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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 2008)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 23,2008 Heppner based organization asked to take run Grant County mental health agency Editor’s Note: The following story ran in the July 16, 2008 edition o f the Blue Mountain Eagle and was written by Scotta Cal- lister. Grant County is ask ing Heppner-based organiza tion to operate the county’s mental health, counseling and d isa b ilitie s services department. The County Court last week gave County Judge Mark Webb the go-ahead to pursue an agreement with the Community Counseling Solutions (CCS), formerly Morrow-Wheeler Behavior al Health, to provide “stop gap” services as details for a longer-term arrangement are worked out. The court wants the non-profit to step in to man age the Grant County Center for Human Development as it copes with staff changes and other challenges. Webb said the Coun ty Court will still be the mental health authority for the county, but that the new arrangement would put di rect management and ser vices “in more appropriate hands” than those o f the County Court. Combining the ad ministration of mental health programs is becoming more common as counties grap ple with tight budgets, and the state encourages such consolidation for cost ef ficiency, Webb said. G rant C ounty has been considering other w ays to operate its mental health and counseling department for about a year. Adding urgency to the move are some key staff vacancies as the county begins a new fiscal year. D irector Bill Har rin g to n ’s tenure with the GCCHD ended at the end of June, after the court decided not to renew a waiver for his position because he did not hold the master's degree required for the job. Har rington had been providing crisis counseling and other services for the Center under a waiver from the state. The Center also has lost another counselor, Max ine Day, who left to become the Grant County Extension 4-H agent. CCS is one of three agencies the County Court has looked to as possible m anagers o f the m ental health and substance abuse department. The Court has been talking informally with CCS for about a year. Other agen cies considered as possibili ties for management roles were the mental health pro grams in Harney County and Wallowa County. Each has a success ful program, noted Webb, and could handle interim management of Grant Coun ty ’s program. However, commis sioners weren’t certain that Harney or Wallowa would take on the C enter long term. Webb and the com missioners also cited con cerns about the distance from Wallowa County, and the fact that Harney already is looking at adding Lake C o u n ty ’s program to its responsibilities. “To my mind, CCS is the best option,” Webb said. The goal, em pha sized Commissioner Boyd Britton, is better service for the citizens. Webb said he e x pects CCS to use both its director, Kimberly Lindsay, and an on-site manager to run the GCCHD. He said CCS has been clear that no county jobs would be lost in the transition, although some responsibilities may be re shuffled. He said his under standing from talks with CCS is “they don’t let peo ple go.” C enter em ployees likely would become em ployees o f CCS under a long-term c o n tra ct. The county already is hiring to fill vacancies at the Center, and Webb said he expects CCS to be involved in that process. The Court said they appreciated Lindsay and CCS for their commitment to helping a Grant County explores its alternatives for mental health services. Opportunity Online Grants help public libraries improve quality of free computer access The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced today $8.1 million in grants to help public libraries in 11 states improve and sustain free, quality access to com puters. These Opportunity Online grants specifically will help upgrade computer hardware in public libraries serving communities with high concentrations o f pov erty that are at risk of having outdated technology. Millions o f Ameri cans use computers at their public libraries to improve their education, find eco nomic opportunities, access e-govemment services, and contribute to their communi ties. Unfortunately, many li braries do not have adequate funding to maintain qual ity technology serv ices and meet community demand. This is the second o f three rounds o f Oppor tunity Online grants. More than 800 library branches in Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hamp shire, New Jersey, N orth C arolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Wash ington state are eligible in