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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2004)
EIGHT- Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 20, 2004 Letters to the Editor Editor's note: Letters to the Editor must be signed The Gazette-Times w ill not publish unsigned letters. Please include your address and phone num ber on all letters lor use by the G-T office. The G-T reserves the right to edit. The G-T is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. (Any letters expressing thanks w ill be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks" at a cost of %7.) reasonable and is much less than the rates o f health districts in John Day, Bums and Enterprise (See voter fact sheet m ailed to residents) This equates to a $39 per year for a house valued at $100,000 The Health District serves residents in many ways such as am bulance services and EMTs, Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, Irrigon Medical Clinic, Boardman Health C are C en ter Subsidy, Pioneer Memorial Clinic and Pioneer Memorial Hospital R ecru itin g and retain in g health care providers has always been a significant challenge in the past and we are currently very fo rtu n ate to have d ed icated , caring and excellent providers working for the M orrow C ounty Health District. In rural com m unities, th ese p ro v id ers go above and beyond the call to provide the level and quality o f health care services that we are used to We have often heard visitors remark to us how impressed they were with the local medical services. The Health District Board has made many cuts in the past and needs our support on this levy to be able to continue to serve us. Our communities need access to health care for our citizens and for the ability to attract residents to live here Please don’t take these services for granted The next person to need our facilities may be yourself or your loved ones. Please v o te yes on the M orrow C ounty H ealth District levy to assure that th ese vital serv ices are continued and duty as a citizen.) My husband and I have been residents o f the community for 28 years. We are homeowners, tax payers and have volunteered many times for a c tiv itie s in the To the Editor: community. We pay our bills Dear Fellow Citizens on time and take pride in our W hat an ex citin g home and property time for Heppner, We have 1 have been a had the honor o f being member o f the Lexington served by Mayor Bob Jepsen Stakeholders group, which for many years and we now formulated and developed have an e x tra o rd in a ry Lexington’s strategic plan I candidate for mayor that has have represented the city on the ability to ste e r our the M orrow C ounty community into the future Economic Group and the Last year, my eldest Morrow County Needs and son was coached by Tim Issues Priority Board I was V anCleave As I quietly involved in the ranking o f observed Tim’s ability as a four o f Lexington’s needs coach, 1 became aware o f his into a common group that is ability to lead people Now currently ranked at the top more than ever, we need o f Morrow County’s Top 10 leaders that will clearly needs As a member o f the define our co m m u n ity ’s council, I have been on the needs and strive to achieve Budget Com m ittee every the goals associated with year and am familiar with all those needs. I believe that asp ects o f the budget Tim is the best choice for process. bringing people together on On a personal level, the vital issues (no matter I am a m em ber o f the their background, household American Legion and VFW income, ethnicity, etc.) to auxiliaries, Holly Rebekah w ork to w ard s viable, L odge, O regon N urses sustainable solutions Association and have served As you may know, on the board o f directors of one o f the issues that I work W illow C reek V alley on in Salem is our rural Assisted Living Facility. I hospitals. While keeping our joined the Methodist Church local hospitals open is not many years ago. directly related to city As to where I stand government, it is refreshing on the issues facing the to see that Tim VanCleave is town: aware o f this critical issue -I su p p o rt the and willing to w ork with development o f an additional State officials on keeping water source, but I am not those doors open That is in fav o r o f c re atin g an clearly leadership in action. additional loan to do so. Thfe (sUehn, qqd Aw Murray . We have been community already has two Heppner fortunate to have had the outstanding loans and at strength, dedication and least one should and could VanCleave has leadership o f Mayor Jepsen be paid dow n before optimistic view How many times did you indebting the community to To the Editor: drive by the entrance to additional liabilities. There As a member o f the Heppner and see our mayor are many residents on the H eppner City Council, I v o lu n te e rin g his tim e, fixed income and they simply work closely with fellow energy, resources and tireless cannot stretch their money council m em ber Tim efforts on that outstanding much furth er T here are V anCleave. He has an beautification project? I am grants available and these attitude o f making Heppner confident that Tim will show should be pursued before a better place to live for that same enthusiasm and taking out any additional everyone He listens and tries loyalty to the citizens o f loan. to make the best decision on Heppner He has already -O f utmost priority, the facts, not his own done so by remaining an the city should operate and personal feelings active m em ber o f the manage within the budget, Tim is currently the Heppner City Council for 10 not incur