TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 13, 2023
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
Ag, forestry
communities crisis
help line open
Elks state president
to visit Heppner
A crisis help line ded-
icated to serving Oregon’s
agricultural and forestry
communities is now open.
The Oregon Agristress
Helpline – 833-897-2474 –
is available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week by call
or text. The voice line can
be accessed in up to 160
languages with the help of
interpreters, and the text
line services English, Span-
ish and Vietnamese.
The AgriStress Help-
line is unique because it
is completely dedicated to
serving Oregon’s agricul-
ture and forestry commu-
nities, which includes farm-
ers, farm workers, ranchers,
fishermen, foresters and
their families.
In June, the Oregon
Legislature passed Senate
Bill 955, sponsored by Sen.
Bill Hansell, R-Athena,
which provided a one-time
$300,000 general fund
appropriation to the state
Higher Education Coordi-
nating Commission to dis-
tribute to the Oregon State
University Foundation to
establish an endowment
for Oregon State Univer-
sity Extension Service to
implement and operate the
helpline in Oregon.
Gov. Tina Kotek signed
the bill into law in a cere-
mony in Prairie City in July,
making Oregon the seventh
state to link into the AgriS-
tress Helpline. Nationally,
OSU is the first academic
institution and the first land
grant university to partner
with a state on the helpline.
“This is an important
milestone in the effort to
provide mental health as-
sistance for folks who are
vulnerable to suicide,” said
Allison Myers, associate
dean for Extension and
engagement at the OSU
College of Health. “I want
to express my enormous
gratitude for the numerous
people and organizations
who got behind this and
were able to make it a re-
ality.”
A coalition of 27 farm
groups and health care
organizations advocated
passage of SB 955. My-
ers, who also leads the
OSU Extension Family
and Community Health
program, and Todd Nash,
a Wallowa County rancher
and president of the Oregon
Cattlemen’s Association,
were instrumental in build-
ing support for the helpline.
The issue of mental
health for farmers and
ranchers has become a “top
subject” in rural Oregon,
Nash said.
“Suicide is a tough sub-
ject,” Nash said. “It’s affect-
ing our communities. It has
huge impacts on families.”
According to the Na-
tional Rural Health Asso-
ciation, the rate of suicide
for farmers is 3½ times
higher than the national
average per capita. Mental
Health America, a national
nonprofit advocacy orga-
nization, placed Oregon
nearly at the bottom of its
state rankings for a higher
prevalence of mental illness
and lower rates of access
to care.
According to Oregon
Violent Death Reporting
System, deaths by suicide
in Oregon have been higher
than the national average
since at least 2001, and
they are increasing year
over year.
The helpline was es-
tablished by AgriSafe Net-
work, a nonprofit organiza-
tion that aims to improve the
health and safety of farmers
and ranchers through their
Total Farmer Health ap-
proach. AgriSafe Network
is an affiliate of the National
Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH)
and a founding member
of the national AgriStress
Response Network.
All AgriStress Help-
line calls are answered in
30 seconds or less, and all
callers are screened for sui-
cidality. Intervention occurs
for people at imminent risk.
Others are offered relevant
resources, tailored to the
agriculture community and
by state/region. All callers
are offered a 24-hour follow
up call, also through the
AgriStress Helpline.
Calls are answered by
credentialed suicide/cri-
sis specialists trained in
cultural competencies in
agricultural mental health
and factors affecting mental
health, including produc-
tion and financial issues,
injuries, market fluctuations
and family dynamics. Their
training meets the standards
of the American Associa-
tion of Suicidology.
AgriStress Helpline
staff complete 300 hours of
professional development,
including an overview of
state-specific agricultural
contexts and ongoing quar-
terly training in agricultural
stress topics. AgriStress
Helpline staff are aware
of state- or regional-level
agricultural events that may
impact call volume, for
example a disaster, com-
munity tragedy or reports
of yields that may impact
financial well-being.
LTT Partners and Co-
in the Pacific Northwest
lumbia
Basin Electric
before relocating the fam-
Company
installed Verk-
ily to Augusta, GA. He
ada
cameras
starting Sep-
leaves three children, Lar-
tember
6.
ry, Heppner; Shawna, Ev-
The cameras will be
Services have been ans, GA; and Derk, Los
placed
at the entrances
scheduled for October Angeles, CA.
14 for Charles Lawrence
Lutcher, who died late last
Do You Have Something to
year at the age of 88 in Ev-
Share?
ans, GA.
Our newly updated website makes it easy to:
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October 14, at 10 a.m.
wedding announcements
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Church, 719 Pierce St.,
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Milton-Freewater,
OR.
Inurnment with Military
Honors will immediately
follow at Mountain View Weekly deadline for all news and advertising is Monday at 5pm.
Cemetery, 2120 South 2nd
177 N. Main St, Heppner • 541-676-9228
Ave., Walla Walla, WA.
Everyone is invited to join
the family for a luncheon
at the Walla Walla VFW
*Design *Print *Mail
Hall, 102 N. Colville St.
Dr. Lutcher grew
541-676-9228
up in Milton-Freewater Sykes Publishing
and spent his early career
of the city, one on top of
Emert, one on ‘H’ and 3rd
Street, one on Main Street,
and one in the park.
For more information,
contact Ione City Hall at
541-422-7414.
SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE:
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/
Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post
Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid
at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax
(541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site:
www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times,
P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: In Morrow County $35/year.
Outside Morrow County $40/year. In County Senior Rate (65 years or older) $30/
year. 9 month Student student subscriptions $35/year.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Andrea Di Salvo ............................................................................................ Editor
Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................Advertising
All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.
For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.50 per
column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $15 up to 100
words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.00 per column inch.
