Fire hall taking shape
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 135
NO. 14 8 Pages
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Workers inspect the groundwork for Heppner’s new ire hall as construction progresses on
Riverside Ave. in Heppner. -Photo by David Sykes
Sheep dog trials ‘mom’ Health district CEO announces
receives plaques on
progress on clinic provider search
behalf of her daughter By April Sykes
nurse practitioner from with four more candidates. scheduling a visit with a
Back (L-R): Alita Nelson, Jessica Kempken, Kevin Murray.
Front (L-R): Kacie Gray, Kellie Nelson, Meredith Huwe,
Sheryll Bates. Not pictured: The Barnyarders members
Meranda Lemmon, Mikel Jaca, Joseph Sherman, Hunter Gree-
nup, Tim Gould, Roy Collins, Brian Lindsay. -Contributed photo
A sense of nostalgia
was present at this year’s
sheep dog trials as par-
ticipants and planners rec-
ognized the absence of a
familiar face.
Karen Mohney had
been coordinating the Wee
Bit o’ Ireland sheep dog
trials for the past several
years. She said she enjoyed
it, and having her own dog
in the competition made
it even more important to
keep the event going dur-
ing our local St. Patrick’s
Celebration. This was her
passion.
Last year, on Saturday
night, March 14, Karen
had a serious medical event
that eventually took her
life. Although everyone
stepped up to finish the
Morrow County Health
District CEO Bob Houser
said, at the MCHD monthly
meeting at the Port of Mor-
row in Boardman Monday
night, that after the latest
interviews he was optimis-
tic about inding a mid-level
provider for the district.
“Things are progress-
ing nicely,” he said.
He reported to the
board that interviews with
prospective mid-level pro-
viders were conducted on
March 17. A mid-level pro-
vider would be a nurse
practitioner or a physi-
cian’s assistant, rather than
an MD. He said that one
the Eugene area visited on
March 24 and a second can-
didate, from Virginia, who
was inishing up her physi-
cian’s assistant program,
would not be available for
an onsite interview until
mid-April. The third was
once a physician’s assistant
at Columbia River Health
Center in Boardman, but
that person was not willing
to relocate to Heppner from
Portland and instead pro-
posed commuting. Houser
said he was also trying to
set up a telephone interview
with a candidate formerly
from the Boise area and
plans to set up interviews
“Some very good can-
didates,” he added.
One issue is finding
enough housing for the
candidates in south Morrow
County.
He also spoke about the
possibility of moving two
staff to ofices downstairs
in the Pioneer Memorial
Clinic Building, after the
physical therapy depart-
ment moves to the county
annex building adjacent to
the clinic. He said that will
also leave room for a more
spacious meeting room
downstairs.
Houser said that he
was also in the process of
respiratory therapist inter-
ested in working part-time
at MCHD and assuming
other duties as well. He
added that Elizabeth Peter-
son has volunteered to be
the district’s new quality
improvement director.
He said that the district
is now advertising for a
business office employee
to replace Eva McMasters,
who has been accepted into
a radiology tech certiica-
tion program. That hiree
will also assume some of
Peterson’s duties.
Also at the meeting,
-See HEALTH DISTRICT/
PAGE THREE
Pursuit of an end to MS takes Heppner
woman to DC
By Andrea Di Salvo
tional Multiple Sclerosis
“It’s a place for MS cal Research Program. Mc-
When Merilee Mc- Society to attend a confer- activists to meet. There Dowell says the National
Dowell of Heppner was ence in Washington, DC were over 300 MS activists Multiple Sclerosis Society
diagnosed with Multiple this month. McDowell trav- there,” McDowell explains. invested about $54 million
Sclerosis, or MS, in 1977, eled to the nation’s capital “It’s to connect with other to MS research last year
-See SHEEP DOG TRIALS/ she knew her life would with four other Oregon people with MS and then alone, and often partners
PAGE FOUR change. She probably never women on March 13 to researchers and doctors, with the NIH on MS re-
expected that her journey attend the 2016 MS Public and learn about the issues search projects.
with the disease would take Policy Conference. The and different bills to be pre-
“Research is how we
her to Washington, DC to other attendees were MS sented to legislators for re- can stop MS in its tracks,
speak with the nation’s Oregon Chapter President search and other funding.” restore what has been lost
movers and shakers.
