Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 1962)
HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES. MOBBOW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER PHONE 676-9228 The Heppner Gazette, established March 30, 1883. The Heppner Times established November 18, 1897. Consolidated February 15, 1912. WESLEY A. SHERMAN Editor and Publisher -LLl . TiWi iV 1 i PUILIINIKS -'ASSOCIATION Subscription Rates: Morrow and Grant Counties, $4.00 Year; Else when H50 Year. Single Copy 10 Cents. Published Every Thursday and Entered at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, as Second Class Matter. OFFICE HOURS: 8 a. m. to 6 p. m.; Saturdays, 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. ,, ...., II HIHHHIU .nMIMnilMIHlilMIMIIimlMIHUHMIMM''" Good News on Property Taxes Certainly one of the happiest news stories of the year for property taxpayers is the one this week that points out that taxes in the county will be down on an average of some 10 around the county. The picture is good from several angles besides the fact that Mr. Taxpayer will have to pungle up less. It proves out the statement made prior to the school bond election that tax payers would notice a decline on their forthcoming statements due to the fact that the bond issue and interest, spread over a 20-year period, would require less annual millage than the previously approved 3-year serial levy, although, of course, spread over a much longer period. It also proves the contention of the county court that the $115,000 road serial levy, put before the people and passed in July, would require three mills less than the former road serial levy. Part of the county's reappraisal program goes into effect with this roll, and an increase in valuation in lone, Lexington and Irrigon will be apparent. Reappraisal in Heppner is not completed but will go on the roll next year. It seems hard for many to understand but reappraisal is not designed to hurt nor penalize anyone but is undertaken merely to equalize the tax burden so that every taxpayer contributes his fair share. The economy-minded taxpayer should find satisfaction in the fact that the total amount of taxes to be collected for all purposes in Morrow for 1962-63 will be down by approximately $100000. This is due to several reasons. School bond issues have been paid off in Boardman and Irrigon, the county road serial jevy as pointed out above is down, and the R-l school bond and Interest payments require less than the serial levy did. Other factors also enter the picture. The roll shows that Morrow has a new No. 1 taxpayer, dis placing Klnzua Corporation, in Pacific Gas Transmission. Their pipeline, completed through the county last year, has been given a utility assessment of $1,375,118, jumping from the $55,8-10 of last year. This one thing, more than any other, is responsible for the total county valuation topping that of last year by almost $1,000,000. The gas line assessment more than compensates for the loss from the rolls of property bought in the Boardman area by the Corps of Engineers and by the loss of timberlands, which are no longer assessed by the counties under a new state law. A timber severance tax replaces the property tax on timber. Incidentally, with the government work in Boardman, the Impending Boeing development, highway construction in the north end, the change in timber severance tax, land transfers to the state, and other developments, this is an interesting and stimulating time for the county assessor's office. It keeps those concerned with taxes on their toes to keep pace. For instance, the large amount of equipment used in construction of the new highway to Irrigon was in the county on January 1, and that meant addition of a rather tremendous block of personal property to the roll. Regardless of where the equipment was after January 1, it still accrues to the county if it were here on that date, and the assessor didn't miss it. The contractor who built the highway will pay a goodly tax payment to the county. Yes, indeed, there are a great many factors entering the Morrow county tax picture this year, but the bright and happy part to Mr. John Q. Public Is the wav it Is winding up with a total reduction in the tax load of $100,000 and a millage levy decrease ranging from 7.0 mills in the code area benefitting the least to 19.6 mill reduction in the code area benefitting the most, Need for Housing Apparent With opening of school Just about a month away, the pinch for housing is appurcnt again. Beverly Gunderson, clerk of School District R-l, said this week that five or six houses are needed to accommodate in coming school teachers and their families. One teacher arrived from the