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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 2019)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 11, 2019 FAA nixes county participation Christmas Music Fest planned in airport maintenance work Change in policy results in delay of runway maintenance By David Sykes A change in policy by the Federal Aviation Ad- ministration, FAA, will likely result in the delay of maintenance at the Lex- ington Airport, the county commissioners learned at their November 27 meeting. The commissioners were not pleased, with one even saying elected representa- tives should be called. In the past the FAA has allowed the county to do work at the airport and count that work toward its contribution in the federal or state financed projects. The work is called in-kind or “account-reimbursed construction” and is per- formed by the county public works department. “Federal design stan- dards for airfield construc- tion work can be very strin- gent,” the FAA office in Des Moines, Washington said in a letter to the county turning down the contribution. The FAA said even though the county had done good work on the airport in the past it was not going to approve the county doing work on this project. “I understand that the ADO has approved and Morrow County has performed work on several past AIP projects using force account reimburse- ment, and to be clear, we have no reason to believe that the work in question does not meet standards,” said Kevin Latschaw of the Seattle Airports District Office. But he said, “We are not inclined to approve the request.” The approved main- tenance project is over $1 million for seal coating and installing lighting on the runaway. The county’s work would have count- ed towards a 10 percent required local match to receive the large grant. Not allowing the county to match funding with work will probably not kill the project, but most likely throw the whole project off by a year as the county will now have to come up with $100,000 cash in next year’s budget. “We don’t want to turn down a mil- lion-dollar project over a 10 percent match,” Public Works Director Matt Scriv- ner told the commissioners. The project was scheduled to have been started soon but may have to be moved out to 2021. The county will first have to come up with $100,000 cash and include that in the 2020 budget before it can move forward. Two of the county’s air- port engineers from Bend were at the meeting and expressed disappointment with the FAA ruling. “Your public works has proven capable of doing this kind of work,” Tom Headley of Century West Engineer- ing told the commission. “Crack seal and pavement removal are perfect for in- kind work for the county,” he said. The county has relied on in-kind work by public works extensively in the past at the airport, and this policy change was a surprise and blow to future plans. Commissioner Don Russell, himself a pilot, was not pleased with the FAA action. “The FAA want qualified contractors. Morrow County is a prov- en contractor, but they are still saying no,” he said. He asked if the engineers wanted him to contact a congressional representa- tive about it. “I can do this,” he said. Headley said no he didn’t think going political would help on this project, adding, “This is a big blow to us. It came out of the blue.” Commissioner Me- lissa Lindsay was surprised the FAA turned it down, saying since everything had already been approved, she had hoped they might just say go ahead with this project, but say no more in-kind work on the airport in the future. Lindsay also pointed out the airport is important for economic development. “This is a high economic development for this end of the county. This is huge. They (the government) talk about helping rural counties and then they do this,” she argued. Public Works Management Assis- tant Sandi Pointer has been working on writing and re- ceiving grants for the Lex- ington airport development and maintenance for many years. “There are millions of dollars that have gone into that airport and then we just can’t do this? What about all the money we put into the airport already?” she asked. After discussion the commissioners decided to write a letter to the FAA expressing their disappoint- ment. “Tell them we are very disappointed and if it happens again, we will call our congressional del- egation,” Commissioner Russell said. “We have the manpower and the exper- tise, and we have trained people and bought equip- ment for this type of work,” he added. USDA opens Conservation Reserve Program signup Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened signup for the Conservation Re- serve Program (CRP) on December 9. The deadline for agricultural producers to sign up for general CRP is February 28, 2020, while signup for continuous CRP is ongoing. Farmers and ranchers who enroll in CRP receive a yearly rental payment for voluntarily establishing long-term, resource-con- serving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to con- trol soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on margin- ally productive agricultural lands. “The Conservation Re- serve Program is one of our nation’s largest conserva- tion endeavors and a critical tool to help producers better manage their operations while conserving natural re- sources,” Secretary Perdue said. “The program marks its 35-year anniversary in 2020, and we’re hoping to see one of our largest sig- nups in many years.” CRP has 22 million acres enrolled, but the 2018 Farm Bill lifted the cap to 27 million acres. This means farmers and ranchers have a chance to enroll in CRP for the first time or continue their participation for another term. Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest private-lands con- servation programs in the U.S. The program was orig- inally primarily intended to control soil erosion and potentially stabilize com- modity prices by taking marginal lands out of pro- duction. This Farm Bill pro- gram has evolved over the years, providing a variety of conservation and economic benefits from coast to coast. CRP has: -Prevented more than 9 billion tons of soil from eroding, enough soil to fill 600 million dump trucks; -Reduced nitrogen and phosphorous runoff relative to annually tilled cropland by 95 and 85 percent re- spectively; -Sequestered an annual average of 49 million tons of greenhouse gases, equal to taking nine million cars off the road; -Created more than 3 million acres of restored wetlands while protecting more than 175,000 stream miles with riparian forest and grass buffers, enough to go around the world seven times; and -Benefited bees and other pollinators and in- creased populations of ducks, pheasants, turkey, bobwhite quail, prairie chickens, grasshopper spar- rows and many other birds. By enrolling in CRP, producers are improving water quality, reducing soil erosion, and restoring habitat for wildlife. This in turn spurs hunting, fishing, recreation, tourism and oth- er economic development across rural America. To enroll in CRP, con- tact your local FSA county office or visit fsa.usda.gov/ crp. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers. gov/service-locator. 20% off Montana Silver Fresh Christmas Trees in Stock! Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed Heppner - 242 W Linden Way - 541-676-9422 A festival of Christmas music featuring musicians from around the communi- ty, will be held at Hope Lu- theran Church (in Heppner near the dam) on Sunday, December 15, at 4 p.m. The program will conclude with an opportunity to sing your favorite carols. Admission is free, but donations of canned goods for the Neighborhood Cen- ter will be welcome. More information about the con- cert is available by calling the Hopeful Saints Ministry office at 541-676-9970. St. Patrick’s Parish to host Christmas event St. Patrick’s Parish will host a Christmas potluck and children’s musical play December 15. Mass will be held at 11 a.m. followed by the potluck at noon and the performance at 12:45 p.m. The new musical, Follow the Star, performed by the children of St. Patrick’s tells the story of the birth of Jesus and includes new songs, solos and music. Everyone is invited to join the celebration of the Christmas season. Sheriff’s Report The Morrow County Sheriff’s Office has released the following information: July 22: Morrow Coun- Oregon on S First St, Irri- drove off. ty Sheriff’s Office received gon that a guy is trying to -MCSO received a re- a report on Lewis and Clark get into the drop box at the port on NE Third St, Irrigon Dr, Boardman that earlier bank. Unable to locate. that subject is headed back today a newer white Ford -MCSO received a re- from Hermiston to Irrigon Explorer with three indi- port at Bucknum’s on N driving on CO plates and viduals took pictures of the Main St, Heppner that there license. RP is concerned site. 35 minutes later they is a female behind the bar that the subject is driving wandered the property. One that is high and is bothering without a license because of the individuals appeared her customers. his is void after 30 days. July 23: Morrow to be carrying a weapon. July 29: Morrow -MCSO received a re- County Sheriff ’s Office County Sheriff ’s Office port on I 84 W, Boardman received a report at Hwy received a report on Hanna that there is tire tread all 730/I 84 W, Boardman that Arbuckle Rd, Heppner that over both lanes. Referred RP hit a deer. The deer is RP is 25 miles outside of well off the road to the left. Heppner towards Penland to other agency. -MCSO received a Referred to other agency. Lake and needs assistance. -MCSO received a re- Is dehydrated. report on SE Utah Ave, Irrigon that gold Dodge port at E Hwy 730/First -MCSO received a short bed pickup went past St, Irrigon that a white car report on NE Quaid St, his house at a high rate of driving through Irrigon is Heppner of debris on the all over the road. Unable sidewalk and trailer parked speed. -MCSO received a re- to locate. the wrong way. -MCSO received a re- port on NE Ninth St, Irrigon -MCSO received a re- that neighbor is blaring port that Johnney Allen port on NW Gale St, Hep- music and rattling RP’s Hedge was arrested by pner that RP had two bags MCSO on CA DOC parole stolen. States unknown windows. -MCSO received a re- and community service when it went missing. RP port at Green Acres on warrant. No bail, lodged at called back and advised he Paterson Ferry Rd, Irrigon NORCOR. left the bag at the grocery -MCSO received a store yesterday. that her car was stolen at the Butter Creek apartments. report on SE Utah Ave, -MCSO received a re- Vehicle was recovered by Irrigon that a gray Chevy port on Meadow Loop, pickup went by his house at Boardman that she got a UCSO unoccupied. -MCSO received a re- a high rate of speed. Unable check mailed to her and port on Washington Ln, to locate. states she believes it is a -MCSO received a re- scam. Irrigon that there has been a dog at her house all day, port on W Seventh Rd, Ir- -MCSO received a re- she has been trying to find rigon of a 60-year-old male, port at Agri Northwest on the owner. Hasn’t had a diabetic and semi-con- Paterson Ferry Rd, Irrigon problem all day but now her scious. of a female parked off of -MCSO received a re- Frontage/Pole Line who is chickens are slaughtered. -MCSO received a re- port at S Birch St, Ione of advising she is out of gas port on SE Utah Ave, Ir- a subject threatening sui- and going to stay there until rigon that a silver Honda cide and has access to two she dies. RP would like her CRV goes up to a house handguns. off the property and if it is -MCSO received a re- truly a gas situation, they near his every day and parks out front going into port at Miller Rd/Hender- would be happy to fill her the driveway or waiting by gart Ln, Boardman that up and get her along. the driveway. RP advised there is a toilet in the road. that someone waits in the Referred to other agency. -Continued on PAGE SIX -MCSO received a re- car and other person goes inside before leaving. RP port at MCGG Boardman DEADLINE: thinks they have to be buy- on Rail Loop Dr, Board- man that a silver Jeep with ing dope. MONDAYS -MCSO received a re- Idaho plates is digging a AT 5PM port at Bank of Eastern hole, walked down and they Happy 90th Birthday GENE ORWICK Gene’s family invites his friends to join us for a 90th birthday celebration at Heppner Elks Club on Saturday, December 14th, at two o’clock in the afternoon. A luncheon will be served in honor of Gene.You are invited to share a story from the past and make a new memory to treasure. Have a news story or photo for the Gazette? Email editor@rapidserve.net call 541-676-9228 or stop by the office on Willow St., Heppner today.