Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 11, 2025 -- THREE
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Peace, Be Still!
I was raised with three
older brothers, two of whom
seemed to enjoy picking at
each other. Being a year
apart in age, they were
pretty much an even match.
I remember one afternoon
when the boys were doing
their usual bantering, and
my mom decided she’d had
enough. Being a woman
of little patience and large
temper, she booted them
both outside and locked the
door. I watched as the two
battling boys wrestled for
what seemed like hours. I
eventually lost interest in
the show, but I figure Mom
must have had a moment of
mercy, because they did end
up back inside about sunset.
It wasn’t how every mother
would deal with two pesky
teens, but it must have
worked for Mom because
I don’t remember a repeat
event.
The world is current-
ly watching a “wrestling
match” between two of
the most high-profile men
in the world. Not only is
the Trump/Musk feud not
a good look for our coun-
try. It’s annoying…and
embarrassing. I kinda wish
my mom was here and
had access to them both.
Maybe booting them out-
side to work out their own
conclusion wouldn’t be a
bad thing.
So why the about-face
of Trump’s best bud? I read
a long time ago that Elon
Musk is on The Spectrum,
specifically diagnosed with
Asperger’s Syndrome. I
have some experience with
Asperger’s, and I won-
der how much of Elon’s
response to his dislike of
the Big Beautiful Bill is
linked to his diagnosis. It
might explain what seems
to be an overreaction and
an inappropriate response
for someone in Musk’s
position. Asperger’s has
nothing to do with intelli-
gence. So yes, he can invent
rockets that go to Mars and
still have a rather immature
response when something
doesn’t go his way.
Through it all, I got-
ta admit, I think Trump
has shown some amazing
restraint…especially for
Trump. Maybe he knows
something we don’t, and
maybe he’s not all that
surprised.
So, is it the end of the
world as we know it? I
doubt it. Is it a well-craft-
ed ploy created by Trump
and Musk to manipulate
the Dems into demanding
to see the Epstein list? I
doubt that too. The Epstein/
Trump connection has been
well-scrutinized and dis-
carded a long time ago.
Besides, there might be a
few folks who wouldn’t be
too happy with a published
Epstein list.
While I’d love to see
our huge deficit disappear,
I do trust that our President
isn’t stupid, and I do trust
he has a plan. Maybe this
bill is the best he can do at
this point. Getting both the
House and Senate to pass
any bill that helps accom-
plish some of his campaign
promises would most likely
take some compromise.
And maybe the Senate will
actually make a few chang-
es that will improve the bill
and lead us to a balanced
budget…eventually. One
can only hope.
I do pray President
Trump and Elon Musk will
find some common ground,
seek peace, and be buds
again. There are much big-
ger fish to fry, and nobody
needs another distraction
right now. The bickering
needs to stop. I can hear my
mom now…“Don’t make
me come down there!”
“Make allowance for
each other’s faults and for-
give anyone who offends
you. Remember, the Lord
forgave you, so you must
forgive others” (Colossians
3:13).
Susie Crosby
Prineville, OR
‘He Gets Us,’
or Does He?
Well, it is that time of
year again—Pride Month. I
thought this an appropriate
time to address the “He
Gets Us” movement that
has gained traction in recent
years due, primarily, to its
commercials run during the
Super Bowl. The ads have
been viewed by millions.
And they have sent a mes-
sage that, on its surface, has
been attractive.
The agenda of “He Gets
Us,” as stated on their web-
site, “is to move beyond
the mess of our current
cultural movement to a
place where all of us are in-
vited to rediscover the love
story of Jesus—Christians,
non-Christians, and every-
body in between. All of us.”
Again, that is an at-
tractive agenda. The prob-
lem lies, however, in that
their position is deficient
in what it communicates.
It muddies the waters of
what historic Christianity
has always taught. “He Gets
Us” does not remedy “the
mess of our current cultural
movement;” instead, it adds
to the mess and confusion.
Let me provide one specific
example that is relevant to
this particular season—
Pride Month.
First, what is good
about “He Gets Us”? It
is right for the Christian
church to pray for, love
and seek the salvation of
all sinners. We ought never
withhold the gospel from
anyone. We ought to be dil-
igent and purposeful about
reaching all—black, white,
old, young, gay, straight,
liberal, conservative, pros-
titute, president, addict,
etc. That is something “He
Gets Us” gets right. They
are not drawing unbiblical
lines with respect to who is
worthy of God’s forgive-
ness and who is not.
