By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

Representatives from the Oregon Department of Transportation assembled on Jan. 15 to work with local business owners on revamping the intersection of Monroe Street and Highway 20 near Teague Motor Co.

During the December Burns City Council meeting, the first draft maps of the potential intersection remodel were met with disapproval by business owners in the area. To deal with the problematic issues that were raised, ODOT officials went directly to the business owners to try and remedy the situation.

Burns Mayor Laura Van Cleave appointed a committee of residents and business owners to work with ODOT on the intersection, instructing the committee to present the city council with a recommendation as to how to proceed with construction on the intersection, which is scheduled to be completed in the year 2010. The first committee meeting was scheduled for Jan. 8, but was canceled due to inclement weather. The meeting date was moved to Jan. 15. The next committee meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, at Burns City Hall. The public is invited to attend.

During the Jan. 15 meeting, ODOT Senior Planner Patrick Knight and Region 5 Traffic/Access Engineer Tom Kuhlman worked with representatives from the Meat Hook Restaurant, the Greater Oregon Federal Credit Union, Wagner’s Furniture, the state offices and Teague Motor Co., to make sure all had the desired access to Highway 20.

Previous drafts of the intersection limited drivers from turning off Highway 20 into and out of businesses such as the credit union and the Meat Hook.
“It’s going to be hard to please everyone,” Knight said. Though he noted ODOT and CH2M Hill, a company that is also involved in the project, are hoping they can come up with something that everyone can accept.

During the December city council meeting, Sumi Malik of CH2M Hill stated that the City of Burns has a higher than average traffic accident rate, which is the reason the Monroe Street/Highway 20 intersection is now under so much scrutiny.

Kuhlman stated that the intersection is problematic because there are so many roads that intersect it. The curve in the road also presents a hazard. He noted that if there is going to be any further development down Monroe Street, the city may, at some point, want to install a traffic signal at the intersection.
To make the intersection less hazardous some streets need to be vacated and left turns on and off the highway need to be limited.

While access points on and off the highway were ironed out at the Jan. 15 meeting, Knight said the Jan. 29 meeting could be a tough one.

Committee members will need to decide whether to turn Highway 20 from a four-lane highway into a three-lane highway. Having three lanes would allow ODOT to install a left turn lane in the middle of the highway.

The committee will make a decision at the Jan. 29 meeting and then make their recommendations to the Burns City Council in February.

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

A study that would better the understanding of the groundwater resources in the Harney Basin is being proposed by the Harney County Watershed Council. At the Jan. 16 meeting of the Harney County Court, Karen Moon, Watershed Council Coordinator, asked for a letter of support for the project so that the council could begin to seek funding.

According to Moon, the objectives of the project would be to protect existing water rights, protect the existing natural resource and collect meaningful data that will allow users to be good stewards of the groundwater.

“It is proposed to be a collaborative effort between the landowners, potential developers and a variety of agencies, municipalities and jurisdictions that are all tied to and benefit from the prudent and informed use of the basin’s groundwater,” said the proposal. “We feel that a proactive move to determine the characteristics of the groundwater in the varied areas of the basin will prevent critical regulatory or enforcement actions in the future, caused from a lack of knowledge of the basin’s geohydrology. The development of this information will also benefit in the acquisition of funds for upgrading irrigation systems and more efficient use of the basin’s groundwater.”

Moon told the court that without the data that could be collected from the study, there is a potential for the State Water Resources to come in and shut the whole county down.

The Watershed Council offered several positives for doing the study, negatives if a study wasn’t done and possible negative outcomes of a completed study, to the court.

The positives included that the project will determine that separate aquifers exist in the basin; existing wells may have their resources protected from future development depleting the water supply; minimize the risk of drilling dry wells; increase the likelihood of developing where there is adequate supply; define areas where water saving/energy saving practices should be developed; and encourage registering maverick wells.

