Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Two Heppner youth represent county at
state spelling contest
Serenity Rodriquez and
Jackson Coiner, both of
Heppner, will be repre-
senting Morrow County
this year at the Oregon
Statewide Spelling Cham-
pionship. The champion-
ship will have 63 spellers
coming from 27 counties
in Oregon to challenge
their spelling skills at the
Oregon State Fair in Salem
on Saturday, Sept. 2. KOIN
6‘s Andrew Dymburt will
be the master of ceremo-
nies for the championship.
Students competing in the
championship have won
their school, district and
county written spelling
contests.
This is the ninth year
Oregon Spellers has spon-
sored the Oregon Statewide
Spelling Championship.
Oregon Spellers is an all-
volunteer group funded
solely by donations and
sponsored by the Oregon
Association for Talented
and Gifted (oatag.org). Or-
egon Spellers was formed
after the Oregon Depart-
ment of Education ended
its support for the spelling
contest in 2009. Local and
regional coordinators are
sought to expand the pro-
gram to areas not currently
participating. For more
information, please check
out their website at www.
oregonspellers.org.
HEALTH DISTRICT
-Continued from PAGE ONE part-time with the district Enhancement Funds, which
ment and a maintenance
vehicle.
Endoscopy services
have been curtailed since
the state required ventila-
tion changes months ago.
The state has not yet ap-
proved the remodel, which
has reduced vital patient
services and funding for
the district.
Out of that $179,000
amount, the board approved
spending up to $20,000 for
the purchase of the mainte-
nance vehicle and $39,000
for the purchase of micro-
biology equipment. They
also approved purchase
of Microsoft Office Stan-
dard 2016 and Microsoft
Office Pro Plus 2016 for
$26,326.75 with cash on
hand.
Also at the meeting
CEO Bob Houser reported
that the Board of Medical
Examiners informed the
district that they will not
act on a recommendation
to license Dr. Gayle John-
ston, a physician newly
hired by the district, until
mid-September, with a final
decision planned the first
part of October.
Houser anticipated an
earlier approval by the med-
ical examiners since Dr.
Johnston is already licensed
in the state of Washington;
however, he added, the
current time frame is “the
norm.” He said that Dr.
Johnston will be working
until she is licensed to see
patients.
The board also heard
a teleconference presenta-
tion from Wes Thew of the
Wipfli CPA and consulting
firm on the district’s debt
capacity concerning pro-
posed funding for remod-
eling or rebuilding Pioneer
Memorial Hospital and
Pioneer Memorial Clinic.
Wipfli provided several sce-
narios with varied funding
amounts and interest rates.
The Wipfli report in-
dicated that the district’s
revenue has been growing
at a rate of three percent
per year. Also, board mem-
bers Leann Rea and Aaron
Palmquist commented that
large increases in taxing
income for the district are
anticipated, both of which
would make remodeling or
rebuilding more feasible for
the district.
In other business, the
board:
-learned that the district
has received a $20,000
grant from Wildhorse to go
toward the Irrigon Medi-
cal Clinic expansion proj-
ect. Houser said that the
district has also applied
for a $25,000 grant for
the project from Oregon
Community Foundation.
The district also received a
$50,000 grant for the Irri-
gon Medical Clinic parking
lot expansion project from
the Irrigon Community
were made possible through
CREZ II funding.
-learned from local
pharmacist and MCHD
Board member John Murray
that the proposed expansion
of his pharmacy business
into Boardman will not
proceed (see story PAGE
ONE). After learning of
his expansion plans, mem-
bers of the Columbia River
Community Health Servic-
es voted to start their own
pharmacy in Boardman,
to be affiliated with their
federally-funded clinic. Un-
like public boards such as
the Morrow County Health
District, the CRCHS Board
is not required to have open
meetings or publish budgets
or funding sources. Ann
Murray told the Gazette
that they curtailed their
expansion plans because
their private business could
not compete with a feder-
ally funded pharmacy and
that two pharmacies could
not successfully co-exist in
Boardman.
