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By Gabby Jette, 4-H Student Reporter A Stitch-in-Time 4-H Sewing Club met on February 18, 2024 at the ESD Conference Room. President Aaron Bates conducted the meeting. Kylee Anderson led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Gabby Jette led the 4-H Pledge. Club leader Donna Bates told us we would be delivering our star ornaments that we made in December to residents of Summit Springs Village. Donna will message us with a time and date. Kiefer Takagi made an announcement that our...
What people are saying… Following Judge Elizabeth Farrar-Campbell, Commissioner Pat Shannon and Commissioner Leah Watkins, Gilliam County Court’s 1) illegal probate transfer, 2) restructuring of our county government, 3) abolishing County Judge position and, 4) sneaking off to Salem for a “fix” … here’s what’s being said: “the action of 3 people (Court members Liz, Leah, Pat) has created total chaos in Gilliam County” “not in the best interest of our County” “it is truly sad, disappointing, and to a certain extent genuinel...
I am writing today to make it clear to the public where I stand in the matter of the County Court’s recent order 2023-01 transferring probate cases to Circuit Court permanently. I am going to recommend to the County Court to remove transfer of probated cases from the order through an amendment of the order. While I firmly believe the order is sound based on legal counsel, I do not believe it is in the best interest of Gilliam County to spend valuable tax dollars to prove its constitutionality. I also believe we should e...
The Gilliam Court members want to change to a Board of Commissioners. The first step is to eliminate the judicial duties of the Judge. The Court passed Order (or if you prefer Resolution) 2023-01 on December 6th 2023, in their minds the action eliminated all the Judge’s judicial duties. In Order 2023-01, there are seven “Whereas”, which provide information used to justify the Order, it’s one those “Whereas” I want to comment on. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) are Oregon State laws. The Court used ORS 111.115 in a “Whereas” t...
The County Court is now operating like a cabal intent on a coup. This is a rare event in the history of any Democracy and the carnage that accompanies this type of perfect storm is Catastrophic and could be irreparable. It is time to speak up. Commissioner Shannon, you speak of wanting public input and even mention Town Hall meetings. This is after you have voted to approve an illegal Order 2023-01 that gives Probate to Circuit Court. You have stated privately and in public meetings you want to do away with the County Court...
Donald Ferguson Dunbar was born April 3, 1927, in his parents' Buckhorn ranch home, Condon, Oregon, and passed away January 31, 2024, at home in Bethany at the age of 96. Dunbar began his educational journey at the Buckhorn one-room schoolhouse across from their ranch and graduated from Condon High School in 1945. His education took a practical turn when he entered the US Army in July 1945. Ultimately, he was assigned to the 13th Engineers Battalion, 7th Infantry Division and...
SALEM, OR - House Bill 4102 passed the floor of the Oregon House of Representatives this past Thurdsay. Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner) is the legislation's Chief Sponsor and he carried the bill on the floor. Last session, HB 3409 established the Natural and Working Lands Fund. The fund will promote public private partnerships that protect the environment and rural Oregon's way of life. HB 4102 will ensure that Oregon is positioned to receive, directly into the Natural...
The Big Sky District Tournament was held in The Dalles last weekend at Kurtz Gym with the top three teams assured a spot in the state playoffs. In boys basketball, the Dufur Rangers have been unstoppable this year. The Rangers are 21-2 overall and 14-0 in the league. The Condon Blue Devils gave the Rangers a run for their money and played them as tough as anybody (with the exception of Sherman Co. who lost to Dufur in overtime earlier this month). After beating the Blue...
1 years ago— Donna Birtwistle will provide a report on a recent visit to Alaska and will tell about the Yukon Quest and other sled dog races during lunch at the Sherman County Senior Center in Moro. The heaviest snowfall of this winter was 11.5 inches on February 8. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was 24 inches February 9. February has been the wettest since 1986. South Gilliam County Rural Fire Protection District Volunteer Firefighters met and honored their Firefighter of the Year, Roger Weddle. Weddle’s fire hou...
MORO, OR - Interested in gardening and want to experience the deep satisfaction that comes from growing a portion of your own food? Want to stretch your food budget by growing, eating and storing food that you grew yourself? Need tips and budget-friendly ways to have a vegetable garden in the space that is available to you? Mark your calendar for the Seed to Supper gardening classes in Sherman County. Seed to Supper is a free, comprehensive beginning vegetable gardening...
A familiar face with an extraordinary skillset returns to U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) this month as Biscuit/Bakery and Noodle Technologist in the South and Southeast Asia market. Ivan Goh, who held the position from 2018 to 2022, has extensive experience in flour milling, bakery technical service and wheat food ingredients. He will work closely with USW staff, leading USW training courses throughout the region. USW Vice President for South and Southeast Asia Joe Sowers said...
February 19 marked the birthday of one of Wheeler County's most famous residents, the legendary track coach and co-founder of Nike, Bill Bowerman. William Jay Bowerman was born in Portland on February 19, 1911 to Jay Bowerman and Elizabeth Hoover Bowerman. Bill's father was Oregon's thirteenth governor and his mother was a descendent of early pioneers that helped to establish Wheeler County. When he was just two years old, Bill's parents divorced and Bill moved to Fossil with...
Last week I introduced The Green Book. Published by Mr. Vincent Hugo Green, an African-American U.S. Postal Service worker in New York, in 1936, it ran until 1966. The Green Book helped African-Americans travel slightly more safely during the era of Jim Crow laws. African-Americans bought and drove their own cars partly to get away from segregated cars, buses, ferries, trains and aeroplanes. Kathleen Franz, in “African-Americans Take to the Open Road,” quotes George Sch...
Last week I wrote about how to cook beans from scratch and why they are so much better than canned beans. Did I inspire you enough to go to the store and buy a bag or two? I hope so! Taking the next step to make refried beans is almost too easy. Refried beans are not really fried twice as the name suggests. The word “refried” comes from the Spanish word “refritos”, which means “well-fried”. Refried beans are simply cooked beans that are mashed and fried in a skillet with some...
The Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce (OFCC) is thrilled to extend an invitation to residents of Gilliam, Wheeler, and Sherman County for their annual meeting on Thursday, February 22, 2024. The event will take place at the recently renovated Spray General Store, with festivities kicking off at 5:30 PM. The choice of the Spray General Store as the venue for this year's annual meeting holds special significance. The store has been a beneficiary of the tri-county chamber's...
A bill that had the potential to change how county courts function in six rural counties was killed during the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Oregon State Capitol on Monday. Senate Bill 1576 included an amendment that would have given county courts the option to give up its judicial function by relinquishing probate cases to circuit courts. In doing so, SB 1576-9 would have also given county courts in Gilliam, Wheeler, Sherman, Harney, Malheur, and Grant counties the...
