Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current, January 17, 2024, Image 1

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Heppner gazette-times., January 17, 2024, Image 1

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2024)

Page of 8 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (2.9 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Page of 8 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextHHS Championship signs shining bright! 50¢ VOL. 144 NO. 3 8 Pages Wednesday, January 17, 2024 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Wenholz, Doherty under scrutiny by ethics commission By Andrea Di Salvo Both Morrow County &RPPLVVLRQHU-H൵:HQKRO] and former commissioner Jim Doherty have come under scrutiny from the Oregon Government Eth- ics Commission (OGEC) DIWHU FRPSODLQWV UHJDUGLQJ PLVXVHRISXEOLFR൶FHDQG FRQÀLFWV RI LQWHUHVW$IWHU KHDULQJ WKH UHVXOWV RI SUH- OLPLQDU\UHYLHZVWKHHWKLFV commission voted unani- PRXVO\ WR PRYH IRUZDUG ZLWK IRUPDO LQYHVWLJDWLRQ LQERWKFDVHV Wenholz faced with conflict-of-interest com- plaint 7KH FRPSODLQW DJDLQVW :HQKRO]UHJDUGHGDFURVV- over between the county FRPPLVVLRQHU¶VUROHLQJRY- ernment and his position RQ WKH 8PDWLOOD (OHFWULF &RRSHUDWLYH 8(& ERDUG :HQKRO] LV WKH YLFH president of the UEC board RI GLUHFWRUV$FFRUGLQJ WR WKH 8(& ZHEVLWH KH KDV been a board member since :KLOH8(&LVDPHP- EHURZQHGQRWIRUSUR¿WLW GRHV VHOO HOHFWULF VHUYLFHV LQ 8PDWLOOD 8QLRQ DQG 0RUURZFRXQWLHV In the cooperative’s 2021 and 2022 revenue UHSRUWV:HQKRO]LVOLVWHGDV DSDLGR൶FHUUHFHLYLQJMXVW RYHULQFRPSHQVD- WLRQHDFKRIWKRVH\HDUV 7KH HWKLFV FRPSODLQW DOOHJHGWKDW:HQKRO]XVHG his position as a commis- VLRQHUWR¿QDQFLDOO\EHQH¿W 8PDWLOOD (OHFWULF &RRSHU- DWLYH ,Q KHU SUHOLPLQDU\ UH- port at the commission’s -DQXDU\ PHHWLQJ LQYHVWL- JDWRU+LOODU\0XUULHWDWROG WKHHWKLFVFRPPLVVLRQWKDW HYHQLIDFFHSWLQJ:HQKRO]¶V -H൵:HQKRO] argument that UEC is a QRQSUR¿W DQG QRW D EXVL- QHVV DQ H[FHSWLRQ ZRXOG QRW DSSO\ EHFDXVH KH UH- ceived compensation in his UROHDVDQR൶FHU $GGLWLRQDOO\DQ\GHFL- sion made by the board of FRPPLVVLRQHUV WKDW FRXOG ¿QDQFLDOO\EHQH¿W8PDWLOOD (OHFWULF VKRXOG EH YLHZHG DV D FRQIOLFW RI LQWHUHVWV VKHVDLG )RU LQVWDQFH LQ WKH FRXQW\¶V OHWWHU RI VXSSRUW IRUWKH6XQVWRQH6RODUSURM- HFW LQ 0RUURZ &RXQW\ WKH LQYHVWLJDWRU