SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 8, 2022
~ 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.
Fine people forced to
leave town
To the editor
I would like to respond
to “A heartfelt letter to my
community,” published in
last week’s letters to the
editor. While we appreci-
ate a response from Emily
Roberts, I believe for her to
say, “Gosh, it’s been a long
two years,” seriously mis-
calculates what the MCHD
staff have known for several
years. The careers and live-
lihoods of many excellent
people have been terribly
disrupted over the last cou-
ple of years. Her declaration
of “gosh,” speaks either
of complete ignorance or
thoughtless reflection. Fur-
ther, many fine people, and
many of the patients and
families previously served
by the MCHD, have been
forced to leave town.
We have all heard that
it is wrong to be negative.
But I ask you, the reader, if
the responses in the letters
to the editor over the last
couple of years has been
negative. Rather, are they
the voices of those whose
lives have been disrupt-
ed finally speaking up, if
not for themselves, then
for the future of Morrow
County? For me, I choose
to speak up. I am motivated
by the words of Winston
Churchill, who said, “You
have enemies? Good. That
means you’ve stood up for
something, sometime in
your life.”
No one doubts the qual-
ity of MCHD staff. How-
ever, there were many staff
either forced to or given
the option to quit. There
were stories of a toxic work
environment, of being man-
aged by fear, etc. So many
stories, that anyone would
be forced to question the
circumstances and the lead-
ership of the organization.
So, yes, there has been
a need for change and build-
ing each other up for a very
long time. There is defi-
nitely a need for mending
fences between the MCHD
admin and the current staff
and community. How they
respond to this will be of the
utmost importance.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmelo A.
Di Salvo
Lexington
Citizens doing great job
keeping town litter free
To the editor
We are finally getting
some nice days and it is
time to give some attention
to taking care of community
litter pick up around town
and on the entries to town.
Our citizens that are doing
walks for good health in
town are doing a great job
of keeping our town litter
free.
Also, the cooperating
organizations that do litter
pick up on the entries to
town are adding to the good
appearance of Heppner as
a community which cares
about having a litter free
town for ourselves and our
visitors.
Good work everyone.
John Edmundson
Heppner
An appeal to the
residents of Morrow
County
“See something, say and do something”
To the editor;
I have become more
aware of the declining
transparency of our gov-
ernment in the last five
years than in any other time
in my life. I’ve heard over
and over again, that each
of us must stand up in our
own cities, counties and
states, if we want to save
our country. I am going to
do just that when and where
I can. And, I hope that many
others will, too.
In our county, good
working Morrow County
residents have been victims
of harassment. It is forcing
them to lose jobs, and/or be
forced out of employment,
because of unchecked and
unreported behavior by our
officials. I believe if those
who were aware of this had
Thank you
commissioners
To the editor;
As the Morrow County
elected board member for
Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College, I wanted to
personally and publicly
thank each of the com-
missioners for your recent
decision to send a portion of
the Amazon “gift” dollars
($672,517) to BMCC. In
particular, Commissioner
Lindsay, who in leading up
to her final decision, took
advantage of the opportu-
nity to visit with President
Mark Browning on multiple
occasions to ensure the
“who and what” these funds
would be expended for by
BMCC in Morrow County.
I know that each of
our commissioners under-
stand the importance and
used their voice and notified
the proper authorities, it
could have been stopped.
(And still can be.)
I have observed the
unchecked behavior in our
state government, as well as
in D.C., and, unfortunately,
time doesn’t heal; it just al-
lows more of the same. One
avenue open to us is the
Oregon Ethics Committee
(503-378-5105). “Preserv-
ing the public trust” is one
of their messages to us.
Once more, please use
your voice to help support
the men and women who
bravely stood up for what
we each value in our gov-
ernment officials.
Respectfully,
Corol Mitchell
Heppner
By Doris Brosnan
Melissa Jo Monaco
reports that “a fall in my
yard resulted in my first ride
in an ambulance. First re-
May 20, 2022: - Kelly sponders, ER, neighbor la-
May Wilson, 25, Heppner, dies, my pastor and church
and Lukas Kenneth Barnett, family have brought about
a ‘good news’ ending to this
29, Heppner.
May 26, 2022; - Tyrone story. Grateful to you all....”
Omitted from the for-
Lee Meligan, 53, Hep-
pner, and Michelle Lynne mer report on the “Cin-
derella” production in
Vaughn, 46, Heppner.
May 27, 2022: - Wil- Pendleton was that also on
liam Ray Bogart, 42, Hep- stage was Andrew Lindsay,
pner, and Jennie Arlene brother of Cori Jo. Andrew
is not new to the stage and
Ohlde, 40, Heppner.
ballet, as he has performed
Good News Only
in “The Nutcracker” more
than once. Kudos, Andrew.
The swimming pool
opening is around the cor-
ner. Maybe by the time a
full staff of lifeguards and
support personnel have
been trained, the rainy
weather will have eased up
and warmed up.
Congrats to all the area
graduates and their parents
– both have maneuvered
through the past twelve
years and reached a mile-
stone in the lives of parents
working to “do the right
thing” and children curious
to know more….
Any positive newsy
notes to share with the GT
Morrow County Justice of the Peace, Glen Diehl, has readers? Please send them
to dbrosnan123@gmail.
released the following Justice Court report:
- Zach E. Brown, 33, Heppner, was convicted of dog com or call 541-223-1490.
Here’s hoping that
as a public nuisance, fine $265.
- Dylan K. Howey, 21, Heppner, was convicted of some good news comes to
everyone reading this.
violation of basic rule, fine $265.
- Jered L. Wicklund, 46, Heppner, was convicted of
dog as a public nuisance, fine $265.
DEADLINE:
- Juvenile, 16, Heppner, was convicted of driving
MONDAYS
while suspended, fine $440; failure to carry registration,
fine $115 and driving uninsured, fine $265.
AT 5PM
Marriage Licenses
The Morrow County
Clerk’s office has released
the following report of
marriage licenses:
May 3, 2022: - Juan
Trujillo Ramirez, 30, Irri-
gon, and Hirania Vera, 24,
Irrigon.
May 4, 2022: - Malee-
na Shae Moore, 21, West
Richland, WA, and Madi-
son James Clark, 29, West
Richland, WA.
May 5, 2022: - Mariela
Carrillo, 27, Stanfield, and
Martin Raul Herrera, 27,
Boardman.
May 17, 2022: - Corey
Scott Baker, 45, Ione, and
Gina Marie Jepsen, 54,
Ione.
value that our Workforce
Development Center in
Boardman brings to Mor-
row County and the lo-
cal industries who are all
supported by our training
opportunities across the
entire region.
Ultimately, BMCC may
soon make some changes to
the curriculum there, but
the presence of a viable pro-
gram and our instructor will
remain, and in large part the
support of these additional
Amazon dollars made that
pending BMCC Board bud-
get decision much easier
when it comes to our future
or any discussion of faculty/
program retrenchment in
Morrow County.
Chris Brown, Heppner
Justice Court Report