Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2013)
Governor declares county in ‘drought emergency’ Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library University of Oregon Eugene. OR 97403 5<K HEPPNER azette imes VOL. 132 N O . 34 8 Pages Wednesday, August 21, 2013 The wheat crop was one area affected by low moisture and high temperatures this year. The dry conditions have made Morrow County one of several counties in Oregon to be declared in a state of drought emergency. -File photo Oregon governor John Kitzhaber last week signed an executive order declaring Morrow County in a “state of drought emergency” due to “drought and low water conditions.” In executive order 13-10, which Kitzhaber Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon signed last Wednesday, the governor said he found that “ ...ongoing drought and low water conditions and weather patterns have caused local adverse natural and economic disaster conditions in M orrow County. Projected climatic patterns are not expected to significantly alleviate these conditions and drought conditions will continue. These co n d itio n s are expected to have significant econom ic im pact, on M o rro w C o u n ty ’s agricultural, livestock, and It’s back to school Monday for Morrow County natural resources.” In the order, Kitzhaber added that current conditions are being addressed by state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Water Resources, and Oregon O ffice o f Em ergency Management. The directives in the governor’s order were as follows: “ 1. The O re g o n Department of Agriculture is directed to coordinate and provide assistance in seeking federal resources a v ailab le to m itig ate co n d itio n s and affect agricultural recovery in Morrow County. “2. The Department of Water Resources is directed to coordinate and provide assistance and regulation in Morrow County as it determines is necessary in accordance with ORS 536.700 to 536.784. “ 3. The O ffice of Emergency Management is directed to coordinate and assist as needed with assessment and mitigation activities to address current and projected conditions in Morrow County. “ 4. A l l other departments are directed to coordinate with the above agencies and to provide appropriate state resources as determined essential to assist affected political subdivisions in Morrow County.” Morrow County is one of several states for which Kitzhaber has declared drought states of emergency this year. Others include Klamath, Baker, Gilliam and Malheur. Lexington native returns to help steer Irrigon school Bv Andrea Di Salvo A Lexington native is back on—or at least near— her old stomping ground as assistant principal of Irrigon Jr./Sr. High School. Tina Joyce, 35, is the daughter of Gary and Marcia Kemp. She was bom and raised in the Lexington area, living much of her life in a house at North Lex. After graduating from Heppner High School in 1996, she attended Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree Students line up after leaving lunch at Heppner Elementary School. -File photo in multidisciplinary studies ' It’s time to go back Heppner High School and will all begin classes next in 2000. From there, she to s c h o o l; H e p p n e r lone Community School Monday, Aug. 26. took a job in Ontario, OR. E le m e n ta ry S c h o o l, working as eighth-grade instruction and assessment math teacher and Ontario in 2005. She then went on Middle School math coach to obtain a second master’s before being promoted to degree in 2010, this time Ontario School District in educational leadership, math coach. She was later from Northwest Nazarene made instructional coach University in Nampa, ID. and Dean of Students at She wasn’t on her own Ontario Middle School; all that time, though. She she also served as summer met her husband, Philip school principal Joyce, in college at there for three years. EOU. They were married in October While working, she was also busy of 2000. Philip also works in the north f u r th e r in g h er e d u c a tio n . She end, as a sixth-grade took classes from teacher at Windy River Elementary Walden University Tina Joyce in Boardman. Their in M in n e s o ta , graduating with a master’s -See IRRIGON ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL/PAGE SIX degree in curriculum Health advisory lifted for City council hears several reports at Aug. 12 meeting Willow Creek Reservoir A health advisory for Willow Creek Reservoir was lifted last week by the Oregon Health Authority. The advisory was issued June 18 because of high levels of blue-green algae in the lake. Water monitoring has confirmed the blue-green algae cells present in the lake are below health advisory guideline values for the cyanotoxins they can produce. Although a bloom is still present, the species of blue-green algae in the bloom does not produce toxins. Oregon health officials advise people who use Oregon water bodies for recreation to always be alert to signs of algae blooms. People and their pets should avoid contact if the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish red in color, or if a mat of algae is visible in the water. For local information. contact U.S. Army Corps o f E n g in ee rs’ W illow Creek Natural Resource M anagem ent office at 541-676-9009. For health information, contact the Harmful Algae Bloom S u rv eillan c e (H A BS) program at 971-673-0400. To find out if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body, visit www. healthoregon.org/hab call toll-free at 1-877-290-6767. County volunteers plan to build Boardman pavilion Morrow County participants of the Ford Institute Leadership Program have selected to build a pavilion on a popular Boardman beach. The Ford Leadership Program ’s is based on the belief that vital rural communi t i es develop from a broad base o f knowledgeable, skilled and motivated leaders. Morrow County’s cohort has more than 15 individuals from Boardman, Irrigon and Heppner. The Ford Leadership Program allows participants to select a project to benefit their community. In April, the group el ect ed to construct a pavilion and two shade pergolas in Boardman at Marker 40, a popular sandy beach located on the Columbia River in the Port of Morrow. The beach -See BOARDMAN PAVIL ION/PAGE TWO At the Aug. 12 meeting o f the H eppner C ity Council, Bret Moore of Anderson-Perry Associates. La Grande, presented an update on the Wastewater Facility Plan. Several years ago the council requested an update to the Wastewater Facilities Plan to evaluate the needs and existing condition of the city’s wastewater treatment facility. Grant funds were awarded from the Oregon Business Development Department (OBDD). The study has taken more time since the Oregon state rules have changed during r jy process. The plan has been submitted to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for review. DEQ is requesting a plan from the city for ammonia abatement on Willow Creek and has provided a limit on the amount of ammonia the city is allowed to dump in the creek, but now has informed Anderson-Perry that a new temperature lim it may be pending. DEQ is now attempting to determine how to provide a solid limit. DEQ is holding a meeting in La Grande to give clear information, and although it does not have all the answers, the final document will allow the city to plan ahead for the future of its waste treatment facility. The pumps at the lift station at the plant are the first items that need to be addressed once the plan is completed. In other business. Fire Chief Rusty Estes reported the following calls for the month of July: -O ne i n s t a n c e of securing the landing zone See HEPPNER CITY COUN- CIUPAGEFOUR NAPA Conventional M o to r Oil 5W30, 10W40, SAE 30, SAE 40, 10W30, 20W50, 5W20 on sate $2.69 ■ Cenerai states pricing Sale prices do not Include applicable state/local taxes or recycling fee M o rro w Lexington 989-9221 • 1-800-452-7396 Quart G r a in G r o w e r s t* t»m Mrw*itt» it m arai«
