Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 23 , 2022 -- SEVEN
City of Heppner
-Continued from PAGE ONE
Give thanks free fishing Rep. Smith comments
days this weekend
on state economic,
The Oregon Depart-
ment of Fish and Wildlife
has announced free fishing
days this Friday and Satur-
day, Nov. 25-26. Everyone
can fish, clam and crab for
free in Oregon on those
days without fishing or
shellfish licenses or tags.
The free fishing includes
both Oregon residents and
non-residents.
The City of Heppner is still awaiting contractors to
All other fishing reg-
put the finishing touches on several Heppner streets, ulations are still in effect,
but city workers are putting in time to make sure
including closures, bag
safety requirements are met. -Photo by Andrea Di
limits and size restrictions.
Salvo
in town, working on ISO that would need to be filled.
“It will give some op-
survey review and com-
pleting a two-day class in portunity for some people
Hermiston on assessing in the office to move up a
structure ignition poten- little bit, which is good,”
tial from wildfire, taught he said.
Personal-use firewood
Doherty reported that cutting on the Umatilla
by the National Fire Pro-
tection Association. Rhea the water department re- National Forest will end
also reported that he sent placed several water me- Wednesday, Nov. 30. Fire-
in contract to purchase a ters, removed most of the wood permits will not be
Type 3 engine for the Ru- trees around Well #1, put available again until May
ral Fire Protection District together a pressure valve
2023.
and completed an Oregon list for Anderson & Perry,
The public is asked to
State Fire Marshal grant adjusted wells manually
take
additional precautions
for another Type 3 engine. for winter, installed a new
when
cutting firewood late
He is also completing a water service on Alfalfa St.
in
the
fall when road and
Volunteer Fire Assistance and replaced a broken meter
soil
conditions
become
grant award for purchase of box on Cannon St.
slick,
soggy
and
saturated.
The
sewer
department
loose equipment.
“I haven’t gotten ev- cleaned contact basins, did Firewood cutters should be
erything yet,” he said. “It’s six septic dumps, repaired prepared for winter weather
a storm sewer manhole on conditions. Mountain travel
slowly coming in.”
Morrow County Sheriff Thompson St., unplugged a will require extreme care to
John Bowles began his re- clogged sewer on Thomp- avoid getting stuck in the
port by thanking the fire de- son St., unclogged the dump mud or snow and causing
partment for its assistance drain on the biosolids truck, resource damage to the land
on three search and rescues. mapped out sewer services and vegetation.
“As usual, we work great as on four streets and finished
Another concern for
annual biosolids hauling at late season firewood cutting
a team,” he said.
He reported that the two days and five loads in is the misidentification of
sheriff’s office had put in a October. The department live or dead western larch, a
total of 508 hours of work in hauled a total of 139,000 highly prized firewood also
the city for October and had gallons this season.
known as tamarack. Larch
The streets department
responded to five alarms,
needles turn yellow and fall
four animal complaints, 17 removed sucker trees from off at the end of the growing
citizen assists, nine civil the side of the Gale St.
season, which can cause the
service calls, one code call, bridge to improve visibility,
two domestic disturbances, cleaned out storm drains af- tree to appear dead when in
21 dog complaints, six driv- ter the last heavy rain, filled fact it is only dormant. Tips
ing complaints, three EMS, in pot holes on Canyon and on identifying live larch
four juvenile complaints, Shobe streets, cleaned up are located in the firewood
one MVA, four suicidal some spoils left on Chase guide that accompanies
calls, nine suspicious activi- St. and filled in behind the each firewood permit.
Firewood permits can
ty, four theft, three trespass, new curb on Willow View
be acquired at any Umatilla
four traffic stops with cita- Drive.
The parks department National Forest office or
tions, 13 total traffic stops,
two welfare checks and one took down the soccer goals at several local businesses
at Hager Park, took down in the community. Person-
arrest.
