Wee Bit O’ Ireland
this weekend
50¢
VOL. 144
NO. 11 10 Pages
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
See PAGE SIX for a full
Celebrating Irish Heritage: Currins named
Grand Marshal of Heppner St. Patrick’s Parade schedule of events.
By Chris Sykes
The history of the Cur-
rin family is a testament to
the spirit of perseverance
and community that shaped
the American West. The
Currins, hailing from Ire-
land, ventured to America
in the late 1700s following
the Irish Revolution. Led by
Major George Currin, a vet-
eran of the War of 1812 and
a prominent figure in Vir-
ginia’s political landscape,
the family needed a fresh
start in the vast expanse of
the American West.
In 1845, after endur-
ing a grueling five-month,
2,000-mile journey along
the perilous Oregon Trail
from Missouri, the Cur-
rins finally found their
sanctuary in Oregon. The
Currins, along with Hugh
and William Fields, neph-
ews of George and Hugh,
founded Currinsville near
Estacada, Oregon. This
early settlement marked
the Currin’s commitment
to the land and community,
as they worked to build a
thriving community amidst
the rugged frontier. Their
pioneering spirit was not
just about conquering the
land but about fostering
a sense of belonging and
mutual support among the
early settlers.
The narrative of the
Currin family took a signif-
icant turn in 1876: George
J. Currin, Major Currin’s
grandson, moved to Mor-
row County and acquired
the Little Butter Creek
ranch. The Currins initially
raised sheep but switched
to cattle after World War
2 due to labor shortages.
This decision marked a
new era of ranching success
and growth for the Currin
family, establishing their
legacy as leaders in the
region. George J. Currin’s
vision and determination
transformed the ranch.
Education played a cru-
1960s on the Currin Ranch (L-R) George, Helen, Ron Sr,
Steve, Tom, Ronnie (Ron Jr), Tony, and Mike.
- Photo contributed by Steve Currin
cial role in the Currin fam-
ily’s ethos, with George J.
Currin being one of the ear-
ly students at Oregon State
University. This commit-
ment to education under-
scored the family’s belief
in progress and excellence,
traits that would permeate
through generations.
As the ranch flourished
under the stewardship of
George J. Currin’s sons, Ed
and Hugh, the Currin name
became synonymous with
dedication, hard work, and
commitment to the land.
Their efforts ensured the
ranch’s success for years
to come, solidifying the
Currin legacy in the realm
of ranching.
However, the Currin
family’s legacy is perhaps
most enduringly defined
by their commitment to
community service and
philanthropy. Their ac-
tive participation in local
organizations, serving as
leaders, volunteers, and
benefactors, has touched
countless lives and left an
indelible mark on Heppner
and Morrow County.
As the calendar turned
from the vibrant, tumultu-
ous years of the early and
mid-20th century, the Cur-
rin family’s saga unfolded
with the same resilience
and pioneering spirit that
had defined their ancestors.
Situated in the heart of
Morrow County, the Currin
family not only thrived in
their traditional roles as
ranchers and farmers but
also expanded their influ-
ence and legacy into new
realm of rodeo prominence
and community service,
demonstrating a commit-
ment to their heritage and
the broader community.
The Currins’ influence
extended beyond the con-
fines of their ranch. Both
Ron and Tom actively par-
ticipated in the Pendleton
Round-Up and Morrow
County Fair and Rodeo
events. Ron Sr. won the
wild horse racing com-
petition at the Pendleton
Round-Up in 1959 and
1960, and he frequently
took part in other rodeo
events. In 1960, he won the
Morrow County Amateur
Calf Roping saddle at the
rodeo, and that year claimed
the Morrow County all-
around title. Tom has been
a volunteer at the Pendleton
Round-Up for 55 years
and was inducted into the
Round-Up Hall of Fame
in 2010.
In the 1960s, the Currin
family experienced signif-
icant growth and change.
Led by Ron Sr. and his wife,
Judy Lazinka Currin, who
had been crowned queen of
the Round-Up in 1958, the
family’s ranch operations
expanded further. They
embodied the values of hard
work, commitment, and
community spirit, which
had become synonymous
with the Currin name. Ron
Sr. was not only a respect-
ed figure within the com-
munity but also a notable
presence within the rodeo
world.
During these years,
the Currin children—Ron
Jr., Tony, Mike, Steve, and
Jennifer—grew up fully
immersed in their family’s
rich ranching traditions and
the thrilling world of rodeo.
Each sibling followed their
own unique path within this
legacy, contributing to the
family’s history in various
ways.
Ron Jr., closely follow-
ing in his father’s footsteps,
found his success in rodeo.
He went on to capture the
Pendleton Round-Up All-
Around Championship in
1993 and the Steer Wres-
tling title in 1995. Ron Jr.
later ventured into the cattle
trading business, leaving a
lasting impact on the indus-
try. However, his untimely
death from bladder cancer
in 2021 was a heartbreaking
loss for the Currin family
and the rodeo community
at large. Ron and his wife
Rayanne had a son Riley,
and a daughter Rayna.
Tony Currin, a resident
of Dayton, Washington,
currently runs his own suc-
cessful cattle operation.
