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.

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.

Senior Health Insurance Benefits Insurance (SHIBA) will be at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center every Monday and Tuesday through the month of December, from 1-4 p.m., for sign up of new Medicare D insurance, or to have old plans reviewed. Assistance for Medicare questions will also be available. For appointments, call the senior center at 573-6024.

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 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 573-7477 or 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.

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 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.

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

On Friday, Dec. 4, the Harney County Sheriff’s Office arrested three people on charges of animal neglect at their residence south of Burns.

The arrests came after officers found more than 100 dogs living on the property with little or no shelter.

The three people arrested, Anita Anderson, 55, Ronald Anderson, 43 and Kathleen Goyogana, 34, were each charged with five counts of animal neglect and released on their own recognizance.

Harney County Sheriff Dave Glerup said all three agreed to release custody of the dogs, except for a few house dogs, and would cooperate with authorities to round the dogs up for transport to a shelter.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, members of the Oregon Humane Society in Portland arrived in Harney County to help gather the dogs and take them to the shelter in Portland to be adopted out.

On Friday, Dec. 11, Glerup reported they had gathered 79 dogs, but about 60 dogs still remained on the property. “One problem we have now though is all the shelters around the state are full,” Glerup said. He added that they are working with other organizations around the state to help care for the animals.

To help out with the situation, local Safeway manager Merle Reid had six pallets of dog food brought in and donated to the Harney County Save A Stray Program, which will use the food to help feed the remaining dogs. “Merle and Safeway really stepped up to help,” Glerup said.

Save A Stray will be looking for people who would like to adopt a dog, and those interested may call Melanie Epping at 589-1104 or Angie Tiller at 573-1789.

Great Basin Sporting Goods owners turn a love of the hunting and fishing into a business

By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

Not many people are lucky enough to turn a hobby into a day job, but that is exactly how Great Basin Sporting Goods in Hines came to be.

Owner Ron Redding was semi-retired after a career in construction. “I’ve been a builder all my life,” he said. When not working he often found himself on the Eastern side of the state. “I spent a lot of time in Harney County,” he said. Hunting and fishing are two of his passions.

Upon retiring, Redding decided he needed something to do, being a self-confessed type A personality. He came up with the idea of a sporting goods store to capitalize on his love of recreating in the great outdoors.

Redding, his wife, Katie, and Megan Davies run the sporting goods store out of the old Virgil’s building in Hines. The Reddings are currently leasing and have done some extensive remodeling to the interior and the exterior of the building over the course of 14 weeks.

Upon walking into the store one is greeted by the business’ mascot, Molly, a friendly golden retriever. Pine planks give the building a rustic feel. Sunlight streams in the new windows and a woodstove offers comforting warmth. While the Reddings are waiting until they attend trade shows after the first of the year to flesh out the sporting goods stock, the store’s main focus at this point is firearms. Guns line the walls, and Redding said he probably has about 350 in the store right now.

He also noted that the business features all phases of rebarreling. In addition to complete gunsmithing services, he will order parts and  and prides himself on offering custom trigger work. With the purchase of a gun the optics, mounting and bore sighting are free. He also specializes in varmint guns. Great Basin Sporting Goods buys, sells and consigns firearms. Redding said there is a good selection of ammunition, too.

The Reddings are no strangers to the firearm business. They are part owners of Guncrafters Firearms & More, a business located in Salem.

In years past in Harney County, Redding noted that there have been a plethora of gun stores. However, that is no longer the case. Redding believes he is offering a needed service. “Locals have been good about coming and telling me what their needs are,” he said. “When customers come in, I love to hear what they know.”

Burns and Hines are both such a hub for outdoor recreation and hunting, Redding said he wants to make sure his shop caters to all ages of men and women. He hopes to offer kids an opportunity to learn more about hunting. Also, knowing how many female hunters there are in Harney County, “we want to make sure we have guns that fit women,” he said.

In the future, Redding will work on adding a fishing department as well as camping gear to his inventory. Boots, footwear, gloves, hats and camo clothing will also be offered. “We’ll just keep adding sections until the walls burst,” he said.

On a side note, Redding said he has been a horseman all his life, and that’s something he will continue to do in Harney County. His roots lie in Lakeview. He is a descendent of Bill Cox. “I spent my youth in Lakeview having the devil beat out of me on horses,” he said.

Redding’s wife, Katie, said her husband is in his element running Great Basin Sporting Goods. “First and foremost, he loves this area,” she said.  Great Basin Sporting Good’s winter hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. They are closed on Monday.

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

On Jan. 1, 2010, Rimrock Recycling will once again offer recycling services.

After over two months of hard work and planning, a group of local citizens has re-established the non-profit organization Rimrock Recycling. The organization will be fully operational by the first of the year, and an open house is being planned to celebrate.