unexpected and president o f the council, years, including the unnecessary expense (like m em ber o f the police presidency o f that council. those that have occurred in commission and has been on His community activities are the last two years). the council for 10 years. Ti m too many to list in one letter -An a ttra c tiv e sees the econom ic I hope that you will community would promote development as the biggest take the time to contact Tim a positive a ttitu d e and challenge to Heppner In VanCleave and ask him his impression o f the town The addition, Tim is dedicated to goals and visions for our right-aways and alleys need the city’s implementation o f community. I think you will to be cleaned up The people the new water system and be pleased with his answers would take more pride in insuring the future o f the Please jo in me in their tow n if this would sew er and street voting for Tim VanCleave happen maintenance Tim has an for mayor this November I am on the ballot, o p tim istic view ab o u t (s) Greg Smith P osition #2, and w ould Heppner’s future Heppner appreciate your vote Re Please join me in elect Lexington City Council voting for Tim VanCleave Re-elect Position #2. for M ayor o f the City o f (s) Luella Taylor candidate that Heppner Lexington (s) Cindi Doherty VanCleave shows enthusiasm and loyalty to Heppner To the Editor To the voters o f Lexington Currently there are three elective offices on the city council to be filled this year and one in limbo due to a legality. I have been a member o f the council for the last fo u r plus years (having been elected to serve out an unexpired term and re-elected to the current te rm ) I am inform ed, experienced and not afraid to speak out if I do not agree with an issue (I have been criticized by some for this, but I believe this is my right \ Don't take local services for granted To the Editor: In the upcom ing electio n we have the opportunity to help maintain the current services provided by our M orrow C ounty Health District It is often easy to tak e things for granted that we have had access to in the past. Som etim es serv ices or businesses are not fully appreciated until they are lost or no longer available We are currently very lucky to have the level o f care available to us here The three-year local o p tio n levy is very v Heppner Garbage service has some problems, but good overall To the Editor: K eep b u sin esses alive in Heppner So the city can take them over9 Maybe Dave Green needs to keep a better schedule, etc., but he’s a o n e-p erso n o p eratio n doing his best to make a living in Heppner Anyone can leave a m essage on D a v e ’s answering machine He or his w ife have alw ays returned our calls (s) Buck and Judy Handbury Heppner There is so much excitement in o ur com m unity over having o u r high school restored, we wish everyone could share with us in our elation (and I believe the majority o f Morrow County residents are happy for us) Interestingly, at the Morrow C ounty School Board m eeting held at A C Houghton School on Oct 11, the School Board did discuss the possibility o f a School Resource Officer at great length, so it would appear that Matlack was not at all out of line in suggesting the position In closing, I want to say I appreciate the fact that our deputies sometimes put themselves in harm’s way when answering calls. To show our appreciation in a tangible way, we let the deputies operate their dunk tank at this y e a r’s watermelon festival, with all the profit going to their organization We are not against the Morrow County deputies, but I felt the errors in J e ff L a m b ie r’s letter needed to be addressed (s) LaVelle Partlow Irrigon To the Editor: D eputy Je ff L am bier’s ‘Letter to the Editor” in the Oct 13 issue o f the H eppner G azette needs a bit o f clarification For starters, he commented on attending a public forum hosted by Ken Matlack who is running for the office o f S h e riff in M orrow C ounty. Two co rre ctio n s here- the meeting was never intended to be a “Public Debate,” but rather an informal meeting for friends and supporters of Ken Matlack for Sheriff to get to know him better and hear him discuss his views on the office Secondly, Sarnie and Billy Griffin hosted and financed the meeting of their own volition As far as I know, they did not ask anyone to help pay for rental o f the building It was meant to be like the C offee Klatches that people hold in their homes to support a particular candidate and have friends in to become better acquainted In fact, Sarnie wanted to hold the meeting in her home, but was Irrigon pastor afraid she would not have speaks out for enough space Had she known the evening would Matlack evolve into a heated debate, she could have advertised it To the Editor: I am w ritin g in as a Public Forum meeting for two candidates and used response to some statements the Senior Center free o f in your Wednesday, Oct 13, charge The Senior Center 2004 issue placed by Deputy avoids political favoritism, JeffLambier I am the local Irrigon but did offer their building for the C andidates Fair, pastor that Deputy Lambier where any candidate running referred to in his comments for office was free to speak about Mr Matlack asking me, to ask people, to give and take questions. I want to interject m oney to su p p o rt his 1 another thought here: I have campaign ' of attended nCntifetoUS'p'ol'iViedt' ,U0111 “Coffees” in p'ebplefshótnés all, b efo re we Make' throughout the years and statements o f any kind, we although som e o f the should be sure o f our facts. Fact: At no time did can d id ates w ere noted millionaires, still there