Lisa Roth, Oregon Chapter
Legislative concerns and end MS forever,” she
Yet that’s exactly what staffer Carol Choutka, and include National Institutes says.
happened when the local Pamila Hussie and Brie of Health (NIH) research
According to the MS
woman was invited by the Stoianoff, whose lives have funding and the MS Con-
-See MS ACTIVISM/PAGE
Oregon Chapter of the Na- both been affected by MS. gressionally Directed Medi-
PAGE EIGHT
in applying for funding
through this grant. Grant
requests will be accept-
ed from Monday, April 4,
through Friday, April 29.
A review and decision of
grants awarded will be
Oregon
The driver,
decided by the WCVEDG
State
Police
J a m e s W.
board and the winners com-
is
investigat-
Crow, 62, of
municated.
i
n
g
a
m
i
l
k
Kennewick,
To receive a grant
t
ank
er
that
WA , w a s
application form and an
overturned
on
trapped in the
eligibility and exclusions
I-84
in
Mor-
severely dam-
information sheet, contact
row
County
aged cab. The
Sheryll Bates at 541-676-
early
Monday
truck was also
5536 or email to heppner-
morning,
kill-
leaking diesel
chamber@centurytel.net.
ing
the
driver
fuel and milk.
Forms can also be picked
and
leaking
OSP trooper
up at Heppner, Ione and
a
s
i
g
n
i
f
i
-
John Juzeler
Lexington city hall ofices.
cant
amount
arrived on the
All completed grant
of
milk
into
scene shortly
applications will need to
nearby
water-
after and be-
be forwarded to Bates at
ways.
gan a crash
the chamber ofice. Grants
At
5:41
investigation.
can be emailed, mailed or
M
o
n
d
a
y
A f t e r
hand delivered, but must
m
o
r
n
i
n
g
,
a
b
o
ut two
This
milk
tanker
overturned
on
I-84
near
Boardman
Monday,
killing
the
driver
and
spilling
be received in the chamber
M
o
r
r
o
w
h
o
u
rs, the
thousands
of
gallons
of
milk
into
nearby
waterways.
-Photo
courtesy
of
Oregon
State
Police
ofice no later than Friday,
County
Sher-
B
o
a
rdman
April 29.
iff’s Ofice reported that it contents onto the interstate.
fire
crew
was
able
to re-
received multiple 911 calls
MCSO, Boardman Po-
move
the
driver
from
the
saying that a Milky Way lice Department and Board-
truck
cab.
Boardman
am-
semi-truck hauling milk man ire were the irst on
had overturned on Interstate the scene, arriving less bulance transported Crow
84 westbound near milepost than 10 minutes after the to Good Shepherd Medical
167, just east of Boardman. irst call. First responders Center in Hermiston. He
Callers reported that the determined the truck, which was subsequently trans-
truck, which apparently was hauling double tankers, ported by air ambulance to
-See TRUCK ACCIDENT/
carried around 20,000 gal- had rolled over on its side
PAGE THREE
lons of milk, was spilling its on the shoulder of the road.
Community, public
enhancements grant
funds available
Willow Creek Valley
Economic Development
Group (WCVEDG) has
received funds from the
Columbia River Economic
Zone (CREZ) Board to be
used for community and
public enhancement for
South Morrow County.
Applicant organiza-
tions must be local orga-
nizations, clubs, special
districts or governmental
entities that reside in the
South Morrow County Ser-
vice Area (as deined by the
WCVEDG Service Area
Map). The requestor must
have at least 50 percent
of funding (which may
include in-kind and cash
contributions from local
and regional sources) for
the total project budget
committed before applying.
Exceptions may apply at the
discretion of the board.
A grant application has
been developed for use
Washington man killed when milk
tanker overturns on I-84
Bunny Sightings
NOW IN STOCK
The Easter Bunny did some quick hopping this year, appearing in both Heppner and Ione for
Easter egg hunts. Top: Nolan Freeman, 2, son of Shelbi and James Freeman, sits on the Easter
Bunny’s lap in Heppner. Bottom: Moira Di Salvo, 7, daughter of Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo,
poses with the Easter Bunny in Ione. -Photos by David Sykes and Andrea Di Salvo
SEED POTATOES - ONION SETS
POTTING SOIL & AMENDMENTS,
GARDEN SEEDS
COLD CROP VEGETABLES
Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main ofice)