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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2024)
7:2+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQWednesday, January 3, 2024 7KH2൶FLDO1HZVSDSHU 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 SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE: KWWSRUHJRQQHZVXRUHJRQHGX Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post 2൶FHDW+HSSQHU2UHJRQXQGHUWKH$FWRI0DUFK3HULRGLFDOSRVWDJHSDLG DW+HSSQHU2UHJRQ2൶FHDW10DLQ6W7HOHSKRQH )D[ 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or sykeschris@hotmail.com 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 Annalynn Black ............................................................................................ 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 $5.50 per FROXPQLQFK&RVWIRUFODVVL¿HGDGLVSHUZRUG&RVWIRU&DUGRI7KDQNVLVXSWR ZRUGV&RVWIRUDFODVVL¿HGGLVSOD\DGLVSHUFROXPQLQFK For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi- FDWLRQPXVWEHVSHFL¿HG$I¿GDYLWVPXVWEHUHTXHVWHGDWWKHWLPHRIVXEPLVVLRQ$I¿GDYLWV UHTXLUHWKUHHZHHNVWRSURFHVVDIWHUODVWGDWHRISXEOLFDWLRQ DVRRQHUUHWXUQGDWHPXVWEH VSHFL¿HGLIUHTXLUHG )RU2ELWXDULHV2ELWXDULHVDUHSXEOLVKHGLQWKH+HSSQHU*7DWQRFKDUJHDQGDUHHGLWHGWR meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space for the obituary. )RU/HWWHUVWRWKH(GLWRU/HWWHUVWRWKH(GLWRU0867EHVLJQHGE\WKHDXWKRU7KH+HSSQHU *7ZLOOQRWSXEOLVKXQVLJQHGOHWWHUV$OOOHWWHUV0867LQFOXGHWKHDXWKRU¶VDGGUHVVDQGSKRQH QXPEHUIRUXVHE\WKH*7RI¿FH7KH*7UHVHUYHVWKHULJKWWRHGLWOHWWHUV7KH*7LVQRW UHVSRQVLEOHIRUDFFXUDF\RIVWDWHPHQWVPDGHLQOHWWHUV$Q\OHWWHUVH[SUHVVLQJWKDQNVZLOOEH SODFHGLQWKHFODVVL¿HGVXQGHU³&DUGRI7KDQNV´DWDFRVWRI Spiritually Speaking Father Thankachan Joseph St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wasco EPIPHANY REMINDS US 2))(52856(/9(672*2' On the second Sunday after Christmas, the Catholic Church usually celebrates the Epiphany. Every culture, tradition, region has its own understanding of the of Epiphany. The feast of Epiphany is also called “The Adoration of the Magi” or “The Manifestation of God.” (SLSKDQ\FHOHEUDWHV-HVXV¶V¿UVWDSSHDUDQFHWRWKH*HQ- tiles, as represented by the Magi - Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. The First reading from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, 60:1-6, is chosen partly because it men- tions non-Jews bringing gifts in reverence to the God of Israel. Isaiah, consoling the people in exile, speaks of the restoration of New Jerusalem from which the glory of Yahweh becomes visible even to the pagan nations. Thus, the prophet in this passage celebrates the Divine Light emanating from Jerusalem and foresees all the nations acknowledging and enjoying that Light and walking by it. As a sign of gratitude for the priceless lessons of faith R൵HUHGE\-HUXVDOHPWKHQDWLRQVZLOOEULQJZHDOWKE\ODQG and sea, especially gold for the Temple and frankincense IRUWKHVDFUL¿FH6LPLODUO\WKHUHVSRQVRULDO3VDOP 3V declares that all the kings of the earth will pay homage to and serve the God of Israel and their Messiah. The Gospel of Matthew (2:1-12teaches us how Christ enhances those who carry Him in their hearts. Since the Magi came with joy in their hearts to visit the Baby Jesus, God allowed them to see wondrous things. At the same time, today’s *RVSHOKLQWVDWGL൵HUHQWUHDFWLRQVWRWKHQHZVRI-HVXV¶V birth, foreshadowing His passion and death, as well as the risen Jesus’s mandate to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). The Gospel also tells us the story of the encounter of the Magi with the evil King Herod. This encounter demonstrates three reactions to Jesus’s birth: KDWUHGLQGL൵HUHQFHDQGDGRUDWLRQD +DWUHG$JURXS of people headed by Herod planned to destroy Jesus. b) ,QGL൵HUHQFH$QRWKHU JURXS FRPSRVHG RI SULHVWV