-heard from Houser
that the district may or may
not continue their lease with
Lee Langan for the Home
Health and Hospice office
in Boardman after January
1, 2018. Some problems ex-
ist with the current building
that limit accessibility for
their patients, including a
non-operational elevator.
The district had tentative
PHARMACY
-Continued from PAGE ONE A news story in the East years.”
cussing it with our board we
believe that the sale of the
GSHCS pharmacy to Mr.
Murray would be the right
decision,” Good Shepherd
Director of Marketing and
Communication Nick Beja-
rano told the Gazette. “With
Murray’s Drug’s history of
successful drug stores that
provide pharmaceuticals
and additional retail items,
this would be an added
benefit for the Boardman
community.
“We were unaware of
any interest at the time of
the Columbia River Com-
munity Health Services
interest in commencing
with pharmacy services,”
he added.
CRCHS apparently
plans to take over the cur-
rent location of the Good
Shepherd pharmacy in-
side the Boardman market.
Oregonian reported that
CRCHS has no plans to
take over Good Shepherd’s
inventory or client files. Be-
jarano did not address the
issue directly, but spoke to
some uncertainty in Good
Shepherd’s relationship
with Boardman.
“It is our hope and
in the best interest of the
Boardman and Irrigon com-
munities that something
can be worked out between
Murray’s Drug and Co-
lumbia River Community
Health Services,” Bejarano
said. “We want to make sure
that the communities served
by the GSCHS pharmacy
in Boardman do not have
a lapse in pharmaceutical
services and residents can
expect the same quality
service that they have been
receiving from the GSHCS
pharmacy over the past five
The Murrays expressed
their disappointment in the
events but said that, given
the close proximity of the
pharmacies in a relatively
small community, it was not
practical to compete with
the Boardman clinic.
“It is not financially
feasible to have a second
pharmacy in Boardman as
the prescription volume is
not high enough to support
two, and it is too difficult
for a private company to
compete against one with
government money avail-
able to it,” stated the Mur-
rays. CRCHS is a Federally
Qualified Healthcare Clinic
and receives government
funding.
The Murrays had
planned to have their son,
Sean, operate the Boardman
pharmacy.
- FIVE
HHS plans open
house, conferences
Heppner Junior/Senior
High School will be holding
an open house Wednesday,
Sept. 6, from 4 p.m. to 8
p.m. All teachers at HHS
will be available to show-
case programs, meet par-
ents and answer questions.
Seventh-grade parent/
student conferences will
be held Wednesday, Sept.
6. “Conferences will be
scheduled with all seventh-
grade parents/students to
assist in the transition to
junior high,” stated princi-
pal Matt Combe. “We will
be contacting parents soon
plans to move the Board- to set up conference times.”
“We have found that
man Home Health and Hos-
pice office into space at
the Mountain Valley Land
building that the Murrays
had planned to purchase for -Continued from PAGE ONE
Utah, while her son is what
their pharmacy.
-learned from Hous- brought her to Heppner in
er that a new vendor has 1989. She said that twins
submitted bids for testing run in her family and there
the pressurization in the has been at least one set in
fire sprinkler system. He every generation.
Her son, Gary and his
said that the system is still
wife
Jeri, and grandson
functional, but a leak in
John
and
his wife Shelley,
the system causes the air
are
still
in
the area. Great-
compressor to kick on and
grandsons
Adam
and wife
off and eventually burn out.
Natalia
along
with
their
-learned that the district
children
Cooper
and
Jax-
has hired Ian Murray, RN,
son,
and
Riley
and
his
wife
for a position at Pioneer
Memorial Hospital; and Amanda with their daughter
Jolene Favorite as a new Remi also live here.
