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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2025)
Messages of Easter hope from local pastors page 6 50¢ VOL. 145 NO.16 8 Pages Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Burke selected as MCHD Interim CEO Dennis Burke The Morrow County Health District Board unan- imously selected Dennis Burke as the district’s new interim CEO at a special meeting held Monday eve- ning via Zoom. Burke is taking on the role in order to bridge the gap between CEO Emily Roberts’s res- ignation and the hiring of a new, permanent CEO. The Zoom meeting was well-attended, with a total of 45 people online to see the introduction of the new interim CEO. Burke said his associa- tion with healthcare started early. In 1966, his father was a hospital administra- tor and set Burke to work cleaning the operating room. “I’ve been working in hospitals ever since,” said Burke. Most recently, Burke served as president and CEO of Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS) in Hermiston for 31 years, from 1989 until his retirement in September 2020. Joining GSHCS as as- sistant administrator, he became CEO later that year and led the organiza- tion’s transformation from a 250-employee hospital to a robust health system with over 700 employees and 40 service lines. Under his leadership, GSHCS expanded facili- ties, including a new surgi- cal center, women’s center, and urology suite, while introducing advanced tech- nologies like the da Vinci robotic surgical system. Burke’s tenure was marked by significant ac- colades, including GSHCS being named one of the “Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in America” by the National Rural Health Association in 2011 and earning recognition for excellence in outcomes and financial strength by iVantage Health Analytics in 2015. The system was also designated a “Top Work- place in Oregon” by The Oregonian/Oregon Live four times. Burke him- self was honored as one of Becker’s Hospital Review’s “50 Rural Hospital CEOs to Know” in 2016 and 2018 for his dedication to acces- sible, high-quality care. A fellow of the Amer- ican College of Health- care Executives, Burke was deeply engaged in healthcare advocacy, serv- ing 19 years on the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems board, including as chair in 1998, and contributing to the National Rural Health As- sociation’s Critical Ac- cess Hospital Leadership Committee. His leadership strengthened rural health- care in Eastern Oregon, and he still serves as a con- sultant for Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organi- zation (EOCCO). “He has the highest integrity,” said MCHD Board Chair Diane Kilken- ny. “We’re really fortunate that he is willing to come and take on some big proj- ects for us.” Burke himself said he keeps going in healthcare because he loves it and be- cause “I just feel I need to be giving something back.” “It’s going to be in- teresting,” said Burke. “I am optimistic that we are going to be very successful recruiting that right person for Morrow County. I look forward to working with each one of you.” Ione Easter Egg Hunt Saturday Ione’s Easter egg hunt will be held this Saturday, April 19, at 10 a.m. in the Ione City Park. Children up to the fourth grade are invited. The Easter Bunny will be there for photo ops and will be handing out treats. This event is made pos- sible by the Bank of Eastern Oregon and community members’ generous dona- tions. Anyone wishing to donate may do so at Bank of Eastern Oregon in Ione. Heppner kicks off Little League baseball season opening day ceremonies Martha’s House Provides Helping Hand for Needy Families Martha’s House in Hermiston. -Contributed Photo Taranna Patton recently spoke to the Ione Commu- nity Church Mission and Outreach Committee about a little-known resource, Martha’s House in Herm- iston, OR. The Ione Com- munity Church included Martha’s House in their outreach program this year. Taranna explained that Martha’s house, built in 2013, is a product of East- ern Oregon Mission, found- ed in 1986. Martha’s House is unique in that it is not an overnight shelter, but rath- er a shelter program to help families get back on their feet. The goal is to transition into permanent, sustainable housing. Martha’s House is com- munity-based and privately funded by churches, busi- nesses and individuals who may provide “Home Starter Kits.” Those kits include equipment for bedrooms, which include sheets, pil- lows and comforters. Dona- tions for bathrooms include towels, garbage cans and shower curtains. Kitchen items include dishes, sil- verware, pots and pans, crock pot, etc. These items are used by families while living at Martha’s House and are taken with them to permanent housing. Martha’s House part- ners with local agencies to provide counseling and education in parenting, budgeting, job skills, GED classes and more. They av- erage eight to 10 families at a time in the house. Families from Morrow County are also using this resource, since Morrow County does not have a similar housing program. Each adult resident of Martha’s