THREE - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 8, 2018
DOHERTY
-Continued from PAGE ONE
20 under my tutelage. I’d
scarce begun my delivery
when one of the newbie’s,
noted the first-time attend-
ee lanyard I was wearing.
This in short became the
message. That I and they
alike could wade forth and
do our level best, we need
not shirk in the shadows.
This seemed to resonate
as I watched table-mates
routinely enter the fray
throughout the week. With
3,000 seasoned statesmen
in attendance, having your
voice heard necessitated
some moxie.
From morning till night,
I tried to make a difference
- from ag and rural affairs,
health and human services,
public lands, public safety
to fighting for veterans
choice initiatives. Near to
my heart, were meetings on
the intrinsic knowledge that
without arts and culture we
have no foundation. When
and where it behooved us I
joined in the call to move
federal legislation. When
suggestions were presented
for ill-conceived ideas, I
pushed back. Those times I
was unsure about the proper
stance to take, I listened
and hoped to ask my con-
stituents who were more
effected.
It was not all work and
no play. Disappointed that
I never had an opportuni-
ty to get “discovered,” I
did join 17 other Oregon
delegates at the Grand Ole
Opry Show. Having grown
up listening to static and
Minnie Pearl on AM radio,
this was a treat.
With my head filled
with knowledge and advice
from commissioners from
across the country, I began
my return westward. This
time it would be different.
By now, a seasoned traveler
I was first in line. I fixed
my blinders and settled
into the first seat. The bus
filled quickly and we wait-
ed a few minutes while the
terminal staff convinced
a young gal that this was
indeed the bus she and her
four-year-old son needed to
board. As she came up the
steps I realized that there
were no side by side seats
left. If she was to sit by her
son someone was going to
have to move. I reluctant-
ly resigned my position
and eased down the aisle
looking for a vacant seat.
There remained only two
single seats and both were
at the very back.
One was next to a
hard eyed, hollow
looking young
fellow. The oth-
er next to a very
distraught, very
pregnant young
lady curled in the
fetal position and
sobbing inces-
santly. I slid in
next to the young
man and attempt-
ed to introduce myself, this
was met with no acknowl-
edgment of my existence.
By the time we stopped
for dinner beneath the gold-
en arches, I had taken in-
ventory of those, including
my seatmate, who lacked
the means for a meal. There
were a handful that looked
wistfully towards those
downing a Big Mac. Other
times they survived on the
sustenance of a bummed
cigarette.
The expectant mother
fit both categories. She
later confided that she had
become pregnant as a result
of an occupational hazard.
Determined to start anew
she bought a one-way ticket
to Portland. I gave her my
dear friend Commissioner
Fisher’s number in Port-
land.
The other gal that be-
came an absolute project
was the young non-En-
glish speaking mother. The
one that had taken over
my prime front row seat.
Whether we were refueling
and had re-boarding passes
or changing buses in Den-
ver, Salt Lake or Boise, she
always managed to get in
the wrong line. As we were
departing Salt Lake City,
I noticed
her steps
a w a y
from en-
tering the
bus bound
for Los
Angeles.
I shout-
ed across
the con-
course,
“senora
tu autobus
es este,” or, “Lady your
bus is this one,” at least I
hope that’s what I said. As
she fought back upstream
toward our location, Grey-
hound staff at first sought to
dissuade her. When the rest
of the Portland bound pa-
trons joined in, they, quite
surprised at our unity, led
her to the front of our line.
We couldn’t understand
her, nor could she under-
stand us, but by God, she
was part of our gang.
Midway through day
three we cut through the
Blue Mountains. Almost
home. I began to think
about how I would answer
the inevitable question, was
it worth it, did you make
a difference? Coming off
Cabbage Hill I phoned my
wife. As we approached the
exit at Stanfield the driver
came over the intercom,
announced that despite be-
ing on time, it would be the
briefest of stops, only long
enough for one passenger to
depart. Everyone else was
to remain seated.
The vision of Kelly, my
wife, sitting on the back of
the ranch truck was a wel-
coming sight. Not one for
goodbyes, I bounded off the
bus on the heels of the driv-
er. I grabbed my luggage,
slung it up next to my wife
as I hugged her. She in turn,
turned me around to a hum-
bling sight. No less than a
half dozen vagabonds had
risked termination of their
destination. Led by my
seatmate who quietly ex-
tended his hand and intro-
duced himself, followed by
a pregnant gal, who for the
first time was dry-eyed and
well fed. Last in line was a
young mother who kissed
the St. Christopher medal-
lion around her neck and
offered a simple “gracias.”
Then they stood there, a
perfect bunch of misfits.
I hope the driver wait-
ed. I like to think he did.
I couldn’t bring myself to
look back. I think I made
a difference. I think we all
can make a difference, if
only in giving a hand-up,
if not a hand-out to those
nearest us on this journey.
