Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 19, 2023 -- THREE
~ Letters to the Editor ~
Good News Only by Doris Brosnan
The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the
following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to
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requesting that you provide your address and a phone number where you
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verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not
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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.
One of the possible/probable alerts our area will re-
ceive this summer will be about an electrical outage—for
instance, a “public safety power shutoff” can occur be-
cause of wildfire potential, and rare outages can be caused
by other situations. This is just one example of alerts/
warnings we can receive from the Sheriff’s Department.
With access to the internet, we can sign up to receive a
vast array of timely alerts that deal with our safety and the
safety of others. We can choose to receive the warnings
on our cell phones, land lines, computers. To sign up for
the alerts we choose, we can either go to the Morrow
County Oregon Sheriff Department website or sign up at
the Oregon-alert site by typing Everbridge Oregon alerts
in our search engine. A phone call to 541-676-5317 is
another way to ask about possible alerts if a person has
reason to check a report being spread via other means.
If wishes were horses, four women who play tennis
three to five times a week in fair weather would have a
herd! But wishing does not take away the cracks in the
courts’ surface, so they have to be prepared for the occa-
sional ball that hits a crack and veers off in an unexpected
direction. That is okay, they say, because it doesn’t happen
often, and because Denis Lien keeps the weeds from
pushing up through those cracks!
A reminder: On July 30, an auction and bingo will
be held in Lexington as a fundraiser for Dick Temple,
who is enduring hospitalizations and health challenges.
Although Dick seems to be improving, Karen says, he
still faces some rehab/therapy. The serving of a $10 meal
will begin in the Rebekahs’ lodge at 2 p.m., with a silent
auction held from 2-4 p.m. At 4:30 p.m. a live auction
will be held, and bingo will then follow.
Betty Gray’s bridge group was as pleased as she was
to be celebrating her **th birthday last week. When they
played cards at her home two days before her special
day, they surprised her with a bouquet of flowers and a
favorite wine. The afternoon was even good to her, with
some biddable hands and a high score. Then on her actual
birthday, last Friday, they met her for lunch at the Broken
Spoke, where she offered a champagne toast to these
friends who added so much to her celebration.
Last Friday, four generations of the Don and Jan
Stroeber family gathered in Heppner for a barbecue to
celebrate Don’s milestone-85 th birthday. Jan reports that
this great family, who have also been such wonderful help
and support for her since her knee-replacement surgery
just over two weeks ago, are truly a blessing.
Lorrene Montgomery traveled to Mile City, Montana,
on June 7 so she would have time to “make the potato
salad” for her granddaughter Rachael Gilbert’s wedding
dinner on Saturday, the 10 th . Rachael and Cordell Ellis had
a “cowboy wedding” on his ranch. On Sunday morning,
after the couple had opened wedding gifts, Rachael’s
father, Lorrene’s son Rick, announced that he and long-
time romantic interest, Dorothy Love, would be getting
married that afternoon at 5 p.m. in the Mile City Memorial
Park! They said they had remained mum until then so as
not to detract from Rachael and Cordell’s wedding. So, a
little shift to a different venue, and the guests witnessed
the second wedding in two days officiated by Dorothy’s
son. Lorrene returned home the following Monday, from
a “very, very fun” time.
Chad and Alicia Doherty are first-time grandparents,
and to say they are pleased would be an understatement!
Alicia reports that she has visited little “Renn Velazco”
every weekend since he joined his parents, Luis and
Brittany (Dohertys’ daughter) in their Tri-Cities home on
June 15. Congratulations to All!
What a delight for young people who walk north from
the library: Pages from a book have been duplicated on
posters and spaced at strategic intervals on wires along the
sidewalk, so an entire story can be read before reaching
the playground area (fun top-off to the walk).
Positive and good news can be a respite from the neg-
ative and/or sad. Please share your smiles: dbrosnan123@
gmail.com or 541-223-1490.
Here’s hoping that some good news comes to every-
one reading this!
Dare Ya Deer
I’ve been quite fond of
deer for most of my adult
life. I’ve looked for them
on many a road trip. I’ve
admired them both from far
off places like alfalfa fields
and forest groves, and from
close-up places…like over
my recliner on my living
room wall.
