7:2+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQWednesday, December 13, 2023
7KH2൶FLDO1HZVSDSHU
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
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U.S.P.S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
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Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post
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Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Annalynn Black ............................................................................................ Editor
Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................Advertising
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Spiritually Speaking
Father Thankachan Joseph
St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wasco
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of John the Baptist calling everyone to prepare the way
for the Messiah and to repent and produce the fruits of
our conversion. Usually, the third Sunday of Advent is
known as the Gaudete Sunday. In Latin, Gaudete would
mean “Rejoice” because our salvation is very close at
hand. In every Eucharistic celebration we will encounter
the same empathetic Christ. Let us not be afraid to show
Him the various handicaps, disabilities, and wounds
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disabilities from all.
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who may be feeling down. Isaiah says, ‘Cheer up! Do
not be afraid. God himself is coming to save you.” The
prophet tries to bring back the hope and expectations of
the people of Israel. The words of the prophet that give
courage and assurance are these: “He has sent me to bring
glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the pris-
oners, to announce a year of favour from the Lord and
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assurance of divine intervention on behalf of those who
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separation from society, and also from all sorts of physical
disabilities and deformities.The second reading, from the
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tone of the week: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.”
Actually this is what we are expected to do as we wait
for the coming of the Lord. Paul urges the community
to rejoice and admonishes them to pray without ceasing,
give thanks to God in all circumstances, retain what is
good, refrain from every kind of evil thing. In this way,
we become models for everyone who is eagerly waiting
to see the Lord.
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describes the character and personality of the herald of
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call to conversion as an essential step to encountering
the Messiah. This week, John the Baptist stands for us
as a facilitator who sets the pace. John worked hard and
always knew what his job was. It was to prepare the way
for someone else, someone greater than he. That someone
was Christ. When Christ appeared, John slipped into the
shadows. John believed he had been called by God to
do something great – to prepare the way for the coming
of the long-awaited Messiah. He knew exactly what his
role was. He was only the messenger who announced the
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did to the very best of his ability. He lived for it, seeking
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the people, nor the Favor of the powers that were.
This week we read and mediate on the role of John
the Baptist whose role is over once he presents Christ to
the world. He is not prideful; he humbles himself and
moves out of the picture. He invites every one of us as
we get ready to receive Baby Jesus to our personal lives
to make our hearts clean, cut down the mountains of
jealousy, envy, hatred, and separation we have created
to avoid our brothers and sisters of the community. Pre-
pare the Way was the theme of last week; each one of us
needs to use the privileges of Reconciliation, Eucharist,
and reading of the Holy Scriptures as means to make a
highway to welcome Christ into our personal mangers
that we are preparing to receive Baby Jesus. Like John
who heralded the Messiah, we are all called to witness
Christ to the present world in which we live through our
lives of humility and simplicity as John showed to the
people of his time. This Sunday, John the Baptist invites
us to take life seriously - as a preparation for this season
of Advent. And Paul tells us to not take seriously the
disappointments of life. Instead, to “rejoice always.” And
maybe even join those happy souls who wake up and say,
“Maranatha, Come O Lord Jesus do not delay!” Rejoice
in the Lord always. Again, I say it, rejoice!
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The Great Conspiracy
BOC meeting
-Continued from PAGE ONE
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total of $1,000, for infor-
mation leading to arrest and
conviction, should it turn
out to be a criminal act.
“I do feel for this guy,”
responded Morrow County
Commissioner Jeff Wen-
holz, but added that he
would hesitate because of
the lack of evidence that it
was a crime.
“How do we determine
whose vehicle is worthy of
a $500 reward if it catches
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“I think the pressure
came from the call that
there wasn’t enough of an
investigation done,” replied
Drago.
Sykes, meanwhile, said
he also was concerned about
the precedent it would set.
He said he would prefer to
get an update from MCSO
and wait to see if Umatilla
County moves forward with
a reward.
“Do we start fielding
other requests from peo-
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still wrestling with the fact
that if you do it here, how
do you apply that to other
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The board of commis-
sioners also heard an update
on the agricultural mitiga-
tion plan being formed by
Pine Gate Renewables as
part of its site application
for its proposed 400-acre
Sunstone Solar project near
Hwy. 207.
Much of the proposed
land is currently in dry
land wheat production.
Pine Gate included an eco-
nomic analysis in its pre-
liminary application to the
Oregon Energy Facility
Siting Council for a state
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The company also held
a work session with the
county board of commis-
sioners regarding possi-
ble mitigation projects.
The mitigation plan will,
in part, help demonstrate
compliance with Statewide
Planning Goal 3 exception
standards.
Goal 3 protects farm-
land for continued produc-
tion and places restrictions
on development unrelated
to agriculture.
Pine Gate representa-
tive Logan Stephens said
the company is holding fol-
low-up meetings with three
main stakeholder groups,
including Morrow County
Grain Growers and Morrow
Soil and Water Conserva-
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preferred projects.
Stephens said his “ask”
at the commissioners’ meet-
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allowed to continue to work
with Pine Gate to craft an
agricultural mitigation plan
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with the Oregon Dept. of
Energy as part of its appli-
cation. Included with that
would be a mitigation fund
that would receive and dis-
tribute the mitigation funds.
Sykes referred to a let-
ter the board received from
Morrow County Extension
Agent Larry Lutcher and
asked if Pine Gate would
take more requests for the
mitigation projects.
“Is that possible, or
do you want to say, ‘No
more,’” Sykes asked.
Stephens replied that
the company is trying to
move forward with the
preferred projects on the
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ibility.
“We’re trying to walk
that line where we pro-
vide enough detail and
math behind the programs,
we’re proposing so the state
can make a determination
on whether it adequately
mitigates the impacts, but
also preserve that ability to
consider other things in the
future,” Stephens said.
