TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 27, 2020
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
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.
Obituaries
Elvyn Edward Bell
Elvyn Edward Bell, 93, being with family and gar-
of Baker City, died May 11 dening. He was a mem-
at his home. His memorial ber of the Elks, VFW and
American Legion.
service and celebration
Elvyn is sur-
of life will take place
vived by his wife,
at a later date.
Patricia; sons,
Elvyn was born
Kevin Bell (Terri)
Dec. 10, 1926, at Wal-
of Baker City and
lowa to Leslie (Bus)
Kent Bell (Kar-
and May Martin Bell.
He attended school in Elvyn Edward men) of Grants
Pass; grandchil-
Wallowa and Baker, Bell
dren, Kyle Bell
graduating from St.
Francis Academy in Baker (Kelsey) of Portland, OR,
Kristen Anderson (Bernt)
City, OR.
He served his country of Haines, OR, Drew Bell,
in both the Army and then Meggan Martin (Miles)
the Air Force, returning to all of Grants Pass. OR;
Baker in 1950 to marry his great-grandchildren, Bra-
high school sweetheart, den Bell (Jacqui) of Tem-
ple, TX, stationed at Fort
Patricia Louise Schmidt.
Bell worked in the lum- Hood, McKenzie Hayhurst
ber industry; Collins/Pon- (Kris) of Raeford, NC,
dosa Pine, in Pondosa, OR stationed at Fort Bragg and
for eight years and Kinzua Salvi Anderson of Haines,
Corporation, Kinzua, OR, OR.
He was preceded in
then at Heppner when the
Kinzua Corporation moved death by his parents, Leslie
their operations. He worked and May Bell; a sister, Flor-
there for 31 years, retiring ence Bell and a great-grand-
daughter, Gyda Anderson.
as a supervisor in 1990.
Memorial contribu-
He and Patricia spent
many years enjoying retire- tions may be made to Best
ment. They traveled in their Friends of Baker through
fifth wheel to Yuma, AZ and Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer
beyond with their friends. Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave.,
They sold their home Baker City, OR 97814. To
in Heppner and relocated to light a candle in memo-
Baker City in 2003. Elvyn ry of Elvyn or to leave a
enjoyed hunting, fishing, condolence, go to www.
travel, woodworking, just grayswestco.com.
New Baby in Your Family?
Engagement?
Wedding?
We want to share your life events!
Stop in the Heppner Gazette office or email us
with details and photos.
All birth, engagement and wedding
announcements are always free!
188 W Willow Street
Heppner, OR
editor@rapidserve.net
BRUCE YOUNG
LOGGING LLC
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For all your heavy equipment needs!
-Excavator -Dump Truck
-Lowboy -Backhoe
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Bruce and Luke Young Partners
80963 Black Mountain Lane, PO BOX 98
Heppner Oregon 97836
Office phone 541-676-5309, Fax 541-676-5189
BEO Bancorp announces 2020 Ione
academic scholarships
Library
reopens
BEO Bancorp and its
subsidiary, Bank of Eastern
Oregon, have selected the
2020 high school senior
scholarship winners. This
scholarship is awarded to
students planning to enroll
in agriculture or business
and judging is based on
scholarship, leadership and
citizenship. Applications
are accepted from gradu-
ating seniors in all areas
where Bank of Eastern Or-
egon and Bank of Eastern
Washington branches are
located.
$500 scholarships
were awarded to Oregon
seniors Sierra Villegas,
Riverside High School,
Kimberly Renteria, Irrigon
High School, Garrett Wal-
chli and Jazlyn Romero,
Hermiston High School,
Catherine Rhodes, Sherman
County High School, Gage
Tatum, Fossil High School,
Cooper Johnson, Condon
High School, Nicole Proph-
eter, Casey Fletcher, Kellen
Grant, Jason Rea, and Mat-
thew Orem, Heppner High
School, Calvin Bennett,
Mitchell High School, Ellie
Justice, Grant Union High
School, Risa Thompson,
Crane Union High School,
Brooklyn Hutchins, La
~ Letters to the Editor ~
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.
