SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 16 , 2022
Ione students present turkeys in
disguise
~ Letters to the Editor ~
-Continued from PAGE THREE
Have a
conversation,
not a recall
To the Editor,
We are respectfully
asking the voters of Mor-
row County to vote no in
the recall election of com-
missioners Melissa Lindsay
and Jim Doherty.
We have both served
on various boards over
the years and know it’s
not easy. You can never
make everyone happy. If
you don’t take a certain
stand, people call you a
“fence rider.” If you speak
your mind and vote to do
what you believe is right,
there will always be those
who disagree and call you
something else. It’s already
difficult to get people to
serve on public boards and
commissions in our small
towns and county. If people
have to worry about being
recalled if someone isn’t
happy when tough deci-
sions have to be made, who
will want to serve?
If we question an elect-
ed official’s actions, we
should contact them, ask
our questions and hear
what they have to say. Have
a conversation. No, they
cannot speak to legally
confidential matters—this
is nothing new, and to in-
sist they should do so or be
recalled raises a new list of
questions.
Please read the com-
missioners’ justification
statements on the ballots
and join us in voting against
this recall.
David & Patti Allstott
Heppner, OR
Serving
Self-Serving
and Recalls
I just received my ballot
in the mail for the recall ef-
fort against Morrow County
commissioners Melissa
Lindsay and Jim Doherty.
In reflecting on the events
that have been reported on
in Morrow County politics
this fall, I have drawn some
conclusions.
In early September,
I read a series of articles
written about the Port of
Morrow by Mike Rogoway
of the Oregonian. In these
articles, Mr. Rogoway shed
light on the inner workings
of the Port and some of its
board members as well as
the former Director of the
Port and a current Morrow
County Commissioner (the
commissioner not being
recalled ironically enough).
In this article we learned
of the ownership of the
company that provides fiber
optic communications to
the Amazon Data Centers
located in Morrow and
Umatilla counties (Wind-
wave), how Windwave was
acquired from a non-profit
and how the very people
that profit from this rela-
tionship approved 85 per-
cent tax abatements for
siting these data centers on
port ground and how they
profit from providing fiber
to those centers.
In an article dated Aug.
25 in the East Oregonian, it
is reported that the newly
elected Morrow County
Commissioner is the sub-
ject of an Oregon Govern-
ment Ethics Commission
investigation looking into
possible violations resulting
from his paid board mem-
ber position at Umatilla
Electric Cooperative and
his role as Morrow Coun-
ty Planning Commission
Board Chair. UEC provides
electrical service to the Am-
azon Data Centers.
In an East Oregonian
article dated Nov. 4, we
learn of our state represen-
tative’s involvement with
various agencies within his
district, where he charges
six figure fees to public
agencies in exchange for
“project management and
contract procurement.” As
reported in this articles,
large contracts were award-
ed improperly.
There are many more
examples where our local
elected officials are prof-
iting from relationships
related to the very positions
that we have elected them
to. I am not inferring that
any of the formerly men-
tioned officials have broken
any laws, but the conflicts
of interest are glaring and
self-serving.
The point of bringing
this to light is that I cannot
think of a single instance
where Melissa Lindsay or
Jim Doherty is conflicted.
They have actively nego-
tiated for a better deal in
regard to tax abatements,
fought for clean drinking
water and advocated for
all of Morrow Counties
citizens. We need to be
re-electing them, not recall-
ing. Recalls votes should
be reserved to remove a
public official for egregious
behavior, not because you
don’t agree with decisions.
That is what elections are
for.
I believe that Melissa
and Jim became commis-
sioners to serve the county
and strongly urge a no vote
on the recall.
Brian Thompson
Heppner, OR
Let’s show our
gratitude
In the short time I have
lived in Morrow County, I
have had the opportunity to
work with Commissioner
Lindsay on several projects.
She is consistent, reliable
and incredibly hardwork-
ing. Melissa played a vital
role in the restoration of
the Gilliam and Bisbee
building we all now enjoy,
and she worked to secure
over $100,000 in dona-
tions from Amazon for both
the Heppner Daycare and
the Heppner Community
Foundation. I have seen
her volunteering her time at
countless funerals, benefit
dinners, boards, committees
and community events of
all sorts. Let’s not forget,
Melissa worked tirelessly
during the pandemic to
keep businesses open and
was a key force in the co-
ordination efforts during
that challenging time. She
is never not on the move—
diligently working to keep
the community she was
raised in a wonderful place
to live. No public servant
can please every constituent
with every decision they
make. Commissioner Lind-
say works hard to do what’s
right, and what’s best for
all. Let’s thank her for her
years of dedication and
show our gratitude for her
service. Vote no on recall.