SS® tnr®w (£@oooDûÿ this round. Libraries must p ro v id e local m atch in g funds to receive the grants. The required local commit ment nationwide is expected to total $4.1 million. Opportunity Online grants are designed to help public libraries like the Es sex Public Library secure sustained local funding for c o m p u te r re p la c e m e n ts and upgrades. Because 80 percent o f public library funding comes from local sources, the grants require p articipatin g libraries to secure a local match, pref erably in the form o f a local government commitment, to demonstrate they can sustain investments in technology into the future. Librarians participating in the program are required to attend a pro fessional development con ference to help them build the skills and confidence they need to raise aw are ness about the value of their libraries and increase local support. Heppner Public Li brary is on the list o f eligi bility for Opportunity On line Hardware Grants. CUSTOM FULL COLOR \B A N N E R S Ì • H ig h Q u a lity 13 O z. G lo s s y V in y l B a n n e r M a te ria l A ll V in y l B a nn ers A re W a te rp ro o f • D o u b le H e m s O n A ll F o u r S id es R e a d y-To -H a n g G ro m m e ts P laced • P re m iu m D ig ita l P rin tin g Heppner Gazette-Times 188 West Willow • 676-9228 Intermediary organi zations will administer and manage the grants in each state. The round-two O p portunity Online grants were awarded to the following or ganizations: Bibliographical Center for Research (BCR), NELINET, PALINET, the Southeastern Library Net work (SOLINET), and the Library o f V irginia. The foundation, in partnership with its intermediaries, has contacted all libraries eli gible for the grants. To date, the foun dation has invested $325 million in grants and other support to install and sustain computers in libraries and train thousands o f library staff in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Opportunity Online hardware grants are expected to be the last grants given by the foundation to fund computer upgrades in U.S. public libraries with vulnerable technology, but the foundation continues to support libraries through investments in Internet con nectivity, research, training, and advocacy. Murray family wins July Yard of the Month John and Ann Murray By Kay Proctor John and Ann Mur ray received recognition from the Heppner Garden Club for July’s Yard o f the Month. The Murray’s family orientated home is located at 275 Rock Street, an ap propriate name for the steep, rocky residential neighbor hood. B lasting had to be done to pour foundations when Kinzua built the house in the 1970’s for their mill managers. The surrounding seven acres were originally left natural for low main tenance; trees were added along the drivew ay only. B eginning in 1988 when John and Ann purchased their hom e, the M urrays began adding terraces to increase usable, outdoor living space. To the south side of their home is a wooden deck with a view o f the city. Next to the deck, is a terraced play area with a lawn. John and ‘the boys’ have been the lawn mowers and weed- pullers over the years. The boys are John and A n n ’s sons; Luke, Sean, Ian and Kevin who have one sister, Laurie. A t the p ro p e rty ’s entrance, a basketball pad for the kids was added that needed high-sided walls to hold back the hillside. Also set up in this area are bow hunting targets. The w est sid e o f their yard has a sunny, ter raced area for John’s large v eg etab le gard en . G ood topsoil was brought in one loader bucket at a time due to lim ited access up the slope. While a fence keeps the family dogs, Bella and Penny, out o f the garden, a w alkw ay tak es hum an visitors to the plot filled with a variety o f vegetables, including ‘K err’s Pink’ and ‘Marris Piper’, which are, respectively, an Irish and a Scottish variety o f potatoes. John uses straw to mulch be tween rows holding in mois ture and lim iting w eeds. After the growing season, the straw is rototilled in to benefit the soil. This year for the first time, John started some of his own vegetable from seed including tomatoes and egg plants and hopes to someday have a sm all, perm anent greenhouse to continue to do so. In the vegetable gar den, a clever watering sys tem designed by John uses a mainline, poly-drip line and varying heights of risers zip-tied to moveable stakes. Sprinklers in the center are 360 degrees for complete coverage while sprinklers on the perimeter are 180 degree to prevent over spray. The entire system is removable when need be. That is only part o f the extensive drip line sys tem that John designed and installed to