Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1977)
r a-- -4 TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Ore., Thursday, Feb. 10, 1977 -I Bill introduced to re-fund state police budget ' 4 Representative Jack Sum ner (D-Heppner) introduced a bill that would require the portion of the State Police budget which is funded by the Highway Fund to be funded by the General Fund. This would Jack Sumner make available an additional $40 million dollars of highway HOAKDMAN lEXIN(.TON I TO MORROW TOO TOMORROW By Tom Franks To conserve water. Gov. Bob Straub has suggested the following steps : 1. Place a brick in your toilet tank. This will drastically reduce the water used. 2. Wash only full loads in your dishwashers and washing machines. 3. Try washing clothes once a week. 4. Take showers instead of baths. As a water conservationist, I am doing very well. It has been two weeks since T. washed any clothing and I don't have any dishwasher. Since there is no shower in the apartment, I was wondering how many bricks I must put in the tub to displace an amount of water equal to the displacement of one brick in the toilet tank? Considering what my body displaces, I figure I will have to fill the tub about half full of bricks. Living arrangement I am not an old timer and no Puritan, but I still cannot comprehend the vast number of uncommon law arrange ments in our society today. Those few who are quick to talk about their arrangements seem to follow the logic that one at a time is better than two at a time. There is nothing like a good mathematical basis for a code of conduct. The code of "terminal fidelity" I call it, or as author Dorothy Parker put it, the practice of "pursuing monogamy from bed to bed." There have been a number of social, economic and legal practices in the United States which tend to support these arrangements. For example, we have those elderly persons on Social Security who desire to marry, only to find that they will suffer a loss of income. A few Social Security representatives have boldly offered the suggestion that the couples jusi live together. This suggestion brings responses ranging from rejoicing to outright indignation. Economic considerations are a big factor. A single person at minimum wage takes home $327.50 per month, after federal taxes. Take out transportation, state tax, rent, utilities, insurance, food and clothing, and there is little if anything left, even the desire for a nice little cottage on the hill. At this level of income, a person at minimum wage will go broke if they have even one habit to support. Faced with subsistence living, the idea of sharing expenses is inviting. Here in Heppner, the housing situation is such that communal living may one day soon become the only way to find shelter. That could be trading shelter from one storm for another. Challenge areas All this talk about arrangements is just a sneaky way to get into the subject of housing or lack of it. Lack of living space also affects the arrangements people make. I wonder at times why we have all the rural planning for houses and buildings that nobody seems to be building? I know it pays to plan ahead, but no one ever let me spend much time, energy and money on future hopes. I take that back. So far this week, we have had two people in the office looking to rent or buy. The one advertised house I inquired about has been rented to the new dentist. That leaves advertising manager Wil Phinney and I as Heppner's odd couple, but not the only ones. What any other new people in town will do is beyond anybody I have talked with so far. The housing situation in Heppner is at a critical level. Hospital needs As a newcomer, it is readily apparent that the Pioneer Memorial Hospital must expand to keep pace with local needs and constantly changing technology. It is a critical need which this county should move forward with immediately. Upgrading and expanding hospital facilities is one item which isn't going to get any cheaper by waiting. In all likelihood, it will cost more to put off than any other type of project. Regional jails Another area which citizens should get hot about is the high standards which have been legislated or regulated into the construction and operation of jails. Across the nation, these standards have forced the closure of smaller jails even for use in short term detention. I am not contending that jail facilities should not be upgraded, but I do object to having Class A restaurant standards and equipment required for jail cooking facilities, etc., and etc. The end result is that many law enforcement officers have been turned into well trained and overdressed taxi cab drivers. What should be patrol and investigation time is spent moving prisoners from jail to court and back again. The latest issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin noted a federal prison population of 27,483 persons and a capacity for 22,483 or an inmate occupancy of 21 per cent over physical capacity. I doubt if any federal prisoners are on the streets due to overcrowded conditions. I think we all have the right idea that a good case arrest by the FBI would result in serving time despite the lack of modern facilities. If such were not the case, respect for the FBI agent in the field would soon be gone. Respect for local law enforcement and courts is already hurt by the fact that people having their first contacts with the law spend so much time driving around in a car which was what they were doing most of the time anyway. A jail was never intended to be a prison. It would be a help if existing jails could at least be used overnight or up to three days, as long as capacity allowed for complete separation of adult and juvenile offenders and the facility was sanitary, fireproof, heated, and monitored