Glen Diehl appointed as
Justice of the Peace
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 138
NO. 49 6 Pages
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Glen Diehl has been
appointed by Governor
Kate Brown to the position
of Justice of the Peace for
Morrow County, filling
the vacancy created by the
retirement of Judge Annetta
Spicer. His appointment is
effective Jan. 1, 2020.
Diehl, who has been a
community service work
crew supervisor in the Mor-
row County Sheriff’s Office
since 2016, has worked in
law enforcement for his
entire career. He previously
served as a law enforcement
officer for the Pilot Rock
City Police Department,
the Umatilla County Sher-
iff’s Office, the Morrow
Mustangs win it all - 2A state champs
County Sheriff’s Office, the
Umatilla Tribal Police De-
partment, and the Columbia
River Inter-Tribal Fisheries
Enforcement Department.
A leader in the law enforce-
ment community of eastern
Oregon, Diehl has served as
chair of the Oregon State
Sheriff’s Association Com-
mand Council and as pres-
ident and chief steward
of the Umatilla County
Sheriff’s Association, SEIU
Local 503.
“Glen Diehl brings
more than three decades
of public service in the
area of criminal justice to
the position of Justice of
the Peace,” said Gover-
nor Brown. “His record of
commitment to the law, in
Glen Diehl
addition to his balanced and
fair-minded approach, will
serve Morrow County’s
justice system well.”
Active in his commu-
nity, Diehl has volunteered
as a Scoutmaster, a Cub-
master, a 4-H Leader, and
as a security officer for the
Pendleton Roundup.
Heppner fire chief
to retire
Rusty Estes, age 61,
has announced he will re-
tire from the Heppner Fire
Department in January after
serving for 45 years. Estes
told the Gazette he started
with the fire department as
part of the junior fire fighter
program in 1975, while a
senior in high school. He
was named fire chief in
1994.
Rusty Estes
Estes was born in Jo-
seph and moved to Heppner 21 volunteer fire fighters,
when he was 10 years old. male and female. Some
He graduated from Heppner fire fighters are currently
High School in 1976 and is part of the junior fire fighter
The team celebrates their win over the Kennedy Trojans on Saturday, making them the 2A Oregon state champions. -Photo married to his wife, Cyde. program which is still in
by Kirsti Cason.
When asked how it existence and some started
feels
to leave, he said, “Bit- as junior fire fighters.
The Heppner Mus-
tersweet.”
He then added,
He reported it was a
tangs are the “Best of the
“What
am
I
going
to
do
pleasure
to work with some
Best”, the Champions of
with
my
time?”
He
said
he
of
the
finest
men and wom-
2A Football for the state of
will
miss
responding
to
the
en
in
this
community
who
Oregon. The Mustangs won
emergencies
and
will
miss
volunteer
to
protect
and
the 2019 OSAA 2A State
the
magnificent
fire
fighters
serve
as
rescuers.
He
not-
Football Championship
he works with. “It’s time ed, “It has been a source of
by defeating the Kennedy
to let the young boys take pride and joy to be a part
Trojans by the score of 12-7
over,” Estes said when he of this wonderful organi-
last Saturday afternoon.
was asked his reason for zation.”
The Heppner team
retiring.
Estes is employed by
capped their perfect 13-0
The
Heppner
Fire
De-
the
Morrow
County Health
season record with the state
partment
and
Rural
Fire
District
as
the
EMS Coor-
championship in front of
District
covers
675
square
dinator
for
Morrow
County
a large crowd of Mustang
miles
and
the
rescue
area
and
will
continue
his
work
fans. There were so many
covers
1,300
square
miles
there.
He
began
working
Heppner fans from all over
and has the only rescue for the health district in
the area that they filled the
equipment in south Morrow 1997 and became the EMS
designated visitor stands,
County. There are currently Coordinator in 2005.
Mustang
cheerleaders
lead
the
Heppner
fans
in
cheering
for
the
football
team
on
Saturday.
packed the sidelines and
-Photo
by
Damon
Brosnan.
were even sitting in the
home teams’ section of seven-yard line. He took off a 13-yard pass play. The Coe also intercepted two
Kennison Field at Hermis- for what looked like would score was now 12-7 with passes in the game. Wilson
be a Kennedy touchdown just forty-five seconds left and Jason Rea recorded
ton High School.
three tackles while with
In the battle for the but there were several Mus- in the game.
