Farra marks a century of life lived ‘One day at a time’ HEPPNER 50¢ Depression, when many her memories of that move families were looking to are vivid. move West to a better life. “We all moved the They chose Idaho same day. We all because they had came in the back of relatives there, Far- a big truck,” she re- ra recalls, but they calls. “My Dad and moved because of two drivers were in the dust storms. the front.” The rest “We couldn’t of the family spent g r o w a n y t h i n g Ida Farra the trip on “one big because of dust bed” in the back, storms,” she says. “When where they could lie down, we got out here, they told us sit up or read during the they had dust storms, too. I trip—all except Farra’s guess theirs just didn’t last mother, who spent the thou- as long.” sand-plus miles in a chair in Though she doesn’t the back of the truck. remember her exact age, They spent the night in travelers’ cabins along the VOL. 136 NO. 26 8 Pages Wednesday, July 26, 2017 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon way, where they cooked dinner, and then breakfast the next morning, before getting back underway. In Nampa, the family stayed together. School-age Morrow County Ad- rection for Morrow County. children got up early and ministrative Officer Jerry The county has so many went out with their father Sorte submitted his resig- good things going for it By David Sykes cause of lower prices and to receive approval from to help in the fields. Farra and we will all be nation to the county Umatilla and Morrow low yields, will no longer both county commissions, recalls that most people in working diligently County voters may be asked be able to provide that fund- and they then want approval that area owned their own commission Mon- to continue the mo- to approve a new taxing ing. day, the commission from all 17 city councils in businesses, such as farms mentum into the district to help fund local announced yester- and orchards, which the To exemplify the reach the two counties. bright future Mor- Oregon State University into the community of Ex- day. Sorte’s resigna- There were concerns at wives helped work. That row County has,” Extension Services, the tension services, Frederick- the Morrow County Com- meant they needed services tion will be effective Lindsay added. August 25. Morrow County Commis- son said there were mission meeting like babysitting. Farra and “I would like to sioners were told at their more than 99,000 Sorte has ac- Jerry Sorte that the tax base the other older children thank administrator meeting last week. cepted the position contacts between would signal Or- found jobs like that to boost of community and eco- Sorte for the dedicated, Philip Hamm, direc- the Extension and egon State Univer- the family income. nomic development direc- professional approach he tor of the Hermiston Ag- the populations of “There were 13 of us, sity that it could cut tor with the City of Sweet demonstrated while shep- ricultural Research and Morrow and Uma- like this” she makes a stair- back on the state’s Home, OR. herding Morrow County Extension Center, along tilla counties, and step gesture with her hand. current funding of “It has been a privi- through an historic change. with Vern Frederickson of that there “are very “They knew we knew how extension. lege to serve the board of In his albeit brief tenure, Frederickson Farms and few people who are to babysit.” “What stops the commissioners as Morrow he worked diligently to Julie Baker, administrative not touched by Ex- Philip Hamm, state from reducing She kept on with work County’s first administra- advance the policies of program specialist for OSU tension or research.” Director of like that until she and a sis- funding?” Commis- Hermiston tive officer. I am especially Morrow County. I wish him in Morrow County, were The Extension dis- Ag Research sioner Don Russell ter both found jobs working happy with the steps our all the best,” commissioner all at the meeting to ask the trict would include & Extension asked. Hamm said in restaurants in Ontario, team has taken to make the Jim Doherty added. commissioners for support OSU’s Columbia Center there would be an OR. Her sister started out county organization more The administrative of- for the new tax district. Basin Agricultur- agreement with the -See IDA FARRA/PAGE TWO efficient and transparent. ficer is appointed by the “Everyone benefits al Research Center near state so that does not hap- There are great things hap- board of commissioners (from Extension) besides Pendleton and Hermiston pen. pening here in Morrow and supports the board with just the farmers,” Freder- Agricultural Research and Commissioner Doherty County,” said Sorte. the planning, coordina- ickson said in support of Extension Center, where made it clear he expected Board of commission- tion and implementation of the new taxing district. He scientists conduct experi- the new tax district to fund ers chair Melissa Lindsay county operations. The ad- said agriculture contributes ments to improve farming additional services through said she would be sorry to ministrative officer super- about half a billion dollars practices. Extension. “If the state see Sorte go. vises all department heads in farm value for Umatilla In order to form the stops funding something we “It is disappointing to and specific employees, and Morrow counties, and new districts, however, the will not pick that (funding) be going through transition and serves as liaison with that increases to between Extension must first get the up,” he said. again,” said Lindsay. “The county elected officials. $1.5 and $2 billion when approval of voters. It plans Morrow County al- Two Irrigon men are in staff and citizens have seen Sorte began service as you include value-added to go out for a vote in May ready budgets OSU Exten- change from a county court the county’s first adminis- food processing. He said in of 2018, and the expected sion about $177,000 in its Umatilla County Jail after to the hiring an adminis- trative officer in November the past the wheat growers tax rate would be $0.33 per current year, while Umatilla Morrow County Sheriff’s trator to a new board of 2015. Prior to working for have contributed $250,000 $1,000 of valuation. Exten- -See EXTENSION TAX office arrested them July 17 commissioners. Mr. Sorte Morrow County, he served to the extension, but be- sion officials first will need DISTRICT/PAGE THREE on charges stemming from an incident that occurred in has moved many things in as assistant director of ad- Irrigon June 3. a positive and professional ministration for the City Preston Joe Morris, 18, direction; we wish him suc- of Fulton, MO and worked is facing charges of robbery cess in his new endeavors. for eight years as a land use I and assault III, both felo- “I am looking forward planner for Polk County, nies, and to the opportunity to con- Oregon. theft II and tinue moving in a great di- By Andrea Di Salvo generation on the Kilkenny made the transition much menacing, Sue Walton will retire ranch. She worked there easier for me,” she says. both Class this month after 45 years of helping with calving, lamb- Walton graduated with A misde- nursing at Pioneer Memo- ing, haying, and riding honors in 1972 and returned meanors. rial Hospital (PMH). horses to move the cat- to Heppner. She started Dustan Ca- “Forty-five years, or tle. In 1969 she graduated work at PMH on June 21, leb Maret, Preston 68 percent of my from Heppner High 1972. 35, is facing Morris lifetime, has been School. She says “I started out on the charges of spent here; guess she was attracted to night shift, which was quite robbery II and assault III, BOARDMAN—De- which will open this fall and that makes me a nursing early on— scary, being the only RN both felonies, and the mis- velopment projects around offer early learning oppor- relic,” she quips. one could almost say on duty, not knowing what demeanors of theft II and the Port of Morrow now tunities for area children. Walton, 67, was it was in her blood. ER might come through the menacing. The center is a project born July 14, 1950 include something for a “First, I grew back door,” says Walton. Morrow County Dis- much younger customer— of the Port of Morrow, at PMH, the daugh- Sue Walton up on a ranch and She worked as director trict Attorney Justin Nelson preschoolers. Next to the which partnered with the ter of Don and Col- helped with calving, of nursing services for a said the men are alleged to SAGE Center and Blue Morrow County School leen Greenup, one of the lambing and the doctoring short time before she got have stripped their victim Mountain Community Col- District, Umatilla-Morrow first babies born after the of cattle, horses and sheep. married—doing the sched- of his clothes, taken his cell lege’s (BMCC) new Board- Head Start and the Inter- hospital opened. Sue was In high school I did a career ule, purchasing, policies phone, threatened him with man Workforce Training mountain Education Ser- raised on her family’s cattle study on nursing,” Wal- and helping on the floor. a gun and shot him with a Center is a new project, the She met Paul Walton -See EARLY LEARNING and wheat ranch 10 miles ton says. “My aunt Ilene paintball gun. The incident Neal Early Learning Center, CENTER/PAGE EIGHT out of Heppner, the third Laughlin was the hospital through Paul’s cousin Su- allegedly arose because administrator and I always sie French. Paul was born one of the admired her. Her daughter and raised in Long Creek defendants Sheridan Tarnasky was at- and worked on his fam- believed the tending Emanuel Hospital ily’s third-generation cattle victim had School of Nursing and I’d ranch. One Thanksgiving been in- have to say she was a major Paul was hauling cattle volved in a influence to me.” from La Grande to Hep- The Heppner Gazette- theft at his So, after high school, pner; he spent Thanksgiv- Times is in the mood for home. Wa l t o n a l s o a t t e n d e d ing with her family, and a good stories for this year's U C J Dustan Maret Emanuel Hospital School courtship began. Morrow County Fair and lists the to- of Nursing. Paul and Sue Walton Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo tal bail for each man at “Being from a small were married June 18, 1977 special edition to be pub- $70,000. They were both town and going to Portland and established their home lished Aug. 9. scheduled for preliminary was quite a challenge. Hav- -See WALTON RETIRES/ Stories must be turned hearings late Tuesday af- PAGE FOUR ing her (Sheridan) there in to the GT by July 31. ternoon. Email them to editor@ rapidserve.net, send them to the GT at PO Box 337, Heppner, OR 97836, fax them to 541-676-9211 or The Heppner G-T is looking for a few good fair and rodeo bring them by the office at stories for this year’s special fair edition. Contact Andrea at 188 W. Willow. editor@rapidserve.net. -File photo G T azette imes By Andrea Di Salvo Local woman Ida Farra is celebrating a milestone next week that few of us ever hope to achieve—a century of life lived fully and lived well. Farra was born Aug. 4, 1917 in North Dakota, the fourth among 13 children in the Wiest family. She was raised in North Dakota until the family moved to Nampa, ID. They moved because times were diffi- cult in the Midwest; dates have gotten hazy with the passage of time, but it was around the time of the Great Sorte resigns as Extension may seek local tax county administrator base funding State money not enough, official says Irrigon men face assault charges Walton retires after 45 years with health district New early learning center opens doors in Boardman this fall Submit fair and rodeo stories to the GT ALL NURSERY STOCK ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: TREES - SHRUBS - PERENNIALS MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed 242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)