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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 2020)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 23, 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 AWANA Club to begin Virtual format offers new club experience 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. Barb Collin and Dennis Wiser discuss the details of how to lead AWANA club in front of a camera at a recent leader meeting. The bulk of the club meetings will be filmed live at Heppner Christian Church while members interact from home via Zoom. –Photo by Andrea Di Salvo. Heppner AWANA Club is returning next week with a new, virtual format to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions. AWANA Com- mander Dale Bates says volunteers are working to finalize the details for on- line club meetings, which will be held via Zoom. Meetings for club members will begin Tues- day, Sept. 29. Sparks (kin- dergarten through second grade) will have their own Zoom meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. Truth and Train- ing members (third through sixth grade) will begin their meeting at 7:30 p.m. Meet- ings are planned to last Father Thankachan works on around 45 minutes. the yard of a local citizen with In-person club meet- his weed eater. ings will resume when Church members do good deeds COVID-19 restrictions are lightened. The Heppner AWANA program is the combined effort of local churches to teach children what the Bible is all about. AWANA stands for “Approved Work- men Are Not Ashamed,” based on II Timothy 2:15. Games, songs and a Bible lesson are included during a typical club meeting. Preregistration is re- quired so parents can re- ceive member supplies and access to the Zoom meet- ings. To register or for more information, contact AWA- NA secretary Andrea Di Salvo at awana.heppner@ gmail.com, 757-285-5792, or via Facebook Messenger. Led by Father Thank- achan Joseph of St. Pat- rick’s Church, community and church members have been doing good deeds this summer by cleaning up the yards of some local citizens. The volunteers bring their own tools, work gloves and weed eaters. A spokesperson states that after their initial shock, the recipients are very appre- ciative. Plans are to continue Contact the church office tidying yards as long as they for additional information are needed to do so. Volun- at 541-676-9462. Morrow County Justice of the Peace, Glen Diehl, has teers are always welcome. released the following Justice Court report: -Aaron B. Moreno, 59, Heppner, was convicted of DWS, fine, $440. -Brandy R. Thomas, 24, Kermit, TX, was convicted of violation of basic rule, fine $265. -George W. Duffield, 18, West Richland, WA, was convicted of DWS, fine $440 and driving uninsured, Nancy Prophetor and Virginia Grant were the only fine $265. two ladies to show up for the Willow Creek Ladies play- -Nicholas D. Henderson, 39, Heppner, was convicted day held September 15 due to the hazardous and smoky of No Ops, fine $265 and driving uninsured, fine $265. environment. -Jasen T. Wallace, 37, Portland, OR, was convicted of Propheter took low gross of the field and Grant took DWS, fine $440 and failure to carry proof of insurance, low net of the field. fine $265. Justice Court Report A View from the Green Over the Tee Cup Morrow County returns to Phase Two Governor Kate Brown announced that Morrow County was allowed to re-enter Phase Two on Sep- tember 18, after receiving a letter from Morrow County Commissioners asking her to consider their request. Brown stated in her letter, “Morrow County remains on the cusp of a case count low enough to allow mov- ing into Phase Two of re- opening.” She continued, “I want to be very clear that reopening does not come without risks. With every restriction lifted, we know transmission of the virus has the potential to increase.” In the letter sent to Governor Brown, coun- ty commissioners stated, “Morrow County continues to do amazing work with our COVID-19 efforts. By collaborating and partner- ing with our local commu- nities, we have successful- ly assisted in slowing the curve and creating stronger partnerships.” The letter continued to say, “Keep- ing a positive momentum forward will allow us to continue to work our focus on encouraging mask use, physical distancing and educating best practices. Commission Chair Melissa Lindsay told the Gazette, “The citizens of Morrow County have done a great job to help slow the spread in our commu- nities. By wearing masks, physically distancing and working with our home team of tracers to connect cases and isolate away from one another if exposed, we have gotten ourselves into a better position. The home stretch to the finish line of getting our schools back to in-person learning will be the hardest and biggest commitment. I hope that we keep our guard up and continue to do the work. Our Emergency Command Team, working with Public Health, is doing big work to keep up with the state metrics and guidance so we can navigate the system and move our economies forward. Phase Two was a team effort of communica- tion and helping the state to understand our county’s individuality, work and needs. They heard our mes- sage and moved us forward but now it is our job to keep the momentum going so we don’t have a back slide. Our schools and in-person learning have to be a strong focus as we work to keep our citizens safe.” Masks are still a State mandate for Phase Two, with the policy stating, “Masks, face coverings or face shields are currently required statewide for offic- es and indoor public