Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 21, 2025 -- THREE
HHS Newsies performance
delivers on opening night
scene with emotion, bring-
ing history to life on the
cafetorium stage. Under the
direction of Alaina Lem-
mon and Joanna Lamb, Au-
brey Smith, the lone senior,
led the spirited ensemble
of twenty-something cast
members and their dedi-
cated tech crew in an ener-
getic performance that had
the crowd cheering along
with the characters as they
celebrated their victories
on stage.
In the weeks leading
up to their show, several
of the drama members had
the opportunity to watch
the Broadway version per-
formed by Kennewick High
School. Taking inspiration,
the cast and crew then got
to work, spending time
“customizing” the script
to fit HHS’s available cast,
many of whom took on
multiple roles.
Whole scenes, the ro-
mance, and at least one
musical number did not
make the cut, as the final
production was adapted to
fit the limited stage area,
props, equipment and back-
stage staff.
Though they may have
been “winging it” through-
out the night, and none of
our actors are professional
singers or dancers, they de-
livered a performance wor-
thy of a standing ovation.
With Rylee Palmer leading
the choreography, the cast
showed up, letting their
characters shine through,
bringing the stage to life.
Final curtain call:
Thursday, May 22, 7 p.m.,
at Heppner High School.
Taken straight from the
mouth of one of our News-
ies, “The things we do
today, will be tomorrow’s
news.”
Don’t let this show be
just another headline you
read in the ol’ papes; make
sure you’re there to expe-
rience it firsthand. I highly
recommend securing your-
self a front row seat!
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Gravy
Train
I don’t know how I
could live this long and
not think about retirement.
Maybe because old age
Jack Kelly, played by senior Aubrey Smith (center) talks to
crept up on me while I
David, played by Moira Di Salvo, in the opening scene of
was doing dishes. Not fair.
Newsies Monday night in Heppner. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo
I blinked and went from
sticky kid fingerprints on
the furniture and “Mom….
Mom… MOM!” to a mail-
box full of AARP, hearing
aid offers and “Plan Now
for Your Cremation Ser-
vice.” Where did all the “in
between” go? I heard Billy
Graham was once asked
what the biggest surprise
in life was. His reply was,
“The brevity of it.” Truer
words never spoken.
With all this in mind, I
The newsies gather around to read Denton’s article about
their famous strike right before breaking into “King of New
catch myself thinking about
York.” -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo
the value of time. I’ve nev-
er been a fan of waste. If
By Tylynn Cimmiyotti
beginning in 2011.
there’s a teaspoon of peanut
Extra! Extra! Read all
This story follows
butter left in the jar, you can
about it! The opening night young entrepreneurs in
bet I’ll be digging it out be-
for Heppner High School’s New York City who are
fore I chuck it. So, wasting
drama production of News- exploited by big names and
time is bothersome to me.
ies was a huge success, to forced to fight for their sur-
One would think that would
say the least.
vival as devastating price
make me a good steward
With an all-star cast, hikes threaten their liveli-
of it. Nope…and ADHD
powerful voices and syn- hoods.
doesn’t help much. I spend
chronized choreography,
Inspired by the labor
a great deal of time just
the performance held a strikes occurring around
trying to remember what I
captivated audience to the them, these determined
was doing two minutes ago
very end.
newsboys with big dreams
and wondering where I set
Despite last-minute ad- take control of their as-
my phone. Things were a
ditions and the occasional, pirations and futures by
lot easier when phones were
minimal mishap, the drama forming their own, unoffi-
attached to walls.
crew has truly outdone cial union and helping set
Along with my awak-
themselves, delivering a a new precedent in a time
ening to the rapid passing
crowd-pleaser that’s sure to when children and workers
of time has come the desire
be the talk of the town for across the country faced
to be more productive with
weeks to come.
widespread abuse.
what I have left. Some-
Newsies, a production
Now, Disney’s fictional
one recently told me, “You
inspired by true events set retelling of this courageous
probably have a good 10
in the late 1800s, unfolds true story comes to life in
years left.” He said it to
during the Industrial Rev- the heart of our small com-
reassure me. It didn’t. Be-
olution and at the start of munity.
ing a younger fellow, he
the Progressive Movement.
In just seven weeks,
didn’t realize how recent
Originally released as a the cast at Heppner High
“10 years” ago was. I have
live-action film by Disney not only embraced their
unfinished sewing projects
in 1992, it hit the stages roles but also infused each
older than that. I guess I had
better get busy.
There’s one big prob-
lem. Stuff is always get-
ting in the way. Things
like “work,” for exam-
ple. Employment is a big
time-stealer. It’s hard to
For more information a.m. on Tuesdays.
South Morrow County
get those important proj-
More information re- ects done when you aren’t
Seniors Matter (SMCSM) about SMCSM, visit the
is pleased to announce website at www.smcse- garding how to enroll in the home. Things like planting
that it has been awarded niorsmatter.org or attend art or cooking classes will 50 more tomato plants,
a $14,000 grant from the the senior lunch at 11:30 be coming soon.
adding to my fabric col-
Roundhouse Foundation
lection and snuggling baby
to provide monthly art and
goats get put on the back
cooking classes for older
burner. Just sad. And since
adults in South Morrow
Sharpen your mind with our Gazette Puzzle Pop! my chances of becoming
County, to be held at the
Weekly math, word, and local trivia from our five independently wealthy in
Willow Creek Innovation towns—no internet or phones allowed. Answers in my current circumstances
Hub.
are rather slim, I figure I
next week’s edition—grab a pencil and show off!
