Asher gets his wish
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 138
NO. 6 8 Pages
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Chamber elects officers and
gets tour of Gilliam Bisbee
renovation
Houser elected 2019 President
Asher Schonbachler is
a sweet-spirited 5-year-old
boy who enjoys exploring
the outdoors and above all
else, loves to dig in the dirt.
Camping is often his activ-
ity of choice. His family
says they are limited to cer-
tain travel times in the year
because of how the heat
effects Asher, who is bat-
tling a rare critical illness
called Leukodystrophy.
Asher’s one true wish was
to have a travel trailer full
of shovels, so that he could
have place to rest and cool
off while still doing what he
loves. On Saturday, thanks
to Make A Wish and others,
that wish came true and he
had his trailer.
Asher had not seen his
travel trailer, but when he
did he was a happy boy.
Friends and family
gathered at the Morrow
County Fairgrounds to
present the trailer, which
was packed full of Spider-
man things and other toys
and gifts. Little friends
and relatives of Asher also
piled in the trailer to help
Asher explore all his new
stuff. The trailer and all
the things were a special
gift from Make-A-Wish
Oregon. When asked if he
was happy, Asher simply
said “yes.”
“Our friends at WeeRoll
in Florida took Asher’s vi-
sion and went above and
Above: Asher hugs his Spiderman inside his new special trailer.
Below: Asher and his dad Eric check out the special “Spidy”
trailer made just for him. -Photos by David Sykes.
beyond to create a super-
hero-themed travel trailer
unlike anything we’ve seen.
The trailer was then driven
across country and special-
ly delivered to Make-A-
Wish Oregon volunteers in
eastern Oregon,” a Make-
A-Wish spokesperson said.
On Saturday, 40 plus mem-
bers of the community who
know and love Asher were
part of this special surprise
celebration, which included
a scavenger hunt downtown
and a barbecue.
Local contractor David Allstott (center) explains the work going on upstairs at the Gilliam
Bisbee building to a group of Chamber of Commerce members. -Photos by David Sykes.
By David Sykes
Some rooms will have pri- Department has moved to
The Heppner Cham- vate baths and extra baths the Bartholomew building,
ber of Commerce held its will be located outside the leaving it mostly empty.
annual meeting last week rooms. A fitness center with The downstairs has been
and, in addition to electing exercise equipment will be empty for some time after
new officers and enjoying built for the guests and an a hardware store that had
lunch, members were also elevator will be installed to been located there closed
treated to a tour of the now- access the upstairs. Allstott down.
in-progress renovation of said work on the building is
With no potential rent-
the Gilliam-Bisbee
expected to be com- ers, the county decided
building in Heppner.
pleted by November rather than tear down the
Elected president
2019.
100-year-old building or
for the coming year
Morrow Coun- continue to pay for mainte-
is Morrow County
ty purchased the nance, it would donate the
Health District CEO
G i l l i a m - B i s b e e building to a newly formed
Bob Houser.
building, which was Heppner Community Foun-
After the meeting, Bob Houser, built in the early dation. The foundation was
members walked up 2019 Pres.
1900s, in 1997 and set up to take ownership of
the street to the Gil-
has mostly used the the building and also handle
liam Bisbee building
upper floors for the the renovation. In addition,
to get an update from con- County Health Department the county has set aside
tractor David Allstott on the and leased out addition- $235,000 to help with the
progress of the complete al offices to Communi- upgrade. The Howard and
renovation project.
ty Counseling Solutions. Beth Bryant Community
Allstott gave members Community Counseling Trust plans on providing a
a tour of the downstairs moved into its new offices sum of money to complete
first which has been com- in Heppner and the Health the renovation.
pletely gutted and is being
restored to include a large
area for community events,
both public and private,
such as weddings. Also
downstairs will be a full
commercial kitchen and
bar with enough tables and
chairs to seat 245 people.
The group then went
upstairs, which is also be-
ing completely gutted and
remodeled into four suites
and space to accommodate
up to 40 overnight guests.
