THREE - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 1, 2018
A View from the Hill
By Doris Brosnan
July was another month
of special activities and
comfortable routines at
Willow Creek Terrace. One
hundred percent of the resi-
dents viewed the fireworks
on July 4, comfortably seat-
ed in chairs along the entry
and sidewalk. Of course,
topic of discussion on our
nation’s birthday was other
Independence days, patrio-
tism and the flag.
Four days later, Donna
Bergstrom celebrated her
birthday by sharing her
birthday lunch with all four
of her daughters and her
son-in-law. And four days
after that, Meg Murray
enjoyed her birthday lunch
with husband, Rod. The
community on the hill view
these celebrations as super
important.
On the menu for some
of these lunches are ter-
race-garden produce, which
Ron Peck has showed spe-
cial interest in cultivating.
Peas, beans and beet greens
will soon be followed by
corn, tomatoes and at least
one pumpkin.
The residents who view
the morning discussion
group as stimulating and
enjoyable shared stories
about pets one morning,
had an education during
Shark Week and had fun
with a shark trivia game
at the end of that week.
They also reminisced about
Woodies, those station wag-
ons of the 40’s and 50’s
known for the wooden pan-
eling on the sides. Neil
Armstrong’s 1969 walk on
the moon was the topic on
the 20 th , with some empha-
sis on his stating, “We came
in peace for all mankind.”
Lumberjacks seemed a rele-
vant topic one morning, and
Gorgeous Grandmas Day
brought some laughs. Old
Jokes Day resulted in many
groans and Hula Hoop Day
provided the staff an oppor-
tunity to demonstrate their
hooping skills before that
morning’s trivia game. Mutt
Day discussion seemed a
counter-balance to today’s
common designer dog con-
versations.
The Terrace literary
group continues to hold
interest and to add mem-
bers. Phillip Pacheco, from
the local library, and Floss
Watkins, Gladys Van Win-
kle, Bev Norton and Laurel
Cannon continue to read
and discuss short stories on
Tuesdays. They welcome
additional interested per-
sons, and in fact, welcomed
visiting library board mem-
ber Barb Orwick to their
discussion last week.
Laurel Cannon moved
into the Terrace on the 23 rd
and was already includ-
ing the literary group as
one of her new activities
with her new neighbors.
Laurel moved to Heppner
from Ione and has already
enjoyed visits with her
daughter and her husband,
Kathy and Frank Halver-
son, as well as with familiar
friends and new faces in the
Terrace.
August promises to be
HOT, so the residents and
staff will be cautious with
their outdoor activities.
Some plan to take in the
Morrow County Fair on
one day and probably the
parade before the rodeo. If
the weather permits, they
will end the month with
BBQ-Eat Outside Day, but
are open to the idea of open-
ing the sun room doors to
the patio for cooler dining
spaces.
Administrator George
Nairns is ready with her old
family recipe for lemon-
ade, to serve on Lemonade
Day, the 20 th . Many serious
and humorous topics are
already on the calendar of
national special days for
the month’s discussions,
as well as some tasty days
that include Banana Split
Day (10 th ) and Ice Cream
Day (18 th ).
On Aug. 24, all resi-
dents, men and women, will
be invited to enjoy a Fun
Friday Facial opportunity.
The staff and interested
volunteers will be offer-
ing a scrub, a mask, some
massaging and lotion to
all takers. According to the
residents at Willow Creek
Terrace, they view pamper-
ing as one of the perks to
life there and they are eager
to welcome new faces to the
four available apartments.
Protect yourself
from smoke
With all of the smoke
in the air from area fires,
residents should practice
safety measures to protect
themselves. The Oregon
Health Authority suggests
the following:
-Limit your exposure to
wildfire smoke.
-Reduce time spent out-
doors.
-Reduce time you en-
gage in vigorous outdoor
activity.
-Stay hydrated. Drink
plenty of water.
-Reduce other sources
MCHD approves additional funding for
Irrigon clinic
The Morrow County
Health District Board ap-
proved up to $120,000 in
additional funding toward
construction of the Irri-
gon Medical Clinic at the
board’s regular meeting
Monday night in Ione.
The increase will fund
electrical costs and con-
struction of two additional
exam rooms, a restroom,
two smaller rooms provid-
ing office space and another
room that could be used for
patient behavioral health
issues if the district partners
with another entity, such
as Community Counseling
Solutions or another be-
havioral health agency. The
board indicated it would
be much less expensive to
complete the additions now,
while the facility is still
under construction, than it
would be to do it later.
