Page 2, THE GAZETTE-TIMES, Heppner, OR, Thursday, May 20, 1976
Salem
Mayor of Hard man
bv Jack Zimmerman
4 ' ' "
ceUe
; DEAR MISTER EDITOR:
; There's been a heap of talk in recent weeks about leaks in
the news buckets of GuvernmenL That feller from the TV
; network that got leaked to and then leaked to a newspaper
1 instead of leaking on the TV set off one round of talk, but that
v case is just one of many that makes the news buckets look
v. more like sieves. The $350,000 Congress said it would spend to
" find out who leaked to the TV leaker jest makes that hole in
. the bucket more expensive.
This matter come up during the session at the country store
Saturday night. It was Ed Doolittle that allowed straight
hard news ain't never been easy to come by, and that
everbody slants his news to suit hisself . Ever since Adam's
. boy come home after killing his brother and answered his
vPa's question with a question, Ed said, people and
Guvernments have been trying to rig the news to put them in
j" a good light. The feller that said a reporter is to a politician
f what a barking dog is to a chicken thief was right, was Ed's
" words, and he added that we got to run the leaking news
, bucket business on that basis.
Practical speaking, said Zeke Grubb, leaking is by no
-means limited to Guvernment. If you want to see the practice
of leaking dra wed down to a fine art, Zeke allowed, you ought
to be on a church pulpit committee. That, Zeke said, is where
the saying about running it up the flagpole and see who
salutes it is carried to "throw him to the lions and see who
j eats him." When you got to find a new pracher, you got to
have some idee what kind of preacher the congregation
I wants. What most of em want, Zeke said, is no preacher at
; all, but these ain't the ones that make the noise and pay the
vbills. So you got to come up with a man fer all seasons, and
jthis means you got to leak a little news here and there.
- The art part starts, Zeke declared, when you relize that
ever other member of the pulpit committee is doing his own
leaking. He's picking out his members to leak to and you're
doing the same thing. Pritty soon, everybody in church has
been fed little bits and snatches of news about whoever is
being considered fer the preaching job, and each one won't
let on to the others that he knows anything. That's the way it
goes, explained Zeke, until the Sunday the candidate gives
his trial sermon. When the service is over, the folks huddle in
bunches and add everthing they know to what the prospect
said and what was said about him in the pulpit. He has been
thorough reserched, was Zeke's words.
Actual, Gem Webster said, news leaks is like rain. It's
great stuff as long as you don't over do it. The fellers was
general agreed that leaking has its place, and they sided with
Gem's idee that the trick is control. A good leak is one you
lead, a bad one is one somebody else leaks, Gem said, cause
censorship at the source is the best kind.
Yours truly,
MAYOR ROY.
The mail pouch
; CITIZENS OF HEPPNER:
It was truly "good news" when we heard Jerry and Delores
Reed purchased the Gazette-Times.
We have known the Reeds for nearly three years and they
have both the talent and experience to give Heppner the kind
of quality newspaper it deserves.
; But they can't do it alone. They need you. They need your
subscriptions and your advertising support. And it will be
well worth it. You'll get the news and sell your products via
the best advertising medium a weekly newspaper. What
more can you ask for just a few dollars a year?
! Jerry said, "I have never found a good newspaper in a bad
town nor a bad newspaper in a good town." Okay, citizens of
Heppner, let's see you and Jerry prove it. Support YOUR
newspaper.
DAN ZIMMERMAN
Publisher, Valley Herald
Milton-FYeewater, OR
EDITOR:
Kinzua Corporation
Heppner, Oregon
Attn: Allen Nistad
On behalf of the Heppner-Morrow County Chamber, the
Float Committee, the High School Art department, and
myself, I would like to thank you very much for the donation
of the plywood for our float.
As you know the Chamber has not had a float for the past
few years, but during this bicentennial year I fell it is
important that we have a float in the parade.
The art department, under the direction of Tom Scheer
have designed this years float, and are in the process of
building it with your donated plywood. I am sure that we all
will be proud of the float when it la completed.
Thanks again for your donation, which is the major part of
the float.
JAMES H.WISHART
; Chairman, Float Comm.
Heppner-Morrow County Chamber
EDITOR:
The class of 1977 would like to lake this opportunity to
thank all those people who have. In some way helped us with
the plans and preparations needed for our 1978 Prom and
Junior-Senior Banquet. It was sincerely appreciated by all of
"""The following people we would particularly like to thank:
Mr. and Mrs. Hon Haguewood
The Rev. k Mrs. Mark Johnson
Mr.Mrs.aydeAHstott
Mr. Mrs. Bob Schiller
Mr. t Mrs. Forrest Burkenbine
Mrs. Colleen Ployhar
Mrs.BctteSpaulding
Mrs. Susie Cooper
Mrs. Ginger Keithley
Mrs. Mary Jean McCabe
Mr. Bill Buckendorf
Mr. Jim Rogers
Mr. A Mrs. Wayne Harris
Jan Sherman
Jeff Edmundson
AO those mothers who made
Mrs. Pat Edmundson
cookies and punch for the Prom.
