Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current, March 29, 2023, Image 1

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    Ione moves forward with
new wastewater system
50¢
VOL. 143
NO. 13 8 Pages
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Irrigon High celebrates official opening of
new track
Beverly Benson, Council Chair of the Ione City Council, and
Brad Baird, President of Anderson Perry & Associates. They
are signing the Engineering Construction contract for Ione’s
proposed wastewater system. The grant will be officially sub-
mitted to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture on April 7 for funding
of Morrow donated more of the project. -Contributed photo
Former IJSHS athletic coaches and Irrigon community members braved the weather and
joined in cutting the ribbon across the new track on Thursday, March 23. -Contributed photo
Irrigon Junior-Senior
High School (IJSHS) cele-
brated the official opening
of its new track with a
ribbon cutting on Thursday,
March 23.
Despite a blustery af-
ternoon, Morrow County
School District (MCSD)
Superintendent Matt
Combe and IJSHS Principal
Rose Palmer welcomed a
small crowd of stakeholders
and community members
to mark the occasion. Rep-
resentatives from MCSD,
IJSHS, the Port of Morrow
and Wildhorse Foundation
were all present.
Most of the crowd hud-
dled under the concession
stand roof to stay out of the
across the starting line to si-
multaneously cut the ribbon
in multiple places.
The track has been in
the works for almost a year,
with construction starting
in June 2022. The Port
IJSHS Principal Rose Palm-
er was joined by Lindsey
Watchman, representing the
Wildhorse Foundation, which
also provided grant funding to
support the track.
-Contributed photo
than $85,000 in labor and
engineering, with funding
also coming from MCSD,
the City of Irrigon, Morrow
County Unified Recreation
District, Columbia River
Technologies, Boardman
Community Development
Association and Columbia
River Enterprise Zone, as
well as a $20,000 grant
from the Wildhorse Foun-
dation.
Athletic Director Mike
Royer noted that the profes-
sional-grade track provides
an opportunity for IJSHS
athletes and the community
in general.
The City of Ione moved
one step closer to a city
septic system recently when
it signed an engineering
construction contract with
engineering firm Anderson
and Perry. The contract was
signed as part of a USDA
grant application to help
fund the redesign.
The project has been
months in the making. At a
public meeting in January,
Ione Volunteer City Planner
Jerry Rietmann told resi-
dents the project is vital to
the future of the city.
Ione currently has 15-
16 buildable lots—or they
would be if they had septic
systems. Due to the size
of most of the lots, which
average 50 feet by 100
feet, septic tanks can’t be
installed because the lot siz-
es don’t meet the drain field
requirement of 180 feet.
Since Ione has no pub-
lic sewer system, this is a
-Continued to PAGE SIX
Mitchell, Ashbeck
named to all-state teams
-Continued to PAGE SIX
wind, but folks were happy
to partake in the cookies
festively iced with the Ir-
rigon Knights’ “I” in the
school colors. Combe first
addressed the crowd, fol-
lowed by Palmer, and then The vivid red track with crisp white lane paint contrasts with a Pictured L-R: Tucker Ashbeck, Coach Jeremy Rosenbalm
key participants fanned stormy sky in the late afternoon of March 23. -Contributed photo and Landon Mitchell. -Contributed photo
The Heppner Mustang and effort this season.
boys basketball team had
Both of these players
two players listed on the helped lead the Mustangs
OSAA 2A All-State Bas- to the state championships,
ketball teams that were where they finished with a
recently released. These fifth-place trophy and the
“Umatilla has been a awards are voted on by 2A sportsmanship award. The
very complex conveyance basketball coaches from team had an overall record
requiring cooperation and around the state.
of 21-7 this year.
coordination between many
Landon Mitchell was
The player of the year
local, state, and federal or- rewarded for his fine play in the state was Gianni
ganizations and agencies,” this season by making the Altman of Gold Beach,
Vereen said. “This mile- third team. Tucker Ashbeck and the coach of the year
stone is a tribute to the received honorable mention is Ben Brown from Salem
many individuals, organi- honors for his hard work Academy.
zations and agencies that
made this day possible.”
