Mustang softball
swings for state champ
double-header
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
Members of the Mustang softball team, 2013 Special District 5 champions. The girls begin
their run for the state title Wednesday in Heppner. -Photo by Sandv Matthews
-See full story PAGE EIGHT
Enterprise Zone to
develop list of charities
New businesses will be encouraged to give
VOL. 132
NO . 22
12 Pages
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Indian memorial
initiative withdrawn
Heppner citizen David
DeMayo has withdrawn his
request to have a citizens’
initiative placed on the
ballot for approval to have
a Native American memo
rial placed in Heritage Plaza
park in Heppner.
DeMayo said he had
consulted with an attorney
and was advised that the
request was an “administra
tive” request and therefore
not valid under Oregon
law. Initiatives may only
deal with “legislative” deci
sions, the law says.
C ity M anager Kim
Cutsforth had come to the
same conclusion last week.
and therefore had denied
DeMayo’s request to put the
matter before voters.
DeMayo said he was
not sure if he would pursue
the matter further.
“I am going to fall back
and regroup,” he told the
Gazette.
By David Sykes
New businesses locat
ing in the recently formed
Columbia River Enterprise
Zone (CREZ) will be pro
vided with a list o f local
charitable organizations
to which they can donate
money, and earn credit on
fees paid to the Zone, the
board of directors decided
at a meeting Monday.
U n d e r n e g o tia te d
agreements between the
CREZ and new businesses
locating at the Port of Mor
row, fees are paid instead
of property taxes. As part
of these agreements, busi
nesses sometimes choose to
donate money to charitable
organizations to become
more involved with the
local community. Under
these agreem ents those
payments, or “buy backs”
can be deducted from their
negotiated fees owed to
CREZ.
M onday, the CREZ
board of directors discussed
ways to get more local
organizations involved in
receiving those donations,
and help new businesses
make choices on where to
give their donations. Most
businesses want to give
money to groups organized
as nonprofits, which allows
them to claim those dona
tions on taxes.
As part o f the effort,
CREZ agreed to reach out
and develop a list of county
wide charitable organiza
tions that would be sug
gested to new businesses
locating here as possible
-See ENTERPRISE ZONE/
PAGE FIVE
%
Car ends up in
Willow Creek
A vehicle ended up in
Willow Creek after strik
ing a travel trailer on Gale
Street in Heppner around 11
a.m. Monday.
According to Morrow
County Sheriffs Sergeant
Randy Rayburn, the ac
cident was caused by a
medical problem. He said
the driver of the vehicle, an
“elderly gentleman,” said
he blacked out.
Rayburn said the ve
hicle struck the trailer, trav
eled down Gale Street, near
Water Street, and luckily
missed a power pole before
landing in the creek.
The driver of the ve
hicle was transported to
Pioneer Memorial Hospital
in Heppner.
Health district under new
leadership
By Andrea Di Salvo
The Morrow County
Health District has a new
leader at the helm.
D a n ie l G rig g , 48,
stepped into his role as
M CHD A d m in istra to r/
C hief Executive Officer
last Wednesday, May 15.
He comes here from Salem
Hospital in Salem, OR,
where he spent the last eight
years.
While not a native of
Eastern Oregon, Grigg has
area roots that go to child
hood and beyond. Bom in
Boise, ID, his family lived
there through part o f his
grade-school years before
moving to O ntario, OR
and then Springfield, OR.
When he was in fifth grade,
they moved to Green River,
WY, where he lived until he
graduated from high school
in 1982.
After high school, he
worked in construction for
a year before going on a
Church of Latter Day Saints
mission trip to Spain. He
lived in Spain for a couple
of years before returning to
the U.S. to attend Brigham
Young University (BYU)
in Utah. He graduated from
there in 1989 with a Bache
lor of Sc ience degree in hu
man resource management.
From there, he pursued a up at St. Agnes, a 320-
graduate degree at Arizona bed hospital in Fresno,
State University,
CA. When his fel
receiving a Master
lowship ended, St.
of Health Services
Agnes hired him as
Administration
quality director. He
in 1991. While in
remained there, in
A rizona, he also
one capacity or an
met and married his
other, for 14 years.
wife, Andrea.
He was then hired
Daniel Grigg,
After receiving new M CHD by Salem Hospital,
his master’s degree, A d m in istra- where he remained
for the next eight
he was offered a tor/CEO
years, first working
one-year fellow
as quality director
ship by Holy Cross
Health System. Though for six years and then with
the Catholic health system Willamette Health Partners
was based in Indiana, it directing and managing
had hospitals all over the
-See NEW MCHD CEO/
country, and Grigg ended
PAGE FOUR
County court declares water
emergency at fairgrounds
Local girls to play
basketball for Mt. Hood
Last week, the Morrow
County Court declared an
Emergency Utility Situa
tion at the Morrow County
Fairgrounds. The declara
tion was thought to be in
the best interests of public
safety after it was deter
mined that the aging water
system at the fairgrounds
was leaking large amounts
of water. The county court
concluded that, due to the
excessive amount of water
running through the meter
and the resulting cost of
this water, it was impera
Alana Wilson of Heppner (left) and Shadow Kendrick of lone tive to correct the issue
confer with each other as they sign letters of intent last Friday immediately.
to attend Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, OR. The
girls will each receive financial assistance in exchange for play
ing basketball for the MHCC Saints. -Photo by April Sykes
-See FAIRGROUNDS WA-
TER/PAGE NINE
G-T closed Memorial Day
The Heppner Ga- 27 for the holiday. All news The newspaper office will
zette-Times office will be and ad deadlines will be reopen on Tuesday, May
closed Memorial Day, May Friday, May 24, by 5 p.m. 28.
ONLY
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
#091314
CRC Brakleen Chlorinated
Brake Parts
Cleaner
Morrow
Grain Growers
\Lexmçjtor^89j8221^2^22id2LI2ÎLJ!iîiïïïï!!ï2ÜïiZiI!tiI2iIÏL!!!ÎÎIJ!i
I