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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2020)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 13, 2020 The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow ~ Letters to the Editor ~ Heppner The Heppner Gazette Times 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. GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE: http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/ Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site: www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $31 in Morrow County; $25 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 65 years or older); $37 elsewhere; $31 student subscriptions. David Sykes ..............................................................................................Publisher Bobbi Gordon................................................................................................ Editor Giselle Moses.........................................................................................Advertising All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.25 per column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to 100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.05 per column inch. For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for pub- lication must be specified. Affidavits must be required at the time of submission. Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required). For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space for the obituary. For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. 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. Vote for the real Diehl To the editor: Glen Diehl has my sup- port for Justice of the Peace. Glen has earned a repu- tation for his knowledge, values, and standing up for what is right. He brings experience and integrity that can’t be compared for his extensive background in law enforcement and criminal justice. Prior to becoming Jus- tice of the Peace this year, his former role in Mor- row County Community Corrections gives him the knowledge and experience to continue to serve with the honesty and integrity that he is known for. P r o f e s s i o n a l l y, i n working with him, I have witnessed a leader that is humble, dedicated and fair. Glen cares about the people of Morrow County and is the best person for Justice of the Peace. Thank you, Jacob Case, Irrigon DA’s Report Morrow County District Attorney Justin Nelson has released the following report: Bret Wade Hutton Thompson, 53, was convicted of: Count 1: Attempt to commit a Class A Felony – Rape in the first degree, Felony Class B, committed on or about 03/24/2020. Conviction is based on a guilty plea on 04/23/2020. Defendant is sentenced to the custody of Oregon Department of Corrections for a period of 13 months. Defendant may receive credit for time served. The De- fendant may not be considered for release on post-prison supervision under ORS 421.508(4) upon successful com- pletion of an alternative incarceration program. The term of Post-Prison Supervision is 10 years mi- nus time actually served pursuant to ORS 144.103. If the Defendant violates any of the conditions of post-prison supervision, the defendant shall be subject to sanctions including the possibility of additional imprisonment in accordance with the rules of the State Sentencing Guide- lines Board. Count 2: Attempt to Commit a Class A Felony – Sod- omy in the first degree, 161.405(2)(b), Felony Class B, committed on or about 03/24/2020. Conviction is based upon a guilty plea on 04/23/2020. Defendant is sentenced to the custody of Oregon Department of Corrections for a period of 13 months. Defendant may receive credit for time served. The De- fendant may be considered by the executing or releasing authority for any form of reduction in sentence, tempo- rary leave from custody, work release, or program of conditional or supervised release authorized by law for which the Defendant is otherwise eligible at the time of sentencing. The Defendant may not be considered for release on post-prison supervision under ORS 421.508(4) upon successful completion of an alternative incarcera- tion program. This sentence shall be concurrent with the following cases with Count 1. Count 4: Assault in the fourth degree, 163.160(2), Misdemeanor Class A, committed on or about 03/24/2020. Conviction is based upon a guilty plea on 04/23/2020. Count 4 is discharged. Count 3, Sexual Abuse in the first degree is dismissed. The court recommends as a condition of post-prison supervision: Complete Alcohol/Drug Eval and any recommended treatment. No contact with victim(s). Pay all fines fees and restitution as ordered. Complete a sex offender treatment program. No drugs without prescription & PPS Officer notification. Not use or possess drug paraphernalia. Submit to and pay for random drug testing. Not allowed where illegal drugs kept, used or sold. Defendant is ordered to submit blood or buccal sam- ple and thumbprint pursuant to ORS 137.076. Defendant is ordered to register as a sex offender pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes. What is wrong with the truth? To the editor: As a judicial candidate for Morrow County Justice of the Peace, I thought I would like to distance myself from the rumors and innuendo that have sur- rounded the politics of the office. I would have, until last week’s letter from Mrs. Diehl appeared in the paper. I will not stand silent and let Morrow County elect someone that does not have the moral fortitude to judge. In a letter to the editor last week, Mrs. Diehl stated that her husband has lived in Morrow County and claimed permanent residen- cy here since he joined the Morrow County Sheriff’s Department in January of 2016. Mr. Diehl, on his sworn judicial interest form to the Governor, stated that he has lived in Heppner since October of 2017. The Umatilla County clerk’s office shows that Glen Diehl has voted in Umatilla County’s elections through May 7, 2019, when he changed his address and voter registration through the DMV. Glen Diehl voted for the first time May 21, 2019 in Morrow County. This isn’t a rumor, this is not slander, nor nepotism as some have claimed. This is the truth, it’s all public record. I provided a copy of all the documents to the Ga- zette Times if you have the desire to confirm this infor- mation for yourself. I have also decided to provide them to the Secretary of State elections division and the Department of Justice ethics board. Something I felt should have been done months ago when it was dis- covered