Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2012)
S IX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 8, 2012 STROKE WEB CAMS -Continuedfrom PACE ONE gists are not easy to come by," added MCHD CEO Michael Blauer. When board mem ber David Bums questioned whether it would increase MCHD’s liability, board member Leann Rea replied, “No, David, it’s decreasing our liability,” because pa tients w ould get the experts’ opinions without leaving I leppner. Also at the meet ing. Blauer presented the MCI ID Board a blueprint of the proposed Irrigon Medi cal Clinic remodel. The proposed clin ic remodel would include funding for roof repair, add a family exam room, and provide more office space, additional storage, a staff lounge and a patio to the existing clinic, and would also provide more privacy for patients. The remodel is expected to cost the district around $200,000, which, according to M ahoney, would probably be funded through grants and a flex- lease loan and would not require the district to apply to the USDA for a loan, which is a better fit for big ger projects. She said that the district paid off one flex lease loan in January and is expecting to have another loan paid off prior to the remodeling project. In other business, the board: -approved donat ing a 1989 Ford pickup to the Irrigon Fire District. Blauer said that the district has not been using the ve hicle and does not need it, whereas the IFD has been maintaining it. - le a r n e d fro m Blauer that he has received a very positive response to the Community Health Improvement Partnership, sponsored by the district, which is promoting healthy lifestyles. -learned that the district has received quotes for replacing the fire sprin klers at PMH in the neigh borhood of around $35,000. Mahoney said that the dis trict should be okay with out borrowing to fund the update, which was man dated by the Oregon Fire Marshal. -learned that the federally-m andated sw i tchover to electronic medi cal records was not without its glitches. Despite some computer problems, Blauer complemented the staff for their hard work in facilitat ing the change. “They really did a good job,” he said. -heard an update from Mahoney on the dis trict’s contribution to the employees’ union and non union retirement plans. If the district makes in excess o f a certain amount, the contribution will go up to six percent. The con tribution varies between four and six percent and is capped at six. Mahoney said that the amount was so close, an anticipated Medi care settlement would put the district over the amount. The board approved mov ing ahead with six percent on good faith. -learned that Ray M ichael, the ow ner o f Boardman Pharmacy, has closed the pharmacy there, which will leave Board- man without a pharmacy. Michael sold the pharmacy to Safeway. -heard an update from Blauer on the move toward coordinated care. In theory, coordinated care would manage patient care in hopes of reducing costs by providing a set dollar amount for each Medicaid patient. The health care dol lar would then be divided between various agencies, such as clinics, hospitals, dental and mental health facilities. Issues of concern are the patients who use the emergency room as a doc to r’s office, which drives up costs, and those who go to the ER or doctor’s office for every little complaint because it doesn’t cost them anything. One possible solution discussed was the hiring of a care coordina tor. -received the fol lowing December financial report: the district received $575,827 in gross patient revenue, $106,020 in rev enue deductions, $102,894 in taxes and $7,252 in oth er operating revenue for $579,953 in total operating revenue, $707,922 in total operating expenses and $23,937 for a non-operating gain for a $ 104,031 loss for the month, a $ 127,518 year- to-date gain and an average monthly year-to-date gain of $21,253. -received the fol low ing report: P ioneer Memorial Clinic had 439 patient visits for the month with 34 new patients, 36 seen by a nurse and 17 no-shows; Irrigon Medical Clinic had 162 patient visits for the month with 21 new patients, 46 seen by a nurse and 18 no-shows; Heppner Ambulance had 17 page outs with 15 transports for $20,277 in revenue. Board- man Ambulance had 31 page-outs with 13 transports for $16,852 in revenue; Ir rigon Ambulance had 27 page-outs with 20 trans ports for $24,042 in rev enue; there was one flight; Pioneer Memorial Hospital had two admissions, two swing bed admissions, six admitted for observation, 494 total outpatients, 66 emergency room encoun ters, 1,498 lab tests, 113 x-ray procedures, 22 CT scans, 22 EKG tests, five colonoscopy procedures, two endoscopy procedures, 75 respiratory therapy pro cedures; Home Health had 86 patient visits; Hospice had four admissions and pharmacy had 901 drug doses for $60,061 in drug revenue. i An architect's draw ing of the proposed Irrigon Clinic remodeling project. 'A rural' counties and passed by the urban counties in Oregon. He said in the end equalization o f taxes has turned out to be beneficial to rural counties, with five of the most urban counties in Oregon, including Mult nomah and C lackam as, paying more income taxes into the state government than they receive back in benefits. He said the rest of the 31, mostly rural coun ties in Oregon, take more money out from the state than they pay in. In o th e r advice concerning future economic development possibilities for this area, Sorte rec ommended that Heppner “distinguish itself’ in some way, possibly by investing more in education. “Distinguish your self by getting a reputation for good education in your to c k ...th r o u g h o u t the month of January, fifth and sixth graders at Heppner Elementary spent 130,013 minutes reading during the annual program called Time Out for Reading. Students received prizes and rewards for their individual reading times and also worked in teams to attain the highest