TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 31, 2023 The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE: http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/ Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site: www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $35 in Morrow County; $40 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 65 years or older); $30 elsewhere; $35 student subscriptions. Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher Andrea Di Salvo ............................................................................................ Editor Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................Advertising All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.50 per column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $15 up to 100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.00 per column inch. For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi- cation must be specified. Affidavits must be requested at the time of submission. Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required). For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space for the obituary. For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10. Chip seal planned on Hwy. 207 from Ruggs to Hwy. 19 Beginning June 5, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be chip sealing 41 miles of the Heppner-Spray Highway (OR 207C). The project will run from mile- post 41 at the junction of Oregon Highway 19, 2.5 miles east of Spray, to mile- post zero at the junction of OR 206 (at Ruggs). The work is expected to be completed around June 22. All dates are dependent on weather conditions that may impact the project start and end times. A chip seal consists of embedding rock chips into a layer of emulsified oil to help preserve and extend the useful life of existing pavement surfaces. Travelers on the high- ways should expect up to 20-minute delays, reduced speeds, loose rock on the roadway, flaggers and pilot cars directing single lane traffic through the work zones. Minor delays can be expected during nighttime/ early morning hours for road sweeping. Drivers are asked to reduce speeds and watch for construction activities in the area. Plan extra travel time and slow down to pre- vent loose rock from flying onto other vehicles. Crews will sweep the roadway, but some loose rock will be present for several days after chip seal. Bicycle riders should be prepared for traveling on rock chip covered highway sections behind a pilot car with no usable shoulders. Use alternate routes or de- lay travel to avoid the chip seal work zone. Pedestri- ans, including those with disabilities, will be provid- ed access through or around the work zone. Ranchers, farmers and property owners are asked to keep farm equipment off the impacted highway sections during and up to two days after the chip seal- ing. Also, adjust irrigation pivots and lawn sprinklers to keep water off the road- way. If you have plans for moving livestock on these highway sections, please advise the ODOT contacts listed below for this project. For more information on this project, contact Bob Greisen at 541-972- 1770 or robert.greisen@ odotoregon.gov, or Justin Reed at 541-612-2605 or justin.d.reed@odot.oregon. gov. For updated road con- ditions check TripCheck. com or call 511, or 800- 977-6368. Farmers market seeks new coordinator The future of Willow Creek Farmers Market is in question as it searches for one or more new coordina- tors. Previous coordinators Andrea Nelson and Andrea Di Salvo have announced they are stepping down from running the market after having done so for the last few years. The farmers market in Heppner has taken place weekly every summer since 2009 except during COVID-related closures. The coordinator is a volun- teer position responsible for planning, communication, publicity and registration for the market. Anyone interested in taking over the operation of the market can contact Nelson at 541-720-4399 or Di Salvo at 757-285-5792 or email willowcreekfm@ gmail.com. Morrow SWCD to meet Morrow SWCD will meet Tuesday, June 6, be- ginning at 6 p.m. at the Ag Service Center in Heppner. To join via Zoom or con- ference call, please contact the SWCD beforehand at 541-676-5452. Meetings of the Morrow SWCD are open to the public. Lexington council meeting June 13 The Town of Lexington will hold a town council meeting on Tuesday, June 13. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. The meeting will hap- pen in person at Lexington Town Hall, 425 F Street, Lexington, OR. It will also be accessible online via Zoom, Zoom Meeting ID: 687 755 5033, passcode: Lexington. Any questions or con- cerns may be directed to Lexington Town Recorder Veronica Ferguson at 541- 989-8515 or lexington. oregon@gmail.com. Madison Rosenbalm Lexington lodge plans summer market hired as Heppner Holly Rebekah Lodge cost of a 10-foot space is in Lexington is planning a $15 per month. Call LaRae chamber director monthly farmers/flea mar- Kindle at 541-310-9499 The Heppner Cham- ber of Commerce has announced that Madison Rosenbalm will be taking over as its new member services and events direc- tor. She will start her new position on July 1 and will work in collaboration with the Heppner Community Foundation team at the new Willow Street Arts & Business Innovation Cen- ter, slated to open in early fall 2023. A Heppner native, Rosenbalm says she is looking forward to bring- ing the community closer together and uniting orga- nizations and businesses. “I was raised in a fami- ly of several small business owners, and realize the importance of these busi- nesses in our community,” says Rosenbalm. “I want to help them continue to thrive and grow for many years to come. The Hep- pner community is a very special place to live and work.” Rosenbalm is a hep- pner native, growing up here, attending Heppner schools and participating in many community activities through sports