Also the Sophomores who
served at the Banquet.
Last, but not least we would like to thank our advisors, Mr.
Chuck Lutsch and Mr. Hal Whitaker.
The Gassof 1977
Heppner High School
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Guest Editorial
iveryoEies IProbloEii
Damage to school property is a steadily increasing
problem for school districts all over the country these days.
It seems that any property which is not directly supervised is
going to suffer a certain amount of damage from vandals no
. matter what is said or written condemning this kind of
action.
Deliberate vandalism is not the only source of destruction
to public property, however. A fair share of damage to
property is going to occur where young children congregate
to play which is not willful destruction.
Instead it is generally just a time passing action without
much intent to destroy property.
The old practice of enlarging a scratch in a desk top with a
pencil untl the scratch forms an initial or a design is typical
of this practice.
Buildings too suffer in much the same way. Soft putty in a
window is dug out and mortar between bricks is scratched
away by the curious small fry.
Some pictures of damage caused over the years to the
school district office building in Lexington are found in this
issue of the Gazette-Times. Damage such as this can be found
at all the districts schools where children gather to play in
the evenings or on weekends without supervision.
Hopefully the pictures included in this issue will draw
attention to this serious problem.
Parents can help prevent this from occuring by spending a
little time with children who play around the school buildings
on weekends and evenings, explaining to them the
importance of respecting the property they are privileged to
use.
MATTDOHERTY,
District Superintendent,
Morrow County Schools
VIEWPOINT
Most of you have read about the pair of goats that were
abandoned on an island. They reproduced prolifically and
soon had eaten or spoiled every edible thing. As you know,
they starved, sickened and died.
Might man's relationship to planet earth be similar? Is
man unwittingly waiting for nature to correct the error of his
ways? Some of us believe that man squanders precious
natural resources; others believe that man progresses
towards great achievement. The real dangers are not
whether man waits In Indecision for Nature's remedy or how
man solves his problems. The real danger is that man could
panic, yield his independence and accept a captive existence.
It is to this man I speak.
We agree that man continuously seeks to enhance his
earthly habitat. In so doing is man approaching an
unsustainable life style? If so the end Is predictable. Already
experienced by other species, the end is called: 'Over
specialization. A well publicized example of this dilemma Is
our dependence on energy for the production and distribution
of food. The impending exhaustion of fossil fuel threatens
continuation of our life style. Wt face a choke. Either other
sources of energy must be adapted lo our desires or man
must return from sophisticated extravagance to close
compatibility with the natural processes.
Man's willing return to a balance with nalure is
being orchestrated. At issue Is whether the 'return shall
controlled by a politically powerful few or whether a
majority of the people shall make the choice. The fashionable
attempt to control the people of Oregon is disguised undT the
pleasing title: Comprehensive Land Use Planning.
Believing that such pleasant title assures pleasant results,
the public assumes that land use planning relates physical
conditions with real needs. The public Is deceived. Land
planning as practiced Is fantasy promoted to perpetuate
another sclferving bureaucracy.
What should land use planning be? It should be a method
for connecting current conditions with future needs. The
conditions can be precisely stated; the needs can b closely
estimated. Given these, th people who are moat affected
should vote to choose whatever appears lo Ihem to be the best
av to art to whrre thev shall be. In a drmocrscy, the Tie
aflected should make' this choice. However, according to
Oregon Law (Senate Bill 100; ORS 197) seven political
appointees and only these seven art entitled to vote In
matters pertaining to land use. To qualify as one of the
Oregon Seven, each must please the Governor. At Issue
bort it not planning; the Issue is control -and by whom?
Some other states have alreadv faced this Issue; Vermont
and Utah repealed laws similar to ours. W need to
remember that the principal purpose of governmenl is to
prolect that most precious aspect of our llveability-whlch Is
srlf -determination. The opening lines of this land control Uw
cmtradicl this purpose by Implying that liveablllty must be
Uken from the pwple In order to preservt it for the people.
Agreeing with my remarks or not, i hope you agree that an
iMue of this magnitude should be decided by majority vote. I
urge your help In getting Ihis measure on the November
ballot.
By OH Kwett.
Tr fnl, OH.
WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION COST
STAGGERS OREGON EMPLOYERS
Already oppressive costs borne by Oregon employers to
fund Ve sTate's program f"1!!
occupational disabilities may rise more than 40 per cent by
"tSSSSi $250 million annual burden i"
another $100 million July 1 if propose d new rates . e
accepted by Insurance Commlss.oner Lester Rawls In
S AC415 per cent average rate increase for Workmen's
CompnsaUon insurance premiums has been
the National Council on Compensation nsurance approved
by the state's Classification and Rat.ng Committee and
submitted to Rawls. . . ,.
