Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 93
It’s nice to see Main Street being revived. When locals can come home and do good, it’s wonderful. With the holidays coming up, I would like to remind everyone of the reason for the season. May the Christmas spirit be with you all year long. Donna Yonce Condon, Oregon...
We have a strong village. It is such a pleasure to receive correspondence from our appreciative citizens of Arlington Oregon such as below from James Metzker. The City of Arlington recently purchased a dump trailer for clean-up of our city. With this purchase, the city was able to loan the trailer to Venessa and Joe Williamson along with the Nazarene Church crew of whom took the time to provide and take part in a clean up day for other citizens of our beautiful little city as you will read below. In addition, another letter...
City Council, I would like to publicly acknowledge the outstanding community service provided by the Nazarene Church. Their recent and ongoing efforts to assist residents in the lower mobile home park have been truly commendable. The church members have generously volunteered their time and resources to help haul off garbage and debris, yard maintenance, minor and sometimes major electrical repairs, structural repairs as well as various plumbing repairs. These are tasks that many residents were unable to accomplish on their...
Sir, I am writing to strongly advocate for keeping the stop sign at the intersection of E. Spring and S. Jefferson streets in the old ball field neighborhood. As a resident of this area, I have witnessed firsthand the increasing traffic concerns at this intersection, which pose a significant safety risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike. Reasons for Concern: • High Traffic Volume: Both streets experience high traffic volume, particularly those that avoid going through town on main street from HWY 19 to continue o...
Editor, Thank you for the opportunity to provide an endorsement for Jeremiah Holmes as a candidate for Wheeler County Sheriff. I met Mr. Holmes this summer while participating on an incident management team managing the Fossil Complex…more specifically, the Service Fire. I observed Mr. Holmes in his role as Wheeler County Fire Defense Board Chief and in his current role in the Wheeler County Sheriff’s office. Over the two weeks I worked with Mr. Holmes, I found him to care deeply for the citizens of Wheeler County. He sho...
Sir, Thank you for the opportunity to provide an endorsement for Jeremiah Holmes as a candidate for Wheeler County Sheriff. I met Mr. Holmes this summer while participating on an incident management team managing the Fossil Complex…more specifically, the Service Fire. I observed Mr. Holmes in his role as Wheeler County Fired Defense Board Chief and in his current role in the Wheeler County Sheriff’s office. Over the two weeks I worked with Mr. Holmes, I found him to care deeply for the citizens of Wheeler County. He sho...
"Team work makes the dream work." The City of Arlington would like to take a moment to acknowledge and express our deepest gratitude to Mr. & Mrs. Ted Copher and Mr. & Mrs. Mike Miller of Arlington, OR for their outstanding work in rejuvenating the Columbia View Estates sign. Their dedication and thoughtfulness are evident in the fresh look of the sign, which has not only enhanced the beauty of our community but also instills a sense of pride among residents. Their care and enthusiasm for this project reflect the kindness...
This year was the 5th A Town Throw Down Basketball Tournament. It started in 2019 (no tournament in 2020 due to Covid-19). This year we had a total of 13 Teams. 3 Middle School, 6 High School, and 4 Adult teams. Results: Middle School Division (10-13yo) 1st place was the girls team from Echo, Echo Storm. These girls won $150, champion T-shirts, and etched champion hydro flasks. 2nd Place was the boys team, Shake N' Fake, from Condon. They won $100. 3rd place was the Coed team from Arlington, Yoda Best, they won $50. 3 point...
Letter to the Editor: To the Editor and to all the wonderful, hard-working people who saved our home and ranch from the devastating Lone Rock Fire. Rockey and I are so grateful to ALL of you. Without you, we would have no home or ranch to return to. To our friends and neighbors and local firefighters, who were among the first to arrive and the last to leave. I would like to name everyone who was here to help us. I wasn't here, and I apologize if I have left out someone. Please forgive me, and tell me if I have when you see...
Celebrating Community Commitment this 4th of July Dear Editor, As Postmaster of Condon I am writing to express the unwavering commitment of our postal staff to serving our wonderful communities. With the 4th of July approaching, a time when we celebrate our nation's independence and the freedoms we cherish, it is also a fitting moment to reflect on the values that bind us together. The Postal Service has been an integral part of American life for centuries, connecting people across vast distances, facilitating communication a...
As a public employee for the past 25+ years, I am familiar with how public employee benefit systems work. Vacation and sick leave is accrued at a fixed number of hours every month, and those hours are documented in an employment record keeping system, where both the employer and employees know monthly what their vacation and sick leave accruals are. Sick leave balances are forfeited when leaving public employment. Vacation balances are limited to a fixed number of hours that will be compensated for when leaving public...
Something beautiful happened last Thursday at Summit Springs Village and our whole community need to know about this. These young kids (all locals 5-7 years old) had matching little green t-shirts and they called themselves The Cloverbuds. They came into our rooms and delivered spotted sedums from their projects. We were all thrilled and everyone was reliving their own young days in 4-H and all the character it gave us. We remember all the responsibility we had, and how to get through bitter cold winters and protect our...
