Hail and Farewell Party for Writer-In-Residence, Kristy Athens will be held at the Harney County Community Center on April 30 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Friday morning book club with Lisa at Harney County Library is held from 9 to 10 a.m. each Friday with stories and crafts for ages 7-10.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Friday at 5 p.m. at Harney Behavioral Health.

A Community Cleanup, promoted by the Harney County Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Saturday, May 1. For more information, call the Chamber Office at 541-573-2636.

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.

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

Harney Basin Writers meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the Harney County Library, from 2-4 p.m. Writers of any age and writing style are encouraged to attend.

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 Avenue, from 7-8:30 p.m. with Liz Taylor  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.

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 1-3 p.m. For any questions on Medicare A, B, C or D, or 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.

Harney County’s National Guard troops returned home on Sunday, April 18, after serving overseas for a year. They were led into town by the Desert Riders, the Burns and Hines fire departments and other law enforcement personnel. A crowd of family and friends greeted the soldiers at Burns High School. “It is really, really good to be home,” said 1Lt. Loren Emang to the crowd that gathered in the BHS gymnasium. “The reason we serve is for our community.” The troops were officially demobilized and embraced by their friends and family members.

Fair theme also chosen at the fair board volunteer potluck on April 18

The Harney County Fair Board announced on Sunday that long-time Harney County resident Larry Carlon will be honored as the 2010 Fair Grand Marshal.

Carlon’s selection was announced at the fair board volunteer potluck.  The following biography was included in his appointment announcement:

He was born at Paisley in Lake County on Dec. 12, 1934, to Austa and Homer Carlon, joining sisters, Doris and Betty. The family spent winters at Summer Lake in Lake County, and summers at Wagontire in Harney County. In 1942, they purchased the Davey Jones Ranch at Silver Creek and became full-time Harney County residents.

Carlon attended grade school at Summer Lake, Burns and Suntex, and high school in Burns, followed by a year at Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls.

In his late teens, Carlon started riding saddle bronc horses at the amateur level, and in 1955, he joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association. After marrying and starting a family, he stopped riding, but often entered team roping events, mostly at the local level. He has always been a willing advisor to aspiring young bronc riders, as well as to young people wanting to improve their roping skills.

In 1956, Carlon and Wanda Morgan were married. They have three sons — Bill, Mike and Terry — and three grandchildren — Courtney, Beau and Brandi. In the late 1950s and the1960s they ranched at Little Valley, then at Beulah, both in Malheur County. They sold out and moved to Crane in 1971, where Carlon managed the Circle Bar Ranch for Curly Emerson for nine years until it sold in 1980. During those years they purchased the Ted and Mildred Graves Ranch, southeast of Burns, leasing out the feed for a number of years. After the Circle Bar sold, they moved to Denio, where Carlon managed the Alder Creek Ranch for five years. They moved back to their ranch at Burns in 1986.

The Carlons have always supported the Harney County Fair. When their boys started in 4-H, they were living at Beulah in Malheur County but requested and were granted permission for them to participate in the Harney County Fair with their livestock projects, “this was home.” Carlon participated in the Harney County Reined Stockhorse Futurity in its early years.

After Elden Catterson died in 1973, Carlon and Howard Otley were instrumental in establishing the Elden Catterson Memorial Roping. It grew into a large and popular event. In 1989, it was retired and the event was taken over by the fair board to run as the High Desert Team Roping.

In 1977, Carlon was appointed as a Harney County Fair Association member and served through 1980, when he moved to Denio. During those four years he was co-chairman of the rodeo committee. He continued helping with the rodeo for several years.
Congratulations  to Carlon for deservedly being honored as this year’s grand marshal.

In addition to the grand marshal announcement made at the volunteer dinner, participants had the opportunity to vote on the theme for the 2010 Harney County Fair. Out of seven choices, two themes received an equal number of votes. Carlon was asked to make the final choice of the two, and “Homegrown, Handmade and Ranch Fresh,” was officially selected as the theme.

Council appoints committee members to examine how position should be filled

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

With the resignation of Bill Guindon as Burns Fire Chief, the Burns City Council agreed to establish a committee to discuss the position and how it should be filled.

City Manager Don Munkers told the council at their meeting on Wednesday, April 14, that Stuart Yekel had agreed to serve as the interim chief, and he read off a list of people who had been proposed to serve on the committee. They included Kenton Dick of the Burns Paiute Tribe, Phil Kessinger with the Rural Fire District, John Petty, Jeff Rose and Robert Beers of the Burns Fire Department, Hines Fire Chief Bob Spence, Burns resident Vianney Hartvisen and Councilor Craig LaFollette.

Munkers said the committee would help to decide if the position should be full-time or part-time, review candidates for the job and help make a decision before the new budget is finished.

Later in the meeting, the council voted to go with the people recommended to form the committee and work to fill the fire chief position.

During his city manager’s report, Munkers said the Public Works crew reset a pole and repaired the back stop at the ball park on Foley drive. He added that they were looking into the cost of having the field re-sodded.

The council received two donation requests at the meeting, one for the “Diamonds in a Glass” fund raiser for the Kids Club of Harney County, and the other from the Burns High School Class of 2010 for their all-night senior party.

City Clerk Dauna Wensenk reported the city had $156 left in the budget for such requests.

After some discussion, the council agreed to table the requests so they could determine if there was any money in other departments that could be donated to the events.

When it came time for citizens concerns, Mayor Len Vohs told those in attendance that on advice from legal counsel, there would be no discussion on airport issues.

