Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 22, 2023 -- THREE
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The emperor is naked
Do you ever feel like
you’re living in a fairy
tale? I do. No, not Cinder-
ella. Although that would
be kinda cool, especially
if Prince Charming could
unload hay and milk a cow.
The fairy tale I have in mind
is about an Emperor who
believes he is parading in
front of his subjects wear-
ing a splendidly magical
suit of beautifully woven
fabric. And since rumor has
it that simpletons can’t see
the suit, nobody is brave
enough to reveal the truth…
that the only thing the em-
peror is donning is his royal
Birthday Suit.
Today’s headlines:
“Emperor’s Clothes More
Splendid Than Ever This
Year.” In other news: Bor-
ders are secure, inflation
is minimal, vaccines are
still safe, doctors assign
gender, babies are dispos-
able, Biden doesn’t have
dementia, and we’re all
better off today than when
Trump was in office. Oh
yeah, and January sixers are
a bigger threat than China,
and Russia didn’t mean it.
Then we have a bril-
liant press secretary assur-
ing us that Fentanyl isn’t a
problem and that they are
“handling” the border (both
said with a straight face).
No worries, Mate, and no
more questions because
drug cartels, sex trafficking
and millions of illegals are
apparently invisible to this
administration.
Sometimes I wonder,
how does her tongue not
just fall out of her mouth?
But then why skirt around
the truth when you can
spout total lies unscathed?
Lack of accountability is a
great motivator to ditch the
normal political half-truths.
Why do we refuse to
believe what our eyes tell
us? And why do we al-
low common sense to be
squelched by so many fool-
ish explanations? Are we so
afraid we’ll be “thought a
fool”? Or maybe we won’t
get to sit at the Cool Table?
Or worse, maybe we’re
afraid we’ll be labeled
“Right Wing, Trumpster,
Hater, Racist, or Trans-
phobe” …any of those work
pretty well as bully tools.
As long as we continue
to ignore the truth, for what-
ever reason, I doubt we’ll
be happy with the results.
How did men like Putin
and Jong-un become so
powerful? Good men doing
nothing leaves evil men to
prosper. That’s how.
I do believe these are
the last days that Jesus
talked about. But I also
believe we are to fight for
what’s right and search for
the truth. Maybe it’s time to
listen to that one kid in the
parade that’s pointing to the
Emperor and saying, “Hey,
he’s naked!”
Thomas Jefferson said,
“Those who don’t read the
newspapers are better off
than those who do insofar
as those who know nothing
are better off than those
whose heads are filled with
half-truths and lies.” Well
said, sir.
“Don’t let anyone cap-
ture you with empty philos-
ophies and high-sounding
nonsense that come from
human thinking and from
the spiritual powers of this
world, rather than from
Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
Susie Crosby
Heppner, OR
WCVEDG now accepting
community enhancement
grant applications
Willow Creek Valley
Economic Development
Group (WCVEDG) is now
accepting applications for
its Community Enhance-
ment Grant.
This grant is awarded to
non-profits, municipalities
or special districts that are
in WCVEDG’s designated
service area and fulfill the
eligible project description.
Eligible projects include,
but are not limited to, recre-
ational programs or projects
that serve the public, cultur-
al activities, public beauti-
fication projects, existing
program enhancement and
capital improvements.
WCVEDG has been
granted these funds from
the Columbia River Enter-
prise Zone (CREZ) Board.
WCVEDG uses some of the
funding for the community
and public enhancement
of South Morrow County.
Resources are provided to
worthy projects and groups
best fulfilling of the desig-
nated region.
Applications are being
accepted from March 16
to April 25. To learn more
about this grant, including
the 2023 service area map
and eligible projects, vis-
it heppnerchamber.com/
grants, email wcvedg@
gmail.com or call 503-504-
8508.
Applications to be sub-
mitted by email to wc-
vedg@gmail.com or mailed
to WCVEDG, PO Box 14,
Heppner, OR 97836.
Dinner and bingo at
Holly Rebekah lodge
Holly Rebekah Lodge
in Lexington is planning
an evening of dinner and
bingo this Sunday, march
26, beginning at 3 p.m.
The evening will kick
off at 3 p.m. with a loaded
nacho bar for $5. Bingo
will begin at 3:30, with 10
cards for $5 or cards 50
cents each. Prizes include
a variety of baked goods as
well as some kids’ prizes.
The Holly Rebekah
Lodge is located at 135 W
Main St, Lexington.
WCCC men’s play begins
March 26
Willow Creek Country
Club will have its open-
ing Sunday men’s play
on March 26. The men’s
club board will sponsor
the event.
Breakfast will be
served beginning at 7:30
a.m. with play to start af-
terward. The format will be
a two-man scramble blind
man draw.
