Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 1973)
HEPPNER (ORE.) $23,750 Some of more than 60 citizens from Morrow County communities who attended the Solid Waste Planning & Implementa tion Project meetings for many months must be wondering if their time, work and money have been wasted. Morrow County residents were told that the problem of solid waste disposal is real and urgent. They believed that a solution to waste disposal nad been found-until the Blackhorse site was summarily rejected a couple of weeks ago. Since $23,750 of tax money is involved, and since there is now no known solution to a pressing problem, let us review the events. The County Solid Waste Advisory Committee began work last fall. This work led to receipt of a grant from the state's Department of Environmental Quality (DEO) of $19,750 to which $4,000 in local "in kind services were added. Four mayors (Heppner, Lexington, lone and Boardman) served on the advisory committee. Each signed a resolution Eledging his city's cooperation with the ouniy of Morrow and its Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and to do all things necessary to solve the problem of waste. John McDonald of Clark & Groff, Salem engineering firm, was hired as consultant. He made a serious effort to present facts and information to the many sub committees that were set up, ana which listed 66 persons in their membership. The County Planning Office notified each person of each meeting and sent out many Srogress reports during the months from anuary through June, when the study took place. McDonald spoke to many organizations in almost every area of the county, presenting facts, showing slides, asking for suggestions, questions and comment. He presented cost studies ot various solutions to the disposal problem. The Gazette-Times for July 5 carried an artist's sketch of the "approved" Black-' horse site. All hell broke loose in the Lexington area. It was as if nobody had ever heard of the months of hard work put into this expensive piece of engineering. the uproar prompted County Judge Paul Jones, apparently speaking for the full county court, to reverse and void the findings of the study because "The county has no desire to arbitrarily select a site that does not meet with the approval of the residents of the area." It makes one wonder where the "residents of the area" were during the nine months of publicity that attendee! the study. Two facts remain: (1) Morrow County is going to locate a solid waste disposal site whether anybody likes it or not; and (2) wherever that site is, somebody is going to object. In the meantime, does anybody know where the county can find another $23,750 to start this thing all over again? Are those parking meters necessary? Parking meters on downtown Heppner streets gross the city about $3500 a year m revenue. , , Out of this $3500 must come the cost of having an officer patrol the meters and write tickets, and keep the meters in repair. It is doubtful that any money actually accrues to the city after all expenses chargeable to the meters are paid. That makes them an investment of doubtful value, economically speaking. Just how badly does Heppner need parkingmeters as a means of controlling Aoliay study of parking shows that at no time during this period were more than 50 percent of The metered parking in use. Why should parking be regulated when there is no parking problem 7 The city is now faced with the expense of sending many of these parking meters to the factory for repair. This will cost a great deal of money, possibly the entire parking meter collection for a year. It is hoped that the city will give some thought to ridding city streets of parking meters, permanently, rney are expensive, they are not needed, and they are ugly. Whatever mon removing the meters up by tne aaaea gooawui mat wouia result from making Heppner a place where shoppers can come and not be taxed" for a place to park while they spend money with local merchants. Removing the meters certainly would be a friendly gesture, in keeping with the character of the town. Where to write JSen. Mark Hatfield. 463 Old Senate Office Bldg., Washington. D.C. 20510. .C. 20510 Sen. .Robert Pack wood. 8327 New Senate Office bldg., Washington, D.C. 20510. Rep. Al L'llman. 2410 Ray bum House Office BMg., . Washington, D.C.20515. Rep. Wendell Wyatt. 414 Cannon House Office BMg., $ Washington. D.C. 20515. GAZETTE-TIMES. Thursday, wasted ? ev might be sacrificed bv might well be made i August I. It73 REMEMBER THIS? . . 