conserve water, yet enable the Murrays to surround their home with greenery. There are a total o f 12 stations and a few sprinkler heads are used, but most irrigation is out of the line ...the system uses over 2 ,0 0 0 ’ o f drip line. Each spring, an entire day is spent repairing and preparing the system for use. The d rip line has kept the num erous trees growing that John planted after using a pickaxe to break through rocks and backfilled with soil brought in. In addition to a tree row o f evergreens along a prop erty border, there are 25 fruit trees. Fruit produced is used for jams, drying or eaten fresh. A terraced bed grows strawberries. Blackberries are grown near their down town business, Murray Drugs, w here John and Ann are fulltime pharmacists. Future plans at home are to cover their deck with a canopy o f grapevines. Eventually, John would like to add a few more retaining walls. A nn’s favorite place in the yard is by the front door where a rocky slope was terraced and then plant ed with colorful perennials. She said her best gardening advice is to “ m arry a(n) (O SU ) M aster G ardener” like John is. Ann credits her husband with all the outdoor planning and states that she is “proud o f John” for all the work he does outside in addition to his responsi bilities at work, keeping up w ith their kids and activities in the community. She and John are both natives o f South Morrow County. John believes that gardening is “good for a p e rso n ” and en co u rag es others to garden; it’s easy to do and growing even small amounts is enjoyable. He hopes to see others enter their gardening results in the Morrow County Fair as a way to be involved. To help make gardening available to others, John is active with the local community garden that provides free plots to city residents. He also states that he was inspired by his older brother, Mark, who together with his wife has planted and maintained a showplace at their Prairie City home. John also credits Ida Farra, a member o f the Heppner Garden Club and friend to many, for her gardening sup port and serving as an inspi ration to him and others. With their dedica tion to family, home and community, in many ways John and Ann Murray are already inspiring others. Yard o f the Month recognition is co-sponsored by H ep p n er TV, M CGG G reen Feed, the C ity o f Heppner and the Heppner Garden Club. Articles wanted for annual fair edition The annual Morrow County Fair is fast approaching. Once again this year the Heppner Gazette-Times will be putting together a special fair edition. Anyone interested in writing any fair related articles are asked to turn in those articles by Friday, July 25. Articles can be dropped o f at the Heppner Gazette-Times or emailed to editor@rapid- serve.net. Marriages Morrow County Clerk Bobbi Childers has released the following re port o f m arriage licenses issued: -July 18: Ramon Je sus Guel, 23, Molalla, and Melissa Renae Arden, 21, Hermiston. Blood drive to be held at Sr. Center A Heppner community blood drive will be held Thursday, August 7, from l-6 p.m. at the St. Patrick’s Senior Center. To make an appointment to donate, call 800-787-9691. Senior Center Menu Christian Life Center church members will be serv ing lunch on Wednesday, July 30. The menu will include meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots, hot rolls and cake. BEO FINANCIAL SERVICES Russ Murfitt Financial Advisor * * * * * * IRA’s Life Insurance Long Term Care Pension Rollovers Retirement Planning Long Term Financial Needs Securities related products and services made available through BEO Financial Services are offered by Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., an independent registered broker-dealer, member FINRA, SIPC, not affiliated with Bank of Fastern Oregon, its affiliates, divisions, or subsidiaries. Advisory services offered through Pearson Financial (¿roup, a registered investment advisor. Not a Deposit of Bank of Fastern Oregon. Not FDI( Insured. Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency. Not Guaranteed by Bank of Fastern Oregon. May Go Down in Value. Home Office: 279 IN. Main St., Heppner, O R 97836 * 54I-676-9I27 em ail: rmurtitt a ro>ttlaa.com For an appointment in your area, call Bank of Fastern Oregon. Wedding Tables S h a r o n R o b in so n a n d R yan M iller Shower - July 2Ó, 2 0 0 8 Wedding - Aug. 2, 2 0 0 8 Joe a n d K a th le e n (G re en u p ) A lb itr e Wedding and Reception - Aug. 2, 2 0 0 8 Jill S o r e y a n d C o rey M iller Wedding - Oct. 18, 2 0 0 8 ^ MlU/UUJ’J DjttUJ 217 North Main • Happner • Phono 676-9158 • Floral 676-9426 Serving Heppner Lexington & lone
