla and Cassandra Lynn Huling, 33, of Irrigon. After interviews where completed, Barnes and Hul- ing were released. Perrin was arrested on two charges of attempt to elude, a felo- ny, as well as driving while suspended, reckless driv- ing, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass II. He was later charged with contempt of court and parole violation. Perrin was lodged at Umatilla County Jail with bail set at $49,284. The Morrow County Sheriff’s Office was as- sisted by the Boardman Police Department and the Oregon State Police. Justice Court Report Morrow County Justice of the Peace Ann Spicer has released the following Justice Court report: -Christine Rae Rankin, 51, of Heppner was found guilty of driving uninsured and was ined $260. -Michael Dixon, 36, of Heppner was found guilty of violating the basic rule 73/55 and was ined $160. -Anthony Dale Looney, 31, of Heppner was found guilty of Driving While Suspended – Misdemeanor. Sentence of 180 days jail time was suspended and the defendant sentenced to 18 months bench proba- tion with 20 hours of com- munity service. Fines, fees and assessments totaled $857, with the option for the defendant to complete additional community ser- vice in lieu of a portion of the ine. HAVE YOU SHOPPED OUR NEW INFANT & TODDLER DEPARTMENT? agencies with very capable folks, such as inance, post ofice, Forest Service, city and county government and health care,” he told a crowd of 50 community leaders attending the lunch meeting held at Heppner’s new Gateway Café. Sorte said most businesses are doing a great job of captur- ing the local market and that although there was money leaving town “it was not as much leakage as I had expected.” On the negative side Sorte said some of the local businesses need upgraded or expanded facilities, and that our population is stag- nant or declining. He said the main surge of tourists bringing dollars into the community continues to come from hunting, but that overall hunting in Oregon is on the decline, saying there are approximately four mil- lion people in Oregon with fewer than 250,000 hunting licenses issued last year. During his fact find- ing, which was part of a Business Retention and Recruitment study commis- sioned by WCVEDG, Sorte did 26 formal interviews across the county covering businesses, tourism, health care, faith, Port of Morrow, government, schools and residents. One of Sorte’s recom- mendations on how to re- tain businesses in South County was by forming a team of government entre- preneurs that would meet regularly with local busi- ness managers and ind a way to provide incentives to local businesses—in- centives such as tax relief, infrastructure, transitional housing for new employees, and an expanded volunteer base—asking government agencies in South County to chart their purchases for a year and visit with them about any purchases outside rural communities with populations greater than 2,000 and walk though their businesses similar to those in Heppner, Lexington and Ione. WCVEDG would meet with mayors and city managers to discuss busi- ness incentives and market- ing, looking for ideas to use in South Morrow County. Sorte’s ideas on ex- panding local businesses touched on ways to in- crease visitors’ purchases in our cities, with electronic signs when entering each town, and advertising script that could be used dur- ing high tourist trafic for use throughout the Willow Creek valley. He said each town should also have a sign that names one busi- ness offering free Wi-Fi for visitors to access. He also named as pos- sible business boosts fund- ing an elevator to create two short-term-stay studio apartments/hotel rooms in the upstairs of a downtown building in Heppner. Sorte said customers, suppli- ers, candidates, new em- ployees and visitors need more choices in temporary housing when they visit here. Expanding the vaca- tion rental opportunities in South County was also a suggestion. To recruit new business to the area, Sorte recom- mended a marketing cam- paign with a test year of ad- vertising in the magazines “1859” or “Sunset” promot- ing the area; promoting es- tablishment of a 3D printing summer institute for high school students; setting up a “community kitchen” approach to small manufac- turing; visiting with busi- nesses and developing a list of their largest suppliers and customers, for possible satellite ofices, free in the city or county buildings; and establishing free space for high-value services to days a week. On the tourism side of business in South County, Sorte recommended im- provements to Ione and Heppner RV parks neces- sary to be listed in Wood- all’s Travel Guide and Campground Directory, a widely used resource for people who travel and visit campgrounds. Woodall’s Travel Guide and Campground Directory Sorte also suggested developing a mailing list from community events so visitors from outside the region can be mailed semi- annual newsletters. Sorte’s report also cov- ered ways to retain and recruit new residents to South Morrow County. He recommends upgrading the Ione sewer system; keeping the housing grant program going with an emphasis on existing stock; considering returning to a ive or four/ ive day school week, an August start date and seek- ing out synchronous online classes for Eastern