Negatives that the watershed council listed if a study was not done were the potential for basin wide regulatory action — areas in the basin with adequate groundwater could be penalized if a broad-based moratorium were placed because there was not sufficient data to show otherwise, without date to refute, a moratorium would likely be broader; potential for undocumented depletion of groundwater; potential conflict among interest groups and/or neighbors with additional development of groundwater sources; potential for devaluation of property value on multiple levels; and increased risk of adverse economic development due to the lack of data to support otherwise.

If a study is completed, the negative results could be that the data would adversely effect traditional beneficial uses of groundwater; possible restrictions or regulatory action on new ground water development; presence of un-registered/uncertified wells may be recorded; and it could create conflicts between groundwater users.

The investigation plan would involve four stages. The first stage would include establishing an outreach program to inform and educate landowners as well as determine the amount of support for the project. The second phase would be collecting data from wells and constructing cross sections and well profiles. Phase three would be constructing monitoring wells, and then monitoring them. The final stage would be to complete computer groundwater models based on the work in the first three phases, and develop sustained capacities and availabilities for each hydrologic block.
Commissioner Dan Nichols told Moon, “This needs to be handled extremely cautiously. It could ruin some people if it goes around there is a water problem. There are already conflicting reports from people in the same area.”

Moon said that the data findings would be completely confidential.

Judge Steve Grasty said he was concerned that if the study wasn’t done, and there were enough water rights complaints, resources could be shut off.
The court tabled the decision to write a letter of support for the watershed council’s investigation, until the Jan. 30 meeting, so more research could be done.

•••

In other court business, Brandon McMullen presented the proposed Harney County Planning Commission bylaws to the court for approval.
There was concern over two particulars of the bylaws and the status of current members of the commission. The first part of the bylaws that the court requested to be changed stated that the members of the commission “shall be residents of the various geographic areas of the county.” The court asked McMullen to define the geographic areas, possibly using Harney County School District definitions. Commissioner Nichols suggested that the court find out the possibility of making positions at large if persons from geographic areas can’t be found.

The second concern was that in the bylaws it stated, “no more than two voting members shall be engaged in the same kind of occupation, business, trade or profession.” If the selected commission members must be from various geographic areas of the county, it would be nearly impossible not to have several from the agriculture industry.

Of the seven members currently on the planning commission, the terms of five have expired — one in 2005. The court asked McMullen to work out the specifics on reappointing so that the term expirations will stagger, and once geographic areas have been determined, the openings for expired terms will be advertised. The court agreed that a record of all county appointed committees needs to be kept.

•••

Patty Dorroh, executive director of the Harney County Commission on Children and Families requested Ann Vloedman, Joyce Moser and Michelle Bradach be reappointed to the commission board of directors. The three were unanimously reappointed.

•••

An inter-county agreement for services between Harney and Lake counties was signed. Harney Behavioral Health staff has been assisting Lake County in developing a mental health program, and the agreement will extend the contract to June 30. Harney County will be reimbursed 100 percent for the wages and travel expenses that Harney Behavioral Health staff members Vern Brown, Cathy Stauffer and Chris Siegner incurred while assisting Lake County. The wages and benefits were calculated based on current overtime wages levels. The total projected monthly cost for services is $6,564.

•••

The assigning of a new road name for a road off Highway 20 West was approved. Starvation Ridge Road was selected by the four landowners with access off the road.

•••

Judge Grasty updated the court on a recent Association of Oregon Counties meeting.

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

The Burns Hilander boys varsity basketball team raised their Eastern Oregon League (EOL) to 3-0 by downing Grant Union 58-47 on Saturday, Jan. 19.

The Hilanders’ Drew Heinz led all scorers with 20 points, the majority coming from the free-throw line, where he made 15-of-17 attempts. Tommy Ghost Dog added 15 points for Burns.

“A great rivalry game that did not disappoint,” Burns coach Eric Nichols said. “Both teams played hard and both can be proud they left it all on the floor.”

