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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 2025)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 23, 2025 -- THREE ~ Letters to the Editor ~ The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that you provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. The GT reserves the right to edit. 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 $16 Email to editor@rapidserve.net or upload to Heppner.net. Enough Already! I am writing this let- ter to the editor as a con- cerned community member of Morrow County. I was born at Pioneer Memorial Hospital and have spent most of my life as a citizen of Heppner. I am really frustrated with the statements made by some Morrow County Health District Board mem- bers, calling out the citizens of Heppner for making current employees of the district feel unsafe and for bullying the current CEO into resigning her position. Bullying people into resigning their positions at the district has been going on for years. I am speaking from my own personal experiences with certain members of administration and a current board mem- ber. I attended some board meetings, I even stood up and gave a statement, and a member of the administra- tion team rolled her eyes as I stood up to speak. A board member questioned the validity of the statement/ questions I was going to ask. There were many other members of the community that spoke at this meeting, but I was the only one who was asked about the validity of questions/statement I was going to ask. I can say I left the meeting feeling even more angry and un- settled than when I went in. This is the culture at the hospital, the culture previous employees had to work in. I have spoken with some of the previous employees of the district regarding their experiences while being employed at the district. Their statements were all very similar. I can say that I com- mend the handful of com- munity members who started making statements, attending meetings, and asking for meetings with the current CEO. Their hope was that attending board meetings and having one-on-one conversations regarding their concerns would be heard and ad- dressed. It seems their con- cerns fell on deaf ears. These community members felt the only thing left to do was vote for change. I feel that, had the board done their own in- vestigations into why these people who had worked at the district for so long were leaving or being fired, we wouldn’t be where we are today. You don’t lose 50- plus employees because they just couldn’t get on board with the culture change. Why didn’t any- one ask why? Why didn’t the board do their own in- vestigations into what was going on? Is there a possibility that some of these employ- ees just didn’t work out? Sure! But the majority of these people saw them- selves retiring from the hospital. They put many years into their work at the hospital only to be bullied and belittled to the point they either quit on their own or were forced to quit because they couldn’t han- dle it anymore. Some of these employees came to the district with a stellar record and were admired in their field only to have these records tarnished while in the employ of the district. These are people who live in our community, who are raising their families in this community and have been forced to drive an hour-plus one way to work. They certainly aren’t doing this because they want to. They are doing it because that’s what they were forced to do. I, myself, am voting for change. I encourage every- one in Morrow County to do the same. Russ Nichols, Janet Greenup, Jason Han- na and Ann Spicer-Kuhn have my vote. Amy Kollman Heppner, OR So-called ‘trouble- makers’ are heart and soul of Morrow County There has been some very harsh criticism lev- eled against concerned citizens of Heppner and south Morrow County from the ex-CEO and MCHD (Morrow County Health District) board members. According to news reports, these citizens have exer- cised every possible effort (letters to the editor, public comments at MCHD meet- ings, campaign statements, social media sites) to have their concerns addressed. Which are: 1) Their local doctors, nurses, medical profes- sional that are no longer welcome at MCHD (over 40 in four years). 2) Smear campaign against Dr. Russ Nichols. 3) Negative response from MCHD board to open- ly consider their grievances. These citizens of south Morrow County have lost most of their local medical professionals and caregiv- ers and now must drive long distances for medical care. Many are elderly and may be forced to move clos- er to medical care facilities. These citizens have been accused of spite, ignorance, trouble making and worse. These so-called trouble- makers that have lost their health care providers are the heart and soul of south Morrow County. Remem- ber that when you vote for a new MCHD board. Stuart Dick Irrigon, OR Salt and Light The older I get, the less I like change, which is rather strange for an ADHD brain owner like myself. For much of my life, boredom has been a formidable enemy. Any difference from the status quo was welcome. May- be the years have taught me that change doesn’t always equal satisfaction and there’s often peace and safety in the familiar. Our world has changed dramatically since I was a youngster. The country we call our own today is unrecognizable to anyone who was paying attention 30 years ago…or even 15. Spend 10 minutes watching the news or five minutes thumbing through social media, and the evidence is overwhelming. There’s been a rapid decline in de- cency, respect and the gen- eral moral code on which society used to thrive. This isn’t Mayberry anymore, that’s for sure. Makes me wonder. Why was it so hard to main- tain? What if more had bucked the downfall, spo- ken up, pointed out bad be- havior, and done more than just watch it happen? How different would the world look today? And I also won- der, when did we go from parents raising children to form a decent society, to a society that became the enemy of children? Parents today seem to be little more than apathetic spectators. I guess the “Me Generation” has spoken. Not to disparage all current parents today. Some are trying. But the swim up- stream is a difficult one and societal rapids are deadly. Remember when every- one knew honesty, respect, self-discipline, kindness, purity and faith were admi- rable qualities? Law-abid- ing citizens were an asset and criminals were not. Par- ents had the ultimate say, and their children were to be protected, in and out of the womb, at all costs. The difference between good and evil was obvious, and we all knew the difference. But that was then. It all seems upside down today. But bravo to those try- ing hard to stop the decline. If you’re not afraid to stand up for what’s right, speak the truth, discipline your children, and risk the loss of friends and even family… you can make a difference. It’s a difficult battle, and yes, you will be called names, slandered, mocked, blocked and even sued. But stay the course. And remember the sig- nificance of the fight. It