EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 25, 2022
MCHD board hears former
employee comments
The Morrow County
Health District, at its regu-
lar monthly meeting in Lex-
ington Monday night, heard
comments via Zoom from
former MCHD employee
Victoria Waltz, who alleged
that there were no providers
in Pioneer Memorial Clinic
for seven days in April.
Waltz also asked the
board, “Where have the
COVID funds gone?” She
requested information on
how to request a COVID
audit and inquired as to how
often Dr. Ed Berretta is at
the Heppner Clinic.
Chief Financial Officer
Nicole Mahoney respond-
ed, saying the COVID funds
received by the district have
already been audited.
Board member Aar-
on Palmquist commented,
“People want the dirt to
get it out on social media,”
adding, “People need to
stop creating controver-
sy. We either need to add
to it (the district) or take
it away,” said Palmquist.
“I’m for adding to it.” He
also commented, “We’ve
been doing the best we can
recruiting docs and other
professionals.”
Board member Diane
Kilkenny responded, that
after “two years of the pan-
demic”, “Everyone (in the
district) works hard . . .” “If
you have a grievance, we
need to hear it,” she added.
The district is currently
recruiting for an MD or DO
(osteopathic physician) for
Irrigon. Dr. Sirucek noti-
fied the board that he has
had a family emergency
and won’t be able to fulfill
previous commitments of
joining the district. “There’s
no ill will,” responded CEO
Emily Roberts. “We wish
him the best,” she said.
CEO Emily Roberts
commented that the most
recent hospital turnover rate
is at 19.5 percent, which,
she said is “very low,” espe-
cially compared to national
Bureau of Labor statistics
of 39.4 percent.
Roberts said the district
currently has 19 open po-
sitions, “Not a good rate,”
she said, but added that six
of those positions are new.
“We will always need peo-
ple,” she said and noted that
the district is continually
working on recruitment and
retention.
In other business, the
board:
-learned that the du-
plexes owned by the dis-
trict, are “pretty much full”,
being used mainly for hous-
ing for emergency room
providers/locum tenens.
“Housing is a dire need for
us,” said Roberts.
-discussed the uses of
“pronouns” in terms of
“unconscious bias.” “I want
to say I don’t support this,”
said board member Aaron
Palmquist. “It doesn’t cre-
ate inclusiveness, because
it pushes an agenda. It will
create divisiveness.” “We
are not intending to push
anything,” responded Rob-
erts. “We have issues right
now.” “It’s not an agenda.
It’s another way to be in-
clusive,” she added.
-received no financial
reports because of the early
monthly meeting date.
Morrow County voters reject
school district bond
Vo t e r s i n M o r r o w
County did not pass the
Morrow County School
District General Obligation
bond on the May 17 th ballot.
Superintendent Dirk Dirk-
sen said the district is disap-
pointed about the outcome.
“We worked very hard to
inform our communities
about the bond and how it
could improve our facili-
ties, but we acknowledge
that this is a challenging
time to pass a bond. We
continue to be committed
to student success in all our
schools,” Dirksen said.
YOUR AD
COULD
BE
HERE!
Dirksen said he ap-
preciates all of the district
staff who worked on the
district’s bond information
campaign and appreciates
the work of the county-wide
political action committee
that worked very hard on
their own campaign sup-
porting the bond.
The bond would have
funded projects in Board-
man, Heppner and Irrigon.
Projects were slated at all of
the district’s eight schools
and at the District Office.
Proposed bond projects
included:
-New secure entries
and offices
-Additions to and re-
models of existing schools
-Heating, ventila-
tion and air conditioning
(HVAC) system updates
-Additional student
spaces
-Separation of Jr/Sr
High student spaces
-Reconfigured traffic
and parking
-Additional building
access for people with dis-
abilities
-Increased technology
infrastructure
The bond would have
raised $138 million, and
MCSD would have re-
ceived a matching grant
from the Oregon School
Capital Improvement
Matching (OSCIM) Pro-
gram of $4 million. A total
of $142 million would have
been available for projects.
Dirksen, who is retir-
ing from MCSD June 30 th ,
said he did not know when
the district would consider
going out for another bond.
When it's time to sell
Call
541-676-9228
Or Email
graphics@rapidserve.net
your house,
Call Sykes Real Estate
South Morrow County's
No.1 Real Estate Business.
We also offer
design and
printing services
Heppner Gazette-Times
Sykes Printing
Phone: (541) 676-9228
Cell: (541) 980-6674
Fax: (541) 676-9211
188 W. Willow
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
david@sykesrealestate.net
MS Walk held on rainy day
A large group of supporters joined the MS Walk held May 1
in Heppner. -Contributed photo.
On a rainy May 1 st , 18
supporters for the National
Multiple Sclerosis Society
started walking from Hager
Park to the city park by the
library. The rain stopped
just as they began. The
walkers made some noise
and stopped at Les Schwab
for pictures with an enthu-
siastic crew. The group then
made a stop at the city park
for thank yous and more
pictures.
After an updating of
the funds raised for NMSS,
the walkers went to Buck-
nam’s Tavern for a meal and
comradery. They expressed
appreciation to both Les
Schwab and Bucknam’s
for accommodating them. A
few more people joined the
fun and donated to NMSS.
“The food was great, and
the party atmosphere was
fun,” stated one of the walk-
ers..
