Welcome, 2010!

Oregon Old Time Fiddlers, District 9, meets the first, third and fourth Friday of each month. Call Julia at 541-573-2770, for time and place.

Diabetes Support Group meets at the Harney County Health Building, 420 North Fairview, the first Saturday of each month at 2 p.m.

ALANON meets each Saturday at 7 p.m. at Four Square Church, 74 S. Alvord, Burns.

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

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 541-573-6024 to make an appointment.

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

HDH Sports & Physical Therapy will offer a free athletic injury clinic at that facility, 559 West Washington, every Monday from 5 to 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 541-573-1543.

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

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 541-573-7477 or 541-573-2251.

Narcotics Anonymous meets each Monday at 7 p.m. at Foursquare Church, 74 S. Alvord, Burns.

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.

Medicare D and Health Plan assistance is available on the first Tuesday of each month, from 1-3 p.m., at the Harney County Senior Center. For an appointment, call 541-573-6024.

Harney Basin Writers meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Harney County Library, from 2-4 p.m.; and the third Tuesday of each month at the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hall at the corner of Diamond and “A” Streets, from 7-9 p.m.

Silvies River Spinners meets the first Tuesday of each month at Native Circle, 90 W. Adams in Burns, at 5:30 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.

All 0 to 3-year-olds and their parents are welcome to attend play group at the Early Childhood Center at 655 W. Fillmore, weekly on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Patient Assist, Needy Med Program trained volunteers will be at the Harney County Senior Center each Tuesday, from 1-4 p.m. For appointments call the Senior Center at 541-573-6024.

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.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets each Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Foursquare Church, 74 S. Alvord, Burns.

Annual chamber of commerce awards banquet highlights exceptional county residents

By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

“Tonight we recognize Harney County’s best, brightest and most innovative,” announced master of ceremonies Joyce Moser during the 59th annual Harney County Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet held on Jan. 24 at the Harney County Fairgrounds Memorial Building.

The double honoree of the night was Fred Flippence who was selected as Man of the Year and received the Distinguished Service Award for his volunteer work with the Lions Club and the Harney County Opportunity Team, Library Foundation Board and various budget committees.

A full listing of the award-winners follows:

Boss of the Year: Pete Runnels

Business Person of the Year: Dale and Pat Martin, Riley Store

Distinguished Service Award: Fred Flippence

Educator of the Year: Anne Kness

Grassman of the Year: Fred and Debbie Otley

Lumber/Industrial Person of the Year: Debbie Cronin

Man of the Year: Fred Flippence

Senior Man of the Year: Bruce Farster

Woman of the Year: Delcy Currey

Senior Woman of the Year: Millie Eshelby

Young Farmer/Rancher of the Year: Zach Sword

Crane Student of the Year: Dallen Davies

Burns Student of the Year: Lizbeth Zavala

The filet mignon dinner enjoyed by the near capacity crowd was catered by Francis Estep.

Before the awards were announced, Patty McNeil was sworn in as the new chamber president, and Lyle Stratton, Kristi Rickman, Samantha Landon, Debbie Ausmus, Christy Young, Cindy Witzel, Joyce Moser, Selene Dobson and Ron Wulff were recognized for serving on the chamber board.

Outgoing chamber president Witzel said that the chamber has accomplished much within the last year including assisting a Travel Oregon film crew while they were filming in Harney County. Witzel noted that the chamber had 30,000 visitors check out its Web site in the last seven months, and 3,798 hits to the business directory. The chamber represents the county at the state fair each year and keeps track of monthly business referrals it gives out.

In other big news, the chamber moved into its new location on Broadway in the newly renovated Smith building, which also houses the Harney County Community Center.

For the awards banquet, local businesses sponsored tables, decorating them to represent the night’s “Winter Wonderland” theme as well as represent their business. The best representation of a business table award went to Ruel Teague Motor Co. and the best representation of the evening’s theme went to Gourmet and Gadgets.