Rimrock Recycling will be located in the county-owned building at 29903 N. Lottery Lane, the former 4R Recycle Center. At the onset of operation, the business will be open every Friday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Becky Cunningham, Rimrock Recycling board member told the Harney County Court on Dec. 9 that after working through all of the financials, the group had, “scaled back as far as we could.”

Said Cunningham, “We started out at bare bones.”

To begin operation, a request was made for funds that had been returned to the county when the original Rimrock Recycle organization was discontinued to be transferred to the new 401k3 group. The funds will be used as start-up capital to purchase liability insurance, wages for a full-time plant manager, and other immediate expenses. The county court agreed to a $10,000 transfer.

Rimrock Recycle board member Astrid Alexander told the court that a good relationship with C&B Sanitary has been built, and the two entities will continue to work together. A co-mingle recycle container will remain at C&B, and it will be delivered to the recycle plant when necessary. C&B has also agreed to provide a garbage bin for sorting purposes.

In addition to a working relationship with C&B, the Rimrock Recycle representatives said they will promote other recycling businesses in the area such as B&S Wrecking, Jack Hutsell, Wheelies Bicycle, On the Mark Repair and Les Schwab.

In the organization’s business plan, Rimrock Recycle said they will also provide educational materials and resources to the local public schools. Recycling education will be available at the plant through tours and hand-outs. “Education is a large component of Rimrock Recycling’s mission.”

Materials that will currently be accepted for recycling by Rimrock Recycling are cardboard, newspaper, office paper, magazines, junk mail, plastic containers #1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, rigid plastic, plastic film, baling twine, feed sacks, lead acid batteries, tin, aluminum and glass. In the future the plant will be expanding to accept small appliances and clothing.

To generate income, the organization will sell the commodities being recycled, and has applied for grants for long-term financial stability. During the Dec. 9 court meeting, the group asked that rent on the building be waived for the first year, to keep operational costs at a minimum. The court agreed, and will also let the group use the county-owned baler.

Cunningham said the organization needs more volunteers for accepting and sorting at the plant. Office and break room equipment donations are also needed. For more information, or to volunteer, call Cunningham at 573-5123.

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

The Crane Mustang varsity girls basketball team met their first two league opponents last weekend, and came away with two decisive victories.

The Mustangs hosted the Spray Eagles on Dec. 11, recording a 61-26 win.

Crane took control of the court from the opening tip-off, as Emilee O’Toole scored off a Brooke Nyman assist. By the end of the first quarter, the score had the Mustangs leading 14-1.

During the second period, Crane’s domination of the boards on both ends gave the Mustangs the advantage. With defensive rebounds by Brenda Otley, Savannah Duff and O’Toole, and offensive rebounds by Natalie Bentz, Hannah Buermann and Nyman, Crane pulled to a 37-12 lead by the half.

Crane stretched their lead to 30 points during the third quarter, with September O’Crowley scoring on steals and put-back shots. Going into the final quarter, the Mustangs were up 50-20, and kept their lead to the win.

The Mustangs had three players hit double-digits — Buermann had 14 points, Bentz scored 13 and O’Toole made 12. Rounding out Crane’s scoring was O’Crowley and Nyman with eight each, Duff with four and Otley made two.

Bentz and Nyman recorded three steals each, with O’Crowley and Buermann getting two apiece and O’Toole one.

In rebounding O’Crowley pulled down seven total — five defensive and two offensive, Bentz had six total, O’Toole grabbed five, Nyman, Duff and Buermann grabbed four each and Otley had two.

1     2     3    4   Final
Cra     14   23   13   11    61
Spr      1    11    8    6      26
•••
On Saturday, Dec. 12, the Mustangs picked up their second win of the weekend, defeating the Mitchell Loggers 71-3.

Crane’s defense over-powered the Loggers, with full-court pressure forcing five steals in the first two minutes. With just under six minutes left in the first quarter, the Mustangs pulled back to half-court, but still went to the second period with a 29-1 lead.

During the remainder of the game Crane’s offense was required to hold back on fast breaks and reverse the offensive plays before taking any shots. At halftime the Mustangs were up 41-1, and at the three-quarter mark Crane led 57-3.

O’Crowley finished the game with a double-double, scoring 20 points and pulling down 17 rebounds. Bentz scored 15 points, O’Toole made 14, Buermann hit for nine, Duff made six, Nyman hit for five and Iris Gunkel scored two.

As a team, the Mustangs recorded 29 steals with Bentz picking off eight, O’Crowley had seven, O’Toole had six, Buermann made four, Otley had two and Nyman and Gunkel got one steal each.

