HEPPNER
50¢
G T
Health district hires new
nurse practitioner
Dr. Anderson to leave in August
By April Sykes
cost of living increases. In especially critical now
The Morrow County lieu of medical and dental since PMC will be losing
Health District has hired a insurance coverage, the dis- Dr. Betsy Anderson in Au-
family nurse practitioner, trict will pay her a monthly gust. Dr. Hambleton has
Vicki Kent, FNP,
lump sum
been spending about
to provide patient
equal to the
seven days a month
care primarily at the
value of the
at Irrigon and about
Irrigon Clinic, but
current year
nine at PMC.
also at the proposed
premium for
Dr. Anderson
Ione Community
an employee
has given notice to
Clinic and Pioneer
and spouse.
take a position at
Dr. Betsy
Memorial Clinic Dr. Dan
T h e Anderson
La Grande and the
as needed, MCHD Hambleton
new hire
district has begun
CEO Dan Grigg has
will free Dr.
actively recruiting
announced. Kent
Dan Hambleton to work for another family medicine
will received an annual sal- more days at Pioneer Me- physician.
ary of $87,360 plus annual morial Clinic in Heppner,
“Dr. Anderson has
VOL. 134
NO. 13
8 Pages
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
worked for the health dis-
trict for the past seven years
and has done a tremendous
amount of good for our pa-
tients and our community.
She will be greatly missed,”
said Grigg.
Grigg also told
By Andrea Di Salvo
original route that we talked
the
board at its regular
A proposed transmis-
about it wouldn’t be that
Monday-night
meeting in
sion line from Morrow
bad,” says Ken Klinger
Heppner
that
the
Morrow
County to Idaho has local
of Ione, referring to talks
County
Court
has
accepted
landowners upset, but the
local farmers had with the
county says its hands are
company when the process MCHD’s offer to purchase
tied.
started several years ago. the Pioneer Annex building
“Where this really af-
“I’m afraid they’re not located above the clinic. He
fects us is they want to
going to do that. I think said that the district will
come right through our
they’re going to come out seek to finance the purchase
farm,” says John Luciani
here and say, ‘We did our through GEODC and the
of the project. Luciani’s
study and it’s gonna be to building will be available
Butter Creek farm lies right
our economic advantage in the fall of this year after
in the path of the proposed
to stay on this flat ground the new county building
construction is completed.
line both in Morrow and
and go.’”
Concerning the pro-
Umatilla counties.
“If they cut my fields in
posed
Ione-based clinic,
“The key damage to
half, it’s gonna impact me,”
Grigg
said
that the Oregon
me is the disruption to our
he adds.
Health
Authority,
which
land building it, and the
“Two years ago we got
certifies
school-based
roads torn through each
together and came up with
field where normally I grow
an alternate route and… health centers, has recently
wheat,” Luciani continues.
they made it seem that was visited Ione and offered to
“The way they have (the
what they would pursue but keep the project in the fund-
proposed line) run through While there are several alternate routes proposed for B2H, a current project map indicates that they didn’t,” says Luciani. ing cycle as long as they
our ground would be a huge the “preferred route” would run the line down Bombing Range Rd., then across country via “They didn’t have any in- are in the permanent site
and have the clinic certi-
construction disruption of secondary roads such as Alpine Lane and Wagon Trail Road, before crossing 207 near Butter tention of moving it.”
land to build the thing and Creek. The B2H line would then run across private land, running roughly parallel to Butter
Several landowners fied by Oct. 31. A proposed
then erosion…and break- Creek/Big Butter Creek Ln. and then Hwy. 74 before crossing Hwy. 395 north of Pilot Rock. spoke with the Gazette- temporary site may allow
ing up all my fields. And Idaho Power first identified draft Environment Impact of Lexington. “I don’t see Times and cited concerns the clinic to be opened by
that seems to be where they the need to pursue Pacific Statement (EIS). Released how it could be business as that range from conserva- June 30.
Grigg said that an ar-
Northwest transmission by the BLM in Decem- usual. It’ll change how we tion to farm operations to
want to go.”
chitect
has finalized the
Luciani isn’t the only upgrades in 2000. In Janu- ber, the draft EIS divides farm that ground.”
health concerns to preserv-
clinic
design.
“‘Arrogant’ just comes ing their view.
local landowner concerned ary of 2012, Idaho Power the project into six seg-
Ione has purchased a
about the possibility of signed an agreement with ments and analyzes three
building
for the clinic site
mammoth electrical lines the Bonneville Power Ad- route alternatives. Those
and
is
in
the
process of hir-
running over his property. ministration (BPA) and three, plus two more that
ing
a
project
manager and
The list looks like a who’s PacifiCorp “exploring joint Morrow County Planning
beginning
construction.
who of local farmers, many participation…on the B2H Director Carla McLane
In other business, the
of whom use words ranging Project as they evaluate op- says have been “requested
board:
from “concerned” to “dis- tions for meeting demand to be considered,” cover a
-learned from Grigg
gruntled” to “mad as hell.” throughout their service lot of ground and have a
that
MCHD has hired four
The project that has territories,” according to the lot of farmers on pins and
new
employees: Robin
needles over the futures of
them concerned, known as project website.
