+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQ Wednesday, February 21, 2024 7+5((
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Keeping the
streets clean
True confession: I
goofed again recently when
I failed to make sure I had
“Dogi Pot” bags in my
pocket when dogs and I
went for our walk! (Tissues
for my nose just don’t work
well.) This episode led me
to think ahead, and in a way,
our having three+ weeks to
prepare for the St. Patrick’s
Day Celebration in Hep-
pner is “Good News.”
For various reasons,
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welcoming “face” to visi-
tors during that celebration
will be important to many
of us, and we can, with a
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the impression we will
make: Only a few steps to a
garbage can will get out of
sight the debris we might be
tempted to just toss instead.
(And we can even pick up
and dispose of someone
else’s debris, following
Dale Adlard’s example?)
And instead of leaving our
dogs’ messes when we’re
on the sidewalks and other
public and private proper-
ties, just a few seconds can
get those messes into bags
and tossed into containers.
(Right now, many side-
walks require some careful
footwork to miss messes;
and I doubt that more rain
or snow can eliminate those
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Maybe some conscientious
persons will remove them?)
:HKDYH3XEOLF:RUNV
employees who work at
keeping our “home” look-
ing good, but that does not
eliminate our responsibility
to clean up after ourselves.
:KHQ RXU YLVLWRUV DQG ZH
are out and about – for
instance: picnicking in our
parks (weather permitting),
just strolling Main Street,
going to our museums, on
the 5K walk, on the Memo-
U\:DONJRLQJWRWKHKLVWRU-
ic courthouse, touring the
“talking rocks,” following
the walkabout with the side-
walk shamrocks, playing
on the outdoor courts, etc.
– doing so in Heppner’s lit-
ter-free environment could
be a pleasant experience for
all of us and our visitors.
“Common courtesy”
is what a friend recently
called doing little but im-
portant things because we
know they are the right
thing to do.
(Yes, I have been re-
miss in my dog-owner re-
sponsibility a few times but
am determined to always be
well-supplied with doggie
bags when we go for our
walks!)
Doris Brosnan from
Heppner
THE POEM
I recently posted one of my
poems on social media. Oh,
my goodness…. a number
10 sized can of worms
opened up. I’m an intoler-
ant bigoted white suprem-
acist ignorant hater…and a
bad poet too (that one kinda
hurt). I don’t know why I
didn’t see that coming.
Am I devastated? Nope.
But I am scratching my
head trying over the re-
sponse. This poem was
called “Better Days”. It
was a reminiscent look at
the good ol’ days I grew
up in…sort of an “I Miss
Mayberry” Theme. But one
would think I was mourning
the loss of Attila the Hun. I
guess you had to be there.
Maybe we have a genera-
tion that doesn’t know what
“normal” is. They figure
America was a disaster….
until they arrived on scene.
Probably a result of the
new history class rhetoric.
Now they’re here to set us
all straight with a whole
new moral code. Love is
tolerance, skin color is
key, criminals are victims,
LGBTQ are heroes, Chris-
tians (and Trump lovers) are
evil, there is no such thing
as evil, God, or truth…and
that’s the truth. This new
morality is a badge of honor
you are to display proudly
while demanding others sa-
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I have to say about that….
1) Love does not equal
tolerance. It points out de-
structive behavior. It’s not
loving to watch someone
head over a cliff and not
warn them. 2) Our skin col-
or doesn’t make us special.
God does…we’re special
because He loves us and
made us unique. Stop di-
viding people by things that
don’t matter. 3) Criminals
create victims. Excusing
the crimes they commit
doesn’t help anyone, in-
cluding them. Punishment
works better. 4) Demand-
ing I celebrate your sexual
behavior is ridiculous…
especially when God calls
it sin. Stop bullying people.
5) Christians are human…
sinners just like you. The
difference between them
and you is repentance. Jesus
saves…. when you ask. 6)
I fear we will all see the
reality of evil, the power
of God, and the real truth
very soon.
:HDUHSOD\LQJLQWR6DWDQ¶V
hands. The new batch or
moral laws are only causing
his agenda to prosper. To be
fair, it’s not just the younger
generation that’s the prob-
lem. After all, it’s what the
older generation is teaching
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for letting this stuff seep
in. Is there hope for this
generation? For America?
If you study the Bible, you
know what’s coming and
you’re watching prophecy
unfold. Though I’m tempt-
ed to hole up somewhere
on a mountain and watch it
all happen…that’s not what
God has called Christians
to do. No matter what…we
are to stand for righteous-
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people about Jesus…even
when they bash our poems
and leave us inappropriate
laughing emojis.
“But mark this: There
will be terrible times in
the last days. 2 People will
be lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, boastful,
proud, abusive, disobedient
to their parents, ungrateful,
unholy, 3 without love, un-
forgiving, slanderous, with-
out self-control, brutal, not
lovers of the good, 4 treach-
erous, rash, conceited, lov-
ers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God— 5 having a
form of godliness but deny-
ing its power. Have nothing
to do with such people.” 2
Timothy 3:1-5
By Susie Crosby from
Prineville
Print & Mailing Services
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Sykes Publishing
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541-676-9228
Spiritually Speaking
MCHD Press Release
Father Thankachan Joseph
-Continued from PAGE ONE out in Boardman, the ambu-
LISTEN & BE TRANSFORMED
The season of lent is an invitation for all of us to move
from our old nature to a new way of living – to have that
wonderful experience like the disciples. This Sunday’s
scripture readings take us to the mountains to have com-
munion with the Father. Abraham, the father of faith, is
tested on Mount Moriah and proves his unconditional love
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scene on Mount Tabor, the Heavenly Father reveals the
Son Jesus as His beloved.