at the county level. I will sign the complaint form if no one else will. Oregon has statutes that govern residency rules, for example, ORS 247.035. In Oregon you have 30 days to change your address and every law enforcement officer I know knows that. There are stiff penalties for providing false information on judicial candidacy forms like ORS 260.715, in fact I believe it’s a felony and a $125,000 fine if convicted. Furthermore there is an Oregon Code of Judicial Conduct that may have been violated as well, like rule 5(D). I’m not judge yet, and may never be, but I know Morrow County deserves better. Kelly Doherty Mudslinging and character assassination To the editor It is discouraging to see the massive amount of mudslinging as of recent in Morrow County; a con- stant stream of character assassination against each other in the media, in per- son, and in the rumor mill. It is a hostile and political atmosphere between the Blue Mountain foothills and Columbia River in our beautiful community. We are all neighbors and will continue to be after the election, after the pandemic and beyond. At a time when we should be helping and supporting our neighbors, we are being torn with misinformation and defamation because of Open our counties To the editor: On May 6 Grant Coun- ty Sheriff Glen Palmer is- sued this statement, “The Grant Co. Sheriff’s Office will not become involved in cases or issues of business- es opening against the gov- ernors order.” Previously Crook County Sheriff John Gautney issued a statement that the Sheriff’s Office would not cite businesses that reopen. “If a business decides to open, that’s a decision the business owner makes. We are a free society and able to make decisions based on common sense.” This media and gov- ernment driven flu pan- demic, business and church shutdown, defies common sense. All the models have proven to be in error and put our nation in fear and BMCC to hold Parade of Graduates In lieu of traditional commencement ceremony Blue Mountain Com- munity College (BMCC) has re-imagined its tra- ditional commencement ceremony in the midst of COVID-19 and will instead honor graduating students with a “Parade of Grad- uates” on Thursday, June 11. The event will allow BMCC to celebrate grad- uates in a safe format with appropriate social distanc- ing in place. The Parade of Gradu- ates will begin at 7 p.m. on June 11 at the Pendleton campus, and graduates will drive with their immediate families in their personal vehicles up the BMCC hill and around the campus, with BMCC faculty and staff, as well as graduates’ families and friends, lining the roadway (socially dis- tanced) around campus to cheer and celebrate as they pass. Students will receive a commencement gift bag that will include their tas- sel and diploma cover and other gifts to honor their achievement. Students will be encouraged to decorate their vehicles in celebra- tion. “Commencement is our favorite day of the year at the college, so we’re excited to still be able to honor our graduates with Ione Library board to meet The monthly meeting of the Ione Library Dis- trict’s Board of Directors will be held on Monday, May 18 at 6 p.m. instead of the normally scheduled fourth Monday. The board meeting will be preceded by the budget committee meeting at 5 p.m. In response to the cur- rent health emergency, at- tendance at the meeting will be available via Zoom. Please contact the Ione Library at 541-561-9828 between 1 and 5 p.m. Mon- day through Thursday for the meeting number and password. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. campaign, self-righteous- ness or personal gain. I am disappointed, as many are. This week we look to the future – a hope of re- opening an economy; that familiar feeling of social- izing again, though differ- ently; casting our ballots in elections; and the blossoms of spring in eastern Oregon. We should also look to each other for hope and guidance as we navigate through these uncertain times. Look to the compassion that is in Morrow County and en- courage others to build each other up as too much has tried to tear everyone down enough already this year. Rogena Loving Boardman, OR this creative alternative to our traditional event,” said President Bailey-Fougnier. “Commencement signifies an outstanding achieve- ment for these students, and BMCC wanted to make sure there was an opportunity to celebrate their efforts, despite the restrictions in place with COVID-19.” confusion and the justifi- cation for the police state edicts undermine our Con- stitutional liberty and free- dom. Businesses have gone bankrupt; suicides, domes- tic unrest and withheld medical procedures have significantly outnumbered Wuhan flu deaths. In light of spurious and doctored Wuhan flu death numbers, the flu is historically just as deadly in Oregon. If Umatilla and Mor- row Counties continue to abide by Gov. Brown’s unconstitutional edicts, our economy and small busi- nesses will be devastated. The Pendleton Round Up, Heppner rodeo, 4 th of July celebrations will be can- celled and churches will find it very difficult to honor their God given responsibil- ity to minister the gospel. I exhort the Sheriffs of Morrow and Umatil- la County to follow suit and open up our counties to business with common sense safeguards. I exhort the directors of the local rodeo’s and 4 th of July cel- ebrations to continue their traditions with common sense. We are a Consti- tutional Republic of the people, by the people and for the people. We are not a police state run by the unconstitutional edicts of a governor. Stuart Dick, Irrigon EOU to hold virtual graduation ceremony Eastern Oregon Uni- versity, along with many other colleges and univer- sities, is postponing it’s in-person commencement exercises this spring. EOU will honor spring graduates with a virtual recognition on June 13, the same date the in-person ceremony was scheduled to take place on campus. The recognition event will rec- reate EOU’s typical in-per- son ceremony as closely as possible, with speeches and conferring of degrees via video. “Graduation is a very special time and a mean- ingful milestone in our students’ education and we want to celebrate that ac- complishment,” said VP for University Advancement Tim Seydel. “Given that we cannot hold major pub- lic events, we are finding alternatives for now, and looking forward to a time when our graduates can join faculty, staff and families in person.” EOU is working on plans for a possible in-per- son ceremony this fall. Graduates will also have the option to walk in the June 2021 commencement ceremony.
