SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 24, 2019
New owners take helm of Times-Journal Lightning storm
Stinchfields close out 45-year tenure
ignites fires
Editor ’s note: Sto-
ry reprinted from the
Times-Journal July 4, 2019
edition. Steve Allen’s par-
ents, Dick and Jannie Allen,
are residents of Ione. Dick
was a former principal for
Ione schools and Jannie
taught at Heppner Ele-
mentary.
Steve and Renee Allen
have purchased the Times-
Journal newspaper and
print shop from Mac and
Jan Stinchfield and will put
out their first edition with
help from the Stinchfields
on July 3.
Steve Allen is the son
of Dick Allen, who grew
up in Kinzua and Jannie
Chase, who grew up in Fos-
sil. He was raised in Spray
until the age of seven and
graduated from Ione High
School in 1997.
Steve’s family has deep
roots in the area. His pater-
nal great-grandfather was
John Gabriel Stephens, who
moved to Lost Valley from
Boone County Kentucky in
the early 1870s. He married
Mary Portwood of Lost Val-
ley and their descendants
inhabited Rock Creek and
Lonerock.
Jannie Chase’s grand-
mother was Janet Geddes
who emigrated to Condon
from Blairgowrie, Scotland
in 1910. Jannie’s mother,
Nedeau Couture, was the
first of her sisters to be born
in the U.S. and graduated
from Condon High School
in 1934. Steve has family
buried in Olex, Arlington,
Lonerock, Fossil and Con-
don.
Steve graduated from
the University of Oregon in
2003 and from the Universi-
ty of Birmingham England
in 2007. He has 15 years’
experience in non-profit
management and is excited
to return home to serve the
community.
Renee Allen grew up
in McMinnville and is the
daughter of Malcolm John-
stone and Connie Crone.
Renee’s ancestors have a
rich history in the news-
paper and print business.
Her great-grandfather was
a master printer who fled
the Kansas dustbowl during
the Great Depression. He
settled in Pasadena, CA
after setting type for more
than a dozen newspapers
in California, Oregon and
Washington states.
Renee’s great-grand-
mother was Saadi Mon-
trose, who was an aboli-
tionist from Virginia and
who later became a reporter
and writer. She was one of
the first female post-mis-
tresses in the United States
and is buried in Brooklyn,
NY. Renee’s family also
has Scottish ancestry and
she first came to Condon
to celebrate Robert Burns’
Supper in 2004. Renee
graduated from the Uni-
“The Virginian”
modeled after
Harney County
cowpuncher
Author Owen Wister,
best remembered for his
1902 novel “The Virgin-
ian,” is considered the fa-
ther of American western
fiction writing. Wister drew
on experiences and people
he met during his travels as
inspiration for his stories.
He was good friends with
such notables as Theodore
Roosevelt and Frederic
Remington.
Several years after the
first theatrical film version
of “The Virginian” was
released in 1914, a reporter
for the Heppner Gazette
reminisced about the days
when Wister is said to have
written his iconic book at
the Palace Hotel in Hep-
pner.
“ M r. Wi s t e r, w h o
is a native of New En-
gland, traveled extensively
through the western cattle
country in the early 1890s
gathering material for his
book and, while he chose
Wyoming for the setting
for his story, he came to
eastern Oregon for most of
his characters and local col-
oring. The leading character
is said to have been found
in Harney County, but many
of the thrilling scenes were
picked up among the old
cattlemen of the Heppner
and John Day country. The
town of Ione is described
in the story as the Wyo-
ming town where the Vir-
ginian first met the school
ma’m and where he later
beat Trampas on the quick
draw.”
Old-timers in Heppner
remember Wister well. He
spent much time with J.W.
Redington, veteran of the
Indian Wars, who at that
time was publisher of the
Heppner Gazette and no
doubt got many inspirations
for his book from him.
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
Fire crews on the Hep-
pner Ranger District of the
Umatilla National Forest
responded to new smoke
reports following the pass-
ing thunderstorms early
Monday morning. A total
of six fires were reported.
The Bull Fire located
near Bull Prairie Lake was
last reported as being four
acres in size and is burning
a combination of mixed
conifer and open pine fuels.
A helicopter aided sup-
pression efforts by drop-
ping water and cooling hot
spots. Firefighters continue
to construct and improve
control lines and secure the
perimeter to reduce the risk
of the fire spreading.
Renee and Steve Allen, new owners of The Times-Journal
versity of Oregon and the
University of Birmingham
England and has worked in
hospital administration and
for healthcare non-profits
where she learned web de-
sign and digital marketing.
Steve and Renee aspire
to maintain the journalis-
tic integrity of the Times-
Journal and to honor the
impact that the newspaper
has made in the community
since 1886. Steve and Re-
nee are also eager to learn
what people like about the
Times- Journal and what
they want to see more of in
the future. The new owners
also plan to offer additional
print services and digi-
tal design services at the
Times-Journal shop.
Steve and Renee have
an eight-year-old daugh-
ter, Saadi, named after her
great-great-grandmother.
She, too, loves to read and
write and hopes to con-
tribute a youthful voice to
the newspaper. The Allens
look forward to gaining the
trust of the community and
to build off of the legacy
that the Stinchfields have
established since 1976, and
that of their predecessors
since 1886.
The Allens have pur-
chased a home in Condon.
Chamber Chatter
Friday, July 26 from
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern
Oregon Economic Sum-
mit, hosted by the Eastern
Oregon Women’s Coali-
tion at Hermiston High
School. The summit will
offer in-depth discussion
about factors affecting rural
Oregon’s economy, from
the impacts of legislation
enacted during the 2019
session to changes in tech-
nology, demographics and
environmental resources.