Arlene has two sons,
medical assistant at Irrigon
Rick
and Ken; Darlene has
Medical Clinic.
two
children,
Tony and
-discussed the process
Mary
Lou.
for finding a new board
When asked what tips
member following the res-
she
would give others in
ignation of Jill Parker who
reaching
a century mile-
moved out of the district.
stone,
Wight
said, “Keep
-received the follow-
praying.
Keep
happy.
That’s
ing profit/loss statement:
my
goal.
I’m
happy.”
MCHD had $955,388 in
She places a lot of em-
gross patient revenue for
phasis
on prayer. “I bet
July, $5,699 for provision
I’m
the
best prayer in the
for bad debt, $42,628 in
world.”
contractual and other ad-
As for keeping hap-
justments, $124,699 in tax
py,
she
stressed, “I’ve had
revenue and $17,934 in
friends
wherever I went.
other operating revenue for
People
seemed
to love me.
$1,049,695 in total operat-
I
always
loved
everybody.”
ing revenue; $1,031,960 in
total operating expenses, She says she thinks ev-
plus a $10,610 non-operat- eryone likes her so well
ing gain for a $28,345 gain because she likes to laugh.
Her future goal is very
for the month.
clear, saying “I’m gonna go
Following the champi-
onship, Mr. Dymburt will
also emcee The Bee at the
Fair — a just for fun verbal
spelling bee sponsored by
Oregon Spellers. The bee
is open to all Oregon State
Fair patrons.
For more informa-
tion, contact us at oregon-
spellers@kaynor.net or
check out their website at
http://www.oregonspellers.
org.
beginning the year with
open lines of communica-
tion has really helped all
parties involved. Parents
want to know how to best
help their student; this has
helped start a positive six-
year relationship with our
school and staff,” stated
head teacher Greg Grant.
“Junior high is such a dras-
tic change in routine and
environment, it is important
to reach out to parents and
students to develop rela-
tionships.”
For more information
contact Greg Grant or Matt
Combe at HHS.
WIGHT 100
“Since he was fully
committed, he will now
be coming back to expand
pharmacy services in Hep-
pner and Condon,” they
told the Gazette. Ann Mur-
ray also said that they had
been moving along with
preparations, including
contracting to have side-
walks poured and ordering
new signage, all of which
had to be canceled.
The change also leaves
MCHD in some uncer-
tainty, as the health district
had planned to leave its
current lease and move the
Boardman MCHD Home
Health and Hospice office
to space within the Moun-
tain Valley Land building
following completion of re-
modeling to accommodate
home health and hospice,
anticipated around the first
of January.
with the Lord Jesus Christ.
That’s what I’m gonna do.”
As for any regrets she
may have in her life, she
didn’t go into detail but
said, “I think everybody has
regrets.”
One tragedy did stand
out in her mind; the time
when her younger sister
was murdered in the Port-
land area. She herself has
no great love for Portland,
she says, preferring a small-
er town. “I’ve had so many
close calls in Portland, I
could write a book.” In fact,
she said she started writing
a book about her history
once, but never finished
it, although “I’ve had an
interesting life.”
She said she likes to
keep herself busy and does
so by coloring with her col-
ored pencils, reading books
and her Bible and doing
word search puzzles, some-
times while also watching
television.
“I’ve been busy all my
life, and I’ve got to keep
busy. I keep busy some-
times with two things at
once.”
During the party she
shared with Ida Farra, “I
think the whole place came.
I never had a birthday with
so many people.”
COUNTY
COMMISSION
-Continued from PAGE ONE a campground host himself
2.5 percent, or about $230
per month plus benefits.
The new position was not
budgeted for in the current
year. However, the county
has a contingency fund of
$300,000 from which to
pay for the new position.
In other business at the
meeting the commission
heard from Heppner citizen
Jerry Olson who said he
spent eclipse weekend at
the county’s Anson Wright
park, and did not have a
good experience. Olson
said he had problems with
his reservations, the small
size of the camping spots,
and the condition of the
facilities. “More spots don’t
create more revenue, better
spots do,” he told the com-
missioners. Olson, who is
at another campground in
the state, says he knows
something about parks.
