FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Large crowd shows support for NRCS
Chandler family
to host
meeting
A large crowd attended the
event held at the Elks Lodge
on Saturday in support of
Shawn, Merry and Caige
Chandler. A taco bar dinner
was served to go along with
many silent auction items. A
penny board also contributed
to the fundraiser. -Photos by
April Sykes.
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Sykes Publishing
541-676-9228
Jose Manuel Longo-
ria, Jr., 29, and Kaelynn
Hollingsworth, 37, both of
Irrigon, have been charged
with the theft of several
guns stolen during a bur-
glary of a home in Irrigon
in November 2019.
Last week two of the
guns were recovered by the
Morrow County Sheriff’s
Office and charges were
filed against Longoria and
Hollingsworth.
Longoria has been
charged with felony parole
violation, felon in posses-
sion of a weapon, manu-
Valentine’s Day Sale!
20% off Montana Silver
Men’s
Western Shirts 10%
10% off Toni Lama Footwear
Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
Heppner - 242 W Linden Way - 541-676-9422
to 300 people for meals and
gatherings. It has tables and
chairs ready to set up and
an area next to the kitchen
to set out food for a large
buffet.
The kitchen features a
10-burner gas stove with
double gas ovens, big hood
with fire suppression equip-
ment, big double refrigera-
tors, commercial dishwash-
er, movable stainless-steel
tables to help put out meals,
and an ice maker. There
is lots of storage and the
building is all handicapped
accessible.
Taking the stairs or ele-
vator upstairs one then sees
the four overnight suites,
all with views looking out
over Heppner and ready for
guests. There is a big social
room in the middle with a
large central table made by
Makenzi Hughes ready for
visiting. The social room
is named East of Ditch in
honor of the Bryant’s cabin
there. One nice aspect of
the accommodations is the
bunk bed suites with five
bunk beds and 12 folding
cots, set up with visiting
sports teams in mind. Cuts-
forth said she has worked
with Heppner Athletic Di-
rector and Coach Greg
Grant to accommodate vis-
iting teams who travel long
distances and need a place
to stay while competing
in Heppner. Under the ar-
rangement with the schools,
and as a community ser-
vice, there will be no charge
for teams staying there.
Both Cutsforth and
Lindsay will say they are
pleased not only with the
way the facility turned out,
but how it will contribute
socially and economically
-Continued from PAGE ONE
to Heppner. “It will bring
people to downtown and
while they are here, they’ll
spend money,” Lindsay
points out. “There would
have been a great big hole
right here in the heart of
Heppner if we didn’t get
this done,” she adds.
The work isn’t done
yet and Cutsforth has some
unique ideas about how to
decorate the suites. She is
considering asking different
ranches around the area to
donate or loan pictures and
memorabilia that can then
be hung on the walls and
give a western look to the
rooms. “We could have
the Buttercreek room for
instance,” she says.
The Heppner Com-
munity Foundation board
members are also excited
about the opening and in-
troduction to use by the
community. “It will be good
to see the people come
downtown,” said Sandi
Matthews. “I am glad to
give the people a quality
place they deserve to have,
“says board member Joe
Armato.
Cutsforth says it is not
the purpose of the board to
make money off the facil-
ity as all they want to do
is break even and pay the
bills. She says they plan to
hire an administrator soon
to book events and manage
the facility, but she says it
is going to be hard for her
to do that. “The hardest part
of this whole project is for
me to step back from it,”
she says. “I have become
emotionally involved and it
means a whole lot to me,”
she says of her come-to-life
vision.
The USDA Natural Re-
sources Conservation Ser-
vice (NRCS) will be host-
ing a meeting at the USDA
Service Center on February
20 at 1 p.m. to gather in-
put regarding the natural
resource opportunities and
priorities across Morrow
County. The goal is to bring
together individuals with
a variety of expertise and
knowledge allowing NRCS
and others to build on the
collective successes while
focusing efforts to make
the greatest impact with
available staff and funding.
Help is needed to:
-Identify where the best
investments can be made
to address natural resource
problems.
-Share the work that
has already been done in
the county.
-Share visions for what
the county will look like
when these natural resource
concerns have been solved.
NRCS will be con-
sidering the information
provided to include in the
future conservation imple-
mentation strategies for
the county. This will help
guide conservation efforts
and funding over the next
five to ten years. All input in
this process is very valuable
and the information will be
used to focus the work in
the future.
The information pro-
vided in this process will
help everyone work to-
wards a stronger, healthier
more economically viable
community and agricultural
industry.
Those who are unable
to attend this meeting and
would like additional infor-
mation or to provide input,
should contact NRCS at
th
541-676-5021 ext. 110 or
email jacob.calvert@usda.
gov. The meeting is open
Bank of Eastern Ore- branches will host an open
to the public.
gon is celebrating its 75 th . house week to commem-
anniversary. The bank was orate the 75 th anniversary.
founded in 1945 by a group The Arlington and Condon
of farmers and ranchers branches will be the first to
who saw a need for banking host, the week of February
services in eastern Oregon. 10-14. A historical video
Banding together with oth- can be viewed at each open
ers, they formed the Gilliam house, as well as on the
County Bank in Arlington, four Elkhorn Media Face-
OR.
book pages, Elkhorn Media
In the 1950’s the bank Group, My Columbia Ba-
expanded, opening branch- sin, My Wallowa County
es in Heppner and Ione and and My Harney County.
changing its name to Bank The video link can also be
of Eastern Oregon to repre- accessed on the BEO web-
sent its growth into new ru- site (beobank.com) under
ral areas. The headquarters the News & Links tab.
moved to Heppner where
For 75 years BEO Ban-
they are still located.
corp, holding company for
CEO Jeff Bailey says Bank of Eastern Oregon,
“Our current mission hasn’t has grown to operate a pri-
Kaelynn Hollingsworth
changed from what our marily rural portfolio of 20
facture/import/sell firearms, founders established in branches and four loan pro-
burglary and theft with 1945. We still serve the duction offices in 12 eastern
a total bail of $75,000. needs of our rural commu- Oregon and four eastern
Hollingsworth’s charges nities, our local markets, Washington counties. Bank
include felony parole vio- by providing them financial of Eastern Oregon also op-
lation, felon in possession services. In some areas erates a mortgage division
of a weapon and manufac- we’re not only the only and administers its Wash-
ture/import/sell firearms bank in town, we’re the ington branches and loan
for a total bail of $15,000. only bank in the county. production offices under
Both are lodged at Umatilla And we take pride in that.” the name of Bank of Eastern
Beginning in Febru- Washington.
County Jail.
The Morrow County ary, each of the bank’s 20
Sheriff’s Office asks for
New Baby in Your Family? Engagement? Wedding?
contact by anyone who may
We want to share your life events!
have information regarding
the stolen guns or believe Stop in the Heppner Gazette office or email us with
they may have purchased a
details and photos.
firearm that was stolen.
All birth, engagement and wedding announcements are always free!
188 W Willow Street, Heppner, OR
editor@rapidserve.net
Two Irrigon
residents charged in
firearm thefts
Jose Manuel Longoria
VISION
Bank of Eastern
Oregon celebrates
75 anniversary