VDLG:HQ- KRO] VKRXOG KDYH SXEOLFO\ DQQRXQFHG D FRQIOLFW RI LQWHUHVWV EHFDXVH WKH VRODU SURMHFW ZRXOG EH XVLQJ 8(&¶V WUDQVPLVVLRQ OLQHV +H DSSDUHQWO\ GLG QRW DQ- QRXQFHWKHFRQÀLFW Murrieta said an agree- PHQW ZLWK WKH :KHDWULGJH HQHUJ\ IDFLOLW\ ZDV OHVV FOHDUFXW EXW ZRXOG EH investigated if the com- mission decided to move IRUZDUG :HQKRO]ZDVQRWSUHV- HQWDWWKHPHHWLQJEXWKLV DWWRUQH\5LFKDUG/HHZDV SUHVHQWRQKLVEHKDOI /HHVDLGWKHDFWLRQWDN- HQ LQ WKH )HE meeting was an amendment WR DQ H[LVWLQJ DJUHHPHQW ZLWK:KHDWULGJH(DVW7KH amendment changed the FDSDFLW\ RI WKH SURMHFW LQ Morrow County but not the RYHUDOO FDSDFLW\ /HH VDLG and so had no impact on WKH SURMHFW¶V FRQWUDFW ZLWK 8(& “It was a transfer from RQH FRXQW\ WR DQRWKHU´ VDLG/HH /HH¶V VHFRQG SRLQW of emphasis was over the -XQHPHHWLQJDW which the commissioners DSSURYHG D OHWWHU RI VXS- SRUW IRU 6XQVWRQH 6RODU WR WKH (QHUJ\ )DFLOLW\ 6LWLQJ &RXQFLO /HH SRLQWHG RXW WKDW Morrow County had en- tered into the agreement ZLWK6XQVWRQHEHIRUH:HQ- KRO] ZDV RQ WKH ERDUG RI FRPPLVVLRQHUV ³$ OHWWHU WKDW VLPSO\ VD\Vµ:HVXSSRUWWKHH[LVW- LQJFRQWUDFWDOUHDG\HQWHUHG LQWRDQGDOVRVXSSRUW\RXU MRE¶´/HHVDLGVD\LQJWKDW WKHUHZDVQRSRWHQWLDOLP- SDFWIRU8(& $W WKH 6HSW PHHWLQJWKH0RUURZ&RXQ- ty Board of Commissioners DSSURYHGDFRPPHQWOHWWHU WRWKHVLWLQJFRXQFLOUHJDUG- LQJ 6XQVWRQH 6RODU /HH VDLGWKHVLWLQJFRXQFLOKDG UHTXHVWHGWKHFRPPHQWV “The actions then are VSHFL¿FFRPPHQWVRQVSH- FL¿F FRPSRQHQWV RI 6XQ- VWRQH6RODU¶VSURMHFW´VDLG /HH ³7KHUH¶V QR EDVLV WR FRQFOXGHWKDWDQ\RIWKRVH specific comments…has DQ\ SRWHQWLDO LPSDFW RQ 8(&´ Murrieta said those GHWDLOV GLGQ¶W FKDQJH KHU UHFRPPHQGDWLRQ EHFDXVH WKHUH ZHUH VWLOO WKLQJV VKH IHOWQHHGHGWREHFRQ¿UPHG WKURXJKLQYHVWLJDWLRQ ³, WKLQN , QHHG VRPH PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ WR ORRN LQWRWKDW´VKHVDLG OGEC Chair Shawn /LQGVD\VDLGWKDWZKLOHKH GLGQRWH[SHFWDQ\³PDWH- ULDORXWFRPHV´IURPWKHLQ- YHVWLJDWLRQKHDJUHHGWKDW LWQHHGHGWRPRYHIRUZDUG ³, WKLQN ZH QHHG WR LURQRXWVRPHRIWKHIDFWV´ KHVDLG Doherty under scruti- ny for COVID funds 7KHFRPSODLQWDJDLQVW 'RKHUW\DOOHJHGWKDWLQODWH ZKLOH 'RKHUW\ ZDV serving as county commis- VLRQHU KH PD\ KDYH XVHG KLVSRVLWLRQWRPDNHGHFL- sions regarding COVID-re- ODWHG JUDQW GLVEXUVHPHQWV LQDZD\WKDWEHQH¿WWHGKLV RZQIDPLO\¶VEXVLQHVVHV Doherty and his wife RZQDFDWWOHFRPSDQ\ZKLOH KLV