Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 5, 2020 -- THREE
Farmers market closed during Phase 1
The Willow Creek
Farmers Market is closed
due to Gov. Kate Brown’s
decision to take Morrow
County back to Phase
1 last week. According
to market co-managers
Andrea Nelson and An-
drea Di Salvo, they hope
to reopen the market if
Morrow County returns
to Phase 2 before the end
of the farmers market
season. However, that de-
pends on where Morrow
County stands at the end
of the governor’s mini-
mum of 21 days.
“It was a difficult de-
cision to make,” said Di
Salvo, “especially since the
farmers market was doing
so well this season.”
The farmers market,
which had been on Fridays
since it began in 2009,
switched to Thursday eve-
nings this year in response
to community feedback.
Even during last week’s
heat wave, the market has
been thriving as both a
shopping venue and a place
for community members to
mingle with friends—from
six feet away, of course.
Nelson and Di Salvo
cited the inability to meet
Phase 1 restrictions as the
cause of the closure.
“People tell us other
farmers markets are staying
open around the state and
wonder why we’re not,”
said Di Salvo. “But, staffed
entirely by volunteers, we
didn’t feel we could ad-
equately enforce masks,
social distancing, and es-
pecially the maximum of
25 people.”
High school asks for public cooperation
in use of track facility
Heppner high school ad-
ministration is requesting
that public use of the new-
ly repaired and repainted
track follow guidelines
that will be posted.
Please no pets. “we have
to use a shovel before PE
classes and practice and
spend significant amounts
of time removing dog fe-
ces” said HHS PE teacher
and football coach Greg
Grant. We don’t always
find it all and it is not
healthy in any way. Bicy-
cles, skateboards, tri-cy-
cles, wheeled toys all
damage the new painting
and groove the track. “We
would appreciate coop-
eration in not using these
on our track or the inside
practice field either. “stat-
ed Matt Combe principal.
The long jump pits are
not a sandbox for children
to play in while the par-
ent walks. We have had
to sweep sand back into
the pits and remove rocks
several times this spring
and summer. We recently
spent a large percentage of
our annual maintenance
fund to repair the track and
re-paint it. We are obligat-
ed to protect that invest-
ment. We will be posting
new signs soon that clear-
ly define what is allowed
and what is not.
“I hope to see many peo-
ple walking and running
on our track as it is avail-
able for these activities.
We thank the public for re-
specting the guidelines for
the proper use of the track
facility.
For any questions please
contact Greg Grant at 541-
676-9138.
BEO collects school supplies
Bank of Eastern
Oregon is collecting school
supplies for local elementa-
ry students at its 15 Oregon
branches. These supplies
will be distributed to local
schools.
“Students need
supplies, whether they are
at school or studying from
home. We welcome you
to join with your local
branch and celebrate the
spirit of your hometown:
bring your school supply
donations to any branch of
Bank of Eastern Oregon,”
says Becky Kindle, chief
banking officer.
Each branch will
feature a drawing for sev-
eral backpacks filled with
supplies for a local student.
Community members with
a grade school student are
encouraged to stop in and
fill out a ticket. If your
branch lobby is temporarily
closed, you will be able to
access the drawing through
the drive-through window.
You do not have
to be a Bank of Eastern
Oregon customer to do-
nate supplies or enter the
drawing and no purchase
is necessary. BEO branches
in Oregon are located in Ar-
lington, Athena, Boardman,
Burns, Condon, Enterprise,
Fossil, Heppner, Herm-
iston, Ione, Irrigon, John
Day, La Grande, Moro, and
Prairie City.
Take Charge of Your Health
“We could have chosen
not to try,” she added, “but A message from the Community Health
that would have landed us improvement Partnership of Morrow
in hot water, too.”
County
Questions about the
Willow Creek Farmers By Andrea Fletcher
market can be directed
August is National Immunization Awareness
to 541-720-4399, willow-
Month
and
a good time to make sure you have the vac-
creekfm@gmail.com, or
cinations
you
need. Are you and your family up to date?
the market Facebook page.
Schedule a wellness visit with your local health clinic
today, as vaccinations may be available at low or no cost
to you, if you are enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare or other
insurance plans.
We all want to be healthier and live longer. That’s
why regular wellness visits, blood pressure checks,
screenings and vaccines, are so important. These preven-
tive visits help you catch problems before they become
serious, manage chronic diseases and lower health risks.
Your local health care providers - Morrow County
Health Department, Morrow County Health District Co-
lumbia River Health, Advantage Dental and Community
Counseling Solutions collaborate with all human service
organizations in Morrow County to form the Community
Health Improvement Partnership to ensure access to a
robust health system and help you maintain good health.
For more information, contact Andrea Fletcher,
541-989-8232, afruralvoice@hotmail.com.
We’re Here To Help!
In these trying times, if you feel at risk, remember
that we offer delivery and mail service.
Our goal is to help you stay healthy.
Call us!
217 North Main St.,
Heppner, OR
Phone 676-9158 Floral 676-9426
murraysdrug.com
www.murraysdrug.com
District Announces New Principals At Two Schools
Jill Ledbetter
Stephanie Ewing
The Morrow County
School District is pleased
to announce the hiring
of two new principals at
elementary schools in
Boardman and Irrigon for
the 20-21 school year.
Jill Ledbetter has been
selected as the next prin-
cipal of Sam Boardman
Elementary (SBE) in
Boardman. Ledbetter has
been the head teacher at
Sam Boardman for the
past four years. She has
23 years of teaching ex-
perience in several differ-
ent grade levels, as well
as work as an interven-
tionist and instructional
coach.
Erin Stocker, Executive
Director of Human Re-
sources, said the selection
committee was impressed
with Ledbetter’s under-
standing of the needs of
SBE and her willingness
to continue the great work
happening there. “Her
work with the building
and district safety commit-
tee and data team meeting
structures, as well as adept-
ly responding to needs of a
very diverse student popu-
lation have prepared Led-
better for this position. We
are excited to have Jill join
our administrative team,
as she brings a wealth of
knowledge about Morrow
County School District to
the table,” Stocker said.
Stephanie Ewing was cho-
sen as the next principal of
Valby Lutheran
Church
Valby Road
Church Services 1st & 3rd
Sundays
10:00 AM
Available for:
Weddings • Funerals
Family Events
541-422-7300
Old
Country
Church
All Are
Welcome
A.C. Houghton Elemen-
tary in Irrigon. Ewing has
20 years of experience in
education, including nine
years of administrative ex-
perience in Dayton, OR,
which included working
as a Special Services Di-
rector and elementary
principal. Ewing grew up
in Touchet, WA, and is
eager to move back to the
area with her family to be
closer to her parents.
Stocker said the selection
committee was impressed
not only with Ewing’s
experience, but also with
how personable and en-
gaging she is. “We are ex-
cited for Stephanie to join
our team. Her knowledge
of school improvement,
data-driven decision mak-
ing and working with stu-
dents with emotional and
behavioral challenges are
just a few of the reasons
she was selected,” Stocker
said.
Stocker said the MCSD
administration is excited
that both new adminis-
trators bring a wealth of
knowledge and experience
in different ways and they
each have passion, leader-
ship and a work ethic that
are rivaled by few.
Due to Governor Brown requiring Morrow County
to return to Phase 1, Wheatland Insurance offices
in Ione and Heppner are open for business but
will be closed to the public until further notice.
Thank you and stay safe!