New phone scam hits local
residents
HEPPNER
Local residents have
been hit recently by a new
series of phone scams, this
time by scammers saying
they represent Dish Net-
work.
Morrow County Sher-
iff’s Office says the recent
scams have been from call-
ers posing as Dish Network
employees, talking about
upgrades and asking cus-
tomers to confirm their
credit card numbers.
MCSO says it’s a sure
sign of a scam if they ask
you to confirm the first
numbers from your cred-
it card—companies with
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon whom you do business
will generally have your
card number on file and, if
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 135
NO. 31 8 Pages
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Locals have been warned that phone calls purporting to be
from Dish Network may not be what they seem. -Contributed
photo
anything, may ask to con-
firm the last four numbers.
However, when in doubt,
MCSO advises to call the
company rather than giv-
ing any information over
the phone.
In this case, however,
Dish Network says it does
not call its customers.
County fair offers creativity and community fun in 2016
Above left: Paul Beagle of Boardman displays a hand-painted tribal mask, one of many pieces of original artwork entered in the county fair this year. Above right: 4-H members (L-R) Han-
nah Palmer, Madison Orem and Grace Ogden display colorful quilts they’ve entered in this year’s Morrow County Fair. The fair opens to the public today and runs through Saturday, with
several new additions and old favorites on the schedule this year. The Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo has slack Thursday evening with nightly rodeo performances Friday and Saturday, and the
Morrow County Rodeo will take place Sunday afternoon. -Photos by Andrea Di Salvo
County considers new Irrigon facility, or moving offices
to Boardman
Court presented with 60-signature petition against leaving Irrigon
Morrow County’s offices in Irrigon are currently located at the Annex building in Irrigon.
These facilities are too small and outdated and need to be replaced, according to county officials.
Under a second option
the county would purchase
a building from Blue Moun-
tain Community College
on Front Street in Board-
man, and move the county
offices there. Already in
Boardman are the juvenile
department and district
attorney’s offices, and the
public health facilities, all
of which are located in the
Docken Building. If the
BMCC building were pur-
chased, all these would be
combined in that building.
The county sheriff also has
an annex facility in Board-
man. In total, whatever the
county decides, offices and
facilities will be a need to
accommodate 16 or more
employees.
Sorte had done exten-
sive interviews with all
county department heads,
asking the space require-
ments they needed, how
many people would be
employed in each building,
and whether that particular
department felt it should
be located in Boardman
or Irrigon. There was a
tremendously and need
more space and upgraded
technology. Building a new
facility in Irrigon…makes
the most sense for Mor-
row County and our com-
munity,” the petition said.
Sixty signatures were on
the petition.
County commissioner
Don Russell said he took a
tour of the annex building
and said if the county is
going to spend money on
a new facility it needs to
be where the services are
needed. He said the growth
in the county is in the north
end of the county. Russell
said the BMCC building
has a total of 3,500 square
feet, and will become avail-
able in winter term 2017.
He said it should be an
inexpensive purchase for
the county.
“If there is a smoking
good deal in Boardman,
we should take a look at
it,” he said, “and that is
how the commission should
decide.”
Commissioner Leanne
Rea said she thought the
facilities should stay in
Irrigon.
“I am in complete op-
position,” she said to any
moving. She said the county
should be able to build the
new facility in Irrigon on
the land it already owns for
$2-$3.5 million. “I would
like to see the services that
are here stay here,” she said
about Irrigon.
“Personally I don’t care
where the facilities are
located,” Russell added. “I
just what to do what is in
the county’s best financial
interest.”
Rea said maybe some
of the county’s SIP money,
or funds received mainly
from the wind farms in
Morrow County, be used for
capital improvements such
as buildings.
“The SIP money is
short-term funds and we
mixed range of answers as
-See COUNTY OFFICES/
PAGE THREE
to which community the
facilities should be located
in, and all department heads
said they could use more
space and updated facilities.
Attending the meeting
and coming out in opposi-
tion to the county moving
out of Irrigon was long-time
Irrigon resident Barb Huwe.
“These facilities should
be left in Irrigon,” Huwe
told the court.
She said people realize
the current facilities are
outdated, small and need to
be replaced, but she urged
the court to build in Irrigon.
“Please leave in Irrigon,”
she said while presenting a
petition urging the same to
the court.
“The Irrigon Annex has
been there since 1970s, is The county is considering purchasing BMCC’s Boardman facility on Front Street, which
outdated and inadequate. becomes available in 2017.
The easiest solution is to
construct a new building
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on land Morrow County
currently owns adjacent
to the existing Irrigon An-
nex,” the petition said. “We
understand that the entities
currently there have grown
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By David Sykes
Morrow County says it
needs new office facilities
in the North end, and the
two options being consid-
ered are moving county
services from their current
location in Irrigon to the
BMCC building in Board-
man, or constructing a new
building in Irrigon.
In a recent memoran-
dum to the Morrow County
Court, Admin Officer Jerry
Sorte outlined the options.
“A new office building
in north Morrow County
could be used to accommo-
date the services currently
located in the Irrigon Annex
building; Planning, Justice
Court, and Parole and Pro-
bation…. The County Clerk
also maintains an office
open one day per week in
Irrigon at the Emergency
Assistance Center Building
across the street from the
Annex,” he wrote.
He said building a new
building on the current site
of the annex building would
provide the necessary space
for needed county services.
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Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)