FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Thursday events offer festive,
meaningful start to December
The Heppner Parade of Lights will take place at 5:30 p.m. on
Thursday. The parade is only one of several special events—
both festive and poignant—that are planned for the evening.
-File Photo
Thursday evening in
Heppner will offer a full
slate of events for everyone
as the community kicks off
the month of December.
Central to the evening
will be the special activities
and extended hours offered
by many local merchants to
kick off the Christmas holi-
day season. Specials being
planned include:
-Bank of Eastern Or-
egon will be serving re-
freshments from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m.
-Community Bank will
be serving some refresh-
ments from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
-Market Fresh Foods
will be offering free Home
Town Coffee Roasters cof-
fee, hot chocolate and can-
dy canes.
-Murray’s Drug will
have hourly door prizes and
Murray’s Christmas Wish
List from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.,
with a mini wine tasting
and cookies and punch from
5-7 p.m.
-Sweet Productions
will have story time by An-
drea Di Salvo from 4-4:30
p.m.; Santa will be there
for pictures from 4:30-6:30
p.m., so bring your camera.
Pet pictures can be taken by
appointment only.
-Peterson’s Jewelers
will be open until 7 p.m.
for those who would like
to stop by and pick up
something shiny for their
“special someone.”
The annual Parade of
Lights will start at 5:30 p.m.
There is still time to enter a
float; contact Heppner City
Hall at 541-676-9618 or
HHS parent-teacher
conferences Thursday
Sheena at 541-980-5881.
“Lights of Hope,”
sponsored by Pioneer Me-
morial Home Health and
Hospice, will be held in the
St. Patrick’s Senior Center
at 6 p.m. immediately fol-
lowing the light parade, and
will include a ceremony in
memory of loved ones who
have passed.
Also immediately fol-
lowing the light parade
will be the Heppner Elk’s
Lodge toy drive and spa-
ghetti dinner. The event is
open to the public. Cost of
dinner will be a donated toy
or financial donation; toys
and donations will go to the
Neighborhood Center.
Those who shop local
this season also are remind-
ed to save their rewards
cards for the Celebrate
Heppner Christmas Event
Thursday, Dec. 15, start-
ing at 6 pm. at the Morrow
County Fairgrounds.
Heppner Jr./Sr. High
School will hold parent-
teacher conferences this
Thursday, Dec. 1, from
4-8 p.m.
These confer-
ences are primarily by ap-
pointment, but drop-ins are
welcome.
“We hope to inter-
vene in time for students
to achieve their best this
semester; that’s our goal,”
said Heppner High School
principal Matt Combe.
Teachers will be con-
tacting parents and stu-
dents to arrange conference
times.
Parents who have ques-
tions or concerns are invited
to contact Heppner High
School at 541-676-9138.
OTLD board seeks to
fill upcoming vacancy
The Oregon Trail Li-
brary District is currently
seeking a member to fill a
vacancy that will be open
as of Dec. 22. Letters of
interest are requested by 5
p.m. on Dec. 20 for consid-
eration.
The board consists of
five volunteer members-at-
large serving the communi-
ties of Boardman, Irrigon
and Heppner.
The board will review
all Letters of Interest at its
next board meeting, Dec. 21
in Boardman. Those who
express interest in the posi-
tion are asked to attend the
meeting and be prepared to
discuss their interest.
Letters may be submit-
ted electronically to otld-
director@centurylink.net or
by mail to OTLD, P.O. Box
849, Boardman, OR 97818.
Amid disappointment, Mustangs celebrate a tradition
of excellence
In the locker room after
their season came to an end
with a 27-6 loss to the Regis
Rams in the OSAA 2A State
Playoff semifinals, many
of the Heppner Mustang
football players were vis-
ibly upset. Some had tears
flowing because they had
just lost the game or they
realized that this would be
their last game with some
of their teammates. For the
seniors, they knew that this
would be the last time that
they would suit up in the
blue and gold. That’s when
coach Les Payne stepped
into the room and told the
team that they shouldn’t
be so upset. He told them
that they should instead
celebrate what they had
accomplished this year,
together. To celebrate how
far they had come from the
start of the season to where
they were now, having just
played a game for a chance
to play for another state
championship.
No one knew what kind
of season it might be for this
year’s Mustang team after
losing an outstanding group
of seniors from last year’s
state championship team.
But this year’s young team
stepped up, worked hard
and rose to the challenge.
As it always is with the
Heppner football program,
the seniors took control
of the locker room. They
led by example and by
their words. They helped
carry on the tradition of
excellence that was passed
down to them by last year’s
seniors. They worked hard
every day at practice and
inspired their teammates
by cheering them on to
do and be their best. They
also helped “coach them
up” when they needed that
done. The seniors did an
outstanding job of continu-
ing the “Mustang Tradition
That Never Graduates.” As
great as this group of se-
niors were on the field, they
may be even a better group
of young men off the field.
This year ’s seniors
were Tim Jaca, Kolby Cur-
rin, Trevin Horne, Jake
Lindsay, Kevin Murray
and Logan Grieb. They
are a tight-knit group that
can always be seen doing
things together at school
or in the community. Tim,
Kolby, Jake, Kevin and
Logan have been friends
their whole lives and have
played football together
since fifth grade. Trevin
transferred in this year and
has fit into the group with
ease. He was a dominant
force on both sides of the
ball and was recognized as a
second team all-conference
defensive lineman. In the
Regis game he was voted
the MODA Health player
of the game by the media
representatives at the game.