midwest, became discouraged after doing some house hunting and left, later sending his resignation. His resignation was not due entirely to his failure, to find a suitable home here, since other personal matters entered the picture, but it was one of the causes. But school teachers aren't the only ones who have been vainly looking for places. Several Incoming families have come Into this office asking for Information on places available. It does not appear that there is a particular dearth of places for sale for there are a number of good homes listed. However, there are some newcomers who are not in a position to buy because of their circumstances or the nature of their work. For Instance, a state policeman to be transferred here and his family were seeking a residence. He would be subject to transfer again when his superiors felt he would be needed elsewhere and would hardly be in a position to buy. It Is quite obvious that the rental situation for homes to accommodate a family with several childien is tough. This not only applies to Heppner but to lone, and perhaps other parts of the county. In Heppner there are quite a number of apartments available, but these do not always meet the need. The whole community, and not only the school board, has some responsibility in trying to help incoming teachers with adequate housing. If we want good teachers, we might do what we can to make them comfortable here. There are too many other places open to them to suffer housing hardship in coming here. Anyone who could offer suggestions on housing might con vey them to the school hoard or to Elmer Schmidt, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce development committee. In the meantime it appears that the housing situation is due for some serious study. Someone with capital to invest might well consider the possibility of building some good and comfortable places in a medium price range. Class of '52 Holds Reunion July 21-22 Twelve members of the Hepp ner High school class of 19j2 celebrated their 10th year class reunion July 21 and 22. Saturday evening, July 21 the group gathered at Stefani's Tine Foods, lone, for a banquet and program with Sallv Colin and Jimmy Prock as hosts. They read the class will und gave notes of former students, who were unable to attend, on their whereabouts and what they are doing at the present time. Twenty six graduated with the class. The class and their families met at the John Graves ranch Thursday. August 2, 1962 HELEN E. SHERMAN Associate Publisher NATIONAL EDITORIAL Ia: for a picnic and more visiting on Sunday. They have planned to meet again in five .wars for a ban quet with no picnic scheduled. Those attending were Mr. and Mrs. Allen Hughes, Elwayne Rergstrom, Marilyn Bergstrom, Nanev Ferguson Zinter, Sally Colin. Mr. and Mrs. Walt tHieta craves i Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Hick (Cavle Albert I Fellows, Mr. and Mrs. Don (Bemiee Huston) Cross, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Prock. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Taylor, and Joanne Bothwell Warren. Mrs. Rod Murm left last Thursday for Portland to attend the gift show and visilod with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. George Uwlnn. Chaff and Chatter Wes Sherman WE START to write this column after sitting through a meet ing of county officials and the State Tax Commission in regard to farm reappraisal. This puts the old mind in a whirl of posted ratios, assessment analyses, ra tios of assessed values to true cash values, alternative meth ods for computing 25 fixed ra tios et cetera. So at this point, we're not sure what will come out in the ensuing paragraphs. In the lV2-hour meeting, though, we gained a new respect for the work of Oliver Creswick, Rod Thomson and Bill Johnson of the assessor's office. Anyone who thinks they don't have a real complicated job in this day and age should have sat in on the meeting. As for us, it is too late now to start regretting that we didn't take those college economics courses more seriously 25 years ago. THE NATIONAL Geograp h 1 c magazine, we note, reports that a satellite-tracking antenna in New Jersey is so sensitive it can hear a signal as weak as a billionth of a millionth of a watt. This reminds us of the tiny gnats one encounters picnicking on upper Willow creek. They are so infinitesimal it almost takes a microscope to see them. In fact, we often hear them referred to as "noseeums." But when they get on your arm and bite, like the sensitive antenna, they make themselves hurt, too. THEY SAY that keeping a secret in a small town is like trying to smuggle daylight past a roos ter, and that furnishes a chal lenge to a small weekly paper which