TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 20, 2023
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
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:
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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:
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P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: In Morrow County $35/year.
Outside Morrow County $40/year. In County Senior Rate (65 years or older) $30/
year. 9 month Student student subscriptions $35/year.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Andrea Di Salvo ............................................................................................ Editor
Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................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 $5.50 per
column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $15 up to 100
words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.00 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.
BMCC releases summer
term honor roll
- 4.0 GPA: Roselyn Calde-
ra, Chad Doherty, Audrey
Guenther, Jasper Hardy, Luke
Meyers, Mayra Wightman
Vice President’s List: 3.5
to 3.74: Liam Early, Dexter
Martinez
Correction
Correction in last-
week’s paper. Gina Wilson
was sworn in as MCSO
Parole and Probation Lieu-
tenant, not as a deputy.
Wilson is taking over for
Dan Robbins, who recently
retired.
WC Terrace sees
improvements
Silver Creek fills in hole with asphalt.
-Photo by Leann Lankford
Willow Creek Terrace
reached out to Mike Dun-
can of Silver Creek Con-
struction to see if he could
help with filling the “dirt
hole circle” as you drive
up to WCT. “The asphalt
void has been an eyesore for
years, and a muddy mess,”
said a spokesperson. “Mike
made some calls on our be-
half and said he would get
back to Leann (Lankford).”
He gave Tyrel Burns
information from Nelson
Construction, as to where
they were currently work-
ing on the sidewalk project
in Heppner.
Lankford had Steve
Lankford reach out to Mr.
Burns, Tyrel/Nelson Con-
struction and they were
more than willing to help
fill in the circle with as-
phalt, and donate all labor,
materials, and equipment to
complete the job at no cost
(100 percent donation) to
WCT,” she said.
“Foreman Kraig Will-
man and crew came up to
do the job at the facility
after putting in a full day
downtown on the side-
walks,” she added.
Over the course of sev-
eral updates, the commit-
tee narrowed down the
potential locations for the
new courthouse. Out of the
initial nine sites provided
by the Heppner City Coun-
cil, four underwent a final
review. Factors such as
location within the city lim-
its, impact on surrounding
areas, cost of securing and
preparing the site, construc-
tion expenses, and flood-
plain considerations were
taken into account during
the selection process.
The county adminis-
trator, however, refrained
from disclosing all the site
locations reviewed, cit-
ing the need to protect the
county’s interests during
negotiations for potential
property acquisitions. Re-
vealing these locations pre-
maturely could potentially
lead to someone purchas-
ing the properties ahead
of the approval process,
thereby holding the county
hostage. Nevertheless, the
fairground location, owned
by Morrow County, was
disclosed as the number one
choice due to its favorable
attributes. The 2.2-acre site,
zoned as R2 residential,
offers an ideal south-facing
slope for solar and daylight
utilization, while the north
parcel provides a more level
area. The site is also situat-
ed outside the flood zone
and does not require the
demolition of any existing
structures. Access to the
northwest corner of the site
will be negotiated to ensure
convenient street access,
and efforts will be made
to buffer the proximity to
residences through strategic
landscaping.
There will also be di-
rect access off the state
highway
While the new court-
house is being planned, the
current historic courthouse
will continue to house
county offices. Renovations
will be incorporated into
the overall plan, and a new
name for the building will
be determined. The public
will have an opportunity
to provide input during the
county’s application for a
conditional use permit with
the City of Heppner.
The construction pro-
cess is expected to com-
mence in the first quarter
of 2025, following the com-
pletion of necessary permits
and design work. The proj-
ect manager will oversee
the construction, with the
architect set to be awarded
in November 2023. Stake-
holder meetings, scheduled
from now until January
2024, will provide an op-
portunity for the county
to address concerns raised
by the fair and rodeo and
residents. County Admin-
istrator Jensen emphasized
that while alternative sites
were considered, the fair-
ground location remains the
priority, and substantial is-
sues would need to arise to
warrant a change in plans.
During the town hall
meeting, residents raised
various questions regard-
ing the selection process,
the proximity of the new
courthouse to the school,
and the potential impact
on traffic. In response to a
question from Heppner res-
ident Janet Greenup about
the necessity of the circuit
court being located with-
in the city limits, Jensen
explained that state law
designates the city as the
required jurisdiction for
circuit courts.
Tim Collins expressed
concerns about the impact
on local streets and traffic
flow. He highlighted the
September 22!