55 YEARS AGO 1918 Glenn Freeman Sharp, young son of Mr. and Mrs. J.C Sharp of Yewman canyon, was instantly killed Wednesday morning when an automobile in which he and his two small brothers were playing ran away down a hill and turned turtle over a steep embankment in the canyon. The other children ' escaped with but slight injuries. John J. Kelly of Heppner this week purchased the George Perry sheep ranch on Rock Creek. This deal involves 3,500 acres of land, the large portion of which is range land situated in Morrow and Gilliam Counties, and included in the deal is 2,000 head of sheep, a number of horses and farming implements. Walter Becket was in town Sunday looking for a hand to help him on the little combine. He has been borrowing from his neighbors during the past week and managed to get some threshing done, but it is now up to him to get a man of his own. His grain is going about 15 bushels to the acre so far, and he is of the opinion that the most of his grain will not exceed this yield. While in the lone area last week, County Clerk Waters made a visit to the section recently struck by hail and reports that it is certainly barren waste now. Several of the most promising wheat fields of that end of the earth were wiped off the face of the earth. Frank Turner came near getting caught underneath an overturning threshing machine at the Turner farm in Sand Hollow Saturday. He came out with a badly bruised hip and duly thankful that it was no worse. 37 YEARS AGO 1936 L.W. Briggs, county treasurer, and Mrs. Briggs each received injuries when the Briggs' car collided with a street car in Portland Sunday. Donald E. Turner, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Turner of Heppner, scored 71 hits out of 75 shots in the rifle competition at Camp Bonneville last week, winning the commanding general's trophy to basic company B.C.M.T.C. During the past week several people have experienced a skin poisoning, the orgin of which has not been determined. It is the belief of some that mosquito bites are responsible, while others think it may be a weed of some sort. Whatever the cause, the victims report is an unpleasant experience. J.G. Barratt, Joseph Belangerand K.B. Ferguson returned home Friday night from ST. -Paul, Minn., where they accompanied a shipment of Mr. Barratt's lambs. The lambs were loaded out of Spotted Robe, Mont., where Mr. Barratt and Henry Krebs have a summer ranch, and were taken through to St. Paul without loss of a single lamb. A favorable market was struck on arrival, with a good sale reported. The two little boys of the Ed Medlock family, who live near Winlock, met a fine sleek cougar while out in the timber a few days ago. The packer for the sheep of W.S. Steiwer, who uses that range, reports having noted the remains of at least 14 fawns that had been killed in the past month. Evidently this cougar is not on a diet. Ethel Bleakman, telephone operator at Tupper, is raising four orphan pine squirrel babies. They take their dinner out of a medicine dropper. Like most babies, they are becoming spoiled and if their hot water bottle gets cold or their dinner isn't exactly on time they all cry in unison. I 1e mm X - j " , - F-A K - I "I don't know what vou call 'em here, but in Boston they're prime and choicer' Six v tt MttfeSs. "Do you think they'll ever learn?' o o . . REMINISCE! W LSZS-L -I Mayor of Hardman DEAR MISTER EDITOR: , Ever now and then a news Item comes along that gives proper attention to the plus side of living in this country. The fellers at the country store discussed some of em after Clem Webster brung one to their attention during the session Saturday night. Clem had saw this piece about Social Security, and he said he was pleased to report that he was drawing pay munts on money that the next generation of workers will pay into the system. Farthermore, he said, he probably will wind up gitting 10 times in Social Security benefits what he ever paid in. Serious, went on Clem, he was glad he was drawing now stead of paying later. He said he couldn't foller the figgers in the paper, but he said it looked to him like Social Security is a case of digging holes to fill up holes til final the hole s wallers ever body. The percent of the popula tion that is working and paying is going down ever year and the precent of s loafing and gitting paid is going up, was Clem's words. Bug Hookum said Clem's trouble is he don't understand about fluid currency. To keep this country going, Bug allow ed you got to keep the money moving. If the Guverment was to stop taking in and paying out fer a month, Bug said, the hole economy would fall apart. Its just like if the average working man was to fergit to cash his check and make his paymunts for a How the dam will Continued doctors and dentists. The most detrimental effect on the communication system by the flood control project is v the observed lack of informa tion about the project possess ed by the people of Heppner. Gardner's study recommend ed that the Corps utilize the communication networks in the town to a greater extent in providing information about the proposed Willow Creek project. More information concerning project centers such as local establishments and additional meetings would help enlighten the residents. Presently, many of the citi sens are confused about the status of the project. A feeling exists that a major change is being planned for the com munity but that the people are having no part in formulating the change. Of the various clubs and associations in Heppner, only the Chamber of Commerce has officially endorsed the project. There are about 30 of these organizations in town, a large number for a village the size of Heppner. In relation to floods, the clubs function well in helping needy people after -such a disaster has occurred. The social impact concludes that Heppner can effectively absorb the changes brought TKB S GAZETTE-TIMES MORROW COUNTY'S NIWIWII Mrw: Hnmr, Oft.. t7M. Tel. 47411. P.O. m S7. 