Heppner council meeting date
changed
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 137
NO. 45 8 Pages
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Local businesses, churches join
in Halloween fun
Due to the Veteran’s Day holiday on Nov. 12, the Heppner city council meeting will
be held Nov. 13 instead. For additional information contact the city hall at 541-676-9618.
BEO to acquire four Umpqua
Bank branches
BEO Bancorp and its
subsidiary, Bank of East-
ern Oregon, announced
that they have entered into
a definitive agreement to
acquire four Washington
branch locations from
Umpqua Bank. The branch
locations are Colfax, Day-
ton, Lacrosse and Pomeroy.
Jeff Bailey, president
and CEO for Bank of East-
ern Oregon said, “Our ex-
pansion into Washington
began nearly five years ago
when we acquired Bank
Reale in Pasco. We see the
addition of these Umpqua
branches as a natural pro-
gression of expanding our
brand of banking to rural
communities in eastern
Washington.”
“As customer pref-
erences change how we
deliver banking services,
Umpqua remains strongly
committed to supporting
our communities,” said Bri-
an Read, Umpqua’s execu-
tive vice president of retail
banking. “We’re pleased
that Bank of Eastern Ore-
gon has agreed to purchase
these four locations and will
continue serving customers
locally.”
The transaction is ex-
pected to close during first
quarter 2019, following
final regulatory approval.
The terms of the transaction
are not being disclosed.
Upon closing of the trans-
action, the branches will
operate as Bank of Eastern
Washington, branches of
Bank of Eastern Oregon.
Keenan and Partners served
as facilitator of this trans-
action.
Bank of Eastern Oregon, Willow Creek Terrace, Heppner City Hall and Hopeful
Saints all got into the holiday spirit last Wednesday for Halloween.
BEO employees dressed as their favorite rock stars while the city hall theme was
nursery rhymes. The Hopeful Saints Mission Trippers posed in their costumes as did
employees at Willow Creek Terrace.
Above: Rock stars made an appearance at BEO. Pictured L-R: Sara Santora, Betty Jo Colvin
(Cyndi Lauper), Hanna Rinehart, John Qualls (Elton John), Tricia Rollins, Emma Wright
(Stevie Nicks), Jessica Peterson (Annie Lennox) and Bev Benson (Tina Turner).
Right: Elton John, aka John
Qualls, visited the Heppner
branch of the Bank of Eastern
Oregon.
A Community Halloween Party was hosted by the Hopeful Saints Mission Trippers, pictured
above.
Below: Heppner City Hall’s
nursery rhyme theme was
Left: Willow Creek Terrace’s demonstrated by Brandy
busy bee cook was Monica Medrano, city manager Edie
Powell, pictured with mail Ball and Tarina Foster. -Photo
lady Shari Ober.
by April Sykes.
Morrow tax refunds
rate in top ten
Heppner slightly
colder in October
Motorcyclist dies in
accident
Michael James Wilson, 62, of Hermiston was killed
in a single vehicle motorcycle accident on Highway 207
near the Buttercreek junction on Nov. 1. The accident
occurred at approximately 2 a.m.
According to information provided by the Morrow
County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police is in charge
of the incident.
According to prelim-
inary data received by
NOAA’s National Weather
Service in Pendleton, tem-
peratures at Heppner aver-
aged slightly colder than
normal during the month
of October.
The average tempera-
ture was 50 degrees which
was 1.3 degrees below nor-
mal. High temperatures
averaged 61.3 degrees,
which was 2.9 degrees be-
low normal. The highest
was 73 degrees on the 3 rd .
Low temperatures averaged
38.8 degrees, which was 0.4
degrees above normal. The
lowest was 28 degrees, on
the 4 th .
There was one day with
the low temperature below
32 degrees.
Precipitation totaled
2.25 inches during Octo-
ber, which was 1.11 inches
above normal. Measurable
precipitation of at least .01
inch was received on eight
days with the heaviest, 1.15
inches reported on the 9 th .
Precipitation this year
has reached 9.11 inches,
which is 1.97 inches below
normal. The highest wind
gust was 43 mph which
occurred on the 2 nd .
The outlook for No-
vember from NOAA’s Cli-
mate Prediction Center
calls for above normal tem-
peratures and near normal
precipitation. Normal highs
for Heppner fall from 57
degrees at the start of No-
vember to 45 degrees at the
end of November. Normal
lows fall from 35 degrees
to 28 degrees. The 30 year
normal precipitation is 1.60
inches.
In a study conducted by
financial technology com-
pany SmartAsset, Morrow
County was ranked number
eight in the state of Oregon
for receiving the highest tax
refunds. According to the
study there are 3,760 tax-
payers who receive refunds
averaging $2,586.
Clackamas Coun-
ty rated number one with
132,400 taxpayers and an
average of $2,778. Hood
River County was number
ten with 8,150 taxpayers
receiving an average of
$2,568.
The other counties in
the study were Yamhill in
number two, Deschutes as
number three, Malheur in
fourth, Washington County
in fifth, Jefferson as sixth,
Umatilla in number seven
and Multnomah as ninth.
The total number of tax-
payers receiving refunds in
the study were 1,331,430
averaging $2,593 each.
Ione Topic club tours grief center
In lieu of their regular
October meeting, mem-
bers of the Ione Topic club
toured Cason’s Place, a
grief support center in
Pendleton.
Matt Terjeson and Jan
Peterson-Terjeson, who
spearheaded the estab-
lishment of the facility,
met with the group before
the tour. Led by Jan Pe-
terson-Terjeson, the club
members viewed some of
the rooms designed to help
children adjust to the loss of
a family member or friend.
Counselors help partic-
ipants work through their
grief using themed rooms
to allow children to express
themselves through role
playing and games. Many
area families have helped
fund the rooms, which are
geared to different ages.
According to a spokes-
person, the Ione group was
impressed with the center
and the quality of services
it provides. Members can
support the center through
participation in Club 42 by
donating $42 a month for
a year.
Front Row, seated: Jean Jepsen, Kristy Crowell, Betty Gray and Margo Sherer. Back Row:
Betty Rietmann, Chris Devin, Nancy Anderson, Susan Crum and Virginia Martinez
Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)
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