Vohs explained to the council that he was a voting member of the South East Area Commissions on Transportation (SEACT), and to avoid any perception of conflict of interest, he was excusing himself as a member of the city’s airport committee. He asked if any councilor had interest in chairing the committee to let him know. Vohs added that as part of the standard practice of rotating committees, LaFollette would take over as chair of the Public Safety committee.

Veterans Services Officer Guy McKay was in attendance to let the council know there would be a “welcome home” celebration for the local National Guard troops on Sunday, April 18, at Burns High School. The troops were scheduled to arrive sometime between 5 and 6 p.m. and invited the council to attend.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, at city hall.

Burns continues league play at Grant Union this Friday

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

The Burns Hilander baseball team got its Eastern Oregon League (EOL) season off to a good start by sweeping the Riverside Pirates 19-0 and 15-1 on Friday, April 16, at Corbett Memorial Field.

The Hilanders had a great day at the plate, collecting 17 hits in the opener and adding another 14 in the second game.

In the first game, Burns pretty much broke the game open in the first inning when they scored five runs. They then put another eight on the board in the second inning, and all but sealed the victory with six in the third.

Caleb Feist led the Hilanders’ offense, getting four hits, including a double and triple, scoring three runs and knocking in two runs.

Nolan Stampke had three hits, including a triple, three runs scored and four RBIs; Tyler Cooper added two hits, three runs and three RBIs; Casey Heinz two hits, two runs and three RBIs; Zach Adams singled and doubled, and had two RBIs; Chance Peasley two hits, including a double, two runs scored and two RBIs; Casey Thein and George Swartzlender each singled and scored twice.

Zach Dobson (3-2) pitched the shutout, giving up just four hits with five strike outs over five innings.

“We did a great job of jumping out to a big lead,” Burns coach Kevin Feist said. “ We played very good baseball. Zach pitched a great game, our defense was solid and our hitters did a great job throughout our lineup.”

In the second game, the Pirates got the early lead when they scored a run off Burns’ starting pitcher George Swartzlender.
It was a short-lived lead however, as the Hilanders came back with two runs in their half of the inning.

Burns tacked on another four in the second inning, and then put the game away with seven runs in the third.

Stampke and Cooper each collected four hits and four RBIs to lead the Hilanders to the win. Feist doubled, scored three runs and had one RBI; Thein finished with one hit, three runs scored and one RBI; G. Swartzlender one hit, one run and two RBIs; Dobson one hit and two runs; AJ Swartzlender one hit, two runs and one RBI; and Austin Piper one hit and one run scored.

G. Swartzlender (4-2) gave up just the one earned run on three hits with six strike outs in five innings of work.

“Again, we did a great job of getting out to a big lead, and played great baseball in the second game,” Coach Feist said. “And George pitched a great game.”

The Hilanders are now 9-7 on the season and 2-0 in EOL play. In other EOL action Nyssa swept Umatilla, and Grant Union split their doubleheader with Vale.

Burns travels to John Day on Friday, April 23, for a 1 p.m. doubleheader with Grant Union.

•••
The Burns baseball team is tied for eighth in the latest 3A poll, voted on by coaches. First place votes are in parentheses.
1. Santiam Christian (4) 47
2. Vale (1) 46
3. Grant Union 36
4. Willamina 28
5. Bandon 27
6. Rogue River 24
7. Warrenton 22
T8. Burns 14
T8. Dayton 14
10. Valley Catholic 8
Also receiving votes:  Clatskanie 4; Horizon Christian 4; Jefferson 1

Fermin Iturbide died on April 15 after a nine-month battle with cancer.

Iturbide was born on Aug. 15, 1941, to Juan and Angela Iturbide in the Basque Country of France and Spain. He was the oldest of seven children.

Iturbide came to the United States in the early 1960s as a shepherd for Roaring Springs Ranch, then known as Allied Ranches. He spent several years in Harney County, where he made many treasured, lifelong friends. Iturbide met and married Linda Byassee with whom he fathered his two children, John and Angela.

While in Harney County Iturbide held many diverse jobs. He worked at Edward Hines Mill, he was a baker, a farmer/rancher and he learned the art of auto body repair, a trade he was very gifted at and made his living with until the time of his illness.

Iturbide lived many places around the world throughout his life, finally settling in Bethel, Alaska.  He enjoyed outdoor activities and loved Alaska for its rugged frontier lifestyle.  He had the opportunity to kill a record-size moose while there, which was one of his favorite Alaskan tales.

During his time in Bethel, Iturbide met and married his wife, Ulye, who was at his side until his death.

Iturbide lived his life on his own terms. Wherever he settled he met good people and made great friends. He worked hard and surrounded himself with those friends who he could share a drink and a story with after a full and productive day.  His laugh was infectious and could be heard often when he was with his loved ones. He had a great sense of humor and was not above pulling a leg if he thought he could get away with it.

Iturbide was proud of his heritage, of being Basque, and he instilled that pride in his children by sharing stories of family and the old country.

Iturbide is survived by his wife, Ulye of Anchorage, Alaska; brothers, Manuel and Jackie;  sisters, Isabelle, Maite, Mercedes and Mari Michelle; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his son, John Iturbide and wife Leslie of Union, and daughter, Angela Witzel of Crane; grandchildren, Amanda Cathy, Jordyn Baze, Shane Iturbide, Bradley Iturbide, Joseph Witzel, Nicholas Witzel and Matthew Witzel; and great-granddaughter, Alexis Cathy.

Iturbide will be laid to rest in Anchorage, Alaska, where he spent his final days.