was or has Ken Matlack ever no hesitation on the part of asked me to ask anyone to the hosts to offer an give to his campaign. Under opportunity to contribute to state law candidates running the campaign I was late to for office are allowed to take the meeting hosted by Sarnie contributions up to a certain and Billy Griffin and did not dollar amount, which is tax hear any comments made deductible. And I did invite toward contributing to Ken’s any o f those who would like cam paign, so I cannot to do that, to feel free to comment on that; however, support their candidate Next: I was not the I w ould not find that first person to speak that unusual night nor was I the first to I did attend the Candidates Fair and heard ask people to give to Ken’s several candidates speak; I campaign. Those would be the did not detect any rancor in any o f their voices- they all facts about my part in the behaved p ro fessio n ally , meeting that night, but I will simply stating their views also take this time to say a without any mudslinging at few more things. 1 personally know a their opponents and then took questions. This would number o f our deputies in have been the appropriate Morrow County and I can time and place for anyone honestly say that I hold them who wished to go on the in very high regard when it attack against Ken Matlack comes to their commitment to have appeared and to service and duty, their professionalism I have been spoken D eputy L am bier involved in outreaches to our reiterated he was speaking community with them and for all o f the Morrow County have found them to be top deputies; I sincerely hope he notch professionals who was not speaking for all of deserve our respect and them when he made his slur appreciation for all they do I know that elections against Irrigon High School When Matlack said he hoped can and often become very to have a School Resource personal and at tim es Officer who would rotate emotional I would like to am ong all th e schools, ask all o f you to think about Lam bier instantly asked what you would like to see M atlack who he thought happen in o ur s h e riff’s would pay for that Matlack department and then vote for responded he hoped the the man you think would do school district would fund the job you would like done (s) Pastor Rick Yardley the position Lambier then Irrigon commented that the school d istric t w ould not have Measure 36 money to fund the position and went on to say, “Ever protects marriage since Irrigon got that High To the Editor School, every other school The basic purpose of in the district has had to cut Measure 36 is not to oppose back ” I guess it wasn’t so “gay marriage ” The basic much the words, but the tone purpose is to p ro tect he used, that saddened us m arriage itse lf Opening , has experience and roots in Lexington . Errors in Lambier’s letter need addressing marriage to persons o f the same sex happens to be the im m ediate th re a t to marriage Every argument for sam e sex “ m a rria g e ” is flawed Marriage between persons o f the same gender is not a basic human or civil right All rights come with at least some restrictions- some rights and their benefits are not open to universal access Fathers cannot marry their daughters Adults cannot m arry children Placing rational, natural restrictions on m arriage is not unconstitutional discrimination Sexual “orientation” is not the same kind o f difference as race. That is why A frican A m erican lead ers agree th a t “gay marriage” is not a civil rights issue Restricting marriage to only one man and one woman is not intolerance or “homophobia.” Civilization has rejected same-sex unions for th o u san d s o f years. Civilized society has learned that true sexual fulfillment is ex p erien ced only in monogamous, heterosexual marriage. The modern “gay marriage” movement is only a few decades old Its spu rio u s argum ents and shallow slogans fly in the face o f the experience and wisdom o f the ages. Society has not alw ays been tru e to marriage. Many people have made a mess o f it. But that is not the fault o f marriage. On the contrary, the fact that the violation of “traditional” marriage has resulted in so much harm is a clear demonstration o f its validity. M arriage is not a hum an inv en tio n or development. God created tfiarriage We cannot do whatever we want with it because it does not belong to us; it belongs to God; it is His property. No, God is not “still speaking” about marriage G od d efin itely and p erm an en tly defined marriage as a life-long unity between one man and one woman. Jesus reaffirm ed that definition. What God ordained still stands. Every historical deviation from that edict was due to ignorance or disobedience and resulted in serious problems. Every violation o f the natural, biblical b o u n d a rie s p ro tectin g m arriage still results in harm and pain. Since sam e-sex “ m arriag e” cam e to Scandinavia, serious social problem s have increased there and marriage itself is disappearing If marriage becomes just anything, it will become nothing The very survival o f marriage itself is at stake So, let’s join the people in other states who have acted decisively to p ro te c t m arriage Vote Yes on Measure 36 Dr J.W Jepson, Pastor Life in Christ Center The Dalles Consider the need and vote yes for levy To the Editor: I would like to ask all my friends and relatives to think about when you may need the hospital You never know when there will be an emergency Please consider this and vote to support the h o sp ital and the health district by voting yes for the M orrow C ounty H ealth District levy. (s) Edda Mae Lovgren Heppner
