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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2017)
Council votes to ban all marijuana sales Large crowd turns out to voice opinions in public forum HEPPNER By David Sykes A large crowd turned out at City Hall Monday night to let their voices be heard about marijuana sales in the city of Heppner, and the opinions ranged from allowing all types of sales, recreational and medical, to no sales at all, but in the end the council voted 4-2 to ban all types of sales. Heppner resident Sheryll Bates started off the discussion at the public hearing saying: “We don’t need it in our community. I am in favor of banning it.” Long-time resident Joe Miller agreed saying he was Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon totally against marijuana sales medical or otherwise. G T 50¢ azette imes VOL. 136 NO. 33 8 Pages Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Lost boys found Three teenage boys who were reported miss- ing in the mountains south of Heppner were located safe and sound, Morrow County Sheriff Undersher- iff/Emergency Manager John Bowles has reported. Bowles said that the re- port that the boys were lost was received second and third hand, so the sheriff’s department had to gather additional information and details to be able to respond. “After contact- ing schools, family and friends, we had a possible location to respond to. The Morrow County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was ac- tivated and started work- ing on the incident.” According to Bowles, on the evening of Septem- ber 10, Jordan Spaulding and Jasen Lester, both 16, and Bryan Collins, 14, all Heppner, were separated from their hunting party near Sunflower Flat Rd. and the 17 Rd. south of Heppner. The next day, they were reported miss- ing. Around 10:30 a.m. the next day, Spaulding was located on the 17 Rd. heading south and Les- ter and Collins were lo- cated near the camp, says Bowles. According to a sheriff’s department news release, “Jordan said they were lost, but were able to stay warm through the night, and could hear coy- otes nearby. The boys said “There is no dividing line,” he said. Local pharmacist John Murray said he be- lieves marijuana to be a gateway to stronger drugs and something not needed in the community. He said there is an opiate addic- tion problem here and as a pharmacist he deals with it regularly, and having raised five children here, does not want any recreational sales in the city. Murray was open to some “avenues” for medical uses however, hav- ing seen the good marijuana has done for some people suffering pain, and for the relief of the ill effects of cancer treatments. Morrow County Health Department Nurse Molly Rea agreed, saying as a nurse she has seen medical marijuana for years and watched as it gave welcome relief to those in her care. She said however, these people are not using it to get high, and they should have a safe and proper way to obtain the drug. Rea said there are different types of marijuana available for treatments, and she doesn’t want to see patients getting street level drugs. “I have seen good from it. Medical marijuana does good for some people,” she stated. The biggest advocate for doing away with a ban altogether was Heppner resident Jerry Olson, who said he has used marijuana for 40 years and hasn’t had a bad experience. “I am not an addict.” Olson said opiates, cocaine and alco- hol are worse drugs than marijuana, and he has been addicted to them all and “kicked all of them.” Olson also said alcohol is more of a gateway drug than mari- juana, and what he called cannabis has a “bad repu- tation in this town because of other drugs, and we all know what those are,” in reference to alcohol. He said if you can buy alcohol at the local pharmacy, why not cannabis? Olson stated he had no objection to al- lowing both medical and recreational sales in town. Others in the crowd spoke of the drug and alco- hol addictions they had ex- perienced in their families, and also the good marijuana -See MARIJUANA/PAGE THREE Man stabbed in Irrigon On Sept. 5 at 7:51 p.m. the Morrow County Sher- iff’s Office (MCSO) Dis- patch Center received a call Bryan Collins (L) and Jasen Lester (R) stand in front of Morrow County Sheriffs Of- advising that 2 men were fice Search and Rescue members (l-r) - OHV Deputy Jerry Roberts, Criminal Sergeant fighting in the street near Brian Snyder, Patrol Sergeant Randy Rayburn, SRO Deputy Phil Morris, SRO Deputy Highway 730 and West Todd Siex. Fourth Street in Irrigon, and that one might have been they were able to find a stabbed. MCSO responded, road and started walking and was assisted by the out. The three had no inju- Boardman Police Depart- ries and were in good spir- ment. Oregon State Police its for being lost all night. also assisted in looking for The boys were reunited the suspect vehicle. Deputy with their families and all Bose and Deputy Crowell is well.” were on scene within two The sheriff’s department minutes of the call coming “reminds all to report these in and Detective Snyder ar- types of incidents as soon rived 10 minutes later. as possible. The sooner we The Irrigon ambulance are notified, the sooner we crew assisted and trans- can respond and provide ported the stabbing vic- assistance. Our number tim, Jeffrey Alan Kelly, 39, one objective is public of Irrigon to the hospital. safety and security.” Meanwhile law enforce- (l-r) Bryan Collins, Jasen ment investigated the crime Lester and Jordan Spauld- and located the suspect. ing Joel Ernesto Rodriguez, 31, of Irrigon was arrested by MCSO and lodged in the Umatilla County Jail on charges of Menac- ing (X1), Assault IV (X2), U n l a w - Joel Ernesto Rodriguez ful use of a weapon (X1) and Assault