Tim was the emotional
leader of the team, always
pushing his teammates to be
better. During a game that
he did not play in due to an
injury, he could be seen on
the sidelines helping coach
his replacement and cheer-
ing on his team. He left it
all on the field each and
every game he played. He
was a first team defensive
lineman and a second team
offensive lineman selection
to this year’s all-conference
team. Tim also had two
interceptions on the season
from his defensive line
position.
Kolby played well this
year at whatever position he
was asked to play. He was
listed in the program with
two numbers because you
just didn’t know where he
might play. He played at
least seven different posi-
tions this year and maybe
more. As an example of his
versatility, he started the
year off catching a touch-
down pass at St. Paul and
finished the year doing a
great job as the starting cen-
ter. Kolby played several
positions on the defensive
side of the ball and was
one of the leaders in tackles
on the team. He was rec-
ognized as a second team
all-conference defensive
lineman and an honorable
mention selection at offen-
sive lineman.
Jake stepped up in his
senior year and excelled
at two important positions,
wide receiver and safety.
His blocking on the corner
cleared the path for several
long runs by the Mustang
backs. He scored a rushing
touchdown on a reverse
play from his receiver posi-
tion and had several pass re-
ceptions. Jake also covered
receivers well and helped
with the run defense from
his safety position. He had
several big hits and made
some important tackles. He
also may have had the most
exciting play of the season
when he returned a punt
against Weston-McEwen.
He ran from one side of
the field to the other, go-
ing back and forth looking
for blockers and avoiding
tacklers in order to get
the touchdown. Jake was
recognized this year as sec-
ond team all-conference at
wide receiver and defensive
back.
Kevin was the team
Les Schwab
leader in tackles for the
season. He could be seen
racing all over the field to
make or assist in almost
every play for the defense.
He had a couple of inter-
ceptions this year as well.
Who will ever forget him
flying across the goal line
to score after intercepting
the Pilot Rock quarterback?
On offense he could be
seen opening big holes for
the running backs all game
long. Kevin even got to
carry the ball a couple of
times this season. He is a
four-year letterman for the
Mustangs and was honored
this year as a first team all-
conference offensive line-
man and linebacker.
Logan did whatever
the coaches wanted him to
do. He would kickoff, punt,
kick extra points, run the
ball, catch the ball, return
punts, return kickoffs and
play defense. He even took
a few snaps at quarterback
and he threw a touchdown
pass. He got some great
blocking from his team-
mates, which allowed him
to run for 1340 yards and
score 23 touchdowns this
season. Logan is a four-year
starter and letterman for the
Mustangs and a first team
all-conference selection at
wide receiver and defensive
back.
This year’s seniors fin-
ished their careers with a
record of 44-5. If you look
at the four-year record for
the seniors on the other
three semifinal teams the
past two years, it is Regis
38-12, Kennedy 33-11 and
Stanfield 30-14. As you can
see, the Heppner seniors
have had more success
than any of the others. They
were also on three confer-
ence championship teams
and played in and won
eight home playoff games.
Mustang seniors played
on teams that advanced to
the semifinal round each
of their four years. They
were on the state runner-up
team in 2014 and were state
champions in 2015.
This group of seniors
will certainly be missed, but
there is still a bright future
ahead for Heppner football
next year. The Mustangs
return five all-conference
selections and have five
other players who saw sig-
nificant playing time in
varsity games. The JV team
also had a good season
and several of its members
played in varsity games.
While we don’t know
for certain what the future
will hold for next year’s
Heppner football team, we
do know that the coaches
and players will work hard
to achieve the goals they
set for themselves and the
team. Like this year’s team
and Mustang fans every-
where, they will be able to
celebrate and be proud of
the way they did it.
B2H UPDATE
-Continued from PAGE ONE miles would be co-located
organized in six geograph-
ic segments, as well as
a No Action Alternative.
The document responds
to comments received on
the Draft EIS and identi-
fies the Agency Preferred
Alternative, as well as the
Environmentally Preferable
Action Alternative.
Agency officials said
the BLM criteria used to
identify the Agency Pre-
ferred Alternative included
maximizing use of existing
utility corridors and exist-
ing infrastructure, avoiding
or minimizing impacts on
environmental resources,
minimizing need for plan
amendments, avoiding or
minimizing proximity to
private residences, and
minimizing use of private
lands. That said, the 293-
mile proposed route would
cover 100 miles of federal
land, three miles of state
land and 190 miles of pri-
vate land. Of that, 24 miles
would be within designated
utility corridors and 90
with existing transmission
lines and pipelines.
Detailed maps as well
as an interactive parcel
search map are available
online at boardmantohem-
ingway.com/maps.aspx.
A 30-day notice of
availability period on the
Final EIS will extend from
Nov. 25 to Dec. 26. There is
no formal comment period
on the Final EIS. However,
with the publication of the
Final EIS comes a 30-day
land use planning protest
period. Protests submitted
during the public protest
period must be related to the
land use planning process.
To be valid, a protest must
be filed by someone who
has submitted comments
or otherwise participated
during an earlier phase of
the process. Protests must
be submitted in writing by
Dec. 26.
The full EIS can be
viewed at boardmantohem-
ingway.com/documents.
aspx.
HELP A LOCAL FOSTER
CHILD IN OUR COMMUNITY
There is a Giving Tree available at Hepper Les Schwab
for community member who wish to purchase gifts
for foster children in Morrow County.
GIFTS NEED TO BE RETURNED
TO LES SCHWAB BY THURSDAY
DECEMBER 8TH
124 N. MAIN STREET HEPPNER OR 541-676-9481