Medicare Assistance Program, through the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center is held the first Monday of each month from 1-3 p.m. Call 573-6024 to make an appointment.

Harney County Search and Rescue meets the first Monday of each month at the Harney County Courthouse basement meeting room at 7 p.m.

Masonic Lodge meets the first and third Monday of each month at the Burns Masonic Lodge, 1210 West Taylor, at 7 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 Club 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.

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.

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.

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

Harney County Commission on Children and Families will meet on Nov. 4, at 2 p.m., in the DHS Conference Room. The regular meeting date has been changed, due to Veterans Day.

The Harney County Health Department will hold a flu shot clinic on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and 2-6 p.m.

PRIDE meets the first Tuesday of each month, at 8 a.m. in the Harney County Courthouse basement meeting room.

Medicare D assistance is available on the first Tuesday of each month, from 1-3 p.m., at the Harney County Senior Center. If you need help before that date, call 573-6024.

Harney Basin Writers meets at the Harney County Library the first and third Tuesdays of each month, from 2-4 p.m.

Harney Hospital Foundation meets the first Tuesday of each month in the Hospital Conference Room at 7 p.m.

Sylvia Rebekah Lodge meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at the I.O.O.F. Hall, 348 North Broadway at 6:30 p.m.

The Chamber Orchestra meets the first and third Tuesday of each month in the Burns High School band room, 1100 Oregon Ave., from 7-8:30 p.m. with Ken Peckham directing.

Harney County Democratic Party meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Harney County Courthouse, 450 North Buena Vista, at 7 p.m.

Tai Chi is held every Tuesday at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. All ages are welcome to participate.

Medicare D, Senior Health Insurance and Patient Assist (needy meds) trained volunteers will be at the Harney County Senior Center each Thursday, from 1-4 p.m. This will be for seniors, disabled and low-income people. Appointments are required; call the Senior Center at 573-6024.

Boy Scout Troop 440, sponsored by the Burns Lion’s Club, meets each Tuesday from 7-8:30 p.m. at the LDS Church in Hines. Boys ages 11-18 are welcome to join.

The Boys & Girls Club holds a cooking class, open to all members, each Tuesday.

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

Couple hails from Kuna, Idaho

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

When you purchase an auto part, you want to make sure it’s a perfect fit. When you purchase the whole auto parts store, it should be a perfect match as well, as it seems to be for Tod and VeAnn Gahley, the new owners of A Parts Store.

“I’m living my dream,” Tod said with a smile, and VeAnn couldn’t agree more. “He just can’t stop grinning,” she said. “It’s a little more difficult for me. I’ve been a lunch lady and a bus driver before that, so my way of life has changed a lot.”

Background

Before the move to Burns, VeAnn lived in Kuna, Idaho, her whole life, and Tod had lived there since he was 13.

“Kuna was about 800 people when I moved there and now it’s about 15,000,” Tod said. “It’s just gotten too big.”

Tod worked for several NAPA stores in the Treasure Valley area for the past 24 years and developed an urge to have his own store. He said that he did have the opportunity to purchase a store in Kuna, but things didn’t work out.

“I worked for a guy who owns 18 stores, and when we heard Ken and Polly Post were interested in selling this store, we went together and bought it,” Tod said.

Tod said he wanted a store in a rural community and when he came and looked at the store in Burns, it seemed to fit the bill. “It’s a good size and a good business climate,” he stated.

The Gahleys have five children, three of whom, ages 26, 25 and 19, are on their own. Still living at home are Matson, 13 and Nicol, 9.

VeAnn admits that after living in one town her whole life, the move was a little challenging. “That’s been the tough part for me. It’s been an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “But there’s a real community atmosphere here and everybody has been very welcoming.”

“This is what I remember what Kuna was like, and we wanted to get back to that kind of atmosphere,” added Tod.

The store

Customers of A Parts Store will notice not much has changed with the new ownership. Tod said they have made some minor operational changes, but everything else has remained pretty much the same.

“Ken and Polly had a great relationship with their customers, and we hope to keep with it as best we can,” Tod said. “And the crew here is great. They’ve got a lot of experience, and they have a real interest in cars. That makes a difference.”

Tod said that as the owner, his work at the store isn’t much different than what he’s been doing for the past two decades, except for the financial end. “I’m dealing with the reality of a lot more zeroes on financial things,” he laughed. “And there are a lot of government strings attached to owning a business, like forms to fill out and send in.”

Future plans

Now that the Gahleys have somewhat settled in, they’re planning on making Harney County their home for years to come. “I don’t like moving, so this is it,” Tod said. “I guess the plan is to do this for 20 more years and then retire.”