In Genesis (22: 1-2. 9-18, 26), Abraham was tested
and remained faithful to God. Abraham was willing to
observe God’s plan in his life, even when God asked for
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for our salvation. Abraham was ready and willing to give
everything for God, even his only son. Is it true with you
and me? Are we willing to give up anything for the Lord?
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to the word of God and obeyed God’s command and that
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life with God. This must help us to pause and to ask God:
“Please Lord, what must I do to make You happy?” The
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to do what He asks us to do, as Abraham did.
Our second reading is very encouraging because
it is full of hope, especially during this season of Lent.
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when God is on our side there is no opposition; there is
no condemnation and no separation.” Through the second
reading, Paul urges us to die to our sins through our Lenten
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prayer, fasting, etc.
The Gospel for this second Sunday of Lent is one
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climbing the mountain with Peter, James, and John, and
He is being transformed in front of them: His clothes
become white and His face radiant. Christ is revealed
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thing that God demands from us is to “Listen to him!” If
we listen to Christ, we shall be successful in our journey
with Him this season.
For us Oregonians it is very easy to imagine the
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fall. The recent snow \falls of January and February
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with his three apostles who had the wonderful experi-
ence on Mount Tabor. It is surely good for us to have
this mountain experience, to draw close to one another
and to Christ. Once we spend that time in communion
with the Heavenly Father, when we listen to Christ and
experience Him there up on the mountain, it will be like
that of Peter, who forgets himself and thinks of others
only. Though Peter tells the Lord it is nice to be there up
on the mountain, Christ brings them down the mountain
to live a life of heavenly call, like Abraham.
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should give us inspiration and hope. In our daily life we
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But in the midst of all these, we are reminded that the
Lord we are following is a victorious Lord, the beloved
Son of the Father. All our troubles in this world are mo-
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happiness. It is like reading a novel in which the happy
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problems that the main characters in the novel encoun-
ter, we are not discouraged because we know the story
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the present time are as nothing compared with the glory
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Lord. The zeal with which we have begun all our Lenten
observances will take us forward to achieve our victory.
required to safely provide
ambulance service. MCHD
cannot agree to a brief ex-
tension period because this
does not provide stability
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Our EMS personnel
have been dealing with un-
certainty in their jobs since
the 2021 ASA Plan was
repealed in April of 2023.
Our crews are exceptionally
dedicated, but they are also
real people that have bills,
families, and obligations
they need to consider. Many
have sought employment
elsewhere due to the con-
siderable uncertainty and
looming end date. An ex-
tension of 90 more days is
not enough to ask these em-
ployees to put their plans on
KROGRUWRUHFUXLWQHZVWD൵
Is there a way for MCHD
and Morrow County to
immediately resolve the
situation? Yes. MCHD has
proposed a draft ambulance
service contract. At any
time, Morrow County could
engage in negotiations with
MCHD and could immedi-
ately execute this contract.
This does not require a
lengthy process of any kind
because both entities are
public entities and ORS
CH190 allows us to exe-
cute an intergovernmental
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of the public. Attached is
a legal explanation of this
SURFHVV :K\ GRHV 0RU-
row County Health District
want to be the ambulance
service provider for the
entire county? MCHD pro-
vides ambulance services to
all of Morrow County in a
coordinated manner.
There are two ambu-
lances in Boardman and
two in Irrigon. These loca-
tions cross cover, meaning
that if an ambulance goes
lance in Irrigon is prepared
to respond and vice versa.
Both stations can mobilize
a second crew as needed.
There are some circum-
stances, such as extreme
weather, when all four am-
bulances are in service and
Quick Response Teams are
mobilized as backup. This
works seamlessly because
the crews use an app called
Active 9-1-1, which allows
instant communication with
all EMS personnel. To serve
Heppner, Lexington, and
Ione, there are two ambu-
lances in Heppner and one
in Ione. Quick Response
Teams are formally estab-
lished in Ione, Lexington,
and remote parts of Hep-
pner. Using Active 9-1-1,
a total of three ambulanc-
es can be mobilized and
Quick Response Teams
can be mobilized as back-
up. The number of trans-
ports in Boardman, Irrigon,
and Heppner are typical-
ly about the same: in FY
2023, Boardman had 336
transports, Irrigon had 323
transports, and Heppner had
293 transports.
M C H D ’s r e s p o n s e
times are better than the
National ]averages and are
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response times required
by the local Ambulance
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concerned that splitting up
the ambulance service area
will result in less coordinat-
ed services and increased
response times, particu-
larly if a service provider
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both ambulance and fire
simultaneously.
Morrow County Health
District is always happy to
respond to public inquiries,
which can be directed to
community@mocohd.org
Lunch
& Dinner
Menu
Specials 2/22 - 2/28
Thursday - Chipotle Beef Taco with chips
Friday - Popcorn Chicken Mashed Potato bowl
Saturday - Seafood Platter with cup of clam
chowder
Monday - Beef Nachos covered in nacho cheese
Tuesday - Grilled ham & cheese witch broccoli
cheddar soup
Tuesday Night - 2-9pm $2 hard shell tacos
Wednesday - Chicken plus with Mac n cheese
Congratulations Heppner District
Champion Wrestlers!
Good Luck at the State Tournament
February 22 and 23 at Portland Memorial Coliseum
Zach Brown
Jaime Cavan
124 N. MAIN STREET
HEPPNER OR (541) 676-9481
Landon McMahon