Wheat harvest begins
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
Kevin Gray, General
Manager of Morrow Coun-
ty Grain Growers, reported
some farms began harvest-
ing their wheat in June, but
most started after the 4 th of
July. Early red wheat began
early and white wheat start-
ed this week.
Gray told the Gazette
that the crop yields are re-
cording a little above aver-
age at this time, in the upper
40 bushels per acre. Dry
land wheat started first but
they are now seeing some
irrigated wheat coming in
as well.
“April was tough with
no rain and high mid 80s
temps in May were a prob-
lem. Then it rained and the
wheat popped back up and
was perfectly level across
the top,” Gray reported.
“The hot weather did take
some of the top end yield,
though,” he continued.
In other news, MCGG
just completed their new
Hogue-Warner bunker at
the barge terminal west of
Irrigon. The bunker will
hold 1.3 million bushels.
azette
imes
VOL. 139
NO. 29 6 Pages
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
City considers land purchase
for more parking
Would be used for overflow parking during events
By David Sykes
The city of Heppner
is considering purchasing
a lot at the corner of May
and Chase to turn it into a
parking lot. City Manager
Kraig Cutsforth says the lot
would be a good place for a
parking lot to handle over-
flow parking downtown
especially during events
such as St Patrick’s Day and
Fair and Rodeo.
The property is owned
by Jason Patterson who
also owns Heppner Auto
Parts Store across the street,
and Cutsforth says he has
expressed an interest in sell-
ing. Cutsforth said no deal
has been struck but feels
the .35-acre lot is probably
worth somewhere in the
neighborhood of $18,000
to $20,000. Cutsforth said
money for the purchase
would come from funds set
aside by the city for street
repairs and improvements.
Councilmember Adam
Doherty questioned the
wisdom of the city buying
property when there is need
around town for street re-
pairs. “We start purchasing
lots and graveling them
over for parking. I didn’t
know that is what we were
going to use the street fund
for,” he said. The city is
getting ready to do some
major street repairs in town,
and although there is state
money set aside already to
cover this, the city will have
to have to pay for any water
and sewer repairs needed
once the old streets are dug
up and public works finds
out what’s under them.
Doherty said maybe the city
should wait and see what
infrastructure costs are go-
ing to be uncovered before
buying more property. “We
have a lot going on with
streets and under streets,”
he reminded the council.
Councilmember Corey
Sweeney wanted to know
how many properties the
city currently owns and
Cutsforth said it was 36 par-
cels around town. Council
member John Bowles said
he liked the idea of buying
the lot, cleaning it up and
using it for parking. The
council ended up voting
5 to 1 in favor of having
Cutsforth investigate the
purchase further and make
sure the city has the money.
He will report back to the
council.
In other property is-
sues, the council heard a
report from Sally and Ralph
Walker about establishing
a dog park in Heppner. The
city of Heppner had earlier
indicated that a strip of
vacant land between the
old swimming pool park
and Shobe Creek at Can-
non Street and South Main
Cutsforth to begin getting
the paperwork together for
the dedication.
In other business the
council heard a report
from councilmember John
Bowles who spoke in part
about the amount of infor-
mation available concern-
ing COVID-19. He said the MCGG’s new bunker west of Irrigon will hold 1.3 mil bushels. -Photos by Chance Frederickson
Sheriff’s Office has been of Frederickson Farming, LLC.
adjusting the amount of in-
formation released in its re-
ports since there is so much
available. Bowles said there
is a tremendous amount
of information available
about COVID-19 and it
changes so rapidly that he
recommended people who
want more than the Sher-
iff’s report gives, to check
in with the Oregon Health
Authority web site. “They
have tons of information,”
he said. Bowles, who is also
the Undersheriff in addi-
tion to a councilmember,
said his office is trying to
find the right balance be-
ed as an active case in the
county where they live not
where they work. In other
virus news Cutsforth said
the city had received a large
shipment of masks and that
anyone who needed one
could get one from city
hall. Masks are required
at all indoor offices and
stores and all members of
the council, city staff and
members of the public at
Monday’s council meeting
had on masks.
In other business the
council received a report
from Public Works Director
Chad Doherty who gave
the run down on what his
department had been doing
the past month: Raised the
water meter boxes at the
new duplexes on Cowins
Street, replaced several
water meters around town,
fixed an afterhours water
leak on Green St and on
Hwy 207, assisted the town
of Lexington in fixing a
water main break where
Heppner sent a truck and
The city council is considering purchasing this lot at the corner of May and Chase Streets across the creek from the pizza
a crew to help, ran a new
shop. -Photo by David Sykes
sewer line and finished
the park needs is some min- tween releasing too much list. A person is considered where a person would be the underground plumbing
imal water available for the information for people to still an active case in the reported as active if they for the new information /
county up to 90 days after tested positive, where they restroom building on Main
dogs to drink and possibly process, and too little.
Bowles was also asked they have been tested posi- work or where they live? He
some ‘poop bags’ to use.
She said some individuals why when the reports are tive even though they are no said even if a person may
-See LAND PURCHASE/
PAGE THREE
have already approached released from Sheriff ’s longer showing symptoms. have caught COVID-19 at
Bowles was also asked work they would be report-
them about donating money Office, they continue to
to get the park set up, add- count the number of cases
ing that they were looking from several months ago
at purchasing some benches even when those people no
and maybe planting some longer show symptoms?
trees for shade for the dogs He said the state has been
and owners. She said there changing its reporting rules,
would be no landscaping originally saying anyone
to take care of, so the park that is 14 days past testing
is going to be low mainte- positive could be removed
MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS
from the active list, and
nance.
350 MAIN STREET LEXINGTON OR 97839
CONTACT JUSTIN BAILEY 541-256-0229, 541-989-8221 EXT.
Walker asked the coun- then the state came back
204
cil to give them about a and first moved that time
year to start getting things period to 30 days and it is
underway, and the council now up to 90 days a person
gave its consensus telling stays on a county’s active
Street might be a possibility
for the park if it is accept-
able to nearby residents.
At Monday night’s
meeting the Walkers told
the council after publicizing
the proposed park in the pa-
per they had not heard any
negative comments from
the public so were asking
the city to donate the prop-
erty for the park. According
to the Walkers, creating
an off-leash dog park has
become a necessity due to
many other fenced areas
being posted with “no dogs
allowed” recently. “This
only leaves open public
parks, sidewalks and peo-
ple’s yards for dog’s use,”
Sally Walker said earlier.
Cutsforth said a bet-
ter option than a donation
would be a dedication of
the property, where the city
would still own the proper-
ty. Walker said there would
be no maintenance respon-
sibility by the city and all
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