While she works in the office at the store, VeAnn’s interests also lie outside the store. “In just the short time we’ve been here, it’s easy to see people in this community come together to help each other out,” she said. “We don’t know everyone or everything that goes on yet, but we want to get involved.”

When asked about possible expansion, Tod said he has no interest in owning more than one store. He stated that by owning just one, all his efforts can be directed there.

As for finally realizing his dream of owning his own store, Tod said, “As a manager, there were some decisions I couldn’t make, but as an owner I can. When you know the right thing to do and can’t, well, that doesn’t set well with me. I like being the owner.”

Board questioned on whether bond money was spent properly

By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

Teachers, parents and students showed up in force for the Oct. 14 Harney County School District No. 3 School Board meeting primarily to hear the board discuss budget issues.

A standing room only  crowd of more than 50 people were there to discuss the district’s beginning fund balance and concerns over how bond money was spent.

Business Manager Petrina White gave the board her monthly report in which she stated the district’s beginning fund balance was $160,000.

There was some discussion as to what the actual beginning fund balance should be because the district borrowed $500,000 from a Tax Anticipation Notes (TAN) pool, which is a short-term borrowing program open to Oregon school districts.

Originally, the district was only going to use $155,000 of that $500,000 to balance last year’s budget, but additional funds were needed when the days cut from last year’s calendar weren’t enough to balance the budget. This left a beginning fund balance for the 2008-2009 school year of about $160,000.

Audience member Tim Colahan wanted to know how the board was going to make up for that additional money that was borrowed.
Board member Jackie Shipp stated that the district has budgeted to pay the original $155,000 back, however, the district does need to find areas in which it can cut $185,000, preferably throughout the year, to make up for the lack in the starting balance.

Board member Steve Bull said he felt the budget board needed to start meeting early in the year to keep a close eye on the budget. “We limped out of last year. I think that’s why everyone is here tonight,” he said.

Colahan agreed and said he doesn’t think the district should resort to cutting days at the end of the year.

Audience member Tammy Wheeler said that if the board finds that the only way the district can save money is to cut days, perhaps they can try to spread them throughout the year rather than lopping them all off at the end of the year.

•••

Another important issue that produced a heated discussion was whether or not bond money was used to pay employee salaries.

District Superintendent David Courtney said that he talked with legal counsel concerning the situation. Indeed about $84,000 of bond money was used to pay district staff, mostly custodians, who worked on bond projects. However, Courtney said the attorney indicated that the district simply needed documentation to prove how many hours were actually spent on those projects.

Colahan stated that three years ago he served on the bond project committee, which made presentations to the public informing residents that bond money would only be used on bond projects. Ultimately, he said he believed bond money was used to help reduce last school year’s $600,000 budget shortfall. He didn’t feel the district documented the work properly.

Business Manager White said that about 75 percent of the bond work done by district staff was documented.

Board member Bull said that he felt the district needed to institute a new policy in how bond project work is documented. He also broached the possibility of  the district paying back that $84,000 if the board felt the funds were misspent.

Audience member Monica McCanna said she felt the district has a public relations problem. If the public perceives that bond money was spent on salaries, and in fact, that is not the case, the district needs to correct that perception.

Acting Board Chairman Randy Parks suggested that White find how much of the bond project work is documented and bring that information back to the board at the November meeting.

The next Harney District No. 3 School Board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Lincoln building.

The charter school will likely bring more money and students into the district

By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

The Harney County District No. 3 School Board approved the Silvies River Web Academy at the Oct. 14 meeting.

Tim King gave a presentation on the proposed charter school. He explained how his non-profit company will set up the academy to operate within the district.

Benefits to the district include increased revenue and free software and computers provided by King’s organization. King said that the charter school shouldn’t cost the district anything. In fact, the district will receive additional funds from the average daily membership (ADM) that it receives per student from the state. Normally, the district receives about $6,000 per student, but most of that money will go to the charter school and the district will receive about 12 percent, or $700 per student enrolled in the charter school.

The Web academy will cater mostly to home schooled students. For every student the charter school recruits from within the district, it can recruit another student from outside the district.

After talking with a number of home schooled students within the district, King said he was confident there would be plenty of students to make the charter school a go. He estimated that the school would eventually have an enrollment of 200 students.

King’s organization has founded nine charter schools to date, and he is the director of six of those schools.

As part of the charter school set-up, King’s organization supplies the district with a new computer lab and supplies individual charter school students with laptop computers. Teachers for the Silvies Web Academy will be hired locally.