I (X1). Bail is set at $275,000. A possible second vic- tim, an unidentified male left the scene before law enforcement arrived. He is being sought for a welfare check and as a possible witness. If the public has any information regarding his identity or further in- formation on this incident, please contact the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office at 541-676-5317. Morrow County schools to receive CBEC announces projects Columbia Basin Elec- ing Company (NWT) has tion throughout the service Co-op will be starting been contracted to perform territory during the next few funds from local windmill project tric its annual utility pole check- this work for CBEC. The months. Trees Inc. is sched- By April Sykes Morrow County School Superintendent Dirk Dirk- sen has announced that schools in Morrow County will receive a million dol- lars a year when a local windmill project comes on line. Dirksen said, at a regu- lar meeting at Heppner Elementary School Monday evening, that the Morrow County Court has reached a SIP (Strategic Invest- ment Program) agreement between the county and the Wheatridge windmill proj- ect which will give Morrow County School District and the Ione School District a shared $1 million to go toward STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), music and art programs. Dirksen said the project is expected to go online between two and five years from now and is ex- pected to last for 15 years. The windmill project covers territory from Lex- ington to Buttercreek and will include 200 towers in both Morrow and Umatilla counties. “It would be a pretty fantastic opportunity to not worry about $1,000 here or $1,000 there,” said Dirksen. “It’s an exciting opportunity for Morrow County students.” He said it may provide an opportunity to open schools on Friday mornings, add music and art programs, in addition to STEM programs. He said the district won’t see the money until the windmills are up. He estimated that $600,000 of the funds could go to STEM programs, and around $400,000 to music and art programs. Also at the meeting, Dirksen announced that district enrollment is still growing and has increased 15 students over last The Heppner Gazette-Times wants to see pictures of your trophy animals from this hunting season. Stop by to have your picture taken, drop off photos, mail them to PO Box 337 in Heppner, email them to editor@rapidserve.net or text cell phone photos to 541-980-6674. year. He said that Board- man schools have seen an increase of 17, Irrigon schools, a loss of 17, Hep- pner schools, an increase of six students, and Mor- row Education Center, an increase of nine. “Exciting opportunities are abounding around us,” said Dirksen. September enrollment saw the following: A.C. Houghton Elementary, Ir- rigon, grades K-three, 273; Sam Boardman Elementa- ry, Boardman, K-three, 361; Heppner Elementary, K-six, 172; Irrigon Elementary, four-six, 217; Windy River Elementary, Boardman, four-six, 250; Heppner Jr./ Sr. High School, seven-12, 175; Irrigon Jr./Sr. High School, seven-12, 374; Riv- erside Jr./Sr. High School, Boardman, seven-12, 408; Morrow Education Center, Irrigon, 60; total-2,290. -See WINDMILL/PAGE FOUR ing and treatment work for 2017 beginning the week of Sept. 18. CBEC will be checking poles on lines out of the Ione substation in the following areas: Baseline Rd. to North Lex, Ella Rd., Baker Ln., Rietmann Ln., Morgan, Fairview, 4-Mile and Lower Willow Creek. CBEC expects the pole checking and treatment ac- tivity to take approximately 8 weeks. National Wood Treat- pole checking will be con- ducted with a pick-up and ATV and all NWT vehicles will be marked with CBEC signage. The annual pole checking process is neces- sary to stay in compliance with Oregon Public Utility Commission and National Electric Safety Code regu- lations. CBEC, and their sub- contractors, Trees Inc., will be also be conducting its bi- ennial tree trimming opera- uled to begin trimming on Sept 25 and are expected to be in the Columbia Basin Electric service territory for approximately three months. Any inquiries about trees obstructing power lines or the removal of them may be made to Brian Kollman at 541-676-9146, briank@columbiabasin. cc or Josh Coiner, joshc@ columbiabasin.cc. MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS 2887500 MAIN STREET 350 MAIN STREET 350 LEXINGTON, OR LEXINGTON OR G-T Trophy Corner *Monthly payment based on new, unused MY17 Indy 550 with an MSRP of $6,799 with $1,000 down and $200 manufacturer’s rebate. $5,599 financed (6.99% APR) over 84 months on a Polaris/Synchrony Installment Loan Account. Participating Dealers. Offer valid from 7/26/17 to 10/31/17. *Offer is subject to credit approval by Synchrony Bank. APR of 6.99% will be assigned based on credit approval criteria. Monthly payments will be $15.09 per $1,000 financed. Example: A total 84-month term with an Amount Financed of $5,599 and 6.99% APR requires monthly payments of $84.48 for 84 months. Price excludes title, tax, options, accessories, and dealer fees. Program minimum amount financed is $5,000 and minimum 0% – 10% down payment required based on credit approval criteria. A $1,000 down payment is required to obtain advertised monthly payment of $84.48. All rebates are paid to the dealer. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: Above: Faith Futter of Heppner bagged her first buck Sunday on Buttercreek out of Heppner. Faith took the three-point buck while hunting with her uncle Jim Healy under the mentored youth hunter program. Below: Diana Healy, 16, of Heppner also took her deer on Buttercreek Sunday. This is her fifth consecutive successful hunt and her largest take to date. -Contributed photos MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