There will be open rooms
Chamber vice president Andy Fletcher (left) gives
with kitchenettes and a Incoming
outgoing president Matt Combe a plaque of appreciation for
social-type gathering hall. his work the past year. -Photos by David Sykes.
New 2019 Chamber of Commerce officers are sworn in by Bank of Eastern Oregon Heppner
Branch manager Tricia Rollins (far right) at the annual Chamber Luncheon last Thursday.
Incoming officers are left to right: Directors Jeff Bailey, Bank of Eastern Oregon president
and CEO, Nancy Snider owner of Wheatland Insurance, John Gould, manager Heppner Les
Schwab, Andy Fletcher, Columbia Basin Electric manager of finance and administration,
incoming vice president and directors Matt Combe, high school and junior high principal,
John Murray, owner Murray’s Drug, and Kim Cutsforth, interim Heppner city manager and
director of the Howard and Beth Bryant Trust. Not pictured are director Ann Murray owner
of Murray’s Drug, incoming Chamber president Bob Houser, CEO of Morrow County Health
District and treasurer Tawny Miles, Director of Human Resources at Morrow County Grain
Growers. -Photos by David Sykes
Chamber of Commerce
recognizes local woman for
volunteer work
Each year the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce
honors a local citizen for
their volunteer work in the
community. The volunteer
is chosen by Chamber di-
rector Sheryll Bates who
appreciates volunteers and
their hard work. This year’s
recipient was Carolyn Wil-
ley who has done every-
thing from give help with
rewards cards at Christmas
and helping with the annual
Town and Country.
“It is this kind of vol-
unteer that makes my job
so much easier. She is ded-
icated, committed to the
‘cause,’ whatever it may be
at the time and dependable,
and she is always posi-
tive and supportive,” Bates
told the gathered Chamber Sheryll Bates (left) recognizes Carolyn Willey of Heppner for
members at their annual her volunteer work in the community this past year. -Photo
by David Sykes
meeting last week.
No measles cases reported in Morrow County
The Morrow County
Health Department has re-
ported there are no measles
cases in Morrow County at
this time, but would like to
share information on how
to keep your children safe
and what the school or child
care will do if a case of
measles is confirmed.
Measles is a very conta-
gious viral disease that can
spread through the air when
someone sick with the mea-
sles coughs or sneezes. It
can also be spread by direct
contact with nose discharge
and spit of someone sick
with measles.
The symptoms of
measles start with a fever,
cough, runny nose and red
eyes followed by a red rash
that usually begins on the
head or face and spreads to
the rest of the body. People
are contagious with mea-
sles for four days before
the rash appears and up
to four days after the rash
appears. After a person who
is not immune is exposed
to measles, symptoms usu-
ally develop in one to two
weeks, but it can take up to
three weeks. Complications
of measles include ear in-
fection, lung infection and,
in rare cases, inflammation
of the brain. About one
in 1,000 children dies of
measles. Anyone who is
not immune to measles and
believes they have measles
symptoms should contact
their health care provider
or urgent care by telephone
before going in to the clinic
to make arrangements to
avoid exposing others to
the virus.
People are considered
immune to measles if any
of the following are true:
-You are a pre-school
age child with one measles
vaccine (MMR - measles,
mumps, rubella)
-You are a school-
age child (K-12) or adult
who has had one measles
vaccine (MMR - measles,
mumps, rubella).
-You were born before
1957.
-You have had measles
(diagnosed by a health care
provider and confirmed
with a lab test).
-You have had a blood keep in mind:
test that shows you are im-
-Measles is highly
mune to measles.
contagious. If a case is
With the current mea- confirmed in a school or
sles outbreaks, here are
-See MEASLES/PAGE
some important points to
THREE
DEADLINE:
MONDAYS
AT 5PM
20 % OFF
Montana Silversmith Jewelry
All Key and Wrangler Brand
Winter Clothing 20% OFF
Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)