With the board’s approval of the charter school, King said the district would be eligible for a state incentive grant in the amount of $500,000.

In other business:

• Food Services Director Channon Rebeiro stated that the district’s experiment with serving Burns High School students hot lunches seems to be going well. In looking at the figures from September, there are enough students eating the one hot lunch entree the district provides to continue with the program. She said the students participating in the program are mostly freshman and sophomores and while they don’t like having only one lunch option, at least it is something. “It’s better than nothing, and we’re not losing money on it,” she said;

• Bond Project Manager Bill Renwick said he has been working on coming up with a solution for the Hines Middle School gym roof, which has two broken trusses caused by poor design. He said while it looks as though the district can repair the trusses without having to tear up the roof, the project could still cost roughly $100,000. “It’s going to be very time-consuming,” Renwick said;

• Business Manager Petrina White stated that because the district has overpaid its PERS payment for the last five to seven years, the district now has an extra $93,000 that can go into the general fund;

• the board approved a motion to put the high school biology teaching position out for advertisement, rather than hire Connie Robbins as recommended by the administration. Board members expressed concern about Robbins’ science background and experience.

Hines Middle School science teacher Roxanne Bailey was in the audience and agreed that the district needed to base its decision to hire someone on a solid background in science.

Superintendent Courtney said that even if someone doesn’t have a teaching license, if they have a degree in science, they can obtain an emergency teaching license, as long as they obtain a regular teaching license within the next three years. “What I hear the board saying is there is concern about the science experience of the person recommended,” Courtney said.

The position will be re-opened;

• the board approved the hiring of Joshua Kleeberger as a science teacher at Hines Middle School and Blair Irelan as a Friday school supervisor at Burns High School.

• the district will now post its unapproved minutes on the district Web site;

• the board moved the date of its next board meeting from Nov. 11 (Veteran’s Day) to Nov. 18;

• the board approved the purchase of a new yellow bus;

• the board tabled agenda items regarding board member Steve Bull’s budget suggestions and discussion of the Chalkboard report until the Nov. 18 meeting.

The next Harney County District. No. 3 Board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Lincoln building.

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

In their final tune-up for the district meet, the Hilander cross country teams competed in the Baker Invitational on Thursday, Oct. 16.

Kara Davis led the Burns girls team over the 5K course, finishing second with a personal best (PB) time of 21:33. Anna Clemens placed fourth for the Hilanders (21:43 PB) and Brianna Cunningham was fifth with a personal record (PR) time of 22:14.

Kate Stewart of Union was the overall individual winner (21:28), and Baker won the team title as they were the only complete team in the race.

In the boys race, Devan Attleberger was the top finisher for Burns, placing 11th with a time of 18:46. Kraig McCanna placed 13th (18:57 PB), Brendan Palmer 19th (20:13 PR), Ralph Caldwell 26th (20:30 PR), Tyler Rowley 28th (21:05 PR), Nathan Drushella 35th (21:35) and Josh Walters 46th (26:44).

Union won the boys team title with a perfect score of 15, and the winning runner finished with a time of 17:17.

The Hilanders’ team “Gut It Out” awards went to Davis and Walters.

Burns will travel to Pendleton this Friday, Oct. 24, to compete in the district meet.

•••

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, the Burns cross country teams hosted the Burns Invitational, a rugged 5K race that wound through the hills behind Burns High School.

Cy Swartzlender of Lakeview won the boys race with a time of 18:33, leading his team to a first-place finish in the standings as well with 20 points.

Burns placed second with 41 points, followed by Madras with 72.

Attleberger was the top finisher for the Hilanders, placing third with a time of 19:41. McCanna finished sixth (19:49) and  Palmer set a new personal record (PR) with a time of 20:19 while finishing seventh. Caldwell came in 12th (21:09 PR),  Rowley 13th (21:58 PR),  Drushella 15th (22:04), Truman Mallon 23rd (26:29 PR), and Walters 27th (29:40).

The Burns girls team was incomplete and didn’t qualify for the team standings, but all three runners finished in the top seven.

Cunningham was the first Hilander to cross the finish line, finishing fourth with a time of 23:17 (PR). Davis finished fifth, just three seconds behind Cunningham and Clemens placed seventh (23:33).

Lakeview won the girls team team title with 22 points, followed by Madras with 33.

Ashley Baldovino of Lakeview placed first in the individual standings, finishing with a time of 20:58.

The Hilanders’ team “Gut It Out” award went to McCanna for running a sub-20 minute race on a very difficult 5K course.