Warren,
RN, as the new
The B2H line would their farms.
the Boardman to Heming-
Home
Health
and Hospice
Idaho Power touts the
way Transmission Line run approximately 305
director;
Jamie
Pourier, RN;
Project (B2H Project), is a miles across five Eastern company’s commitment—
Nichole
Kahn,
Certified
proposal from Idaho Power Oregon counties, including and ability—to work with
Nursing
Assistant;
and Lisa
landowners to minimize
to build and operate a 500 Morrow County.
Spencer,
RN,
as
a
part-time
Idaho Power says that, the impact on agricultural
kilovolt transmission line
from a proposed substa- to cross public and pri- operations, but Morrow Idaho Power use photos like this to show how 500kV lines can Home Health nurse. Hiring
tion near Boardman to the vate lands in Idaho or Or- County landowners say work around Ag production to cause minimal impact but area a new Home Health and
Hospice Director will free
Hemingway Substation egon, the project must be they aren’t so sure about landowners aren’t so sure. –Photo courtesy of Idaho Power.
up Star Roth, recently hired
near Melba, ID, outside of evaluated and approved either the ability or the com-
by federal, state and local mitment.
to mind,’” adds Iver Chris-
Boise.
“It’s gonna change as both clinic supervisor
“It’s gonna change what tensen when speaking of your farming practices, and Home Health and Hos-
The project—or at least agencies. As one part of
the idea of the project— the B2H approval process, we do, no matter what,” Idaho Power. “These people and (there is) possible de- pice director, to concentrate
has been in the works for the Bureau of Land Man- says Shane Matheny, who don’t give a rip what we valuation of your land,” on managing the clinic.
“I think she (Warren)
more than a decade, since agement (BLM) created a works the family farm out think or say.”
says Corey Miller, who
will
do really well,” said
He and other Morrow works land north of Ione
Molly
Rhea, director of
County farmers say they that could be affected by
nursing
services.
don’t trust Idaho Power to one of the proposed line
Grigg
told the board
hold to their word, citing, routes. Miller, like others,
that
applications
have been
they say, examples of lying is concerned that the land
submitted
for
PMC
and
and trespassing through- he farms could be devalued
IMC
to
become
certified
as
out their dealings with the both in terms of usefulness
Northwestern Motel in to those propane tanks, the extinguished and smoke company.
Tier 3 Patient Centered Pri-
Heppner experienced some whole block would have cleared in about 20 minutes.
-See POWERS THAT BE/
-See HEALTH DISTRICT/
“If they stuck to the
excitement last week when gone,” said Miller’s wife, Estes then called the state
PAGE THREE
PAGE FOUR
a spark caused a potentially Marcie Miller, manager fire marshal and stayed on
disastrous fire in the motel’s of Cornerstone Gallery. hand until the fire marshal
laundry room.
“I saw my husband run- arrived to investigate the
Motel manager Joshua ning—he almost got hit by cause of the fire.
Miller said he was standing a car crossing the street—
Miller said the fire ap-
across the street from the and I’m just thinking, ‘Oh, parently started near a light
motel around 12:40 p.m. God.’
fixture. Estes said the fire
Heppner and Ione will fourth grade are invited. Easter egg hunt at Heppner
on Friday when he noticed
“I didn’t want any dam- marshal ruled that the fire
both hold their annual Eas- Many donations helped City Park, sponsored by
smoke in the air. At first, age to the business but I started from items stacked
ter egg hunts this Saturday, make the event possible; Elks Lodge.
he said, he was concerned also didn’t want to lose my on a shelf too near the light
April 4, at 10 a.m.
anyone still wishing to
Pictures with the Easter
that the smoke was from a husband,” she added.
bulb.
Ione’s annual Easter make a donation may do so Bunny will be at 9 a.m.,
passing truck; then the truck
Miller said he grabbed
Both men said the dam-
egg hunt will be held April at Bank of Eastern Oregon with the hunt starting by age
passed and he realized the a fire extinguisher and age was extensive; Miller
4 at 10 a.m. in Ione City in Ione.
group at 10 a.m.
smoke was coming from the reached through the laun- said the damage was “quite
Park. Children up to the
Also Saturday is the
area of the motel. When he dry room window to ex- a bit,” while Estes said the
ran across the street and to tinguish the blaze. He also fire “destroyed the room.
the motel, Miller said, he had another man working It was pretty hot in there,”
saw flames shooting out the with a garden hose to keep Estes added.
laundry room window.
the fire suppressed until the
“We lost everything in
PAF HD1000
PAF HD1000-55
“My main thing was Heppner fire department (the laundry room),” Miller
putting the fire out,” said arrived, which Miller said said, saying that the extent
1 gal.
55 gal.
Miller.
was within five minutes.
of financial damage would
PAF HD1001
PAF HD1000-330
He had a reason for his
Heppner Fire Chief be determined after a visit
urgency; under the laundry Rusty Estes said the fire- from an insurance agent on
2.5 gal.
330 gal.
room window sat several fighters hooked up an inch- Tuesday.
Morrow County Grain Growers
propane tanks.
and-a-half attack line and
No injuries were re-
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net
“If the fire had gotten had the fire completely ported.
azette
imes
County farmers upset with the powers that
be…or the powers that might be
Motel saved from fire by
manager’s quick action
The hunt is on when the Easter
bunny hops into town Saturday
PRESTONE COMMAND DIESEL
EXHAUST FLUID (DEF)
$4.29
$179
$9.99
$999