Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2019)
OTPR arena dirt restoration project completed HEPPNER G T 50¢ azette imes VOL. 138 NO. 32 6 Pages Wednesday, August 7, 2019 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Willows planted to stabilize creek bank Erosion a concern Miller and Sons Excavating levels the new dirt in the arena. -Photo by David Sykes. Thanks to the Howard and Beth Bryant Founda- tion and longtime Upper Rhea Creek rancher, Melvin Harnett, the Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo Committee has finally returned the arena dirt to its award-winning condition. The 2011 flood of the Morrow County Fairgrounds washed away the top layer of dirt that had been hauled into the OTPR arena by the volun- teer OTPR Committee and supportive Morrow County residents and businesses. Replacing that lost dirt began this time last year. Above: Example of high water and erosion problems along Willow Creek Dirt was trucked into the Below: Jared Huddleston and Trent Gianella of SWCD plant willow stakes to stabilize the fairgrounds to initiate the creek bank. -Contributed photos. restoration in both the Dick and Virginia Wilkinson indoor arena (which still By David Sykes The Morrow Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) recently planted willow stakes along the banks of Willow Creek near the Morgan Street bridge, in an effort to stabilize soil erosion which is becoming a concern for those living along the creek. Terry Denton lives on the creek and has worried for some time what she sees happening to her back yard. At a recent community meeting featuring officials from the Army Corp of Engineers Denton raised the problem of soil erosion when the corps opens the dam gates and lets wa- ter rush down the creek. She said the rush of water is damaging not only the property where she lives but others along Willow Creek. Following the Corps meeting Denton met with Kevin Payne, District Man- ager and Natural Resource Specialist with the SWCD and talked about how to begin fixing the problem. Subsequently a crew was needs to be completed) and the OTPR outdoor arena. It took seven years, but Melvin Harnett’s dirt was finally loaded into Miller and Sons and Silver Creek trucks to be hauled into Heppner. With the Howard and Beth Bryant Foundation’s support, the dirt was loaded, trucked, spread and leveled. All of the funds and hard work to restore condition in both of the arenas has been donated by Morrow County individuals and businesses who support the equine and livestock heritage that runs deep in our county. No county tax dollars were used. The arena is being conditioned, worked and watered to be ready for the upcoming 4-H Horse Show, OTPR open rodeo, the one of a kind Morrow County resident rodeo and the OTPR 1 st Annual Jan- ice Davis Healy Memorial barrel race. “We are hopeful that this facility will be used in the future by individuals or organizations that need an arena of this caliber for equine/livestock functions. The OTPR Committee encourages anyone who loves horses and/or equine sports to take advantage of this wonderful facility all year round,” said an OTPR spokesperson. The Morrow County Fair and Rodeo will run August 14-18. Morrow County Fair starts next week "t reasure C hest oF M orrow C ounty ' s B est " at the M orrow C ounty F air 2019 sent into the area and wil- low stakes planted in an effort to stabilize the banks. The crew planted between 150 and 200 stakes. Denton says over the past several years the ero- sion has taken out railroad ties and rip rap along the creek bank and undermined trees to the point they have had to be taken out. She also said the city of Heppner has storage return drains along the creek that could be damaged if the stream flow causes more erosion. Den- ton is concerned enough that she and others have considered rafting down the creek with video cameras to document the extent of the The Morrow County Fair and Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo is scheduled for next week, Aug. 14-18, damage in an effort to get with exhibits opening to the public Aug. 14. See more details on special events and attractions in this week’s special fair insert in the G-T. something done about it. M orrow C ounty F air & o regon t rail P ro r odeo a ugust 14-18, 2019 Olaf visits the pool MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS 350 MAIN ST LEXINGTON, OR 97839, CONTACT: JUSTIN BAILEY 541-989-8221 Olaf visited the Willow Creek Waterpark on August 1. The day proved to be the biggest attendance day the park has had. Offers vary by model. *Rebate offers valid on select 2015-2019 new and unregistered Polaris ® RZR ® , RANGER ® , Sportsman ® , GENERAL ® , and ACE ® models purchased between 7/24/19 and 9/30/19 and financing offers valid on select 2015-2020 new and unregistered models purchased between 7/24/2019 and 9/30/2019. **Rates as low as 3.99% APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36-month term at a 3.99% APR rate: $29.52 per $1,000 financed; and with a 60-month term at a 6.99% APR rate: $19.80 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of 3.99% APR for 36 months at an MSRP of $12,699 is $374.87/mo. total cost of borrowing of $796.27 with a total obligation of $13,495.27. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and registration are separate and may not be financed. Promotion may be modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris' sole discretion. WARNING: Polaris ® off-road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver's license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don't mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. © 2019 Polaris Industries Inc. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