spac- es (for example, grocery stores, pharmacies, public transit, personal services providers, restaurants, bars, retail stores, and more). Masks, face coverings or face shields are required in outdoor public spaces when physical distancing of at least six feet is not possible. Children age five and up are required to wear a face covering. People with a disability or medical con- dition may request accom- modation from the business if they cannot wear one.” Counties that meet specific prerequisites are allowed to enter Phase Two after 21 days in Phase One. Case counts must be re- duced to 100 cases or less per 100,000 people per week. The wider reopen- ing includes recreational sports, venues like movie theaters, bowling alleys and arcades, and increased in-office work. Indoor social get-togethers are capped at 10 people with physical distancing. Some venues, such as restau- rants, theatres, churches and gyms, may have up to 250 people if COVID occupancy allows. COVID occupancy is the ability to physically distance people not in the same party at a minimum of six feet. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. Spiritually Speaking Yes sir By Fr. Thankachan Jo- seph SDB, St. Patrick Church We are used to say- ing “Yes” to please others, fearing rejection or just the uncertainty of what the other person’s response will be if we say “No.” How do we respond? When we say “Yes” to someone’s request, Fr. Thankachan Joseph we need to take the respon- sibility that demands. Do we mean what we say? Can someone take our word, trust our response? So often, it is easy to escape from the request of someone who needs our helping hand. Are we people of our word, or are we merely yes men and women? Are we ready to substan- tiate our word with deeds? Today’s scripture readings challenge us to be people of our word. A beautiful “Christological hymn” of Paul to Christ is narrated in Philippians (2: 1-11). Paul exhorts all to be like Christ and admonishes us all to practice the Christ-like qualities endorsed in verses 2: 1-5. All pride and rivalry must go and we have to become like Christ, who humbled himself like a slave totally obedient to God. Because of his humility and obedience, he was exalted. In fact, St Paul is actually insisting with all the Christians to have the mentality or attitude of Christ. If we put on the mind of Christ and let God take over our lives through total obedience, we too will draw close to God and our word, too, can be trusted. Matthew 21: 28-32 narrates a parable found only in Matthew. With the parable of the two sons, the evangelist is trying to explain the different modus operandi of these two sons towards their father. To drive the point home, he poses the dilemma of the two sons, who are called upon by their father to work in his vineyard. One responds, “No, I will not go!” but afterwards thinks about it and changes his mind and goes to work in the vineyard. The other immediately says, “Yes, I will go,” but does not. Jesus now poses the question: “Which of the two sons did the will of the father?” (Jesus was not holding either of the two sons up as an ideal.) The Pharisees admit that the first son was the obedient one. Jesus then applies it bluntly to their own response to God. “Tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom before you.” The parables of Jesus were meant to instruct his listeners and make them think about their lives. Jesus wanted to confront the Jewish religious leaders and accuse them of not doing God’s will. He further enraged them by saying that John the Baptist, whom they would not accept, was an example of true righteousness or conformity to God’s will. We are called to be sons and daughters of the Father who immediately respond with a “Yes” to God’s call and immediately do what he asks of us. Christianity is not a matter of saying the right prayers or following the precepts of the Law. Our actions have to witness to the God in whom we believe and the faith we profess. Sin does not necessarily imply doing something wrong; the greatest sin is not to do good: the sin of inactivity, of doing nothing. This parable teaches us that promises can never take the place of performance, and fine words can never take the place of fine deeds. Jesus was always upset with the Pharisees because of their favorite defense system of the law. They always had some particular precepts, or other principles could always be found to justify escaping the painful demands of reaching out to the needy/doing charity. The Lord’s parable continues to probe the Pharisee in our hearts today. Would we have to admit using some excuse or another to justify our actions? “I am too busy right now, come another time…; we are not allowed to do that…; the boss is out at the moment and I cannot make a decision…; that’s not my responsibility…; what would others think…? this is a dangerous precedent…; we don’t know where this will end.” God is looking for a change within ourselves that leads to obedience. As Christians we have said “Yes” to God, and so we are reminded in this parable that we need to come through on our commitment. We need to make sure we are working in his vineyard, using our gifts and doing all that God tells us to do, not just doing it to please others. Jesus wants us to realize that what we do is more important than what we say we will do. Jesus wants us to answer, “Yes,” when he tells us to “Love one another,” but what he really wants is for us to truly love one another. Let our answer to Jesus’s requests be always, “Yes sir.” 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