In 1991 and 1993, the
United States and the Soviet
Union signed the Strategic
Arms Reduction Treaties
(START I and II) to bring an
end to the generation-long
Present at the signing ceremony at the Pentagon were (Back L-R): Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen,
By Andrea Di Salvo
150 student days with a
Sherri Smith, Jerry Healy, Joe Taylor, John Shafer, Lisa Mittelsdorf, David Sykes, Kat Brigham, Cold War.
Morrow County School pre-Labor Day start on Aug.
In November 1990, the District will no longer have 28 with school extending
Greg Smith, and (Front L-R) The Honorable Rachel Jacobson and CDA Chair Kim Puzey.
President had signed the Friday school on weeks to June 13. Even though
-Contributed photo
WASHINGTON—On ebrate the transfer of more
Jacobson explained that Defense Base Closure and with Monday holidays due there would be no school on
March 3 the Army trans- than 9,500 acres of land the “conveyance will place Realignment Act of 1990, to a change in the school any Friday after a Monday
ferred former Army De- associated with the former part of the ~9,500 acres of establishing an independent district calendar for the holiday, there would be one
pot land to the Columbia Umatilla Chemical Depot. property into productive commission known as the upcoming year. The MCSD early-release Friday the
Development Authority
“Today in a signing re-use for the community. Defense Base Closure and board approved the new week before winter break,
(CDA) in Boardman. This ceremony at the Pentagon Another part will become Realignment Commission. calendar, which had pre- Dec. 15.
is the fourth largest real in Washington D.C., the an important cultural site The commission created viously been voted on by
Stocker had told the
estate transaction in the United States Army and for the beneficial use of the Base Realignment and staff, at its March 13 meet- board at a previous meeting
Army’s Base Realignment the Columbia Development the Confederated Tribes of Closure Act (BRAC) to ing in Boardman.
that both student and staff
and Closure (BRAC) his- Authority memorialized the the Umatilla Indian Res- more efficiently realign and
MCSD Human Re- attendance was low on Fri-
tory, and the first in nearly fourth largest closure and ervation. A third part will close military installations sources Executive Director day school days, and said
20 years.
realignment in history and contribute to the historical following the end of the Erin Stocker informed the she hoped the change would
The official transfer the largest transfer in 20 preservation of the Oregon Cold War.
board that around 80 per- have a positive impact on
That, in turn, began cent of district staff had the district.
was followed by a ceremo- years,” said CDA Chairman Trail. The proceeds the
nial signing at the Pentagon Kim Puzey, Port of Umatil- Army receives from CDA the process of returning the voted for that school calen-
“I think that the staff
in Washington, D.C., March la General Manager.
will be re-invested into en- former Umatilla Chemical dar option for the 2023-24 voice is pretty clear,” said
20. The Hon. Rachel Jacob-
“Completion of this vironmental cleanup activ- Depot to the Columbia De- school year. The school cal- Stocker. “As a district-level
son, Assistant Secretary of transfer represents new ities across our remaining velopment Authority.
endar will still include four team, we’re pretty excited
Puzey noted that a large optional STEAM Fridays. to see how our families
the Army for Installations, opportunity not only for BRAC sites.”
Energy and Environment, Morrow County, but for
“It’s truly a win-win-
The option includes -Continued to PAGE SEVEN
-Continued to PAGE SIX
hosted the ceremony at the the entire region with job win outcome for all par-
Pentagon with Lt. Gen. creation for our citizens, ties,” she added.
Kevin Vereen, the Army’s new opportunities for our
“This transfer rep-
Deputy Chief of Staff for young people and enhanced resents what can be accom-
Installations (G-9), to cel- income for county, schools plished when partners come
and districts that provide together for a mutually de-
services to our citizens,” sired outcome,” said Greg
CALL
added Morrow County Smith, Executive Director
541-989-8221
Commission Chair David for the Columbia Devel-
Sykes.
opment Authority. “To be
ext 204
The CDA is made up authorized to execute such
of five partners through an an agenda is a privilege.”
for more
intergovernmental agree-
The Umatilla transfer
information
ment that includes Morrow is a culmination of a 35-
County, Umatilla County, year effort that started with
Port of Morrow, Port of realigning the installation
Umatilla and the Confed- under BRAC 1988 and
erated Tribes of the Uma- continued with the closure
tilla Indian Reservation of the installation under
(CTUIR).
BRAC 2005.
Army transfers thousands of acres of
land to local Oregon communities
MCSD approves new
calendar, adopts new
math curriculum