Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 14, 2025 -- THREE
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Honesty
Seems like something’s
missing these days and I
think I’ve figured out what
it is. I think it’s truth. Not
talking about “my truth” or
“your truth.” I’m talking
about the truth. Seems like
forever since you could turn
on the evening news and
know you’re not getting
snowed.
Today’s agenda-driven
reporting should come with
a disclaimer: “Facts have
been changed to protect the
guilty.” Remember Walter
Cronkite? He closed every
newscast with “And that’s
the way it is.” We never
really felt the need to ques-
tion him. If Walter said it,
you could count on it being
the truth. Just the facts. No
commentary necessary.
Today you have to do a
30-minute research to try
and confirm one statement.
Boy, do I miss Walter.
I feel for the younger
generation. Their world
of AI, Photoshop and Vir-
tual Reality has to make
deciphering the truth dif-
ficult…and exhausting.
Meanwhile, they’re being
bombarded with ridicu-
lous notions like…biology
means nothing, boys can
be girls and girls can be
boys…because pretend-
ing something makes it
real. And people who don’t
pretend with you are just
being mean. I believe it was
Hitler’s chief propaganda
guy who said, “If you tell
a lie big enough and keep
repeating it, people will
eventually come to believe
it.” He had a point. Woke
Folks have become masters
at that technique.
One of the big lies today
is that the truth doesn’t re-
ally matter. I recently heard
a young person say, “Just
don’t do it, and say you
did.” Broke my heart. To
them, lying was an accept-
able option, and not even
a difficult one to choose. I
think we’re missing some-
thing in the education and
direction of kids today.
“Follow your heart. My
truth, your truth.” Parents
need to drive home the fact
that if you lie, you’re a liar.
And remind them who the
father of lies is.
I think honesty is prob-
ably the most important
character trait. Without it,
you’ve got all the integ-
rity of a cheap, wet paper
towel. When can you trust
a liar? That’s simple…nev-
er. I’ve heard people say,
“Oh I wouldn’t lie about
that.” Really? Then could
you please publish a list
of all the circumstances in
which you would not lie,
just so those around you
don’t have to guess? Catch
someone in a lie, and it
takes away every ounce of
integrity so that you ques-
tion anything they’ve ever
said or done or will do in
the future. And being lied
to isn’t a great feeling. Does
God forgive liars? Yep…
but they need to ask.
Sometimes truth isn’t
easy to say or hear. Lying
may seem like a simple fix,
but nothing is worth your
integrity. And wouldn’t it be
nice to trust people again?
So speak the truth. Maybe
if we say it big enough and
keep repeating it, people
will eventually come to
believe it.
“Better is a poor person
who walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in
speech and is a fool” (Prov-
erbs 19:1).
Susie Crosby
Prineville, OR
Vote yes to
support our
children
I am writing to endorse
bond measure 25-104 for
our school districts.
We have been a part of
this community for over 50
years; both my wife and I
graduated from Riverside
High School. Our business,
Rock Enterprises, has con-
tributed to the region for
47 years. I want to ensure
that the decades ahead of
us are the best they can be.
One of the best predictors
of our county’s future is
the kind of education we
provide, which will shape
our workforce, leaders and
citizens of tomorrow.
We have been a pre-
ferred contractor for Mor-
row County Schools for
several years. We have
worked at our schools from
Heppner to Irrigon. We
know the conditions of the
schools. After extensive
work over several months
at the Irrigon High School,
we know the condition of
the building. We support a
new high school.
We have done substan-
tial work at Heppner High
School. The building is
dated and needs a major
remodel.
Riverside High School
needs love. When we at-
tended, it was one of the
nicest high schools in East-
ern Oregon. Now it has
holes in the walls. The
influx into our elementary
schools has been drastic.
We need to follow this
growth to keep our ele-
mentary schools efficient
and capable of handling the
students presented to them.
The infrastructure we
use today throughout the
county and the schools
we have exist because our
elders planned ahead for
us to have what we need to
thrive. Our county is thriv-
ing. We need to recognize
that and not take second
seat to adjacent counties.
