TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 5, 2025
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 177 N Main St. Telephone (541) 676-9228. E-mail:
editor@rapidserve.net or sykeschris@hotmail.com Web site: www.heppner.net. Post-
master send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner,
Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: In Morrow County $36/year. Outside Morrow County
$41/year. In County Senior Rate (65 years or older) $31/year. 9 month Student student
subscriptions $36/year.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Andrea DiSalvo ............................................................................................. 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 $5.65 per
column inch. Cost for classified ad is 55¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $16 up to 100
words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.15 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 $16
Thank you, Doris
Brosnan, for years
of Good News!
The Heppner Gazette
sincerely thanks Doris
Brosnan for sharing so
much good news with our
readers over the years. Her
dedication and weekly
contributions made our
Leah Mueller of
Irrigon named to
dean’s list at George
Fox University
NEWBERG, ORE.
(January 30, 2025) - Leah
Mueller of Irrigon was
among those who earned
dean’s list recognition at
George Fox University for
the fall 2024 semester. Tra-
ditional undergraduate stu-
dents must earn a 3.5 grade
point average or above on
12 or more hours of grad-
ed work to earn a spot on
the dean’s list. Mueller is
a sophomore majoring in
biology.
George Fox Univer-
HEPPNER, OR — The
Sponsorship Opportu- sity is a Christian college
Heppner Chamber of Com- nities
merce will hold the Annual
Community members
Town & Country Awards and businesses are invited
Banquet, on Thursday, Feb- to support the event through
ruary 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM at sponsorships. The Gold
the Gilliam & Bisbee Event Sponsor level is $1,000 and
Morrow County, OR –
Center.
includes eight event tickets.
On
Thursday,
January 30,
This prestigious event The Silver Sponsor level is
the
Oregon
Department
of
recognizes outstanding in- $750 and includes six event
Education
released
gradu-
dividuals and businesses tickets. The Bronze Spon-
in South Morrow County. sor level is $500 and in- ation rates for the 2023–24
Honorees will be celebrated cludes two event tickets. A graduating class.
Morrow
County
in the following categories: centerpiece basket donation
Woman of the Year, Man for the silent auction should School District continues
to achieve graduation rates
of the Year, Business of the have a value of $200.
Year, Citizen-Educator of
Silent Auction Contri- above the state average
across all demographics
the Year, Lifetime Achieve- butions
ment Award, and Youth
A friendly reminder for the graduating class
Award.
to those contributing bas- of 2024. The most recent
Dinner & Ticket Infor- kets for the silent auction: rate of 96.7% continues
mation
Please drop them off at the the trend of MCSD grad-
Guests will enjoy a Chamber office by Tuesday, uation rates being well
Tri-Tip Dinner prepared by February 4. Your support is above the state average at
Chef Alvin Liu, with tickets greatly appreciated.
both the building and dis-
priced at $30 per person. A
For more informa- trict levels. MCSD’s high
No-Host bar will be provid- tion, contact the Heppner graduation rates also ex-
ed by Broken Spoke.
Chamber of Commerce at tend to focus groups that
Tickets are available 541-676-5536 or heppner- traditionally have lower
for purchase at the Heppner chamber@gmail.com. The
graduation rates than the
Chamber of Commerce, mailing address is PO Box
City Hall, and Market 87. 1232, Heppner, OR 97836. general population. These
four-year cohort rates in-
clude Hispanic/Latino stu-
dents, economically disad-
vantaged students, migrant
students, English language
learners, and students with
disabilities.
We are incredibly
proud of the class of 2024;
these students started
their ninth-grade year in a
blended learning scenario
with COVID restrictions.
Building administration in
all four high schools attri-
butes the continued suc-
cess of their graduates to
strong systems of student
support, including individ-
ualized guidance counsel-
ing, staff relationships, and
monitoring that begins at
the junior high level. The
CARE wraparound pro-
gram, which the district
established in 2015, also
has a tremendous impact
L to R: Community Counseling Solutions Zero Suicide pro- on our families at all levels
gram coordinator Melissa Coiner, Morrow County Sheriff John
and is critical in supporting
Bowles, and Undersheriff Brian Snyder
students through gradua-
The Morrow County to partner with Communi- tion.
Superintendent Matt
Sheriff’s Office has part- ty Counseling Solutions in
nered with Communi- promoting the 988 Suicide Combe also notes that
ty Counseling Solutions & Crisis Lifeline,” said Morrow County Schools
(CCS) to raise awareness Sheriff Bowles. “Suicide are very fortunate to be
about the 988 Suicide & prevention and crisis ser- able to offer families a wide
Crisis Lifeline, a free, vices are available. Having variety of academic cours-
confidential, 24/7 support our vehicle out in the coun- es, co-curricular activities,
service for individuals in ty is a small way of sharing workforce internships, and
this information. If you are early college credit oppor-
emotional distress.
As part of this ini- struggling or would like tunities that keep students
tiative, Morrow County to speak to someone, call challenged and engaged
through graduation.
Sheriff John Bowles ap- 988.”
Graduation rates bro-
The 988 Suicide &
proved the addition of a
988 Lifeline stripe package Crisis Lifeline offers free, ken down by individual
on one of the department’s 24-hour support in both MCSD high schools:
For the graduating
new patrol vehicles. The English and Spanish for
marked vehicle serves as a anyone experiencing a class of 2024, Irrigon Jr/
visible reminder of avail- mental health crisis or Sr High achieved a 98.3%
able crisis support services emotional distress. Indi- four-year graduation rate,
viduals in need are encour- with a 100% four-year
for residents in need.
“The Morrow County aged to call 988 for imme- completer rate. Heppner
Jr/Sr High and Riverside
Sheriff’s Office is happy diate assistance.
Heppner Chamber
2025 Town & Country
Awards Banquet Feb. 6
publication better, and we
are truly grateful. As she
steps away from writing her
Good News Only column,
we want to express our
appreciation for her work.
Thank you, Doris!
classified by U.S. News &
World Report as a “Best
National University.” More
than 4,000 students attend
classes on the university’s
campus in Newberg, Ore-
gon, and at teaching centers
in Portland and Redmond,
Oregon. George Fox offers
more than 60 undergraduate
academic programs, accel-
erated online degree pro-
grams for working adults,
six seminary degrees, and
15 master’s and doctoral
degrees.
MCSD continues trend
of high graduation rates
MC Sheriff’s Office partners
with Community Counseling
Solutions
Jr/Sr High both report-
ed perfect graduation and
completer rates at 100%.
At Morrow Education
Center, the four-year grad-
uation rate was 73.3%,
while the four-year com-
pleter rate reached 93.3%.
Across the district, the
overall four-year gradua-
tion rate stood at 96.7%,
with a 99.3% completer
rate.
In comparison, the
State of Oregon reported
an 81.8% four-year grad-
uation rate and an 84.5%
four-year completer rate.
Lunch
& Dinner
Menu
2/6 - 2/12
Thursday - Reuben & potato salad
Friday - Clam Chowder, salad, & popcorn
shrimp
Saturday - 1/2 order biscuit and gravy,
hamburger patty and hashbrown patty’s
Sunday Super Bowl Opening at Noon.
Limited menu. Popcorn chicken taco
Monday - General Tso chicken, rice, and
egg roll
Tuesday - Hawaiian burger with fried chips
Tuesday Night - 6-9pm $2 hard shell tacos
Wednesday - Hot Turkey & tomato sandwich
with cottage cheese
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