VRQ RZQV DQ RXW¿WWHUV VHUYLFH%HFDXVHEXVLQHVV- es owned by Doherty and 7KH +HSSQHU +LJK 6FKRRO IRRWEDOO VHDVRQ DOOVWDUV ¿UVWWHDPGHIHQVH&DPHU- RQ3URXGIRRW65 6HFRQGWHDPR൵HQVH&D- GHQ *HRUJH -5 -DPLH &DYDQ-5 JIM DOHERTY HQRXJK SHRSOH NHHSLQJ WKHP XS´ +DQVRQ VDLG ³:HGRQ¶WZDQWWKLQJVVXFK as traditions being ruined E\ PLOOLRQGROODUSOXV FRXUWKRXVHV ³:HUHDOO\KRSHDVWKH SURWHFWRUVRIWKLVFLW\WKDW \RX KHDU XV ZKHQ ZH VD\ µ:H GRQ¶W ZDQW FKDQJH :H GLGQ¶W DVN IRU LW DQG ZHNQRZLW¶VKDUGEXWZH GRQ¶WZDQWLW´VKHWROGWKH FRXQFLO ASA Plan Update 7KHFRXQFLODOVRKHDUG an update on another con- WURYHUVLDOVXEMHFW0RUURZ &RXQW\¶V QHZ$PEXODQFH 6HUYLFH$UHD $6$ SODQ 0RUURZ &RXQW\$GPLQLV- trator Matthew Jensen was on hand at the meeting to give a progress report and WDNHTXHVWLRQVIURPFRXQFLO PHPEHUV $VKHKDVVWDWHGDWVHY- HUDO %RDUG RI &RPPLV- VLRQHUV PHHWLQJV -HQVHQ VWUHVVHG WKDW WKH QHZ SODQ does not name providers but LV PHDQW WR SXW FRQWURO RI WKHSODQEDFNLQWKHKDQGV RIWKHFRXQW\ +H WROG WKH FRXQFLO that he is in the process of ORRNLQJ DW RWKHU 2UHJRQ FRXQW\$6$V 2XW RI WKH KHKDVORRNHGDWVRIDU he said Morrow County is WKHRQO\RQHWKDWGRHVQRW have the Emergency Medi- 6HFRQGWHDP GHIHQVH &D- GHQ*HRUJH-5 7KLUGWHDPR൵HQVH0DVRQ 2UHP-5 7KLUGWHDP GHIHQVH 1LFN :HQEHUJ-5 Hoop Shoot winners his son were among the DSSOLFDQWV IRU WKH IXQGV investigator Susan Meyers VDLG 'RKHUW\ ZDV IDFHG ZLWKDFRQÀLFWRILQWHUHVWV Meyers said Doherty KDGDSSDUHQWO\SDUWLFLSDWHG in four meetings in Decem- ber of 2020 in which the board of commissioners -Continued to PAGE TWO The discussion of the MC ambulance service continues to issue a permit for the proposed new circuit court EXLOGLQJ The proposed site is on county property near the Morrow County Fair- JURXQGV DQG LV DOVR QHDU + H S S Q H U ( O H P H Q W D U \ 6FKRRO 7KH VHOHFWHG VLWH has been a source of anger among many Heppner res- LGHQWV Hanson said she be- OLHYHGWKHFLW\FRXQFLOLVWKH protector of the city and its WUDGLWLRQVDQGVKHEHOLHYHG WKHQHZFLUFXLWFRXUWEXLOG- LQJZRXOGGLUHFWO\WKUHDWHQ WKRVH LI EXLOW ZKHUH LW LV FXUUHQWO\SURSRVHG $PRQJ RWKHU REMHF- WLRQV +DQVRQ VDLG WKH FRXUWKRXVHZRXOGWDNHRYHU WKHHQWLUHRYHUÀRZSDUNLQJ IRU WKH URGHR DV ZHOO DV D൵HFWLQJQHLJKERUV “Our rodeo has been KHUH IRU SOXV \HDUV´ VKHVDLG³$QHQWLUHQHLJK- borhood is going to be dis- UXSWHGDQGUHFRQVWUXFWHG´ +DQVRQEHOLHYHG+HS- SQHU ZRXOG OLNHO\ ORVH WKH IDLU DQG URGHR ZKLFK ZRXOG KDYH DQ HFRQRPLF DQGFXOWXUDOLPSDFWRQWKH WRZQ “I brought my daughter EDFN WR OLYH WKH WUDGLWLRQV ZHKDYHLQWKLVWRZQDQG DORWRIWKHPKDYHXSDQG OHIWEHFDXVHZHGRQ¶WKDYH +HSSQHU +LJK 6FKRRO state championship com- memorative signs have EHHQ FRPSOHWHG DQG LQ- VWDOOHG DFFRUGLQJ WR ++6 $WKOHWLF 'LUHFWRU *UHJ *UDQW ³7KH\ WXUQHG RXW EHWWHU WKDQ ZH FRXOG KDYH LPDJLQHG´ ³7KLV SURMHFW KDG VR PDQ\ SHRSOH FRQ- WULEXWHWRPDNHWKLVKDSSHQ 7KLVLVRQHPRUHH[DPSOHRI the tremendous support we receive at HHS from our FRPPXQLW\´ 7KH SURMHFW VWDUWHG ZKHQ WKH ROG VLJQ VWDUWHG to deteriorate and needed repainted and recent ac- FRPSOLVKPHQWVDGGHG7KH RULJLQDO VLJQ ZDV HUHFWHG LQLQDSURMHFWVSHDU- KHDGHG E\ WKH ODWH .HQQ\ 7XUQHU³,KDGWKHROGVLJQ -Continued to PAGE THREE Heppner ’23 All Stars Heppner council passes cat ordinance By Andrea Di Salvo The Heppner City & R X Q F L O X Q D Q L P R X V O \ passed a new cat ordinance DWLWV-DQPHHWLQJ7KHRU- dinance prohibits the feed- LQJ RI IHUDO DQG XQRZQHG FDWV DQG OLPLWV FDW RZQHU- VKLSWRVL[SHUKRXVHKROG The vote was preceded E\DSXEOLFFRPPHQWSHUL- RGEXWQRFRPPHQWVZHUH VXEPLWWHG The ordinance was one LWHP LQ D ORQJ DJHQGD ODVW ZHHN 7KH PHHWLQJ EHJDQ with the swearing-in of new +HSSQHU &RXQFLORU 5DOSK .ORFN7KHFRXQFLODSSRLQW- HG.ORFNWRUHSODFH-R$QQD /DPE ZKR UHVLJQHG IURP WKHFRXQFLOLQ'HFHPEHU 7KHFRXQFLODOVRKHDUG WKHDQQXDODXGLWUHSRUWIURP 5LFKDUG 6WRGGDUG RI WKH DFFRXQWLQJ¿UP%DUQHWW 0RUR 6WRGGDUG JDYH WKH FLW\ D FOHDQ DXGLW UHSRUW ZLWKRQO\DIHZQRWHV$Q RQJRLQJZHDNQHVVLVDODFN RI FKHFNV DQG EDODQFHV LQ Heppner’s accounting sys- WHP D ZHDNQHVV OLNHO\ WR continue due to the city’s ODFNRIVWD൵ :KLOH WKHUH ZDV QR comment on the cat ordi- QDQFHWKHFRXQFLOGLGKHDU from upset Heppner resi- dent Brandi Hanson during WKHSXEOLFFRPPHQWSHULRG 6KH XUJHG WKH FRXQFLO QRW Will and William Allred pos- ing in front of the new sign, across from the fairgrounds. -Photo by Greg Grant removed and was hoping WRJHWLWUHSDLQWHGEXWDIWHU ORRNLQJ DW LW ZH QHHGHG to add space for future ac- FRPSOLVKPHQWVDQGWKHQHZ GHVLJQ FDPH DERXW´ -LP .LQGOH DQG 6KDZQ *LEEV KHOSHG E\ FRQQHFWLQJ XV ZLWKWKHPHWDOVKRSDW7ZR 5LYHUV &RUUHFWLRQDO ,QVWL- WXWH LQ 8PDWLOOD ³1RQH RI WKLV ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ SRVVLEOH ZLWKRXW