Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 2011)
SIX - Heppner Gazette-Tim es, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 25,2011 MERKLEY TOWN HALL HEALTH DISTRICT -Continuedfrom PAGE ONE “There is a debate going on if the wind en ergy can operate at market values,” Merkley answered. “But wind power doesn’t come from the ground and put carbon into the air.” He did say the wind market is changing and that subsidizing wind energy “should be going down.” Another audience member said wind is not a good energy source because it cannot be stored. Merkley responded that there were prototype storage systems being developed. “ W hen you get hydro and wind surging at the same time, it is a prob lem,” he said. “Long term storage capacity is being looked at.” He said one meth od would be to pump water into reservoirs with the wind electricity, and anoth er method being worked on uses hydrogen, but Merkley admits that at this time “the economics are not there.” H eppner M ayor Les Paustian said the tim ber industry in Oregon is declining and asked what could be done about it. “The environmen talists have shut down the forests. What can be done to get that turned around?” Paustian asked. Merkley, who was endorsed by and gets high ratings from both envi ronmental groups the Si erra Club and Thousand Friends of Oregon, blamed the bursting of the housing bubble on Oregon’s decline -Continuedfrom PAGE ONE to each check. Four people, Blauer, Mahoney, Direc tor o f N ursing Services Molly Rhea and Mills will still be authorized to sign the checks. “ It will still give us all the checks and balances,” said Blauer. “I review ju st about every check that comes through.” Mahoney said that unau thorized checks could still go through the bank, but could be contested if the checks are not authorized. The board will take action at next month’s meeting. -reviewed and rec ommended changes to the district’s current board poli cies. It was advised that the district’s attorney review changes prior to acceptance by the board. A revised document will be presented at next month’s meeting for in timber related employ ment. “ We need to get the demand back up for housing,” Merkley said. He said biomass should be considered as a substitute for timber. He also said he would like to see those few timber sales that are occurring on Federal lands not be settled in the court system. “We need to bring the tim ber industry and environmentalists together to keep the sales out of the courts,” he said. In response to los ing jobs overseas, Merkley said the North American Free Trade A greem ent, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, has cost a “huge” amount of jobs in America. “If we don’t make things in America any more, we will not have a middle class,” Merkley said. He also said China is not abiding by fair trade agreements, which is costing American busi nesses. On the subject of Social Security, Merkley said the system is solvent and will remain funded at least for the next 25 years, and that Medicare is the bigger problem. He said the problem with the health care industry is there is not enough competition to hold prices down. In response to a member of the audience who said he was turning 66 and going on Social Security soon, and that cost of living increases (COLA) were not keeping up with expenses, M erkley said the COLA should be based on a “bas- The Heppner Jr/Sr high school wrestling team is collecting batteries for an ongoing team fundraiser. Auto, tractor. RV. and four wheeler batteries will be accepted. Please bring your batteries to the South end Transfer station free of charge located at 57185 Hwy 74, Lexington, OR. For further information or if you need batteries picked up, call Mark Lemmon at ket” of goods and services that are actually purchased by seniors, rather than the current method of using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. In d i s c u s s i n g America’s $ 14 trillion debt, Merkley blamed the prior administration of George Bush for creating the hous ing and banking crisis. He said President O bam a’s $800 billion stimulus was an attempt to “fill the hole in consumer spending.” M erkley also blamed the war in Afghani stan, on which he said the country is spending $100 billion per year, for con tributing to the national debt, and he asked who in audience thought we should get out of Afghanistan now. Almost all in the crown of 55 raised their hands. “I have been get ting feedback like this as I travel around the state,” Merkley said. He also said we have to be smarter about being drawn into these wars, but did not mention President Obama’s latest m ilitary involvem ent in Libya. Dick Sargent wanted to know when the government was going to do som ething about the many problems the country faces. “ When are you going to bring down the debt ceiling? What about the Environm ental Pro tection Agency rules and regulations that are costing thousands o f jobs? How about cutting back on en titlements? When are we going to find leadership on these problems and just say enough is enough?” Sargent asked. M erkley did not respond except to say that the banking industry had caused many of the prob lems in the country. further review. -received the fol lowing report for April: Pio neer Memorial Hospital had two admissions, two swing bed admissions, 15 admit ted for observation, two admitted for hospital re spite, 465 total outpatients, 84 total emergency room encounters, 1523 lab tests, 88 x-ray procedures, 28 CT scans, 24 EKG tests, two treadmill procedures, five colonoscopy procedures, two endoscopy procedures, 36 respiratory therapy pro cedures; Home