With both teams trying to establish an inside game early on, the Hilanders were able to grab a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter and stretch it to seven by halftime.

The Prospectors closed the gap to four by the end of the third period, but Burns outscored Grant Union 16 to nine over the final eight minutes to get the win.

“In a physical game, free throws become very important, and we shot well, 75 percent,” Nichols said. “Our offensive putbacks were also a key as we got 11 points off of offensive rebounds.”

The two teams combined for a total of 55 free throws in the game. Burns made 24-of-32 attempts and Grant Union 12-of-23.

In the JV game, Burns beat Grant Union 61-52. The Hilanders were led by Dylan Thompson with 16 points, Tyler Fenton with 14 and Joe Jarvis with 12. The win improved the JV team’s record to 10-2 on the season.

The Hilanders continue EOL play this Friday, Jan. 25, when they travel to Boardman to take on the Riverside Pirates. Then on Saturday, Jan. 26, the Hilanders play at Umatilla.
1 2 3 4 Final
Bur 10 20 12 16 58
G.U. 5 18 15 9 47

Burns
Ghost Dog 5-13 3-3 15, Swisher 1-3 0-0 2, Heinz 2-8 15-17 20, Smith 1-4 2-4 5, Smartt 3-4 1-3 7, Fenton 1-3 2-3 4, Feist 0-2 1-2 1, Colahan 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 15-40 24-32 58.
Grant Union
Rawlins 2-3 2-4 8, Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Ranft 7-14 0-0 19, Roberts 4-9 3-3 11, Wenick 1-4 3-9 5, Martin 0-5 1-3 1, Born 0-3 3-4 3. Totals 14-39 12-23 47.
Three-point goals — Ranft 5, Rawlins 2, Ghost Dog 2, Heinz, Smith. Fouled out — Born, Rawlins. Rebounds — Burns 32 (Ghost Dog 6), G.U. 28 (Wenick 6).
Assists — Burns — 11 (Feist, Garner 3), G.U. 12 (Smith 10). Steals — Burns 10, G.U. 8. Turnovers — Burns 17, G.U. 20.

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

Baxter Davies scored 27 points in the Mustangs’ win over the Spray Eagles last Friday, but it’s doubtful that anyone in the Crane gym remembers the first 24. It was the final 3-point shot that will forever be imbedded in every fan’s memory.

Trailing by as many as 10 points, the Mustangs launched a fourth quarter comeback and took their first lead with just over one minute remaining in the game.

With four seconds on the clock, Crane was ahead 51-48. Spray went to the free-throw line for three shots on a foul in the 3-point zone. The first shot went in, and the second missed, making the score 51-49. On the third shot, the Eagles player fired an intentional miss. Spray got the rebound, put up the shot and tied the score at 51. A foul was committed by the Mustangs on the shot. The Eagles were sent to the foul line for the go-ahead free throw with 1.5 seconds left, and the shot was good. Crane was behind by one point.

On the inbound play that followed, Matt Stevens took the ball out under the Eagle’s basket. Davies was waiting, just past half court, with a defender between him and the basket. Stevens passed to Davies along the right sideline, away from the defense. As the clock started, Davies squared up and fired a rocket. At the buzzer, the ball arced, hit nothing but net, and the Mustangs won 54-52.

The battle of the two High Desert League undefeated teams began with the teams matching basket for basket. With Spray’s 6-foot, 5-inch, Asa Miller working inside, the Mustangs found it tough to get offensive rebounds, and by the end of the first quarter, Crane was behind 15-11.

Royal Henricks scored on a steal to open the second quarter, and again, the teams played the quarter bucket for bucket. Spray hit a 3-pointer, followed by another from inside the paint in the final minute to take a 28-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Stevens, B. Davies and Dallen Davies were scoring for the Mustangs at the top of the third, but Spray’s Keith Adams came alive from the perimeter, hitting three 3-pointers in the period. Going into the last quarter, Spray led 43-33.

