Ice bucket challenge for ALS
comes to town
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 137
NO. 38 8 Pages
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
County adopts parks plan for
the future
If followed would see major upgrades at
Off-Highway Vehicle Park
By David Sykes
A county parks mas-
ter plan, which guides us-
age of the county parks
through the year 2038, has
been adopted by the county
commissioners. And while
the plan covers many pos-
sible future upgrades and
changes for all three county
parks, Off-Highway Ve-
hicles park would see the
most improvements includ-
ing increased shopping and
stores, to a possible motel.
While there were goals
for all parks, some of the
most aggressive would be
at the OHV park. In food
services there are many
possibilities including spe-
cial event vendors, deli ser-
vices, snack shack vendors
and full-service restaurants.
The park currently only has
one restaurant, operating
under a franchise agree-
ment, servicing campers
and day users. There could
also be a convenience store
and snack shacks located
throughout the park, with a
focus on providing limited
food options appropriate
to the season. Another op-
tion could be fast food and
full-service food available
in the compound area of the
park servicing both camp
users and travelers along
highway 207, which passes
by the park.
In addition, the plan
looks at convenience stores,
pro shops and gift shops
that could be added. These
retail stores could be in-
cluded in a singular store
or be offered in a variety
of ways. Fueling stations
could also be added to pro-
vide gas and propane.
Also in the plan were
suggestions for a large
event arena that could host
large groups of people to
attend events such as con-
certs. A motocross track
is also mentioned where
racing and other events
could be held with an area
for spectators.
Perhaps the largest ad-
dition to the park could be
ATV riders enjoy the Morrow County OHV park.
the addition of more lodg-
ing such as cabins, lodges,
motels (of four to 24 units)
or hotels and resorts which
could serve visitors and the
travelers with overnight
accommodations and ame-
nities such as food service,
shopping and possibly a
swimming pool, spa, gym
or lounge.
To attract horse camp-
ers, build at least four to
eight corrals. Construct
new outdoor education fa-
cilities which would serve
snowmobile, bicycle, RV
and hiking groups. Create
areas for outdoor sports
for park visitors such as
archery, basketball, frisbee
golf, tennis and volleyball.
Consider constructing stu-
dent lodging facilities.
The plan says “most
outdoor school experiences
include overnight camping
experiences. To make the
facilities attractive as an
outdoor education option,
feasibility, design and fund-
ing for a student-lodging
facility should be pursued.”
Encourage rental services
for recreational equipment.
The plan also suggests
building a covered outdoor
gazebo in the recreational
area for gatherings.
For the other camp-
grounds in the county, An-
son Wright and Cutsforth,
there could be upgrades to
provide electrical, water
and sewer for campers.
Make changes to accom-
modate larger RVs with rear
access doors and slides on
both sides of the RV and to
provide full hook-up such
as power, water and sewer
to meet the requests of users
Some of the future
goals spelled out in the
plan would include im-
provement in signage with
new signs at the entrances
and near roads to aid with
park visibility to travelers.
Reduce campsite density to
offer more privacy which
enhances customer satis-
faction and foster repeat
business from campers.
Improve the campsite ame-
nities by installing upgrades
such as power, water or
sewer.
The plan looks at all
these improvements as pos-
sibilities which are not
necessarily going to hap-
pen. It was developed by
the planning department
staff and the parks plan
sub-committee made up
of citizens Sheryll Bates,
Kirsti Cason, Greg Close,
Kim Cutsforth, Mike Gor-
man, Carla McLane, Burke
O’Brien, Thomas Wolff and
Clint Carlson. The commis-
sioners voted unanimously
to accept it.
In other business at
the Sept. 5 meeting, the
commissioners approved a
jail contract with Umatilla
County to house Morrow
County prisoners. The con-
tract says Morrow County
will pay Umatilla $430,700
to reserve 20 daily beds
at the jail for the current
fiscal year. The county will
be charged $59 per day for
each prisoner lodged at the
jail. If the county houses
assistance is or will be
needed to return the land
to productive agricultural
use, is unusual and is not
the type that would recur
frequently in the same area,
affect the productive capac-
ity of the farmland or impair
or endanger the land.
The types of measures
that may be eligible are
removing debris from farm-
land, grading, shaping, or
releveling severely dam-
aged farmland, restoring
Heppner has joined
in the challenge to raise
money and awareness for
ALS in a couple of ways.
One is with the ice bucket
challenge, where business-
es and residents agree to
have a bucket of ice water
poured over their head and
then challenge the next per-
son. The other is the walk to
defeat ALS scheduled for
Sept. 23 in Portland where
Team Heppner Walk to
Defeat ALS will participate.