Having the administrative progress this county has made over the past three years turned upside down is disturbing and disappointing. Had the recall petitioners and their followers paid attention and listened to the platform on which Elizabeth Farrar-Campbell and Pat Shannon ran when they were elected back in 2020, they would have known exactly what to expect, rather than claiming to be alarmed now by the action of the court. The petitioners could have been a positive part of the process then and along the way, rather than...
Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I am running for re-election for Gilliam County commissioner, in the aftermath of a very contentious recall. As I and my supporters reach out to voters, we are hearing feedback and complaints about my oversight of the road department. I would like to take this opportunity to provide context for my decisions, done with the intention of ensuring Gilliam County is in compliance with health and safety regulations for the safety of road department employees, landowners, residents of county, and... Full story
To the Editor, I am writing to encourage Gilliam County voters to support Leah Watkins for Gilliam County Judge. I served on the Condon School Board with Leah and remember she was always fair with her decisions and her first priority was serving the community. She spoke her mind yet was willing to work for a common solution that best served the school district. With the current situation in the county, she is the only candidate with prior experience on the court. In talking to former and current county court members, they... Full story
To the Editor: Anyone can access the online letters submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on February 12th, where our current county court members supported Senate Bill 1576-4 Amendment; two of those three are now subject to recall. The Senate Judiciary Committee opted to remove amendment 4 regarding the alteration of six other county courts, thus giving the voters in each county the opportunity to make their voices heard. The proposed legislation could have provided a way to replace our existing court with a... Full story
To the Editor and Gilliam County Residents, I submit this letter to express my support for my brother Pat Shannon in his re-election bid for Gilliam County Commissioner. I no longer live in Gilliam County, but I lived there most of my life and I still care a great deal about all things Gilliam County. It’s where I grew up, where we raised our daughters and where I lived and worked most of my adult life. During the more than two decades I worked for the Gilliam County Court I gained a unique insight into the operations of l... Full story
To the Editor, At a local social gathering place in town, it was once remarked that the City of Condon was a lot easier to manage from the Texaco gas station than it was from City Hall. We are about to find out that Gilliam County is a lot more complicated to administer from the Courthouse in Condon than it is from the pizza parlor in Arlington. I’ve noticed over the years that there are generally two types of individuals who seek election to the Gilliam County Court. There are those who are willing to put in the hours n... Full story
To The Editor: As a candidate for the County Commissioner, I Grant Wilkins will appreciate your support in voting for me. As a Gilliam County resident for almost my entire life, I have served over twenty years in attained, appointed, end elected positions in Gilliam County. Additionally, I have been General Manager for a Chevron Distributing company, am currently a small business owner, and also am currently employed by Portland General Electric as a Control Room Operator for one of their Thermal Generation Plants. These... Full story
To the Editor: I’m writing this letter in support of Pat Shannon, Gilliam County Commissioner for re-election. Now is not the time for inexperience, we are at a serious crossroad in Gilliam County. Do we let 32% of the voters in Gilliam County determine the future of the County. Pat is currently serving as the vice chair of CREA Community Renewable Energy Association, as one of the counties with a large amount of renewable energy we need representation. He is knowledgeable about this subject, and starting back at ground z... Full story
Letter to the Editor: After our recent SpringFest flower basket sale, the board of The Woolery Project, Inc. wanted to take a moment to educate the naysayers and social media trolls who have recently taken it upon themselves to make untrue and negative statements about our fundraising efforts and our intentions in the community. We had a lady taking issue with most of our flower baskets being sold before our sale officially opened. That only happened the first couple of years, as we were adjusting our quantities to the needs... Full story
To The Editor: I am writing in support of Cris Patnode for Gilliam County Judge. I have known Cris all of her life, both personally and professionally. She was employed at North Central ESD as business manager, while I was working there as the media coordinator. We worked together for ten years. Her work ethic is unquestionable and Cris has excellent communication skills. She is honest and her loyalty and objectivity are constant. She is a hard worker and organized. Cris is well qualified, and very “in-tune” with what nee... Full story
Dear Editor, As a proud veteran and a member of the Wasco community, I want to express my deep appreciation for the efforts being made to honor our heroes this Memorial Day. The upcoming events, including the country breakfast, the Memorial Day parade, and the complimentary BBQ lunch for veterans and military members, are a testament to the gratitude and respect we hold for those who have served our country. While I am grateful for the complimentary BBQ lunch for veterans, I feel compelled to emphasize the importance of... Full story
We have elections from the local, state, and national levels coming up in the coming months and all are important. I would urge everyone to vote with their heads and not their hearts. Get the facts then vote. Most important of all VOTE! If you don't vote you get what you get so don't complain later! Bill Berray Condon, Oregon...
Letter to the Editor: As was pointed out in the March 22nd Issue of this newspaper, both Judge Farrar Campbell and Commissioner Shannon could have either resigned or contested the findings of the recall campaign or take the recall to a special election vote. They both chose to take it to a special election vote so I find it in poor taste for all the threats of what a recall would do to this county if they are both recalled. Think about that. It was all un-necessary. They both could have resigned. Judge Farrar is leaving...
