Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Gordon sworn in as
new Lexington town
council member
By Bobbi Gordon
New Lexington town
council member Bobbi Gor-
don took her oath of office at
the Lexington town council
meeting Aug. 8. Other council
members present were Bill
Beard and Sheila Miller, with
Miller assuming the role of
acting mayor at the meeting.
The council discussed
the park beautification project
and obtaining the dirt needed
for the FEMA Park. Town
Recorder, Janette Eldrige and
Town Maintenance employee
Ed Dickenson planted flow-
ers and the sprinklers are now
working in Friendship Park.
“It is looking pretty good,”
Dickenson reported.
A special presentation
was made by the OSU Exten-
sion service. They are ap-
proaching each town in Mor-
row County asking them to
participate in the formation of
the Morrow County Extension
Service District. This would
allow the extension service
to levy $.33/$1,000 assessed
value to support the Extension
Service. As this would impact
the Lexington town budget,
the council decided to discuss
it further and ask for more
information later.
A discussion regarding
participating in a waste water
option to serve Heppner, Lex-
ington and Ione was next on
the agenda. Eldrige advised
that Lexington would be the
lead agency for the project and
it could cost the town upwards
to $150,000 for a feasibility
study. The council all agreed
that it would be impossible for
the town to find that amount
in the existing budget, so de-
clined to be involved.
An announcement was
made stating that the reservoir
would be chlorinated on Aug.
10 and all residents were being
notified.
Marriage Licenses
The Morrow County
Clerk’s office has released
the following report of
marriage licenses:
Aug. 8, 2017: -Robyn
Lynn Stratton, 36, of
Boardman and Dan Dale
Barclay, 85, of Boardman.
Aug. 10, 2017: -Mons
Franklin Benson, 46, of
Irrigon and Heidi Laray
Rippee, 40, of Irrigon.
Chamber Chatter
June 2 - every Friday from
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. through Sep-
tember – Heppner Farmer’s
Market – Heppner Main City
Park: Come on out and check
out what our vendors have for
sale. If you are interested in
being a vendor, contact Jo Ann
Shannon at 541-676-8957.
The vendor fee is $20.
Saturday, Aug. 12 - 10
a.m. – 1 p.m. – SAGE Sat-
urday: free admission for
children and their families
–decorate your free eclipse
glasses.
Saturday, Aug. 12 – at
Dusk – Ione Movies in the
Park – “Moana”: Movies will
be at the Ione City Park in
front of the amphitheater and
will start around dusk. This is
a free event thanks to a grant
from ICABO. Movie licenses
obtained from Swank Motion
Pictures.
Sunday, Aug. 13 - Music
in the Heppner City Park –
5-7 p.m.: Bring your lawn
chairs and enjoy a concert
by Elwood, sponsored by the
Morrow County Unified Rec-
reation District and facilitated
by the Shared Ministry of
Hope Lutheran and All Saints
Episcopal Churches. Food
will be available for purchase
to raise money for the Shared
Ministry’s continuing efforts
to provide clean water to
needy communities around
the world. This event will be
moved to the HES Gym if it
should rain.
Wednesday, Aug. 16 -
Sunday, Aug. 20 – Morrow
County Fair and Rodeo –
Morrow County Fairgrounds
– “Our Roots Run Deep in
Morrow County”: There will
be live entertainment and ca-
tered dinners on Wednesday
and Thursday during the fair
and entertainment following
the rodeo on Friday and Sat-
urday nights. Entertainment
on Wednesday night, starting
at 7 p.m. is the Cory Peterson
Band. Paradise Rose will be
catering a meal for $15/plate
for adults to children 13 years
of age and older; $7.50/plate
for children 12 and under. The
meal will consist of tri-tip or
chicken; Dutch oven potatoes,
baked beans, green salad and
dessert. There will be beer
available for purchase.
