Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 29, 2022 -- THREE
~ Letters to the Editor ~
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States now have rights
to decide
To the Editor:
It's easy to think that
overturning the Roe vs.
Wade decision means
that abortions have been
banned in the us. But that's
not true. Roe vs. Wade was
a bad law that claimed to be
based on the constitution
when it wasn't. Overturn-
ing it simply means that
this is beyond the authority
of the federal government,
and that the states have
a right to decide wheth-
er abortions can be per-
formed and under what cir-
cumstances. It returns the
power back closer to the
people. Some states will
restrict abortions in their
states, a few forbidding
them all together, though
not many, and some states
will keep or even loos-
en their laws. And those
states, or any individuals,
could raise funds to enable
women who can't afford to
travel from restricted states
to come to theirs for an
abortion.
I always thought there
were two sides to this
issue, pro-life and pro-
choice. I thought people
who called pro-choice
people pro-abortion a bit
extreme. But I think it's
pretty obvious now that
some pro-choice people
ARE pro-abortion. If you
vandalize buildings where
women are supported in
carrying their babies to
term and caring for them
afterwards, you aren't
supporting their right to
choose, you're trying to
convince them they have
no viable choice except
abortion. If you object to
"informed consent" requir-
ing mothers to be shown
pictures of prenatal devel-
opment or listening to the
baby's heartbeat or seeing
the baby on an ultrasound,
you're not pro-choice,
you're pro-abortion. I re-
member my dad saying
something like "You have
a right to swing your arms
around, but that right ends
where the other guy's nose
begins." Well, women
have a right to control their
own bodies, but that right
ends when it means killing
another body.
Sandra Johnson
Heppner
New personnel join Ewing earns
doctorate
Boardman Fire
Rescue
Boardman Firefight-
er Zulema Gaytan has
received her Advanced
Emergency Medical Tech-
nician designation, Fire
Chief Michael Hughes
recently announced. Re-
ceiving the certification
Gaytan becomes Board-
man Fire’s first full-time
female firefighter to hold
the advanced designation.
Gaytan also recently in-
formed the fire district she
has been accepted to para-
medic school at Oregon
Ben Ewing, a 1996
Heppner graduate, recent-
ly earned his Doctor of
Philosophy in Science Ed-
ucation from Oregon State
University. He completed
his dissertation, "Explor-
ing Oregon Teacher Reten-
tion: Patterns and Reasons
For Teachers' Persistence"
while mentoring teach-
ers in the Lincoln County
School District.
His partner, Cinamon
Moffett, is on the faculty
at Oregon State University
and works at the Hatfield
Zulema Gaytan receives ad-
Marine Science Center
vanced designation
as the Research Program
Manager. They spend
Ben Ewing
their free time hiking and
traveling and are now on
a celebratory vacation in
Canada.
County hires new
finance manager
Del Turner, right, and Mark Keith have joined Boardman
fire Rescue
Health & Science Univer- cies, the Paramedics will
sity. “Obviously, we are be charged with providing
proud of her and support medical training to our
her new adventure,” says firefighters, our industry
Hughes.
partners and schools. The
Additionally,
long paramedics will also par-
time Boardman resident ticipate in public education
and Paramedic, Del Turner and safety,” Hughes said in
recently joined Boardman making the announcement.
Fire Rescue District as a “Having these valuable
full-time paramedic. And highly trained and skilled
Mark Keith another expe- employees will enhance
rienced paramedic has also the Fire District’s Emer-
joined the Fire District. gency Medical Service
“The paramedics will be to Boardman and the sur-
assigned to 24-hour shifts. rounding area,” Hughes
In addition to responding to added.
lem solver that navigated calls for medical emergen-
Morrow County through
the Coronavirus Pandem-
ic and the construction of
the new administration
building in Irrigon. During
these unprecedented times,
he demonstrates a commit-
ment to diversity in both
hiring and service delivery
decisions, loyalty to those
in Morrow County, and
dedication to the highest
ethical standards. I encour-
age the Morrow County
Board of Commissioners
to be objective when con-
sidering all of the facts re-
garding Mr. Darrel Green’s
review and consider the
consequences for Morrow
County employees and cit-
izens. Sincerely,
Kate Knop
Apply- lambweston.com/careers
Madras, OR
Morrow County has
a new finance manager.
Kevin Ince came here from
Lamb Weston in Board-
man where he has worked
in finance for the past five
years. Prior to that Ince
worked at Umatilla Elec-
tric Co-op for seven years.
Ince and his wife Me-
lissa have four children
and live in Hermiston.
Ince has a master’s degree
in business administration
from Washington State
University and also at-
tended Western Washing-
ton University where he
studied sociology. He was
Kevin Ince
hired by the county com-
missioners at their June 22
meeting.
Green dedicated to high
ideals, integrity
Dear Morrow County
Commissioners,
As a previous Finance
Director and fourth-gen-
eration family member of
Morrow County, I request
that you accept my letter
of concern for today’s spe-
cial meeting to consider
the dismissal or discipline
of the Morrow County
Administrator, Mr. Darrell
Green. For more than four
years, I worked closely
with Darrell Green. I re-
spect his dedication to the
highest ideals of honor and
integrity in all public and
personal relationships that
merit the respect and con-
fidence of elected officials,
employees, and the Mor-
row County citizens. As a
leader, Darrell is a prob-
Boardman East
Hiring Event
Join us!
July 13th 9am - 5pm
$1000 sign on bonus!
Gilliam & Bisbee Building
106 E May St. Heppner
Bring your resume!
Commissioners act as
star chamber
We don't write many
letters to the editor, but
after attending the disci-
plinary hearing for Morrow
County Manager Darrell
Green, we felt compelled
to write. The conclusions
from the hearing are as fol-
lows:
1. Morrow County
government is not open or
transparent. Two commis-
sioners act as a star cham-
ber making decisions, in
secret, to the exclusion of
the third county commis-
sioner and the public.
2. Darrell Green is
an exemplary county em-
ployee who, until he was
informed he was fired, has
no record of any discipline
as an employee.
3. The two commis-
sioners who made the de-
cision to terminate Mr.
Green, did not inform Mr.
Green about their concerns
with his performance until
they terminated him.
4. The two commis-
sioners that decided to ter-
minate Mr. Green did not
and do not want any public
input about their decision.
Is this the type of local
government we want for
Morrow County?
William J. Kuhn
Annetta L. Spicer
Heppner
Effective June 30, 2022, the
Fire Chief of the City of
Heppner is imposing a
BURN BAN.
This also includes
Burn Barrels.
Residents can request Natural Vegetation and
Debris Piles be burned by the
Fire Department during this period.
Sign up list for Fire Department burning
assistance is at Heppner City Hall or call
Fire Chief Steve Rhea @ 541-980-4232 or
Assistant Fire Chief Eric Chick @ 541-701-4910
Melanoma stands out.
Check your skin.
You could spot cancer.
Lamb Weston is an equal opportunity employer
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