Grande High School, and
Cloe Davis, Weston McE-
wen High School.
$500 scholarships were
awarded to Washington
seniors Cotton Booker,
Lauren Stubbs and Gunnar
Aune, Colfax High School,
and Tayven Seney, Dayton
High School.
“We know this has been
an unprecedented time for
our high school seniors.
We wish them the best of
luck as they move on to
college and look forward to
hearing of their continuing
success,” said President and
CEO Jeff Bailey.
Senior
golf
season
cancelled
The officers and execu-
tive board of the Columbia
Blue Senior Golf Associ-
ation have announced that
the 2020 tournament season
is cancelled due to the coro-
navirus.
The CBSGA board in-
tends
to meet again in No-
freely given back liberty
vember
to plan for the 2021
and freedom? This will
season.
be their answer. When all
viruses are eradicated by
government dictated home 4,000 babies this year. Let
quarantines, social distanc- that sink in.
144 Wuhan flu deaths,
ing of all public entities,
mandatory tracing vaccina- all already sick and com-
tions, and all church, busi- promised, and not one child
ness and sporting events at- 19 or younger and now
tendance numbers governed bring on the tracing teams.
by the state. Celebrations, Had enough? Put a sign
sporting events, football out Morrow and Umatilla
games, rodeos are way too County. “Tracing Teams
and mandatory vaccinations
dangerous.
The government must not allowed on our blood
protect our health and safe- bought property.” You have
ty. They must make sure inflicted as much damage as
we do not catch a virus we will tolerate.
Stuart Dick. Irrigon
and if we do, they must
trace every person we had
contact with and put them
in quarantine to protect us
from ourselves.
Kiera Adeline Esther Wenberg – Nels Wenberg and
While the Governor’s
edicts have emptied our Kristi Worden, Heppner, announce the birth of a daughter,
hospitals, ruined a devas- Kiera Adeline Esther
tating percentage of small Wenberg, on January
businesses, stressed out 30, 2020 at 1:01 p.m.
Kiera weighed 6
our youth, their teachers
and their parents, the Or- pounds, 7 ounces and
egon abortion industry has was 18.5 inches long.
prospered without missing She joins siblings
murdering a single baby at Klynn, James, Richard
Oregon taxpayer expense. and RitaJo McNamee.
Grandparents are
While our Governor is shut-
ting down our schools to Bob and Pam Worden
protect our youth, her gov- and Kenneth and Bo- Kiera Adeline Esther Wenberg
ernment financed abortion nita Wenberg, all of
industry has killed nearly Heppner.
Higher chance to die
of lightning strike than
Wuhan flu
To the editor:
As of May 21, 144
Oregonians have died of
Wuhan Flu. All had com-
promised health, 50 percent
were over 80 years old and
75 percent were over 70.
That means in Oregon your
chance of dying of Wuhan
flu is .00004 percent. You
have ten times the chance of
dying by a lightning strike
(.0003 percent) during your
life.
The Governor has
closed all schools, yet not
one child has died in Ore-
gon. Americans have been
driven to fear a virus that is
no more dangerous than the
common flu, yet the govern-
ment police state dictates
have virtually destroyed our
present liberty and freedom
and now Socialism is being
forced down our collective
throats. Contact tracing
teams will soon be inter-
rogating all Oregonians
(180,000 contact tracers na-
tionwide) with the ultimate
power of the state to force
home quarantines and in
Washington State, “legally
enforceable” authority to
remove children if parents
do not comply.
When will America and
Oregon return to normal?
When has a dictator ever
The Ione Library re-
opened May 19 with reg-
ularly scheduled hours,
1 to 6 p.m. Monday and
Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
Some restrictions apply.