Temporary closure due to lack of funds; club will re-open if it can secure more funding

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

Due to a funding shortfall, the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Harney County decided to temporarily close the club effective Monday, Jan. 26. While the club is closed, the board will continue to search for a stable source of funding.

The board is currently planning on re-opening the club on April 1, which is contingent on securing adequate funding.

The Boys & Girls Club will be hosting the Diamonds in a Glass dinner and auction on Saturday, April 11, as this event continues to be the No. 1 source of revenue for the facility. Planning also continues for the charity golf tournament to be held in July.

Executive Director Randy Fulton said the community’s financial support for the club hasn’t diminished, with the annual Raise A Kid campaign generating  more than $18,000 this year. The problem, Fulton said, is related primarily to the failure to land any new grants. “We are currently identifying and applying for various grants, but any revenue from these efforts won’t be realized before April,” Fulton said.

The board and staff have made numerous spending cuts since August 2008, but the funding has run out at the present time. “We don’t have a spending problem,” we have a revenue problem,” Fulton said.

A number of local families, businesses and agencies, as well as the rest of the country, are struggling during the current economic crunch. “Unfortunately our temporary closure will have a very direct and negative impact on the entire community, particularly the kids,” Fulton said.

2 percent blended fuel will be sold starting in September

Oregon’s foray into renewable fuels takes another step this year with an approaching requirement for diesel sold in the state to contain 2 percent biodiesel.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Oregon Department of Energy are giving diesel motorists a heads up that the renewable fuel standard for biodiesel could take effect by September 2009. The notice is more of a reassurance for those who drive vehicles that use petroleum diesel.

“The most important thing for motorists to know is that they shouldn’t see any change to their fuel economy or their vehicle’s performance when using a 2 percent biodiesel blend,” said Stephanie Page, ODA’s renewable energy specialist.

House Bill 2210, which established Oregon’s renewable fuel standards, passed in the 2007 legislative session and was signed into law. When in-state biodiesel production, using materials from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, reaches five million gallons per year, the renewable fuel standard for biodiesel kicks in.

With the expansion of SeQuential Pacific’s biodiesel manufacturing facility in Salem, that capacity is expected to be reached sometime this summer. Ninety days after the trigger has been reached, the standard requires that only 2 percent biodiesel blends be sold. By fall, it’s likely that every licensed Oregon gas station that carries diesel must sell the 2 percent blended fuel.

The implementation of the biodiesel requirement follows last year’s implementation by ODA of the renewable fuel standard requiring 10 percent ethanol in gasoline sold in Oregon. About 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline are sold in Oregon each year and about a half billion gallons of diesel. Even though the biodiesel requirement will affect far fewer motorists, state officials want to get the word out.

“Pure biodiesel, or B100, contains only 8 percent less energy per gallon than the diesel motor fuel currently offered for sale in Oregon,” Page said. “A 2 percent biodiesel blend, or B2 blend, has less than 2/10ths of a percent less energy than the standard diesel motor fuel. That is such a small difference that motorists should see no noticeable effect on their gas mileage.”

Biodiesel can act as a solvent at higher blends, dissolving deposits accumulated in a vehicle’s fuel system and potentially clogging fuel filters. However, the National Renewable energy Laboratory’s Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide reports that the cleaning effect should not be an issue with B5 and lower blends.

“The large diesel engine and automobile manufacturers don’t seem to have an issue with blends up to the five percent biodiesel,” said Clark Cooney, assistant administrator of ODA’s Measurement Standards Division. “A 2 percent blend should not have any impact on the vehicle warranty.”

Another potential concern with biodiesel, especially in the winter, is that it can gel at higher temperatures than the standard diesel.

“That’s a problem with higher biodiesel blends, but it shouldn’t be a problem at the 2 percent level,” said Cooney. “It may raise the gelling point very slightly, but it won’t be noticeable to consumers. Biodiesel blends of 5 percent or less must meet the same national fuel quality requirements as straight diesel. Even straight diesel fuel has to be treated in the colder months to prevent gelling.”

