Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1975)
Page 2, THE GAZETTE TIMES, Heppner, OR., Thursday, May 8, 1975 Mayor of Hard man Horse sense KRXKSTV. JOINER I've been out of town for a month and there's a lot of catching up to do. Let's get to it. Randy Lott has been lamenting the rise in the cost of a fifth of Ezra Briggs charcoal filtered bourbon; and Winn Crist, fed up with the high cost of Oregon booze, smuggled a case of Cutty Sark in from Colorado at a saving of about 40 per cent (sheriff, arrest that man. Oregon's booze is about the highest we've run into, which means that in this state it is official policy that the rich can get smashed but the poor cannot ... Ed and Tom Gonty are back on frozen TV dinners because Eleanor went a-visiting . . . Carl Spaulding won't turn on cable TV service to the new development on the hill until the developers pay the $3,000 it cost to underground the cables . . . Everbody is going to Gardner's to buy clothing before Leroy gets the bill for expanding his store on the vague chance he will add the cost to his merchandise . . . Police Chief Dean Gilman found that in one month the presence of the new night officer has (presumably) cut burglaries from 14 in March to 2 in April . . . The secret is out: the reason Jim Rogers' meals tasie so good is that he hires the prettiest and most shapely girls to serve it. thus making it impossible to concentrate on the food ... If you're still barking about the cost of good beefsteak at Central Market ( 1.69) consider that it's selling in California's Safeway Stores for 2.69 . . . Banker Ken Belcher and Dr. Joe Gifford fled to Moultrie, Ga., last week to fly back a new plane for the good doctor. Ken's bank financed the sale and the added "interest" was that Ken got to fly the job home fit took five hours to fly over Texas," Ken grumbled. Like they say, everything's bigger ...).. .Last week the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2579. which means the public can't see a criminal's rap sheet another move to protect the criminal, and to hell with the public. School and city and county governmental officials are trying desperately to repeal the state law and permit them once again to hold their meetings in secret, and to hell with the public again . . . Mayor Jerry Sweeney's new mustache makes him a dead ringer for British Comedian Terry Thomas . . . Don't feel insulted if Heppner merchants ask for identification when cashing your checks. They've been ripped off for thousands through bad checks. Now they're organizing to protect themselves. No offense, stranger. Writing a bad check has become almost a "constitutional right" for many people, and it is well nigh impossible to legally collect a bad check in these permissive days . . . Why, I asked, is everybody calling Ernie Ceresa "Ernie Sirica"? Answer: because he's made some pretty hard judgements around town! . . . 0 It didn't take Oregon's legislative chickens long to come home to roost. The 1973 session gave most public employees the right to strike. It should have known better. Now the state is faced wilh union demands for a 27 per cent wage increase or a strike that would shut down the public's business. State employees already receive more in wages, benefits and job securitv than exists in the private business sector. That isn't enough. It never will be enough. Any state that gives its employees the right to strike has just turned over the reins of government to labor bosses. From that point on the public will be in a constant state of blackmail for more money, more power, more decision making, more security and more benefits If the blackmail isn't paid the taxes won't be collected, the garbage picked up. the children taught or the water and sewer services continued. From 4his time on. unless sanity prevails and that ridiculous 1973 law repealed, this state and its people belong to organized labor and organized labor exists for the sole purpose of getting everything it can get its hands on. The union needn't worry. Its blackmail demands will be met. It will cost taxpayers about $300 million a year. Until next year when the ante will be upped. Every striking public employee richly deserves to be fired, imprisoned or both. When one strikes against a corporation or a business, that is bad enough. But for one to strike atiainst the public welfare and threaten the fiber and structure of the government that holds us together, he deserves the contempt and punishing hand of the public he would destroy for a lousy buck. Gov. Straub could make himsell a hero by telling the union goons to go to hell, fire i hem at once and prohibit their employment in government in the future But is there an elected official in Oregon with the guts to stand up to union demands? Ust week Leann Rea of Boardman wrote a letter to the editor outlining her problem with the telephone company. For lour vears she and her husband have been trying 8ef phone service at their farm where they specialize in raising hay tor commercial purposes The situation is that their residence is in one phone company's territory and it won't pro ide servic e, whereas the phone company whose territory the Kea residence is NOT in CAN provide service, but cannot do so because the Reas are in a competitor's territory. The PUC has been ol no help, even though it is the state