doesn’t matter what you believe if what you believe doesn’t matter. I know my convictions are deeper than nostalgia for what was, and deeper than politics. They’re based on a firm belief in a God to whom I will answer someday. He’s called His people to be salt and light. We live in a dark and tasteless world. Make a difference. It’s worth the price. “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its fla- vor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:13-16). Susie Crosby Prineville, OR Continue Port commission change, vote for Fletcher Hobbs Richard (Rick) Stokoe has served as a Port of Morrow commissioner for 10 years and is the act- ing Boardman City Police Chief. During his tenure he has seen significant conflict of interest on the commis- sion and said nothing. He also defended the status quo of operations at the CDA, which recently re- sulted in the loss of federal funding and yet another black eye for the port. As a commissioner he stated in a 2015 letter to BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure), a federal agency, that the port would legally oversee the employment of the CDA executive director, and did not. He defends the port’s ownership of a local golf course in Boardman, which the port has spent over three million dollars on and con- tinues with yearly operating expenses. Where was his foresight in 2016 when se- rious issues of wastewater disposal began to come to light? It is time to finish the commissioner leadership change begun in recent elections and that is why I endorse and will be voting for Fletcher Hobbs for port position #1. We voters have this and other important issues before us that will signifi- cantly affect our county for many years; three out of five Port commissioners, four out of five Morrow County Health District board members and a Mor- row County School District bond measure for badly needed capital improve- ments. We are blessed in Mor- row County for several reasons: one is that local industry and Amazon will pay over 70 percent of the bond value, and two, we have candidates for these positions that are motivat- ed, informed and willing to serve. Take the time to learn what the candidates stand for and why. Do they rep- resent the vision, goals and priorities you have? Or your community? Please join me in vot- ing for Fletcher Hobbs for port commissioner #1 and yes for the school bond measure. Sincerely, John Murray Heppner, OR who are concerned is to call, email and write your congressional representa- tive, Cliff Bentz, and your senator, Jeff Merkley, and share your concerns. Joan Larson Heppner, OR Vote for positive change in health district our team has the necessary resources, support and work conditions to succeed. Our hope is for a board of directors that shares our values and aligns with the goals of the community. We are committed to the care of our patients, and we recognize that we cannot do this without the continued strength and support of this hospital and community. We believe that, with positive changes and a fo- cus on community engage- ment, Pioneer Memorial Hospital can once again be staffed with a dedicated workforce from within our own community. Given the challenges we currently face, we see an urgent need to priori- tize the sustainability and effectiveness of our hos- pital’s workforce. We look forward to a future where the board encourages open communication, listens to the caregivers within the hospital, and works togeth- er with us to strengthen the care we provide. Please join us in voting for the positive change our community deserves. PMH Oregon Nurses Association and Technical Team: Kalah Barnett (R)(CT) (VI)(ARRT), Jimmy Wimer (R)(CT)(ARDMS)(ARRT), Eva McMasters (R)(CT) (ARRT), Brittnie Wage- naar (R)(CT)(ARRT), Katie Heath (R)(CT)(ARRT), Em- ily Inman (R)(CT)(ARRT), Kathleen Greenup, RN,W- CC,PICC, Brandy Bom- mersbach, RN,SANE-A, Diane Hardy, RN,BSN, Heidi Wimer, RN, Sasha Jimenez, RN, Mindy Smith, RN, Rachel Schonbachler, RN, Rachel Hudson, RN To the Morrow County community, We, the nursing staff and technical staff of Pio- neer Memorial Hospital are a newly formed union. We are committed to working collaboratively and build- ing a positive relationship with the board of directors through collective bargain- ing. Our vision for the fu- ture of Pioneer Memorial Hospital includes strength- ening our workforce by focusing on the recruit- ment and retention of lo- cal full-time and part-time employees. Among our bargaining team, we have current full-time workers and individuals who have previously worked as full- time employees and are passionate about bringing our community’s talent back to the hospital. We are dedicated to fostering a workforce cul- ture that prioritizes the well-being of our caregiv- ers, supports a sustainable and positive work environ- ment, and ensures the high- est standard of care for our patients. We believe that in order to best serve our com- Saturday, April 19, was munity, we must ensure that -Continued to PAGE EIGHT a Day of Action, a coor- ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: dinated protest, under the 50501 banner. This is a grassroots organization founded to protest policies and actions of the second Trump administration. Pro- tests were held in all of the 50 states. Over three million people participated. I had the opportunity to participate in Heppner. 177 N Main St. Broker A couple days prior a friend Heppner, Or 97836 Chris Sykes and I decided that we want- O: 541-676-9228 ed to participate and stand E:sykeschris@hotmail.com 541-215-2274 up for democracy. We made signs, got our chairs and settled on the sidewalk on Main Street for three hours. We were more than a little nervous and anxious not knowing how our pro- testing would be received. When all was said and done we were glad that we had exercised our Constitution- al rights. Cars and trucks drove by; some looked and some This 0.77-acre property offers everything for animal did not. Kids usually waved. enthusiasts, with a livestock pasture, year-round There were a couple honks creek, two chicken houses, a barn with a lean-to, and no finger pointing. By and a deer-proof garden with a greenhouse for year- the end of the afternoon we round produce. A 10x12 storage room. had chatted with a number The 5-bedroom, 2.5-bath home, including a master of people. A couple indicat- suite, features modern updates like new flooring, ed they did not agree with hardy plank siding and new windows. us, but the others were most Energy-efficient ductless heating and cooling. positive and supportive. Outside, rock retaining walls, a tool shed, and We learned there are many a partially finished basement add function and people in Heppner who flexibility. Located within city limits, it’s a short have concerns about the walk to Main Street Trump administration but Perfect for animal care, gardening, and quiet living, are reluctant to get involved this move-in-ready property is a rare find. or express their views. 580 S MAIN ST Heppner. MLS#: 629913772 My suggestion to those Day of Action MONDAY AT 5:00 P.M. For Sale $415,000
