City of Ione ensures
safe water supply
50¢
VOL. 143
NO. 51 10 Pages
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Morrow County Health District to
discontinue ambulance services
By Chris Sykes
Years-long debates,
lawsuits, and mistrust have
plagued the Morrow Coun-
ty Health District (MCHD)
Boardman Fire Rescue Dis-
trict (BFRD) and Morrow
County regarding the dis-
continuation of ambulance
services. On December
13, 2023, MCHD issued
a 90-day notice to cease
ambulance services in
Morrow County, citing
ongoing safety concerns
and a failure to reach an
agreement with the county.
MCHD claims that despite
their attempts to engage in
good faith discussions, their
concerns, and questions
regarding the proposed
Ambulance Service Area
(ASA) Plan and Ordinance
have not been adequately
addressed.
The discontinuation
of ambulance service in
Morrow County raises sig-
nificant concerns about
the provision of emergen-
cy medical care for both
residents and visitors. It
remains unclear whether an
agreement can be reached
within 90 days or if Morrow
County will need to decide
on alternative coverage.
Both the MCHD and Mor-
row County express their
commitment to the safety
of the community, but they
KROGGL൵HULQJYLHZVRQWKH
proposed ASA Plan and
Ordinance.
According to the Coun-
ty, they have engaged with
Morrow County Health
District and Boardman Fire
Rescue District (BFRD)
on a draft Ambulance Ser-
vice Area Plan (ASA) to
achieve these goals. These
groups have provided in-
put and comments on the
draft, most of which were
included or adapted into
the document. While this
input was valuable, it is
still the County’s ultimate
responsibility to prepare
the Ambulance Service
Area Plan for the Oregon
Health Authority (OHA) to
review. On December 11,
2023, a draft was submitted
for initial review by OHA,
and the County is in the
process of providing ad-
ditional documents before
OHA moves forward with
its review. This was not a
final document as it still
needs to go through public
notice, consideration, and
adoption by the Board of
Commissioners. The Coun-
ty was surprised by the 90-
day notice and had expected
to continue its partnership
with MCHD for ambulance
services. According to the
county, consistent commu-
nication between the Coun-
ty, MCHD, and BFRD had
been taking place before
this development.
In a press release, he
MCHD has raised sever-
al concerns regarding the
proposed changes. They
have worries about reduced
cross-coverage in Board-
man and Irrigon, the com-
position of the new EMS
Advisory Committee, the
lack of a process for inves-
tigating medical issues, and
the inadequate addressing
RIFRQ¿GHQWLDOLW\FRQFHUQV
in the proposed ASA Plan
and Ordinance. Talking
with Emily Roberts, the
CEO, she expressed her
dissatisfaction with the
county’s communication
practices, stating that they
were neither clear nor ade-
quate. She was particularly
curious about the methods
and reasoning behind cer-
tain conclusions they had
reached.
In response to the
notice from the Morrow
County Health Department
(MCHD) Morrow Coun-
ty’s County Administrator,
Matt Jensen, emphasized
two key objectives in their
press release. Firstly, they
DLPWRUHD൶UPWKDWLQDF-
cordance with Oregon law,
the County holds the direct
responsibility for establish-
ing ambulance services.
This assertion is meant to
clarify any misconceptions
and ensure adherence to the
legal framework.
Secondly, the Coun-
ty intends to establish an
independent Emergency
Medical Services (EMS)
Advisory Committee. This
committee will serve as an
overseeing body, respon-
sible for evaluating the
practices of all ambulance
service providers within
the County. By doing so,
the County aims to en-
sure transparency in the
evaluation of ambulance
services and guarantee the
highest standards of quality
in emergency medical care.
Here are some of
MCHD concerns and Mor-
row County’s response to
those concerns according
to their press releases and
interviews.
What MCHD says:
The current draft indi-
cates that Boardman Fire
Rescue District has been
awarded the “Northern Am-
bulance Service Area” in
Morrow County. However,
the county has not followed
the established processes
outlined in the 1998 ASA
Plan or the 2022 ASA Plan
to replace MCHD as the am-
bulance service provider in
any part of Morrow County.
The rationale for changing
the ambulance service pro-
vider in the Boardman area
has also not been provided
by Morrow County.
The County’s response:
MCHD nor BFRD are
listed as initial providers.
The ASA is crafted to allow
up to three providers (if
practical) to operate in the
County with initial provid-
By Annalynn Black
On December 12, 2023,
test results revealed the
presence of coliform and
E. coli in certain areas of
the city’s water system. The
city well and reservoir were
XQD൵HFWHGEXWWKHERRVWHU
station on Emert and the
Ione City Hall tested posi-
tive for these contaminants.
This necessitated a compre-
hensive response from the
city authorities.
City staff, including
Scott Ezell, an Automation
Engineer from the Port of
Morrow, met with Bill Goss
from the Oregon Public
Drinking Water Service to
discuss progress and devise
additional steps to eliminate
the contamination. The city
swiftly repaired and put the
Chlorination Station into
operation to initiate the
chlorination process sys-
tematically. This involved
moving chlorinated water
through the main water
lines while requesting resi-
GHQWVWRÀXVKZDWHULQWKHLU
homes and businesses to
facilitate the flow in the
entire system.