The Wednesday night
team match play event will
start on April 12. The sig-
nup sheet will be in the
clubhouse.
Good News Only by Doris Brosnan
“God gave us memory so that we might have roses
in December.” This quote by JM Barrie provides a vivid
example of the power of memory, possibly most important
when someone has had to lay a loved one to rest.
The thrill of victory… The agony of defeat! The
expectations of participating teams at the Trivia Night
last Thursday and the good-natured smack talk and chal-
lenges created a big mix of exuberance and groaning. The
fundraiser for Heppner Day Care at Gilliam and Bisbee
Event Center drew 12 teams vying for bragging rights and
a prize. The team of the “Shamrockers” (referring to their
rocking chairs) contained the grand marshals for Satur-
day’s parade, the team with the most “senior citizens,”
and a spokesperson said excitedly that they were simply
happy to have placed third from the last!
Some “snowbirds” returned from a winter in Arizona
and California in time for Heppner’s weekend celebration.
All reports are that the weather was much cooler than
usual, requiring long sleeves, sometimes jackets.
But the sun shined/shone brightly for Heppner’s
Wee Bit O’ Ireland on Saturday, which surely contrib-
uted to what might have been the largest crowd on the
sidewalks and the most participants in the several events
since pre-pandemic celebrations. A great opportunity for
first-timers and for family and friends to reunite.
Jacob and Carter Ball were visiting for the weekend
from Washington with grandmother Diana Ball to help
celebrate the St. Patrick’s Celebration. They attended the
bull riding event along with aunts Andrea Fletcher and
Becky Cannon.
And on Friday evening, Merlin and Claudia Hughes
were surprised when introduced to some descendants of
Jim and Phil Higgins. A great visit ensued and some new
friendships developed because the “Higgins Place” was
just over the hill from the Hughes Ranch, a place that
Jim and Phil settled on in 1903 and much later sold to Eb
Hughes. Four generations of the Higgins family gathered
in Heppner for the weekend. The group of 19 who includ-
ed three granddaughters of the Jim Higgins were eager for
information from Merlin and were planning to visit the
museums, as well as take in all of the weekend festivities.
Congratulation to Tucker Ashbeck and Ty Boor, who
have been selected to play for the East team at this year’s
East-West Shrine Football game in August. Good luck!
(Heppner seems to have someone playing in this event
every year!)
The season of elementary-school club basketball has
ended, but a shout-out can still go out to the Heppner
kids who traveled to compete in Hermiston those sev-
eral winter Saturdays. And to the coaches dedicated to
teaching fundamentals, helping players improve skills,
giving them all the learning experiences that come with
the sport. One example of such dedication was pointed
out by Pat Prock, who now lives in Pendleton but was
able to witness Kathleen Greenup work with her team.
So, curiosity led to Google: Legend has the origin of
the Easter Bunny coming to America with German immi-
grants. First mentioned in writings in 1500s, supposedly
a poor woman decorated colorful eggs for her children to
find in the garden. As soon as the hidden eggs were found,
a large hare was seen hopping away. The children thought
the hare (Hase) had left the eggs, and the rest is history…
This writer and many readers can never get
enough good news! So, we hope everyone who has had
something to smile about recently will share it. An email
to dbrosnan123@gmail.com or call to 541-223-1490 will
do it.
Here’s hoping that some good news comes to every-
one reading this!
Ione FFA represents
Morrow County
Twelve Ione FFA Chap-
ter members attended the
Oregon State FFA Con-
vention in Redmond March
16-19. Their advisor, Erin
Heideman, said they were
a testament to their com-
munity.
“I am so proud of the
young people who attend-
ed the convention. They
were polite, respectful and
earned many compliments
at the restaurants we pa-
troned; a testament to their
families and the wonderful
community we hail from,”
Heideman said.
The members also took
home some great awards
and recognition for their
hard work: first place ad-
vanced portfolio, Madison
Orem; silver beginning
portfolio, Gage Heideman;
first place laser engraving
project, Carter Eynetich;
third place laser engraving
project, Brionna Serrano;
fourth place laser engraving
project, Khira Kreitzer; first
place photography exhibit,
Gage Heideman; second
place educational poster,
Phegley Padberg; fourth
place CNC manufactured
exhibit, Carter Eynetich;
first place 7 th /8 th grade so-
cial science agriscience
project, Olivia Ogden and
Novalee Campbell; first
place 9 th /10 th grade social
science agriscience proj-
ect, Khira Kreitzer; finalist
for plant agriscience entry,
7 th /8 th grade, Gage Heide-
man and William McEl-
ligott, Miley Strzelewicz
and Isabelle Ogden, and
Phegley Padberg; finalist
for plant agriscience entry,
9 th /10 th , Brionna Serrano.