While at Anson Wright Ol-
son said he talked to several
people about their opinions
of the park. “None of them
were happy.” He said he
ended up getting a different
camping spot than the one
he had reserved, and that
some of the spots were so
close together it was hard to
open a door on an RV with-
out hitting the neighboring
camper. “I can’t say I would
never camp there again, but
I would ponder it,” he told
the commissioners. County
staff told Olson that the
public works department
understands there are some
problems there, and are
working to correct them.
‘Tobacco 21’ bill raises legal age for tobacco
Contributed by the Mor-
row County Health De-
partment.
On Aug. 9, Oregon
became the fifth state to
increase the sales age of all
tobacco products to 21. This
new law raises the mini-
mum age to legally buy or
obtain tobacco products and
inhalant delivery systems
from 18 to 21 years.
The new law, Senate
Bill 754, known as Tobacco
21, takes effect immedi-
ately, with enforcement
and fines to begin January
1, 2018. Proponents say
this legislation will save
millions of taxpayer dollars
and thousands of lives, and
improve health outcomes
for Oregonians.
“The passage of To-
bacco 21 is a tremendous
accomplishment for public
health in this state, and
the young people of Or-
egon,” said Oregon Health
Authority Public Health
Division Director Lillian
Shirley. “Tobacco 21 is an
evidence-based strategy
that will help reduce youth
initiation of tobacco. We
know that most addiction
to tobacco starts in adoles-
cence—in fact, nine of 10
adults who smoke report
that they started smoking
before they turned 18, and
almost 100 percent start
before they turn 26.”
“We need to protect
kids with laws such as To-
bacco 21 because new mar-
keting tactics and products
with hookahs, e-cigarettes
and flavored vaping prod-
ucts put a new generation
at risk of addiction,” she
added.
Tobacco prevention
challenges in Morrow
County abound. According
to the 2015 Morrow County
Health Assessment, twice as
many sixth grade students
reported smoking cigarettes
in the past 30 days as was
reported at the state level.
More than five times as
many reported using other
tobacco substances. In the
11 th grade nearly 15 percent
of students reported using
“other” tobacco products.
Our most recent statis-
tics available (2015) show
26 percent of deaths in
Morrow County were listed
as tobacco related. In 2015
there were there are ap-
proximately 1,180 adult
smokers in Morrow County
and 500 suffering a tobac-
co-related illness. Another
24 percent routinely use
smokeless tobacco.
Currently, there is no
violation for people ages
18, 19 or 20 to possess
tobacco products or inhal-
ant delivery systems. En-
forcement will take place
at the retail locations that
sell these products; effec-
tive immediately, retailers
can no longer sell tobacco
products, inhalant delivery
systems or tobacco delivery
systems to people younger
than 21. There are no ex-
ceptions for sales and use of
tobacco or inhalant delivery
systems to persons under 21
years of age.
Retailers that sell to-
bacco products or inhal-
ant delivery systems are
required to display a sign
stating the prohibition of
tobacco product or inhal-
ant delivery system sales
to persons younger than 21.
Failure to post a sign stating
this would be a Class A vio-
lation. Enforcement of this
law goes into effect Jan. 1.
“Morrow County resi-
dents have a reputation for
total support of our youth,”
said Molly Rhea, RN, Mor-
row County Health Depart-
ment. “We need to wake
up to the menace we have
allowed to proliferate when
we tolerate tobacco use by
our young people.”
For more information
about tobacco prevention
and the work being doing
in Morrow County, visit
SmokefreeOregon.com. If
you see a tobacco retailer
selling tobacco to some-
one you know is under 21
and would like to let us
know, please send an email
to: Tobacco.Inspections@
state.or.us.