The Mustangs will host their annual Christmas Tournament this weekend. The girls’ first game will be on Friday at about 4:30 p.m. against the Paisley Broncos.

1    2     3    4   Final
Cra     29  12   16   14    71
Mit      1    0     2     0     3

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

The Mustang boys varsity began their league season with two home victories last weekend. Crane defeated the Spray Eagles on Friday, and the Mitchell Loggers on Saturday.

The Mustangs played a strong second half in their win over the Eagles, taking an even game to a 56-42 win.

Crane was up by three at the end of the first quarter, 9-6, but a 3-point Spray bucket one minute into the second quarter tied the game. Steals by Nic Nyman, Jeran Conaway and Ryan Opie midway through the second quarter turned to Max Miller and Conaway buckets, giving the Mustangs a slight edge. Crane took a 21-18 lead into the half.

Blake Steeves opened up the third by hitting a put-back, then defensive blocks by Cole Maupin and Conaway gave the momentum to the Mustangs. In spite of a Spray 3-pointer to end the quarter, Crane led 38-31 going into the final period.

The Mustangs hit the defensive boards hard during the fourth quarter, giving the Eagles few second chance attempts. With just over one minute remaining in the game Opie, Steeves and Nyman went to the free-throw line, hitting six of six to cap the win.

Opie led the scoring with 15, followed by Conaway with 11 and Steeves with 10. Maupin, Miller and Nyman made six points each and Milton Merritt added two.

1    2     3     4   Final
Cra     9    12   17    18     56
Spr     6    12   13    11     42
•••
Crane picked up their second victory for the weekend with a 61-47 win over Mitchell.

The Mustangs were slow to get started offensively, not scoring on their first five scoring opportunities. Conaway broke the ice hitting two free throws for the Mustangs’ first points, following up with a 3-pointer the next trip down the floor. By the end of the game, he would hit for a game high 25 points to lead Crane’s offense.

At the end of the first quarter, the Mustangs were in a 16-2 lead, and at the half, were ahead 30-17.

During the third quarter, Miller, Opie and Maupin capitalized on Logger missed shots, pulling down the defensive rebound and getting the ball down court for Mustang points. At the end of the third, Crane was up 50-32.

Though trailing going into the fourth quarter, the Loggers didn’t quit, and Justin Williams and Ben Siebert continued to pound the ball at the Mustangs. In the final minutes Mitchell outscored Crane 15-11, but the Mustangs held on for the win.

Along with Conaway’s 25 points, Steeves made 12, Opie hit for 11, Merritt made seven, Miller hit for four and Maupin made two.

The Mustangs will host Paisley this Friday at about 7:30 p.m. in the first round of their annual Christmas Tournament.

1    2     3     4   Final
Cra     16   14   20    11     61
Mit      2    15   15    15     47

Jacob W. Penner, 86, died on Dec. 12 at Suttle Care in Pendleton.

He was born on June 30, 1923, in Estacada to Jacob J. and Ann V. (Welty) Penner.  He was raised in Estacada and Mt. Angel, graduating from Mt. Angel Preparatory in 1941.

Penner then moved to Glendale, Calif., where he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. He served his country in World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946. Following his discharge, he returned to Oregon, where he lived in Portland for a time.He moved to Pendleton in 1950.

Penner married Ann Ilene Peterson, in Portland,  on Aug. 20, 1949. She preceded him in death in 1979.
On Jan. 16, 1982, he married Virginia Ann McLaughlin in Pendleton.

Penner was employed by Packer-Scott Company as a salesman from 1947 until his retirement in 1985.

He was a member of the St. Mary Catholic Church in Pendleton. From 1993 until 1998, he often spent his time volunteering at St. Mary’s Outreach in Pendleton.

Penner’s interests included hiking, camping and riding motorcycles in the beautiful mountains of Oregon, including going to the cabin on Steens Mountain.

Penner is survived by his sons, Steven M. Penner of Pilot Rock, Gregory S. Penner of La Grande, and Brian Conlon of Pendleton; daughter Jeanne I. Crowell of La Grande; brothers, Douglas Penner of Portland, James Penner of Bend and Michael Penner of Portland; sisters, Patricia Cvetich of St. Helens and Pamela Sprauer of Mt. Angel; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Viewing will be held between the hours of 8 and 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at Burns Mortuary of Pendleton. A funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pendleton. Vault Interment will be held on Monday, Dec. 21, at 11 a.m.  in the Olney Cemetery in Pendleton.

Contributions in memory of Jacob Penner may be made to the St. Mary’s Outreach, care of Burns Mortuary of Pendleton, P.O. Box 489, Pendleton, OR 97801. Send condolences to the family or sign the register at www.burnsmortuary.com Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of arrangements.