There’s one thing that
always baffled me. How can
a serious lover of deer walk
for miles, all day, up and
down, over hill and dale,
without being graced with
the presence of even one
deer. Yet head home with a
ton of hay in your truck bed
and you find they’re lying in
wait by the side of the road,
putting the reaction time
of a certain Farm Lady as
well as the brakes of a ‘97
Ford pickup to the ultimate
test…both of which could
be better.
After pondering the
whole deer-in-and-out-of-
sight situation, I’ve come
to the conclusion that there
is some underlying sinister
activity going on of which
the common traveler/deer
searcher is unaware. After
a little investigation, I have
learned that the evidence
of gang activity amongst
the local deer population is
overwhelming.
After some serious es-
pionage and monitoring of
road-side conversations,
this is a reality we have
somehow missed:
“Hey Frankie, it’s your
turn. Now remember…you
have to wait ‘til we give you
the signal.”
“I don’t know, Micky.
Did the other guys have to
do this?”
“We all did it. Now
don’t be a chicken or we
won’t let you in. And re-
member…you can’t run
when you get to the road.
You have to walk, or it
doesn’t count.”
“Okay, but it didn’t
work very well for Spike.”
“Spike didn’t listen.
We told him not to stop and
stare at the lights.”
A little road-side sur-
veillance, and it’s obvious
Spike isn’t the only one
who didn’t make the cut.
Sorta makes you wonder.
Might be time for a new
Giver of the Signal.
“Now! Oh wait…no…
Now! No...wait…Wait!”
Not sure if the partic-
ular gang member I con-
nected with the other night
made the initiation. He
did the stop, drop, and roll
technique…then ran up the
hill and out of sight. He did
leave me with a slightly
crooked bumper and a few
strands of hair. Thanks,
Frankie.
There are certain coun-
ty road crews that have tried
to help out by placing “Deer
Crossing” signs in designat-
ed safe-to-cross areas. I’m
sure they thought it would
be a great help…at least for
the non-gang members who
have a legitimate reason
for crossing the road. Un-
fortunately, we have since
learned that most deer are
not great readers. There is,
however, talk of sign lan-
guage courses being made
available. Your government
tax dollars at work.
Susie Crosby
Prineville, OR
Fundraiser planned
for Temples
A fundraiser for Dick
and Karen Temple will be
held at the Holly Rebekah
Lodge in Lexington on
Sunday, July 30.
A meal of a pulled pork
sandwich, coleslaw, dessert
and drink will be available
for $10 and will be served
from 2-4 p.m. or until food
runs out. A silent auction
will be held during the
meal, with a live auction
to follow about 4:30 p.m.
Everyone is invited to join
in and finish the day playing
bingo at 5 p.m. Cost for
bingo is $5 for a 10-game
pack of cards or 50 cents
per card.
The event is sponsored
by Holly Rebekah Lodge
and Heppner Christian
Church. One hundred per-
cent of proceeds will go to
the Temples to help with
medical-related expenses.
Donations have also
been provided by the fol-
lowing businesses and in-
dividuals: Breaking Bread,
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo,
Jeannie Collins, Jack Rab-
bit Candle Company, Kevin
Troxell, Devin Oil, Wheat-
land Insurance, Neiffer
Ranch, Todd and Missy
Lindsey, Jim and Becky
Kindle, Corey Miller,
Browne House Coffee, Ser-
endipity Designs, Wrights
Design, Edith Papineau,
Brian and Susie Thomp-
son, employees of Colum-
bia Basin Electric, Katilyn
Zinter, Grieb Farms, Mor-
row County Grain Growers,
Heppner FFA, Crum Ranch,
Josie Miles, Randy Hughes,
Pam Norton, Charlotte Wis-
er, Mike and Marlene Gray,
and Tammy Rolfe.
SCC releases honor roll
for spring quarter 2023
Spokane Community
College has announced
that Patience Kannah and
Carlos Meza of Irrigon have
both been named to the
college’s honor roll for the
2023 spring quarter, which
ended in June. The honor
roll lists those students who
achieved a grade point aver-
age of 3.0 or above.
