Sheriff Matlack to assist with
immigration issues
50¢
Morrow County Sheriff
Kenneth W Matlack will
be in Washington DC on
Wednesday, Sept. 5, to meet
with White House officials
on illegal immigration mat-
ters and to urge Congress to
act on pending legislation
to increase border security.
Sheriff Matlack joins
approximately 50 other
sheriffs from across the
country as a united group
of elected law enforcement
officers at a media event
on Capitol Hill Wednesday
morning. Joined by some
members of Congress, this
group of sheriffs will share
their experiences and public
VOL. 137 NO. 36 8 Pages Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon safety challenges associated
with illegal aliens, and call
on Congress to act on pend-
ing legislation to increase
border security and reform
the immigration system.
The sheriffs will then
participate in a roundtable
discussion at the White
House with administration
officials and policymakers.
Hosted by the White House
Office of Intergovernmental
Affairs, the round table
will focus on immigration,
border security and efforts
by some elected officials
to prevent the critical col-
laboration of local, county,
state and federal law en-
forcement agencies. These
partnerships maximize law
enforcement’s potential to
identify criminals in com-
munities and remove them
from neighborhoods.
“The purpose of this
visit is to express the ur-
gency of Congress passing
legislation immediately on
the security aspects of im-
migration reform,” Sheriff
The US Army Corps of engineers recently brought back a herd of goats to clean off the veg- Matlack said. “It is our
intention to tell Congress
etation on the face of the Willow Creek Dam in Heppner.
The Goats were here for the first time several years ago and at that time the Corps said they that their failure to deal with
would evaluate the job and see if the animals would be brought back. Apparently the goats this issue for 20 years has
do a good job as they were here for several days last week.
made our communities less
The Corps says the animals are better since they don’t have to use chemicals and hire people
safe and has undermined
to rappel down the face of the dam to eradicate weeds and grass that grow on the structure.
our promise to the people
-Contributed photo
who elected us to keep them
HEPPNER
G T
azette
imes
Those dam goats came back!
Enterprise Zone taps Sweek new
manager
By David Sykes
The Columbia River
Enterprise Zone, CREZ,
has named former county
assessor Greg Sweek as its
new manager. Sweek will
be responsible for the day to
day operations of the CREZ
and is a paid employee
reporting to the board of
directors.
Sweek has long-time
knowledge in the workings
of the zone both as a board
member representing Mor-
row County and as assessor
in creating the zone. He also
Greg Sweek
has experience creating a
previous enterprise zone,
which has since expired, lo-
cated at the former Kinzua
Mill site in Heppner.
Sweek will replace
Morrow County planner
Carla McLane, who has
served as manager since
the zone’s inception. Mc-
Lane, who served without
additional pay as CREZ
manager, resigned because
of time constraints and
will continue on as county
planner.
Sweek will receive
compensation of $100 per
week and be available on-
call as needed by CREZ.
He will also receive $40
per hour for attendance at
board meetings, meetings
with CREZ applicants and
other required meetings
and will receive mileage
reimbursement. Sweek is
not considered an employee
and will be working as an
independent contractor.
The CREZ board is
made up of two members
each from the City of
Boardman, Morrow Coun-
ty and the Port of Morrow.
They voted unanimously to
hire Sweek.
Sheriff Matlack travels to Washington DC to assist other
sheriffs with immigrations issues.
safe.”
“During our visit to the
White House, we will dis-
cuss the challenges we face
as a result of the ongoing
Congressional stalemate,
strategies to more easily
identify criminal illegal
aliens and explore ways
to expand and protect our
valuable and critically im-
portant relationships with
our local, state and federal
law enforcement partners,”
Sheriff Matlack contin-
ued. “We will also take
the opportunity to express
and thank President Trump
and his administration for
re-establishing law enforce-
ment’s footing to enforce
our laws.”
“America’s sheriffs are
elected by the people in
their communities to keep
them safe and the contin-
ued inaction of Congress
has put a major roadblock
in law enforcement’s path
to protecting our citizens
and legal residents. It is our
sworn duty to protect our
citizens, and we, as sheriffs,
view this opportunity to
push for meaningful im-
migration reform as a way
to uphold our promise, our
commitment, to the people
who elected us to protect
them.”
Ione Library
receives grant
Stacks of new books were purchased with the funds from a
grant received by the Ione Library.
The Ione Public Library
was the recent recipient of
a $3000 grant to purchase
books for young adults
and children. The funding
for the grant was provided
through the 2017 Library
and Technology Service Act
Program in Oregon and was
made available to the 115
libraries in Oregon whose
service population is less
than 50,000. With a popula-
tion of 989, Ione is among
the 20 smallest libraries in
the state.
The Ione library will be
adding 248 new, high quali-
ty books to their circulating
collections for juvenile
readers, young readers and
young adult readers with
the grant funds.
The task of dealing
with the new books will
include weeding the books
currently available for cir-
culation. Books in poor
condition or that have not
been checked out for a
number of years will be re-
moved from the stacks and
incorporated into the 2019
summer reading program
as prizes and incentives.
The new books will be
introduced to the stacks
gradually over a matter of
months.
The Oregon State Li-
brary and the Institute of
Museum and Library Ser-
vices were responsible for
facilitating the grant.
Local rodeo cowboys and cowgirls take home the prizes
The Ranch Bronc Riding winner, Wes Aragon (right), received the saddle sponsored by Bank
of Eastern Oregon. Also pictured, Miles Binger. -Photo by Juli McDonald
-See RODEO WINNERS/
PAGE EIGHT
Jett Stewart (right) took first place in the Morrow County Rodeo amateur calf roping, taking
home the 2018 championship saddle donated by Morrow County Grain Growers. Also pictured,
Terri Gentry. -Photo by Juli McDonald
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242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)