SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 18, 2020
All OTLD libraries Church services
closed until further available online
notice
Effective immediately,
all branches of Oregon
Trail Library District are
closed until further notice.
Currently, public health
best practices to reduce
the spread of COVID-19
include limiting access to
public spaces. Additionally,
due to staffing concerns, we
have made the decision to
follow public health guid-
ance and close to the public.
As a public institution,
this decision was not made
lightly. OTLD recognizes
closure means some of the
people who need them the
most will not have access
to library buildings. They
will be working with their
partners on ways to work
together to support the com-
munity.
During the building
closures, staff will continue
to work and be paid. They
will be available to help
via email or phone. To
protect employee health,
workplace guidelines from
county health officials are
being followed.
While the physical
spaces are closed, a library
card gives the holder ac-
cess to a world of digital
content and other services,
including downloadable
magazines, eBooks and
audiobooks; educational
resources; and language
tutorials. Visit oregontrail.
ploud.net to access digital
content. For assistance,
please call the local branch.
A staff person will be avail-
able to help.
Things people should
also know:
-Holds and due dates
will be extended. Materi-
als that are due during this
closure can be kept until
libraries reopen or returned
to the book drops.
-Library events and
meeting room reservations
are cancelled through Mon-
day, April 13. Staff will
continue to monitor how
long these spaces and pro-
grams will remain unavail-
able.
-Visit the website at
oregontrail.ploud.net for
COVID-19 information and
resources. Information will
also be posted on the Face-
book and Twitter accounts.
The public’s health and
safety, as well as that of
the staff, volunteers, and
Friends of the Library is the
top concern. Your patience
is appreciated as staff con-
tinues to modify operations
during this unprecedented
time.
Candidates’ forum
scheduled
The Heppner Cham-
ber of Commerce will be
holding a candidates’ fo-
rum for Morrow County
Commissioner, Position 1,
Morrow County Treasurer
and Morrow County Jus-
tice of the Peace. The fo-
rum will be held Thursday,
April 2 from 11:45 a.m. to
1 p.m. during the regularly
scheduled lunch meeting
at the Heppner City Hall
conference room.
Candidates for Morrow
County Commissioner Po-
sition 1 are Joseph Arma-
to, Jim Doherty, Michael
Sweek and Joel Peterson.
Morrow County Treasur-
er candidates are Sabrina
Bailey Cave, Cody High,
Jaylene Papineau and Erik
Patton. Theresa Craw-
ford, Glen Diehl and Kelly
Doherty are the candidates
running for Morrow County
Justice of the Peace.
The candidate’s forum
will be moderated by Bill
Kuhn, with questions to be
written and submitted to the
moderator. He will ask the
same question of all candi-
dates for specific positions
with the same time limit
allowed to answer each
question.
Lunch will be available
at 11:45 a.m. for $10 and
will be catered by Buck-
num’s. The candidate’s
forum will begin at 12 noon
and an RSVP is required to
allow for enough lunches
and seating.
This forum is open to
the public. Please RSVP
by calling 541-676-5536
and indicate whether you
want lunch or just to attend
the forum.
Through the end of
March, or until further no-
tice, Sunday worship ser-
vices at Hopeful Saints
Ministry are being held
at 10 a.m. through Face-
book Live. Services can be
viewed at that time or later
at the All Saints Episcopal
& Hope Lutheran Facebook
page.
Everyone is encour-
aged to stay connected to
the faith community of their
choice, and to be persistent
in prayer for the health and
safety of this nation and all
of creation.
Catholics suspend
services
In accordance with
Governor Brown’s order
of March 16, Bishop Liam
Cary of the Diocese of
Baker has announced the
following directives to
Catholics of the Diocese,
beginning immediately.
-All Sunday and week-
day Masses are suspended.
-All religious education
and sacramental prepa-
ration programs are sus-
pended.
-All public devotions,
such as “The Stations of
the Cross” and communal
Penance services are sus-
pended.
-Funeral Masses will
be celebrated with only the
immediate family present
and with no reception fol-
lowing.
-All breakfasts, coffee
hours, fish fry dinners are
suspended.
-Accommodations will
be made for people to come
to church for private devo-
tions.
-Pastor visits to hospi-
tals, nursing homes, assist-
ed living facilities and the
homebound are suspended.
The only exception to this is
when a priest must enter to
administer the sacraments
to the dying.
The Diocese of Baker
encompasses all of Eastern
Oregon from the Cascade
Mountains to the Idaho
border.
(s)Richard O. Fischer
Very Rev. Richard O.
Fischer
Vicar General
Local scholarships
available
The South Morrow
County Scholarship Com-
mittee will accept scholar-
ship applications until April
2 at 4 p.m. In Heppner, they
can be turned into Mrs. Gin-
ger Bowman and in Ione,
Mrs. Stephanie McElligott.
South Morrow Coun-
ty Scholarship Criteria
The Committee will
award scholarships to a
college-bound Heppner
High School or Ione High
School Senior based on
academic achievement,
community involvement
and financial need. Students
must be continuing their
education at a community
college, trade school, or
four-year college or uni-
versity. Applications will
be accepted and awarded by
the South Morrow County
Scholarship Inc Board of
Directors using their Com-
mon Local Scholarship Ap-
plication and must include
a transcript and principal/
counselor evaluation form.
