Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, January 29, 2025 -- THREE
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Romance
It had been a long week, a
long month for that matter
We’d had our fill of ranch
troubles. The pocketbook
had been fatter.
So it was a nice treat when
he poked his head inside.
Said “Hey Hon, what’cha
doin’? Wanna go for a ride?
***
Now we’ve a pretty good
life and I’m not complainin’
But we’d been pretty
busy and the romance was
wainin’.
Sunsets, hand-holdin’ an’
kissin’ in the moonlight,
Stood in line behind fences
an’ wire strung tight.
***
With the kids and the crit-
ters, tractors and clogged
sinks,
Time alone was hard com-
in’, pretty close to extinct.
So I dropped the dish towel,
left the mud on the floor.
Left the sink clogged an’
headed for the back door.
***
I slipped on my boots, gave
the oldest the word
“Be back in a while. Gonna
check on the herd.”
He had the truck runnin’
which was no small thing,
Cause he’d been workin’ on
it since we got it last spring.
***
I slid in beside him. Had to
move a few things
Toolbox, water jug, fence
pliers, seat springs,
Three pair of old gloves,
grease gun, cow tags,
Two flannel shirts, miscel-
laneous brown bags.
***
It took me a while, but I
cleared me a space.
Put my hand on his knee
and a kiss on his face.
We traveled a while, then he
turned to me sweetly,
“Hon you know I love ya
but would you mind com-
pletely?
***
He’s tailed us four miles
and it’s cold outside.
He’s got to be tuckered,
could we give him a ride?”
With those puppy dog eyes
an’ when he put it that way,
My resistance was down.
What else could I say?
***
“Go ahead, let ‘im in. I
guess a gal could do worse.
But I’m keepin’ this spot
cause I had it first.”
He opened the door. The
dog bounded quite nicely,
Cleared the steering wheel
and landed precisely.
***
His feat was Olympic. Even
risked limb and life.
He squeezed in between us
like a hot buttered knife.
Then he stuck his tongue
out which proceeded to
drip,
Filled the air with dog
breath. Let loose with a yip.
***
With an arrogant glare, he
said with his face
“Could you move it a bit?
A cowdog needs his space.
The next thing he accom-
plished took some guts to
achieve.
We were rollin’ down win-
dows, Tryin’ to breath.
***
Seems he had a small prob-
lem of digestive means.
From leftover dinner. That’s
right, we had beans.
Well, we cut the trip short.
Made it back to the ranch.
Neither one in the mood. So
much for romance.
***
Back to the dishes and the
mud on the floor.
I had a great thought as I
walked through the door.
The next time I’m yearnin’
for time with my sweetie,
I’ll turn off the lights and
turn on the TV.
By Susie Crosby
Prineville, OR
HB 2797
would cede
local control
to state
Greg Smith’s House
Bill 2797 would add two
commissioners to the Port
of Morrow, to be appoint-
ed by the governor and
approved by the Senate, as
is the case with the Port of
Portland. His rationale is
that our Port has become
too successful to be run by
elected volunteers, and “ex-
perts” need to be brought in.
Aside from the gross
insult to the current board
and its electors, Smith’s
proposal misses important
distinctions between the
Ports of Portland and Mor-
row that affect how they
are run.
The Port of Portland
was established in 1891
by the Oregon Legislature,
and its commissioners have
always been appointed by
the governor and approved
by the legislature. Its re-
sponsibilities now include a
major international airport,
four marine terminals and
six industrial parks. The
Port has an annual budget
of about $3 billion.
By contrast, the Port of
Morrow was established in
1958 by a group of moti-
vated Morrow County cit-
izens, and its first board of
commissioners represented
every community in the
county. It is now the second
largest port in Oregon, but
not in the same ballpark as
Portland: our Port has an
annual budget approaching
$500 million. This “big
industry,” as Smith puts it,
has grown entirely under
the auspices of elected com-
missioners from within our
county. (Full disclosure: my
husband was appointed to
the board last year.)
One has to wonder what
Smith’s actual motivation is
in wanting to cede local
authority to state control.
Voters in House District 57
should not allow it.
Sincerely,
The Re ve rend Le a
Mathieu
Ione, OR
Morrow SWCD to meet
Morrow Soil and Wa-
ter Conservation District
(SWCD) will meet Tues-
day, Feb. 4, beginning at
6 p.m. at the Ag Service
Center in Heppner.
To join via Zoom or
conference call, please con-
tact the SWCD beforehand
at 541-676-5452. Meetings
of the Morrow SWCD are
open to the public.
Decorations to be removed
from cemetery
Christmas decorations
will be removed from
graves at the Heppner Ma-
sonic Cemetery beginning
Jan. 13. Artificial decora-
tions will be saved in the
storage shed; all others will
be discarded. Call 541-561-
6768 to pick up decorations
or remove them from graves
by the end of January.
Oregon strike teams heading home from
Southern California
Oregon fire trucks line up along the highway in California getting ready to head back to Oregon. - Contributed Photo.
SALEM, OR—Fol-
lowing a two-week mobi-
lization to Southern Cal-
ifornia to assist with the
wildfire response, all of
Oregon’s 21 strike teams
are coming home.
The teams began the
demobilization process last
Thursday morning. Two of
the strike teams started their
drive back to Oregon on
Thursday, while another 15
began their journey to their
home agencies on Friday.
