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VOL. 144
NO. 25 8 Pages
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Heppner’s Jaylee
Schlaich shines in debut
on The Cowboy Channel
Family-Friendly Fourth of July in Ione
Jaylee Schlaich makes her debut on the Cowboy Channel
alongside her mom, Amber Schlaich at the Crooked River
Roundup . -Photo contributed
Image of people playing knockerball. - Contributed
- Contributed image.
IONE, OR – Get ready
for a day of festive fun as
Ione gears up for its annual
Fourth of July celebra-
tion. This small-town event
promises a jam-packed
schedule filled with activ-
ities for all ages, starting
bright and early.
The festivities kick off
at 7 a.m. with a Fun Run/
Walk 5K. Whether you’re
an avid runner or just look-
ing for a brisk morning
stroll, this event is the per-
fect way to start your Inde-
pendence Day. Following
the run, from 7:00-10:00
a.m., enjoy a hearty Fire-
man’s Breakfast that is sure
to satisfy your appetite.
At 1 p.m., the streets of
Ione will come alive with a
lively parade, featuring lo-
cal floats, marching bands,
and plenty of patriotic spir-
it. The fun doesn’t stop
there. Throughout the day,
visitors can enjoy a variety
of activities including Bin-
go, a classic car show, a
fishpond, and a talent show
at 4:30 p.m. for those look-
ing to showcase their skills.
One of the most excit-
ing additions to this year’s
celebration is the return of
games from Knockerball
Tri-Cities. These activities
are free and include laser
tag, putt-putt golf, a soccer
dart board, Connect Four,
and axe throwing, ensuring
endless entertainment for
all. For a touch of creativity,
free face painting and glitter
tattoos will be available in
the park courtesy of artist
Laurie Ellis.
No celebration is com-
plete without delicious
food, and this event is no
exception. A variety of food
vendors will be on hand
to keep everyone fueled
throughout the day. The
musical lineup kicks off
at 2 p.m. with the upbeat
blues of Luke Basil. At
3:30 p.m., ZG3 - the Zac
Grooms Trio - will bring
their down-to-earth country
tunes to the stage. Later, at
6:30 p.m., the Frog Hollow
Band, known for opening
for national acts like Sarah
Evans and Dan+Shay, will
deliver a performance not
to be missed.
The highlight of the
2024 celebration will be
the headlining act, Riv-
er Divide. This band is
set to bring high-energy
hits from today along with
classic country, pop, and
rock tracks from yesterday.
Thanks to a generous grant
from the Morrow County
Unified Recreation District,
this concert is free. Just re-
member to bring your lawn
chair or blanket, as seating
is not provided.
As the day of family
fun winds down, get ready
for a spectacular fireworks
display. The fireworks will
be launched from the hill
overlooking the town, pro-
viding a breathtaking view
from the city park. It’s the
perfect way to end a day
filled with fun and cele-
bration.
This event welcomes
visitors of all ages, but
please note that dogs are
not allowed in the park. For
more details and updates,
visit the event’s Facebook
page at facebook.com/Io-
ne4thofJuly. Come join the
fun for a day of community,
celebration, and unforget-
table memories in Ione this
Fourth of July!
MC BOC discuss new SunStone Solar project
By Annalynn Black
In the June 18 th Morrow
County Board of Commis-
sioners meeting Sheriff
Bowles recounted the har-
rowing incident of a miss-
ing two-year-old boy who
had wandered over a mile
away. He shared the chal-
lenges they faced during
the search, stating, “we
had to wear many different
hats.” The Sheriff expressed
gratitude for the volunteers
and first responders who
assisted in the operation.
When questioned about the
terrain, Drago inquired if
there was water nearby, to
which Bowles replied with
relief that the boy was not
found near the reservoir.
Furthermore, Drago in-
quired about the availability
of infrared gear, and the
Sheriff stated that they had
included it in their budget
and hoped for its approval.
Moving on to another
matter, the commission
discussed SunStone Solar
and Pinegate Renewables’
application for a Site Cer-
tificate presented by Tamra
Mabbott. Notably, Com-
missioner Wenholz exclud-
ed himself from deciding on
this matter. The proposed
solar project was billed
as the largest in the coun-
try, spanning over a vast
10,000-acre site boundary.
Mabbott detailed the proj-
ect, mentioning the 900
acres of solar panels, the
construction of 55 miles of
access roads, and the em-
ployment of 473 workers
per phase. When Commis-
sioner Dave sought clarifi-
cation on what the public
could expect, Mabbott men-
tioned that there would be
semis hauling materials and
possible temporary housing
for workers, RV spots for
example. She emphasized
that temporary housing
could provide a significant
source of revenue. In re-
sponse to a question about
notifying landowners about
temporary housing, Mab-
bott assured that there was
a list landowners could
join to apply for temporary
housing on their property.
The motion to approve the
project was passed.
Another topic of dis-
cussion was the Oregon
State University Exten-
sion Intergovernmental
Agreement, which was
due to expire at the end of
June. Commissioner Dave
expressed his support for
the program, particularly
its positive impact on the
community. The motion to
approve the agreement was
passed unanimously for
another 10-year contract.