5 Tte Mimr 0it ntaMttlMd Mrci M, int. TIM R HWW IHM HMtlllM Nv. IS, MM. CUMlW ! ; is. mi. f r rwvfvwv . fovvpsyvasfff pvWVOrsiNnBpnnr eassvatf nbnbbi Ifwwsnnwwf S PnWiiMn aim. B iriml V. Jinr Plllr 8 1 inM Ctrtu . ........ Hmfm-tfr fi If: SUBSCRIPTION RATCS: SS pur vr to Orn M f jjl IMrrt SimiHc y, IS CI Hit. Mll IS Mill- 8 lTS, Th Ratniur adTnbvMStodicMf couple weeks. As long as the money keeps running thru us, we never can be sure who's on the short end of the deal, was Bug's words. Looking to more plus things, Zeke Grubb said he had heard Senator Sam Ervin say on TV -that holding them Watergate hearings was "taxing his patience." Zeke said he hoped none of them other senators paid attention, cause he was privileged now to pay all the taxes he was able to enjoy. Zeke said he recollected he got a notice some years back that he had been selected to give a pint of his blood. The permotion put out by the Red Cross said that he ought to feel privileged cause his blood could be used to save some body's life. Zeke said it was a big plus fer the Guvemment to draw out his taxes and buy birth control pills fer some pore devils in Ubangi so he don't have to go all the way over there and do it. Actual, salesmen has been taking the plus approach fer a long time,' Bug said. He said he has been gitting mail fer years from the Reader's Digest that tells him he already may be a winner afore he is even in the contest. And Bug said he gits mail regular telling him he has been selected to invest in land in Arizona. Mister Editor, all the talk on the plus side reminds me of the writing I saw onct on a tombstone. It was "I was expecting this, but not yet." . Yours truly, MAYOR ROY affect Heppner From Pg. 1 about by the construction of Willow Creek Dam and lake. Among the report's suggest ions aimed at strengthening the planning stage of the project by working more closely with the local citizenry are an improved flow of information from the Corps to Heppner covering such items as strength, permanence and aesthetics of a earth-filled dam, recreation potential and irrigation potential and asso ciated costs. Gardner also suggested that community leaders be in formed of the approximate number of incoming con struction workers including when they will arrive, the number of school children and whether or not there will be minority groups present. Also suggested are the possibility of holding a local vote on whether or not to build the dam, incorporating local units of Heppner in the project planning and computing a local benefit-cost ration for the city. Copies of the report are available upon request from the Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, Building 602, City-County Airport, Walla Walla, Washington 99362. BMIItl Horse sense By KIINKHT V. JOINER mm avtt wi mi par wttM Mm pMiriM f al " Last week two men were fined $305 each (or 60 days in jail, as they may elect) for shooting a doe, and out of season at that. According to state police, Morrow County hat a reputation of being tough on game violations of this type, and the word is out among hunters that If any of them hanker to hoot deer out of season they had better do it somewhere else in Oregon where judges tend to be more "social scientists" than they are here. The act that few violations occur In Morrow County Is testament that a swift, hard-nosed approach to Justice for offenders deters people from breaking the laws. Judge O'Connor gets our hearty clap on the back for moving quickly and firm In this matter. Of course, nobody is going to convince dedicated anti-death penalty advocates that capital punishment is a deterrent to capital crime. I believe it is. For example, there have been a good half-dozen people I would have killed during my life, except for the possibility of having my own ended at the end of a rope! But if I could have been certain that I would have been sentenced to a plush, country club-type prison, operated by do-gooders with a passion for rehabilitating me with fine food, fine medical attention, fine recreational facilities, libraries, movies, and chances of earning a college degree and being turned loose before I was too old to run for Congress, I would have done society a favor, and strangled the whole six of'em. You think that exaggeration? Look at Bobby Seale, the California Black Panther who