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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 2024)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 17, 2024 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 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 177 N Main St. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541) 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 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 $15 Obituaries Mary Kathleen Neher Mary Kathleen Neher, 81, died June 30 th at her home in Eugene, Oregon, after a long illness. Both of her children were with her. Mary was a faithful servant of her Lord and Savior Je- sus Christ and her family is grateful that she is once again healthy and whole in heaven. Born the fifth of six children to Lawrence Elmer Slocum and Frieda Loreta Slocum (nee McMillan) in Heppner on March 12, 1943, Mary enjoyed an idyllic Morrow County upbringing: attending Hep- pner schools; helping to care for her family’s farm animals; riding horses; fish- ing; playing sports and, generally, being as much of a tomboy as she could get away with. She graduated from Heppner High School in 1961 and then attended Eastern Oregon College in La Grande. From there she moved to Salem where she lived with her sister, Nancy. Mary met Ronald Neher in 1964 while the pair were both working at the Oregon Highway Department. The couple eloped and wed on January 2, 1965, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and then lived in Salem and Cor- vallis until Ron accepted a teaching job in tiny Powers, Oregon, in 1969. Mary and Ron started their family soon after. A son, Jeremy, arrived in the fall of 1970. A daugh- ter, Tonya, followed in the summer of 1972. In 1974, the family moved to Pleasant Hill, Oregon, and, on Christmas Eve, Mary moved with her family onto the property where she would live for the rest of her life. She attended Lane Community College and worked part-time in the school’s math department in the early 1980s before going to work as a secre- tary in the Pleasant Hill school district. Her first assignment was in the high school’s counseling office. Mary then moved into roles in the high school music department, district office, and elementary school of- fice before finishing her 20- year career with the district in 2004. Her retirement got off to a rocky start. Her home was seriously damaged in a fire in April 2005 and had to be completely rebuilt. But she flourished in the new house and, despite her intermittent and eventually persistent health troubles, thoroughly enjoyed her remaining years while gar- dening, staying immersed in the lives of her children and grandchildren, travel- ing, visiting and hosting family and friends, attend- ing traveling Broadway shows with her lifelong friend Ferne Healy, and caring for her dog, Katie, now 15 years old. Though her marriage to Ron ended in 1993, the couple would eventually reestablish a friendship and remain close for the rest of Mary’s life. Mary is also survived by her children: Jeremy Neher of Eugene and Tonya (Mike) Kingery of Boi- se; grandchildren Desirae, Toby, and Eli Kingery of Boise; and siblings Peter Slocum of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Nancy Nelsen of Vancouver, Wash., and Car- olyn Cutsforth of Heppner. Mary was preceded in death by her parents as well as siblings Barbara Clough and Frances Dion. A graveside service will be held at Heppner Masonic Cemetery on Saturday at 2 p.m., to be followed by a reception at the Gilliam & Bisbee Building. HNC updates hours The Heppner Neighbor- hood Center has changed its hours, they will now be open Monday and Thursday 1 pm-6 pm, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 am-3 pm, closed Fridays-Sunday. They also ask that donation drops be made during busi- ness hours only. Good News Only by Doris Brosnan Regrets that last week’s column was mostly a reprint of the previous week. Unclear technical problem is un- detected until after the fact! And an apology to Shannon Wicklund, whose last name was misprinted! One way to surprise someone with a party is to schedule it when the honored guest(s) has no reason to expect one: Merlin and Claudia Hughes’s families threw a celebration of the Hugheses’ 80 th birthdays a week ago, over a month after Claudia’s and three months before Merlin’s! The couple expected a “cousins’ campout” at their home in Ukiah, something that hadn’t occurred for several years, but they were taken by surprise when many friends also began arriving at the backyard gathering – with cards, “happy birthday” greetings, some gifts. A wonderful way to welcome a new decade! Great way for new generations of cousins to meet, other generations to get reacquainted, and friends to meet some cousins and learn a bit more about Merlin and Claudia! The July 4 celebration in Ione was another hit, judging by the number of people in the park. A large turnout for the Cruz-In – 44 entries – and for the afternoon Bingo; tasty food at the five options, face-painting, games…. And fireworks topped the day’s