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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 2023)
Heppner women take third at state 50¢ VOL. 143 NO. 45 8 Pages Wednesday, November 8, 2023 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Grady Greenwood ends his season on top Port of Morrow Commission Approves DEQ Settlement According to a press release issued by the DEQ (Oregon Department of Environmental Quali- ty), a settlement has been reached between the DEQ and the Port of Morrow regarding wastewater per- mit and nitrate violations in Morrow and Umatilla counties in Oregon. As part of the settlement, the port will provide $1,933,721 to support safe drinking wa- WHU H൵RUWV LQ WKH D൵HFWHG area, which includes wa- ter testing, treatment, and delivery. Additionally, the port will pay a civil penal- ty of $483,430 to the state treasury. The Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Man- agement Area (LUBGW- MA) relies on groundwater as its primary drinking wa- ter source. However, ele- vated levels of nitrate have been detected in some pri- vate wells, posing serious health risks. Sources of nitrate include agricultural fertilizers, animal manure, industrial wastewater (in- cluding from the Port of Morrow), and septic sys- tems. DEQ Director Leah Feldon stated that this set- tlement serves two pur- poses: providing funding for safe drinking water to those in need and holding the Port of Morrow ac- countable for permit viola- tions. DEQ has been work- ing closely with the port to improve its wastewater treatment and reuse, with the ultimate goal of ensur- ing compliance with water quality regulations and im- proving groundwater in the area. To address the issue, the Oregon Health Au- thority (OHA) is already R൵HULQJ IUHH ZDWHU TXDOL- ty testing, treatment, and - Contributed Photo delivery to residents with private wells in the Low- er Umatilla Basin. The funds from this settlement will supplement OHA’s RQJRLQJ H൵RUWV 2+$ recommends that private well users across Oregon regularly test for bacteria, nitrate, and arsenic, which are common groundwater pollutants in the state. The total settlement amount is $2.4 million, with the port required to follow a compliance plan that includes additional restrictions aimed at re- ducing the risk of ground- water contamination. The plan includes higher pen- alties for applying waste- water near drinking water supplies, no increase in QHW ZDVWHZDWHU ÀRZ XQWLO new treatment and storage systems are operation- al, and requirements to assess crops and facility infrastructure. The port is also working with state agencies to develop strat- egies for reducing waste- water during the next two growing seasons while long-term wastewater in- frastructure solutions are being implemented. Under DEQ’s Sup- plemental Environmental Project policy, up to 80% of the penalty can be allo- cated towards an approved project. In this case, $1.9 million will go towards (Top) Heppner High school cross country grils pose with their 3rd place state trophy. (Below) Hunter Greewood standing on the 1st place podeum for the 5000 meter race. - Contributed Photo The M u s t a n g Meters. cross-country teams As impressive as their showed they had the endur- team performances were, ance to make it all the way senior Grady Greenwood at the OSAA Cross Country and sophomore Lily Nich- 3A/2A/1A State Cham- ols again led the charge in -Continued to PAGE SIX pionships in Eugene last gaining individual places Saturday. After a season of on the podium. ups and down—but mostly Greenwood has made a ups—the women’s team KDELWRIWDNLQJ¿UVWWKLVVHD- took third in the 3A/2A/1A son, and that didn’t change 5,000 Meters, while the at the state meet. While Mustang men placed sixth Greenwood didn’t beat at the Port of Morrow and in their own 2A/1A 5,000 -Continued to PAGE NINE how to get funding for an Olson Road I-84 overpass. ODOT was also in- volved in several House Bill 2017 projects in Hep- pner and Irrigon, as well as working with Morrow County to develop its new transit system. That sys- tem will include a Hep- pner-Boardman connector and a Boardman-Port of Morrow circular. “There’s been a lot of growth of transit, especially here in Umatilla and Mor- row counties,” Patterson said. “As we have more growth and try to get people to jobs, we’ve expanded our transit.” Those services will also tie in with Kayak’s regional network. “That’s been the back- Hayden McHahon (13) can’t be stopped as he drags a Regis bone of our transit in East- player across the goaline during Heppner’s win Saturday. ern Oregon. The CTUIR - Photo by Tylynn Cimmyotti (Confederated Tribes of The Heppner Mustang George for another first the Umatilla Indian Res- football team won their down for the Mustangs ervation) has built a really opening game of the OSAA at the Tigers 2-yard line. robust intercity program,” 2A State Football Champi- Hayden McMahon ran the -Continued to PAGE SEVEN onships with a 28-7 victory ball in from there for the over the Bandon/Pacific touchdown. Caden George Tigers. With the win the punched the ball in for the Mustangs (8-2) move on 2-pt. conversion to make WRSOD\DTXDUWHU¿QDOJDPH the score 8-0. against the Regis Rams. Martin Medina kicked ing in the works with Ore- The Pirates kicked off for the Mustangs and gon Governor Tina Kotek. off to start the game and just four plays later Caden “Things are starting to Heppner moved the ball George forced a Tiger