DQG scribes, ignored Jesus. c) Adoration: The members of a third group -- shepherds and the magi -- adored Jesus and R൵HUHGWKHPVHOYHVWR+LP7KHGHVWUXFWLYHJURXS.LQJ Herod considered Jesus a potential threat to his kingship. +HURG ZDV D FUXHO DQG VHO¿VK NLQJ ZKR PXUGHUHG KLV mother-in-law, wife, two brothers-in-law and three chil- dren on suspicion that they had plotted against him. In today’s Gospel, Herod asks the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah is to be born. The group that ignored Christ: The scribes, the Pharisees, and the Jewish priests knew that there were nearly 500 prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the promised Messiah. Unfor- WXQDWHO\WKH\ZHUHPRUHLQWHUHVWHGLQWKHLURZQVHO¿VK gains than in discovering the truth. Hence, they refused to go and see the child Jesus -- even though Bethlehem was quite close to Jerusalem. The group that adored Jesus and R൵HUHG+LPJLIWV7KHVKHSKHUGVR൵HUHGWKHRQO\JLIWV they had: love, tears of joy, and probably woolen clothes and milk from their sheep. The Magi, probably Persian astrologers, were following the star that Balaam had SUHGLFWHGZRXOGULVHDORQJZLWKWKHUXOHU¶VVWD൵RYHUWKH KRXVHRI-DFRE 1XPEHUV 7KH0DJLR൵HUHGJROG in recognition of Jesus as the King of the Jews; frankin- cense, in acknowledgment that He was God, and myrrh as a symbol of His human nature. On the feast of Epipha- Q\OHWXVSOHGJHDQGR൵HURXUJLIWVRXUZKROHVHOYHV OLNHWKH0DJLWRWKHQHZERUQ%DE\-HVXV D 7KH¿UVW gift might be friendship with God. After all, the whole point of Christmas is that God’s Son became one of us to redeem us and call us friends. God wants our friendship in the form of wholehearted love and devotion. (b) The second gift might be the gift of reconciliation. This gift repairs damaged relationships. It requires honesty, humil- ity, understanding, forgiveness, and patience. (c) The third gift is the gift of peace: seeking God’s peace in our own lives through prayer, the Sacramental life, and daily meditation on the Word of God. It is out of humble gratitude that we give Him from the heart our gifts of worship, prayer, singing, possessions, and time. As we JLYHRXULQVLJQL¿FDQWOLWWOHJLIWVWKHJRRGQHZVLVWKDW *RGDFFHSWVWKHP/LNHWKH0DJLR൵HULQJWKHLUJLIWVZH R൵HUZKDWZHKDYHIURPWKHKHDUWLQUHVSRQVHWRZKDW that Child has given us - Himself. $//1(:6$1'$'9(57,6(0(17'($'/,1( )5,'$<$730 Town of Lexington December report 2QHVLJQL¿FDQWDFFRP- plishment during the main- tenance report involved the successful relocation of rocks surrounding May Day Park. The objective of this was to facilitate easier DFFHVVIRU¿UHWUXFNVWRHQ- WHU WKH DGMDFHQW ¿UHKRXVH The removal of these ob- structions has now ensured D PRUH H൶FLHQW UHVSRQVH time during emergencies, ultimately enhancing the safety of the community. Moreover, a commend- able initiative was under- taken to beautify the picnic tables in May Day Park. The aim of this project was to enhance the overall ambiance and attractiveness of the park, providing resi- dents with a more pleasant environment for gatherings and relaxation. The refur- bished picnic tables now offer a visually pleasing space for visitors to enjoy. 0RYLQJ RQ WR WKH ¿UH department report, it was noted that several members RIWKH¿UHGHSDUWPHQWKDYH been unavailable due to medical issues within their families. Josie Miles, who is currently 7 ½ months pregnant, has been on bench duty since she was 5 months pregnant. This unfortunate situation has resulted in a shortage of available per- VRQQHOIRU¿UHPHHWLQJVDQG operations. On December 5, 2023, Veronica Ferguson held a meeting with Josie where she submitted the annual summary of calls responded WR E\ WKH ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW This was done to conduct FKHFNV IRU WKH ¿UH GHSDUW- ment