We need to plan for this
growth as our parents and
grandparents did. Voting for
this bond is about making
sure that our schools are
ready to help our children
and our children’s children
develop and maintain those
skills needed for Morrow
County.
In many ways, the
failure of previous bonds
has been a blessing. It has
allowed us to refine the
needs of our school district
and discover major issues
we didn’t know existed.
Please vote yes for Morrow
County Schools. We need
to support our children be-
cause, in the end, they will
support us.
Thank you,
Cecil O. Rock
President
Rock Enterprises Inc.
Vote yes for
school bond
To the voters in the
Morrow County School
District and other con-
cerned citizens:
RE: Upcoming school
bond.
This is a quick letter in
support of the upcoming
school bond. I am an 18-
year (retired) employee
(music teacher) of Morrow
ALL NEWS AND
ADVERTISEMENT
DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
County School District.
Any of us that live in an
apartment or a house, re-
gardless if we own or rent,
realize that buildings and
infrastructure to support
those buildings are “biode-
gradable” products, mean-
ing that without intentional
and specific maintenance
and upgrades, their usabil-
ity goes downhill, some
things quickly, others over
a longer period of time. Our
school buildings need help.
Measure 25-104 ad-
dresses the needs of our
aging school buildings.
$204.4 million is a tremen-
dous amount of money.
Estimated nearly $3 per
$1000 is a lot of money
for an individual taxpayer
(me).
I hope all of you
had the opportunity to read
and digest the letter to the
editor: (Heppner Gazette-
Times, Wed., May 7, 2025)
“School bond: money left
on the table?” John Murray,
very succinctly, laid out the
advantage of passing this
bond, rather than voting no.
My take: We have the
chance to drastically im-
prove the physical safe-
ty and condition of our
schools.
Through certain nego-
tiated contracts within our
tax district with businesses
and industry, we have the
possibility of reducing the
length of payment on this
bond. No, it will not mean
a reduction of the monthly
(or yearly) payment of the
obligation however, it will
reduce the duration of pay-
ments. I see that similar to
the 30-year mortgage on my
house being paid off in po-
tentially 15 years because
someone else picked up part
of the tab....
Please vote yes for
measure 25-104.
Richard Drake
Retired music teacher,
RHS and Heppner schools
Heppner, OR
-Continued from PAGE ONE
Godsend for all you serve
in our county and all the
other counties,” she said.
“I’m so thankful for it.”
The board also ap-
proved Jamie Houck, reg-
istered nurse and inpatient
services director, as acting
administrator and director
of professional services
for MCHD home health if
Spencer is absent or inca-
pacitated.
Another hot topic at the
health district involves the
recent resignation of former
CEO Emily Roberts, who
took over the position in
June of 2021. According to
the separation agreement
between Roberts and the
health district, her resig-
nation was voluntary and
not requested by the health
district board.
As part of the sepa-
ration agreement, Roberts
will receive her current
salary, including scheduled
increases, for 12 months,
paid bi-weekly starting
from the last day of em-
ployment. She may opt for
a lump-sum payout of the
remaining amount any time,
payable within 10 business
days.
She will also receive
benefits for the 12-month
period, excluding vaca-
tion/sick leave accrual.
That includes five percent
contribution to her 401a
retirement plan, Tri-Coun-
ty Ambulance Association
and LifeFlight member-
ships, death and disability
insurance, and medical,
dental and vision insurance
at no cost to her.
In return, the agree-
ment protects both parties
from future legal disputes,
as both Roberts and the
health district agree not to
file claims, lawsuits or ad-
ministrative actions related
to Roberts’s employment.
The agreement includ-
ed a list of health district
contributions Roberts is
credited with, including
opening a mobile rural
health clinic extension,
improving clinic produc-
tivity while reducing costs,
implementing primary care
behavioral health, and en-
hancing employee engage-
ment and patient satisfac-
tion.
Price Reduction
$220,000
The agreement also department visits and 254
states that no future MCHD hospital outpatient visits.
board or employee can Home health and hospice
change the agreement’s had 237 hospice days and
payments without mutual 76 home health visits.
Health district Chief
consent from both parties.