Inspectors with ODA’s Measurement Standards Division check motor fuel quantity and quality on a routine basis. As part of the new renewable fuel standard, ODA will require testing of B100 biodiesel at the receiving terminal prior to it being blended with the standard diesel fuel. The program will ensure that the parent products — the biodiesel and the diesel itself — meet specifications prior to the blending.
“The B100 biodiesel will be sampled periodically at the producer’s location as well,” said Cooney. “Samples will be taken and analyzed to assure that the product is meeting specifications.”

Once again, Cooney emphasized that dealers and motorists shouldn’t see much impact from the B2 blend. In fact, he said, at very low blends, biodiesel adds needed lubrication to ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

“As a precaution, retail and wholesale dealers should clean and prepare their storage tanks before receiving the blended diesel simply because biodiesel does have a tendency to absorb water and act as a cleaning agent,” said Cooney. “There are no real precautions needed for motorists. However, they may need to change the vehicle’s fuel filter after a period of time after the first fill up.”

Although biodiesel blending is not yet required, many Oregon consumers choose to fill up with biodiesel blends. Some businesses sell blends of five percent, 10 percent, and 20 percent or higher biodiesel. Many vehicle fleets use B20, and some burn 100 percent biodiesel with only minor modifications needed to the engine and fueling system.

Biodiesel is a cleaner fuel that produces fewer harmful emissions than standard diesel. Besides some environmental benefits, the B2 requirement in Oregon can help the local economy.

“We believe the use of a biodiesel blend is a good thing,” said Page. “It supports Oregon biodiesel producers, which are local businesses. It also supports the folks who produce the material used to make the biodiesel — farmers who grow oil seed crops, and others who make use of waste oil and grease.”

Motorists may not notice a thing, but the B2 requirement coming Oregon’s way later this year is helping Oregon agriculture by providing a market for locally-grown crops and it’s recycling a waste product that can actually be a source for renewable energy. Advocates say if it also reduces dependency on foreign oil, even by a small measure, that’s just a bonus.

Free income tax assistance is available for all taxpayers age 60-over, and low- and middle-income taxpayers of any age, through the AARP Tax-Aide program. There is no income limit for participating through the program; only the complexity of the tax return determines whether or not a taxpayer can be served.

The Tax-Aide program is sponsored by the AARP, with training and materials supplied by the IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue. AARP membership is not required.

The program will begin on Feb. 3, and run through April 14. Trained volunteers will be available at the School District #3 Administrative Office (former Lincoln Junior High building), Room 310, each Thursday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Volunteers will prepare tax returns on site and assist taxpayers with questions. Volunteers will also be available on Tuesday through the month of February.

Returns will be filed electronically, which speeds up the processing of refunds. There is no charge for the tax preparation or for the electronic filing.

To participate in the program, bring all current tax information — W-2s, 1099s, interest and dividend statements — last year’s completed tax returns and Social Security cards for yourself, your spouse and all dependents. Verification of Social Security numbers and name are necessary to avoid rejects by the IRS. Photo identification is also required for taxpayers new to the site.

New requirements for this year include needing property tax statements (1098) and the amount of the Economic Stimulus Payment that was received in 2007.

Appointments are not required. An elevator is available at the south end of the building. For more information, call Sam Caizza at 573-3262.

Three from Burns medal at elite event which features competitors from all classifications

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

The Hilanders’ Josh Cate, Pat Stampke and Joe Drinkwater all placed in the top three of their respective weight classes and helped lead Burns to a 12th place finish at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions in Hillsboro on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23-24.

Cate won his first four matches of the tournament to reach the finals of the 145-pound weight class before losing to RJ Pena of Sprague High School.

