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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2022)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 6, 2022 -- 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. Email to editor@rapidserve.net or upload to Heppner.net. Beware job seekers To the editor; It’s a sad fact of life that some people would rather get their money by cheating others than by providing something useful. The best way to avoid becoming a victim is by knowing what’s out there, so I’ll pass on the latest scam I’ve heard about. It’s a job scam. The scammers pretend to repre- sent a real company, do an interview, say you’ve got the job and will send you an offer letter and a W-4. What I say now may leave you wondering how anyone could fall for this, but remember, it doesn’t happen all at once like I tell it here. It happens one thing at a time, to a person who may be desperate for a job. The interview is electron- ic. The offer letter is sent electronically and returned electronically. The “meet- ings” you “attend” are done electronically. Yo u a r e t o l d y o u will have money (maybe $5,000) sent to you to buy a computer and supplies. You may have to wait a few days after depositing the check (a usual waiting period for that much money to be sure it gets to your ac- count) before you can spend it. It’s there, and you order your supplies. The supplies never come. Two weeks later, the check bounces, the money is no longer in your account, and the things you bought put you in overdraft. At least that is how I understand that now. But how it plays out is less im- portant than knowing that even jobs can be scammed, and to be careful. Talk to HR by phone or in person to make sure they really have a job like that open. (Don’t use their phone number if they give you one; look up the company online to be [more] sure that you’re getting the real number.) If you’ve given out your bank account number and/or social security num- ber before you realize you might be being scammed, get help. Work with the police and maybe your bank to get to the bottom of this. Social Security, too. Maintain positive contact with the scammers (without giving them any more infor- mation) in case the police can use your contact to trace them. Don’t be embar- rassed. They are the crooks. They’re good at what they do. You just trusted some- one you shouldn’t have. Sandra Johnson Heppner Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner) joined local pharmacists Ann and John Murray in a discus- sion with the Secretary of State’s Audits Division regarding their upcoming performance audit of Phar- macy Benefit Managers in the Medicaid program. “Constitutionally the Secretary of State has the authority to review con- tracts that may not be in the best interest of the State of Oregon. Legislatively, I have the responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used correctly and getting the greatest benefit for all of Oregon,” said Representative Smith. “We welcome the Or- egon Secretary of State’s audit of the Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM’s) activities within the state Medicaid program. Many states in the nation have recently found astonishing savings in these audits. By increasing transparency and scrutinizing how PBM’s are operating, we predict this audit will uncover funds that can be used to help Oregon’s Medicaid pro- gram protect and benefit vulnerable Oregonians and maintain our fragile rural health care system and ac- cess to pharmacy services,” said John and Ann Murray who operate Murray’s Drug with locations in Heppner, Condon and Boardman. It is anticipated this extensive audit could take upwards of 18 months to complete. “At the end of the day, I would hope there would be transparency in the auditing process and identification of waste and inefficiency,” said Representative Smith. Representative Smith serves as a co-chair of the Joint Ways and Means Sub- committee on General Gov- ernment that works directly with the Secretary of State on the agency’s budget, in- cluding the Audits Division. Moreover, Representative Smith is the ranking mem- ber on the Joint Legislative Audits Committee. According to prelim- inary data received by NOAA’s National Weather Service in Pendleton, tem- peratures at Heppner aver- aged slightly warmer than normal during the month of March 2022. The average tempera- ture was 45.5 degrees which was 1.3 degrees warmer than the normal average temperature for this month. High temperatures aver- aged 55.7 degrees with the high of 67 degrees being recorded on the 13 th . Low temperatures averaged 35.2 degrees with the low of 19 degrees being recorded on Rep. Greg Smith supports audit of pharmacy benefit managers Cast your vote for Lindsay When I cast my vote in May, I will be voting Me- lissa Lindsay for Morrow County Commissioner. Melissa’s Grandfather, Gar Swanson, was one of the founding members and a visionary for the Port of Morrow and the Bank of Eastern Oregon. He was committed to Mor- row County agriculture and economic development. Her father, Ken Turner, a descendant of Irish Immi- grants, expanded the farm that she and her husband have been on for 28 years. Her son will be the fifth generation to run the busi- ness. The Turner family have been farming as well as promoting growth in Morrow County for over 135 years. Melissa is a graduate of Mt Hood Community Col- lege and San Diego State University with degrees in social science and business administration. Melissa was instrumental in initiating the formation phase of the Bank of Eastern Oregon’s mortgage lending depart- ment and headed up the profitable mortgage divi- sion as a vice president for 15 years. Her roots run deep and have instilled the desire to serve Morrow County and its residents. Over the past six years, while serving as county judge and com- missioner, she has learned about government business and serves on boards and committees to the great benefit of the residents of Morrow County. The example her fore- fathers set, generations before her, have instilled a desire to work diligently representing all of Morrow County, and with our sup- port, Melissa will continue doing so. Please join me in sup- port of Melissa Lindsay as Morrow County Commis- sioner. Donna Rietmann Reelect Melissa Lindsay Morrow Co. Commissioner To the editor; Melissa Lindsay is a candidate who actually pos- sesses what others claim to: an innate ability to listen, ask questions, and to take the time to learn before she makes a decision. Dealing with the com- plexities