John Oscar Thissell, 71, of John Day died on Oct. 19, at the Blue Mt. Hospital.

He was born on  July 10, 1937, to Laurence and Vivian (Olsen) Thissell in Tidewater, the eldest of 10 children.

Thissell was raised in Tidewater and Burns and spent his childhood working on the family farm and ranch. He was a skilled horseman and spent countless hours gathering cattle.

After being drafted in 1955, Thissell elected to join the U.S. Navy, serving two years of active duty on the USS Cavalier in the Asian-Pacific Ocean. Following his active service, he traded his cowboy boots for cork boots and began his career as a timber faller.

On July 11, 1959, he married Sally Jane Ray. Together they raised their four children in the Tidewater-Waldport area.

Thissell was an avid outdoorsman, who loved nothing more than recreating with his family and friends. He relished his time at the Alsea Riverbank and covered many miles in his four wheeler on Steens Mountain as well as the Silvies and Juniper units. His ashes will be spread near his childhood home on the Silvies River, where he taught his children and grandchildren to fish with willow poles.

Thissell was a man of few words who possessed a steadfast work ethic and a streak of stubbornness.

Thissell is survived by his siblings Larry Thissell, Kathleen Woosley, Irene Adair, Marge Woosley, Barbara Fredricks, Shirley Larson and Donna Helms; children Johnny Oscar Thissell, Jr., Barry Joe Thissell, Laurence Thissell and Kathryna Sue Weatherspoon; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Cecil Thissel and Lynn Thissell.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd, in John Day. A reception will follow.

Harney County Health District board of directors meets the fourth Wednesday of each month in the board conference room of the hospital, in the entrance off North Grand at 6 p.m.

Burns City Council meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at Burns City Hall, 242 South Broadway, at 6 p.m.

High Desert Park and Recreation District board of directors meets the fourth Wednesday of each month in their office at the Lincoln administration building, 550 North Court, at 7 p.m.

Burns Sportsman Club will present Twilight Trap Practice every Wednesday night, from 5-7 p.m. at the shooting facility on Radar Hill. Members and non-members are welcome to participate.

Storytime for preschoolers is scheduled at the Harney County Library, 80 West D St., each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Contact the Harney County Library for more information 573-6670.

Burns Fire Dept. meets each Wednesday at the Burns Fire Hall at 7 p.m.

Burns Elks Lodge, 118 North Broadway, meets each Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets each Wednesday at the Foursquare Church at 7 p.m.

A benefit dinner will be held in memory of Colton Poulson on Oct. 23 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Burns Elks Lodge. All money raised will go to the Poulson family to help defray funeral costs, hospital bills, travel costs and time lost at work. To donate items to the silent auction, or for more information, call Katie Kahn at 541-589-3297, or Zoe Thompson at 541-416-4540.

The Harney County CattleWomen will hold their annual meeting on Thursday, Oct. 23, at noon at the Bistro.

Disabled Services Advisory Council (DSAC) meets every fourth Thursday at the State Office Building small conference room, 809 West Jackson, at 1:30 p.m.

Harney County Soil and Water Conservation District board of directors meets the fourth Thursday of each month at the Rory and Ryan Best Western in Hines from 5-7:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

Tai Chi  is held every Thursday at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. All ages are  welcome to participate.

The Chamber Music Society Bell Ringers meet each Thursday at 6:30 p.m., at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. For more information call Carol Sawyer at 573-6886.

Kiwanis Club of Burns-Hines meets for a no-host luncheon each Thursday at Glory Days Pizza, 690 Oregon Ave., at noon.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS #630) meets each Thursday at Hines City Hall, 101 East Barnes, at noon.  Anyone who has pounds to lose is welcome. Call 573-2896.

The Boys & Girls Club holds karaoke each Thursday. Members of all ages are welcome to join Hanna in the education room for a program that promotes the art of singing, as well as a fun way to practice reading skills.

Teen Night is held at the Boys & Girls Club each Thursday, from 6-7 p.m. for all teenagers.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets each Thursday at the Foursquare Church, at 7 p.m.

Medicare D, Senior Health Insurance and Patient Assist (needy meds) trained volunteers will be at the Harney County Senior Center each Thursday, from 1-4 p.m. This will be for seniors, disabled and low-income people. Appointments are required; call the Senior Center at 573-6024.

The public and all candidates are cordially invited to attend the public certification of the ES&S 650 tabulation system, which will tabulate votes for the General Election. The certification will be held on Friday, Oct. 24, at 8:30 a.m. in the clerk’s office. For more information, call the clerk’s office at 573-6641.

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
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.