Stampke, wrestling at 119 pounds, won his first two matches before losing a 4-1 decision to Ben Jorgenson of Hermiston. Stampke then won his next two matches in the consolation bracket to finish third.

Drinkwater won his first match at 152 pounds and then lost a close 5-4 decision to Cody Britt of Hermiston. Once in the consolation bracket, Drinkwater put together a four-match winning streak and placed third.

As a team, Burns finished in 12th place with 76 points. Despite not having any individual champions, Roseburg won the tournament with 201.5 points. Complete team results are as follows:

1.  Roseburg 201.5
2.  Newberg 151
3.  Hermiston 145.5
4.  Canby 127.5
5.  Redmond 113.5
6.  Thurston 100
7.  Oregon City 96.5
8.  West Salem 94
9.  Crater 92
10. McNary 91.5
11. Sprague 82.5
12. Burns 76
13. Hillsboro 68.5
14. Cleveland 64.5
15. Westview 63.5
16. Crook County 63
17. Glide 59
18. Century 56
19. Phoenix 55
20. La Grande 53
21. Culver 47
22. Scappoose 41
23. Sweet Home 40.5
24. Cascade 40

Individual results for the Hilanders:

112 pounds — Dallas Root dec. Kris Renfro (Phoenix), 12-3; lost by dec. to Riley Omlid (Thurston), 6-0; lost by maj. dec. to Levi Martinez (McNary), 9-1.

119 pounds — Pat Stampke dec. Jared George (Crook Co.), 7-0; dec. Joe Gardner (Thurston), 2-0; lost by dec. to Ben Jorgenson (Hermiston), 4-1; pinned Steven Evans (Roseburg) 3:55; dec. Jordan Lowe (McNary), 6-0.

125 pounds — Jay Masterson lost maj. dec. Zach Clark (Cascade), 13-2; pinned Jason Adams (Phoenix) 4:05; dec. Austin Woods (Newberg), 5-4; lost by fall to Kris Newport (Sweet Home) 1:24.

130 pounds — Cody Bennett lost by fall to Kyle Richardson (Canby) 1:01; dec. Tyler Pierce (Crook Co.), 7-4; lost maj. dec. Jacob Pletcher (McNary), 9-1.

135 pounds — Chance Peasley lost by fall to John Hedge (Thurston) 5:34; lost dec. Cody Kame (Glide), 10-8.

140 pounds — Mike Schaff dec. Dalton Justice (Canby), 6-2; lost by fall to Bryce McMahon (Hermiston) 3:22; lost dec. Eleazar Deluca (Phoenix), 6-0.
145 — Josh Cate pinned Zach Smith (Scappoose) 0:40; pinned Josh Dozier (Cascade) 1:04; tech fall Cory Ellison (West Salem) 4:49; dec. Luke Amuchastegui (Phoenix), 7-2; lost by fall to RJ Pena (Sprague) 3:12.

152 pounds — Joe Drinkwater tech. fall Emmett Hettum (Phoenix) 4:57; lost dec. Cody Britt (Hermiston), 5-4; pinned Zach Baldridge (Crater) 4:13; dec. Andy Godfrey (La Grande), 11-8; maj. dec. Austin Barany (Culver ), 9-0; dec. Stevin Urban (McNary), 10-3.

160 pounds — Raymond Wright lost maj. dec. Patrick Burns (Century), 12-4; lost by fall to Cameron Anderson (Crook County) 0:37.

171 pounds — Landon Hanner lost by fall to Miles Hygelund (Canby) 0:30; lost by fall to Bill Simmons (Crook Co.) 1:41.

215 pounds — Kenny Withee lost by fall to Nic Semke (Cleveland) 1:14; won two matches by forfeit; lost by fall to Rory Oliver (Newberg) 1:48.

285 pounds — Skylar Hickey lost by fall to Andrew Jones (Scappoose) 1:19; lost by fall to Brent Griffith (Cascade) 0:17.