Respect of social dis-
tancing is expected, which
may mean limiting the
number of people allowed
in the library at any given
time. Patrons are requested
to use face masks when
at the librarian’s desk for
check-in or check-outs.
Masks have been ordered
and will be available for
patrons who do not bring
their own mask. The library
has hand sanitizer and it is
required that visitors use it
when they enter the library.
One computer station
will be open to the public
with a 10-minute time limit.
The area will be cleaned
after each use. Common
areas will be cleaned often,
using disinfectant on the
tables, door handles, chairs,
desks and other high traffic
areas. The outside covers of
books will be wiped with
a disinfectant before they
are checked out and when
they are returned. Returned
books will not be re-shelved
for 48 hours.
Those who are uncom-
fortable coming into the
library should call 541-
561-9828 with their book
request and the librarians
will meet them at the door
or take the book to the curb.
In-town home delivery can
also be arranged.
Books, e-books, audio
books and DVDs can also
be ordered on-line through
the Sage system. Patrons
are encouraged to call if
they need assistance with
online ordering.
Births
Condemnation ‘license to transfer property from
those with few resources to those with more’
To the editor:
My name is Alexandra
Hobbs. I am an educator,
mother and recipient of a
bachelor’s degree in polit-
ical science from Oregon
State University. In addition
to these monikers, I am also
the wife of a business owner
whose property is set to be
condemned. The purpose
of this letter is to state my
unequivocal opposition to
the condemnation of private
property at the behest of
Umatilla Electric Coop-
erative for the benefit of a
private corporation. The
reason for this opposition
is clear: The Fifth Amend-
ment of the United States
Constitution.
The Fifth Amendment
states that, “No person shall
. . .be deprived of life, liber-
ty of property, without due
process of law; nor shall
private property be taken
for public use, without just
compensation.”
Although the Fifth
Amendment has been ad-
judicated over the years,
and precedent has been set,
it possesses-without ques-
tion-a public requirement.
The condemnation in ques-
tion is unconstitutional as it
clearly does not meet this
requirement. There are mul-
tiple reasons for this. First,
Vadata is not a public entity
and through tax deferments
will offer no increased tax
revenue to Morrow County.
I do not believe any other
monetary contributions (i.e.
philanthropy in the form
of a community fund) in
lieu of taxes should count
towards Amazon or Vadata
being called a public entity.
In addition to failing to
meet the first criterion, the
immediate beneficiaries of
the powerlines will be a
singular private entity, not
the greater public. To be
sure, UEC will attempt to
misrepresent this aspect but
it is clear the powerline is
being constructed to serve
Vadata first and foremost.
In the Supreme Court
Case “Kelo v. City of New
London (2005),” the re-
spondents argued that their
use of eminent domain
was constitutional because
the city had a compelling
interest to condemn private
property due to deteriorat-
ing economic conditions.
This is pertinent to mention
because even before the
construction of the data
centers, Morrow County
had a labor shortage prob-
lem. In other words, any
sort of argument which
hinges upon these power-
lines through the planned
route as being crucial to
economic development is
farcical.
With these reasons in
mind, the Fifth Amendment
rights of citizens and busi-
ness owners are absolutely
being infringed upon. This
happened when a few se-
lect individuals plopped
giant concrete bunkers in
their community’s back-
yard without public input
or infrastructure to support
them.
I will close with a quote
from Justice Antonin Scalia
in his dissenting opinion in
the aforementioned case.
He writes, “The beneficia-
ries are likely to be those
citizens with disproportion-
ate influence and power in
the political process, in-
cluding large corporations
and development firms. As
for the victims, the gov-
ernment has now license
to transfer property from
those with fewer resources
to those with more. The
Founders cannot have in-
tended this perverse result.”
With sincere thanks,
Alexandra Hobbs,
Boardman
Have a news story or photo for the Gazette? e-mail editor@rapidserve.net
call 541-676-9228 or stop by the office on Willow St., Heppner Today