tries to get something In the Thursday edition that every one doesn't already know about. But it is fun to keep trying. Probably the most embarras sing thing, though, is to have someone tell us about an inci dent that is news to us, then have him say, "Well, I read it in your paper," It happens. IT ISN'T HARD to tell that it is vacation time. You notice it by the number of maimed and injured who come back after spending some time off. One fellow who tries his hand at water skiing may be hobbling around for days with a back that won't straighten up. An other cripples down the street with a sprained ankle. Mike Whitesmith got his ankle injury not on vacation but on a picnic in Pendleton, frolicking on the roundup grounds. Stepped in one of the little holes around the sprinkler head of an under ground watering system and it has been painful to watch him proceed down the street ever since. A LOCAL doctor and dentist were playing hide and seek around town at 3 a.m. the other morning. Dr. II. S. Iluber, the dentist, has trouble with a shoulder that goes out of joint when he exerts too much ac tivity. He had such trouble one day last week and along about 3 a.m. it got to paining so much Mrs. Iluber called Dr. Tibbies. The latter went to the office, got his gear and headed for the Iluber home. In the meantime, the Hubers headed for the doc tor's office. When Dr. Tibbies got to the residence, he couldn't raise anyone at this nocturnal hour and the daughter who was left at home thought a noisy burglar was trying to break in. Finally the doctor caught up COMMUNITY BILLBOARD Coming Events HEPPNER SWIMMING POOL Open daily, except Mondays Classes for all ages, starting Tuesday, Aug. 7 9 a.m., Tuesdays thru Fridays $1 instruction fee LEGION MOVIES Friday, 8 p.m., Legion Hall Always a Good Show! This week "Five Little Peppers in Trouble." Plus one-half hour cartoons. Morrow County Fair and Rodeo Dance For Princess, Jaequie Brindle Saturday, August 4 Fair Pavilion, Heppner Sponsored by Lena Commun ity. RHEA CREEK GRANGE PICNIC Sunday, August 5. 2 p.m. Chapin Creek Park This space will be used each week to announce com ing events of a public service nature at no charge. SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE BY C. A. RUGGLES Insurance Agency Heppner P. 0. Box 611 PH. 676-9625 with dentist at the office, and got the shoulder back in place again. PRIZE MONEY for winners in the rodeo parade this year will total the most it has for a good many years, and this should fur nish inducement for a bumper crop of entries in each category. Announcement of the various divisions is elsewhere In this paper. The parade is just a little over a month away, and this is a good time to start working out ideas for your entry. Randall Peterson of the Chamber of Com merce has been spending con siderable time working out all the details of prizes and judg ing, and there is a place for everyone. If a goodly portion of our population makes an ef fort to get up floats, get In cos tume, ride a horse, or dust off the 1916 Maxwell, the parade should be one of the best In recent years. All fair and rodeo committees are really getting into gear and working hard for the coming event. All is volunteer work, and apparently none expect any ac claim for the job that they do. As the old jingle goes, "Search all your parks In all your cities . . . You'll find no statues To committees." Grange Plans Picnic Members and their families of the Rhea Creek Grange are re minded of the picnic planned for Sunday, August 5, at Chapin Creek park. Activities are scheduled to get underway at 2 p. m. Members are asked to bring own table service in addi tion to picnic food. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Abrams and family visited with his sis ter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Haskell, at Everett, Wn., last week. Mr. and Mrs. Ab rams attended a high school class reunion of Bellingham, Wn., class of 1943. A Heppner Newspaper Suit Challenges Board On Advertising A suit challenging the right of the Oregon State Board of Pharmacy to ban the advertis ing of prescription drugs has been started by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Associat ion and several newspapers. The plaintiffs contend that the Pharmacy Board exceeded its authority in its August 11, 1961, order which deprives drug stores of their right to advertise any drug, medicine or appliance "whose sale is restricted to a prescription." The plaintiffs also believe that the Board's order prevents consumers from know ing the price of such drugs be fore entering the store. Filing of the complaint fol lows a request made on Sep tember 14, 1961, by the News paper Publishers association that