Thursday, Aug. 17 – 6-10
p.m. – Murray’s Annual Beer
and Wine Tasting – Mor-
row County Fairgrounds: The
theme, for this year is Pre-
Eclipse Party. There will be
some partying in the dark.
The Heppner Chamber of
Commerce will be serving up
a lasagna dinner consisting of
meat lasagna, green salad, roll,
dessert and water from 6-8
p.m. The meal cost is $10 for
adults to children 12 years of
age; $5 for children 11 years
of age or younger. This meal
is being prepared by Alvin Liu
and is a Chamber fundraiser,
so plan on eating and staying
for the evening. Entertain-
First mosquitoes with West Nile virus
detected in Morrow County
West Nile virus, a mild
flu-like disease spread by
mosquitoes, has been reported
to have been found in one test-
ing site in Morrow County,
according to Oregon Public
Health officials. The mosqui-
toes were collected the week
of Aug. 1 in Irrigon and tested
at Oregon State University,
Veterinary Diagnostic labora-
tory in Corvallis.
Health officials are advis-
ing people in Morrow County
to take precautions against
mosquitoes in order to avoid
the risk of infection. People
are advised to be especially
careful to avoid getting mos-
quito bites. “The risk of con-
tracting West Nile virus may
be low, but we do encourage
people to take appropriate
precautions to protect them-
selves against mosquito bites,”
said Greg Barron, Manager of
North Morrow Vector Control
District. “We will continue to
increase our mosquito control
operations utilizing our Ultra
Low Volume (ULV) truck
mounted sprayers and possibly
some spraying by helicopter to
reduce adult mosquito popula-
tions,” Barron said.
Dr. Emilio DeBess, public
health veterinarian, says sim-
ple precautions can prevent
the spread of West Nile virus:
-Eliminate sources of
standing water that are a
breeding ground for mos-
quitoes, including watering
troughs, bird baths, ornamen-
tal ponds, buckets, wading and
swimming pools not in use and
old tires.
-When engaged in out-
door activities at dusk and
dawn when mosquitoes are
most active protect yourself
by using mosquito repellants
containing DEET, oil of lemon
eucalyptus or Picardin and
products containing IR3535.
-Wear long-sleeved shirts
and long pants in mosquito-
infested areas.
-Make sure screen doors
and windows are in good re-
- THREE
pair and fit tightly.
Because mosquito pools
testing positive in any area
could lead to infection, Mor-
row County Health Depart-
ment Health Educator/Com-
municable Disease Coordi-
nator Shelley Wight recom-
mends people and animals be
protected against mosquito
bites.
Eighty percent of people
infected with West Nile virus
exhibit no symptoms. Of the
remaining 20 percent, most
have very mild symptoms,
such as fever, headaches and
nausea lasting from three
to six days. In a few cases,
more severe symptoms may
occur including convulsions
or disorientation. The central
nervous system also may be
affected, resulting in a head-
ache associated with fever,
aseptic meningitis or encepha-
litis. West Nile is spread to
humans through the bite of
an infected mosquito. Most
infected people will show little
or no signs of disease. About
one in five infected people
may show signs of West Nile
fever. People at risk include
those individuals over 50 years
of age, people with immune
compromising conditions or
those people with diabetes and
high blood pressure. Symp-
toms may include fever above
100ºF and severe headache,
stiff neck, mental confusion,
muscle weakness, shaking, pa-
ralysis or rash. It is important
that you contact your health
care provider if you experi-
ence any of these symptoms.
The fever syndrome may last
from a few days to several
weeks. The incubation period
is usually two to 14 days.
Consult your health care
provider if you have these
symptoms. Health care provid-
ers may contact the Morrow
County Health Department
for information on West Nile
virus testing services that the
Oregon Public Health Lab
offers.
NOW
HIRING
DRIVERS
ment will be Joe Lindsay and
Friends and Nate Botsford.
Saturday, Aug. 19 – 10
a.m. – Morrow County Fair
and Rodeo Parade: Entry
forms are available on the
chamber website heppner-
chamber.com; contact the
chamber at 541-676-5536 or
heppnerchamber@centurytel.
net; so plan on coming out
and participating or being a
spectator at this year’s parade.
