Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, January 20, 2021 -- THREE
Umatilla National Forest
advises visitors be prepared
for winter conditions
With snowfall across
the Blue Mountains, large
numbers of people are head-
ing to the Umatilla National
Forest for recreation oppor-
tunities. While winter is a
great time to explore public
lands, recreation staff and
emergency responders urge
forest visitors to follow
these tips to help ensure a
safe experience while on
National Forest lands.
Umatilla National For-
est roads are not main-
tained for winter travel.
Visitors traveling to the
forest are doing so at their
own risk and should plan
ahead before starting their
trip. The Umatilla National
Forest does not plow roads
or clear them for downed
trees or boulders in the
winter. Many forest roads
close during the winter to
protect wildlife, road sur-
faces and to support winter
recreation opportunities
(see the Umatilla National
Forest Motor Vehicle Use
Maps (MVUMs) for spe-
cific seasonal road closure
information). The condi-
tions of roads that remain
open during the winter can
change dramatically and
without warning. Winter
storms often bring wind,
snow and rain that can
substantially affect road
and trail conditions, causing
hazards and obstructions in
roadways.
Always check weather
and road conditions before
leaving home. Prepare for
extreme weather, hazards
and emergencies. Traffic
may be heavy around pop-
ular winter recreation sites
so have a back-up plan if
the site you wanted to visit
is full.
The Umatilla Nation-
al Forest is experiencing
unprecedented numbers of
visitors on the forest this
year. Many sno-parks are
filling up early on week-
ends. If a parking lot is full,
do not park in no-parking
zones, do not block oth-
er vehicles, and ensure
highways remain clear for
through traffic. Ambulanc-
es and other emergency
vehicles need unhindered
access to operate safely and
save lives. Highway snow-
plows need extra-wide road
space as they have “wing”
plows that stick out more
than eight feet from the
right front edge of the truck
to remove snow. Vehicles
blocking traffic or parked
illegally are subject to tick-
eting and towing.
Additionally, the Forest
encourages visitors to prac-
tice the following winter
safety travel tips:
-Know the area and
what to expect; always
check avalanche and weath-
~ Letters to the Editor ~
er reports prior to departure.
Consult maps and local au-
thorities about high danger
areas, safety information
and regulations for the area
you plan to visit. Do not
rely solely on navigational
devices.
-Monitor snow condi-
tions frequently.
-Bring extra food, wa-
ter and clothes.
-Use a map and com-
pass to eliminate the need
for tree markings, rock
cairns or flagging. Obtain
a Motorized Vehicle Use
Map (MVUM) for the area
you’re visiting.
-Show a friend a map
of your planned route and
let him/her know when you
expect to return. Remember
to notify that person upon
your return.
-Make certain each
member of the group is ad-
equately prepared for harsh
winter conditions.
The public is encour-
aged to monitor the Uma-
tilla National Forest Face-
book page and website for
updates on forest conditions
Additional information on
winter travel is available
on the Umatilla National
Forest website at www.
fs.usda.gov/umatilla/ or at
any forest office. Visitors
are encouraged to contact
their local ranger district
office before heading out.
Oregon students encouraged to
apply for grants, scholarships
Deadlines are approaching for some key financial
aid programs
The Higher Education
Coordinating Commis-
sion’s Office of Student
Access and Completion
(OSAC) is reminding all
Oregonians about upcom-
ing student financial aid
application deadlines. Any-
one planning to take college
courses any time from fall
2021 through spring 2022
should complete their stu-
dent financial aid applica-
tions as soon as possible.
OSAC awards more
than $100 million each
year in state-funded grants
and privately funded schol-
arships to help Oregon
students meet their college
expenses. New and current
postsecondary students can
finds links to applications
for federal and state-admin-
istered programs at Oregon-
StudentAid.gov.
