TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 25, 2024
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Good News Only by Doris Brosnan
Heppner
As City Manager John Doherty explained last Friday,
“If you are able to flush your toilet, if you have running
water, if the green spaces around town remain green, you
are a beneficiary of the work accomplished on a regular
basis by the members of the city maintenance depart-
ment.” As the workers take on more responsibilities, the
crew of four, which includes supervisor Chad Doherty,
meets the challenges with expertise. An opening in the
department remains unfilled—an opportunity knocking
for someone.
Donna Smith’s “Mini Bakers and Canners” deliv-
ered $341 and treats to the Sheriff’s Department last
Wednesday! These funds represent the donations given
them from individuals and organizations thankful for
their homemade treats they provide freely for a variety of
gatherings and events. Smith started the batch of kitchen
specialists seven years ago, and today the group ranges in
age from four (the self-proclaimed “rhubarb-muffin king”)
to nine. The oldest member has been participating since
the age of two, performing helpful prep and assistance
chores. The workers learn that everything must be clean,
the work area and their hands, and they are constantly
reminded by the youngest to “wash a hand!” They decide
together—looking through cookbooks is one source of
suggestions—what they will make and for whom or what
they will offer their treats.
Last Thursday was the monthly birthday luncheon
attended by several area women. The birthday celebrants
were Eva Kilkenny and Judy Harris, both of whom could
not attend, but that did not deter the 12 well-wishers, who
Facetimed with Eva on this her 91 st birthday and sang
the birthday song before enjoying Chef Heath’s shrimp
linguine luncheon.
Speaking of mysterious lights in the sky: Judy Bus-
chke shares, “Seeing all of the news reports on sightings
of UFOs/drones over New Jersey and other places reminds
me of UFOs reported over Heppner in the late 60’s. There
was an article in the Heppner Gazette about many citizens
reporting sightings over Heppner for several nights! These
had also been reported to the Sheriff’s office. That same
week my two older sons, Kyle and Mike, along with
our then-neighbor Jim Ployhar, had spent many nights
building “UFOs” in my kitchen! They used strips of light
wood, birthday candles, and plastic bags that came with
our dry cleaning! They would go up on the hill behind
our house and launch them maybe two at a time as fast as
they could get them made! Their “UFOs” went really high
and floated with the direction of the wind, which went
right over town! I had to call the sheriff and the Gazette
and let them know the origin of the UFOs, and the kids
(and parents) were lectured on the fire danger of this fun
adventure! I don’t remember the exact year this was, but
these kids’ brains were way ahead of their time! (This
was before Google or TikTok, when the kids had to make
their own fun and use their imaginations!)”
Christmas stories to bring a smile or chuckle: The
nativity play was going as planned and Joseph and Mary
were going from house to house knocking on the doors
and asking if there was any room for them. As they con-
tinued to get “no room” answers, a little voice called from
the back, “YOU SHOULD HAVE BOOKED!” bringing
the house down.
As a little girl climbed onto Santa’s lap, Santa asked
the usual, “And what would you like for Christmas?”
The child stared at him open-mouthed and horrified for
a minute, then gasped, “Didn’t you get my email?”
A boy wanted to be Joseph in the Sunday School
pageant. He was cast as the landlord and objected loudly,
but to no avail. When the pageant was presented, Mary
and Joseph knocked on the door and asked him if he had
a room for them. The boy smiled and said, “Yes, sure.
Lots of room. Come on in!”
The store’s Santa Claus gave Jeanie a candy cane. Her
mother says, “What do you say, Jeanie?” Jeanie looks up
at Santa and says, “Charge it!”
Wishing everyone a happy holiday! Maybe some en-
joyable stories will occur and be shared next week. Just jot
a note to dbrosnan123@gmail.com or call 541-223-1490!
Here’s hoping that good news comes to everyone
reading this.
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
Andrea DiSalvo ............................................................................................. 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
Heppner lights up
for Christmas with
decorating contest
The Heppner Christmas light contest is currently underway.
-File photo
The Heppner Light-
ing Contest is currently
underway, the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce has
announced.
There are three divi-
sions: Yard and Outdoor
Decorations with a $100
prize, Business Windows
with a $50 prize and Res-
idential Windows, also for
$50.
The following address-
es are competing:
Division I - Yard and
Outdoor Decorations: 565
S. Chase St. - Mullins Fam-
ily, 655 S. Chase St. - Rod
and Janet Wilson, 140 N.
Gilmore St. - Jodie Sea-
graves, 140 S. Gilmore St.
- Amy and Emma Patterson,
315 S. Gilmore St. - Brown-
fields, 230 NW Water St. -
Matthew Neal, 195 N. Gale
St. - Hanson Family, 220 W
Center St. - Ric and Pam
Rosenbalm.
Division II - Business:
Wheatland Insurance, Bank
of Eastern Oregon, Seren-
dipity Designs, Northwest-
ern Motel, Murray’s Drug,
Heppner Gazette-Times,
Market 87, Sweeney-Pay-
ton Mortuary.
Division III - Residen-
tial Windows: 515 N. Gale
St. - Kristen Marshall, 590
N. Gale St. - Allred Family,
840 E. Fairview Way - Gary
and Cherrie Clark.
