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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 2020)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 14, 2020 -- THREE ~ 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. Diehl doing a great job Re-elect Ken Matlack To the editor: that claims to have some Morrow County Sheriff I have met Judge Diehl. experience, Glen Diehl has Peterson has what county requires To the editor: I strongly encourage the voters of Morrow Coun- ty to vote for Joel Peterson as Morrow County Com- missioner. Joel has the ex- perience, temperament, attitude and work ethic that the county commission requires. Joel is a lifelong res- ident of Morrow County. He makes his living from a multi-generation farm. He understands the economy of Morrow County. He has been an involved citizen serving many years on the county planning commis- sion. He also served as a di- rector for various civic and professional organizations. He has been a proponent of a strong education system in the area. He gets it. He understands the intricacies of living and working in Morrow County. My experience with Joel comes primarily through his time as a direc- tor for BEO Bancorp and Bank of Eastern Oregon. Joel has served as board chair in previous years. He is currently chair of the Funds Management committee and serves on the loan and compensation committees. In all interac- tions with Joel, he is hon- est, forthright, intelligent, thoughtful and a stickler for details. Joel is rarely the loudest voice in the room, but when he speaks, whatever he says, is worth hearing. He possesses great common sense and has earned the respect of his fellow directors, as well as the bank employees. He has been a visionary in helping Bank of Eastern Oregon grow from three branches in 1993 when he joined the board, to the 20 branches and four loan offices of 2020. I have no doubt he will serve Morrow County in like manner, with honesty, integrity, profes- sionalism, vision and with common sense, which sadly isn’t so common these days. Please join me in voting for Joel Peterson, Morrow County Commissioner. Jeff Bailey, Heppner Matlack will do what is right To the editor: I started in Morrow County as a patrol deputy in 1989 and in the years since I have been honored to work with some outstand- ing leaders. However, none have been as inspirational to me as Sheriff Kenneth W. Matlack. I had the honor of working for Ken from Jan- uary of 2005 through March of 2016 when I retired as his undersheriff. During that time frame, I came to know Ken as a great admin- istrator, mentor and friend. Ken continually worked to ensure that the Sheriff’s Office not only enforced the laws but would also “Do what was right” by the citizens of Morrow County whenever possible. When he was cam- paigning originally, his slogan was “Go the Extra Mile” and I am here to tell you he has never failed to do just that. I encourage you to re- elect Kenneth W. Matlack as your Morrow County sheriff. Do not risk a proven track record. I know he will have my vote for as long as he wants to remain sheriff. Steve Myren, Board- man Retired Morrow Coun- ty Undersheriff Need educated, passionate person to lead county To the editor: I am writing this letter in support of Jim Doherty for Morrow County Com- missioner. These are im- portant times for our coun- ty. We need a commissioner that understands all of the issues impacting our com- munities. Every citizen in Morrow County needs to be recognized. Jim Doherty has served us well for the last 2-3/4 years. He has fought for the underdog. He has worked for our schools and special districts. He cares about the county and understands the consequences of the chang- es that are occurring in our communities. We need an educated and passionate person to lead our county. Jim Doherty is that man. Please vote for Jim Doherty Morrow County Commissioner. Kim Cutsforth, Heppner DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5PM He is a straightforward, honest, unbiased man who is already doing a great job as our justice of the peace. This is echoed by the long list of impressive endorsements from pre- vious great leaders of our community and that should not be ignored. During my conversations with him, I know he not only has great respect for the law as it applies to all people but a great love for our county and way of life. Unlike his challenger more than 35 years of full time, true criminal justice experience and knows the difference between a mis- demeanor and a violation. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford to have someone learn on my fam- ily and friends because they don’t have the experience necessary to perform the job. To me the choice is clear. Please join me in retaining Glen Diehl as the justice of the peace. Joey Munkers, Irrigon Move statues to Heppner To the editor: Monday morning I learned that Antifa rioters in Portland have torn down the statues of Abraham Lin- coln and Teddy Roosevelt that stood in the South Park Blocks of Portland. The city government of Portland has demonstrated, by their refusal to stop this destruc- tion, that they side with the rioters and that they do not want the statues. Before Denise and I moved to Heppner from the Portland area, we of- ten took long walks in the South Park Blocks with its giant and beautiful old trees, the historical society on one side and the Portland Art Museum on the oth- er, through the university campus and back. Seeing Lincoln on a plinth with his head bowed and Roosevelt on his horse was a part of what made this park a won- derful place. Also, on June 14 the statue of Thomas Jefferson was toppled from its place at Jefferson High School a few blocks from where I once lived in north Port- land. And less than a week later the statue of George Washington was pulled down where it stood on the grounds of the German American Society. The day after, the director of public art at the Regional Arts Council went to the site and asked people gathered there what should be done with the statue of Washington. One citizen stated a desire to see the statue relocated somewhere and displayed exactly as it was that morn- ing: tipped over, face down, sprayed with graffiti, an ob- ject of scorn and contempt. I write