Top 10 information
contest team: Isabelle Og-
den, Novalee Campbell,
Miley Strzelewicz, Gage
Heideman, Olivia Ogdgen,
William McElligott and
Phegley Padberg.
Serving as Ione dele-
gates (senators of the chap-
ter) were Carter Eynetich
and Liam Heideman.
“While the bus trip was
long and kids are tired after
four days away from home
with early mornings and
long nights, we have some
motivated members and
we are already planning for
next year,” said Heideman.
“We are also very apprecia-
tive of Alison Ogden, who
came as our chaperon.”
The Ione FFA banquet
will be held on Thursday,
May 18, to recognize all of
the chapter members who
competed and participated
in FFA events throughout
the year.
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Spiritually Speaking
Father Thankachan Joseph
St. Patrick Catholic Church Heppner
Are you living in the
flesh or in the Spirit?
The central theme of this week’s Scripture readings
is the resurrection and the life. Life and death, hope and
despair are the key phrases that sum up the message of
this coming week.
The prophet Ezekiel (37: 12-14) gives hope to his
countrymen who are in exile in Babylon and are on the
brink of despair. They seem dead, their temple is de-
stroyed, their land is wasted, and they find themselves an
enslaved people in a foreign land. The imagery is that of
dead bodies—God opens their graves and makes them rise
from the dead. Now, when God promised to put His Spirit
within His people, this was not a reference to the resur-
rection that awaits every soul on earth. It was a promise
to give a new life to the people of Israel. While the Words
of God appeared to imply a day of resurrection, in those
days God’s mystery concerning death, being buried and
rising with Christ had not yet been revealed to mankind.
Paul’s letter to the Romans (8:8-11) reminds the
Christians in Rome, who were undergoing all types of
tortures and persecutions, that the power of God’s Spirit
will give life to their mortal bodies. He implies that
this new life is not something that will start only on the
last day but is taking effect in their lives here and now,
being purified through the effects of these tortures. For
this reason, he encourages them to live now according
to the Spirit. To understand this, it’s necessary for us
to live, in the words of Paul, not according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit (8:8). Our version of today’s
second reading translates “living according to the flesh”
as being “interested in unspiritual things.” An example
of that would be to have the goals of our lives bounded
by things like prosperity, health, wealth, success. These
things are not bad in themselves, but the gifts Jesus came
to give us are infinitely better, more meaningful, more
lasting. In the first place, Jesus gives us Himself. Then,
with Himself, all that follows: the life of grace; freedom
from sin; holiness and purity; goodness, and truth; divine
wisdom and divine love; joy without end; eternal life.
In the Gospel of John (11:1-45), again another lengthy
passage for our reflections, we have the story of the raising
of Lazarus from the dead, symbolizing that “Jesus himself
is the resurrection and the life.” This miracle leads us to
believe in resurrection and new life that exists in Jesus
through the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of John is also known
as the Gospel of Signs, and the raising of Lazarus to life is
one of seven signs. This sign is a preparation for the most
powerful sign: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In this chapter 11 of John, we see Jesus at the tomb of
his friend: distressed, anguished, weeping. This is a sign
and foretaste of His own passion, clearly imaged in the
details of the burial cave with a stone over its entrance
and in the burial cloths of Lazarus. The reaction of Jesus
shows God’s response to our suffering is seen in Jesus:
in His tears, His prayer, His grief, and in the horror of
His own death.
We may question why Jesus waited four days to come
to Lazarus’s tomb. To answer this question, we need to
understand the nature of God and His acts in our world.
Jesus came not to rescue us from every affliction, every
pain, every failure, every sorrow. Instead, He comes to
redeem us from all that troubles us. Our Lenten practices
are a spiritual exercise, for us to come out of our tombs
where we are all buried. The tomb points to more than
a place of burial. We have many tombs confronting us
in life.... It may be frustrating experiences; the greatest
tomb is that of sin. Our Lord came to liberate us not only
from sin but its tomb, its mortal entanglement. From
the tomb of Lazarus, we learn that sin not only brings
about death, but it also imprisons us in some damnable
tombs. I was reminded of the words of Paul’s letter to
the Colossians: “You need to kill everything in you that
is earthly; sexual vices, impurity, uncontrolled passion,
evil desires, etc. (3:5).”
Lunch
& Dinner
Menu
Specials 3/23-3/30
Thursday- Steak Sandwich with
side salad
Friday- Popcorn Chicken Mashed
Potato bowl
Saturday soup is clam chowder
Monday - French Toast, bacon,
and 2 breakfast bars
Tuesday - shrimp salad and
breadsticks.
Tuesday Night 6-9pm $2 hard
shell tacos
Wednesday- Turkey and ham sub,
chips, and fruit.