The Trojans attempt- two tackles each were Matt
state title, it didn’t take long tang players in hot pursuit.
for the Mustangs to score. Jackson Lehman finally ed an on-side kick that Orem, Gavin Hanna-Rob-
Kennedy kicked off to start caught and tackled him at bounced around and was inson and Evan Kollman.
the game and on the first the 13-yard line after a run touched by several players With one tackle each were
Heppner possession they of 80 yards. That was the on both teams before Jack- Kellen Grant, Roy Collins,
took the lead. Quarterback last play of the first half and son Lehman finally secured Hayden Hyatt and Kason
Jayden Wilson kept the the Mustangs still led the it for the Mustangs. Hep- Cimmiyotti.
pner lined up in the victory
According to a spokes- Fire Chief Rusty Estes will retire from the fire department in
ball and headed around the game 6-0.
January. -Photo by Giselle Moses.
The third quarter was formation and Wilson took person, “It was an out-
right end of the Mustang
line. The field opened up another defensive battle a knee to end the game and standing season with an
for him right in front of as the teams traded pos- give the Heppner Mustangs outstanding group of young
the Kennedy bench and he sessions four times. The the win by the score of 12-7. men that worked very hard
The Mustangs had 161 to achieve their goal of a
turned on the jets. After tak- Mustangs did get deep into
ing a few hits and breaking Trojan territory at the six- rushing yards and passed state championship. The
a few tackles he scored on yard line but couldn’t score for 79 yards for a total of coaching staff led by Greg
a 56-yard touchdown run. and turned the ball over on 240 offensive yards in the Grant and Les Payne did a
That gave the Mustangs a downs. The third quarter game. Kennedy rushed for great job of bring this group
only 48 yards and passed along this season and got
6-0 lead less than a minute ended with the score 6-0.
When the Mustangs got the ball for 114 for a total the most out of each and ev-
into the game.
ery one of them when it was
The first Kennedy drive the ball early in the fourth of 162.
Wi l s o n , w h o w a s needed.” It was a season
ended with a three-and-out quarter, they finally put
as they lost three yards and together a scoring drive. named the OSAA MODA that ended with the Heppner
had to punt. The Heppner The outstanding offensive Health Player of the Game, Mustangs finishing as the
The Mustangs bus is escorted out of town as it heads to Herm-
defense, which has been line would open up holes was 6-12 passing the ball 2019 State Champions.
iston for the championship game. -Photo by Damon Brosnan.
outstanding all season long, for Heppner runners to get for 79 yards. His long pass
continued their outstanding through. Blake Wolters of the game was for 32
play and frustrated the Tro- had six carries for 39 yards yards and he had one pass
on the drive and Wilson intercepted. Mason Lehman
jan offense all day long.
The teams stopped each packed the ball for 26 yards. caught five passes for 75
other on their next two pos- Wilson then finished the yards in the game and Jace
sessions of the first quarter nine play, 67-yard drive that Coe had one reception for
and the score remained 6-0 ate up nearly five minutes four yards.
Leading the team in
as the second quarter began. of the game clock when he
It was a tough defensive scored on a run from two rushing was Wilson with
battle in the second quarter yards out around the right 94 yards on 14 carries and
as the teams traded posses- side of the offensive line. two touchdowns. Wolters
sions two times before the That made the score 12-0 packed the ball 18 times for
Mustangs started a drive with just over five minutes 82 yards.
The outstanding de-
at their own 35-yard line. to go in the game.
Kennedy then turned fensive effort was led by
They marched 43 yards in
six plays and reached the to a no-huddle, fast paced Mason Lehman and Brock
Kennedy 22-yard line be- passing game to try and Hisler who had eight tack-
fore a Trojan player made score. They put together les each. With five tackles
a great play on a Heppner a 13 play, 73-yard drive each were Wolters, Jack-
pass and intercepted it at the that led to a touchdown on son Lehman and Jace Coe.