Hoeft earns top gun victory
at Medford Skills Demo and
Safety Conference
50¢
VOL. 144
NO. 41 8 Pages
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Port replaces commissioner on CDA
board, citing ‘tension’ in meeting
Doherty calls move ‘retaliation,’ threatens legal action
By Andrea Di Salvo
The Port of Morrow
Commission replaced com-
missioner Kelly Doherty
as its representative to the
Columbia Development
Authority during a some-
what contentious meeting
in Boardman last week.
Doherty has responded
with threats of legal action
for what she said she views
as retaliation.
Port of Morrow Com-
mission President Joe Tay-
lor will take her place,
with new commissioner
Joel Peterson as the Port’s
alternate.
The action stemmed
from Port commissioner
Kelly Doherty’s alleged
behavior at a Sept. 20 meet-
ing of the Columbia Devel-
opment Authority. At the
meeting, the CDA board
was discussing concerns
and allegations about CDA
Administrator Greg Smith.
The chief topic was a
pay raise given to Smith as
part of an Office of Local
Defense Community Co-
operation (OLDCC) grant
request submitted on behalf
of the Columbia Devel-
opment Authority board.
The board said they never
approved the pay increases
and ended up rescinding
Smith’s raise at the Sept.
20 meeting.
At the time of publi-
cation, neither the minutes
nor the recording from that
CDA meeting have been
released.
The Port of Morrow
holds one of the five seats
on the Columbia Devel-
opment Authority board.
The other seats are held by
representatives from the
Morrow County Board of
Commissioners, Umatilla
County Board of Com-
missioners, Port of Uma-
tilla and the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla In-
dian Reservation (CTUIR).
Taylor said the way
Doherty acted at that meet-
ing didn’t reflect well on
the Port.
“It’s just the way that
meeting went,” said Taylor.
“You went at Greg like…
with a vengeance. Like you
had this personal vendetta.”
“What you were say-
ing the problem was with
Greg’s performance and
what you didn’t like about
it and all this other stuff was
maybe accurate, but I think
the way you went about it at
that meeting was not good.
I don’t think it was a good
look for the Port,” added
Taylor.
Doherty defended her
speech at the meeting, say-
ing she had stuck to the
topic of the grant and that
Smith had admitted to his
wrongdoing in the matter.
“Do you remem -
ber what was said about
me?” Doherty asked. “I
was threatened with litiga-
tion. I was slandered. He
apologized twice to me. I
don’t think I did anything
wrong.”
“He’s not blameless,”
Taylor admitted, referring
to Smith. “He said some
things to you he shouldn’t
have said. Now, going for-
ward, all this tension is
there.”
“There was tension in
that room from the get-go,”
said Doherty. She added
that she couldn’t even get
a second on a motion to
approve the minutes. “You
guys think it’s all me, that
I’m causing all this trouble.
“Everyone is mad in
that whole entire room.
Justin Hoeft (Second from the right) holding up his first
place trophy in Medford at the Equipment Skills Challenge
in September. – Contributed photo
On September 10th
and 11th, a group of coun-
ty workers from Morrow
County traveled to Med-
ford, OR, to compete in
the 2024 Skills Demo and
Safety Conference. This
two-day event tests partic-
ipants’ abilities in a variety
of skills, including: Snow-
plow driving, operating
loaders, road graders, and
backhoes A pre-trip inspec-
tion course and a timed
chain-up event.
Drivers navigate an
obstacle course with a fo-
cus on safety and precise
handling of the equipment.
Most events are timed, with
competitors required to
complete the course within
two minutes. Those who
exceed five minutes are
disqualified.
-Continued to PAGE THREE
High tech fire prevention
in Heppner
-Continued to PAGE EIGHT
Heppner high school’s classes of 1960 - 1962 hold reunion
Heppner fire watching a flying drone spray weeds up by
Rock St in Heppner, Or. – Contributed Photo
Class of 1961, Front row (L-R) Marlene Griffith Gray, Judy
Brinda Stevens, Kathy Spencer Clark. Back row (L-R)
Ferne Albert Healy, Shirley Van Winkle George, Bill Mona-
gle, Doris Morris Brosnan, Jeanne Schmidt Creswick
The weekend of Oc-
tober 4th, 5th and 6th was
a special weekend as the
Heppner High School class-
es of 1960, 1961 and 1962
combined to have their
class reunion in Heppner. It
has been over 60 years for
each class since graduation
and some have not seen one
another since that time.
On Friday evening,
the group which included
classmates, spouses and
guests gathered at the Elks
Lodge to enjoy an evening
of snacks, drinks and so-
cializing.