Determining Need -
FAFSA or ORSAA: Every
new and returning student
must complete either the
Free Application for Fed-
eral Student Aid (FAFSA)
or the Oregon Student Aid
Application (ORSAA) to
be considered for feder-
al and/or state financial
aid, including grants and
loans. Most students will
complete the FAFSA to
determine their federal and
state financial aid eligibil-
ity. Students with undoc-
umented status, including
those with Deferred Ac-
tion for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) status, will instead
fill out the ORSAA—Or-
egon’s alternative to the
FAFSA. The information
provided on the FAFSA or
the ORSAA will determine
students’ eligibility for the
Oregon Promise, the Ore-
gon Opportunity Grant and
numerous scholarships. In-
formation provided on the
ORSAA is not shared with
any federal entities.
OSAC Scholarships:
OSAC makes it easy for
Oregon students to apply
for up to 40 scholarships
through a single applica-
tion. Students can choose
from a catalog of more
than 600 privately funded
scholarships. Scholarship
funds are available for grad-
uating high school seniors;
undergraduate and graduate
college students; GED®
students; undocumented
and DACA students; home-
schooled students; commu-
nity college and vocational
school students; single par-
ents returning to school;
and more. Students must
apply online at OregonStu-
dentAid.gov and submit a
completed OSAC schol-
arship application and all
other required materials by
the final deadline of March
1, 2021 at 5 p.m. (PST).
Students who submit their
applications by February
15, 2021 at 5 p.m. may be
entered in a drawing to win
a $1,000 OSAC Early Bird
scholarship.
Oregon Opportunity
Grant: The Oregon Oppor-
tunity Grant is Oregon’s
largest state-funded, need-
based grant program. The
grant supports low-income
students (both recent high
school graduates and adult
learners) pursuing under-
graduate degrees at eligible
public and private colleges
and universities. Oregon
Opportunity Grants are
awarded until funds are ex-
hausted, so students should
complete either the FAFSA
or ORSAA as soon as pos-
sible to be automatically
considered for the grant for
2021-22.
Oregon Promise: Stu-
dents receiving their high
school diploma or GED®
equivalent in coming
months, as well as recent
graduates, may be eligible
for the Oregon Promise
Grant. The Oregon Prom-
ise helps students pay for
tuition at Oregon commu-
nity colleges. Most students
must apply for Oregon
Promise during their se-
nior year or immediately
after GED® test completion
(see full Oregon Promise
deadlines). Students must
meet minimum GPA re-
quirements and enroll in a
community college no later
than six months after grad-
uation. Interested students
must complete an Oregon
Promise application and
submit a FAFSA or OR-
SAA by their designated
deadline. Depending on
program funding, awards
may be limited to those
under a certain Estimated
Family Contribution (EFC)
threshold.
Due to a myriad of
factors, FAFSA completion
rates have been well-below
average this application
season. According to the
national FAFSA tracker
data dashboard Form Your
Future, FAFSA comple-
tions among Oregon high
school seniors as of January
1, 2021 were 18.7 percent
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. Email to editor@rapidserve.net or upload
to Heppner.net.
Support available for unplanned
pregnancy
To the editor:
January 22 nd marks the
th
48 anniversary of the Roe
v. Wade Supreme Court de-
cision which made abortion
legal in all nine months of
pregnancy. This decision
led to over sixty million
preborn babies legally
losing their lives under
the banner of a woman’s
“choice.”
Forty-eight years ago,
women in an unplanned
pregnancy did not always
have a “choice” due to the
lack of pro-life facilities
which could assist women
in bringing their children to
term. Additionally, medical
science has proven that a
new life, a unique person, is
evident at conception.
We are fortunate that
Trucare Pregnancy Clinic
in Hermiston and Birth-
right facilities in Heppner,
Pendleton and Kennewick
provide loving support
to women and men who
find themselves in an un-
planned pregnancy. The
compassionate staff at these
facilities make sure that
every woman does have a
“choice” and are not forced
by circumstances or lack of
support to end the life of
their preborn child.
While praying outside
of the Kennewick Planned
Parenthood facility last
spring this lack of “choice”
was graphically displayed.
