Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 2011)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 28,2011 That’s one colossal stocking Letters to the Editor Fhe Heppner Gazette lim es will print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that you provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. The GT reserves the right to edit. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $ 10. Wind turbines harmful on several levels Give thanks for volunteers Music on Main Street, lights, wreaths, merchant displays, the Parade of Lights, Greens Workshop, and Christmas Is...they all make one feel warm, cheerful and in the Christmas mood. These are not the doings of elves. These things are done by volunteers who give their time to make them hap pen. Hats off to the city crew and Chamber of Commerce for the putting up and taking down of lights and decora tions, to Gary and Sherrie Clark and Rosemary Bums for the gathering of greens, and to the Willow Creek Valley for Christmas Is. These are just a few of the reasons we should feel proud of our community and very fortunate to live here. Let’s be thankful for these people. May this year be a little brighter, and a happy New Year to all. Joanne Burleson Heppner Hey, brother can you spare a dime, because the wolf is at the door The winner of this year’s Colossal Christmas Stocking was Donna Smith (pictured above left) of Heppner. Presenting the stocking to her was Jessica Peterson, manager of the Heppner Mini Mart, which gives away the stocking to some lucky shop per each year. “Boy my grandkids are sure going to enjoy this,” said Smith on accepting the Christmas-goodies stuffed prize. -Photo by David Sykes Area singers invited to sing Handel’s Messiah Regional singers are invited to join rehears als of Handel’s “Messiah,” the Easter Story, with the Oregon East Symphony Chorale (OES). The Messiah wil. be performed as part of the O E S’s “Celebrate E ast ern O regon” concert on Saturday, April 14, 2012, conducted by Dr. Anthony Spain. Soloists include Em ily Muller Callender and Marianne Sadee of Pendle ton, soprano Molly Holle- ran of Richland, WA, tenor Ross Hauk of Issaquah, WA and bass Jonathan Silvia of Kent, WA. Weekly, Monday evening rehearsals begin January 9. They will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First P resbyterian Church in Pendleton. They will be led by Justin Raffa, conductor of the Mid-Columbia Mas- tersingers. The OES Chorale is not auditioned and is open to all singers with a desire to create beautiful music and the ability to commit to the rehearsal schedule. Vo cal scores are available for $ 10. Rehearsal CDs are also available from OES at 345 SW 4th Street in Pendleton, and at rehearsal. Car pools can be arranged. For m ore in fo r mation, and to register to sing, visit www.oregoneast- symphony.org, email pro- grams@oregoneastsypho- ny.org or call the OES office at 541-276-0320. Hey, brother can you spare a dime, because the wolf is at the door To the Editor: Well not exactly right at our door, yet, but wolves have be come a critical problem in Wallowa County, causing thousands o f dollars in damage to cattle ranch ers there and also causing devastation in the deer and elk populations. Consider ing how rapidly a wolf can cover ground, it is only a matter of time until these killing machines will be here in Morrow County and at our back door. This is a very complex issue that involves several entities. So far there has not been an easy answer or quick fix to the problem. The more time that elapses the larger the problem becomes and the greater the losses incurred by the livestock growers and wildlife herds. More is at stake here than cattle loss. Consider the impact on lo cal economies when hunt ing is no longer possible because the game no longer exists. If ranchers are forced out and hunting disappears, we are facing the possibility of drastic life style changes here. This is what you can do. 1. Spend a few minutes at the excellent web site called oregon- wolfeducation.org. Watch the video and listen to the constantly updated “Wolf Reports” put together by the above named organiza tion. The video was filmed on privately owned ranches and illustrates how serious the problem is and the frus tration ranchers are facing in dealing with government agencies like The Oregon Department o f Fish and Wildlife for example. 2. F orw ard the oregonwolfeducation.org website to others and en courage them to get in volved. Education is o f utmost importance. Please help spread the word. 3. Last but not least: Can’t you please spare a dime? If possible please send a donation to:Oregon Wolf Education, P.O. Box 514, Joseph, OR 97846 Jack Meligan,Sec. Willow Creek Tea Party Patriots IS Y O U R VGHICLG W IN T E R R EA D Y P C H A IN S QUICK FIT DIAMOND CABLE LINK TIRE CHAINS They take the work and frustration out of u s ing tire chains They go on and otf quickly and fit right to provide excellent traction d uring tough winter d riving cond itions S N O W W HGELS With a set of four new le s Schwab snow wheels with tires mounted you can save time and money. You'll save more than $50 each time you have your snow tires installed in the winter or removed in the spring by eliminating dismount/mounting and balancing charges with each change P A SST R G T R STARTIN G AT Les Schwab snow wheels, they're a great way to save money and get