The increased electri-
cal costs include a $25,00
charge just for Umatilla
Electric to hook up the
clinic with Phase 3 electri-
cal power capability, which
will allow for the use of
medical equipment such as
an MRI machine.
MCHD CEO Bob
Houser told the board the
district is possibly looking
at the end of August or
September for the clinic
construction completion.
He told the board the
recently-poured Irrigon
Clinic sidewalk had to be
jack hammered out, because
of problems encountered
when it was poured during
the recent heat wave. He re-
ported the IMC parking lot
project and new clinic sig-
nage project were awarded
$33,196 from the Irrigon
Community Enhancement
Funds which had received
monies through the CREZ
distribution of funds to
various agencies and com-
munities. The new IMC
and Boardman Ambulance
signs arrived on July 24
and are in the process of
installation, he said.
Also at the meeting,
Houser said five candidates
for a community relations/
communications manager
position were interviewed
either by SKYPE or in
person. He said MCHD had
three excellent candidates
and administration plans
to interview two of those
candidates for the district’s
final decision.
Houser told the board
the district is firming things
up on a contract with Rocky
Mountain Physical Ther-
apy Services/Pioneer Me-
morial Physical Therapy
concerning the possibility
of adding speech therapy
for the district. Houser said
the speech therapist would
have hospital office space at
least three-four days a week
and would see outpatients
and swing bed patients. He
said it is hoped to have this
service available sometime
this month and a contract is
being firmed up.
He added discussion
was held about adding a
physical therapy assistant
to the physical therapy
staff because of the large
patient volume and Rocky
Mountain Physical Thera-
py/Pioneer Memorial Phys-
ical Therapy is currently
recruiting.
Houser said the clinic
receptionist positions in
both the Irrigon and Ione
clinics have been filled with
Clerissa Arnold, who was
hired for the Ione position,
and Desi Jo Roybal, who
was hired for the Irrigon
position. Mike Skow was
hired as a full-time mainte-
nance technician to begin in
early August. Still needed is
a hospital RN.
He said MCHD has
purchased a medication
return collection unit at a
cost of $1,495. The unit
was placed at the Morrow
County Sheriff’s Office in
Heppner so people may
drop off their outdated, no
longer used medications
for disposal. Previously
only one drop box had been
established in the county,
Blue Mountain
Spanish Sound to
perform
of indoor smoke and dust.
-Check current air qual-
ity conditions.
-If you have heart or
lung disease or respiratory
illnesses such as asthma,
follow your health care
provider’s advice about
prevention and treatment of
symptoms.
For additional informa-
tion or questions regard-
ing the hazards of wildfire
smoke, contact Shelley
Wight at the Morrow Coun-
ty Health Department, 541-
676-5421.
Blue Mountain Spanish Sound
Blue Mountain Spanish has a new CD that will be
Sound will perform for the released Dec. 27 called
Music in the Parks outdoor Dimensions, with 15 new
summer concert series at 7 songs.
Visitors are encour-
p.m. on Aug. 6 at the Board-
bers attend monthly meet-
man Marina Park. Blue aged to bring chairs and
ings, help with fundraising
Mountain Spanish Sound blankets. Concessions will
and general oversight of
is an acoustic guitar duo be available for purchase,
the day care. The board
comprised of Jesse Campos courtesy of the Boardman
would like to diversify its
Little League. The Music
and Lance Smith.
members, and is hoping that
Two of the most popu- in the Parks series is fund-
someone who is community
lar performers in the Walla ed by the Morrow County
orientated with a business
Walla Valley, they play Unified Recreation District
or financial background
all-original classical guitar and Portland General Elec-
would be willing to serve.
music with Latin influenc- tric and sponsored by the
Please contact Petra
es and have released two North Morrow Community
Payne, board president at
albums. Jason Valentine, of Foundation.
541-676-5466 if you would
For more information
Good Morning Northwest,
like more information about
KVEW ABC TV, says they about the Music in the Parks
becoming a board member.
are the “Fastest fingers concert series, contact Jack-
in the Northwest.” Blue ie at 541-720-1289.
Mountain Spanish Sound
Day care seeks
board member
Heppner Day Care is
seeking a new board mem-
ber to serve as an active
and integral team member.