The South Morrow
County Scholarship Trust
Committee, on behalf of the
LaRue Family, will accept
scholarship applications
until April 2 at 4 p.m. Com-
pleted applications may be
No COVID-19 cases reported
in Morrow County
According to a press
release received from
Morrow County Emer-
gency Management dated
March 17, Morrow County
does not have any positive
COVID-19 cases currently.
Medical personnel continue
to monitor and screen as
appropriate, working with
health care providers and
Oregon Health Authority.
Per CDC guidelines all
medical personnel are uti-
lizing universal precautions
with Personnel Protective
Equipment (PPE).
Following the an -
nouncement by Gover-
nor Brown that all Oregon
K-12 public schools are
to be closed until April 1,
Morrow County Emergen-
cy Management, Public
Health, Morrow County
and Ione School Districts
all came together to make
sure they have a united
message:
-Parents are asked to
check your school’s website
and Facebook page for par-
ticulars and updates.
--Check back often;
several times daily, this sit-
uation is rapidly changing.
--There will also
be Robo calls, from the
schools, with updated in-
formation.
--All public K-12
schools in Morrow County
will be providing meals
next week.
Everyone is asked to
please practice “Social Dis-
tancing.” This is something
that Public Health Officials
use to stop or slow down
the spread of a highly con-
tagious disease or virus.
Social Distancing means to
limit unnecessary contact.
Limit trips in public and try
to avoid close proximity to
others.
In addition to school
closures, Governor Brown
announced that all restau-
rants will no longer provide
dine-in service. All service
is to be take-out or deliv-
ery. All events with greater
than 25 persons have been
cancelled and people are
asked to avoid groups of
10 or more.
Healthcare facilities,
workplaces and other es-
sential businesses such as
grocery, pharmacy and re-
tail locations are exempt
from the closures according
to the press release. People
are still being encouraged
to wash their hands often
and follow social distancing
guidelines.
Many do not realize
that a healthy appearing
person can be a carrier,
with no symptoms, and un-
wittingly pass the virus on
to someone at higher risk.
Morrow County Medical
Professionals are continu-
ing to actively screen and
assess individuals at risk for
the COVID-19 virus.
turned into Mrs. Stephanie
McElligott.
Coach Del LaRue
Scholarship Criteria
The Coach Del LaRue
Scholarship was developed
in memory of Del LaRue,
a long-time teacher and
coach at Ione High School.
Del had a passion for coach-
ing basketball and track
and loved seeing students
set and achieve their goals.
After retiring from teach-
ing, Del continued to coach
track for twelve additional
years. During this time
he helped many student
athletes achieve their goals
and was honored as national
Track Coach of the Year.
This fund awards one
$1,000 scholarship to a
college-bound Ione High
School Senior based on
demonstrated academic
achievement and commu-
nity involvement, with pref-
erence given to students
who have participated in
the Ione High School Track
Program.
Students must be con-
tinuing their education at a
community college, trade
school, or four-year college
or university. Applicants
must have a minimum 3.0
accumulated GPA, attend-
ed Ione High School all
four years of high school
and shown involvement in
community activities.
Applications will be
accepted and awarded by
the South Morrow County
Scholarship Inc Board of
Directors using their Com-
mon Local Scholarship Ap-
plication and must include
a transcript.
Tax-Aide
sites all
closed
Due to the spread of
the Coronavirus, all AARP
Tax-Aide tax preparation
sites have suspended ser-
vices for the 2019 tax year.
Tax sites in Lexington,
Hermiston, Boardman and
Pendleton all were closed
effective Monday, March
16. Tax-Aide looks forward
to seeing everyone next
year.
Spring break food boxes to be distributed Road Bowling
buttons available
The annual spring
break food boxes will be
distributed Sunday, March
22, beginning at 2 p.m. and
continuing while supplies
last at All Saints Episcopal
church. This is a free gift to
members of the community,
no questions asked, spon-
sored by Hopeful Saints
Ministry.
One box per household
may be picked up at the
back entrance of All Saints
Episcopal Church. Home
delivery is available for
those who are home-bound.
To arrange for home deliv-
ery, please call the church
office at 541-676-9970,
leaving your name, phone
The 38 th annual Road Bowling buttons are still avail-
number and address and a able for purchase for $3 until March 24. Buttons may
box will be delivered on be purchased at the city of Heppner office, the Heppner
Sunday afternoon.
Chamber and Murray’s Drug.
Drawings for four lucky winners of $50 each will be
held Wednesday, March 25.
Agricultural, Construction,
Commercial and
Home Loans.
We’ve got you covered.
HEPPNER
IONE
279 N. Main Street
280 Main Street
MORTGAGE
269 N. Main Street, Heppner
Plus Friendly Branches
where you can bank!
AMBER SCHLAICH
Loan Officer
NEW LISTING
$154,000
Four bedroom 2 bath home on the hill overlooking Heppner.
Walking distance to the high school. Nice living room up
stairs and a big family room down. Large laundry room. One
car garage will also make nice attached shop space. Garden
area and trees. Quiet neighborhood.
75
Y ears
SINCE 1945
210 SUMMIT DRIVE, HEPPNER
RAYMOND SEASTONE
Mortgage Loan Officer
NMLS#937744
Rates & terms may vary. All loans subject to credit approval.
188 W. Willow
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
david@sykesrealestate.net
Owner/Broker
David Sykes
541-980-6674
NMLS# 414459 / MEMBER FDIC
Have a news story or photo for the Gazette? e-mail editor@rapidserve.net
call 541-676-9228 or stop by the office on Willow St., Heppner Today