Bowles noted a couple hanging baskets for the al-use firewood permits are
of areas where numbers season and changed out a free of charge; however, a
were up, most notably dog rusted spray frame on the permit is still required to
complaints. He said there Ranger.
cut and haul firewood. The
Doherty also reported maximum limit for per-
had been a few citations
issued and more dogs taken that Dave’s last day at CDL sonal-use firewood on the
to Pet Rescue over the past (Commercial Driver Li- Umatilla National Forest
month. “Hopefully that sit- cense) school in Pasco was is 12 cords per household
uation will work itself out,” Nov. 14 and his CDL test is per year. Individuals that
scheduled for Nov. 29.
he added.
The council congrat-
ulated Bowles on his new
position as sheriff, which
he took over Nov. 1. He
said he was getting a taste
of the political side of the
J o i n t h e H e p p n e r formance by the Heppner
sheriff’s position following Chamber of Commerce High School choir, Sage
the election and updated the in welcoming the holiday Garden Preschool and Hep-
council that he had sworn in season Thursday, Dec. 1, pner Daycare at 6:30 p.m.
a new undersheriff, Brian at 6 p.m. with the turning with the turning on of the
Snyder. Snyder has been on of the Christmas lights Christmas lights at 7 p.m.
Any questions, con-
with MCSO for 22 years. at Heritage Park.
tact
the Heppner Chamber
Bowles said there were
Come see Santa and
“chairs moving around,” Mrs. Claus, enjoy a cup of Commerce at heppner-
and eventually the sheriff’s of hot cocoa and get in the chamber@gmail.com, Ali-
office would have a vacancy holiday spirit. The evening cia Doherty at 509-851-
will feature a musical per- 8875 or Shelby Matthews
at 541-377-0058.
revenue forecast
According to the
ODFW Recreation Report,
anglers report very good
trout fishing on the Wallowa
River, with some landing
fish up to 14 inches. Others
are catching steelhead and
coho salmon on the Grande
Ronde River. Chinook and
coho fishing continue to be
very good on the Umatilla
River.
For more information,
visit https://myodfw.com/
recreation-report/fish- Rep. Greg Smith
ing-report/northeast-zone.
SALEM, Ore. – Rep-
resentative Greg Smith
(R-Heppner) released the
following statement in re-
sponse to the state eco-
nomic and revenue forecast
announced last week:
require more than 12 cords,
“Today’s economic and
or those wanting to sell revenue forecast showed
firewood, may purchase a that the rising inflation of
commercial or “charge” the past few years is now
firewood permit for $10 per beginning to take hold of
cord with a $30 minimum the economy. State revenue
permit. Charge permits can for the 2023-25 biennium
only be purchased through is projected to be about
a Forest Service office.
For more information
on the firewood program
please contact the Umatilla
National Forest Supervi-
sor’s Office at 541-278-
3716. Additional infor-
mation about the Umatilla
National Forest is available
at https://www.fs.usda.gov/
umatilla.
Firewood season
ends next week
$3 billion less than the
current biennium. As a re-
cession looms, now more
than ever, fiscal prudence is
paramount when managing
Oregon’s finances.”
Smith is currently
serving his 11 th term as
an Oregon State Repre-
sentative, making him the
longest-serving member in
the House of Representa-
tives. He holds a gavel as
the Co-Chair of the Joint
Ways and Means Subcom-
mittee on General Govern-
ment. Smith also serves as
the Co-Vice Chair of the
full Joint Ways and Means
Committee. Additionally,
he is the ranking member
on the House Revenue and
Joint Legislative Audits
Committees. To reach out,
visit Rep Smith’s Facebook
Page or send him an email
at rep.gregsmith@oregon-
legislature.gov.
Move over Thanksgiving
here comes Christmas
A city worker puts up Christmas decorations along Main
Street in Heppner on Tuesday. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo
Come Celebrate
Greg and Janet Greenup are
celebrating half a century together.
Stop by the Elk’s between 6:30 and
9 p.m. on Friday, November 25th.
Heppner lights at
Heritage Park
Les Schwab
wishes everyone
a safe and happy
Thanksgiving!!
Make sure you
have good tires if
you are traveling!