The day care board is an
essential component of the
day care’s daily function.
Its mission is to help the
day care provide excep-
tional childcare and early
education services to the
community.
The board supervises
the budget, hires employees
and ensures the facilities are
maintained. Board mem-
LCAC meeting to
be held
The next LCAC meeting will be held Thursday, Aug.
2 at 9 a.m. in the Well Springs room at the Port of Morrow
located at 2 Marine Dr NE in Boardman.
Heppner Gazette Times
541-676-9228
david@rapidserve.net
Irrigon Clinic remodel schematics
at the Boardman Police
Department.
Houser also reported
the district’s request for
$250,000 from the Ford
Foundation to be used for
the Irrigon Medical Clin-
ic project was scheduled
to have gone before their
board at the end of July.
In other business, the
board:
-received the follow-
ing draft profit and loss
statement for June, which
showed a $201,653 profit
for the month: $1,017,664
in gross patient revenue
for the month; less $1,320
for bad debt and $32,061
in contractual and other
adjustments, plus $149,591
in tax revenue and $32,020
in other operating revenue
for $1,165,894 in total op-
erating revenue; $979,267
in total operating expenses
and a $15,026 non-operat-
ing gain for the $201,653
gain for the month and an
average monthly year-to-
date gain of $8,188.
-received the follow-
ing information: Pioneer
Memorial Hospital had
seven admissions in June,
eight admissions for ob-
servation, four swing bed
admissions, two hospital re-
spite admissions, 544 total
outpatients, 73 emergency
room encounters, 1,749 lab
tests, 113 x-ray/ultrasound
tests, 43 CT scans, three
MRI scans, 23 EKG tests,
seven lower endoscopy
procedures, 49 respiratory
therapy procedures.
-learned Home Health
had 77 patient visits; Hos-
pice had two admissions;
pharmacy had 2,774 drug
doses for $120,214 in drug
revenue.
-learned Heppner
Ambulance had 38 page-
outs with 31 transports
for $42,844 in revenue;
Boardman Ambulance had
40 page-outs with 23 trans-
ports for $40,416 in rev-
enue; Irrigon Ambulance
had 32 page-outs with 16
transports for $22,353 in
revenue; Ione Ambulance
had three page-outs with
no transports; there were
nine flights.
-received the following
report: Pioneer Memori-
al Clinic had 392 patient
visits in June, with eight
new patients, 37 seen by
a nurse and 20 no-shows;
Irrigon Medical Clinic had
271 patient visits with 28
new patients, 44 seen by
a nurse and 39 no-shows;
Ione Community Clinic had
38 patient visits, five new
patients, six seen by a nurse
and two no-shows.
Heppner Day Care
has hired a new full-time
pre-school teacher, Lind-
sey Roy of Heppner, who
will be teaching both the
three- and four-year-old
pre-school classes starting
in September.
Roy has been working
in early childhood educa-
tion and care for over 10
years. She has experience
with children and families
in daycares, preschools and
in home childcare.
According to the news
release, Lindsey is looking
forward to working with
the families and children
served by Heppner Day
Care.
New teacher at day
care
Blue-green algae
reported in Willow
Creek Reservoir
Residents are advised
to avoid Willow Creek
Reservoir as the water has
been found to contain blue-
green algae and the toxins
can be harmful to humans
and animals.
Oregon health officials
have advised that the high
levels of cyanobacteria can
cause dizziness, numbness
and tingling that can lead to
difficulty breathing or heart
problems and require im-
mediate medical attention.
Children and pets are at
increased risk for exposure
due to their size and level
of activity.
Those who get water
directly from Willow Creek
Reservoir are advised to use
an alternate water source, as
drinking water from the res-
ervoir is dangerous. Toxins
cannot be removed by boil-
ing, filtering or treating the
water with camping-style
filters.
According to the Or-
egon Health Authority
(OHA), those planning to
eat fish caught in water with
the algae blooms should
remove all fat, skin and
organs before consuming
them, as toxins are more
likely to collect in those
tissues.
People should avoid
swallowing water while
swimming or inhaling
water droplets. Although
toxins are not absorbed
through the skin, people
who have skin sensitivities
may experience a puffy, red
rash at the affected area.
The advisory will be
lifted when the concern no
longer exists. For health
information or to report
an illness, contact Shel-
ley Wight at the Morrow
County Health Department,
541-676-5421.