open up a little bit where ULJKW GRZQ WKH ¿HOG IRU D fumble. Caleb George at least we’re talking about score. The ten-play drive scooped the ball up to give things,” said McCarter. was highlighted by an 11- Heppner possession near The board of commis- \DUGUXQIRUD¿UVWGRZQE\ midfield. The Mustangs sioners opened the floor Hayden McMahon, a 23- moved the ball down the yard run by Mason Orem, -Continued to PAGE SEVEN and a 10-yard run by Caden -Continued to PAGE SEVEN ODOT region manager talks progress, funding issues with county commission By Andrea Di Salvo Road maintenance is going to continue to be a struggle due to lack of funding, an Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT) representative told the Mor- row County Board of Com- missioners recently. The topic came up when Ken Patterson, ODOT Re- gion 5 Manager, appeared at a board of commissioners meeting to give an update on ODOT’s work in the re- gion. Region 5 covers eight counties in Eastern Oregon and is headquartered in La *UDQGH:KHQIXOO\VWD൵HG Patterson said, Region 5 has about 300 employees. Patterson told the com- missioners he has been the regional manager with ODOT for a little more than a year and said he was trying to meet with each of the county commissions in Eastern Oregon. “A lot of our interests between ODOT and the counties are very similar,” said Patterson. “You look at a lot of the growth in this area, and a lot of it’s due to transportation.” Patterson also intro- duced District 12 manager Rich Lani, who works out of Pendleton. District 12 covers Umatilla, Morrow, Grant, and part of Wheel- er counties. Lani is the main contact for day-to-day ODOT operations in the district. At the top of the list of Morrow County projects was the recent replacement of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) ramps at all the corners of state high- ways, such as the recent curb work along Heppner’s Main Street. Patterson said ODOT faced a lawsuit over the ramps and lost, which triggered the statewide project. “That’s been a major portion of our capital pro- gram in Eastern Oregon for the last few years,” he said, “When it’s all said and done, all the curb ramps along the state highways will be ADA accessible.” ODOT is also in the process of replacing the signs on I-84 from I-5 to the Idaho state lines, he said. Crews are currently working on the section of interstate from Arlington to Pendleton. A big impact for the north end will be bridge repairs and a major redesign at the I-84 Tower Road interchange. However, he said ODOT is currently in the design phase, and the project probably would not happen until 2026 or 2027. Other projects either planned or underway in- clude a paving project from Boardman to Stanfield, work on culverts on the Columbia River Highway, and plans to install electric vehicle charging stations along I-84 from I-5 to the Idaho state line. Commissioners also questioned Patterson re- garding plans and strategies for other county needs, such as a better I-84 interchange Heppner Mustangs win OSAA 2A State Football Championship opening game 28-7 Border discussions back again at county commission meeting By Andrea Di Salvo The Morrow County Board of Commissioners held the third of three year- ly meetings regarding the proposed moving of the Oregon-Idaho state border at its regular board meeting last Wednesday. The commissioners may or may not be tired of the issue, but in November of last year, Morrow County voters approved a measure requiring the county board of commissioners to meet three times a year to discuss how to promote the interests of Morrow County in any negotiations regarding the relocation. This was the WKLUGDQG¿QDOPHHWLQJWKLV year. The measure did not specify an end date for the meetings, so the board of commissioners will plan three more meetings for 2024. Morrow County Coun- sel Justin Nelson said these meetings are only the be- ginning of what would be a very lengthy process to even attempt to move the state border. In fact, legislators from both states met in Baker City on Oct. 19 to discuss next steps for the Great- er Idaho movement. At the meeting were Oregon representative Vikki Bre- ese-Iverson (R-Prineville) and Idaho representatives Judy Boyle (R-Washing- ton County) and Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls), along with proponents of the Greater Idaho move- ment. “There’s a lot of leg- work that has to be done,” said Nelson. “I think the idea with this measure is just to have the county meet to just talk about it three times a year.” Board of commission- ers chair David Sykes noted that the measure had passed by 60 percent in Morrow County. “So the voters were pretty substantially behind this,” said Sykes. Mike McCarter, pres- ident of Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho, was present via Zoom to speak for the cause. “The moving of the border may not be the ulti- mate answer,” said McCa- rter, “but right now, with situations going on, with the way the legislature in the western part of Oregon tends to treat us over in eastern Oregon, it is the answer right now.” McCarter added that the movement is “bringing everything to the surface.” “We’re just trying to get the discussion started in the legislature,” he said. McCarter added that the movement leaders had a meeting scheduled with Or- egon Speaker of the House 'DQ5D\¿HOG '&RUYDOOLV with another tentative meet- CALL 541-989-8221 ext 204 for more information