During the meeting,
Tamra Mabbott, in her ca-
pacity as Planning Director,
provided updates on vari-
ous activities conducted by
the Planning Department in
May. She revealed that the
Planning Commission held
a work session to review
code updates focused on
ensuring clarity and con-
sistency in the development
approval process. Mab-
bott expressed her hope to
submit a draft to the State
Department of Land Con-
servation & Development
(DLCD) by June 21st, with
the first legislative hearing
scheduled for July 30th.
Additionally, she reported
that several proposals had
been received from con-
sultants for updating the
Morrow County Heritage
Trail Master Plan, and inter-
views were conducted with
three firms.
Water and planning
activities were also dis-
cussed at the meeting. The
Water Advisory Commit-
tee convened on June 3rd,
receiving reports from the
Oregon Department of En-
vironmental Quality and
the Oregon Department of
Agriculture. The commit-
tee engaged in preliminary
discussions about policies
and projects, addressing
concerns about declining
water levels raised by var-
ious landowners. Meetings
with these landowners are
in progress to address their
concerns.
Furthermore, the LUB-
GWMA Committee’s eval-
uation by state agencies was
presented in a brief update.
Subcommittee meetings
have been paused pending
recommendations from
the Oregon DEQ and other
state agencies. It was also
highlighted that Dr. Salini
Sadishiran, an OSU profes-
sor, and Madison Anzarut,
an OSU graduate student,
conducted well testing as
part of a research project
to understand water quality
and its possible connection
to septic systems. Planning
and Public Health staff
facilitated introductions
between the researchers and
interested landowners.
Regarding natural haz-
ards, a draft Mitigation
Plan (NHMP) Update was
expected to be finalized
soon. Discussions on the
next natural hazard plan-
ning efforts, an update to
the Community Wildfire
Protection Plan (CWPP),
were also initiated.
In other updates, Plan-
ning Director Tamra Mab-
bott and Principal Planner
Daisy Goebel attended the
Eastern Oregon Planners
Network Meeting, engag-
ing in training, presen-
tations, and networking
opportunities.
During the meeting,
County Administrator Jen-
sen raised concerns about
the renewal documents for
their insurance and general
liability policies. As the
current policy was set to
expire on the 30th of the
month, the commission
agreed to allow Jensen to
review and sign off on those
documents.
Lastly, Jensen informed
the commission about on-
going efforts to improve
the recording and presen-
tation capabilities in the
Bartholomew Building by
installing new monitors and
cameras.
Jaylee Schlaich, a
9-year-old from Heppner,
Oregon, made an excit-
ing debut on The Cow-
boy Channel and Cowgirl
Channel! Her parents, Jim
and Amber Schlaich, along
with her 6-year-old sister
Kinsley, are incredibly
proud of her.
Jaylee and her 12-year-
old horse, Siss, have been
participating in the Central
Oregon Pee Wee Rodeo
Association (COPWRA).
They qualified for the
Young Guns competition
through the Crooked River
Roundup. This event show-
cases talented young rodeo
competitors aged 6-18, and
it’s a fan favorite.
Jaylee competes in a
tough bracket with girls
up to 18 years old. Her
mom, Amber, said Jaylee
had a blast, even though
the competition was fierce.
Amber, who also grew up
competing in rodeo events,
is thrilled to see Jaylee
share her passion.
Currently, Jaylee is
leading by three points as
they head into the final
week of the rodeo season.
If she becomes the year-
end champion, there will
be an award ceremony in
Prineville, Oregon. Earlier
this year, Jaylee won barrels
at the Pendleton Mustan-
gers and placed in the figure
8 poles and steer pushing.
Jaylee trains hard, rid-
ing her horse almost every
night and competing al-
most every weekend since
April. Even in winter, she’s
out feeding and caring for
her horses with her mom.
Jaylee started riding before
she could walk and dreams
of becoming a profession-
al barrel racer and horse
trainer.
At the event, Jaylee met
some of her rodeo heroes,
including National Finals
Rodeo (NFR) qualifying
-Continued to PAGE THREE
Country artist Caitlyn
Ochsner to perform at
MC Rodeo
Country music artist Caitlyn
Ochsner. -Photo contributes
Mark your calendars
for an unforgettable perfor-
mance as Caitlyn Ochsner,
a talented singer-songwriter
hailing from the ranches of
Kersey, Colorado, takes the
stage at the MC Rodeo.
Growing up on a ranch
along the South Platte Riv-
er, Caitlyn Ochsner had
dreams of making it big in
the music industry. While
tending to her daily chores
and responsibilities, Ochs-
ner would often be caught
belting out country hits by
her favorite artists, day-
dreaming of one day being
the one in the spotlight
instead of mucking stalls.
Fueling her passion for
music, Ochsner spent her
high school years partici-
pating in honor choir, tak-
ing voice lessons, and com-
peting in talent contests,
all while excelling in 4-H
and FFA contests with her
cattle. Her hard work paid
off when she had the oppor-
tunity to sing the National
Anthem in front of 20,000
rodeo fans at the National
Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas,
Nevada, in 2014.
In 2016, Ochsner made
the move to Nashville to
study music at Belmont
University and pursue her
musical ambitions. Over
the past few years, she has
honed her skills as a sing-
er-songwriter and recently
released her debut EP ti-
tled “Home.” Combining
her rich, powerful voice
-Continued to PAGE TWO
CALL
541-989-8221
ext 204
for more
information