HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 136
NO. 6 8 Pages
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
WCVEDG plans annual
luncheon
Willow Creek Valley a legislative update.
Economic Development
Alvin Liu with Gate-
Group (WCVEDG)
way Cafe will
will host its annual
cater the lunch
luncheon on Friday,
and will be serv-
Feb. 17, from 12-1
ing barbecue ribs,
p.m. at the St. Pat-
grilled citrus basil
rick’s Senior Center
chicken, homemade
dining room.
coleslaw, barbecue
The meeting is Rep. Greg
beans, sweet corn-
open to anyone who Smith
bread, cookie and a
would like to attend.
beverage.
During the
WCVEDG is a volun-
lunch, the group will hold teer organization dedicated
its annual meeting, fol- to helping new businesses
lowed by guest speaker locate in the Heppner,
State Representative Greg Lexington and Ione areas
Smith, who will be giving and to support economic
growth in the local com-
munities.
Regular meetings are
held in Heppner City Hall
the last Wednesday of each
month at 8 a.m. Visitors
are welcome to join the
meetings.
This annual lunch is
free and open to everyone.
Those attending are asked
to RSVP to Sheryll Bates at
heppnerchamber@century-
tel.net or 541-676-5536 no
later than Tuesday, Feb. 14,
to guarantee enough food
and seating.
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Town and Cupid takes aim in Heppner
Country
awards
this week
Heppner Chamber of
Commerce’s annual Town
and Country Community
Awards are this Thursday,
Feb. 9.
The event will begin at
6 p.m. with a no-host social
time, with dinner to start at
6:30 p.m. and the awards
program to follow.
Alvin Liu with Gate-
way Café will be catering
the dinner and will be of-
fering prime rib with au jus
and horseradish; creamy
garlic mashed potatoes;
green beans; garden fresh
salad with raspberry vinai-
grette dressing; dinner roll
with butter; chocolate cake
for dessert; and a beverage.
Tickets are $30 per per-
son and may be purchased
at Bank of Eastern Oregon,
the chamber office, City of
Heppner, Community Bank
and Murray’s. Checks may
be made out to the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce.
Contact the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce at
541-676-5536 with ques-
tions or to reserve tickets.
Irrigon
man
arrested
for rape,
sex abuse
of a
minor
Irrigon man Kenny
Cole Blurton was arrested
recently on several sex-
related charges involving
a minor, according to a
statement
by Mor-
row Coun-
ty Sheriff
Kenneth
Matlack.
T h e
Kenny Cole
19-year-
Blurton
old was ar-
rested Jan.
26 pursuant to a Morrow
County Circuit Court war-
rant issued from a secret
indictment by the Morrow
County Grand Jury.
Blurton was arrested on
four charges of rape II, two
charges of sex abuse I, three
charges of unlawful sexual
penetration, and a count of
sodomy II.
The incidents allegedly
occurred with a juvenile
female under the age of 14
between July and Decem-
ber of 2015.
Blurton was lodged at
the Umatilla County Jail
with bail set at $250,000
but has since posted bail.
His pre-trial hearing is
scheduled for Feb. 9.
Cupid has a larger-than-life heart in his sights in this festive Valentine’s tableau at the end of Willow Street in Heppner. Richard St. Clair and Theresa Jones
of Heppner created the scene, St. Clair projecting the images onto plywood and cutting them out, and Jones providing the artistry with her painting. They
have done several such scenes for recent holidays, carrying on what for St. Clair is a long-standing tradition. “I used to own a house that was right on Hwy.
217 there in Tigard,” he says. “I had a big roof there on my carport, and I just used to put up all kinds of crazy decorations.” -Photo by April Sykes
Expo offers students Get ready to hunt for the
shamrock
opportunity to
explore technology
Pendleton—Students
from eastern Oregon school
districts are invited to learn
more about technology at
the Technology Expo on
Thursday, March 9, at East-
ern Oregon University in La
Grande, Oregon.
This event is free and
open to all students cur-
rently enrolled in eighth
through 12 th grades who at-
tend one of the IMESD’s 18
component school districts.
The expo is from 8 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. on the EOU cam-
pus, and transportation will
be provided from school
districts.
Students can register
for a variety of sessions that
include hands-on activities,
including: 3D animation,
3D printing, taking apart
and diagnosing computer
component issues, website
development, computer
programming, app develop-
ment and more. In addition,
students will visit with Ca-
reer Advisors to learn about
career paths and their edu-
cational requirements, plus
meet representatives from
regional companies that
have jobs in technology.
“We are very excited
about the sessions being
offered at Tech Expo this
year; with EOU’s support
and collaboration the course
diversity is amazing. We
know students will enjoy
this dynamic, jam-packed
day, which will expand their
understanding of technol-
ogy career opportunities
and give them additional
resources for future plan-
ning” said Karen Smelser,
STEP operations director
at the IMESD.
Students can register
themselves for the Tech
Expo by visiting http://step.
imesd.org. Students can
also follow STEP on Twit-
ter and Instagram--@EO-
stepITup and #stepexpo17.
Information is available
at all participating middle
schools and high schools
from STEP representatives,
at school front offices and
on most school district
websites.
The Tech Expo is part
of an overall IMESD pro-
gram called STEP, Student
Technology Expanded Pro-
grams, developed through
a grant from the Oregon
Department of Education.
The intent of the grant is to
support summer programs
that are designed to recruit
and retain students in career
pathways that lead to high
wage and high demand oc-
cupations and link to exist-
ing CTE Programs of Study.
The 18-month grant (spring
2016 through fall 2017)
allows the IMESD to offer
the spring Expo, summer
technology camps for high
school and middle school
students and an internship
program in the IMESD
Information Technology
department.
For more information
or if you have questions
about the Tech Expo or
STEP programs, visit the
STEP website at http://
step.imesd.org. or www.
imesd.k12.or.us. You can
also email karen.smelser@
imesd.k12.or.us.
The Heppner Gazette-Times and Bank of Eastern Oregon will again sponsor a shamrock hunt
for those hardy enough to brave the weather and smart enough to unravel the clues published
in the Gazette. While the leprechauns weren’t willing to part with any gold for this year’s
prize, the winner will still be rewarded with hard cash in the form of a $50 bill from the Bank
of EO. Look for clues to the shamrock’s location beginning in next week’s Gazette-Times.
Pictured: Heppner Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheryll Bates (left) and Bank
of Eastern Oregon Heppner Branch Manager Tricia Rollins pose with the $50 bill that will go
to the winner of this year’s treasure hunt. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo
MORROW
COUNTY GRAIN
GROWERS
350 MAIN STREET
LEXINGTON, OR
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net
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