Donnie & April Wilson
Love Kathy & Curtis
Obituaries
Jean Adams
-Continued from PAGE ONE
Heppner
Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College summer term
2023-2024 honor roll recog-
nition went to the
following full-time stu-
dents:
President’s List: 3.75
New Circut Court Building
County Administrator Matt Jensen (left) Commissioner
David Sykes (right) - Contributed Photo
narrowness of Elder Street
and the potential strain on
neighboring roads. Collins
also questioned how the in-
creased traffic would affect
the drop-off of children at
the nearby school. Jensen
acknowledged the validity
of these concerns and as-
sured the community that
they would be addressed
during the stakeholder
meeting. Finding a solu-
tion that accommodates the
needs of all parties involved
is a priority for the county.
Another resident, Mol-
lie Rhea, expressed con-
cerns about the security of
the court and its proximity
to the school, particularly
in relation to handling sex
offenders. Jensen assured
the attendees that individu-
als who have not been con-
victed would enter through
the front doors, while those
under serious consideration
would be directed through
the back doors, ensuring
the safety and security of
the community. Jensen
also addressed the issue of
releasing individuals after
their court appearances. In
Heppner, it is uncommon
for people to be released
locally, even if they are
cleared of any charges.
Instead, they are typically
sent back to their place of
origin. This practice aligns
with the principle of “in-
nocent until proven guilty”
that our country upholds.
The issue of stakehold-
er involvement was also
raised during the meeting.
A community member in-
quired about the format of
the meeting and whether
residents would have a say
and a vote. Jensen clarified
that the meeting would be a
discussion, allowing com-
munity members to voice
their opinions and con-
cerns. He emphasized that
the county would take into
consideration any points
that make the proposed
location unfeasible. Jensen
acknowledged that no mat-
ter where the courthouse is
placed, there will always
be individuals who oppose
the decision. The goal of the
stakeholder meeting is to
find a solution that benefits
the community as a whole.
Ken Bailey proposed
an alternative solution, sug-
gesting the use of existing
buildings or the retrofitting
of the Bartholomew build-
ing to save money. Jensen
explained that the county
currently lacks sufficient
space, and while the fea-
sibility study did consid-
er repurposing the Bart
building, retrofitting the
Bartholomew building was
not part of the study. Jensen
emphasized the need for
a comprehensive solution
that meets the county’s
needs.
One concerned citizen,
Cody High, raised a valid
question about the timeline
for breaking ground on the
new courthouse in 2026.
High emphasized the im-
portance of planning ahead,
especially considering the
fair and its associated activ-
ities. Administrator Jensen
acknowledged the need
for collaboration and as-
sured the community that
the county would work
closely with them to find
a suitable solution. While
he did not provide specific
details about the options
being considered, Jensen
expressed the county’s
commitment to preserving
and supporting the rodeo.
Colby Golden, repre-
senting the Oregon Trail
Pro Rodeo, sought reassur-
ance from Commissioner
Sykes regarding the fu-
ture of the fair in Heppner.
Sykes responded with a
firm commitment, stating
that he would fight just as
hard to keep the fair and
rodeo in the town as he did
to retain the courthouse
facility.
As the discussions
continued, it seems that
the community’s concerns
are being heard and taken
into consideration. The
stakeholders meeting will
provide an opportunity for
residents to actively partic-
ipate in shaping the future
of the courthouse project.
Jean Ad-
ams was
born in
R a p i d
City, South
Dakota,
in 1935 to
parents,
Mark and Camilla Samples.
She was raised in Kinzua,
OR, and married O.L. Ad-
ams in 1954. She had two
brothers, Ralph and Jerry.
Survivors include her
two sons, Brian and Tim,
and eight grandchildren.
Jean lived at Blake Ranch
for 48 years. “She was a
very proud Catholic,” said
a spokesperson.
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Hopeful Saints Ministries
Will be hosting a Safe Halloween event October 31st from
5:30-8pm at the Hopeful Saints Ministry Church on the
corner of Gale and Church Street thanks to funding from
the Morrow County Unified Recreation District. This is a
free community event for area residents. Inside the
building there will be a junk food walk, movie playing, and
free food and drink available. Trunk or Treat will be set up
outside in the parking lot. We have 15 spots available if any
businesses or individuals would like to participate in the
trunk or treat. Please contact George Nairns at
541-571-6519 or Cody High at 541-256-0847 to reserve a
trunk or treat spot. Treats will be provided for trunk or
treaters to hand out if needed.