MCSD hires new
administrators
50¢
VOL. 141
NO. 23
8 Pages
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Heppner, Ione seniors graduate
The 2022 Heppner High School senior class graduated on June 4. -Contributed photo.
The 2022 Ione High School senior class graduated on June 3. -Contributed photo.
Early surveys show limited Mormon
cricket infestation so far in county
County agent ‘cautiously optimistic’
just to see what was going
on out there, and “make
sure we did not have any
activity going on. Generally
speaking, this is really good
news,” Maley said.
Maley said in Gilliam
County they are preparing
to spray 12,000 acres based
on the survey results show-
ing crickets in that area.
The crickets are currently
advancing toward Morrow
County from the west out
of Gilliam, where they have
been a problem for agricul-
ture and citizens for many
years. Back in February
commissioners allocated
$100,000, if needed, for
control the insects if they
began moving into this
county.
Extension Agent Larry
Lutcher had requested the
funds to be prepared, saying
the money would be spent
on chemical spraying and
maybe some bait if need-
ed. To be ready, he asked
that he and Maley be able
to buy the chemicals and
then “pull the trigger” when
spraying is needed. “Funds
will be used for the cost of
chemical and application
and maybe some bait as
well. Everything needs to
be ready to go,” Lutcher
said.
At the May 18 meeting
Maley said the chemical to
spray in Morrow County
has been purchased and is
stored at the airport, ready
to be applied if needed. Gil-
liam County purchased the
product for this season and
last fall stored it in a ware-
house, then moved it to the
Lexington airport ready for
crop duster John Boyer to
apply it when needed. The
crickets must be sprayed
in the spring after hatch
when they
are young
for the spray
to be effec-
tive. When
the crickets
Gilliam
age then Di-
County
milin spray
Extension
is no longer
Agent Jordan
effective,
Maley
and they
must switch
to the less effective Sevin
ground applied bait.
Morrow County has a
multi-million-dollar agri-
cultural industry to protect
from the potential destruc-
tion from the insects, which
will feed on range land veg-
etation as well as cultivated
crops. The crickets could be
especially damaging if they
migrate into the high-value
irrigated and organic crop-
lands of northern Morrow
County but can be a threat
anywhere.
Maley said even though
the low numbers of crickets
found now look good for
the county he is still asking
the public to report the loca-
tion of any infestations they
find so the area can be iden-
tified and possibly treated
later. He said members of
the county road department
could be especially helpful
as they are out and around
the county and could spot
cricket infestations when
they pop up. “If they ob-
serve them let us know. File
a report then we will be pre-
pared and know where they
are next year,” Maley said.
County switches from
longtime IT provider
In other business at
their May 18 meeting com-
missioners agreed to switch
from their longtime infor-
mation technology (IT)
provider Intermountain
Education Service District
(IMESD), to contracting
with the city of Hermiston.
Hermiston does not current-
ly have an IT department
but is setting one up and
welcomed Morrow County
to partner with them for
services.
The county has used
IMESD for IT services
for “decades” according
to Rob Naughton, director
of Business Development,
who attended the meeting
and was puzzled why the
county was switching to the
new untried IT department
at the city of Hermiston.
“Thank you for your busi-
ness the last couple of de-
cades,” Naughton told the
commissioners. “The door
will always be open for you
to return, but I am puzzled
how a county would make a
decision to go to a provider
that isn’t currently a provid-
er and has no track record.
That is a big question mark
for me. Maybe there is
something we don’t know.
But it is apparent you are
-See CRICKETS/PAGE
SEVEN
education and the other in
education leadership. With
15 years in education as a
teacher and
administra-
tor, Palmer
is currently
completing
her sev-
enth year in
MCSD as
Rose Palmer the assistant
principal at
IJSHS. She has the back-
ground knowledge and ex-
perience to aid in a smooth
transition for students, fam-
ilies and staff. Palmer said,
“I am looking forward to
the opportunity to continue
to serve as an administrator
at IJSHS and excited that
I will get to continue to
provide opportunities for
students to feel connected
and important while in our
building.” Stocker said the
district is pleased to have a
veteran administrator con-
tinue as a member of the
MCSD team in a new role
at the same school.