of a county and its functions in a concise, straightforward, and above all honest manner is crucial. The core of a good public servant must be a sense of decency, and the ability to treat all with equal respect. It is critical that the person is a trust builder. Also nec- essary, and often missing, is a clear-eyed, non- judgmen- tal grasp and understanding of the county being served. The long-range plan is what is crucial; Melissa sees everyone and everything as a meaningful part of the big picture, she is naturally able to incorporate the whole, and not just individual pieces, into her decisions. Melissa is uniquely her- self, and strongly appeals to young and old, farmer and businessperson, and a wide range of opinions and views, under all conditions. Melissa’s approach is simple, direct and concise. I firmly believe her abiding sense of humanity (and humor) makes her the ideal candidate for re-election. And by the way, Melissa has spent her entire life in Morrow County. Kelly Kilkenny Hale Portland, OR Vote to reelect Lindsay To the editor: Please join us in voting to reelect Melissa Lindsay for county commissioner. Melissa has worked tire- lessly the last four years to make Morrow County a better place to live. We have contacted Me- lissa numerous times on road, planning and other issues and she has been responsive with informed answers that are detailed and have made sense. Mor- row County has had rapid growth in the north end for quite some time and keep- ing things on track in ev- eryone’s best interest is not an easy job. We think it is important to reelect a com- missioner that is already up to speed and has a proven record to do the right thing for the whole county. Melissa has proven she will spend the time and go to the numerous other agency meetings that it takes to get the job done. Please vote for Melissa, she will continue to do what is right for our communities and county. Gary and Casey Frederickson Boardman March averages slightly warmer the 10 . There were 10 days when the low temperature was below 32 degrees Precipitation was slightly below normal during March, totaling 1.26 inches, which was 0.10 inches below normal. Precipitation of at least .01 th inch was reported on four days. The heaviest amount of precipitation was 0.43 inches, which was reported on the 9 th . Woke is everywhere To the editor: We are entering the “woke” final onslaught on American liberty. Woke is insidious. It has penetrated every fiber of life in Amer- ica and the western world (Canada, Great Britain, Eu- rope, New Zealand, Austra- lia). Woke is more virulent than Covid, more malignant than cancer, more enslaving than Communism, more vi- olent than the Taliban, more cunning than liberalism, more disingenuous than Black Lives Matter. Woke is everywhere influencing deeds, actions, mindsets, relationships and most destructively out- comes. Woke can be de- fined as how it acts: “alert to injustice, especially racism, we need to stay angry and stay woke.” (Oxford Dic- tionary) The best way to define woke is what is does to people. Will Smith slapping Chris Rock was woke. In early times in Morrow County the Irish never car- ried guns because they settled their disputes with their fists. To slap a man was effeminate, to shoot a man was akin to being a coward. Woke encourages male effeminacy and plants the seeds for violence. Will Smith was provoked and inflamed to carry out an effeminate but violent woke attack on Chris Rock. Our American military is now woke. Woke mili- tary training under Biden has “rid the ranks of racists and extremists.” (Sec. of Defense Lloyd Austin). Instead of preparing our military to fight, our troops are now trained to battle extremism and train pri- marily to promote Diversi- ty, Equality and Inclusion (DEI). Would be Supreme Court lifetime justice Ken- taji Jackson is the epitome of woke. Woman does not exist in woke theology, that is why Jackson has no answer in how to de- fine a woman. According to woke “science cannot define woman.” (USA TO- DAY) There is no gender in woke, you are what you think you are. God that made male and female does not exist in woke. Woke indoctrination, applied through the six companies that own the news media, Hollywood, drug companies that control our government, has turned America from the home of the brave to the land of the fearful. America’s youth stormed Normandy to set the world free. Twenty years later America’s cou- rageous shed their blood in Vietnam in a woke war our leaders had no intent to win. Desert Storm and Afghanistan defined woke defeatist activism with their outcome. America now cowers at every perceived threat, from Covid to racism to biological genders of male and female. Our college youth now have cry closets, a designated safe place for stressed out students. Our local school district had to add nearly a dozen counsel- ors for stressed out students. Why? Woke induces fear. Fearful citizens are easier to control so start them young. Fearful citizens are willing to yield liberty and freedom for peace and security. In the seventies “I am woman, hear me roar” was feminism but at least wom- anhood was empowered. Today womanhood does not exist in woke gender ideology. Walt Disney de- fined and championed fam- ily values and the joy of childhood. Now Disney is a woke world after all. Disney no longer recog- nizes boys and girls and has opposed a Florida bill that bans instruction for children K-3 from choosing their sexual orientation or gender identity behind the backs of parents. Even The New World Order is now woke and no longer a right wing con- spiracy. Communism produces corruption, ineptitude and slavery. Islamic terrorism produces pathological mass murders. Socialism produc- es government-controlled robots Woke is worse. Americans and citizens of the western world will never acquiesce to Commu- nism or Islamic extremism and inherently understand Socialism will ultimately fail. Woke is much more dangerous. Woke will sure- ly destroy America and pro- duce future generations of masked, marked and mis- erable citizens if good men (and women) do nothing. Is there hope against woke? Fear not. Fear not those that espouse woke. They live in fear and are inept at heart. Faith in Jesus Christ produces warriors. Honoring and obeying God was the answer for our Godly forefathers. Yield to God, through His son Jesus Christ and fear not and He will raise you up. Stuart Dick, Irrigon Print & Mailing Services *Design *Print Sykes Publishing *Mail 541-676-9228 ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
