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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2022)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 23 , 2022 The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE: http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/ Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site: www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $31 in Morrow County; $25 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 65 years or older); $37 elsewhere; $31 student subscriptions. Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher Andrea Di Salvo ............................................................................................ Editor Kirsten Espinola .................................................................................Advertising All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.25 per column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to 100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.05 per column inch. For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi- cation must be specified. Affidavits must be requested at the time of submission. Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required). For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space for the obituary. For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10. Is Heppner a Tree City USA? By Doris Brosnan Would Heppner citi- zens be interested in be- coming a “Tree City USA”? A look around the commu- nity would suggest that it could qualify. According to the Tree City website, 57 percent of Oregonians live in “Tree Cities.” Echo was named a Tree City USA in 1986 and apparently continues to hold that designation. Tree City USA is an elite des- ignation for communities that meet minimum stan- dards set by the Arbor Day Foundation for community forestry programs. Texas A&M Forest Service for- esters help leaders qualify for, apply and maintain the distinction. Currently, there are more than 3,200 Tree City USA communities in the United States. “There are no better ways to show your civic pride than by taking care of community trees,” said John Rosenow, chief ex- ecutive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Today, more than 120 million Americans make their home in Tree City USA communities, and they benefit from the cleaner air, shadier streets, and aesthetic beauty that healthy, well-managed ur- ban forests provide.” To become a Tree City USA , a community must have a tree board or depart- ment, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry pro- gram with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observation and proclamation. Keep in mind that the standards were designed so that no community would be excluded because of its size. So, every community, regardless of how many people live there, benefits in different ways from being a Tree City USA community. Meeting the four stan- dards for becoming a Tree City USA provides initial direction for an urban or community forestry pro- gram. These standards, the first step in the process of becoming a Tree City USA, help a community get started toward annual, systematic management of its tree resources. As community leaders begin the process of meet- ing the four standards, they start to make contact with their state foresters staff. This leads to assistance from a variety of profes- sionals in the form of tech- nical advice, literature and films about tree-related topics. Another important ben- efit that the Tree City USA program adds to communi- ties is a boost in public per- ception. Being a Tree City USA helps present the kind of image that most citizens want to have for the place they live or work. Heppner players selected all-league Several Heppner foot- ball players have been se- lected for the Blue Moun- tain Conference All-League selections for 2022. Chosen for first team were junior Landon Mitch- ell, defensive back; junior Cameron Proudfoot, defen- sive back; senior Ty Boor, linebacker; junior Cade Cunningham, defensive lineman; and junior Landon Mitchell, quarterback. Selected to second team were junior Caden George, linebacker and running back; senior Tucker Ashbeck, defensive line- man and receiver; and se- nior Jacob Lentz, offensive lineman. Receiving honorable mentions were senior David Cribbs, defensive back and receiver; sophomore Jaime Cavan, linebacker and of- fensive line; senior Jacob Lentz, defensive lineman; junior Cade Cunningham, offensive lineman; senior Ty Boor, running back; and junior Cameron Proudfoot, running back. Several Irrigon players were also selected for all- league honors. Chosen for first team were sophomore Kobe Campos, defensive back; senior Sean Moore, defensive lineman; and sophomore Lee Harrison, running back. On second team was sophomore Mason Harri- son, linebacker. Receiving honorable mention was sophomore Lee Harrison, linebacker. Town of Lexington receives Wolf deterrent grant funding for May Day celebration grants available Grant funds are avail- able to livestock producers who implemented non-le- thal wolf deterrent meth- ods in 2022. The Morrow County Wolf Depredation Advisory Committee ap- plies for funds each year from the Oregon Depart- ment of Agriculture. The deadline to submit applications is Thursday, Dec. 22. The committee will meet Tuesday, Jan. 10, to review the applications. Examples of non-lethal wolf deterrent methods include reducing attrac- tants such as bone piles; adding fencing or fladry (a string of brightly colored flags around the pasture perimeter); increased hu- man presence; guardian animals; alarm or scare devices; livestock manage- ment/husbandry changes; and experimental practices. Applications can be found on the Morrow Coun- ty website, www.co.mor- row.or.us/bc-wdac. They can also be obtained via email by contacting Ro- berta Lutcher at rlutcher@ co.morrow.or.us or 541- 676-5613. Completed ap- plications should be sub- mitted to Lutcher’s email address or dropped off at the Bartholomew Building, Rm. 201, 110 N. Court St., Heppner. Direct any questions to committee chair Dean Robinson at 541-980-2350. Lexington Town Recorder Veronica Hess with the “Meeting Owl” purchased with some of the funds from an Amazon technology grant. The county board of commissioners and other Morrow County cities use the same technology to make public meetings accessible online. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo By Andrea Di Salvo The Lexington Town Council discussed the fu- ture of the town’s May Day celebration at its public meeting Tuesday, Nov. 8, at Lexington Town Hall. Council member Katie Imes started the discussion with a report that the Mor- row County Cultural Coa- lition had met this month and approved all grant ap- plications, including a grant for $2,000 for Lexington’s May Day celebration, so the town should be receiving notification of that. Imes mentioned that a budget would need to be formal- ized and asked if Lexington Mayor Juli Kennedy had thought about putting to- gether a committee for that. “I would love to have down, St. Patrick’s didn’t do their deal, and we were like, ‘You know, we need to do something.’” She added that the organization and funding had come down to a few community members, including herself, and some donations. “That’s not the goal for it moving forward, but that kicked us off.” “I’m all for having a budget, and this is what we need, and making it more formalized so that it can be sustainable, so that we can grow it as a community benefit. I just need buy- in and commitment from people within the town,” she said. Hess asked if it was something she, as town recorder, could dedicate time to while on “company time.” Council members Will Lemmon and Bob- bi Gordon agreed that if it was a town even with town grant money involved, that seemed appropriate. Kennedy reinforced that oversight from the recorder was appropriate but that she didn’t want a town em- ployee trying to take it all on herself. “I would hate to see it not happen because of lack of community engagement or people just being burned out, so let’s make it an of- ficial annual event,” said Hess. Gordon said she un- derstood how it started, but that it should have been a town event last year, paid for with town funds, with an accounting of that, not a committee, but commit- tee always comes down to about two people,” Kenne- dy replied, adding that it would be good if they could get commitments from peo- ple to stick with it. Town recorder Veroni- ca Hess said she thought if they put it out in the com- munity they could generate some interest. She also said she thought it would help to have the town recorder involved throughout the process since it is a town event. Kennedy said she didn’t argue that point but reminded the council that it hadn’t started as a town event. “A few of us in the com- munity started it because we were in the COVID lock- -Continued to PAGE EIGHT Sheriff’s Report September 21st -Morrow County Sheriff’s Office received an aban- doned 911 call in Board- man. On call back, it was determined that there was no emergency. -Morrow County Sher- iff’s Office received report from a subject on Wag- on Wheel Loop in Irri- gon. She reported that her brother has dementia and threatened to shoot her a couple nights ago. She re- quested assistance remov- ing ammunition and fire- arms from the household. -MCSO received report of an open line 911 call from subjects plotting in a field. It turned out to be in Klickitat County. -MCSO received report of a subject trespassing on the caller’s farm. MCSO was advised that the male had been evicted from the residence and was back there. -MCSO received report of vandalism and theft on Pole Line Rd. in Board- man. The subjects cut wires and stole a discon- nect switch on a piler. The caller said it would have happened within the past four days before Sunday when it was noticed. -MCSO initiated activi- ty at Irrigon Elementary School, S.E. Wyoming Ave., Irrigon. It was re- ported that students from Irrigon Jr./Sr. High School caused issues with staff at the elementary school before a volleyball game. The school resource officer was contacted and would be meeting with the par- ents of the four students. -MCSO received an aban- doned 911 call from some- one on Gar Swanson Rd. in Boardman with machinery heard in the background. -MCSO received report from a subject in Heppner who complained that the city marked his property again. He also reported that a male was thinking of killing himself, but peo- ple were telling him not to. Community Counseling was notified. -MCSO received a request for deputy contact from an Irrigon resident who said his neighbor’s dog came on his property and at- tached his dog. The neigh- bor’s dog was no longer on the scene. -MCSO Officer completed area checks at Threemile Campground in Board- man, Willow Creek Res- ervoir in Heppner and civ- il service at the Morrow County Government Cen- ter in Irrigon. -MCSO received report of harassment and threats made at a rental property in Heppner. -MCSO received report of a dark grey Jeep speeding from 10th St. in Irrigon and running the stop sign. -MCSO received report of a red Dodge pickup pull- ing a Joyce camper trailer, swerving all over the road. MCSO was out of position and the report was referred to Oregon State Police. -MCSO received report of a male that went into the Ione Market and got into a verbal altercation. The caller said the male pulled a knife out when the call- er told him to leave. The male, with a plaid shirt, grey hair in a pony tail and missing teeth, was report- ed to be walking, possibly toward the trailer park. MCSO responded, but was unable to locate the sub- ject. -MCSO received a report of a subject on the call- er’s property trying to cut down some tumbleweeds. The caller said she works graveyard and was trying to sleep. -MCSO received report of a white Lexus with previ- ous damage to the exteri- or with a flat tire on I-84 East, Boardman. MCSO and OSP advised. -MCSO received report of a driving complaint with a smaller silver sedan with no taillights. Board- man Police Department checked the area, but was unable to locate the vehi- cle. -MCSO received request for extra patrol for people breaking into a shop and yard on Depot Lane in Ir- rigon and taking items. -MCSO Office initiated activity at S.E. Fourth St./Hwy. 730, Irrigon, the Umatilla Fish Hatchery, Ir- rigon, Love’s Travel Stop, Boardman, and Home- stead Lane/Pole Line Rd. in Hermiston. -Boardman Fire Depart- ...continued to PAGE FIVE Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative Utility Pole Testing Underway Columbia Basin Electric Co-op will be starting their annual utility pole checking and treatment work for 2022 beginning the week of November 7th. CBEC will be checking poles out of the Ruggs substation areas. This will include: Rhea Creek, Ione Gooseberry, Hardman, Toll Rock, Tupper and surrounding areas. National Wood Treating Company has been contracted to perform this work for CBEC. The pole checking will be conducted with a pick-up and ATV and all NWT vehicles will be marked with CBEC signage. The annual pole checking process is necessary to stay in compliance with Oregon Public Utility Commission and National Electric Safety Code regulations. CBEC thanks you in advance for your cooperation.