Those strike teams
were assigned to the Pali-
sades and Eaton fires near
Los Angeles and have spent
the last two weeks working
the fire lines and supporting
the communities impacted
by these disasters.
According to OSFM’s
Facebook page, the remain-
ing four teams—two on the
Eaton Fire and two assigned
to support initial attack
efforts on new fires—were
also demobilized late last
week, with the final two
teams heading home Sat-
urday morning.
In total, the Oregon
State Fire Marshal mobi-
lized 21 strike teams, 370
firefighters and 105 fire
engines and water tenders,
marking this the largest out-
of-state deployment in the
agency’s history.
“I am immensely
proud of the work fire-
fighters from the Oregon
fire service and the Oregon
Department of Forestry
have done over the last
two weeks in California,”
Oregon State Fire Marshal
Mariana Ruiz-Temple said.
“Their dedication and pro-
fessionalism have made a
meaningful difference for
the communities affected
by these devastating fires.
“The willingness of our
firefighters to step up and
provide critical aid, often in
challenging and dangerous
conditions, is a testament to
the strength and resilience
of Oregon’s fire service,”
Ruiz-Temple added.
The strike teams sent
to California by the State
Fire Marshal were request-
ed through the Emergency
Management Assistance
Compact. This compact
provides help during gov-
ernor-declared emergencies
or disasters by allowing
states to send personnel,
equipment, and supplies to
support response and recov-
ery efforts in other states.
The strike teams’ expenses
will be reimbursed directly
by California.
2025 Morrow County
Fair and Rodeo Queen
-Continued from PAGE ONE
Kathryn “KC” Anderson
volved in her community,
where she helps with the
Heppner FFA backpack
program, Heppner Elks
Club, the Heppner Booster
Club, the local MOCO
rodeo and Western States
Junior Rodeo.
Her future plans are to
graduate and attend a four-
year university with an
animal science program.
From there, she would
like to pursue veterinarian
school and focus on a ca-
reer as a large animal vet.
For now, this talented
young lady enjoys spend-
ing time with her horse,
Tonka, competing in ju-
nior rodeos and playing
volleyball.
“Her outgoing person-
ality and natural ability
to socialize and greet the
public makes Anderson
an excellent choice for
queen,” the fair and rodeo
said in a statement. “She
looks forward to represent-
ing the Morrow County
Fair and Oregon Trail Pro
Rodeo as queen.”
KC’s coronation date
will be during the Town
and Country event in Hep-
pner on Feb. 6, 2025.
Assistance now accessible in
Heppner for local residents
South Morrow County
Seniors Matter is teaming
up with two organizations
to give local residents bet-
ter access to assistance
programs available in our
region.
The state of Oregon,
through the Oregon Depart-
ment of Human Services
(ODHS) and the Com-
munity Action Program
of East Central Oregon
(CAPECO), offers various
programs aimed at assist-
ing residents with food
(including SNAP benefits
and food boxes), housing,
employment, child-care as-
sistance, energy assistance,
long-term care, Medicare
and more.
However, in a rural
area like ours, finding the
right program or navigating
the process to access these
services can sometimes be
a challenge.
To help address this,
ODHS and CAPECO have
teamed up with South Mor-
row County Seniors Matter
(SMCSM) to bring program
representatives directly to
Heppner.
On February 4, from
12:30 to 2:30 p.m., staff will
be available in the lobby of
St. Patrick’s Apartments
(190 N Main St., Heppner)
to provide answers to ques-
tions and help residents
access resources.
There’s no need to call
or make an appointment;
assistance will be provided
on a first-come, first-served
basis. This service is avail-
able both to seniors and
younger residents.
While eligibility re-
quirements do apply and
individuals may not be able
to sign up for programs on
the spot, the representatives
will assist in guiding indi-
viduals through the process
and help them understand
what programs they may
qualify for.
This initiative is a pilot
program, and its future
will depend on the level of
community engagement, so
residents are encouraged to
take full advantage of this
valuable opportunity.
541-276-2152
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
Broker
Chris Sykes
541-215-2274
New Listing
$425,000
This 0.77-acre property offers everything for animal
enthusiasts, with a livestock pasture, year-round
creek, two chicken houses, a barn with a lean-to,
and a deer-proof garden with a greenhouse for year-
round produce. A 10x12 storage room.
The 5-bedroom, 2.5-bath home, including a master
suite, features modern updates like new flooring,
hardy plank siding and new windows.
Energy-efficient ductless heating and cooling.
Outside, rock retaining walls, a tool shed, and
a partially finished basement add function and
flexibility. Located within city limits, it’s a short
walk to Main Street
Perfect for animal care, gardening, and quiet living,
this move-in-ready property is a rare find.
580 S MAIN ST Heppner. MLS#: 629913772
Lunch
& Dinner
Menu
1/30 - 2/5
Thursday - Chicken bacon ranch wrap with
chips
Friday - French Toast, scrambled eggs, &
hashbrown patties
Saturday - Grilled Cod fillet sandwich with
French fries
Sunday closed
Monday - Flatbread pepperoni pizza with salad
Tuesday - pulled pork nachos
Tuesday Night - 6-9pm $2 hard shell tacos
Wednesday - loaded 1/4lb cheeseburger with
mac n cheese