Cody Henricks grabbed a defensive rebound that D. Davies turned into the first basket of the fourth. On the next trip down the floor, B. Davies was fouled on a successful hook shot, picking up three points with the free throw. In the next four minutes, B. Davies scored six more points, pulling Crane to within one, 47-46. C. Henricks picked off a pass and took the steal to the other end for two points, giving the Mustangs a 48-47 lead.
Spray tied things up with a foul shot, then B. Davies gave Crane the lead again with a shot at 36 seconds. Stevens put the Mustangs three points ahead, hitting a free throw, and setting up the final four seconds of the game.

Along with B. Davies’ 27 points, Stevens scored 10, C. Henricks made seven, D. Davies put in six and R. Henricks scored four.

CRA 11 10 12 21 54
SPR 15 13 15 9 52

The Mustang junior varsity boys played two quarters against the Eagles, coming out on top, 23-18.

Joe Witzel made 10 points to lead Crane, with Pete Joyce and Jesse Northrop adding four each. Jeran Conaway and Lance Moser made two points each and Milton Merritt made one.

The memorial service planned for Nancy Thompson will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 26 at Pioneer Presbyterian Church.
LaFollette’s Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Alcoholics Anonymous holds an open meeting each Tuesday at Foursquare Church, at 7 p.m.

The Harney County Health Department will be available at the Harney County Senior Center, 17 South Alder, to check blood pressure the fourth Monday of each month from 1-3 p.m. There is no charge for the clinic and results can be forwarded to a physician or nurse practitioner at your request.

Order of Eastern Star meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at the Burns Masonic Hall, 1210 West Taylor, at 7:30 p.m.

The Torch Club, a teen leadership and service group at the Boys & Girls Club meets each Monday from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

ImageMakers, a photography program is offered to members of the Boys & Girls each Monday from 4-5 p.m. All ages are encouraged to learn and practice black and white, color and digital photography skills as well as image editing.

PRIDE meets each Monday in the Courthouse basement meeting room, 450 North Buena Vista, at 7:30 a.m. to network for community betterment.

The Burns Lions Club meets each Monday at noon at the Burns Elks Lodge, 118 N. Broadway, for lunch. Those interested in serving the community are welcome.

Narcotics Anonymous holds an open meeting each Monday at 7 p.m. at Foursquare Church.

HDH Sports & Physical Therapy will offer a free athletic injury clinic at that facility, 559 West Washington, every Monday from 5-6 p.m. A physical therapist will assess and treat athletic injuries and provide education for athletes and parents on self management of injuries. For more information call 573-1543.

The Hines Volunteer Fire Department meets at the Hines Fire Hall each Monday at 7 p.m. (except the last Monday of the month). Prospective members may contact Fire Chief Bob Spence at 573-7477 or 573-2251.

Bible meetings are held every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ashlock residence at 112 Circle Dr., in Hines.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Sunday at Foursquare Church for 12X12 study, at 7 p.m.

Art Show featuring women artists of Harney County will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at the Harney County Library, 80 W. D St.

The annual Harney County Chamber of Commerce awards banquet will be held on Jan. 26. Tickets can be purchased at the Harney County Chamber of Commerce office, 76 E. Washington.

Alanon holds an open meeting each Saturday at Foursquare Church at 5:30 p.m.

The Boys & Girls Club presents People in Uniform the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month, from 1-2:30 p.m. Professionals from around Harney County come give kids a peek into their profession.

Oregon Old Time Fiddlers, District 9, meets the first, third and fourth Friday of each month. Call Julia at 573-2770, for time and place.

Boxing is held each Friday from 2-4 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club. The fundamentals of boxing are taught to kids. Permission slips must be turned in prior to participation in this program.

Hines Middle School Reading Club meets each Friday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Harney County Library.

The Boys & Girls Club has the Club Bucks Store open each Friday. This is an incentive program in which members earn “club bucks” by doing good deeds and helping out around the club.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Friday at Foursquare Church at 7 p.m.