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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2024)
Lutcher retires after \HDUV 50¢ VOL. 144 NO. 1 8 Pages Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon 1HZ2UHJRQODZVH൵HFWLYH-DQVW New laws for 2024 to tackle opioid overdoses, DUII, paramilitary DFWLYLW\ZLOG¿UHLQVXUDQFHDQG6W\URIRDPFRQFHUQV By Chris Sykes Over time, the number of laws being added to our existing laws is increasing. In the state of Oregon alone, there are already thousands of laws in place. The Ore- gon Revised Statutes (ORS) VHUYHDVWKHR൶FLDOFRGL¿HG laws of the state, and they are updated and published every two years. Each edi- tion of the ORS includes all existing laws and any changes made by the Leg- islative Assembly up until the regular session of the odd-numbered year, as in- dicated in the volume titles of that edition. As an example, the 2021 edition of the ORS consists of 21 volumes, encompassing all the laws WKDW ZHUH LQ H൵HFW DW WKDW time. During the 2021 Reg- ular Session, a total of 714 bills out of the 2,519 bills introduced were passed into law. In the subsequent 2022 Regular Session, only 127 out of the 275 introduced bills became law. Opioid overdose medi- cation Oregon Senate Bill 1043 requires health care and drug treatment facilities to provide opioid overdose reversal medications and other overdose-related med- ical supplies to discharged patients who were admitted for opioid abuse . The bill also establishes civil liabil- ity protections for people who administer overdose reversal medication to someone experiencing an overdose. The law is aimed at reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in H[SDQGV WKH R൵HQVH of driving while under the influence of intoxicants to include any substance that, when taken into the human body, can impair the ability of a person to op- erate a vehicle safely. The bill is aimed at improving road safety in Oregon by H[SDQGLQJWKHGH¿QLWLRQRI “intoxicant” for purposes of the Oregon Vehicle Code . The bill also provides IRU DQ D൶UPDWLYH GHIHQVH and decreases fines for driving while under the influence of intoxicants while riding a bicycle. It eliminates driving privi- lege suspension imposed for driving while under the influence of intoxicants while riding a bicycle. The bill also expands eligibility to participate in diversion programs when a defendant previously participated in treatment as a juvenile or as a parent or guardian pursuant to a juvenile court order . The bill is expected to help improve road safety in Oregon by expanding the definition of “intoxicant” for purposes of the Oregon Vehicle Code. The bill also SURYLGHVIRUDQD൶UPDWLYH GHIHQVHDQGGHFUHDVHV¿QHV for driving while under the influence of intoxicants while riding a bicycle. It eliminates driving privi- lege suspension imposed for driving while under the influence of intoxicants while riding a bicycle. The bill also expands eligibility to participate in diversion DUII programs when a defendant Oregon House Bill previously participated in Oregon by ensuring that people who are at risk of an overdose have access to the medication they need to survive. Under the law, hospitals DQG RWKHU VSHFL¿HG IDFLOL- ties that provide substance use disorder treatment are required to provide two doses of opioid overdose reversal medication and necessary medical supplies to administer medication WR VSHFL¿HG SDWLHQWV XSRQ discharge or release. The law also provides immunity from civil liability for people who in good faith provide opioid overdose reversal medications and necessary medical supplies to administer medications. The law is expected to help save lives by ensuring that people who are at risk of an overdose have access to the medication they need to survive. Curricula teaching stu- dents about the dangers of synthetic opioids: Under SB 238, the Oregon Health Authority, State Board of Education, and the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commis- sion will be required to develop curricula teaching students about the dangers of synthetic opioids. Stu- dents will also be required to learn about legal immu- nity for people who report drug or alcohol use along with protections for people seeking medical treatment for themselves or others for drug and alcohol overdoses. City of Irrigon halfway WKURXJK¿VFDO\HDU By Chris Sykes Upon reviewing the Ir- rigon city managers’ report from December 19th, they reached the halfway mark of the fiscal year in the month of December. The law enforcement vehicles KDYH¿QDOO\EHHQGHOLYHUHG and they are focusing on enhancing public safety and presence within the City of Irrigon by reviewing and improving the processes. In collaboration with the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) and other municipal- ities, Irrigon has submitted a request for approximately 2.5 million dollars to assist in infrastructure develop- ment for new housing proj- ects in Irrigon. According to Palm- quist, housing grant oppor- WXQLWLHVKDYHEHHQD൵HFWHG by the current econom- ic conditions and lending rates, leading to a slow- down. However, property owners and developers can VWLOOEHQH¿WIURPJUDQWVWR help cover System Devel- opment Charges (SDC) for new homes within the city limits. For more in- formation on this program, detailed information can be found on The City of Irrigon’s webpage. Addi- WLRQDOO\ WKH FLW\¶V VWD൵ LV available to provide further assistance upon request. If you’re interested in learn- ing more, please reach out to the City Clerk via email at clerk(@ci.irrigon.or.us). Regarding court and law enforcement matters, Irrigon’s Judge and court have established a Viola- tions Bureau, which allows VWD൵WRPDNHGHFLVLRQVDQG resolutions with individuals who have been cited, expe- diting the process before their scheduled court dates. Additionally, Irrgion will be hiring a part-time Code Enforcement personnel to ensure more consistent processing of properties and court cases involving non-compliance with code requirements. The city is in discus- sions with MCSO regarding contract renewal. It should be noted that all of Morrow County