New Principal at Hep-
pner Jr-Sr High School
A new face to MCSD is
Ryan Gerry, who will be the
new principal at Heppner Jr/
Sr High School. Gerry has
an extensive background in
secondary education with
23 years of experience,
of which ten
years has
been in ad-
ministration.
Previously,
he worked in
Prairie City
and Grant
school dis- Ryan Gerry
tricts. He
received his bachelor’s de-
gree from Eastern Oregon
University, his master’s
degree from Oregon State
University and his admin-
istration licensure program
through University of Ore-
gon. Gerry is familiar with
rural communities and is
committed to the contin-
ued growth and success
of students, staff and pro-
grams. Gerry said, “I am
very honored and excited
to be joining Heppner Jr/
Sr High School and being
part of the Morrow County
School District. The school
and the Heppner commu-
nity have demonstrated a
long-standing commitment
to student success and com-
munity connection, which I
am dedicated to continuing.
I’m looking forward to be-
ing a Mustang and part of
the community.” Stocker
said the MCSD administra-
tive team is eager to have
Gerry join them and learn
more about the district and
the community.
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NEW
2022
FOR
Searches for Mormon
cricket infestations have
shown little sign of the
pests this spring, Gilliam
County Extension Agent
Jordan Maley, a cricket
expert helping coordinate
the battle against spread of
the bug here, told commis-
sioners recently.
Surveyors from the Or-
egon Department of Agri-
culture have twice looked
in the north county area
around the junction of high-
way 74 and I-84 without
any significant finds, Maley
said. “The wet spring affect-
ed our ability to get survey-
ors out on the ground, but it
started happening about two
weeks ago,” Maley told the
commissioners at their May
18 meeting. “They made
an initial pass from I-84
junction down Hwy 74 and
the numbers reflected very
low counts,” he said some
as low as zero per square
yard. “Gilliam County has
counts in excess of 200 per
square yard, so this is good
news for Morrow County,”
Maley emphasized.
He said because of the
wet, cool spring so far, he
requested another pass, or
survey, on May 11 where
people went out in high
value crop circles close to
the Morrow County line
The Morrow County
School District has hired
several new administrators
for the 22-23 school year.
According to Erin
Stocker, Executive Direc-
tor of Human Resources,
“It has been another busy
spring as we have worked
to fill our vacant adminis-
trative positions. The re-
tirement of Superintendent
Dirksen and a resignation
led to movement within
the district. The school
district is in a good posi-
tion with our ability to hire
strong internal candidates,
as well as an experienced
administrator to round out
our administrative team for
22-23.”
The incoming super-
intendent, Matt Combe, as
well as these new admin-
istrators will begin their
contracts on July 1, 2022.
New Vice Principal at
Irrigon Jr/Sr High School
The newest member of
the Morrow County School
District ad-
ministrative
team is Jason
Dunten. He
will be tran-
sitioning into
the Irrigon
Jr/Sr High
School Vice Jason Dunten
Principal for
the 2022-23 school year.
Not a stranger in MCSD,
Dunten has been an edu-
cator for 13 years, all of
which have been in Morrow
County. Jason received his
bachelor’s and master’s de-
grees from Eastern Oregon
University and a Master’s
in Education Administra-
tion from Grand Canyon
University. Well known in
the community of Irrigon,
Dunten has made many
connections through his
coaching and communi-
ty involvement. “When I
began teaching in Irrigon,
I was extremely excited
for the opportunity to help
mentor our students. By
moving into the role of vice
principal, I am excited to
continue to not only mentor
our students but also impact
the culture of the Irrigon
community and the Morrow
County School District.”
Stocker said the district is
excited that Irrigon Jr/Sr
High School will continue
to have leaders that are vest-
ed in the programs, schools
and community.
New Principal at Ir-
rigon Jr-Sr High School
Rose Palmer will be
the next principal of Irrigon
Jr/Sr High School. Rose
received her bachelor’s de-
gree from Washington State
University and has two
masters, one in physical
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