back on the road. 893S CABLE T IR E C H A I N S 29as PASSINGIR CHAIN RFIURN PROGRAM ti roo too t oso roar passaaper car cíalos, rotors tHom tor a toll rotosa attor Mo last lopal Sato for staNOaS tiros IOsas sot apply to Me fnick Irak tractloo aeaicel A L IG N M E N T STAN0ARB AUGNMINT 28S0 THRUST AlIGNMINT 4 WHET I AlIGNMINT tsmiKium 5B2S PROPER WHEEl AlIBNMEMT HEIPS IN SÙ HI R im R HANOUNC AMD TtRt Ml ft ACE H O W OLD IS Y O U R B A TTER Y? Average battery life per region: To the Editor: Dear Morrow County Court, As a concerned tax payer & resident of Morrow County 1 urge you all to watch this video from people who live close to these wind turbines. I live in lone and am less than 4000 feet from a proposed wind farm that the plan ning department approved this month. I wouldn’t like to see these turbines go in as they are not cost effective. They’re a hazard to wildlife and to us residents living close to these turbines. Our way of life will change dramatically when these turbines go in. My property value will drop and possibly would not sell. I built my house on this hill because of the wonderful views of Willow Creek Valley and the surrounding hills which will soon be gone because of GREED. I was very disappointed at the Morrow County Court for voting not to enforce the state and federal laws for noise levels that these turbines produce, You are supposed to be in office to protect the people of Morrow County, not endanger them because of the almighty dollar. I know times are tough and the county is looking to get money any way possible, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of the residents. Wind companies-they come and go, but we don’t . . . Heritage is something to be proud of, not be embarrassed by. The county court and the planning department need to be respectful of the people that could be affected by a wind turbine farm. As I said before, I’m not in favor of these wind farms and hope that you’ll watch the video & absorb what is being said in the video. Thanks for your time. Richard J Sandford III lone Or 97843 Here is a great w ebsite about property values around wind turbines:http://ww w .w ind-w atch.org/ w w -propertyvalues.php; http://w w w .w ind-w atch. org/documents/wind-turbine-setbacks/; http://www. w ind-w atch.org/docum ents/know -the-facts-before- you-sign/; http://ww w .friendsofgranderondevalley. com/; http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/09/05/ s tu d y - lo o k s - a t- w in d - f a r m - im p a c t- o n - u n io n / Great websites about the health affects wind turbines have on us: http://www.wind-watch.org/documents/ evaluating-the-impact-of-wind-turbine-noise-on-health- related-quality-of-life/; http://www.wind-watch.org/ ww-noise-health.php; http://www.wind-watch.org/video- meyersdale.php PGE employees help local organizations Portland General Electric (PGE) employees and retirees donated $8,377, including PGE’s 50 percent match, to Morrow County- area community organiza tions during the company’s annual Employee Giving Campaign in 2011. Morrow County- area contributions include: -$1,812 donated to lone School District. -$1,500 donated to lone Education Founda tion. -$300 donated to Creative Care Preschool. -$1,038 donated to Heppner Day Care. -$ 6 0 0 d o n a te d to H eppner Elem entary School. -$375 donated to M orrow County H ealth District. -$750 donated to Pioneer Memorial Hospital Foundation. -$390 donated to Future Farmers o f Amer ica. -$ 1,260 donated to Irrigon-Boardman Emer gency Assistance Center. -$277 donated to Boardman Senior Citizens Inc. D u rin g the a n nual Em ployee G iving Campaign, PGE’s 2,600 employees and more than 1,000 retirees can designate any charitable nonprofit or accredited school to receive their pledges, and PGE matches their contributions by 50 percent. The 2011 PGE Em ployee Giving Campaign totaled $1.6 million, with 59 percent of employees participating and benefiting almost 1,000 nonprofits and schools. “This year’s cam p aign speaks volum es about employees’ dedica tion to their communities,” said Dave Robertson, vice president of public policy, PGE. “It’s truly inspiring to see the generosity of the PGE family. Regardless of the state o f the economy, PGE employees and retir ees come together every year to help improve the quality of life for people in their communities.” Since the company match program began in 1998, PGE employees and retirees have contributed more than $14.7 million to their communities through the campaign. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available and that help Is FREE of charge. We 've got the right battery for you SO MONTH MONIH WARRANTY M IRIM I POWER MRNTN WARRANTY )(||D 72 If Y O U have a family member who suffers from gambling addiction, Y O U can also receive F R E E treat ment even if the gambler is not receiving treatment. If you are a resident of Morrow County and you wish to take advantage of the services abova or desire more information, Please call any of the following numbers to set up a L O C A L appointment or just to talk: Bobby Harris @ 541-676-9925 or 541-256-0175 Community Counseling Solutions (C C S ) @ 541-676-9161 O R 1-877-695-4648 (1 -8 8 8 -M Y L IM IT) Ask for a FREÍ BATTERY CHECK! Les SchwabTire Center Need to Advertise? We Can Help! 124 N Main Street, Heppner 541-676-9481 H E P P N E R G A Z E T T E -T IM E S 188 West Willow • 6 7 6 -9 2 2 8 f
