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…]
Local government
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…]
Nyssa reload center may shrink, cut by one-third to save money
The Treasure Valley Reload Center could end up being considerably smaller than envisioned as project leaders struggle to overcome money shortages and escalating costs. And even building a smaller warehouse for shipping onions depends on getting an emergency allocation of $3 million from legislators in September. The latest shift in[Read More…]
Your guide to the Treasure Valley Reload Center – get the history, purpose and status
UPDATED Oct. 31, 2022 What is it? The Treasure Valley Reload Center will be a shipping center where Treasure Valley farm products can be unloaded from trucks and loaded onto rail cars. A warehouse and rail spurs are the centerpiece. To start, only onions would move through the center. The[Read More…]
Governor pushes extra $3 million for Nyssa rail center to cover cost overruns
Gov. Kate Brown is riding to the rescue of the Treasure Valley Reload Center, supporting $3 million in new state funding, with more to come if needed. The taxpayer bailout is crucial to finish the Nyssa rail shipping center, which is far over budget and behind schedule. Such funding would[Read More…]
Vale, Nyssa fire agencies getting extra summer help
A state grant is adding three seasonal firefighters each to the Vale and Nyssa fire departments. Both agencies received money through the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s 2022 wildfire season staffing grant. It gives local fire departments up to $35,000 for personnel costs. The Vale Fire Department added three seasonal firefighters[Read More…]
Covid cases on the rise in Malheur County, vaccination rate remains low
ONTARIO – Malheur County has been experiencing an increasing level of Covid cases and hospitalizations for the virus, moving the county into the “high” category rating by federal authorities. No new mandates have been imposed, however. Sarah Poe, director of the Malheur County Health Department, said in a statement Friday,[Read More…]
PHOTO GALLERY: Fire safety fun at Ontario firefighter training facility grand opening
The Ontario Oregon Regional Training Facility held its grand opening on Saturday, June 18. The event showed off fire apparatus, a live firefighting demonstration with a prop car, plus freshly grilled burgers and hot dogs. The facility in downtown Ontario was developed by the Ontario Fire Department in partnership with[Read More…]