FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 29, 2016
MERKLEY MEETING
-Continued from PAGE ONE
changed.
Merkley had little to
offer on the subject, saying
he did not know the whole
history of the B2H project,
adding there was no “magi-
cal way to do this” without
interfering in current land
usage and electronic com-
munications.
“I read a Popular Sci-
ence article several years
ago that said maybe we
can run the wires down
the middle of the high-
way,” Merkley said about
a proposal to put the lines
in the I-84 highway right
of way. “But I guess the
technology is not there yet
for that. There is a whole
dialogue on this already be-
ing worked and reworked,”
he said about B2H, “but it’s
not there yet.”
Merkley offered little
help on the questions except
to say he wished the plan-
ners would get better “at
being in direct engagement
with citizens.”
Another Morrow
County farmer says the
B2H line as currently pro-
posed “cuts right through
our circles” and he urged
Merkley to talk to the Navy
and try and get them to be
more cooperative about
easements across bombing
range land. Merkley said
he met with the Navy and
“I asked them if they are
listening to the public and
considering what the public
is asking,” he said.
Morrow County land
owner John Luciani also
spoke on the B2H line say-
ing it has “been hanging
over my head for 10 years.”
He said the proposed line
runs for 300 miles and is
receiving quite a bit of
push back in Union County.
Luciani said he did not
think the line would ever
be built. He told Merkley
no one wants the power
line except certain people
in Boardman.
Luciani also questioned
Merkley on his support of
transgender bathrooms.
“I am upset with a man
being able to go into the
bathroom with my grand-
daughter,” he told the Sena-
tor, who last month came
out in support of President
Obama’s orders that public
schools allow transgen-
der students to use either
the men’s or women’s
bathrooms. Merkley and
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden
both signed a letter say-
ing in part: “We strongly
believe that it is our re-
sponsibility—not just as
senators, but as adults—to
Sen. Merkley presents lag which lew over the U.S. Capitol to
Laura Winters for her work on the Lexington Grange Hall.
-Photo by David Sykes
protect our children and
young people, and to help
them lourish. We applaud
and thank the Department
of Education, as well as the
Department of Justice, for
sharing that goal, and for
their commitment to equal-
ity and work in support of
LGBT students.”
“How can you agree
that this is a good thing?”
Luciani asked Merkley.
The question drew applause
from the audience. Merkley
did not answer the question
about his support of trans-
gender bathrooms, but did
answer several people when
questions about gun control
were raised.
Recently Merkley
joined other Democrats in a
sit-down protest at the Cap-
itol over demands for more
gun control legislation. He
said he wanted legislation
that would block anyone on
the no-ly list from to put
weapons. When asked what
would stop the government
from expanding the list and
starting putting large num-
bers of people on the no ly
list “because they don’t like
what you say,” thus depriv-
ing them of their second
amendment rights, Merkley
admitted there would be
issues of civil liberties to
address when formulating
the legislation. Another
audience member asked
at what point you stop the
government from disarming
its citizens. Merkley said
that the government is not
disarming the citizens.
“There is no disarming
going on. This is something
someone is dreaming up
and telling you,” he told
the man.
When asked his
thoughts on Middle East-
ern refuges coming into
the country, and a June 2
incident that has been in
the news about an alleged
sexual assault of a five-
year-old Twin Falls, ID girl
by three young refugees,
Merkley said that he had
not heard about it. He did
NOW
HIRING
DRIVERS
say that only 1,500 Syrian
refugees have so far entered
the U.S., and “It is in our
blood to let people come
in. People have to be thor-
oughly vetted, and I think
they are,” he added.
Morrow County farmer
Mark Miller also took the
town hall opportunity to
ask Merkley if he had heard
about the case of the Albany
farmer who was facing
Environmental Protection
Agency fines up to $100
million for building a dike,
with the guidance of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engi-
neers, along the Santiam
river to protect his land
from losing up to 50 acres
of ground from erosion.
“The EPA will not lis-
ten to anyone,” Miller told
Merkley. “They are com-
pletely out of control.”
Merkley said he had not
heard about the incident,
which was widely reported
in the media, and advised
Miller to get in touch with
his staff member saying he
has a “red tape team” that
would look into it.
Merkley was more ani-
mated, however, explaining
his belief and support of
efforts to stop global warm-
ing. In a question about
his support of a carbon tax
Merkley said the United
States needs to “accelerate
away from fossil fuels to
renewable energy.” He said
climate warming was caus-
ing longer forest ire sea-
sons, smaller snow packs
(except for this year, he
added), less irrigation water
(especially in Southern Or-
egon) and a higher acidity
in the ocean, which is af-
fecting the ishing industry.
“It (global warming) is
affecting farming, ishing
and forestry and we must
pivot away (from fossil
fuels) quickly,” he empha-
sized. Merkley said he sup-
ports continued government
subsidies for solar and wind
power and away from coal
and fossil fuels.
On the subject of hous-
ing, Willow Creek Valley
Economic Development
Group director Sheryll
Bates told Merkley small
communities like those in
Morrow County are strug-
gling to find work force
housing for people.
“We have no place to
put people,” she said. “We
don’t need low income, we
have good jobs here. The
businesses are just trying
to bring in workers and we
don’t have a place to put
them,” she said.
Merkley said govern-
ment programs are aimed
to low income and as far as
market housing or work-
force housing, “I don’t have
an answer for that,” he said.
Before the town hall
meeting began Merkley
went over some of his re-
cent accomplishments in
Washington DC. “We got
rid of No Child Left Be-
hind,” he said, saying the
government would no lon-
ger use “shame and blame”
in education. He said it
was replaced with new
legislation called Every
Student Succeeds, which
shifts education back to the
state level.