Monday, Aug. 21 - solar
eclipse: Check out the Hep-
pner Chamber website for
information. Shuttle bus is
available to view solar eclipse,
contact the Loop at 541-676-
5667 to reserve space; park
and ride from Morrow County
Fairgrounds; bring a camp
folding chair, snacks and water
with you; donations accepted.
Stay in Heppner and
watch the eclipse at the Wil-
low Creek Dam: You can park
at the ball field parking lot on
Hager Street to catch a local
shuttle from 8 – 8:45 a.m. and
return shuttle will drop you
back off after the event is over.
Bring a chair, snacks and water
and sit in designated areas as
directed by the Corps of En-
gineers employees; or park up
around the community homes
(don’t block any driveways).
Free solar eclipse glasses for
the first 250 people. No alco-
hol or smoking allowed.
Sunday, Sept. 10 – 5-7
p.m. - Music in the Heppner
City Park: Bring your lawn
chairs and enjoy some great
entertainment, sponsored by
the Morrow County Unified
Recreation District and facili-
tated by the Shared Ministry of
Hope Lutheran and All Saints
Episcopal Churches. Food
will be available for purchase
to raise money for the Shared
Ministry’s continuing efforts
to provide clean water to
needy communities around
the world. This event will be
moved to the All Saints Par-
ish Hall if it should rain. So
come on out and enjoy a con-
cert by Eric Jepsen and John
Wambeke.
Sunday, Aug. 27 – Ione’s
Music in the Park – Ione City
Park at 6 p.m.: The entertain-
ment will be Joe Lindsay and
Corey Cooley and families.
Concessions will be available
through Tacos Hometown,
starting at 5 p.m. Pre-order by
texting 541-561-7397.
Sunday, Sept. 22 Ione’s
Music in the Park – 6 p.m.
– Ione City Park: The enter-
tainment will be Countryfied.
Concessions will be available
through Tacos Hometown,
starting at 5 p.m. Preorder by
texting 541-561-7397.
Thursday, Oct. 26 – 13 th
annual soup bowl supper and
silent auction sponsored by
Domestic Violence Services,
Inc.: This event will be held
at Sisters Café – 308 N. Main
Street, Pendleton. Call 541-
276-3322 or visit our website
to register.
Rietmann elected to
Ione School Board
Ione School District Superintendent Jon Peterson swears in
Ed Rietmann, who was elected to the Ione School Board on
May 16. Rietmann replaces long-time board member Bill
Jepsen and will serve a four-year term, through June 20,
2021. Rietmann and his wife Becky live in Ione and have
four children. -Contributed photo
Community Bank
Awards Over
$17,000 For Good
Grades
The seventh year of Com-
munity Bank’s Earn While
You Learn Program has set an
all-time high in cash awards
paid to student-customers for
their academic success. For
the 2017 pay out period, 748
students in the Eastern Oregon
and Southeast Washington
area cashed in on their good
grades. Community Bank’s
student customers earned a
total of $17,135.
Since the bank’s pro-
gram began in 2011 earnings
have steadily increased. In the
first year of the bank’s Earn
While You Learn Program just
six years ago, 190 students
were paid $3,895. This year’s
payouts bring the program’s
grand total of academic award
money to $79,608.
The program is designed
to encourage students in their
academic success by award-
ing Community Bank Youth
Savings accounts customers
for their good grades. During
the months of June and July,
all Community Bank branches
accepted end-of-the-year re-
port cards from students in
grades first through 12 th . For
every top grade (indicated on
the grading system used for
each school) in a main school
subject that appeared on the
report card, Community Bank
deposited $1 into their Com-
munity Bank Youth Savings
Account.
The Earn While You
Learn Program is an annual
reward of $1 per top grade, up
to $50 annually per student,
with payments given for the
whole school year in June
and July.