agency c harged with protecting Oregonians from utilities companies and utilities from each other. Pacific Northwest Bell, in whose territory the Reas live and which declines to extend mt ice. also refuses to release the Reas from its jurisdiction in order that the competing phone company can extend service Utilities enjoy a government-sanctioned monopoly. In turn, utilities must provide reasonable service to the public- to maintain that monopoly. Failing to do so. the least that can be expected is that the offending utility in this case Pacific Northwest Bell' should release any person on the borders of its territory from being forced to use a phone service that cannot or will not be supplied. I suggest the manager of Pacific Northwest Bell be contacted. If there is no satisfaction, contact the state consumers' office in Salem or anv other good consumer group. If that does no good, a law er might conc lude that a suit against the phone company might be productive, especially so in the Rea case where actual damages are a factor in what appears to be a conspiracy to withhold telephone service. Let the Gazelle-Tunes know what happens. We're interested. P S It has never been explained why large corporations so olien spend millions leven billions) of dollars to build up good public image through advertising and public relations. Then, in one dismaying display of sheer stupidity, louse the whole deal up with a petty instance such as the one involved in the Kea case Dean Gilman says he has a sure fire, fail tare method of determining v. hen spring is definitely here. When you see the snakes come out to sun on the warm pavement. Dean says, you can be sure the half-starts and false beginnings are over and that spring is actually here. Check it for the next few da vs. II could save you a good case of pneumonia in cases like last Friday's warm day followed by Saturday's brrrrrrr. It didn't gel much attention in Heppner, but my March 27 column on the poor quality of public education has been reprinled in six states so far. Here in Oregon it was reprinted in The Fore Front, publication for Oregon Research and Education, in its April 21 issue; and last Sunday it was featured on the editorial page of the Herald and Newt at Klamath Falls. Sometime, somewhere, somehow the American public Is going to have to come to grips with its most expensive, uncontrollable and tyrannical ascred cow, public education. 1 Rep. Greener's threat 'Ease property fax or 2nd revolution' "Unless positive steps are taken to ease the property tax burden. Oregonians will soon be ripe for a second American Revolution." State Rep Ralph Groener. D-Oregon City, said in Salem. May 2. Citizens protest groups are being formed in several areas of the state, including my own district, to fight what they consider unfair and unjust taxation." Groener stated "At best, their mood is one of anger and frustration." Groener. a member of the House Committee on Education and Sc hool Finance, said the only workable solution is to fund schools through a progressive income tax based on ability to He raised the issue April 30 before the committee and called for a revival of the 1973 tax relief and school finance plan initiated by Gov. McCall The McCall plan had its flaws, but 73 per cent of the properl v owners in this state would have seen their total lax bills reduced." he said "What I'm seeking is an improved plan that people will have time to study and understand " He suggested plac ing responsibility for updating the plan with a legislative interim committee, one of whose assignments would be to conduct "town meetings" throughout the state. "These meetings would not only aid in determining what the taxpavers want, but would serve as a means of informing people of the lax options we can offer." he said He called uxn citizens to support property tax reform by writing or calling Iheir legislators "The pressure is building, and the only way to hold the lid down is lo show people we're taking action." he said "The alternative is to slick our heads in the sand and hope the problem solves itself." The mail pouch EDITOR: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Anyone who will lake the lime lo examine a cily map or the tax rolls w ill soon find out thai WE ARE. in the Cily Limits, we do have city water and have never had the privilege of sewer lines or hook ups. However, we for the most part, have a hard lime convincing anvone of this fact. They need only to consult the Zoning Ordinance Book published in Sept. 1966 by the Cily of Heppner to get and keep Iheir facts straight. MRS J.W.NOKKNE Heppner "And just how long hive you bwn driving thil school bui?" THE GAZETTE-TIMES Mnltlum ( ol 'XTY'K NEWSPAPER Box 337. Heppner. Ore. 97836 Subscription rale: $6 per year in Oregon. $7 elsewhere Ernesl V. Joiner, Publisher Published every Thursday and entered as a second class mailer at the post office at II. .......... rWjwtnn unilor lh nl Mir-h 1 l?Q g l '"l" l n ' mctii m hiiviii mi. I Sernnd-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. ntutMut&mMuumuMMmunuuMuttt Water . . . (Continue from Page 1) the realtor to have the property cleaned up." -Variance permits were granted to Dean Teel for placing a mobile home on his property. However, when the building permit was applied for the city attorney asked if the property owners