members. Additional- ly, Josie handed in a check amounting to $1,100.00 from the 9/11 fundraiser. The funds from this check are to be deposited into WKH ¿UH IXQG VLJQL¿FDQWO\ FRQWULEXWLQJWRLWV¿QDQFLDO resources. In terms of infrastruc- ture, Larry Hess has been actively engaged in obtain- ing estimates from contrac- tors for the installation of a new garage door at the front RI WKH ¿UH KDOO +RZHYHU as of now, no proposals have been received. It has come to our attention that this project may require more work than initially anticipated, which may po- WHQWLDOO\D൵HFWWKHWLPHOLQH and budget. Overall, the Town of Lexington has made note- ZRUWK\H൵RUWVLQLPSURYLQJ the community’s safety and recreational spaces. How- HYHUWKH¿UHGHSDUWPHQWLV currently facing challenges due to a personnel short- age, which needs to be addressed promptly. Town & Country Awards Banquet The Heppner Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting nominations for the upcoming Town and Country Awards Banquet. This annual event cele- brates outstanding individ- uals and businesses within our community. The catego- ries for nomination include Man, Woman, Educator, Student, and Business, with an additional recognition for Lifetime Achievement. The deadline for nomina- tions is January 12th. To submit a nomination, please YLVLWWKHR൶FLDOZHEVLWHRI the Heppner Chamber of Commerce at https://hep- pnerchamber.com/.../town- country-awards-banquet/ and access the nomination forms. Fill out the required information and provide details about the nominee’s accomplishments and con- tributions. This is a great opportunity to acknowl- edge those who positively impact our community. The awards banquet will take place at the Gilliam & Bisbee event center, located at 106 E Main St. Heppner. The dinner will feature a Tri Tip Dinner prepared by Alvin Liu. If you wish to attend the banquet and indulge in this delicious meal, dinner tickets can be purchased for $28. You can secure your tickets from WKH &KDPEHU 2൶FH &LW\ Hall, or Murrays Drug. Alongside nominations and attending the event, the Heppner Chamber of Commerce is also seeking sponsorships for the Town and Country Awards Ban- quet. There are various sponsorship levels avail- able. Gold Sponsorship, priced at $1,000, includes 8 event tickets. Silver Spon- sorship, priced at $750, includes 6 event tickets, and the Bronze Sponsorship, valued at $500, includes 4 event tickets. In addition to these sponsorship options, there is an opportunity to contribute a gift basket for the silent auction, with a minimum value of $200. If you have any questions or require further informa- tion, please do not hesitate to contact the Heppner Chamber of Commerce at 541-676-5536 or send an email to heppnerchamber@ gmail.com. Bowles announces FDQGLGDF\IRUVKHUL൵ 6KHUL൵-RKQ%RZOHV 6KHUL൵-RKQ%RZOHVLV announcing his candidacy for Morrow County Sher- iff in the 2024 election. John and his wife live in Heppner and have raised three children who have graduated from Morrow County School District. John, in the past, has served as a Reserve Deputy, 911 Dispatcher, Marine Deputy, Patrol Deputy, Search and rescue Coordinator, Pro- bation Deputy, Emergency 0DQDJHU8QGHUVKHUL൵DQG Sheriff. He was the un- dersheriff to Matlack for 6 years and the Morrow &RXQW\ 6KHUL൵ VLQFH 1R- vember 2022. He also held an executive level position with Morrow County Sher- L൵VR൶FHVLQFH Corrections The Heppner Gazette last weeks paper. Nick Berg would like to apologize, the was on the right and Ryan new Deputies for Morrow Freeland was on the left. County were switched on Outdated ADA ramps in Boardman lead to crosswalk safety conversation %ODLVH([RQIURP-DFREV(QJLQHHULQJJLYLQJKLVSUHVHQWDWLRQ WR%RDUGPDQ&LW\&RXQFLOYLD]RRP - Contributed photo A google map