The NMSS funds re-
search for new treatment for
MS patients. These include
injections, infusions and
oral medications to name
some. This organization
also helps people in their
daily lives by finding re-
sources for improving lives
in various ways. These
could include paying for
personnel training, fitness
memberships or even home
remodeling.
If you would like to
support the research NMSS
does to end this disease,
please contact Heath Colvin
at 541-676-5735 or Barb
Orwick at 541-256-0455.
Heppner athletes earn trips to
state competition
Heppner golf takes on state tournament and
baseball qualifies for the state tournament
By Blake Carter
Last Monday and Tues-
day, Heppner golf went to
Banks, OR to compete in
a stout OSAA 3A/2A/1A
state golf tournament. After
coming in third in their dis-
trict, Heppner had earned
the right to compete with
the best of the best. The
team consisted of seniors
Cody Fletcher and Derrick
Smith, juniors David Cribbs
and Paul Lindsay, sopho-
more Landon Mitchell and
freshman John Lindsay.
The team competed on the
same course for two days
straight, combining the two
days’ scores to complete
their overall total. Hep-
pner was able to beat out
their fellow league teams
Vale and Grant Union to
finish within the top 10 of
the competition. Landon
Mitchell had the 35 th best
score in the competition
individually while Cody
Fletcher finished 39 th .
Wednesday, Heppner
baseball had a last-minute
game with 3A Horizon
Christian, Tualatin. The
team headed down to Tuala-
tin for a pair of non-league
games. In game one of the
two game series, the Mus-
tangs took a narrow 9-8
win, in the finale the Mus-
tangs had a comfortable
13-4 win.
In game one Heppner
faced an early deficit, as
the Hawks took a 3-0 lead
on two RBI singles, and
one sacrifice fly out. Hep-
pner would respond in the
second with a pair of runs,
the inning got going as Jake
Lentz singled to the short-
stop. In a very good sign for
the Mustangs, Tucker Ash-
beck was back in the start-
ing lineup after seeing the
field last weekend in Lyle.
Ashbeck was hit by a pitch
to put a couple runners on
with just one out. Heppner
wouldn’t take long to cash
in as Ryan Lindsay singled
through the left side scoring
Lentz from second and ad-
vancing Ashbeck to third.
Kason Cimmiyotti sent a
fly ball out into center field
to bring home Ashbeck.
The inning ended after a
pop out in the next at bat.
Toby Nation, who got the
start in game one, kept the
Hawks quiet in the second
leaving the score 3-2, Hori-
zon Christian, after two. In
the top of the third Heppner
got back to work. Catcher
Cameron Proudfoot got the
inning started with a double
into left field, Nation would
bring him home in the next
at bat with an RBI single.
Brock Hisler was brought
in to run for Nation and
came all the way around to
score after Karver Wilkins
hit a single. A walk, and a
hit by pitch set up Lindsay,
who singled into left field
scoring two Mustang run-
ners. Heppner finished off
the inning as Cimmiyotti
scored another run on a sin-
gle, making it 6-3, Heppner.
After two scoreless in-
nings, Heppner added three
more in the fifth inning.
Three singles from Cim-
miyotti, Caden George and
Proudfoot added another
run to the board. Nation
grounded out in the next at
bat but did score a Mustang
runner from third. Wilkins
stepped up to the plate and
scored another on a single
to make it 9-3 Mustangs.
After nine unanswered
runs, the Hawks got three
back in the fifth. Five sin-
gles led to a 9-6 ballgame
going into the sixth inning.
After no runs in the next
inning, it was a 9-6 game
going into the bottom of
the seventh inning. Hori-
zon Christian put one on
with a dropped third strike,
followed by a groundout,
one out for Heppner. The
Hawks singled in the next
at bat, followed by a ground
out that scored a run, 9-7
with two outs. A Mustang
error let the Hawks within
one, 9-8. After coming on
in relief, Ryan Lindsay shut
the door with a strikeout,
9-8 Heppner.
Game two Heppner
used a big sixth inning to
grab a 13-4 win. George
would score Cimmiyotti in
the top of the first to give
Heppner an early 1-0 lead.
Horizon Christian would
respond with a run of their
own on a solo home run in
the bottom of the inning
and tie the game at one.
Horizon would add two
more in the second inning,
using a dropped third strike,
and a single to score two.
Heppner faced an early 3-1
deficit, and after two score-
less innings Heppner trailed
going into the top of the
fifth. A dropped third strike
and a walk set up George.
Aggressive baserunning
scored a Mustang run on a
passed ball, George ground-
ed out but scored one run,
3-3 ballgame. Proudfoot
would single and steal sec-
ond and third base. On
a passed ball Proudfoot
would race in to steal home
and the lead, 4-3 Heppner.
The Hawks got one back
in the bottom half of the
inning and tied the game at
four. Heppner would score
eight runs in the inning,
using four walks, and six
singles. Heppner would
add an insurance run in the
seventh as George stole
home. A quick three outs
gave Heppner the double-
header sweep heading into
the postseason.
The baseball team is the
last Mustang sports team to
compete in state. This year
the OSAA returned to their
regular state championships
and returned to the 22-team
bracket. Twelve teams com-
peted for six spots in the
round of sixteen bracket
on Monday. Heppner was
seeded 14 th and earned a
home play-in game with
the 19 th seeded Bonanza
Antlers.