Steagall plays in
East-West Shrine
game
Wyatt Steagall, #99, shown
sacking the quarterback
during the East-West Shrine
game Saturday night. The
East won the game, 20-8.
Steagall said it was a great op-
portunity and great honor to
be in the game and he met lots
of new friends from both sides
and will cherish the memories
forever. -Contributed photos.
Wasteland Kings to
perform
Med return drug collection unit available
The Morrow County
Sheriff’s Office, through a
partnership with Morrow
County Health District, an-
nounces the installation of a
safe location to return drugs
and medications at the sher-
iff’s office on Willow View
Drive in Heppner.
Undersheriff John A.
Bowles and Morrow Coun-
ty Health District CEO Bob
Houser have been working
on the idea of having a drug
return location available
to the residents of south
Morrow County for the
past few months. Recently,
Sheriff Kenneth W. Matlack
approved the installation of
a med return drug collection
unit.
Residents may anon-
ymously deposit unused
prescription medica-
tions (scheduled II-V and
non-controlled), prescrip-
tion ointments and liquids,
over the counter medica-
tions, vitamins and medi-
cations for pets.
enged and illegally sold.
-Unused pharmaceu-
ticals are environmental
toxins; flushing them down
the toilet or sink can release
them into our drinking wa-
ter and soil.
The Morrow County
Sheriff’s Office asks that
residents comply with the
following standards when
making a deposit at the
sheriff’s office:
-Locate the collection
box in the lobby and place
the medications in a plastic
bag provided at the loca-
tion.
-Seal the bag and drop
the bag into the box.
-Open containers of
liquid and syringes are not
accepted in this bin.
Items not-accepted in
this collection unit are il-
legal drugs (schedule I),
hydrogen peroxide, inhal-
ers, thermometers, needles
(sharps), hazardous items
(bloody, infectious), aerosol
cans, non-prescription oint-
ments, lotions or liquids.
For questions, contact
the Morrow County Sher-
iff ’s Office at 541-676-
5317.
HJSHS registration
to be held
The reasons citizens
should turn in unused pre-
scription drugs are:
-Children and animals
could be poisoned if they
find and swallow drugs.
-Drugs can be scav-
Heppner Junior/Senior
High School will be regis-
tering all students Monday
through Wednesday, Aug.
13, 14 and 15 from 8:30
a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Schedules will be avail-
able upon payment of fees.
For additional information
visit the website at www.
hhs.morrow.k12.or.us/ or
call 541-676-9138.
Wasteland Kings, a tal-
ented and energetic group
of six musicians, will be
performing at the final con-
cert for Heppner’s Music
in the Park program on
Sunday, Aug. 12 from 5
to 7 p.m. at the city park
on Main St. In the event
of inclement weather, the
concert will be moved to the
elementary school.
The group will be per-
forming what they describe
as Americana music, a mix
of country, rock and roll,
blues and folk. They have
been performing in north-
east Oregon since 2008.
This summer music
series has been funded by
the Morrow County Unified
Recreation District and
facilitated as a service to
the community by Hopeful
Saints Ministry (an Episco-
pal-Lutheran partnership in
Heppner).
Pulled pork sandwiches
and more will be available
at the park for purchase by
donation to raise funds for
Hopeful Saints’ well-drill-
ing ministry and mission
trip to El Salvador in the
fall of 2019. Additional
information is available by
calling the church office at
541-676-9970.
Brass Fire to perform at
Irrigon park
Brass Fire will perform
for the Music in the Parks
outdoor summer concert
series at 7 p.m. on Aug. 13
at the Irrigon Marina Park,
located off Highway 730 in
Irrigon.
Brass Fire is a ten-piece
horn band. In addition to a
full rhythm section made
up of a pianist, a guitarist,
a drummer and a bass gui-
tarist, there are performers
on trumpets, saxophones
and trombone. Band mem-
bers also step forward and
render stylistic vocals. The
musician’s backgrounds
include membership in mil-
itary bands, cruise ships,
professional touring bands
and school music teach-
ers. The band will perform
music made famous by top
groups like Chicago, Blood
Sweat and Tears, Earth
Wind and Fire, Tower of
Power, Voodoo Daddy, El-
vis and many others. Musi-
cal selections include blues,
jazz, rock, swing and funk.
This is the last perfor-
mance for the 2018 Music
in the Parks season. The
Music in the Parks series
is funded by the Morrow
County Unified Recreation
District and Portland Gen-
eral Electric and sponsored
by the North Morrow Com-
munity Foundation.
In the event of inclem-
ent weather, the perfor-
mance will be held at the
Irrigon Senior Center. For
more information about the
Music in the Parks concert
series, contact Jackie at
541-720-1289.