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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 2025)
EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 9, 2025 Morrow County declares drought emergency By Andrea Di Salvo Morrow County has again declared a drought state of emergency, effec- tive July 2. While conditions in the county aren’t that bad— yet—the decision was apparently prompted by individuals who had been approaching the Morrow County Board of Commis- sioners. Commissioner Gus Peterson said he started getting calls in early June from concerned citizens, especially in the north end of the county. “So this does not sur- prise me that we are at this point,” he said. Morrow County Coun- sel Justin Nelson said he reached out to Kevin Payne at the Morrow County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Payne support- ed the drought declaration. In a letter dated July 1, Payne said about 35 percent of Morrow County is cur- rently under a D1 (moderate drought) designation. The rest of the county is D0 (abnormally dry), as of June 24, per the U.S. Drought Monitor. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration (NOAA) forecasts a 50 to 60 percent chance of above-normal temperatures through August, as well as a 33 to 40 percent chance of below-normal precipitation. Payne said NOAA’s drought outlook predicts all of Morrow County will experience either drought development or persistence between July 1 and Sept. 30. In addition to declaring the drought emergency, the commissioners approved a letter asking Oregon Gov- ernor Tina Kotek for an executive order declaring drought in Morrow County. A drought declaration opens the way for potential aid to those financially affected by abnormally dry conditions, such as farmers and ranchers, among others. The county issued similar drought designations in 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2018. The board approved the declaration unanimously, though Peterson declared a potential conflict of interest in his role as a landowner and producer. ODFW to host online meetings about 2026 Big Game Regulations proposals SALEM, Ore.— ODFW will host a series of online public meetings in July with district wild- life biologists presenting proposed changes to next year’s big game regulations and getting feedback. Each meeting will in- clude a presentation on 2026 proposed regulations, a Q&A and opportunity for public comment. Proposed 2026 tag numbers and regu- lation changes are available on the ODFW website. The main topic of the meetings will be potential changes coming for deer hunts in Eastern Oregon in 2026, an outcome of the new Mule Deer Management Plan adopted in 2024. Deer hunts in the region will be structured based on Deer Herd Ranges, not WMUs, to reflect mule deer biol- ogy and allow for more accurate monitoring and management. This change will align hunting effort and associated harvest with Oregon’s mule deer pop- ulations and management goals, improve monitoring of population trends, and allow for quicker manage- ment responses/accurate evaluation of management actions. To learn more, visit the Eastern Oregon Deer Hunts page. https://myod- fw.com/articles/eastern-or- egon-deer-hunts ODFW encourag- es people to use https:// o d f w. w u f o o . c o m / forms/2026-big-game-reg- ulations-meetings/ to sub- mit questions and com- ments in advance of or after the meeting. Questions can also be asked during the Teams meeting by using the chat feature. Final 2026 Big Game Hunting Regulations are scheduled to be adopted at the Sept. 12 Fish and Wild- life Commission meeting in Ontario. The meeting schedule is as follows: Northeast Region (Pendleton/La Grande/John Day/Baker/Enterprise/Hep- pner) - July 10, 6 p.m. - 730 p.m. Southeast Region (The Dalles/Prineville/Bend/ Klamath Falls/Lakeview/ Ontario/Hines) - July 16, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. To join the meeting virtually go to the odfw website and click on join meeting. h t t p s : / / w w w. d f w. state.or.us/news/2025/07_ Jul/070325.asp Forest plan public meeting in Heppner July 14 Blue Mountains national forests Announce Forest Plan Revision 2025 public meetings The first of a series of pub- lic meetings about newly revised land management plans for the Blue Moun- tains forests is planned for July 14 in Heppner. The meeting regarding the Umatilla National Forest will take place from 5-8 p.m. at the Gilliam and Bisbee Event Center, 106 E. May St. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Ser- vice is revising the Land Management Plans for the Malheur, Umatilla and Wal- lowa-Whitman National Forests (Blue Mountains National Forests). As part of the process, the forest service is hosting a series of public meetings to bring awareness to the upcoming National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. These public meetings are scheduled this July 2025 to align well with the timing of the upcoming Federal Register Notice of Intent (NOI). They will be offered in person and virtually. As the plan revision effort transitions into the NEPA process, the forest service invites the public to attend informational public meet- ings about the important upcoming scoping period to occur July 2025. The Blue Mountains Na- tional Forests aim to pub- lish a NOI in the Federal Register to prepare an en- vironmental impact state- ment (EIS) and release a draft Land Management Plan addressing the need to change from the 1990 Land Management Plans. The NOI will initiate a formal scoping period for the public to review the materials and provide input. Land Management Plans do not authorize any specific projects or actions on the ground but instead guide future decision-making on the Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman Nation- al Forests. The meetings will cover the draft Preliminary Need to Change from the 1990 Land Management Plans, the development of the Prelim- inary Draft Land Manage- ment Plan, updates on the National Wild and Scenic Rivers review, the prelim- inary Species of Conserva- tion Concern lists, and the review of lands that may have Wilderness character- istics, among other topics. Additional meetings for the Umatilla National Forest will be from 5-8 p.m. on July 15 at the Pendleton Convention Center and July 16 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Dayton, $220,000 List your house For Sale! Discover a timeless treasure with this beautifully preserved Craftsman-style home, featuring 1,174 sq ft on the main level and an additional 1,008 sq ft in basement, perfect for storage or extra space to customize. This 2-bedroom, 1-bath gem combines classic charm with modern comforts, including a newer furnace, forced air heat, and a freshly painted exterior. Located in a prime spot near the school and within walking distance to downtown Heppner, this home provides both convenience and a sense of community. Experience small-town living with easy access to downtown. Don’t miss the chance to make this spacious, character-filled home your own! 240 N COURT ST Heppner MLS#:24652848 it sold! 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