Pine Gate Senior Man-
ager of Stakeholder Rela-
tions Nikki Olofson added
that, when it comes to sup-
porting county organiza-
tions, the ag mitigation
plan is a separate program
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of the project.
“We do also have a
separate project budget for
local community organiza-
tions,” Olofson said, adding
that the company has al-
ready supported the county
4-H program this year.
“I think we’re pretty
well rounded in being able
to support…some other
organizations locally in the
community,” she said. “The
ag mitigation, I think of it
as a bigger plan to directly
KHOSR൵VHWVRPHRIWKRVHGL-
rect impacts to the farming
community.”
Olofson also said Pine
Gate is developing a new
program for grants.
“So, it kind of depends
what the ask is,” she said.
“I’m not saying we have
a fountain of money, but
we do want to support the
youth in the area. We want
to make sure we’re a com-
munity partner and a good
neighbor.”
The board of commis-
sioners agreed by consen-
sus to have county staff
continue to work with Pine
Gate on the mitigation plan.
In other business, the
board of commissioners:
-Approved the pur-
chase of a 2023 CAT 150
Grader for the road de-
partment. The CAT will
replace the county’s 2009
CAT 140M. The value of
the grader is $438,868.62,
minus trade-in value of
$92,000, and is included in
the current budget.
-Adopted a comment
letter on the Wheatridge
Renewable Energy Facility
East Request for Amend-
ment 1. The amendment
will enlarge Wheatridge’s
project area in Morrow
County.
-Appointed Brian Evo-
la as the Finley Buttes rep-
resentative on the Solid
Waste Advisory Committee
for a term expiring Nov. 15,
2026.
-Appointed Brian
Thompson to replace Paul
Hisler as a livestock grow-
er representative on the
Wolf Depredation Adviso-
ry Committee. Sykes also
mentioned that he planned
to attend a wolf livestock
depredation investigation
training on Jan. 23 in Pend-
leton.
-Awarded a year-long
contract for snow and ice
removal services to Corey
Miller Farming. Pointer
said the contract is a back-
up plan in case the county
road department gets over-
whelmed by a snow and ice
event. “It’ll be just in the
event there’s a snowstorm
and all our resources are be-
ing used,” she said, adding
that it would come into play
mostly if emergency ser-
vices needed to get through.
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a group to do something unlawful or harmful.” An early
example is one that unfolded in 63 BC in the city of Rome.
A senator by the name of Catiline sought to mount
an uprising against The Republic. He recruited a rebel
army and planned to attack the city, murder its nobles,
and claim power for himself. The problem was that his
suspicious political opponents caught wind of his conspir-
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that his army was routed, and he and many of his fellow
conspirators were killed.
Now, we could travel throughout all of antiquity and
explore many more examples, but for the sake of time,
I’d rather just skip to the greatest of them all. Are you
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acquainted with the pages of Scripture, then you are not
well acquainted with the pages of history.
Shortly after God created the heavens, the earth, and
all that is in them; he declared all His work, “very good”
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all conspirators entered the scene and turned that which
was, “very good,” into that which is very miserable.
The prophet Ezekiel records God’s historical account
of that incident. God speaks of an exalted angel, “[the]
anointed cherub [angel] … You were blameless in your
ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness
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Isaiah expands this, “But you [Satan] said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the
stars of God … I will make myself like the Most High”
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The greatest conspiracy of all time was that of Sa-
tan’s attack upon God’s rule. Satan recruited an army to
march unlawfully into God’s domain and take the throne
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an eye-witness account, “I was watching Satan fall from
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foiled. He and his army of angels were cast out of heav-
en. But unfortunately, the conspiracy did not die. Matter
of fact, it grew. Satan simply expanded his recruitment
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couple he convinces to join his mutinous military force
was Adam and Eve. This conspiracy is the greatest, most
unlawful, and most harmful conspiracy of all time. It is
the conspiracy that gives fuel to every other conspiracy
that can be found on the timeline of human history. It
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death into the world.
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that is most important when discussing conspiracies, is it
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We do not have to travel far in God’s word for the
answer. At the very moment in time when Satan recruits
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declares what will come of his conspiracy. Yahweh says
to Satan, “And I will put enmity between your seed and
her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall
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one coming that will crush you. Out of the very populace
you seek to recruit from, will come one mightier than you.
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That promise made by God in Gen. 3:15 has been
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the person of Jesus Christ. He was birthed through the
power of the Holy Spirit through a young virgin mother
named Mary. Being both truly God and truly man, He
went on to crush Satan’s conspiracy through His vicarious
death on the cross. He rose on the third day, defeating
sin, death, and Satan. He has ascended to the righthand
throne of God and holds all authority in heaven and earth.
He is currently putting all His enemies under His feet and
will continue to do so until every conspiracy is routed.
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Catiline gives mankind a shining example of what will
come to all those who do not repent of their rebellious
and lawless living. To those who choose to follow in the
footsteps of Satan, and war against God, will one day
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Christ. Scripture is clear, the greatest of all conspiracies
has failed. The outcome is sealed. Do not be deceived
into thinking that your lesser rebellion has any chance
of success.
Pastor Eric Schonbachler
Lexington Reformed Baptist Church
www.lexrefbc.org
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*Design *Print
Sykes Publishing
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541-676-9228
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Morrow County has three vacancies to start
on January 1, 2024
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The Compensation Board annually reviews the compensation
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a compensation schedule to the Board of Commissioners.
The Board shall consist of members who are knowledgeable
in personnel and compensation management. Members
are appointed to four-year terms. If you are
interested in serving, please visit https://www.
co.morrow.or.us/bc-cb and send application to
HR at lgrogan@co.morrow.or.us