SCC is one of two
community colleges with-
in the Community Colleges
of Spokane district. It is
known for its programs in
career and technical train-
ing as well as its apprentice-
ship programs, but it also
offers associate’s degrees,
including those that are
transfer-ready for those
going into universities.
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
PENDING!
Spiritually Speaking
Father Thankachan Joseph
St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wasco
What Are You Looking for in
Life?
This Sunday we have for our reflections the para-
bles of the darnel, the mustard seed and the yeast. These
parables stress how a disciple of Christ should be in the
Kingdom of God. The parable of the sower taught us
how a disciple of Christ should be free like the sower to
scatter the seed of Word of God anywhere. The disciples
in the kingdom will bear fruits in different degrees and
quantities, like 100, 60 or 30-fold.
The second reading from the letter of Paul to the Ro-
mans is about the Spirit that comes to the aid of each one
in our weaknesses. It begins with, “Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do
not know how to pray as we ought, but the spirit himself
intercedes with inexpressible groaning.” (Romans 8:26).
God has predestined everything for everyone who trusts
in Him. Paul reminds the Romans that they will be able to
endure with help of the Spirit of Christ who is always with
us and around us. Divine providence or trusting in Him
suggests the ability to look beyond the present suffering
and see its meaning in the future. Paul reminds us that
everything in our lives will turn out to be good when we
trust in the Spirit that abides in each of us.
In the Gospel reading from the 13 th chapter of Mat-
thew, Jesus describes characteristics of the kingdom
of God in parables, which are very easy to understand.
The kingdom of God is again compared to a sower who
sowed good seed in his field, and the enemy, the devil,
comes and does his work of sowing bad seed while all
are asleep. The wheat and the weed are growing alike
together in the field. The owner of the field allows it to
grow until harvest time for both. When the slaves ask him
for permission to pull out the weeds from the wheat, he
doesn’t allow them to remove the weed, fearing that they
might unknowingly remove the wheat. The “owner of the
field” gives us the opportunity to change ourselves until
the end of our lives on earth. We are distinguished and
categorized according to the types of fruit we bear at the
end of life on earth. If we don’t bear anything, like the
weeds, we are thrown into the fire. The parable gives us
the assurance that there will always be the good and the
bad. It is not prudent or appropriate to eliminate or pull
out the darnel or unfit members before due time, which
can cause havoc to the good ones. So, the Master of the
Harvest is very cautious and gives everyone time and
opportunity to bear fruit in each one’s life.
From the parable of the mustard seed, we need to
understand that the Kingdom, like the mustard seed, has
a very humble beginning. It has no fanfare, no trium-
phalism. It is open to receive everyone. No exclusivism.
Through the parable of the mustard seed, Christ speaks to
us about the gradual expansion and growth of the King-
dom through its professed members. Similarly, through
the parable of the yeast, Jesus wants us to understand
the idea that every member in the Kingdom, however,
insignificant he/she may be, must exhort themselves to
transform or influence the community or the society in
which he or she is situated, like the yeast does in the flour,
transforming it.
To conclude this reflection of the day, let us ponder
the title of this article: “What Are You Looking for in
Life?” Worldly possessions and material things? Or God’s
kingdom and His values? According to its dictionary
meaning, a pearl is born out of great suffering. A speck of
sand makes its way into an oyster. The oyster is a living
organism, so the intruder hurts the oyster. To protect itself,
the oyster stows a substance called nacre, to surround the
intruder. That is the secretion that gradually forms the
pearl. Thus, the pearl is born out of much torment and
pain. Not that there are many pearls around us; some of
these are fine pearls. People seek truth and life in such
things as philosophy, science, technology, wealth, fame,
art, music, literature and religion. But there is only one
pearl that is priceless, only one pearl that is worth more
than the world itself—the pearl of Jesus Christ Himself.
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Chris Sykes
541-215-2274
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$285,000
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140 S Gilmore St. MLS#:23505395
$140,000
This house is ready to go. Recently updated
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distance of the Heppner pool, high school and
softball field. 485 W Morgan St. MLS#: 23328135
Three bedroom, one bath home on quiet street in
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A full walk-in basement is waiting for you to finish
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