Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2021)
Large crowd turns out to celebrate Independence Day in Ione 50¢ VOL. 140 NO. 27 8 Pages Wednesday, July 7, 2021 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon New director takes charge of chamber By Bobbi Gordon JoAnna Lamb has tak- en the reins as executive director of the Heppner Chamber of Commerce. Sheryll Bates, interim di- rector, will be stepping back into retirement again after Lamb gets up to speed with her new duties. Bates will be helping JoAnna become familiar with Willow Creek Valley Economic Develop- ment Group (WCVEDG) also as she will be taking over Sheryll’s duties there as well. Lamb, her husband, Scott, and daughter, Sa- mantha live in Heppner, having moved here from Irrigon two years ago. Sa- mantha is 11 and will be a sixth-grader at Heppner Elementary this fall. They also have a son, Cody, who lives in Melba, ID with his wife, Cassie and their six- month-old son, Ace. JoAnna grew up in Scholls, OR, a rural area just outside of Hillsboro and graduated from HilHi in 1989, where she let- tered as a Thespian. After high school, she went to art school in Seattle, then moved to Idaho in 1996 where she worked in animal control as a Canyon County Sheriff’s Deputy. She was also a certified veterinary JoAnna Lamb, Heppner Chamber Executive Director technician for 13 years. Scott and JoAnna met at the Jordan Valley rodeo in May 2008 and married in September 2009. She continued to travel to work from Drewsey, OR to Cald- well, ID every week after they were married. After the birth of Samantha, she became a stay-at-home mom but kept herself busy writing a novel. She says she loves to crochet and read historical fiction and describes herself as a “total yarn snob.” She told the Gazette she has had a “very diversified portfolio” prior to hiring on at the chamber including being a volunteer for BLM (Bureau of Land Manage- ment) where she trained and gentled horses and found adopters for them. She cre- ated a dog walk and animal fair in Idaho to raise money for animal charities and created the current farm- er’s market in Irrigon. She worked as an educational assistant at AC Houghton in Irrigon and then at the Ione Community School. She was on the city council in Irrigon and is currently a city councilor in Heppner. Lamb said, “I have always believed that I could do just about anything if I really wanted to. Sometimes the answer I get is no at first and I am okay with that. Some- times I have to rework and adapt the plan, but if I want it enough, it will be created in some form.” When asked what her goals are as the chamber director, she indicated she would like to visit some old ideas as well as creat- ing some new collabora- tive ideas going forward. She said, “Coming into a position like this after a global pandemic and the subsequent impact that has had on absolutely every- thing we do now, I have an all-new way of viewing things.” She noted she is looking forward to work- ing with the board and the community to get a revital- ized chamber with greater community unification. “I also believe in the unlimited capabilities of a community if they will collaborate and work together for a com- mon goal. Amazing things can happen, and I believe this is the perfect place for that kind of partnership,” she continued. As for new ideas and events for the chamber, she said, “Currently I am learning all the events and projects as they were in their original form for the first year with no changes or only minor changes as they become necessary. After each event, I plan to meet with a committee and the board to recommend chang- es (if any). Later on, we will see how I can incorporate some new 21 st century flair into things.” Lamb continued to say, “I have rediscovered some events and programs that have been done in the past and we’re looking at the possibility of bringing a select few back with some adaptations. Some things we will never be able to bring back though because the times have changed just too much. That’s unfortu- nate, but in time I hope to make new ideas come to life.” People celebrating the 4 th of July stand for the singing of the National Anthem and display of the flag by these Harley Da- vidson flag bearers before start of the parade Sunday in Ione. More Ione 4 th of July photos on page 8. -Photo by David Sykes. Power outage caused by downed pole Therapy Services to hold open house at new facility The new Pioneer Memorial Therapy Services office building on Alfalfa St. Pioneer Memorial Therapy Services has an- nounced that they have moved to their new ex- panded location at 695 Alfalfa Street, Heppner OR. “Rocky Mountain Therapy Services, Krystal Seitz, OT, Regi Lazinka, SLP, Shelley McCabe, PT and Savannah Poorman, office manager, wish to thank the com- munity, our families and contractors for supporting the purchase and creation of this exciting new space,” said Shelley McCabe. Pioneer Memorial Therapy Services is owned by Rocky Mountain Ther- apy Services and is made up of a local therapy team. They offer physical, occu- pational and speech ther- apy in a private outpatient setting. They also contract with Pioneer Memorial Hospital and Home Health, Intermountain ESD, and Hermiston School District to provide therapy in these additional settings. “We are looking for- ward to our continued and now expanded service and support of the Physical/Oc- cupational/Speech Therapy needs of Heppner and Mor- row County,” continued McCabe. There will be an open house Friday, July 9, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come and see the remodeled space, enjoy refreshments and a chance to win prizes. For additional infor- mation call 541-676-1123. The team looks forward to seeing everyone on Friday. The G-T reported in an article last week that the Morrow County Health District (MCHD) purchased the Lutheran Church for Physical Therapy. Actually, Rocky Mountain Therapy Services purchased the Hope Lutheran Church for Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy and MCHD purchased the Naz- arene church. Neighborhood Center hires assistant coordinator Kelly Fritz The Neighborhood Center recently announced that they have hired Kelly Fritz as the new assistant coordinator. Kelly will be providing operation support to the head coordinator, Lisa Patton, in the running of the thrift store and food pantry. Fritz was previously employed at the North- western Motel in Heppner and has volunteered at the Neighborhood Center for the last six years. “Kelly is one of the hardest working individuals I know. We are confident that she will maintain our mission of providing food, emergency resources and hope to our neighbors in need,” said coordinator Lisa Patton. A power outage that began around 2 a.m. on July 5 and lasted until approximately 10 a.m. was reportedly caused when a white Ford pickup ran off the road, through a fence and took down a power pole on Hwy 74 near MP 40. Tracks in the grass show the route the pickup took from the road to the pole, which has now been replaced. Power was interrupted in Lexington and Heppner. -Photo by Wayne Gordon. Double rainbow photographed over Heppner Petra Payne took this photo of a double rainbow over Hep- pner on June 30.