As a young man and wom-
an exited their vehicle the
man raised his arms and
shouted, “We are here to
have an abortion!” Next to
him stood the sad young
mother-to-be whose body
language spoke volumes.
The apparently terrified
young woman did not give
the impression that abor-
tion was her “choice” at
all. Tragically, a Birthright
Clinic was a mere 1,000
yards away, but I wonder if
she truly had the “choice”
to go there instead?
Kristin Smalley
Hermiston
Biden elected fraudulently
To the editor:
This column is written
in honor of Deanna Peck
with thanksgiving to the
Heppner class of 1995.
Deanna is with her Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ and will
never suffer or be incapaci-
tated again, forever!
When you read this
letter, great events will have
transpired changing our
world forever. Our great
American pledge, “…one
nation under God, with
liberty and justice for all”
will no longer apply to
The American Republic if
Joe Biden is inaugurated
as President of the United
States. This is because Joe
Biden was elected fraudu-
lently with the interference
from foreign nations, par-
ticularly China. The historic
American Democrat party
no longer exists, replaced
by anti-American, global
agents of Communism/
Socialism.
As I write this letter
Donald Trump (Jan. 18, 21)
is still President of the Unit-
ed States. I believe Donald
Trump will remain Presi-
dent of the United States for
the following reasons.
1) The world belongs
to the almighty God of our
lower than they were at this
same time last year.
Juan Baez-Arevalo,
director of OSAC, said,
“Students and their fami-
lies should set aside time
as soon as possible to
complete their application
forms and learn what fund-
ing they may be eligible
for. We want all new and
incoming students to be
fully prepared for their
postsecondary education
and to not miss out on any
critical funding, which may
be more vital than ever in
2021.”
forefathers and the battle is
His not ours. Our forefa-
thers made covenant upon
covenant with the one true
God of the Bible beginning
with the Mayflower Com-
pact. All of our founding
schools and universities
were birthed to honor and
teach the truth about Jesus
Christ and the Bible. The
first textbook in all our
schools in America was
the Bible. Our money still
declares “in God we trust.”
Some still pledge allegiance
to “one nation under God.”
It is a heartbreaking fact
America no longer honors
the covenants of our God-
ly forefathers which has
put our Republic under
judgment. Joe Biden/Ka-
mala Harris/Barack Obama
presidency would be judg-
ment upon America and the
world. Our nation, especial-
ly the church of Jesus Christ
deserves this judgment.
We have allowed the
sacrifice of tens of mil-
lions of innocent babies
on the altar humanism/he-
donism. We have allowed
our Heavenly Father
to be kicked out of our
government and schools.
If God blesses America
and the world one more
time with the man Donald
Trump that honors and
obeys Him, we will have
received unmerited grace.
II Thessalonians 2:6,7
tells us there is a man that
will resist the “mystery
of iniquity” until God
removes him. God honors
his covenants even when
his people, that once were
called by his name, do not.
2) When God’s people
cry out to Him to be deliv-
ered from injustice, oppres-
sion and tyranny and truly
repent of their sin and apos-
tasy God hears from heaven
and forgives their sin. If the
sincere believers of Jesus
Christ across America and
the world have honestly
humbled themselves and
taken responsibility for our
disobedience and coward-
ice God will intervene once
again for our Republic and
the World. By the time this
letter will be published we
shall know our fate: grace
with justice or judgment
with tyranny. In either case
the battle belongs to the
Lord and He is scanning
the world to find those with
courage to obey Him and
put their lives on the line
for God and country.
Stuart Dick, Irrigon
Wolf committee
meeting planned
The next Wolf Depredation Advisory Committee
Meeting will be held Tuesday, January 26 at 7 p.m. at
the Bartholomew Building upper conference room, 110
N. Court St., Heppner.
The agenda will be available on the county’s website
at www.co.morrow.or.us/meetings.
Valby Lutheran Church
Valby Road
Ione Oregon. 97843
Church Services 1st & 3rd
Sundays
10:00 AM
Available for:
Weddings • Funerals
Family Events
541-422-7300
Old
Country
Church
All Are
Welcome
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