Tony graduated from Hep-
pner High School in 1981
and went on to attend Blue
Mountain College and Cal
Poly, San Luis Obispo. In
1987 and 1989, he won
-Continued to PAGE FIVE
Circuit court building site may change after all
Interim ambulance service takes effect this week
By Andrea Di Salvo
The controversial pro-
posed site for the planned
new Morrow County Cir-
cuit Court building may be
out the window following
last week’s county board
of commissioners meeting.
At its regular meeting
in Heppner last week, the
Morrow County Board of
Commissioners learned
that the location for the new
circuit may be more flexible
than originally thought.
That may, in turn, open the
field to sites that were orig-
inally discarded, such as the
Heppner mill site owned by
the Port of Morrow.
“This was a surprise,”
said Morrow County Ad-
ministrator Matthew Jen-
sen at the meeting. “That
changes things.”
Since taking over the
process early last year,
commissioners had inter-
preted the Oregon statute
governing courts to mean
that the courthouse must be
located within the Heppner
city limits. A March 1 letter
from Sixth Judicial District
Presiding Justice Daniel
Hill has overturned that as-
sumption, saying the court
does not have a position on
the building’s location.
The discussion was
sparked by concerned resi-
dents directly reaching out
to Hill, not from a request
by the BOC to move the
courthouse out of Heppner.
Given the pushback
against the current site,
the commissioners seemed
happy to accept alterna-
tives. About 40 residents
attended a board of com-
missioners listening ses-
sion on the topic on Feb.
27 in Heppner, and many
expressed concerns over
the impact on the fair and
rodeo. Many citizens have
also expressed concern over
the proximity to Heppner
Elementary School.
The timing is good, too,
since the county’s attempts
to secure additional fair
and rodeo parking recently
fell through. Jensen said he
wants to go back and review
all the initial suggestions
again but says the site of the
old Kinzua Mill outside of
Heppner is at the top of the
list. The land is owned by
the Port of Morrow.
Jensen said the site out-
side the Heppner city limits
is attractive because it will
have less negative impact
on Heppner residents. At
the same time, he said it
would have challenges of
its own, mostly because it
falls outside the city’s in-
frastructure, such as sewer
and water.
“However, it would be
a nice place to hopefully
invite some development,”
Jensen said.
If the site is selected,
Jensen said the building
would most likely be placed
north of the highway near
the OSU Extension build-
ing, since the area below
the highway is still con-
sidered in the flood plain.
The floodplain has been a
barrier to construction in
that area for many years.
As for the sudden
change of direction, the
crux of Hill’s letter is that
Oregon statute does not
specify the courthouse has
to be in the county seat. At
the same time, the current
Chief Justice Order (CJO),
dating back to 1998, does
designate the county seat as
the principal location.
However, in a letter to
Hill, also on March 1, Or-
egon Chief Justice Meagan
Flynn said that wasn’t the
intention behind the order
and that she would be work-
ing on a new CJO to “reflect
the various ways in which
our courts conduct
-Continued to PAGE FIVE
March 14 - 17th, 2024 Heppner’s Wee Bit O’ Ireland cele-
bration returns this weekend. – Contributed Photo
Murray announces
retirement from
MCHD board
tors for an impressive 23
years, John Murray has
announced his retirement.
Murray shared this news
with his friends, family,
and well-wishers through
a Facebook post made by
the MCHD. There will be
a retirement party March
19th, from 5pm-7pm at the
Gilliam & Bisbee Building
John Murray
After serving on the to celebrate John Murray
Morrow County Health for his years of service on
District Board of Direc- our Board of Directors.
Irish Coffee Hour and
CEILI, programs
planned for Saturday,
March 16th at Elks
The Irish Coffee Hour
is scheduled from 10-11:30
a.m. which will include
great music from “Whiskey
for Breakfast, an intro-
duction of 2024’s Grand
Marshals which will be the
Currin families, and Joe
Lindsay with his rendition
of the Grand Marshal song.
Don’t be surprised if Joe
Lindsay sings a song or two
and you might see a few of
our local Leprechauns drop
by to help kick off our great
St. Patrick’s celebration
and even possibly dance at
some of the music during
their visit!
The Irish Brogue Con-
test will give you, the au-
dience, a chance to tell the
best “Blarney” stories for
a chance to win some gold
coins! So be thinking of
something “appropriate”
to share! The audience will
vote on the three winners.
The CEILI is sched-
uled from 2-4 p.m. and we
know that “Whiskey for
Breakfast” and Joe Lind-
say (and any friends and
family he brings with him)
will provide some great
entertainment with plenty
of music and laughter! We
will have local talent, Mi-
kalie and Hadlie Duncan
sing a few Irish songs for
our enjoyment and our main
entertainment for the week-
end, “Tiller’s Folly” will be
stopping in around 3 p.m.
to sing a few of their songs
to get us all warmed up for
their great concert starting
at 7:30 p.m. in the Gilliam
and Bisbee Building!
Come enjoy the eve-
ning and enter your name
to win some green!
All the performers will
be filling our ears and hearts
with lots of Irish songs and
of course, they will want
you to join in! We are sure
you will want to clap your
hands, stomp your feet,
have a few laughs, and even
dance if you want as we en-
joy some great Irish music
and entertainment. Come
and enjoy the Irish Coffee
Hour and CEILI upstairs
and the Elks Lodge! We are
looking forward to seeing
you there!
CALL
541-989-8221
ext 204
for more
information