WKHLU H[- SHUWLVHDQGKDUGZRUN7KH\ ZHUHWUHPHQGRXVO\KHOSIXO LQHYHU\DVSHFWRIWKHSURM- HFW7KH VLJQV DUH D GLUHFW UHVXOWRIWKHLUZRUN Jim and Shawn ar- UDQJHG WR KDYH 3ULQFLSDO 5\DQ *HUU\ *UHJ *UDQW and students David Cribbs DQG 7XFNHU$VKEHFN WRXU 75&, DQG PHHW DOO WKH SHRSOH UHVSRQVLEOH IRU GH- VLJQLQJ IDEULFDWLQJ DQG SDLQWLQJ WKH VLJQ ³:H DOO FDPHEDFNYHU\LPSUHVVHG ZLWKWKHLUVNLOODQGSURIHV- VLRQDOLVP´7KHVLJQVZHUH transported to Heppner E\ -LP .LQGOH 7KH VLJQV FDPH FRPSOHWH ZLWK GH- WDLOHG LQVWUXFWLRQV RQ KRZ WR DVVHPEOH WKHP DQG SXW WKHPXS ,Q 6HSWHPEHU :LOO $OOUHG RI $OOUHG /DQG :RUNV DJUHHG WR WDNH RQ (L-R) Tenley Rosenbalm, Cooper Stefani, Colden Hoeft, Sonny Matheny, Berkley Hanna and Lilian Kenny. - Contributed Photo 6L[ ORFDO NLGV HDUQHG the chance to participate LQ 7KH (ONV (DVW 'LV- trict Hoop Shoot contest WKDWZDVKHOGRQ-DQXDU\ LQ-RKQ'D\7KH(DVW District consists of Con- GRQ+HSSQHU0LOWRQ)UHH- ZDWHU (QWHUSULVH %DNHU -RKQ 'D\ %XUQV %HQG 0DGUDV 3ULQHYLOOH DQG 2QWDULR /RGJHV DQG HDFK ORGJH KDV DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ to send 1 participant from HDFK RI WKH DJH JURXSV 6RQQ\0DWKHQ\DQG%HUN- OH\ +DQQD UHFHLYHG ILUVW SODFH LQ WKHLU DJH JURXSV ER\V DQG JLUOV and advanced to the State (ONV+RRS6KRRWFRQWHVWLQ 6LOYHUWRQ2UHJRQRQ)HE- -Continued to PAGE THREE UXDU\7KHFRPSH- FDO6HUYLFHV$6$DGYLVRU\ FRPPLWWHH UHSRUW GLUHFWO\ WR WKH FRXQW\ ,QVWHDG WKH 0RUURZ &RXQW\ +HDOWK District has been admin- LVWHULQJ WKH SODQ VLQFH DW OHDVW ³:H¶UHDELWRIDQDEHU- UDWLRQ´KHVDLG He said that having D SURYLGHU OLNH 0&+' manage services creates an LQKHUHQWFRQÀLFWRILQWHUHVW with issues such as the ap- pointment of the advisory FRPPLWWHH GHWHUPLQDWLRQ RI SURYLGHUV DQG SHUIRU- PDQFHUHYLHZ Jensen said the county tition is in the same format DWHDFKOHYHO3DUWLFLSDQWV shoot 10 free throws then 15 IUHHWKURZVIRUDWRWDORI 6WDWH ILUVWSODFH ZLQQHUV DGYDQFH WR WKH UHJLRQDO contest in March 2024 in .HQQHZLFN :DVKLQJWRQ 7KHVH NLGV ZLOO VKRRW IUHH throws against winners IURPWKH(ONV$UHDVWDWHV RI$ODVND:DVKLQJWRQDQG ,GDKR 5HJLRQDO ZLQQHUV ZLOO WKHQ FRPSHWH DW WKH QDWLRQDOOHYHOLQ&KLFDJRLQ $SULO/LOLDQ.HQQ\SODFHG VHYHQWKIRUWKHJLUOV &ROGHQ +RHIW SODFHG ¿IWK IRUWKHER\V7HQOH\ 5RVHQEDOP SODFHG VHFRQG IRUWKHJLUOVDQG&RR- SHU6WHIDQLSODFHG¿IWKIRU WKHER\V CALL 541-989-8221 ext 204 for more information