Voting will take place
Sunday, Dec. 22 through
Tuesday, Dec. 24. Voting
forms will be available
at Heppner Chamber of
Commerce and Market 87,
as well as an online poll on
the Heppner Chamber of
Commerce Facebook page.
Winners will be an-
nounced in the Ga-
zette-Times and on the
chamber’s Facebook page
the week after Christmas.
Snowmobile club play
day, avalanche training
The 4-Corners Snow-
mobile Club will hold its
annual holiday playday on
Saturday, Dec. 28, at Kelly
Prairie, weather and snow
conditions permitting.
Activities include a
poker run, and hot dogs,
chili and hot chocolate will
be served.
Festivities start at
noon. Suit up and bring the
whole family. For more
information contact Cliff
Dougherty, 541-561-7118,
or Mike Gorman, 541-980-
3396.
The snowmobile club
is also sponsoring an ava-
lanche training course on
Sunday, Jan. 5, at Kelly
Prairie. The cost is $200
per person and includes
beacon use, general ava-
lanche recommendations
and warnings, etc.
For more information,
contact Cliff Dougherty,
541-561-7118, or Adrian
Frink, 541-561-0069.
Holly Rebekah to hold
end-of-year Bingo
Holly Rebekah Lodge
will be hosting its end-of-
the-year meal and Bingo
on Sunday, Dec. 29, at the
Lodge Hall in Lexington.
This month, instead of
the usual meal, all Bingo
players are asked to bring
appetizers to share with
others. There will be no
charge this month for food.
The food will start at
3 p.m. At approximately
3:30, Bingo will start with
a variety of prizes available
for selection.
The charge for a packet
of 10 cards is $5. Also, a
drawing for all players over
18 years of age will be held
for a packet of Bingo cards
every month, good through
December 2025.
So, grab some friends
and come play Bingo and
welcome the new year in a
couple of days early.
Lady Mustangs top
Crosshill Christian,
fall to Echo at
Holiday Hoop Fest
Heppner’s Lady Mus-
tangs were impressive with
their 54-36 win over Cross-
hill Christian Friday night.
They easily avenged their
volleyball 2A State memo-
ries of this powerful hitting
team.
The Eagles’ six-foot-
plus junior Zoey Baker was
not a game changer for the
Mustangs. Instead, Hallee
Hisler scored 19 points to
set the pace.
Heppner led 13-11 after
the first quarter and went on
a 25-9 run, taking a 38-24
lead. Lily Nichols chipped
in nine points, with Delaney
Stefani and Maya Payne
adding six each.
It was a great win for
the Mustang girls—they
stole the ball, scooped it
up, and went coast-to-coast
for easy twos. Katie Spiv-
ey and Kadie Hendrichs
battled Crosshill’s two big
girls under the basket for
rebounds. Heppner gave
the crowd a great game to
watch for those home for
the Christmas holiday.
On Saturday, Heppner
fell quickly to a physical,
sharp-shooting Echo team,
70-56. Echo used four play-
ers to burn the nets.
Heppner was led by
Hallee Hisler with 16
points, including 8-for-8
from the free-throw line.
Delaney Stefani followed
with 14, and Katie Spivey
added eight.
The Mustangs will play
next on Dec. 27 and 28, tak-
ing on top-ranked Knappa
and Kennedy at the Pend-
leton Convention Center.
They will then stay home
to take on Dufur Dec. 30.
Death Notice
Jerry Lowell Martin,
92, of Hermiston passed
away on Dec. 18, 2024. A
celebration of life service
will be announced at a lat-
er date. Sweeney Payton
Mortuary has been entrust-
ed with the arrangements
(sweeneypaytonmortuary.
com).
DECEMBER 24
RETAIL & ESPRESSO: 7AM-4PM
PHARMACY: 9AM-4PM (NO DELIVERIES)
DECEMBER 25 : CLOSED
DECEMBER 26
RETAIL & ESPRESSO: 9AM-6PM
PHARMACY: 10AM-6PM
JANUARY 1 : CLOSED
217 North Main St.,
Heppner, OR
Phone 676-9158 Floral 676-9426
murraysdrug.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm • Sat 8am-6pm • Sun 9am-2pm
Pharmacy- Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
For Sale
Approx 20 Acres
$139,000
Beautiful 20-acre property in Eastern Oregon,
zoned Exclusive Farm Use (EFU). Along
Willow Creek Rd. MLS#: 24056686
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
Broker
Chris Sykes
541-215-2274
For Sale
$240,000
Discover a timeless treasure with this beautifully
preserved Craftsman-style home, featuring 1,174
sq ft on the main level and an additional 1,008 sq
ft in basement, perfect for storage or extra space to
customize. This 2-bedroom, 1-bath gem combines
classic charm with modern comforts, including a
newer furnace, forced air heat, and a freshly painted
exterior. Located in a prime spot near the school
and within walking distance to downtown Heppner,
this home provides both convenience and a sense of
community. Experience small-town living with easy
access to downtown. Don’t miss the chance to make
this spacious, character-filled home your own!
240 N COURT ST Heppner MLS#:24652848
WWW.HEPPNER.NET
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MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Thank you for your business throughout 2024.
We look forward to continuing to serve you
in the New Year!
THE STAFF OF WHEATLAND INSURANCE
Heppner & Ione