beat at least one murder rap, served time under the tender ministration of a "modern" penal system, was pronounced a "useful and rehabilitated" citizen by a gang of psychiatrists (most of whom ought to be in jail themselves); ran for Mayor of Oakland this year and was danged near elected! You may recall how cattle rustlers were dealt with in an earlier day. They were dispatched at the nearest cottonwood. But people got to feeling so much love for each other they gave it up as a concession to social consciousness and a growing concern for the sanctity of human life. Now, if you can believe the cattlemen's association, there is more cattle rustling going on today than ever before. In short, when rustlers were hung, with or without trial, there was precious little rustling compared with the runaway incidence of rustling today. As for the sanctity of human life, if we believe history (and I do) we know that through the ages human life has been the cheapest of commodities. Still is. We scrape 50,000 of them off the highways each year. We write off another 50,000 in Vietnam, all without much concern. Citizens of Heppner may feel themselves different in this respect, and I'm sure they profess a reverence for human life. On the other hand, there is a story on page 1 of this newspaper concerning the social impact of Willow Creek Dam on the community. Researchers found that in spite of the disastrous flood of 1903 that claimed 247 lives (said to be the worst flood fatality in U.S. history, per capita-wise), the dam's construction as a means of preventing similar floods was a minojs, . consideration in local assessment of the value of the dam. The number one interest of the people of Heppner, according to this study, was the recreational potential of the dam! So if the people really treasure human life, why have they waited 70 years to demand that the cause of that fatal flood be corrected? I'm not criticizing, I'm just interested in having someone explain why it is more important in the public mind to have a fishing hole outside town than it is to end a threat to human life. Americans ought to tear themselves away from the continuous entertainment known as the Watergate Comedy Hour long enough to find out who's kicking them in the breadbasket. Not long ago the cost of living in this country was boosted because of the sale of American wheat to Japan. Saturday, Washington announced the sale of 500,000 tons of wheat to China. This comes at a time when the price of wheat is at an all-time high of $3.60 a bushel in the Heppner area. This could send the price to $4. Great for farmers, who will enjoy the feel of the money temporarily. But in the long run, they too will have to pay just like the rest of us. The Nixon policy is to drain this country of its substance to buy the friendship of Communist countries. In the sale of wheat and other grains, Communist countries are getting preference over friendly nations who would like to buy American wheat. Neither President Nixon nor the Congress has learned the lesson of history-that there is no way to buy the friendship of a Communist nation. Communist rulers will use us as they always have, just so long as it serves their goal of world domination. And while they smile and drink toasts to President Nixon, all the time they are despising us for our weakness in trying to buy their friendship. In the final analysis it will be as it always has been; the free world against the slave, capitalism against collectivism, the strong against the weak. And for this approaching showdowns we are now engaged in making ourselves weaker by building the strength of our adversaries. Before World War II we drank saki with the Japanese and sent them millions of tons of scrap metal. Many ah American soldier came home with some of that scrap metal in his rear-end. We tried to buy the friendship of Fidel Castro in Cuba, with disastrous results. We did it in Korea and in Vietnam. We refuse to learn from experience, as if history were nothing more than a dull novel. We refuse to profit from the lessons history affords, so each generation must repeat the same errors. A few years ago I heard Sen. Mahoney of Oklahoma tell a crowd what would happen in this country if a Republican adminstration was elected. It would be just like it was the last time a Republican administration was elected, he said. And in order to illustrate the value of profiting from experience and history, he told a story that went something' like this: "If you want to know what a cowboy does when he comes to town and gets drunk on Saturday night, all you have to do is remember what he did the last time he came to town and got drunk on Saturday night." Our problem is that nobody remembers what the cowboy did when he came to town on Saturday night and got drunk. If we did, we could handle our foreign and domestic affairs much better. auMoinma "I need a refill... I ran out farther down the road than I thought" 4
