SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 31, 2024
West Nile virus detected in mosquitoes in
Morrow County
Irrigon, Ore.—West
Nile virus, which is spread
by mosquitoes, has been
detected in mosquitoes at
a testing site in Morrow
County, Ore., according
to Oregon Public Health
officials.
The mosquitoes, found
approximately 3 miles west
of Irrigon on the Umatilla
National Wildlife Refuge
McCormick Slough, are the
first to test positive for the
disease in Morrow County
in 2024.
Health officials are ad-
vising people in Morrow
County to take precautions
against mosquitoes to avoid
the risk of infection, includ-
ing preventing mosquito
bites. Most infected people
will show little or no signs
of disease. People who
are infected may develop a
fever with other symptoms
such as headache, body
aches, joint pains, vomiting,
diarrhea, or rash. Most peo-
ple with febrile illness due
to West Nile virus recover
completely, but fatigue and
weakness can last for weeks
or months. It is important
that you contact your health
care provider if you experi-
ence any of these symptoms
and get tested for West Nile
virus. Testing is available in
most private laboratories.
The incubation period
is usually two to 14 days.
Rarely, infected individuals
may develop neuro-inva-
sive disease (infection of
the brain or spinal cord)
that can be severe or may
cause death. This is espe-
cially of concern to peo-
ple 50 and older, people
with immune-compromis-
ing conditions, and people
with diabetes or high blood
pressure.
Communities and indi-
viduals living in or spending
significant time outdoors,
particularly near irrigated
land, waterways, standing
water, and used tires—in-
cluding those working in
agriculture, such as migrant
and seasonal farm work-
ers—may be at increased
risk of mosquito bites and
related diseases.
The virus also affects
wildlife and domesticated
and farm animals. Horses
are a risk of developing
West Nile Virus. Consult
your veterinarian about
vaccinating your horses
against WNv.
The number of mos-
quito pools—samples of
10-50 mosquitoes—that
test positive in any area
may indicate the risk of
human exposure and in-
fection, said Greg Barron,
Manager of North Morrow
Vector Control District. He
recommends people and an-
imals be protected against
mosquito bites.
“Although mosquitoes
are an inevitable part of
summer, mosquito bites
don’t have to be—they are
preventable,” said Emilio
DeBess, public health vet-
erinarian. “You can take
simple steps to protect
yourself and reduce the
risk of contracting West
Nile disease.”
Dr. DeBess offers these
tips for protecting yourself
against mosquitoes:
Eliminate sources of
standing water that are a
breeding ground for mos-
quitoes, including water-
ing troughs, bird baths,
ornamental ponds, buck-
ets, wading and swimming
pools not in use, and old
tires.
When engaged in out-
door activities at dusk and
dawn when mosquitoes are
most active, protect your-
self by using mosquito re-
pellants containing DEET,
oil of lemon eucalyptus or
Picardin, and follow the
directions on the container.
Wear long-sleeved
shirts and long pants in
mosquito-infested areas.
Make sure screen doors
and windows are in good
repair and fit tightly.
Additional information
about West Nile virus:
Oregon Health Author-
ity website: http://public.
health.oregon.gov/Diseas-
esConditions/DiseasesAZ/
WestNileVirus/Pages/sur-
vey.aspx
U.S. Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Preven-
tion:
http://www.cdc.gov/
ncidod/dvbid/westnile/ in-
dex.htm
Print & Mailing Services
*Design *Print
Sykes Publishing
*Mail
541-676-9228
YOUR BATHROOM. YOUR WAY.
IN AS LITTLE AS
ONE DAY
SPECIAL OFFER
Waiving All
Installation
Costs
CALL NOW
855.341.5268
Add’l terms apply. Offer subject to change
and vary by dealer. Expires 8/25/2024.
Own the complete collection of
Morrow County Chronicles
Heppner City Council dicsuss animal ordinance
and tiny home deveopment in recent work session
-Continued from PAGE ONE case to the council.
reservations about the letter,
he acknowledged that it was
the course of action they
were taking.
City Administrator
Matt Jensen joined the
meeting via Zoom and ex-
pressed his appreciation for
the council’s feedback. He
mentioned that the purpose
of sending the IGA to the
cities was to solicit their
opinions and explore alter-
natives. Jensen noted that a
resolution of support from
the county alone could be
considered. He assured the
council that he would relay
their decision to the health
district but recommended
sending an email as well
for written documentation.
The council turned to
discuss the town animal
ordinance. John mentioned
that the review of ordinanc-
es on animals was requested
and he had taken a look
at ordinances from other
cities for ideas. He empha-
sized the need to establish
a process for citizens to
approach the city about
animal permits without
having to bring it to the city
council.
During the discussion,
Sweeny pointed out that
there seemed to be two
different aspects to con-
sider - the matrix of what
is allowed and the fact
that the council has always
made decisions based on
individual cases that can be
revoked at any time. John
recalled a previous incident
where the council quickly
approved a permit for 40
chickens without much
discussion. He expressed
his concern for the welfare
of animals and suggested
that maybe no farm animals
should be allowed in town,
except for situations involv-
ing 4H projects.
High supported
Dohertys ideas and sug-
gested that the city manager
should have the authority to
deny applications directly.