view of the intersection S Main st and Front 6W- Contributed Photo The Boardman City Council meeting in Decem- ber involved a lengthy dis- cussion with Blaise Exon from Jacob Engineering, who is working with the ODOT project manager, Erin Winterton, regard- ing ramp improvements in Boardman. The schedule for these improvements LVLQLWV¿QDOGHVLJQVWDJH and construction is set to be carried out next year. The current ramps along I84 do not meet the standards outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Blaise Exon mentioned that the impact on traffic will be minimal, and pe- destrians will be directed around the construction sites. The plan involves re- placing nonstandard ramps and constructing new ones where necessary. It was emphasized that every in- tersection should provide an opportunity to cross the street, unless there is a legally documented closure of a crossing. During the debate, there was discussion about whether adding crosswalks along the bridge would make crossing more dan- gerous. The city council questioned the need for east-west stripes on the bridge and mentioned that the crossing was discontin- ued due to safety concerns. There was a suggestion that Jacobs Engineering should not mark the crossing from east to west if the city of Boardman does not want LW %ODLVH ([RQ FRQ¿UPHG that they will not mark the crossing. It was brought to atten- tion that children frequently cross the intersection on the north end at 3 o’clock. A councilmember stated that people can legally cross the street anywhere, and it is the responsibility of drivers to be vigilant. In terms of action items, Brandon Hammon was nominated as the re- placement for Karen Petti- grew on the voting board of the North East Area Com- mission of Transportation (NEACT). NEACT con- sists of 20 voting members and serves as a platform for local government agencies and the private sector to dis- cuss and coordinate long- range transportation issues in the northeast Oregon re- gion. The commission also makes recommendations to ODOT regarding special funding opportunities and programs. It was noted that Board- man does not have a state highway. The report provided by Chief of Police Rick Stokoe highlighted a sig- nificant increase in DUII cases in Boardman, which has resulted in the need for overtime to address this issue effectively. During a previous discussion on crosswalks, it was brought up that the Oregon De- partment of Transportation (ODOT) is currently replac- ing them and constructing ramps. This action is being taken because of an ADA compliance lawsuit against the state. When questioned about the compliance of other sidewalks in Board- man, the council admitted that they are not currently ADA compliant. However, they assured attendees that these sidewalks would be addressed and made com- pliant during the ongoing sidewalk improvements. A separate topic of dis- cussion arose regarding the placement of mailboxes and who is responsible for setting the rules associated with them. It was noted that some mailboxes in the community are not even being used. Currently, the only rule in place is that mailboxes cannot be in the right of way. A com- munity member suggested the implementation of a GH¿QHGVHWRIJXLGHOLQHVIRU mailbox placement to avoid confusion. Furthermore, it was highlighted that the postmaster holds the re- sponsibility of determining WKH ORFDWLRQ RI SRVW R൶FH boxes. 'RQ¶WIRUJHW\RXUÀXVKRW :HKDYH3À]HU COVID vaccine in stock also Started your taxes yet? Get a print out of SUHVFULSWLRQVIURPXV 217 North Main St., Heppner, OR Phone 676-9158 Floral 676-9426 murraysdrug.com Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm • Sat 8am-6pm • Pharmacy- Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
