County Commissioner tests
COVID negative, self-isolates
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 139
NO. 33 8 Pages
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
City moves forward with lot
purchase
Morrow County Com-
missioner Melissa Lindsay
says she is self-isolating for
14 days after having come
in contact with a person
who tested positive for the
COVID-19 virus. Lindsay
emphasized that she took
the COVID-19 test after
the contact, and her results
came back negative.
In her position as a
commissioner, Lindsay
has been one of many in
the county working on the
myriad of issues presented
by the pandemic, includ-
ing being on the county’s
Emergency Management
COVID-19 team, develop-
ing a reopening plan for the
county and fighting to keep
the county open with meet-
ings and phone calls to the
governor’s office over the
past several months.
The Heppner Ga-
zette-Times contacted Lind-
say following rumors that
she might have contracted
the virus, and she released
Commissioner Melissa
Lindsay
the following statement:
“Thank you for asking. I
do not have COVID-19, in
fact tested negative. I was in
contact with a COVID-19
positive and therefore have
self-isolated for 14 days.”
“Many have seen how
public shaming, based
on fear and the physical
and mental isolation of
COVID-19 are difficult.
We, as community mem-
bers, have to find a way to
stick together, support and
do the things necessary
to overcome the issues
surrounding COVID. I am
happy to communicate and
am transparent to any in-
quiry in those efforts. These
are very difficult times and
having worked through it in
a direct way, I have grown
even more sympathetic.
Some people are lucky
enough to work from home
but not everyone is able
to do so. Many have jobs
that require them to go
into work as we keep food
supply chains, educate our
kids and operate necessary
services including health,
safety and agricultural pro-
duction in place.
“My commitment to
our county and our school
children getting back into
school remains unwaver-
ing as I am working from
home. I believe most are
doing their very best to
survive day to day and by
supporting one another we
are stronger,” she said.
Governor Brown recall
petition ‘getting good response’
say organizers
The Heppner city council voted Monday to purchase this lot on Chase St to be used for parking.
By David Sykes
The city of Heppner has
decided to move forward
with the purchase of a lot on
North Chase Street and turn
it into a parking lot. The
council voted unanimously
Monday to buy the lot from
current owner Jason Pat-
terson for $18,500 and use
the land to handle overflow
parking from crowds during
special events such as St.
Patrick’s Day and other
downtown activities.
“I recommend buying
it,” City Manager Kraig
Cutsforth told the council.
He said the city could get it
cleaned up and made into a
good parking area. Coun-
cilmember John Bowles
agreed, saying he thought
it was a “good buy.”
In other business at
Monday’s meeting the
council learned it has re-
ceived a $50,000 grant
from the state to cover
COVID-19 related expens-
es. Cutsforth drew up a
“COVID action plan” on
proposals to spend the mon-
ey which he presented to
the council. Under the plan
the city would use $25,000
of the funds as matching
grants with an additional
$25,000 from the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce
to help local businesses
suffering loss during the
pandemic. They would use
$4,000 of the funds for
additional costs in cleaning
and in personnel expenses
for cleaning city proper-
ties. Cutsforth wants to use
$1,000 to purchase a new
larger TV monitor for city
hall to be used during Zoom
meetings. The current mon-
itor he says is too small to
conduct a proper online
meeting. It was also pro-
posed that $3,000 be spend
on new outdoor tables to
be placed on the sidewalk
so businesses could serve
food outside during the
virus lock down. Later the
tables could be used at
the city park if needed.
Also $11,000 of the funds
would be held in reserve
for unforeseen expenses
incurred by the pandemic.
The council agreed with
the action plan and voted
unanimously to accept the
state funds and proceed.
In other business the
council voted to give an
animal permit to Sheila
Taylor and Neil Castillo
on Aiken St in Heppner for
permission to have seven
chickens. The two said they
would be removing two
roosters from the property
as required by city rules.
The council also heard
a report from Fire Chief
Steve Rhea who said in
the month of July his de-
partment responded to five
motor vehicle accidents, se-
cured the helicopter landing
zone for medical flyouts 13
times, had four vegetation
fires, one mutual aid to
Ione and one illegal burn
response.
Public Works Director
Chad Doherty gave a re-
port for July that said his
department, in part during
July, painted all of the fire
hydrants on Main St and
one on Gale, cleaned con-
tact basins twice, did 15
septic dumps, took the city
tanker truck to Hermiston
for service and repairs,
repainted the red fire line
stripe on Hager St, the
yellow caution curb on
Court, sidewalk stripes at
the elementary school and
the shamrock on Main St.
Public Works also replaced
the paper and red rock in
two bubble outs on Main St.
and put down bars on Barret
Blvd and Fairview. New ce-
dar bark was also added to
the kids play area at the city
park, replaced the sand at
Hager Park horse shoe pits,
closed down the kid’s play
areas, sports courts and pa-
vilion at the parks because
of COVID-19 shutdown,
but kept the city restrooms
open.
In other public works
business, the council agreed
to increase the amount of
money available to pur-
chase a city street sweeper.