and 4-H. “My first job was on Main Street working in my grandparents’ stores, taking inventory,” she recalls. She continued to work for her dad’s businesses and for a local farmer through- out her school years. After high school, she earned a bachelor’s degree in agri- business management and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, both at Eastern Or- egon University. After college, she mar- ried Jeremy Rosenbalm and returned back to her home- town to raise their three children, Tenley, Tymber and Tiller. She served as the office manager at the OSU Extension Office, and as substitute teacher, before teaching at Heppner Elementary for the past eight years. Rosenbalm is also active in the commu- nity through coaching both volleyball and softball, as well as helping to lead a livestock 4-H group. “The Heppner Cham- ber of Commerce continues to be excited about the opportunities that working with the Heppner Com- munity Foundation (HCF) provides. The addition of Madison is another exam- ple of the excitement that they bring to our commu- nity,” says Heppner Cham- ber board president Andy Fletcher. “Madison is a homegrown hire that will continue to bring energy, innovation and community building that is exactly what a chamber of commerce should provide. The Hep- pner Chamber is looking forward to expanding our member support, offerings and community building— Madison is the perfect per- son to accomplish these goals.” The Chamber is also bidding a fond farewell to Shelby Matthews, who or- ganized several successful events for the community during her time as director. Matthews still serves as the Lott’s Fitness Center manager for the Heppner Community Foundation. She also plans to volunteer for chamber events in the future. YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! Submit Ads heppner.net Call 541-676-9228 Email graphics@rapidserve.net We also offer design and printing services Heppner Gazette-Times Sykes Printing for more information or to reserve a space. Holly Rebekah Lodge will also continue to hold dinner and bingo the last Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. Cost is $5 for dinner and $5 for 10 bingo cards, or 50 cents per card. All are welcome. Church gives gift of warmth to Willow Creek Terrace residents Willow Creek Terrace assisted living residents are enjoying new lap quilts thanks to the ladies’ quilting club from Willow Creek Baptist church in Heppner. Pioneer Memorial Hospice Chaplain Jerry Conklin took the gifts to the facility and hand- ed them out. Pictured are Conklin with WCT resident Sandi Hanna with her new lap quilt. -Contributed photo Palmer, Lindsay receive scholarships The Bob and Bette Mc- work and dedication and Laughlin Education Foun- wish them success in fur- dation has announced it thering their education,” is awarding two $1,000 the foundation said in a scholarships to graduating statement. seniors Madison Palmer Each year, The Bob and and Paul Lindsay of Hep- Bette McLaughlin Educa- pner High School. tion Foundation awards col- Madison Palmer plans lege scholarships to Hep- to attend Eastern Oregon pner High School students University to major in Sec- who wish to attend a public ondary Mathematics Edu- Oregon college. Anyone in- cation, while Paul Lindsay terested in donating to help plans to attend Eastern support future graduates relevant to proposed actions Oregon University to major may email the foundation at and reasonable alterna- in nursing. mclaughlinedfoundation@ tives to address in the EIS. “We honor their hard gmail.com. The initial Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was published on March 6 and opened a 60-day public scoping process that ended May 5. To accommodate additional public input, the comment period will reopen May 25, 2023, for an additional 32 days, closing June 26. FEMA will host virtual and in-person public meet- ings during the comment period. The two scheduled virtual public meetings are June 1 and 7, 4-6 p.m. Additional information on these and future in-person Congratulations, Class of 2023! meetings is available on the You did it! project website. FEMA administers the We have a great selection for your NFIP, a nationwide pro- graduate gram that reduces future -Hallmark Cards flood damage by requiring -Balloons minimum floodplain man- agement standards and pro- -Floral bouquets. vides protection for proper- 217 North Main St., ty owners against potential Heppner, OR flood losses through insur- Phone 676-9158 Floral 676-9426 ance. Information about murraysdrug.com the EIS and how to submit Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm • Sat 8am-6pm • Sun 9am-2pm comments can be found on Pharmacy- Mon-Fri 9am-6pm the project website. FEMA seeks public input on proposed changes to national flood insurance program in Oregon FEMA reopened the comment period for an ad- ditional 32 days of public input on proposed changes to the implementation of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in Ore- gon. These changes may have significant impacts on Oregon communities, individuals and businesses that intend on developing in the floodplain. FEMA encourages participation during the comment period. Following findings that the NFIP in Oregon may harm salmon, steelhead, Southern Resident Killer Whale and other endan- gered and threatened fish species, FEMA was re- quired to make changes to how the NFIP is imple- mented in the state. In ac- cordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, FEMA is currently developing an Environmen- tal Impact Statement (EIS) to identify potential social and economic impacts of the proposed changes. As part of the process, FEMA seeks public input ket this summer. Markets will take place in the Friendship Park next to the lodge hall on Main Street in Lexington and will be held the second Sunday of the month in June, July and August. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The lodge is still seek- ing market vendors. The