However, the problem
with “He Gets Us” is that
they do not bring the Bib-
lical gospel. They present
a Jesus that came only to
serve and wash feet, but
not a Jesus that came to
preach repentance. It is as
if you can be a Christian
and yet continue in a sinful
lifestyle. They seem to
allow for unbiblical cate-
gories like, “gay Christian,
alcoholic Christian, carnal
Christian,” and the like.
And this is all okay, because
Jesus loves you just the way
you are, so they argue. And
on top of this, they encour-
age Christians to support
this type of behavior.
There is something that
needs to be said about that.
None of it is Biblical. Je-
sus came to serve for sure,
but that serving came in
the form of Him offering
Himself as a sacrifice for
sin, to redeem sinners from
their sin, not leave them
in it. Christians are never
categorized as a people that
continue in unrepentant sin,
nor are they a people that
would ever encourage it.
One of the main prob-
lems within Christianity
today is its ignorance with
respect to what a Christian
is. Christ came not only to
save sinners from the wrath
of God due to them for their
shattering of God’s Law,
but He came to change them
into His image. When God
saves a man, He makes him
a new creation. He changes
their hearts (to love what
He loves and hate what He
hates) and fills them with
His Holy Spirit (which is
constantly driving them
to forsake sin and pursue
godly living).
This does not mean
Christians do this perfectly,
but there is an upward tra-
jectory in their being con-
formed to Christ. Christians
abhor that which displeases
God. Christians love that
which God delights in—
which is holy living—as
Christ did.
If those within the “He
Gets Us” movement tru-
ly loved and served their
neighbor as Christ com-
manded, they would never
be tolerant of lifestyles that
God hates. 1 Corinthians
6:9, “Or do you not know
that the unrighteous will not
inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived; neither
the sexually immoral, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor effeminate, nor homo-
sexuals, nor thieves, nor
the greedy, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor swindlers,
will inherit the kingdom of
God.”
God demands men
agree with Him that these
things are evil and will
grant them entrance into
hell for an eternity if they
do not turn from them. That
must first be understood.
But that ought never be
the last thing communicat-
ed. It was not for Paul when
he wrote it, and it should not
be for us. Paul continued,
“And such were some of
you; but you were washed,
but you were sanctified,
but you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and in the Spirit of
our God.”
What men need most
is not to have their feet
washed, but their sin
washed away by the blood
of Christ. That happens
when men turn from their
lifestyles that God abhors
and look to Christ alone
for their only hope of being
forgiven for their sins.
Jesus said in Luke 5:31-
32, “It is not those who are
well who need a physician,
but those who are sick. I
have not come to call the
righteous but sinners to
repentance.” Confessing
as sin those things which
Paul calls sin must be of
first importance. Then con-
fessing those things, as that
which makes one “sick”
and “unrighteous,” is step
number two. Only then will
anyone see their true need
for a Savior.
Do you see that? Are
you one of them? Jesus did
not come for everyone. He
did not come for the “righ-
teous”—those who do not
think their lifestyle is sinful
when God says it is. He did
not come for the proud who
think they know better than
God.
My prayer is that Chris-
tians would start loving
everyone the way Jesus
did. That means we must
be doing what Paul instructs
elsewhere, “be imitators of
God, as beloved children,
and walk in love, just as
Christ also loved us and
gave Himself up for us,
an offering and sacrifice to
God as a fragrant aroma.
But sexual immorality or
any impurity or greed must
not even be named among
you, as is proper among
saints…For this you know
with certainty, that no one
sexually immoral or impure
or greedy, who is an idol-
ater, has an inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and
God…do not participate
in the unfruitful works of
darkness, but instead even
expose them” (Eph. 5:1-
11).
Eric Schonbachler
Pastor, Lexington Re-
formed Baptist Church
www.lexrefbc.org
Mustang players receive
all-state recognition
Ava Gerry
Delaney Stefani
Isabel Payne
M&D Equipment, LLC
QUALITY HOPPER TRAILERS FOR RENT
We rent good quality Wilson hopper bottom grain
trailers to farmers, truckers, fertilizer suppliers
Craig Martin
541-571-8838
George DesBrisay
541-571-2318
78471 AGNEW RD. HERMISTON, OR 97838
UPCOMING EVENTS
Maya Payne
Flag Day Ceremony - June 14 at 2pm
Elks Lodge - Come join the ceremony that
tells the history of the flag
Father’s Day Picnic - June 15 at 1pm
Cutsforth Park bring a salad or dessert
(members and their guests)
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
Katie Spivey
Five Mustang Soft-
ball players have re-
ceived 2A/1A All-State
recognition.
Named to First Team is
Ava Gerry (first base).