on the east of the property had been notified, as they would have to look at the trailer. When it was found they had not been notified, the variance permit was rescinded. It was stipulated the owner supply the cily w ith a list of property owners and the city will in turn send the necessary let ters - Granted a building permit for the third lime to Mike and Danny Sweeney and Larry Prock for the construction of a six plex at 515 N. Elder. The permit had to be re-applied for because construction had not started within the 60 day limitation set forth by the city. Approved a variance and building permit for Harold Whilaker who plans to con struct a residence above the Lebush Shoppc. The Whita kers applied lo the city planning commission previ ously and their request was granted after a hearing was held and there were no objec tions lo their application, - Adopted a resolution for a state highway fund applica tion for streets within the cily that are in need of repair due to excessive and unusual traffic. -Heard a letter of com plaint from Ed Dick, regard ing access to his properly from Bisbee St. Mr. Duvall agreed to work with cily crews in eliminating the problem. Mike Sweeney asked the council for a letter to the Department of the Interior, for (he preservation of six and one-half miles of Oregon Trail located in the Boardman bombing range. The council voted to approve a progress payment to Kenny Construction, with holding 15 per cent in retention to insure paving of the streets. According to Ralph Marlalt, the contractor is making an effort to remedy the situation. A meeting of the finance committee will be held to re negotiate a contract with the city attorney. -Set May 12. 7 p m. for the time of a special meeting to discuss the franchise of the cable television system. The meeting will be open to the public. Ordinance 394. which will increase the city's sewer rates was read, but could not be formally adopted at the meet ing because of the absence of councilman Warren Plochar sky. The ordinance will be read for the third time at the June meeting. School needs . . (Continued from Page I) Remodel present shop into a music room. Stage is presently used for music instruction. $3,000. The following recommendations are for the A C, Houghton Elementary School. - Add six classrooms, special reading room, speech and hearing room, conference room, storage room, rest rooms and pantry. -The present space is full, several rooms are overcrowded and three classrooms occupy an area wilhin the old building which are conditionally safe from a fire standpoint. $250,000. - Construc t a new gymnasium 132 x 70 feet, with dressing rooms Present frame gym is old, small, and a part of the old building which is only partially usable because of the fire regulations. $218,000. -Increase the size of the present library. The present; library is the size of a single classroom, not adequate for expanded school needs. $1,000. Riverside High School needs: - Four general classrooms. This would accommodate growing enrollment which adds about 30 students per year. $120,000, -Construct proposed addition to gymnasium. This would provide more space to scheduled P.E. daises in oruVr lo meet the increased demand. $141,000. -Provide additional sealing in gymnasium. Present capacity is limited. $9,000. In oilier business, Orville Cutsforth reported he recently returned from Salen where he visited the state legislature. He attended the meeting representing the Farm Bureau in (he two bills regarding corporation bills. He said he was unhappy with the way Senator Thorne conducted (he meeting, giving two hours to those In favor of the bill and granting the farmers only five minutes to voice Iheir opinions. Cutsforth quoted excerpts saying, "Four companies control 50 per cent of the farm market, and In the food induslry, four firms control 90 per cent of the breakfast foods, 75 per cent of the flour, 5 per cent of the processed meats, 65 per cent of the sugar, 80 per cent of the canned goods and one single company controls 90 per cent of the soup." Cutsforth has been Invited back to Salem to testify on the measures. "Only this time I will be prepared," he said. DEAR MISTER EDITOR: Usual I Jest take care of the big decisions at my home. I work out farm support prices and how muc h we ought to pay fer Arab oil. and I handle tric ky items like how to cut the federal budget and increase aid to other countries. I even had lime left over recent to work on the Equal Might Amendment. I t.t (he old lady worry about the little problems, like taking care of the garden, the cow and the house. Bui even President Ford has to take time off from his golfing and skiing ever now and then to go to his office and find out what Kissinger has been up lo. so I don't think li s out of line fer me to do a tittle private worrying about personal situations as long as I don't make it a habit. I alius figgered the best way lo worry was to fall asleep right after you start, but the old iady has called this mailer to my attention and I will pass it on to you. We got this cow I reckon we ought to sell. Her eating has fell off and her milk likewise. The price of beef what it is, I can t sell her. and wilh feed prices going up ever week, I can't feed her. Until a few years back, she got along good on hnv in winter and the little pasture In summer, but