Merkley said he also
was working on expanding
the Forest Service budget
for ighting ires so that in a
large ire season the rest of
the Forest Service budget
would not be taken to ill in
for larger-than-anticipated
ireighting costs. He said
he also is working on put-
ting a $200 million “buffer”
in place for big ireighting
years.
Merkley also said one
program that came out of
his past town hall meetings
was more low-cost lending
for city water projects. He
said especially small com-
munities have facilities
wearing out and need new
infrastructure.
Chamber lunch
meeting
The next lunch meeting of the Heppner Chamber of
Commerce will be an all entities report on Thursday, July
7, at noon in Heppner City Hall conference room.
Cost of lunch is $10; Mustang Diner will cater. Cham-
ber lunch attendees are asked to RSVP at 541-676-5536
no later than the Tuesday before to guarantee a lunch.
Community lunch menu
St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish volunteers will serve
lunch on Wednesday, July 6, at St. Patrick’s Senior Center.
Lunch will include cheeseburgers, potato salad, carrot
salad, cucumbers and onions, and ice cream.
Milk is served at each meal. Suggested donation is
$3.50 per meal. Menu is subject to change.
90TH BIRTHDAY
OPEN HOUSE FOR:
HENRY KREBS
Everyone Welcome!
Sunday July 10th
lone American
Legion Hall
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Hostesses: Robin Krebs, Roni Krebs, Penny Krebs,
Jane Krebs Brinkman, Rosanne Jewett
Garden ministry
springs to life in
Heppner
The new Hopeful Saints Ministry garden in Heppner will
soon be providing fresh produce for community members.
-Contributed photo
The new Hopeful
Saints Ministry garden, de-
veloped this spring behind
the Lutheran parsonage on
Alfalfa Street, will soon be
providing fresh produce for
members of the community
who can’t grow their own—
whether limited by space,
time or ability.
Assistance with weed-
ing, watering, or harvesting
in exchange for produce
will be welcome, but is not
necessary, and deliveries
can be arranged for the
home-bound. Before head-
ing to the garden, please
call the Shared Ministry
ofice at 541-676-9970 to
inquire about the availabil-
ity of produce or any help
needed.
Signs will also be post-
ed around town as various
crops mature throughout
the summer.
This garden project
was made possible in part
by a grant from the Oregon
Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Amer-
ica, and the donation of la-
bor and materials by many
members of the Shared
Ministry. It is intended
to supplement the twice-
yearly food boxes illed by
local churches and distrib-
uted at All Saints Episcopal
Church, no questions asked,
to anyone in need—and in
this case, anyone who may
need a reminder to “Eat
your vegetables.”
Chamber Chatter
Sunday, July 10, 5-7
p.m., Heppner’s Music in
the Park concert in Heppner
City Park: The entertain-
ment for this event will
be Slipshod’s Matt Snook
and Steve Blanchard with
bluegrass tunes. Bring your
lawn chairs for an eve-
ning of great entertainment
sponsored by the Morrow
County Uniied Recreation
District and facilitated by
the Shared Ministry of
Hope Lutheran Church
and All Saints Episcopal
Church. Food will be avail-
able for purchase to raise
money for the Shared Min-
istry’s continuing efforts
to provide clean water to
needy communities around
the world. Rain location for
concert will be All Saints
Parish Hall.
Friday, July 29, 8:30
a.m., eighth annual United
Way of Umatilla and Mor-
row Counties Charity Golf
Tournament to be held at
Wildhorse Resort and Ca-
sino’s Championship Golf
Course: For the past eight
years, the United Way of
Umatilla and Morrow coun-
ties has hosted this char-
ity golf tournament to help
raise funds for our local
area United Way partner
agencies. Remember, all
money donated to your lo-
cal United Way stays in our
area. Call the United Way
ofice at 276-2661 to secure
your sponsorship, register
a team or donate items for
our rafle.
Saturday, July 30, 6-8
p.m. fourth annual “Bowl-
A-Thon” at Desert Lanes
in Hermiston, sponsored
by Domestic Violence Ser-
vices: Register your team
today; the cost is $30 per
bowler or $120 for a team
of four; includes three lines
of bowling and shoes. This
event is fun for all ages and
there will be great prizes.
All proceeds will go toward
providing shelter, meals
and supportive services to
victims of domestic and
sexual violence in Umatilla
and Morrow counties.
Saturday, July 30, 6:30
a.m. – 1 p.m., City of Ir-
rigon’s annual Watermelon
Festival: Bring the whole
family for great fun and
enjoyment on the bank of
the beautiful Columbia Riv-
er. For more information,
contact Renee Couchman
at 541-922-1560 or Aaron
Palmquist, city manager at
manager@ci-irrigon.or.us.
Tentatively – August
3-4, ODOT to be chip seal-
ing downtown Main Street
in Heppner: More informa-
tion will be available soon.
The dates are tentative, as
this is part of the project
they will be working on this
summer and will depend
on how the schedule ends
up. ODOT will continue
to communicate a status
update.
Saturday, Sept. 17, and
Sunday, September 18, the
Heppner chamber will be
coordinating the ifth an-
nual ride of our local Blue
Mountain Century Scenic
Bikeway; the ride is limited
to 50 riders.
IONE RURAL FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT
Card Shower:
BURNING
BAN
Krebs: 541-422-7108
EFFECTIVE JUNE 22, 2016
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Henry R. Krebs
P.O. Box 336
Ione, OR 97843