The classes are de-
need to rethink my financial
signed to enrich the lives
plan. Besides, even though
Math Quizz
of seniors through creative
my hens are producing
expression and culinary Level - Easy
fairly well, a dozen eggs
skills. These funds will Q: Which number doesn’t belong: 2, 3, 5, 7, 10?
per day still falls a little
help make the classes ac-
short of making a mortgage
cessible and provide se-
payment.
niors with an opportunity Level - Moderate
So, here’s my new plan.
to engage in meaningful, Q: I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t
I will work for another
educational activities that hold me for long. What am I?
year…and then quit. And
foster creativity, build new
since it’s “standard proce-
skills and promote social
dure” to receive a year’s
connections.
pay (plus benefits), I would
Morrow County Trivia Challenge be riding the Gravy Train
The Roundhouse Foun-
dation is a private family
for a whole year. Then…
Level - Easy
foundation based in Sisters,
get hired on again…and
Q: Which Morrow County river is tributary of the
OR. It supports creative
repeat. And if I really want-
Columbia.
solutions to the unique chal-
ed to rake in the proverbial
lenges associated with rural
dough, I could find myself
culture and the landscapes
a good lawyer and someone
Answers from May 7th edition
of the Pacific Northwest.
to sue. Maybe change my
For more information, call Puzzle: Snail mail
gender for a bit and get
541-904-0700 or visit their Q: A snail climbs 5 meters up a wall each day but
someone to address me by
website at www.Round- slips back 3 meters at night. How many days to reach
the wrong pronoun. Heck,
10 meters, and why’s it so determined?
houseFoundation.org.
just think of all the fabric
SMCSM serves the A: 4 days (Day 1: 2m, Day 2: 4m, Day 3: 6m, Day
and goats I could acquire.
older adults of south Mor- 4: 5m up to 11m, done). It’s determined because it
OK, so it does sound a little
row County through weekly dreams of being a mountaineer!
greedy. But remember, we
lunches and a variety of Joke
all have priorities. Waste
programs and activities Q: Why don’t raindrops ever lie?
not…want it all.
purposed to enhance their A: Because they always come clean!
“Teach those who are
Morrow County Trivia
wellbeing.
rich in this world not to be
Q: In which Morrow County town was the Star The-
proud and not to trust in
atre opened on February 5, 1919 destroyed by a fire in their money, which is so un-
DEADLINE:
1962?
MONDAYS
reliable. Their trust should
AT 5PM
A:Heppner
be in God, who richly gives
SMCSM receives grant from
Roundhouse Foundation for art and
cooking classes
The Gazette Puzzle Pop
Riddle
us all we need for our en-
joyment” (1 Timothy 6:17).
Susie Crosby
Prineville, OR
Schools are our
commitment to
the future
Dear Editor,
I write this letter in
support of passage of the
Morrow County School
District bond. Rural schools
are the heartbeat of any ru-
ral community. Our schools
are our community center
and our commitment to the
future. The current bond
issue taxes us at the same
property tax rate as 20 years
ago with many times the
amount of infrastructure
improvement. Imagine buy-
ing something today for the
same price as you paid 20
years ago, except you are
getting much more of it.
Our school infrastruc-
ture is out of date and fail-
ing. Without the funds this
bond issue provides, we
are failing our children, our
community, and our future.
If you have any concerns
about the excellent value
received for the proposed
spending, please visit the
Morrow County School
District website and see for
yourself.
Please join me in mak-
ing the best investment we
can make in our communi-
ties continued vitality and
vote yes on the Morrow
County school bond issue.
Thank you.
William J. Kuhn
Heppner, OR
Is universal
healthcare
right for
Oregon?
Oregon’s health care
system is at a breaking
point. Hospitals on the
verge of collapse. Birthing
and dialysis centers are
closing down, leaving Or-
egonians in the lurch. Hos-
pitals and clinics are relying
on outside corporate private
equity firms for injections
of cash just to stay afloat.
This cedes ownership and
operations to those with a
profit motive, those who
are accountable to their
shareholders and not the
patients served.
Should Medicaid fund-
ing be taken away, one in
three Oregonians who rely
on the Oregon Health Plan
(OHP) will lose access to
care. Countless others will
face rising costs and shrink-
ing options. The stakes have
never been higher.
Health Care for All
Oregon (HCAO) believes
the solution to many if not
most of these problems is a
publicly-funded, universal
health care system mod-
el. And thanks to the cur-
rent work of the Universal
Health Plan Governance
Board (UHPGB), which is
actively designing a plan
that we Oregonians can
vote on in the near future,
Oregon is the state closest
to enacting this type of sys-
tem for our residents.
Readers are encour-
aged to learn more about the
UHPGB by reviewing their
website on Oregon.gov
and to get involved, tune
into the public meetings,
and make your voice heard
about what you want from a
new type of healthcare sys-
tem in Oregon. Readers can
also visit http://www.hcao.
org to learn more about this
work and other strategies to
increase not just coverage
but true access to care.
Va l d e z G . B r a v o ,
FACHE
President, Health Care
for All Oregon
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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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