The summit is designed for
private and public sector
leaders throughout east-
ern Oregon interested in
learning how to tap into
the growth and potential of
the regional economy. Cost
is $25 and registration is
required. Register at: www.
EasternOregonSummit.
com.
Saturday, July 27 from
6 to 8 p.m., 7 th Annual
Bowl-A-Thon sponsored
by Domestic Violence Ser-
vices, Inc., held at Des-
ert Lanes at 1545 N. First
Street, Hermiston. $30 per
bowler or $120 for team of
four, which includes three
lines of bowling and shoes.
There will be raffle tickets
for $1 each or six for $5.
Fun for all ages and great
prizes. To register, contact
541-276-3322, www.dvs-
or.org or on Facebook.
Saturday, July 27 from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fifth
Annual Veteran Benefit
EXPO19 at the Pendleton
Convention Center. Learn
Willow Creek Water Park Event
Thursday, August 1st from 1 to 7 pm
Come meet Olaf at the pool!
You can take your picture with him to celebrate summer.
The first 60 kids in the door get a free magnet. (ages 0-17).
Everyone can have one free sno-cone. Other concessions
items will be on sale all day.
Call 541-676-5752 for more information.
about available federal,
state and local veteran ben-
efits including health care,
disability compensation
pension, business, burial,
transportation, education,
recreation, long-term care,
records, ID’s, home loans
and more. This event is de-
signed to provide a one-stop
shop for Oregon veterans of
all eras and walks of life to
learn about and access the
full range of their earned
benefits. For more informa-
tion about the Expo, visit
www.expo.oregondva.com.
For questions, please con-
tact Tyler Francke at 503-
373-2389 or tyler.francke@
state.or.us.
Thursday, August 1 is
the deadline to apply for
Morrow County Cultural
Coalition grants. Applica-
tions for cultural-based ac-
tivities are being accepted,
with grants to be awarded
for up to 50 percent of the
total project cost. For com-
plete guidelines and appli-
cation form, contact Gayle
Gutierrez at 541-676-5630
or via email at ggutierrez@
co.morrow.or.us.
Friday, August 2 from
6 to 9 p.m., First Friday
summer event in downtown
Heppner. There will be
food, shopping, vendors,
live music and family ac-
tivities.
Sunday, August 11
from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.,
Wasteland Kings will be
the entertainment for Music
in the Park at the Heppner
Community
lunch menu
Hopeful Saints volun-
teers will serve lunch on
Wednesday, July 31 at St.
Patrick’s Senior Center.
Lunch will be dry rub pork
tenderloin, mashed pota-
toes with gravy, wheat roll,
steamed green beans, roast-
ed garlic cauliflower and
applesauce with cinnamon
for dessert.
Milk, coffee and tea is
served at each meal. Sug-
gested donation is $3.50
per meal. Menu is subject
to change.
The Cabin Creek Fire is
approximately five acres in
size and is located about 1.5
miles north of Rocky Flat.
The fire is 100 percent lined
and firefighters are focusing
on mop up and securing
containment lines.
With increased dry
weather, fire officials want
to remind everyone that the
current fire danger rating
remains at moderate. No
public use restrictions are in
effect on the Forest at this
time. Similar restrictions
may be in effect on state
and private lands protected
by the Washington Depart-
ment of Natural Resources
(WA-DNR).
Lathrop wins rifle
raffle
Kacee Lathrop (center) is pictured being presented her rifle.
Also pictured, representing the Oregon Hunter Education
Instructor’s Association are Darlene Marquardt, secretary,
and Jim Marquardt, NE director.
Kacee Lathrop of Hep-
pner was the winner of the
Oregon Hunter Education
Instructor’s Association ri-
fle raffle. The rifle is a mod-
el 70 Winchester grand 270
with scope, sling, carrying
case, buck knife, ammo and
other miscellaneous items.
Proceeds from the raf-
fle go to provide grants and
supplies for Hunter Educa-
tion instructors to enhance
student programs across
the state.
Main St. park. There will be
a meal available to purchase
(by donation) prepared by
the Hopeful Saints Ministry
volunteers. Bring a lawn
chair.
August 14-18, Morrow
County Fair and OTPR
Rodeo at Morrow County
Fairgrounds. This year’s
theme is “Treasure Chest
of Morrow County’s Best.”
Entry into the fair is free
this year but don’t forget
to purchase tickets for the
rodeo’
Wednesday, August 14
at 7 p.m. Dinner & Dancing
organized by the Morrow
County Fair Board at Mor-
row County Fairgrounds.
The evening will include
live music by Trevor Tagle
and catering by Paradise
Rose Chuckwagon. Meal
price is $15 for adults and
$8 for a child. Meal will
consist of tri-tip, chicken,
corn, green salad, baked
beans, Dutch-oven potatoes
and dessert.
Thursday, August 15
from 6-10:30 p.m., Mur-
ray’s Annual Beer and Wine
Tasting “Fiesta” event at
Morrow County Fair-
grounds. Come out and
enjoy this fun evening and
enjoy some great wine and
beer choices. The event will
include entertainment by
Brady Goss. The dinner will
be prepared by Alvin Liu
and MaryAnn Elguezabal
and served by the Heppner
Chamber board/volunteers.
The meal will consist of
beef enchilada with beans
and rice, fresh garden salad,
dessert, lemonade or water
to drink. $12 for adults and
$6 for children 10 and un-
der. Bottled water will be
available for $1.
2019 Fair
& Rodeo
News!
The 2019 Special Fair Edition of
The Gazette-Times will be
published August 7th, 2019
Submit your Fair & Rodeo stories &
Events to david@rapidserve.net
to have them included, the deadline
to be included is July 31, 2019
YEE HAW