House is given an adult mentor to help with challenges that come up. A mentorship for children over eight is offered through FORGE Youth Mentoring in Richland, WA. Help for non-English applicants and residents is offered through local agencies. All mentors are volunteers; the only paid staff are on-site house managers. At the end of 2023, af- ter 10 years of being open, 28 residents successfully completed the program and moved into their own homes. Martha’s House is now needing donations for increasing maintenance as well as home starter kits. For more information contact Agape House in Hermiston. Morrow County School District to host town halls on $204.4M bond measure Morrow County, Ore. – The Morrow County School District (MCSD) is inviting students, parents, teachers, staff, and com- munity members to three town hall meetings next week to discuss General Obligation Bond Measure 25-104, set to appear on the May 20, 2025, ballot. The $204.4 million bond aims to fund critical up- grades and replacements for aging school facilities across the district. The community town halls are scheduled as fol- lows: Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at Riverside Jr/Sr High School in Boardman Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at Irrigon Jr/Sr High School in Irrigon Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Heppner Jr/Sr High School in Heppner Each event will run from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. with guided building tours, followed by a bond pre- sentation and Q&A session starting at 6:00 p.m. The tours will highlight the conditions of the facilities targeted for improvement, giving attendees a first- hand look at the need for the proposed projects. “We are dedicated to providing accurate, timely information about the dis- trict bond using multiple methods to reach our com- munity,” said MCSD Su- perintendent Matt Combe. “We hope people will join us for the town halls so we can share more informa- tion and answer any ques- tions they have about the bond and its projects.” In February 2025, the MCSD Board of Directors voted to place the bond measure on the ballot. If approved, it would fund: Replacement of Ir- rigon Jr/Sr High School (built in 1978), which fac- es severe structural issues, to provide a modern learn- ing environment. Remodeling and ex- pansion of Riverside Jr/ Sr High School (built in 1968) to add classroom space and a gym for grow- ing enrollment. Conversion of Hep- pner Jr/Sr High School (built in 1962) into a K-12 campus by remodeling and integrating Heppner Ele- mentary (built in 1954), ensuring grade-level sepa- ration for safety and oper- ational savings. Safety upgrades at Sam Boardman Elemen- tary, including a dedicat- ed bus loop and improved parking and traffic flow. District-wide security enhancements, such as se- cure main entries, cameras, and door access controls at all schools. The bond would raise $204.4 million and un- lock a $6 million match- ing grant from the Oregon School Capital Improve- ment Matching Program. It would mature in 20 years or less, with an esti- mated tax rate of $2.99 per $1,000 of assessed proper- ty value, though the actual rate may vary. Residents seeking more details can vis- it mcsdbond.org, email bondinfo@morowsd.org, or call the Morrow Coun- ty School District Office at 541-676-5705. The dis- trict encourages commu- nity members to attend the town halls to learn how the bond could shape the fu- ture of local education. Heppner Little League families and fans gather at George Waterland field for opening ceremonies. -Photo by Cameron Sweeney using his drone. By Rachel Sykes Last Saturday marked the official start of Little League baseball season in Heppner with the annual opening day ceremonies, and the community showed up in full force to support the local youth. It was a fan- tastic turnout, with families, friends and fans gathering to cheer on players of all ages. Despite the chilly air, the sun came and went throughout the day, adding warmth and energy to the festive atmosphere. The kids were excited and eager to hit the field, signaling a promising start to the sea- son ahead. The event kicked off with team introductions, as each player was called by name and welcomed onto the field alongside their teammates. Coaches fol- lowed, receiving applause for their dedication and support. A highlight of the morning included a heart- -Continued to PAGE SEVEN ~ G-T Trophy Corner ~ The Heppner Gazette Times would like to see pictures of your trophy animals from this hunting season. Please send a photo along with your name, age, town you live in, location of the hunt and a description of the animal to editor@ rapidserve.net, upload to Heppner.net or text to 541-215-2274. Lita Townsend of Hep- pner took her grandson Charlie Nelson (pictured) to the Heppner dam to go fishing on April 10, and he caught a pretty good-sized fish. “Just shows that the dam has some good trout in it, and I encourage folks to enjoy the nice weather and go fishing!” says Charlie’s dad, Justin Nelson. -Contributed photo CALL 541-989-8221 ext 204 for more information