If applicants wanted to
challenge that decision,
then they could bring their
Doherty already had
some preliminary ideas,
which he shared with the
council. He proposed
grandfathering in people
who already have valid
permits for existing ani-
mals, while making it a
violation for those without
permits. He also expressed
a desire to limit the num-
ber of poultry to five per
property, with no males,
turkeys, or possibly geese
allowed. Other factors to
consider included enclosure
and sanitation regulations,
limited duration yearly per-
mits for 4H projects, bee-
keeping, and penalties for
permit violations such as
a one-year waiting period
before reapplying and po-
tential impound fees. John
also suggested that city
hall should grant permits
to avoid the need for indi-
viduals to attend council
meetings every time.
Questions arose regard-
ing the allowance of cows
and horses, with Doherty
expressing his preference
for not allowing them, ex-
cept for those who have
already been grandfathered
in. Another council member
shared their agreement,
mentioning their dislike
for a horse on Jones St.
Sweeny proposed that there
should be no appeals if an
ordinance had already been
set and an applicant had
been denied by city hall.
Cody disagreed, stating that
citizens have the right to
appeal any decision made
by the city.
One council member
suggested that Doherty
should have the authority
to authorize most animals,
but if an animal exceeded
a certain weight limit, the
applicant would have to
come to the council for
approval. Sweeny pointed
out that this still placed the
decision on the council.
The councilman responded
by saying that it would
free up time during council
meetings. Ultimately, it was
decided that John would put
ALL NEWS AND
ADVERTISEMENT
DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
together a packet with his
proposals, and further dis-
cussions would take place
based on that information.
Next on the agenda
was the discussion of a
moratorium on AirBnBs in
town due to a shortage of
housing.
Council member Ian
Murray expressed his opin-
ion, stating that while he un-
derstands the need for rent-
als for tourists, he believes
that there are already too
many single-family homes
being rented on AirBnB.
He suggested that allow-
ing only owner-occupied
properties or multipurpose
buildings for rentals would
be more reasonable. How-
ever, he also acknowledged
the lack of housing avail-
able for visitor’s attending
events in town.
High raised a point,
mentioning that if prop-
erty owners are unable to
Airbnb their homes, there
is no guarantee that these
properties will be rented out
at all. He emphasized the
importance of considering
the economic implications
of such a decision.
Doherty chimed in,
highlighting that teachers,
nurses, and other profes-
sionals often struggle to
find housing in town. He
emphasized the seriousness
of the housing crisis in
Heppner.
Sweeny disagreed with
the idea of restricting AirB-
nBs, arguing that forcing
property owners to give
up their AirBnB business-
es would infringe upon
their rights. Doherty coun-
tered this by saying that
other cities have imposed
moratoriums on AirBnBs,
suggesting that it is not
unconstitutional.
High drew a compari-
son to homeowners’ asso-
ciations (HOAs), stating
that while they may not be
unconstitutional, it is still
a questionable move to
restrict certain activities.
Sweeny then reiterated that
AirBnBs are necessary for
events like the fair and
rodeo.
Another council mem-
ber raised concerns about
the impact of AirBnBs on
local motels, noting that
some individuals are per-
manently residing in motels
due to the lack of housing
options. Sweeny mentioned
that there are currently five
homes for sale in Heppner,
indicating that there are
opportunities for people to
buy instead of relying on
rentals. However, Doherty
refuted this argument, stat-
ing that not everyone can
afford to purchase a home
in town.
Murray requested more
data on the situation, sug-
gesting that having concrete
information would be help-
ful in making a decision.
Another council member
mentioned that there are
currently five AirBnBs
within city limits.
The discussion then
shifted to the topic of noise
ordinance permits. High
proposed adjusting the
noise ordinance to match
the city curfew of 12 am
saying “we let kids run
around until midnight.” The
council agreed to research
noise ordinances in other
cities before determining
any updates.
Furthermore, Doherty
suggested revising the mo-
bile home ordinance, par-
ticularly the age limit for
mobile homes. Currently,
the age requirement is set
at 30 years, but Doherty
proposed reducing it to 15
years. Sweeny agreed with
this suggestion, and the
council decided to bring it
up for discussion in a future
council meeting.
Lastly, the council dis-
cussed building permits,
specifically mentioning
a potential construction
project for tiny homes on
a lot on Chase St. This de-
velopment could potentially
free up some homes for
families in need according
to Doherty.
The Morrow County Chronicles is a booklet
printed annually since 1982 by members of
the Morrow County Historical Society
(MCHS). It is filled with fascinating articles
written by lots of local folks or those with
ties to our communities who have stories
to share about the people, places or events
of our County What the MCHS is offering
is the complete collection, including an
index, on a flash drive. Our price is $125.
Purchase includes yearly updates and society
membership for a yearly annual fee of $10.
For more information call 541-422-7239 or
visit our booth at the upcoming Morrow
County Fair.
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
Broker
Chris Sykes
541-215-2274
New Listing
Reduced price
$465,000
Experience luxury living in this stunning home
located in Heppner, Oregon. Built in 2016, this
beautiful property boasts luxurious features such as
heated bathroom floors, a central vacuum system, a
water softener, and central air for ultimate comfort.
Enjoy the convenience of being close to the high
school, Heppner pool, baseball park, elementary
school, fishing spots, and downtown, all within
walking distance. With an expansive lot, this is the
perfect opportunity to own your dream home in an
ideal location. 480 W Morgan St Heppner
$155,000
WWW.HEPPNER.NET
Submit News, Advertising
& Announcements
Letters To The Editor
Send Us Photos
Start A New Subscription
Reduced price
This charming bungalow is move-in-ready gem!
New flooring and light fixtures. It also offers a one-
car garage with a utility room attached. The fenced
backyard provides a serene view of Willow Creek,
with the soothing sounds of the creek flowing at night.
MLS#:24544788 - 310 W Union Ave Heppner