promise; considering investor inanc- ing for a new Heppner K-12 facility; developing a long-term business plan for the Ione pre-K; sub- sidizing itness centers at the schools; and mayors interviewing new residents and in-commuters and de- brieing people who leave. After receiving the en- tire report, the WCVEDG plans on prioritizing the - FIVE recommendations for fur- ther possible action. In other business at the annual meeting the group, which has about 35 members, elected Da- vid Sykes as chairman 2016 for the com- WCVEDG ing year. He Chairman will replace David Sykes Ed Rollins, who was presented with a gift certiicate for his ser- vice to the group. Two new board mem- bers were also voted in, Dan Houser, new CEO of the Morrow County Health District, and Jerry Sorte, new Morrow County Ad- ministrator. They will join other board members Ed Rollins, Jeff Bailey, Nancy Snider, Kim Cutsforth and Marcia Kemp. Kemp was also named secretary again for the coming year, and Sykes named treasurer for another year. Sheryll Bates is the administrator for the WCVEDG. The group also received a report on the success of the housing grant program ad- ministered by WCVEDG, which has given out more than $235,000 in grants to home buyers. The program has been re-funded by the Columbia River Enterprise Zone (CREZ) and will be continued in 2016 as long as funds are available. WC- VEDG also administered a Community Enhancement program in which $75,000, also funded by CREZ, was given out to various local groups for community proj- ects. WCVEDG’s operating budget is funded through Morrow County, and that funding was also renewed for 2015-2016 iscal year. Anyone wishing to be a member of WCVEDG can call Bates at 541-676-5536 or Sykes at 541-676-9228. Cost is $25 and the group will invoice new members. Heppner classes offer family caregivers powerful tools for self help Are you feeling stretched while caring for a loved one in declining health? Do you know some- one who is? Far too often family caregivers don’t take good care of themselves when they become primary care- givers for a loved one. The results can be detrimental to both them and the persons receiving care. “When it comes to caregiving, the situation is similar to putting on an oxygen mask while travel- ing by plane—put on your own mask before assisting someone else,” said Helena Wolfe, Health Promotion Coordinator for the Area Agency on Aging at CAPE- CO. “Caregivers who take good care of themselves are better equipped to help their loved ones.” To help reduce care- giver stress, CAPECO is offering a short-term edu- cational program called D A W E T N Powerful Tools for Care- givers. This free six-week series is designed to help family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a relative or friend with a chronic health condition. All participants will receive The Caregiver Helpbook, a book developed speciically for the class. “Sometimes people are confused about whether they would be considered a family caregiver,” Wolfe continued. “For our pur- poses, a family caregiver is anyone involved in sup- port and decision-making for a chronically ill or el- derly loved one. The par- ent, spouse, child, or friend receiving care could live in their own home, your home, a nursing or assisted living facility, or even across the country. The role of family care- giver is quite broad and varied. What they have in common is that all too often individuals in a caregiving situation find themselves depleted, anxious and even depressed.” Wolfe said research shows that those who attend the class series and imple- ment the tools increase their self-care and confidence, and by doing so, begin to thrive in a caregiving situ- ation. “Our class participants build a toolkit of self-help and communication skills to assist them with the care- giving process,” she said. “The tools focus on reduc- ing stress, improving self- conidence, communicating feelings better, balancing one’s life, increasing the ability to make tough deci- sions, and locating helpful resources. We are fortunate to have Powerful Tools for Caregivers available in the community because this class has the power to saves lives.” The series of six week- ly one-and-a-half-hour ses- sions begins Thursday, Feb. 18, and continues through March 24. Each session will meet from 2:30-4 p.m. in the dining room at St. Patrick’s Senior Center, 190 N Main St., Heppner. Pre- registration and attendance at the irst class is required. For more informa- tion or to register, contact Wolfe at 541-561-5443 or hwolfe@capeco-works.org. If you are interested in this program but cannot attend at this time, contact Wolfe to be added to a wait- ing list for future classes. Have a news story or photo for the Gazette? e-mail editor@rapidserve.net call 541-676-9228 or stop by the office on Willow St., Heppner Today Your Household Hazardous Waste look for label marked “Warning” and “Danger” Turn Them In! FREE Friday April 1, 2016 , Road Department Yard, Lexington 365 W. Hwy 74, Lexington, OR 97839 Check us out on facebook 217 North Main St., Heppner • Phone 676-9158 • Floral 676-9426 ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Items not accepted: Empty containers, Ammunition, explosives, biological waste and radio active waste. Question please call 541-989-9500