the Pharmacy Board rescind its order and a later informal con ference with Attorney General Robert Y. Thornton during which the representatives of news papers gave reasons why they thought the Board's action ex ceeded its powers granted by law. "The Oregon Pharmacy Board cannot stop prescription drug firms in other states from ad vertising and selling prescrip tion drugs by mail to Oregon residents," said Carl C. Webb, manager of the Oregon News paper Publishers Association, in commenting upon the suit. "The Board's ruling prohibits any Ore gon licensed pharmacy from ad vertising prescription items and thus attempting to meet the competition from national mail order prescription firms. "Persons whose health is such that they need certain drugs week after week are denied the information of knowing through advertising what specific drug stores charge for these drugs because the stores cannot advertise these items. In dividuals lose their freedom of choice and we soon have an economy that is neither free nor competitive and in many cases r.lODEIHl Business Operation Demands QUALITY jumIAI U HOW IS YOUR STOCK OF . . . LETTERHEADS & MATCHING ENVELOPES INVOICES STATEMENTS WINDOW ENVELOPES RULED FORMS BUSINESS CARDS PROGRAMS ANNOUNCEMENTS - . . . Whatever Your Printing Needs May Be See Us Guaranteed Satisfaction Prompt Service The Gazette-Times Dealer For Moore Business Forms TO THE EDITOR. . . Dear Mr. Editor: In recent weeks I have noted nt of DUb- licity given the Sabin Oral Polio Vaccine Clinics Deing neiu in Umatilla county. From all re ports the population responded whole heartedly and the turn out was amazing. n,ir Efhnnl rhilrlrpn did not receive their polio shots this year as part ot the scnooi in noculation program. In years past Morrow county has not been immune to polio, and if such a clinic would encourage the greater part of our residents to participate, then the effort and planning to sponsor such a pro gram would certainly be worth while, Sincerely, Betty Brown To the Editor: Dear Mr. Sherman: At the last meeting of the Blue Mountain Community Col lege board a review of the elec tion results was made and a discussion of the fine support we have received throughout the area was held. I was asked to write to you in behalf of the board expressing our appreciation of your com plete and timely coverage, not only for the budget election, but throughout months of (organi zation of the district. Without the support of people like your self and your paper, this pro ject certainly could not have been completed in time to start school this fall. Your support is much apprec iated. Sincerely yours, Wallace W. McCrae Blue Mountain Community College it is the start of price-fixing," Webb said. The complaint, filed in the circuit court of Lane county July 26, questions the constitutional ity of the Pharmacy Board's order and asks that it be rescind ed. Phone 676 Hughes Takes Tour At Space Workshop Tom Hughes of Heppner was one of 53 members of the 7th annual Oregon State Aerospace Education workshop who arriv ed at China Lake, Calif., Sun day from Portland to being a 3-day familiarization study of naval ordnance research and de velopment. Capt. Charles Blen man, Jr., commander of the U. S. naval ordnance test station, was host to the group which also toured the Pasadena underwater research facility. Also Included in the Southern California tour of key aerospace centers will be a visit to Ed wards Air Force base. Sponsored by the Oregon State System of Higher Education, teachers par ticipating in the workshop, that began July 9, represent 30 cities in Oregon, Washington, Calif ornia and Alaska. Hughes is due back in Heppner next weeK. Two of Heppner Ford Win Company Awards Eltwyn Hale, parts sales man ager, and Larry Cochenour, ser vice sales manager, for Heppner Auto Sales, Inc., have been pre sented the first annual Golden Circle Award by Ford Division of Ford Motor Company. Ron Lund, Ford division zone man ager of Seattle, recently made the presentation here, Earl Ayers, owner, said. The award is based on out standing accomplishments in carrying out managerial respon sibilities such as parts or labor sales; parts purchase control or shop productivity; sales pro motion and advertising, and customer satisfaction. Each Golden Circle Award winner receives a certificate of qualification for the honor and a coat lapel gold pin. For each year a winner repeats the honor, a diamond is added to his pin. Oliver Creswick and sons, Don and Ronnie, and son-in-law, Duane Gentry, Milton-Freewater, enjoyed a week-end of salmon fishing at Ilwaco, Wn. Mrs. Gentry and daughters, Debbie and Denise, visited here with her mother, Mrs. Creswick, dur ing the week-end. - 9228