Those who choose to forego
the ice bucket may make a
donation instead.
Local residents Terra
Adams, Delia Robinson and
Martha Munkers have been
diagnosed with ALS (amy-
otrophic lateral sclerosis)
Lou Gehrig disease. This
disease is a neurodegener-
ative disease which affects
nerve cells in the brain and
spinal cords.
Organizers Judy Healy,
Darcy Hostetler-Robinson,
Rhonda Winters, Stepha-
nie Rill and Betty Fayette
Hickerson would like to
invite everyone to support
the cause by donation or
joining them in Portland
on the 23 rd from 11 a.m. to
3 p.m. at the World Trade
Center, 121 SW Salmon St.
for the walk.
A donation jar is avail-
able at Murray’s Drug in
Heppner to raise awareness,
help fund research for a
cure and help support the
needs of the local chapter
patients.
more prisoners, on an avail-
able only basis, than the
allotment, it will be billed
for the usage. If it houses
fewer than the 20 allotted,
the county will receive a
refund.
The commissioners
also approved at $486,698
contract with Granite Con-
struction Company out of
Hermiston for road work
between Ione and Board-
man. Granite was the low
bidder.
In other business the
council approved an ag-
gregate gravel and rock pit
site on Aaron Heideman
property.
In further action the
commission voted to ap-
prove county administrator
Darrell Green to serve as
an alternate on the Co-
lumbia River Enterprise
Zone, CREZ, board. He
will replace Greg Sweek
who resigned to take on the
position as paid administra-
tor for the CREZ.
The commission was
told that a new human re-
sources director has hired
to replace Karen Wolff who
recently retired. The new
person is Karmen Carl-
son. The commission was
also told by Green that the
county is proceeding to the
request for proposals for
engineering and design ser-
vices phase of the new Irri-
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
-See COUNTY PARKS/PAGE
FIVE
Bikers pedal through the area
Blue Mountain Century Scenic Bikeway Riders posed for the camera as they rode through
Heppner. -Photo by David Sykes.
The 7 th annual Blue
Mountain Century Sce-
nic Bikeway group passed
through Heppner last week
on another successful ride
organized by the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce
and community volun-
teers. Twenty-three riders
climbed over 8,000 feet in
elevation in the 108 mile
ride.
Bikers came from Men-
lo Park, CA; Vancouver,
Washougal, Battle Ground
and Woodinville, WA; Port-
land, Scappoose, Oregon
City, Gladstone, Bend,
Heppner and Pendleton.
Some had participated pre-
viously, but some were new
riders. Riders noted they
enjoyed the beautiful scen-
ery, the challenge of the ride
and each other’s company.
Several riders com-
mented that they enjoy the
clean, friendly atmosphere
of Heppner and will bring
others to ride on the next
ride scheduled for Sept.
21-22, 2019.
Driver cited in Lexington incidents
The driver involved
in multiple incidents in
Lexington last week was
cited for reckless driving
and reckless endangerment
after crashing into the house
at Cutsforth Corner.
A further update from
the Morrow County Sher-
permanent fences or restor- iff’s Office stated Jesus
ing conservation structures
and other similar installa-
tions.
Producers who have
suffered a loss from the fire
may contact the local FSA
County Office and request
assistance from Sept. 17 to
October 16, 2018. For more
information about ECP,
please contact the Morrow
County FSA Office at 541-
676-9011 or visit www.fsa.
usda.gov/or.
Farms damaged by fire may
receive assistance
Farms and ranches
suffering severe damage
from the Hinton/Willow
Creek fire may be eligible
for assistance under the
Emergency Conservation
Program (ECP) adminis-
tered by the Morrow Coun-
ty Farm Service Agency
(FSA).
For land to be eligible,
the natural disaster must
have created new conser-
vation problems that, if un-
treated, would be so costly
to rehabilitate that Federal
Desirae Ruth, employee in the Bank of Eastern Oregon Mortgage Department, did her part
in the ice bucket challenge to raise awareness for ALS. Rhonda Winters is pouring. -Photo
by David Sykes.
Garcia was also cited for
failure to perform duties of
a driver, criminal mischief
and trespassing follow-
ing reports of additional
incidents that were later
determined to have been
caused by the same driver
who crashed into the house.
Garcia was cited and
3
released on the additional
charges because he was
transferred to the hospital
in Hermiston for surgery.
Following completion
of the investigation, the
District Attorney will de-
cide if the incidents will be
reviewed by the Morrow
County grand jury.
Morrow
County Grain
Growers
541-989-8221
1-800-452-7396
350 Main Street,
Lexington, Oregon
MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWER
350 MAIN STREET
LEXINGTON, OR
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