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