To ensure the distribu-
tion of safe water through-
out the system, Public
Works Director Shad Hass
ÀXVKHG K\GUDQWV DQG FRQ-
ducted chlorine level tests
on December 14 th . Follow-
ing state policy, he hand-de-
livered water samples to the
Umpqua Research Compa-
ny, a water testing labora-
tory in Pendleton. On the
15th, the test results came
EDFN QHJDWLYH FRQ¿UPLQJ
the successful eradication
of contaminants. Subse-
quently, Bill Goss lifted the
boil ban, granting residents
the freedom to use the wa-
ter without restrictions.
Furthermore, the city per-
formed another round of
testing on the 19th, with
results expected soon.
Recognizing the need
to fortify their infrastruc-
ture against potential future
issues, the City of Ione is
collaborating with the city
of Heppner to develop an
inter-agency contract. This
partnership will enhance
their collective readiness
to deal with any future
water-related challenges
effectively. Additionally,
the city has organized a
town meeting scheduled for
January 9th at the Legion
Hall in Ione. This meeting
aims to engage residents,
provide updates on the
issue, and gather feedback
and suggestions to ensure
proactive and comprehen-
sive measures for any future
potential problems.
Santa visits Sage
Garden Preschool
-Continued to PAGE EIGHT
Local woman goes to Spain to write
Marissa Occhiuto on a hike posing in front of the Castel De
Llaers. - Contributed Photo
By Annalynn Black
Marissa Occhiuto, a
dedicated graduate of PSU
with a bachelor’s degree
in art history, recently em-
barked on an extraordinary
journey that would forever
change her life. Through
sheer determination and
a leap of faith, Marissa
found herself participating
in the renowned Wayward
Worm Hole writing work-
shop. This opportunity held
immense significance for
her, as she had only attend-
ed one formal in-person
writing class prior to this
transformative experience.
Originally from the
captivating Willamette Val-
ley, Marissa and her hus-
band made a bold decision
to relocate to Heppner last
year, enticed by promising
job prospects. Little did she
know that this move would
open doors to a remarkable
opportunity for personal
and artistic growth.
The Wayward Worm
Hole workshop caught Ma-
rissa’s attention through a
social media post shared
by one of her favorite au-
thors. Although she initially
felt hesitant, she decided
to throw caution to the
wind and applied for the
workshop, thinking, “Might
as well?” The application
process entailed submitting
a Science-Fiction and Fan-
tasy short story, allowing
the organizers to assess
her writing style and abil-
ities. Out of the multitude
of applications received,
only twelve exceptionally
talented individuals were
chosen to participate in this
exclusive workshop.
Marissa’s passion for
)DQWDV\DQGVFLHQFH¿FWLRQ
had been nurtured since
her childhood, but it was
during the challenging
times brought about by the
COVID-19 pandemic that
she truly began to take her
craft seriously. Determined
to share her stories with the
world, she started submit-
ting her works to various
publishers and magazines,
enjoying notable success
with a few of her pieces
being sold. Enrolling in the
workshop at the picturesque
Castel De Llaers, nestled
two hours north of Barcelo-
na, became the next pivotal
step in Marissa’s artistic
journey.
Embarking on inter-
national travel after nearly
a decade naturally stirred
some apprehension with-
in Marissa. However, her
fears were swiftly dispelled
by the warm camaraderie
of her fellow workshop
attendees. The route to
Spain proved challenging,
involving bus and train
rides due to ongoing road
construction. Neverthe-
less, language barriers were
skillfully surmounted with
the assistance of bilingual
members, ensuring a safe
and triumphant arrival.
Although Marissa
didn’t have the opportu-
nity to explore the nearby
attractions due to the work-
shop’s secluded location,
the breathtaking view from
the castle compensated for
any missed adventures. The
sight of the French Pyrenees
in the distance provided
Marissa with a wellspring
of inspiration, infusing her
writing with the beauty of
the natural surroundings.
She managed to carve out
time for invigorating hikes
around the castle, capturing
stunning photographs that
showcased the union of
historical architecture and
majestic mountains.
While the culinary ex-
perience during her stay
leaned towards an Amer-
ican diet to accommodate
the diverse group, Maris-
sa eagerly embraced the
chance to savor Spain’s
renowned dried meats. Ven-
turing to a nearby hostel,
she indulged in an authentic
culinary experience, brave-
ly sampling dishes that
included goose, lamb, and
blood sausages. Although
the latter was not her per-
sonal favorite, she whole-
heartedly embraced her
adventurous spirit, allowing
her taste buds to journey
into uncharted territory.
8SRQUHÀHFWLRQ0DULV-
sa humbly acknowledges
her limitations as an indi-
Sage Garden Preschoolers posing with Santa before they
leave for the holidays. - Contributed Photo
On the last day of
school before the new year,
Santa Claus visited Sage
Garden Preschool, delight-
ing all the children. Dressed
in a cheerful red suit, Santa
(also known as Will Lem-
mon) spread holiday cheer
as he posed for pictures
with the kids. The parents
added to the festive atmo-
sphere by bringing snacks
and crafts for the children
to enjoy.
Christmas Eve at Heppner
Christian Church
Heppner Christian at 5:00pm on Sunday the
Church is having a Candle- 24th located at 293 Gale St,
light Christmas Eve service Heppner, all are welcome.
Christmas Eve at Hopeful
Saint Ministry
Hopeful Saints Min-
istry invites you to join
us for our Christmas Eve
service beginning at 10 AM
on Sunday, December 24th.
Worship will be a tradition-
-Continued to PAGE THREE
al Christmas Eve candle-
light service with lessons,
carols, and communion.
Located at 420 Gale St, in
Heppner Oregon, gather
up your family and friends
to share this sacred time
together.
CALL
541-989-8221
ext 204
for more
information