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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2017)
HEPPNER G T 50¢ Oregon’s 2017 water supply outlook: So far, so good Normal to above-normal snowpack reported statewide PORTLAND, OR—All basins in Oregon are expe- riencing normal to above- normal snowpack with a statewide average of 124 percent of normal, accord- ing to the first water supply outlook report of the year released this week by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Record-breaking Octo- ber precipitation provided a much-needed wet start to the water year (which runs Oct. 1 through Sept. 31). The wet autumn was followed by a cold and snowy December, which produced snow accumula- tion in lower elevation sites and even on valley floors. “The snowpack accu- mulation season has started off well,” said Scott Ovi- att, NRCS snow survey supervisory hydrologist. “The fall and early winter precipitation have provided relief to many areas that were moisture-depleted following a hot, dry August. If the cool and wet pattern continues through the win- ter and spring months, then the snowpack accumulation will continue to be normal or above normal, and spring snow melt will occur slowly over an extended period. That was not the case last year, when we observed rapid, record-breaking snowpack melt-out and runoff.” Most reservoirs in the VOL. 136 NO. 2 6 Pages Wednesday, January 11, 2017 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon state are currently storing below-average amounts of water. Below-normal streamflow this past sum- mer, coupled with water usage in 2016, led to below- average volumes going into this new season. As of the end of December, the reservoirs storing the lowest amount in the state are in the Umatilla, Walla Walla and Willow basins at 56 percent of average. The highest storage is in Local residents are the Deschutes and Crooked again reminded to be on River basins at 90 percent their guard against a com- of average. puter-repair phone scam, As of Jan. 1, most of says local computer repair- the spring and summer man Pat Struthers. water supply forecasts are Struthers says the scam, projecting near-average to which has been ongoing above-average streamflow since around 2007, tar- volumes, while the current gets people with concerns snowpack is near-normal over how their computers to above-normal. Last year are functioning. It’s one at this time, the statewide of several phone scams snowpack was also above in which scammers claim normal and continued to to represent a company hover near normal through or government entity but April 1. However, rapid actually don’t. Struthers and record-breaking snow- says the scammers always melt occurred during April, call during the day, and which led to below normal seem to target mostly older summer streamflow. people—which he refers The latest information A home on Water Street to as “a new kind of elder on Oregon’s streamflow in Heppner was completely abuse.” forecasts can be found in Struthers says the vic- destroyed by fire early Sat- the January Water Supply tims are targeted either by urday. Outlook Report available Heppner Fire Chief phone calls from a person on the NRCS Oregon web- claiming to work for Mi- Rusty Estes told the Ga- site. crosoft or sometimes by zette that the home was The NRCS Snow Sur- an email claiming to come fully engulfed by the time vey is the federal program from Microsoft. Those fire crews arrived around that measures snow and are both red flags, says 7:40 a.m. provides streamflow fore- “They (the family) Struthers. casts and snowpack data for “That’s not something were gone, so no one saw communities, water man- Microsoft would ever do,” it until flames were coming agers and recreationalists he says, adding that Micro- out the windows,” he said. across the West. In Oregon, The entire Heppner soft will never get in touch snow measurements are with people by phone or fire crew turned out to the collected from 81 SNOTEL scene, as well as mutual email. sites, 42 manually measured The caller will than tell aid from Ione in the form snow courses, and 26 aerial the person that Microsoft of a structural engine and This home on Water Street was destroyed by fire Saturday. -Photos by Sandy Matthews and markers. Water and snow- has detected something a tender. Though unable to contributed pack information for all wrong with their computer, save the home, they stayed SNOTEL sites nationwide and the caller needs access on site about five hours to in the fire but Estes said the which presumably perished and the cause is not under is available on the Snow investigation. to the computer to fix it. The contain the fire and see it residents later reported that in the fire. Survey website in a variety “I’m just glad there was Estes said they do not there had been a pit bull and scammers ask for payment fully out. -See WATER SUPPLY No people were injured a parrot in the home, both of know how the fire started nobody home,” said Estes. up front in this scam that OUTLOOK/PAGE SIX easily costs an individual hundreds of dollars. Law enforcement au- thorities say the best way to avoid a scam is to never give callers information over the phone. When in Leukodystrophy 4H In a poignant twist, doubt, Morrow County eventually extensive medi- Syndrome is a rare, pro- the Remembrance Walk Sheriff’s Office advises to cal needs such as a walker, hang up on the caller and dedicated to the memory gressive disease that attacks wheelchair and feeding then call the company with of local woman Donna the brain’s white matter and tube. a number you know to be Schonbachler will now affects motor skills, vision, “There are just so many benefit Heppner boy Asher learning and growth; the legitimate. unknowns,” the Schon- Schonbachler in his own disease is eventually fatal. bachlers shared on their Rachel Schonbachler told medical battle. blog. “They really don’t Asher, age three, is the Gazette that there is no have any idea how quickly the son of Eric and Ra- treatment or cure for the chel Schonbachler of Hep- disease, so they would like -See REMEMBRANCE WALK/PAGE TWO the majority p n e r. H e Participants at last year’s Remembrance Walk. -File photo of donations was recently to go to re- diagnosed searchers to with Hypo- find a cure. myelinating “Since Leukodys- the research trophy, 4H MORROW is our only Syndrome A reminder that the COUNTY GRAIN hope for a type. While Heppner Gazette-Times cure and they the Friends GROWERS will not be closed for Mar- are so under- Helping tin Luther King Jr. Day next 350 MAIN STREET funded due F r i e n d s Asher Schonbachler Monday, Jan. 16. Monday LEXINGTON, OR to the disease committee will be a normal business has developed a tradition being so rare, that is why day and all deadlines will of raising funds for local we are choosing to send remain at 5 p.m. that day. health and elderly care most funds to them,” said We wish everyone a safe services, this year they Schonbachler. and happy weekend. Right now, Asher ’s decided to donate the pro- ceeds from the March 18 medical needs are relatively Remembrance Walk/5K few. However, as the dis- Deadline for news and advertising: Run to the Schonbachler ease progresses he will need Monday at 5 p.m. Morrow County Grain Growers family to help with Asher’s physical therapy, frequent Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net doctor appointments, and health care needs. azette imes Local Heppner home destroyed by fire residents warned about Microsoft scam Remembrance Walk to benefit local boy’s battle with rare disease Gazette will be open for MLK day