this letter not in a momentary burst of outrage, but because I have thought many times in the past several months about statues all over the country that need to be taken to places where they will be preserved and appreciated. My question now is this: Are the citizens of Heppner interested in ac- quiring these statues? Sincerely, Dale A. Woods, Heppner Crawford is very hard-working To the editor: Morrow County resi- dents, I urge you to vote for Theresa Crawford for the justice of the peace. I have known Theresa for over 16 years and in that time, I have known her to be a very hard-work- ing individual. Theresa is a self-starter and highly motivated in her work with the Morrow County clerk’s office and I have no doubt that she will carry this work ethic into the justice of the peace position. Theresa has been a committed Morrow Coun- ty resident for over 30 years and is an active member of the communities that she has lived in. She has volunteered a lot of time to the children of this county Taking care of all your needs since 1959! Pharmacy • Hallmark Cards • Gifts • Liquor Store 217 North Main St., Heppner, OR Phone: 676-9158 | Floral: 676-9426 murraysdrug.com coaching baseball and bas- ketball. She is currently a volunteer for People Help- ing People. Theresa has always been interested in the law. She worked with a local at- torney for several years and in her position in the clerk’s office she would handle the juvenile files and attend ju- venile hearings. She took it upon herself to go back to school and received her As- sociates Degree in Criminal Justice and graduated with honors. It is very important for our elected officials to live in this county full-time. It shows that they are com- mitted to the people that elected them into office and to Morrow County. I know Theresa will be fair to the people that come see her at Justice Court and listen to both sides without prejudg- ing the case. Vote Theresa Crawford for justice of the peace. Gayle L. Gutierrez Heppner, Oregon To the editor: Ken and I lost our spouses in 2013. We met in late 2014 and were married in 2015. I was not sure how we were going to work out as a couple, in the beginning because I saw a man with a strong personality and having a strong personality myself, I thought this could be very interesting. And I was right. I have learned more about the Constitution than I ever learned in school. Ken honestly believes in the Constitution and that every citizen has their Constitu- tional rights, not just when it is convenient, but all the time, for every citizen of our great country. I learned how kind and giving Ken was and how he cares deeply about the citizens of Morrow County early in our marriage. He will take a phone call in the middle of dinner from a concerned citizen and will stay on the phone as long as necessary to complete the conversation and hopefully resolve the areas of con- cern. You cannot imagine how many times I have had to warm up his meal. He is a Christian man and believes strongly he would not be here today without the help of our Lord. He is a family man. Family means the world to him. He is a wonderful hus- band, father and grandfa- ther. My son and grandkids think the world of him. Ken is proud to be your sheriff because that puts him in a position to help all the citizens of Mor- row County and be some- one who is available and accessible for those who seek help from him or the Sheriff’s Office. His long law enforcement career has provided him a wealth of information and experi- ence to make good and fair decisions for the people in Morrow County. God, family and the Constitution are my favor- ite words to describe Ken- neth Matlack, my husband. Sincerely, Shirley Matlack Irrigon, OR Endorsing Crawford To the Editor: Morrow County resi- dents, I want to go on re- cord as endorsing Theresa Crawford for the office of Morrow County Justice of the Peace. Theresa has worked effectively in the county clerk’s office for over 16 years. One of her duties required filing accu- rate juvenile court records and going to juvenile court when the clerk couldn’t go. Those records were con- fidential and were always kept in good order. Theresa is the chief deputy clerk in charge of recording. She understands the importance of keeping good records and how to serve the public. She is hon- est, reliable and willing to work long hours if needed. Theresa acquired an Associate of Applied Sci- ence Degree in Criminal Justice, while working full time. She has lived in Mor- row County for over 30 years, raised her children in Morrow County and has supported our communities by volunteering her time whenever it’s been needed. I believe that Theresa is the best qualified person to be our next justice of the peace. I urge you to vote for Theresa Crawford, a long- time resident of Morrow County. Bobbi Childers, Ione Peterson committed to making Morrow County better To the editor: Morrow County resi- dents, vote for Joel Peterson for Morrow County com- missioner. As a lifelong resident of Morrow County Joel has been involved in many aspects of life in Morrow County. He is a farmer and rancher and has volunteered to serve on many organi- zations’ boards including the Morrow County Plan- ning Commission, Bank of Eastern Oregon, Morrow County Wheat Growers, lone Community Agri Busi- ness Organization and the lone School board to name a few. Joel has also served on the budget committee for the Port of Morrow and the Ione Fire Department. This tells me that he is com- mitted to making Morrow County a better place to live and work and that he has a working knowledge of the county. It also proves that he is a hard worker with a strong work ethic. A Morrow County commissioner needs to be a person that doesn’t have a personal agenda. A commissioner needs to be respectful of the people they work with and the people of Morrow County. A commissioner needs to build trust and then trust the other elected officials and department heads within the county so everyone involved can build a better future for this county. . I have known Joel Pe- terson for over 50 years and I believe he is the best per- son for this very important position. Join me and vote for Joel Peterson for Mor- row County commissioner. Gayle L Gutierrez Heppner, Oregon