events! Finally, schedules could be coordinated, and Shirley George and Doris Brosnan were able to travel to Redmond last weekend to visit Doris’s sister Florence Nolan. Shirley has been a family friend since time began, so Florence was extremely pleased to have her join the two-hour visit with Doris and brother Kip Morris, and wife, Theresa, who live in Madras. Shirley then doubled her pleasure by going for a first stay with her brother Jim Van Winkle and wife Georgia, formerly of Heppner. Impossible that any other dog could be as slow on a walk as the Melancholy Collie? Well, granddog “Mag- gie,” the visiting chihuahua/pom cross, most definitely was! Same age as Katie (10+), walks a brisker pace, but takes much longer to sniff a scent and finds more scents to sniff and more questionable tidbits to try to eat! Such a long time to walk a half mile! (Maggie was handed off to her Salem owner at a meeting at The Dalles a week ago.) Occasionally, Ed Groshens – a 1958 HHS graduate who now lives in Florence – comes through his hometown and stays a while. While in town during the first week of July, Ed and his traveling friend, Diane, included a visit to the Masonic Cemetery, and Ed later reported that he was extremely impressed by the well-cared-for condition of the cemetery. Kudos to Dana Wilson and John Healy, the cemetery board members, and the local taxpayers! The Brass Fire band returned to Heppner last Sunday to kick off the Music-in-the-Park series of entertainment. The band’s showmanship and great bold sound were again remarkable. Again, some family attractions preceded the show, and some Hopeful Saints served a hot dog meal this time. On August 11, the Wasteland Kings will bring their sound to Music in the Park! They’re back! The goats have returned to the feed at the dam site. Watching them at work on the steep face of the dam can be an entertaining interlude in one’s day. Time out for a laugh with Dennis O’Donnell: “A cranky old woman was arrested for shoplifting at a su- permarket. She gave the arresting officer a hard time, and she complained and criticized everything and everyone throughout the process. When she appeared before the judge, he asked her for what. She defiantly replied that she had stolen from the store, just a stupid can of peach- es. The judge then asked why she had done it, and she replied that she was hungry and forgot to bring any cash to the store. The judge asked how many peaches were in the can. She replied in a nasty tone, ‘Nine, but why do you care about that?’ The judge answered patiently, ‘Well because I am going to give you nine days in jail, one day for each peach.’ As the judge was about to drop his gavel, the lady’s husband raised his hand slowly and asked if he might speak, and the judge said to go ahead. The husband said, “Your Honor, she also stole a can of peas.’” Give readers a few moments of pleasure: Send your tidbit to dbrosnan123@gmail.com or call 541-223-1490. Here’s hoping that good news comes to everyone reading this! Spiritually Speaking Father Thankachan Joseph DO YOU CARE FOR OTHERS One of the symptoms of life today is that we are busy people constantly crying out for a break. A full life equates with a busy life. Yet, we all need a break, not merely to recharge our energies but to ponder the deeper question: “What is my life all about?” While a believer needs a break, paradoxically, there is no break from loving and living! Through the readings of the day, we reflect on the care and concern of Christ. In today’s Gospel we see how Christ cared about people as a good shepherd cares for his sheep. How do we know? In today’s first reading from Prophet Jeremiah (23:1- 6), he reprimands the leaders of Israel for neglecting their duties towards the people. The rulers of Jeremiah’s time were not good leaders, being either weak or cruel. They had to shoulder the blame for the misfortune that had befallen their people. But God will not let His peo- ple languish. He is a God who cares, and He will show His care by giving them a new leader, a new prophet, a new shepherd. In fact, He Himself will be their leader, their shepherd. This prophecy of Isaiah would be ful- filled in Jesus the Good Shepherd. This Sunday’s Gospel reading from Mark (6:30-34) denotes that the disciples report to Jesus the outcome of their first apostolic mission. Jesus listens to their reports and notices that they are tired and weary and suggests that they need a break. “You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest a while.” To re- treat is to pull back, to withdraw from what one is doing. All human effort in the world is of no use to the aposto- late unless it is powered from within by the divine ener- gy of grace. Seeking out a lonely place is not an escape from reality. Those who are busy with the work of the Lord must return to the center within and be alone with the Lord of the work. In the alone place, we encounter the Great Alone. Having come apart to be alone with God, the Lord’s invitation is to rest a while and restore our energy. Yet there is no holiday or break from love, from living our faith at