average. In addition to the reading contest, there was also a bookmark contest, a logo design competition and a trivia contest. So phie Grant was winner of the bookmark contest and Tarin Troxell won the logo competition. Cason Mitch ell and Cara Arbogast were co-winners o f the trivia contest. On Thursday, Janu ary 26, students were invit ed to attend an after-school reading party, with the fifth graders going home at 9 p.m. and the sixth graders staying overnight. Students from Heppner High who at tended the party and stayed the night were: Cidney Coster, Tayllor Gould, La rissa Gray, Zech Hintz, Tate Gentry, Drew Brannon and Garrett Robinson. Sophie Grant was the top reader with 7,157 m inutes. R ounding out the top ten were: Kacie Gray, Mitchell VonGunten, Nichole Shaw, Jacee Cur- area. Your only advantage is creativity, Sorte said. He said the town had the basic services such as churches, restaurants, bars, schools and a gas station, and that it only needed to build on that to achieve more econom ic developm ent. He said America does not do much m anufacturing anymore but is good at marking, distribution and development. The Willow Creek Valley Economic Develop- ment Group (WCVEDG) wjn hold their annual lun- cheon Thursday, February 16from 11:30a.m.to 1 p.m. during the regular Heppner C ham ber o f Com m erce lunch meeting, Guest speak- The American Legion Auxiliary will hold a Val entine's potluck on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the basement of the Heppner United Methodist Church. A meeting of the auxiliary will follow the potluck. Also, the auxiliary would like to remind inter ested parties that Girls State applications are due to the auxiliary by Feb. 10. Willow Creek Tea Party Patriots are organizing a bus trip to Salem during the legislative session this month. Tlie bus will leave Heppner at 7 a.m. on Feb. 21 and return on Feb. 22. The agenda items during the bus trip will include Columbia River water resources and the wolf impact in Oregon. In Salem, the group will meet with Rep. Greg Smith and Rep. Dennis Richardson. Sen. David Nelson and Sen. Doug Whitsett, and the Americans for Prosperity group. The Tea Party Patriots will also attend the legisla tive session during most important budgetary issues. If interested, call Dick Sargent at 541-676- 9621. 1 i J rrzs WWW L - y X jC " \ L. L 1 i — ^ • Call the Heppner Gazette Today! W e ca n he lp w ith w e b site - , se t-u p. d e sign a n d m aintenance. < S 4 I) 6 7 6 -9 2 2 8 d a vld O ra p ld se rv e .n e t merge his pharmacy clients’ prescription files with the Hermiston Safeway Phar macy at 990 Highway 395 South in Hermiston. The transition took effect the morning of Feb. 2. Boardm an Pharmacy phone line, 541-481-9474, will be transferred directly to Safeway Pharmacy for client convenience. M i chael will be joining the professional staff at Safe way Pharmacy temporarily to oversee transition of cli ent prescriptions. Boardman H ard ware and related depart ments will remain open. As a reminder, services include UPS and Fed Ex services, fax and copier services, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife hunting and fishing licenses, and Or egon Liquor Agency. The full-line hardware offers small appliances, sporting goods, plumbing, electrical and paint supplies. Region al gifts, toys, cosmetics, beauty products, baby items Ray Michael -Photo by Jane Pope and over-the-counter vita mins, pain relievers, cough and cold remedies will still be available. Business hours for Boardman Hardware are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are closed Sundays. Board- man Hardware is easy to locate, north of Interstate 84, just one block west of North Main Street, next to the Boardman Post Office on NW I“. Street. The new phone number is 541-481- 7351. Willow Creek Economic Tea Party group plans bus trip G E T Y O U R B U S I N E S S O N L IN E ........ rin, Zavier Glover, Kevin Becca Waddell and Tarin Sm ith, H unter N ichols, Troxell. Group to hold annual meeting Auxiliary to hold potluck r — Top: Top Reader Sophie G rant and teacher Jannie Allen. Bottom: Top Ten readers (top of stairs down): Zavier Glover, Nichole Shaw, Becca Waddell, Kevin Smith, Hunter Nichols, Jacee Currin, Mitchell VonGunten, Tarin Troxell, Sophie Grant and Kacie Gray. -Contributedphotos Changes underway in Boardman pharmacy After 48 years as a practicing pharmacist, Ray M ichael, registered pharmacist and owner of Boardman Pharmacy and Hardware, is beginning his retirement process. M ichael g ra d u ated from the OSU Col lege of Pharmacy in 1964 and began his career in Gresham, OR. After a year in Gresham, Michael was employed in Portland for 13 years with Pay and Save Pharmacies. He opened his own business, Boardman Pharmacy, in 1978. “ It has been an honor and privilege to have served Colum bia River communities for the past \ 33years,” Michael says. After 48 years of pharmacy practice, though, he says, “it is time to cut back.” He also says he is grateful for the faith, trust and loyalty his clients have placed in him. It is with regret on one hand and excitem ent on the other that he announces he will ECONOMIST -Continuedfrom PAGE ONE Time Out for Reading sets all- time record Tick, tock, tick, ers Patricia Pilz, Andrew O ’Connell and others will speak about the education needs and opportunities for wind farm job oppor- tunities. This will be a lunch hosted by WCVEDG. Alvin Liu of Cornerstone Gallery will be catering the meal and will be serving roast stuffed pork tenderloin with mango demi-glace; wild rice pilaf; dinner rolls; green salad with pear and candied walnuts and a des- sert. RSVP to the Heppner Chamber or Marcia Kemp. HHS announces students of the month Heppner High School announces the students of the month for January. (L-R): Janke Mnnkers, CJ Kindle, Paige Grieh, Lilly Sandford, Joslynn Troxell and Zech Hintz. The character trait for January was responsibility. -Contributedphoto