I n o t h e r b u s i n e s s , Financial Officer/Chief Op-
Burke gave his first report erating Officer Nicole Ma-
as CEO, though he said honey reported $9,964,456
he might discontinue the gross patient revenue year-
verbal report and only ad- to-date, less $99,226 con-
dress the CEO Dashboard tractual adjustments and
and EMS stats if the board provision for bad debts,
has questions. He also sug- for total net patient reve-
gested the board consider nue of $10,063,682 YTD.
a “true consent agenda” She also reported tax and
for several sections of the other operating revenue of
$3,406,021 for total operat-
agenda.
The CEO Dashboard ing revenue of $13,469,703
for April shows 53 days YTD compared to a budget
cash on hand, 98 days AR of $16,074,471 YTD.
Mahoney also report-
on Cerner and 127 days
in AR for all records sys- ed operating expenses of
tems. The health district has $15,786,695 for a net loss
changed electronic record of $934,744 YTD.
In other business, the
systems several times in the
board authorized check
last couple of years.
The Dashboard also signers Diane Kilkenny,
shows a 9.4 percent turn- Board Chair; Scott Ezell,
over rate, 13.1 percent va- Board Vice Chair; Den-
cancy rate and 14 open nis Burke, Interim Chief
Executive Officer; Nicole
positions.
“Some of these num- Mahoney, Chief Operating
bers are very, very good Officer; Staci Hedman,
numbers,” Burke told the Revenue Cycle Director;
Sheryl Angell, Director of
board.
P i o n e e r M e m o r i a l Nursing Services.
The board also ratified
Clinic reported 166 visits,
Ione Community Clinic physician agreements with
207 visits, Irrigon Medical Daniel Lancefield, MD, and
Clinic 251 visits and Board- Stuart Clive, MD.
The next regular meet-
man Immediate Care 128
visits. Pioneer Memorial ing of the MCHD Board of
Hospital had 287 hospital Directors is scheduled for
admit days, 91 emergency May 19 at 6:30 p.m.
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The Gazette Puzzle Pop
Sharpen your mind with our Gazette Puzzle Pop!
Weekly math, word, and local trivia from our five
towns—no internet or phones allowed. Answers in
next week’s edition—grab a pencil and show off!
Math Quizz
Level - Easy
Q: A snail climbs 5 meters up a wall each day but
slips back 3 meters at night. How many days to
reach 10 meters, and why’s it so determined?
Jokes
Level - Easy
Q: Why don’t raindrops ever lie?
Morrow County Trivia Challenge
177 N Main St.
Heppner, Or 97836
O: 541-676-9228
E:sykeschris@hotmail.com
Level - Moderate
Q: In which Morrow County town was the Star
Theatre opened on February 5, 1919 and destroyed
by a fire in 1962?
Discover a timeless treasure with this beautifully
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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
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240 N COURT ST Heppner MLS#:24652848
Puzzle: Speedy Delivery
Q: A delivery truck travels 60 miles to a warehouse
at an average speed of 40 mph. On the return trip,
the driver takes a faster route, increasing the average
speed to 60 mph. What is the total time for the round
trip?
A: Solution: The round trip takes 2.5 hours.
Joke
Q: Why did the tomato turn red at the vegetable quiz
show?
A: Because it saw the salad dressing!
Morrow County Trivia: What yellow wildflower,
common in Morrow County’s sagebrush flats, is one
of the first to bloom in early spring?
Answer: Sagebrush Buttercup.
Upcoming Events
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
Youth Night May 15th - 6:00 pm - Open to
all youth, gun raffle, general raffle, Spaghetti
dinner
Lodge Hours:
Wed 4pm to close with dinner at 6pm
Thurs 4pm to close (Lodge at 8pm)
Fri & Sat 4pm to close with dinner from
5pm to 8pm off the menu
Members and their Guests
Answers from May 7th edition
MONDAY AT 5:00 P.M.
Seniors Matter May Menu
May 6 - Baked Pasta, Garden
salad, Garlic bread and dessert
May 13 - Hot Turkey Sandwich, Mashed
potatoes, Pea salad, Dessert
May 20 - Taco Bravo Bar, Spanish
Rice and Dessert
May 27 - BBQ Beef Sandwich, Jojo
potatoes, Coleslaw and Dessert
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