The filing season has opened for city council and mayor positions across Malheur County. Malheur County residents interested in running for a city office can pick up their candidacy packets from their city recorder’s office. Each city has its own deadlines, requirements, and rules for filing candidacy petitions for city[Read More…]
Local government
Smith agrees to stay on as project manager of rail reload project for $9,000 a month
NYSSA – Greg Smith, who quit recently as Malheur County’s economic development director, on Tuesday agreed to work on the Treasure Valley Reload Center for another year – at a 50% increase in compensation. He announced his decision during a public meeting of the Malheur County Development Corp., the public[Read More…]
Malheur County won’t double Smith’s pay, leaving unsettled who will manage rail project
VALE – Malheur County is cutting its ties with Greg Smith, its long-time economic development director, and is leaving to a separate public company whether to retain him to continue managing the Treasure Valley Reload Project. The Malheur County Court has agreed to provide up to $9,000 a month for[Read More…]
PHOTO GALLERY: City Councilor Eddie Melendrez on mentees, boxing
A busted jaw in a professional boxing match ended a career in the ring for Ontario’s Eddie Melendrez. Now, he pushes to see that young people in Malheur County to get a chance to advance and learn. He serves now on both the Ontario City Council and the Ontario School[Read More…]
Fire restrictions and countywide burn ban go into effect
A surprisingly wet spring combined with high mid-summer temperatures means fire restrictions will be enacted starting Friday in Malheur County. The Vale District of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, in collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, is imposing a ban on certain fires. The restrictions are consistent with[Read More…]
Buyer of nuisance lot in Ontario pledges to finish cleanup
ONTARIO – An Alameda Drive homesite that has been the location for fires, fights and more in recent years is going to a new owner who has pledged to clean the property within 60 days. David Brown, an Ontario attorney, described the sale in requesting the Malheur County Court to[Read More…]
Malheur County Health Department sets open house for a peek at what it does
ONTARIO – A new, multicolored mural will greet residents when they walk into the Malheur County Health Department Wednesday, July 27, to participate in the agency’s open house celebration.The mural is just one of several new features at the health department, and Director Sarah Poe said she hopes area residents[Read More…]
Boxing club proposed in Ontario to provide more options for youth
Mike Padilla wants to get some students into the boxing ring – and soon. Padilla works in student safety and prevention for the Ontario School District. He’s working now to establish a boxing club for Ontario students that would eventually become another sanctioned team sport. The Ontario City Council and[Read More…]
New fee for Vale fire, ambulance kicks in this month
VALE – Residents and businesses will see a new fee on their utility bills at the end of July designed to help the Vale Fire & Ambulance Department. The Vale City Council approved the new fees last month as a way to take some pressure off the city’s general fund[Read More…]
COMMENTARY: Citizens should demand Malheur County officials end secrecy around reload project
Public officials in charge of the bungled Treasure Valley Reload Center are treating Malheur County citizens like a bunch of rubes. They downplay excessive costs, late work and behind-the-scenes deals. They take a “nothing to see here” attitude. They are not out of money, they say. Construction is going well,[Read More…]