has negotiated sig- QL¿FDQWSD\VFDOHLQFUHDVHV IRU WKHLU VWD൵ ZKLFK ZLOO impact contracting and their budget. The US 730 Sidewalk Project, which is funded by HB2017, is making good progress in terms of Public Works. Despite the winter season and the closure of asphalt plants, the concrete work is still ongoing, al- though at a slower pace due to the colder weather. There might be some temporary pooling of water in certain areas after receiving limited rainfall, but the contractor is aware of these locations -Continued to PAGE THREE treatment as a juvenile or as a parent or guardian pursu- ant to a juvenile court order. ([SDQGVR൵HQVHRIGULYLQJ while under influence of intoxicants to include any substance that, when taken into human body, can im- pair the ability of person to operate vehicle safely lawmakers expanded the GH¿QLWLRQ RI ³LQWR[LFDQW´ under state law to account for that blind spot. The ELOODOVRUHGXFHG¿QHVDQG other penalties for people caught bicycling while un- GHUWKHLQÀXHQFHreasoning that they pose less of a dan- ger to others than someone behind the wheel. Those carve-outs don’t apply if a person has a blood alcohol content of at least 0.15% or is riding an e-bike. Morrow County re- cently bid farewell to Ro- berta Lutcher, who retired after serving as the Execu- tive Assistant to the Board of Commissioners for an impressive 11 years. The FRXQW\WRRNWRWKHLUR൶FLDO Facebook page to express their gratitude and extend their best wishes to Ro- berta on her well-deserved retirement. Describing her as an individual with an unwavering attention to detail and a remarkable dedication to her position and the county. To honor Roberta’s service and ex- press their appreciation, the county organized a potluck at the Bartholomew Build- ing on December 15th. This event provided an opportu- QLW\IRUVWD൵PHPEHUVDQG friends to come together, share heartfelt stories, and convey their best wishes to Roberta. Delicious food was available, adding to the warm and celebratory atmosphere. Morrow Coun- ty expressed their utmost hope for her to cherish these moments and wished her all the luck in her future endeavors. Gates goes nationwide Ban on Styrofoam Senate Bill 543 Ban on polystyrene contain- ers: A ban on polystyrene containers has been imple- mented in Oregon Oregon has implemented a ban on polystyrene containers as of January 1, 2024. Senate Bill 543, which was passed by the Oregon Legislature, bans food vendors from serving meals in containers made of polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styro- -Continued to PAGE SIX Scholarship auction dinner honoring Barney Lindsay The community of Heppner is set to gather at the Gilliam & Bisbee Building on Saturday Jan- uary 27 th for a heartfelt scholarship dinner and auc- tion in memory of Barney Lindsay, a local farmer, and dedicated Morrow County School Board member. The doors will open at 5pm, with dinner to be served at 6pm. The highlight of the evening will be the live auction commencing at 7pm, featuring an array of both live and silent auction items. Barney Lindsay, D SURPLQHQW ¿JXUH LQ WKH community, left a lasting impact through his contri- butions as a farmer and his commitment to education as a member of the Mor- row County School Board. To honor his legacy and dedication to the commu- nity, the Lindsay family is organizing this event to establish scholarships for graduating seniors in Irrigon, Boardman, Ione, and Heppner. The dinner, catered by Ashley Lindsay, promises to be a delightful experience for all attendees, providing an opportuni- ty for the community to come together and sup- port a worthy cause. All proceeds from the auction (L-R) Chairman David Sykes, Roberta Lutcher, Commis- VLRQHU-H൵:HQKRO]DQG&RPPLVVLRQHU5R\'UDJR-U - Contributed Photo will go directly towards funding the scholarships for deserving students in the aforementioned areas. Kim Lindsay, wife of Barney, expresses her gratitude for the overwhelming support received in organizing the scholarship dinner auction Kim Lindsay, the wife of Barney, is expressing her heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support re- ceived in the organization of the scholarship dinner auction. “My children and I are dedicated to estab- lishing a scholarship in Barney’s name, something he would be very pleased Billy Gates, Digital Sports Producers for KXAN of Austin 7H[DVWDONVVSRUWVRQ1HZV1DWLRQQHWZRUN - Contributed Photo By Annalynn Black Billy Gates, the son of Tom and Arlynda Gates from Ione, has recently made his television debut on the nationwide news network, News Nation. *DWHVDJUDGXDWHRI3DFL¿F University in Forest Grove with a degree in Journalism, has always had a passion for media and sports cov- erage. Starting his career at the East Oregonian, he quickly gained experience and recognition, eventually becoming a regular on the radio, covering sports in Portland. In 2019, Gates and his wife, Jessie, made the de- cision to move to Texas. Since then, he has been working as a Digital Sports Producer for the reputable news network KXAN in Austin. In this position, Gates covers and lives- treams the sports events of the esteemed University of Texas. It comes as no sur- prise that the News Nation network has reached out to Billy Gates, given they have reached out in the past regarding his exceptional coverage of Super Bowl articles. Having recognized his talent and expertise, they have sought to feature him on their live television broadcasts. This recent op- portunity allowed Gates to showcase his abilities on a larger-scale platform, reaching a nationwide audi- ence. The decision to move WR 7H[DV ZDV D VLJQL¿FDQW one for Gates and his wife. However, it has proven to be a strategic move as it has opened doors to ex- citing opportunities in the media industry. His role as a Digital Sports Producer at KXAN has allowed him to further immerse himself in the world of sports and broadcasting. Providing comprehensive coverage and live streaming of the University of Texas sports events has added to his experience and expertise. -Continued to PAGE SIX CALL 541-989-8221 ext 204 for more information