On Saturday afternoon,
the group gathered at the
Heppner Museum for a tour
before meeting at the Elks
at 5:00 pm for the main
event to enjoy reminiscing
about old times and getting
caught up on what every-
one was doing currently
in their lives. Classmates
introduced their spouses
and guests and provided
a description of their cur-
rent life activities as well
as their family including
grandchildren and great
grandchildren and their
activities. A slideshow of
pictures from old Heppner
High School annuals as
well as current life pictures
and past reunions was pre-
sented as attendees enjoyed
one another. Alongside
was a table with displays of
deceased classmates from
each of the classes. Another
table had high school annu-
als for each of the classes
as well as the 1953 and
1955 Pony annuals from
elementary days. Many
had a great time perusing
the materials and looking
up those long-ago staff
members and activities that
memories sometimes failed
to recall. Buffet dinner
Heppner Fire Depart-
ment is using a drone to pre-
vent fires. They are spray-
ing behind Rock Street to
kill cheatgrass, foxtail, rye,
and other invasive species,
leaving behind beneficial
grass. The project aims to
Class of 1960, Front row (L-R ) Mary Johnston Weber,
reduce wildfire risk in Hep-
Mickey Van Schoiack, Shirley Nash Connor. Back row L-R –
pner through the CWRR
Dennis Doherty, Al Osmin, Leonore Leonnig Corbin
(Community Wildfire Risk
provided by the Elks was eight of the original 29
enjoyed by all. Following class members of 1960,
dinner, Sandy Mathews nine of the original 48 class
joined the group to take members of 1961 and sev-
pictures of each class, their enteen of the original class
The Booster Club will
spouses and guests.
members of 1962. Many
Next, an event orga- expressed gratitude for the be hosting the 2024 dinner
nized by Doris Brosnan event and the wonderful and auction on October
th
had class members recall time had by all. Several 19 at the Gilliam Bisbee
their senior year teachers other classmates expressed Building. Doors open at
with points assigned for a desire to attend but were 5:00pm with dinner starting
the most recalled accurately unable to due to travel or at 6:00pm and the auc-
tion at 7:00pm. Tickets can
with prizes awarded for the health restrictions.
most recalled. Stories and
Sunday morning the be purchased at the door.
memories of those long-ago group gathered at the Fair- Dinner will be prepared
teachers were shared, and grounds for a farewell ca- by Ashley Lindsay and
all enjoyed the exercise.
tered breakfast and to enjoy Beth Dickenson and their
Stories of pranks and some last visiting before wonderful crew of helpers.
On the menu is New York
school events were shared departing for home.
for the first time in many
Special recognition for steak, baked potato with
years. Most of the evening, organizing events, facilities all the toppings, sautéed
however, was enjoyed by and assisting with contact green beans, Caesar salad,
seeing how classmates had information goes to Shirley roll and dessert. If you were
lived their lives and enjoyed Connor and Bonnie Bus- lucky enough to purchase a
their successes. Many re- chke for the class of 1960, VIP table, in addition to the
newed contacts with each Tom Glass and Doris Bros- dinner menu, a charcuterie
other and vowed to stay in nan for the class of 1961 appetizer and an assortment
touch.
and Merlin Hughes, Sonny dessert platter will grace
Attendees included Biddle and Bruce Moyer for your table.
If you are curious about
the class of 1962.
Reduction) Grant. Heppner
Fire Chief, Steve Rhea, ex-
plained that this is not ster-
ilization but a treatment that
preserves beneficial peren-
nial vegetation while con-
trolling annual plants like
cheatgrass, rye, mustard,
and medusahead, which
contribute to fast-moving
wildfires.
Heppner booster club
dinner & auction Oct. 19 th
this year’s auction items,
some of them can be viewed
in the front windows of
Market 87. Highlighted
items include Blazer tick-
ets, homemade dinners,
corn hole boards, handmade
quilt, and many Mustang
themed items!
Funds raised from the
Booster Club Dinner and
Auction are awarded to
various programs and ac-
tivities that support students
and staff at Heppner Junior/
Senior High School. Last
year, Booster Club was able
to provide $47,630.00 in
support funding thanks to
all our amazing donors and
attendees from 2023.
Thank you for your
support and we look for-
ward to seeing you on Oc-
tober 19 th .
CALL
541-989-8221
ext 204
for more
information
Class of 1962, Front row (L-R) Merlin Hughes, Ladd Dick, Mike Healy, Libby Van
Schoiack Fenton, Rose Nash Krewson, Diane McCurdy Moyer, Norma Ferguson Still-
man. Back row (L-R) Nat Webb, Charlie Sampson, Sonny Biddle, Ken Daggett, Ron
Creswick, Don Hughes, Lawrence Green, Bruce Moyer, Bill Mahon.