For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi-
cation must be specified. Affidavits must be requested at the time of submission. Affidavits
require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be
specified if required).
For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to
meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines
or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space
for the obituary.
For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner
GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone
number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. 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.
Obituaries
David L.
Mitchell
, 79, of Heppner died,
July 19, 2023, at his home
surrounded by his family.
A celebration of life will
be held from 2 p.m. to 4
p.m., on Saturday October
14, 2023, at the Heppner
Elks Lodge with light re-
freshments.
He was born on No-
vember 30, 1943, at Grana-
da, Colorado, the son of
Dale and Charlcee Mitch-
ell. He was raised in Pilot
Rock where he graduated
from high school.
David joined the Unit-
ed States Navy right after
high school. He was sta-
tioned in Japan. Upon
returning to the states, he
returned to Pilot Rock. On
April 17, 1967, he married
Corol at Coeur d’Alene,
Idaho, the couple moved
to Heppner in 1977 where
they remained.
He was a licensed elec-
trician, holding licenses in
Oregon, Washington, and
Colorado. David worked
in all three states.
David was a member
of the Willow Creek Golf
Club. He found enjoy-
ment in golf, reading and
spending time with his
grandchildren, and attend-
ing their various sporting
events. David was known
for his humor in nicknam-
ing friends and family, his
grandchildren were espe-
cially fond of their special
nicknames. Sarah – (Little
Miss), Jon Jr.- (Backpack),
Jake – (Porkchop), Ethan
– (Goat Burger), Nikki –
(Snickerdoodle), Cason –
(Buckshot) Marlee – (Pop-
corn Belly), and Landon
– (Hickenlooper).
Many thanks to the
family and friends that
visited, sent prayers, and
brought goodies for David,
along with the outstand-
ing staff at Eastern Oregon
Cancer Center at Pendle-
ton and especially, Tammy
Rolfe of Pioneer Memorial
Hospice.
Survivors include his
wife Corol of Heppner,
children: Jon Mitchell of
Pendleton, Joni Maasdam
(Mark) of Enterprise, Slat-
er Mitchell (Darcee) of
Heppner, a sister, Charlotte
Eskildsen of Helena Mon-
tana, grandchildren: Sarah
Rice, Jon Mitchell Jr., Jake
Maasdam, (Afton), Ethan
Maasdam, Nikki Delancey
(Rob), Cason, Marlee and
Landon Mitchell, great
grandchildren, Otto Rice
and Kennedy Maasdam
and many nieces and neph-
ews.
He was preceded in
death by his parents, Dale
and Charlcee and great
nephew Brady Lawson.
Memorial
contribu-
tions may be made to Pi-
oneer Memorial Home
Health and Hospice, PO
Box 9, Heppner, OR
97836.
Sweeney
Mortuary
of Heppner is in care of
arrangements. You may
sign the online condolence
book at www.sweeney-
mortuary.com.
Funeral Notice
Charles
Lawrence
Lutcher
“The Heppner Elks
Club has the honor of hold-
ing this year’s State Presi-
dent Nick Bettencourt’s
visitation to the East Dis-
trict on Saturday, Septem-
ber 16,” said an Elks Club
news release. This is an of-
ficial visitation to the East
District which includes 11
lodges throughout East-
ern Oregon. An average of
four dignitaries from each
of the 11 lodges, along
with several state vice
presidents and dignitaries
from Idaho, including past
National Grand Exalted
Ruler, Keith T. Mills, will
be in attendance.
Saturday’s events kick
off with an encore play at
3:30 p.m. at the Heppner
Cemetery titled “Days of
Sorrow” which was last
performed in 2003. “Ev-
eryone is encouraged and
welcomed to attend this
wonderful play to hear the
harrowing tale of the Hep-
pner flood and its victims
in the 1903 disaster, orga-
nized by Doris Brosnan
and Sharon Harrison,” said
a news release. The play is
free and guests are asked
to take the second exit into
the cemetery for parking.
Following the play,
cocktails will be served at
the Heppner Elks Lodge,
followed by the banquet
dinner to be held at 6 p.m.
The dinner, for members
and guests only, will be ca-
tered by Elkhorn Grills out
of Baker City and features
a tri-tip or chicken dinner
with sides and dessert for
$20.
“All members are en-
couraged to attend the Sat-
urday night dinner to show
support for this prestigious
visitation,” said an Elks
news release.
Holly Rebekah Lodge
will be holding their
monthly dinner and BIN-
GO the afternoon of Sun-
day, September 24, at the
Odd Fellow Lodge Hall on
Main Street in Lexington.
Dinner, which will start at
3 p.m. will be chicken en-
chiladas, green salad and a
dessert.
Dinner is $5 and BIN-
GO is $5 for a packet of 10
cards. Prizes of gift cards
and baked items will be
given.
Rebekahs plan
dinner, BINGO
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
FRIDAY AT 5:00 P.M.
Ione camera
installation update
www.heppner.net
Print & Mailing Services
Hopeful Saints Ministries
Will be hosting a Safe Halloween event October 31st from
5:30-8pm at the Hopeful Saints Ministry Church on the
corner of Gale and Church Street thanks to funding from
the Morrow County Unified Recreation District. This is a
free community event for area residents. Inside the
building there will be a junk food walk, movie playing, and
free food and drink available. Trunk or Treat will be set up
outside in the parking lot. We have 15 spots available if any
businesses or individuals would like to participate in the
trunk or treat. Please contact George Nairns at
541-571-6519 or Cody High at 541-256-0847 to reserve a
trunk or treat spot. Treats will be provided for trunk or
treaters to hand out if needed.