The Insurance Commissioner has announced hearings on
the record rate increase will begin 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, June
1, in Room 20 of the Capitol Building. .
Utile more than a year ago Rawls bowed hia back and
refused to accept NCCI's initial 1975-76 rote Increase of R4
per cent. His unprecedented action a" "f'"1
attention and that boost ultimately was whittled to an
' average of 9.9 per cent.
This year's premium rate proposal is getting all kinds of
attention. One reason is the size of the boost-far exceeding
the highest previous raise of 27.1 per cent in 1971.
Another fact is Workmen's Compensation In Oregon has
become the most expensive nationwide for employers and
there are fears such a significant addition to the cost of doing
business will have serious implications in a still shaky
general economy. ... .
An example is the small Salem Manufacturing plan
employing 41 workers. One of eight subsidiaries of a national
firm, the Oregon operation employs only 8 per cent or the
parent company's total U.S. workforce. But it pays
Workmen's Compensation premiums amounting to 29 per
cent of the company's national total. '
Across the board, Oregon employers now pay nearly 3 per
cent of national Workmen's Compensation costs to Insure
something less than 1 per cent of the country's total covered
employes.
A program that costs $35 million 10 years ago, could cost
$350 million in the year ahead.
Reaction to the latest rate hike proposal has been swift and
succinct. Gov. Bob Straub said the rates are a severe blow to
Oregon industry. Rep. Ed Lindquist (D Jennings Lodge),
who heads a legislative interim subcommittee studying
Workmen's Comp, described the increase as a disaster.
Business spokesmen call the proposals overwhelming.
They forecast corresponding increase's In consumer prices
for goods and services and a further weakening of the
competitive position for Oregon manufacturers producing
goods marketed nationally and worldwide.
Organized labor, on the other hand, greeted the new rates
with vows to maintain present benefits awarded injured
workers and to press for greater compensation.
Insurance carriers and rate makers explain higher rates
are required mainly to fund soaring costs of benefits for
workers permanently totally disabled and those termed
permanently partially disabled -coupled with upward-spi-raling
costs of medical care.
Critics claim the system's major flaws consist largely of
existing statutes permitting easy access to permanent total
and permanent partial disability status and liberal interpre
tations of those statutes by administrators and courts
involved in a lengthy appeals process.
They agree the only satisfactory recourse is a
comprehensive overhaul of existing laws governing the
system and anticipate a fullscale revision as a major subject
facing the 1977 State Legislature.
Employers pay premiums based on so many dollars per
$100 of payroll. The premium rates range from as low as 36
cents per $100 for clerical workers to nearly $100 per $100 for
housewreckers. They buy the insurance from the State
Accident Insurance Fund, private Insurance companies or
they self insure in the case of a few large employers.
Comprehensive studies of the Oregon system have
absolved accident frequency and working conditions from
blame for escalating rates. The same studies saddle
excalating numbers of permanent total and permanent
partial disabilities with rising costs.
A permanent total disability can produce maximum
benefits amounting to as much as $205.17 weekly for life. And
such benefits do not mean the recipient has been maimed or
will remain bedfast forever. More than 80 per cent of
permanent total benefits now go to workers 50 years old and
older.
Benefits are tax free and are not diminished upon receipt of
Social Security payments.
Graphic illustrations of the rising permanent total
Incidence are provided by Workmen's Compensation Board
statistics showing WCB awards rising from 73 in 1968 to more
than 300 in 1975 with the total exceeding 250 cases every year
since 1972.
Reluctance to press for revisions and ferret out abusers
appears likely to evaporate In light of the latest rate
recommendations.
Consider the case of the garbage collecting firm employing
40garbagemen, which pays $13 17 per $100 of payroll plus a IS
per cent penalty every month because one former worker is
permanently and totally disabled with a bad back.
That company pays a monthly Workmen's Compensation
Insurance premium of $5,000. The employer might claim
that's a k)t of garbage. The system's critics agree, at the
same time attaching a much broader definition to the term
for household waste.
THE r .mT ay ffizH
GAZETTE-TIMES
THE OAZEETTE-TIMES
The tflclal newspaper ef tfce City ! Heppner aa ta
Cevnly ti Merrew.
O.M. Reed. Psblltker
Delores Re4. Ce-pnblliker
Eraie Ceresa, EdW
Psb!Uk4 every Tkartday aai ntre4 as a
4-clat matter at the pt fftce ! Ilevpaer,
Oregon, aaoer the act at Martk 1, 117$. Sca4-laM
stags aM at lleppaer. Ortg'M.