The city’s current sweeper
is in poor condition and
the city has been bidding
on and losing out on pur-
chasing another sweeper.
The council agreed to add
$15,000 to the fund to buy
a sweeper, and also un-
derstood that the current
worn out sweeper would
get $5,000 when sold by
the city.
In other business the
council agreed to change
city hall open hours to Mon-
day – Thursday 8 a.m. to 5
p.m., and Fridays from 8
a.m. to 12 noon.
In other business the
council heard a report from
Barb Orwick for the Neigh-
borhood Center who said
they gave out 54 food boxes
last month, helped two fam-
ilies with their electric and
water bills and contributed
clothing to two homeless
people. She said people in
south Morrow County have
been very generous lately
and during the coronavirus
quarantine, people were at
home and many cleaned
out their unused items and
brought them to the Neigh-
borhood Center. She said
the center is also in need
of school supplies because
even though kids will be at
home doing long distance
learning this fall, school
items are still needed for
the home.
A state-wide petition
effort to recall Oregon Gov-
ernor Kate Brown has been
getting “good response” in
Morrow County, say two
local women who have
been collecting signatures
in Heppner.
“It’s been nothing but
positive,” says Evelyn Car-
roll of Heppner. “We have
been out here (on Main St)
and down at the Farmers
Market and we’re getting
lots of signatures and lots
of positive comments.”
People who talk to her are
not happy with Governor
Brown and want her out of
office, she says. “Eastern
Oregon has not been treated
well by her,” Carroll says,
adding that Brown’s actions
have hurt all rural Oregon.
“The people need to be able
to vote on whether Brown
should be removed from
office,” she adds.
Carroll and JoyceKay
Hollomon, also of Heppner,
have been setting up a table
on Main Street in front of
the food court every day.
They have also been at
the Farmers Market down
at the park on Thursdays.
Since the market has now
been closed down because
of state COVID-19 restric-
tions, they will be at the
food court from 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday,
and on Thursday’s from 4
to 7 p.m. to accommodate
those who need to sign after
work.
The two say they will
be there until Aug. 21, when
Local women JoyceKay Hollomon (center) and Evelyn Carroll
(right) tend the recall petition table while Theresa Jones signs.
-Photo by David Sykes.
the signatures will be turned
in to the state coordinator.
Carroll said Bill Currier,
chairman of the Oregon
Republican Party told her
they need 280,000 signa-
tures to get the recall on
the ballot but are shooting
for 400,000 “just to make
sure.”
Carroll also said it’s
not just Heppner having
success with signings, as
petition gatherers in Board-
man and Irrigon report
they are also doing well.
And Umatilla County is
“signing like crazy” Carroll
says. “East Oregonians are
not very happy with what
is going on in Salem,” she
points out.
Heppner experiences near normal weather in July
which is 2.15 inches below
normal. Since October, the
water year precipitation
at Heppner has been 8.22
inches, which is 4.83 inches
below normal.
According to prelim-
inary data received by
NOAA’s National Weather
Service in Pendleton, tem-
peratures at Heppner aver-
aged near normal during the
month of July.
The average tempera-
ture was 69.4 degrees which
was 0.4 degrees below nor-
mal. High temperatures av-
eraged 84.9 degrees, which
was 0.8 degrees below nor-
mal. The highest was 100
degrees on the 31 st . Low
temperatures averaged 53.9
degrees, which was normal.
The lowest was 46 degrees,
on the 25 th .
On nine days, the tem-
perature exceeded 90 de-
grees. It was at least 100
degrees on one day.
Precipitation totaled
0.03 inches during July,
which was 0.30 inches be-
low normal. Measurable
precipitation, at least .01
inch, was received on one
day.
Precipitation this year
has reached 6.84 inches,
The outlook for Au-
gust from NOAA’s Climate
Prediction Center calls for
above normal temperatures
and below normal precip-
itation. Normal highs for
Heppner during August are
85.5 degrees and normal
lows are 53.5 degrees. The
30-year normal precipita-
tion is 0.39 inches.
MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS
350 MAIN STREET LEXINGTON OR 97839
CONTACT JUSTIN BAILEY 541-256-0229, 541-989-8221 EXT.
204
Offers vary by model. Rebate and financing offers valid on select 2016-2020 new and unregistered Polaris ® RZR ® ,
RANGER ® , Sportsman ® , GENERAL ® , and ACE ® models purchased between 6/1/20–6/30/20. **Rates as low as 3.99%
APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36 month term at a 3.99% APR rate: $29.52 per
$1,000 financed; and with a 60-month term at a 6.99% APR rate: $19.80 per $1,000 financed. An example of a
monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of 3.99% APR for 36 months at an MSRP of $12,699 is
$374.87/mo. total cost of borrowing of $796.27 with a total obligation of $13,495.27. Down payment may be required.
Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500;
Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void
where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and registration are separate and may not be financed. Promotion may be
modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris' sole discretion. WARNING: Polaris ® off road vehicles
can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid
driver's license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear
helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never
engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don't mix. All riders
should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on
trails. © 2020 Polaris Inc.