Katie Siri-Murray
Heppner, OR
Living in a
culture of death
Editor:
Morrow County Home
Health and Hospice Chap-
lain Jerry Conklin gave a
stirring and sobering mes-
sage Sunday evening at the
second annual Birthright
dinner in Heppner. Pastor
Conklin documented how
America has gone from the
“Shining City on a Hill”
and the “Beacon of Hope”
to the world to fostering
and promoting a “culture of
death.” Abortion by choice
and infanticide (abortion af-
ter birth) is the largest cause
of death in America and it
is not close. The culture of
death has infected America.
Abortion industry baby
parts are in great demand.
The culture of death has
infected our schools and in
concert with violent video
games America is creating
youth mass murderers. This
culture of death is fostered
in our schools, mass media,
politics, government and
the very heart and soul of
present hour culture and
way of life.
There is no integrity,
truth, virtue, honor, justice
in the culture of death. Any-
thing and everything is now
morally acceptable. There
is no God, no absolute stan-
dard of right and wrong. If
you are born a male but can
be convinced you are really
a female, there is nothing
legally your parents can do
to protect you from coun-
selors and doctors that will
change your sex.
The culture of death has
changed America. In 1969
America put an astronaut on
the moon, yet a half century
later America cannot con-
duct an election without
endless ballot controver-
sies and issues of veracity.
Presently multiple House
of Representative races
have not been resolved.
The longer the delay, the
greater the certainty the
Democrat candidate will
win. Why? The culture of
death requires government
control which mandates
ballot harvesting, dishonest
mail-in ballot counters, and
bureaucratic corruption.
In Oregon, mail-in vot-
ing means a Republican
governor will never be
elected and has not been
since it began in 1998.
Oregon is presently gov-
erned by bi-sexual governor
edicts which will soon be
edicts from a lesbian gover-
nor. This is the definition of
a culture of death according
to God’s word. The culture
of death requires the Con-
stitution to be undermined
and re-written as evidenced
by measure 114, which vi-
olates the 2 nd Amendment.
“The right of the people to
keep and bear arms, shall
not be infringed.”
Our forefathers under-
stood the greatest threat to
our liberty, freedom and
way of life would be our
own government. We have
a choice that all Americans
must make. God’s word
puts it this way. “Choose
this day whom ye shall
serve” (Joshua 24:15). The
culture of death will destroy
America unless America
repents and returns to the
God of our father’s. A pho-
ny mail-in unverified ballot
measure 114, passed by
only a few counties, does
not Trump our Constitution.
We have yielded to this
culture of death instead of
the only God of our fathers.
Stand for God and Country.
No more compromise.
Stuart Dick
Irrigon, OR
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Mrs. Wainwright’s first- and second-grade class at
Ione School has been working on turkeys in disguise
as we near Thanksgiving. “We look forward to seeing
the rest of them come in this week,” said Ione School
principal Kevin Dinning. “I am always impressed with
the creativity and thoughtfulness our students put into
their work.” -Contributed photo
Chamber luncheon Dec. 8
Heppner Chamber of
Commerce will hold an
all-entities luncheon Thurs-
day, Dec. 8, from noon
to 1 p.m. at the Gilliam
and Bisbee Event Center.
Lunch will be provided by
Upper Place Concessions
and will be a loaded baked
potato with chili. Cost is
$12 per person.
Please RSVP to hep-
pnerchamber@gmail.com
by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec
6.
Pre Order your
Thanksgiving Casserole
We will have 3 types available to order
PB&J French Toast Hashbrown & Sausage Biscuits & Gravy
5x3 $6
5x3 $10
5x3 $7
8x8 $15
8x8 $20
8x8 $16
8x13 $30
8x13 $40
8x13 $32
Made from scratch!!
They are pre-cooked and then frozen.
Orders MUST be placed NO LATER
than Saturday the 19th by 5pm
Open Thanksgiving morning
7am-10am
If you would like donuts for Thanksgiving please
pre-order as soon as possible!
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
Heppner Les Schwab
wishes the Mustangs Good Luck
against Oakland on Saturday!!
124 N MAIN ST
HEPPNER, OR
(541) 676-9481