all times and in every circum- stance. While Jesus sends His disciples to rest awhile, He does not seek rest but is moved with compassion and so He attends to the multitude. The Gospel narrates the care and concern of Christ for His disciples. As soon as they return from their apos- tolic mission, Christ spends His time with His disciples and listens to them. Christ becomes a beautiful example for all the parents of today who are weary and tired due to their tireless hard work and have no time for their children and other family members. Such time together with family members and children could include some time in prayer with them, to thank and appreciate all the blessings received through Christ. As Christ became a model and example, lets try to spend time together with our family, with our kids. We are really involved in active lives; some people have no time to breathe, they are so busy with their daily routine. Two questions arise from this lifestyle: How can we shoulder life’s burdens if we have no contact with Him who is the Lord of all good life? Second, there is the danger of too much withdrawal. Prayer that does not issue in work is not real prayer. We must never seek the fellowship of God to avoid the fellowship of men but to better fit ourselves for it. The rhythm of the Christian life is the alternative meeting with God in the secret place and serving men in the marketplace. Christ becomes a real hero by way of empathy towards His disciples when they return from their mission as sheep without a shep- herd. He went out of His way to reach out to them and cared for them. The three readings of the day remind us of the fact that every Christian ought to be a person who cares about others. We sometimes tell people that we care about them, yet we fail to prove it by our good deeds like Christ Himself. Heppner’s ‘Mini Bakers’ Irrigon man arrested after -Continued from PAGE ONE selves, the kids determine their way. The children have learned to bake pastries, and make fillings, and are currently delving into the art of canning. Donna is even delighted that some of the local teenagers have expressed interest in learn- ing the skill of canning food. Baking has always been a passion for Donna, and she has strived to pass on this skill to the children she babysits. It comes as no surprise that the kids have developed a keen interest in learning new skills and creating baked goods from scratch. Remarkably, Heppner’s Mini Bakers do not charge for their delicious creations. However, they graciously accept donations. Donna proudly reveals that the children have complete autonomy in deciding what they want to bake, and the parents often provide the necessary ingredients. Donna discloses that even when the kids might have disagreements or ar- guments, the prospect of baking brings them back together. As she puts it, “They could be fighting like cats and dogs, and I’ll say, ‘Are you gonna bake or not?’ and they’re best friends again, at least until the baking is done.” Setting a goal for them- how much they want to make and will not stop until they have achieved it, Donna says. There are no fixed dates for their bak- ing ventures; rather, they bake and set up in town whenever they feel like it. Donna also mentions that the kids are now learning about different food al- lergies and incorporating alternatives to make their goodies accessible to all. Furthermore, they are also learning fractions, sharpen- ing their math skills while creating delectable treats. The Mini Bakers have accomplished an astound- ing number of donations so far. With over $700 donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and $600 to Shri- ners Children’s Hospital. In addition to these con- tributions, they have also donated to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, the lo- cal summer lunch lady, and the Oregon 4-H program. Heppner’s Mini Bak- ers are not just young kids learning to bake; they are a testament to the power of kindness, generosity, and community. Under Donna’s guidance, these children are not only discovering their passion for baking but also spreading joy and making a difference in the lives of others, one delicious treat at a time. allegedly stealing from place of employment Northeast Oregon Now- An Irrigon man was arrested and jailed Wednes- day, July 10 for allegedly stealing from his place of employment and then filing a false report to police. Just after 9 a.m., the Hermiston Police Depart- ment responded to a panic alarm at a Hermiston busi- ness. Upon arrival officers found an employee who reported the business was robbed by several individ- uals who tied him to a chair before leaving. Following an investigation by HPD patrol units and the investi- gations team, the employee, Nicholas J. Lepinski of Irrigon, admitted to stealing money from the business and then filing a false report to cover his actions. Lepinski was arrested at about 1 p.m., processed, transported and lodged at the Umatilla County Jail on charges including theft and filing a false report. The HPD said no one was in danger during the incident.