On Second Team are
Maya Payne (pitcher), Is-
abel Payne (catcher) and
Delaney Stefani (infield).
Receiving Honorable
Mention is Katie Spivey
(outfield).
The Lady Mustang
softball team ended the
season ranked first in the
state, finishing with a 19–5
overall record and 9–3 in
league play.
Members and their Guests
LOCALLY OWNED
AND OPERATED
"EARS"OF
EXPERIENCE
Ready to help with your
hearing healthcare needs
Heppner
burn ban
begins June
16
405
isrt St.
Suite 10
Hermiston, OR 97838
P.S. Ask us about our financing
options! (541) 371-1900
Call Verna 541-371-1900
The burn ban for the
City of Heppner will go into
effect Monday, June 16, at
7 p.m. No open burning is
allowed until further notice.
Burn barrels are included in
the ban.
Offering complimentary hearing
evaluation and/or to have your current
hearing aids cleaned & checked,
schedule today!
verna@vernashearingcarecenter.com
PUBLIC NOTICE
FORM
LB-1
NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING
[ ] Republication
A meeting of the Boardman Fire Rescue District will be held on June 12, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at Boardman Fire Station, 911 Tatone
St. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 as approved by the Boardman
Fire Rescue District Budget Committee. A summary of the budget is presented below. A copy of the budget may be inspected or
obtained at Boardman Fire Station 81, 911 Tatone St. between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The budget is also posted on the
district website. This budget was prepared on a basis of accounting that is consistent with the basis of accounting used during the
preceding year. Major changes, if any, and their effect on the budget, are explained below.
County
City
Governing Body
Date
Chairperson of
Telephone Number
Morrow
541-481-3473
Boardman
05-19-2025
Lisa Pratt
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
TOTAL OF ALL FUNDS
1. Total Personal Services…………………………………………………………….
2. Total Materials and Supplies……………………………………………………….
3. Total Capital Outlay…………………………………………………………………
Anticipated
4. Total Debt Service…………………………………………………………………..
Requirements
5. Total Transfers………………………………………………………………………
6. Total Contingencies…………………………………………………………………
7. Total All Other Expenditures and Requirements…………………………………
8. Total Unappropriated or Ending Fund Balance…………………………………..
9. Total Requirements - add lines 1 through 8…………………………………….
10. Total Resources Except Property Taxes…………………………………………
Anticipated
11. Total Property Taxes Required to Balance Budget……………………………..
Resources
12. Total Resources - add lines 10 and 11………………………………………….
13. Total Property Taxes Required to Balance Budget (line 11)…………………..
Estimated
14. Plus: Estimated Property Taxes Not to be Received…………………………...
Ad Valorem
A. Loss Due to Constitutional Limits……………………………………………..
Property Taxes
B. Discounts Allowed, Other Uncollected Amounts…………………………….
15. Total Tax Levy - add lines 13 and 14……………………………………………
Adopted Budget
Approved Budget
This Year 2024-2025 Next Year 2025-2026
4,344,000.00
3,398,000.00
756,000.00
716,317.00
330,000.00
205,000.00
204,105.00
204,105.00
250,000.00
250,000.00
6,334,105.00
3,924,282.00
2,409,823.00
6,334,105.00
2,409,823.00
4,773,422.00
2,392,100.00
2,381,322.00
4,773,422.00
2,381,322.00,
2,409,823.00
2,381,322.00
Tax Levies
By Type
16. Permanent Rate Limit Levy (rate limit .7464)……………………………………
0.7464
0.7464
17. Local Option Levy…………………………………………………………………..
0
0
18. Levy for Bonded Debt or Obligations……………………………………………..
0.7464
0.7464
STATEMENT OF INDEBTEDNESS
Debt Outstanding
Debt Authorized, Not Incurred
[ ] None
[x] As Summarized Below
[ ] None
[ ] As Summarized Below
PUBLISH BELOW ONLY IF COMPLETED
Estimated Debt Outstanding at the
Estimated Debt Authorized, Not Incurred at the
Beginning of the Budget Year
Beginning of the Budget Year
Long-Term Debt
Bonds…………………………….
Interest Bearing Warrants……..
643,442.24
0.00
0.00
643,442.24
0.00
0.00
Other……………………………..
Total indebtedness……………..
Short-Term Debt
This budget includes the intention to borrow in anticipation of revenue (“Short-Term Borrowing”) as summarized below:
Fund Liable
Estimated Amount
to
be Borrowed
General Fund
Estimated
Interest Rate
Estimated
Interest Cost
Published June 4, 11, 2025 affid 2c