Health had 81 patient visits; Hospice had four admissions; phar macy had 502 drug doses for $42,074 in drug revenue; Pioneer Memorial Clinic had 474 patient visits with 25 new patients, 40 seen by a nurse and six no-shows; Irrigon Medical Clinic had 167 patient visits with 20 new patients, 45 seen by a nurse and five no-shows; Heppner Ambulance had 16 total page-outs with 13 transports for $14,354 in revenue, Boardman Ambu lance had 19 page-outs with 10 transports for $10,653 in revenue, Irrigon Ambu lance had three page-outs with two transports for $1,928 in revenue; there was one flight. -received the fol lowing profit/loss report for April: the district showed $508,499 in gross patient revenue with $157,411 in revenue deductions, $94,733 in tax revenue and $4,049 in other operating revenue for $449,871 for the total operating rev enue, $572,929 in total operating expenses and a $ 11,099 non-operating gain for a $111,958 loss for the month. Ione 4-H Clothing Club news By Emily Rea The most recent lone 4-H clothing meeting was held May 15 at lone Community Church. The members started work on pajama bottoms or sweat pants, one of the biggest projects they have tackled this year. The participants learned how to use a pat tern and follow instructions, and most members were learning how to use sew ing machines. Best of all, everyone now has a new pair of pajama bottoms or sweatpants. The next meeting will be focus on cooking and will be held in the early Amanda and Emily Rea are busy working away on their new sweatpants. -Contributedphoto part of June. H a v e a N ew s story o r Photo for the G azette? E m ail to editor@rapidserve.net Ford Foundation unveils fairgrounds project Willow Creek Reservoir levels still high (541)215-9248. you footed After years and years Tom is finally getting out of school! Please join us as we help T om Shear celebrate his retirement! Drop in Anytime! Wednesday, June 8, 2011 4:00-8:00 pm Deacon and Erin Heideman’s 265 West 3rd Street lone, OR 97843 Hosted by lone Community School Staff Regrets only to Cathy at 541.422.7131 or cathv.mccabe@ione.k12.or.us I Bryce Fowler goes over the details of the proposed picnic shelter for the fairgrounds. -Photo by April Sykes According to Scott Clemans, Public Affairs Specialist with the Portland District of the Army Corps of Engineers, Wil low Creek Reservoir currently sits at 46% of its full storage capacity...about 14% above normal for this time of year. However, workers are currently releasing more water than the dam is taking in. The reservoir has an inflow of 220 cubic feet per second (cfs), compared to a release rate of 257 cfs. They started the extra drafting last week to prepare for future inflow from melting snowpack and mountain rains. After last week’s storm, the water crested at 14 feet above normal summer pool level, which is 7-1/2 feet above the previous maximum pool measured in 1995 but still 23 feet below the spillway. -Photo by David Sykes Earn While You Learn Program At Community Bank we recognize the Importance of education and would like to encourage our student- c istomers In their academic success.* Pays $1 for every "A" (or top grade) that our 1st through 12th grade students receive on their end- of-the-year report cards No minimum balance required to obtain bonus Reports cards are presented at the local Commu nity Bank branch during the months of lune or July of the same year of the dated report card Bonus will be deposited on the same business day that the report card is reviewed Account must be opened before bonus can be paid There is a $25 minimum opening balance required for the Youth Savings Account (IfllMCommunl BANK Local Money Working For Local People www communitybanknet com ‘ Pick up a brochure at your local branch for more Information Member FDIC By April Sykes The Ford Foundation Leadership program has unveiled a new local project that will benefit all of Mor row County. The project, revealed at a Ford Foundations Leadership workshop and luncheon at the fairgrounds in Heppner on Saturday, consists of a picnic shelter with con crete flooring to be installed at the fairgrounds. Officials stressed that the project is not only going to benefit the fairgrounds, but also everyone who comes to the fair. The Ford Foundation has committed to making a $5,000 donation for the project, with the remainder of the estimated $9,100 project to be raised within the com munity, including in-kind donations and volunteer labor. Construction on the new pavilion is expected to begin after fair this year. Fair will be held August 17-20. The group in attendance—which included aspir ing young leaders from county high schools, mayors, Mor row County Commissioners and other county officials, the Heppner High School principal, FFA advisors and business leaders—stressed the importance of all areas of the county working together for a common goal. “We are all Morrow County,” said Diane Wolfe, Boardman Chamber of Commerce executive director. Hunters Education Course to be held J u n e ^ '' ' 'Z ' \ 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Heppner High School Field day -June 18th at Lexington Gun Club Any person under 18 who wishes to hunt must pass this course in order to acquire a hunting license in the State of Oregon. Any person wishing to hunt out of state must also hold a valid Hunter Education Card. The course is being taught by Jim and Darlene Marquardt. To register for the d a s call Jim 11541-9694845 The fee for the course is $10 and is set by 0DFW Information about fie course can be viewed at ^ttp7/wwwdfw.state.(xus/(XJtdoor_skis/hunter/cx)urses/tndex.asp#N<ytheas^)/ > I