I reckon she heard of all the supplements everbody s got to git In their diets now, cause she don't seem to gil the nourishment out of her feed that she use to, On the other hand, if milk price controls git the price of milk out of control like the Stale Milk Commission done in North Carolina. I can t afford nol to keep the cow fer the little milk she gives, As I see it, Mister Editor, ever self-respecting farm ought to have a cow. And changing rows Is a serious business, like changing w ives or churches. You know what you got. but you never know what you're gitting. Take our old cow. fer instant, she has sorter got use to our place in the past 12 vears and we have gol use to her. She knows what time the old ladv will come to milk and feed, and we know what tree she'll tie standing under if we gol out to look fer her in a storm The old cow knows our fences as good as I do, and I 'know she has give up Ihe lilee of greener pastures, so In places the fence ain't nothing more than a strand of baling wire, . ,, . Practical speaking, is it better to have more milk and more worrv. or less milk and no worry? A new cow probable wouldn't Slav home, and she might gil on Ihe road and run over, or she might tear down a fence and tear up a neighbor's crops. Wc don't git muc h use out of our old cow. but we can depend on her to be what she is. She's like old wore out shoes thai feels good on your feel, Mister Editor, would you sell her or keep her? I don I figger this is a hard question to put lo you. cause you newspaper folks solve Ihe world's problems ever time you come out with a paper, and all you gol lo do it with is a typewriter. Yours trulv. MAYOR ROY i 1 I.ESTFIt KIVSOlA ING Selectively indignant mlinmic ctnrbhnfrfpix i PITTSBURGH. PA-At lo oo a m . this Monday. April 28. al this city's Heinz Hall, an estimated 2.ono people will attend the annual stockholders meeting of IBM. Among these stockholders are the national headquarters of the Methodist. United Preshvterian. Episcopal, Disciples of Christ. American Baptist. United Church of Christ. Reformed Church of America along with Ihe National Council of Churches Headquarters staffers of these denominations have banned together lo form an organization called "The Church Project on U.S. Investments In South Africa " For Ihe third successive year, this organization of hierarchs will introduce a resolution designed lo inhibit or eliminate IBM's doing business in South Africa. iThe volume of IBM's business there amounts lo approximately one tenth of one per cent, according lo IBM headquarters The wording of this ecclesiastical stockholders' resolution will lie different in some measure from the resolutions introduced in 1974 and 1973 For Ihe Securities and Exc hange Commission requires that no stockholders' resolution may be reintroduced unless it receives al least 3 per cent of Ihe vole. Each year, the anti-South African resolution of these religious denominations has received less than Ihe required 3 percent. And last year, exasperated IBM stockholder Wayne Six asked why these religious stockholders showed no such concern about Ihe governments of the Soviet Union and Maoisl China, which have regimes far more repressive than South Africa's. This interesting query reportedly evoked no response from the churchmen. This year. IBM stockholders might care to inform these churchmen publicly thai IBM is also doing business in Uganda. For there is no such resolution pertaining to this East African country. Conditions in this nation have been reported by Ihe last U S Ambassador to Uganda, Thomas Palric k Melady, who is ' now Executive Vice President of St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia. Writing In the Jesuit magazine "America," Dr. Melady recalls: "Since President Idi Amin took over Uganda on Jan. 21, 1971. over 50.000 Ugandans have been killed " "I lived through the horror of seeing close to 50,000 people brutalized and expelled from Uganda because they were of another ethnic origin." (Indian). "While I served in Uganda, I met several of the widows of prominent Ugandan civilians slain by Gen, Amin's men. One widow, whose name I cannot reveal as she still lives in Kampala, asked me if 'Africans in South Africa suffer more than we do in Uganda?' " Few rank and file Methodists, Presbyterians and Episcopalians could sincerely answer this In the affirmatlve-especially in view of Dr. Melady's mentioning, during an Interview with this column: "Gen. Amin's men prefer to dispatch their victims with sledgehammers; either that or they force Ihe larger prisoners to take the smaller prisoners and tear off their limbs." How can the churchly stockholders of IBM be concerned about South Africa and not about the continuing horror of Uganda? One probable answer : the government of Uganda is not white. And Gen, Idi ("Big Daddy") Amin Is slated to be the next President of the Organization of African Unity. Moreover, as the Rev. Carroll Slmcox, editor of "The Living Church" magazine notes: "Our leaders have proceeded on Ihe assumption that they know better than the rest of us what is our corporate duty In this mailer." Hence the ecclesiastical bureaucrats continue applylnj their selective indignation lo IBM, while the rank and file 6 these purportedly Protestant organlzallons-rather thai Prolesling-conlinue to pray, pay and obey.