on a periodic basis. tax monies to be used for the repair of our primary and secondary highways. The funds could be used to match federal highway funds producing many times more the amount of dollars avail able for Oregon's 7,500 miles of highways, Sumner said. The Transportation Depart ment has asked for a two cent increase in gasoline tax in face of a 1 cent increase hike defeat at the polls in Novem ber. Sumner said he has been told by many constituents that if so much of the Highway funds were not spent for non highway related projects that - - -, More words to make less Senator Bob Packwood, R-Ore., has reintroduced legislation that would make Congressional Record easier to read and understand. Packwood and eight co-sponsors propose that the daily journal of proceedings of the Senate and House floors be Pastor's Corner The Rev. Kenneth D. Miller All Saints' Episcopal Church Heppner, Oregon M. Scheeben said, "Be anxious to inebriate yourself with the wine of Divine Love and drown in this mighty stream any other love you have." Such it is that to find peace that passes all understanding. Too often we spend so much time and activity seeking, that we are not found by the One seeking us. It is God who stands so decisively over against life, Source of all splendor and joy, who is yet in the most close and cherishing contact with us. He draws us, beyond splendor and joy, into Truth. God has created in us such a craving for Himself alone, that even the brief flashes of Eternity that sometimes come to us make all else seem dust and ashes, lifeless and unreal. And because of this there ought not to beany situation in our life, no attitude, no preoccupation or relationship, from which we cannot look to this God of absolute Truth and say 'Our Father,' of ourselves and everything else. Our inheritance is God, our Father and Home. We are the children of God, and in the silence of prayer ( we talk too much in prayer) we receive the Divine Love through simple but complete adoration. When we are united with that Charity we are able to see in everything, even the most ugly , according to our own standards, the face of Christ. Thus Charity, the Divine Love, breaks down the barrier that shuts most of us from Heaven. The thought is just too much for us really, but it is the central truth of the spiritual life. It comes out of yielding ourselves to It that willingness that God shall possess, indwell, fertilize, bring forth the fruit of His Spirit in us, instead of the fruits of our spirit this is the secret of all Christian power and Christian peace. We are held and penetrated by a personal Spirit. It is a never ceasing Presence. "One will find that the more freely, simply and humbly we abandon ourselves to this penetrating and encompassing power, the more we become conscious of its constant, stern, but loving action through all the circumstances of our lives. To resist this action means conflict and suffering. To accept it may still mean suffering; but a suffering that is sweetened by love." E. Underhill. Ken Jernstedt marked to identify speeches inserted into the Record as opposed to speeches actually made on the floors. We are in agreement with this proposal and other provisions which would limit certain revisions to corrections of grammar and not changes of substance. As it stands now, the Record is not a true reflection of what was really said, what was not said and who was really there to say it. According to Packwood, it cost about $278 per page to print the Record in 1975. The total bill for 1975 was $12 million. If this proposal would cut even a few pages from the Record, we are again in favor. Taking the file of the Record here at the Gazette-Times for nine days between Jan. 10 and Jan. 25, 1977, we found the published pages already stack up three inches deep for a total of 1,217 printed pages. At $278 per page, this much in nine days cost $338,326 at 1975 prices. Included in this series of the Record are 54 printed pages on the National Bottle Bill (S.276) sponsored by Sen. Mark Hatfield, Packwood and others. This portion of the Record alone must have cost about $15,000 to publish. We do not intend to criticize Sen. Hatfield or Sen. Packwood for what it cost to place the Bottle Bill and supporting documents into the Record. We are struck with awe when we realize we are handling paper work representative of $338,326 of the taxpayers' money. We stand in awe, seeing $15,000 spent on a single bill in one day, knowing that this figure does not count the cost of developing the bill to the point of entry in the Record or seeing it through to final passage or defeat. Nor does the $15,000 begin to cover the cost of similar legislation which Hatfield has introduced in the past two Congresses. STUPID QUESTION For years now, I have wondered why someone doesn't introduce legislation prohibiting riders and amendments on non-homogenous bills. This practice follows neither the rules of logic or common sense. For example, one Congressman will introduce labor legislation and another Congressman, will tack on an J amendment or rider that has nothing ' to' do with the subject like Congressional pay, or reporting the price of eggs in China, etc. In this manner, a Congressman can appear to support a bill, but ride it with another he may be certain is going down to defeat. Another Congressman may be forced to vote against a bill his own people favor just because he cannot in good faith pass an unlike piece of legislation which has been attached to it. There are so many rotten uses of this practice that it should be stopped. How would you vote, for example, if you introduced a bill for care of the elderly and someone slapped on a rider dealing with capital punishment. These examples are fictional, but realistic. Our representatives should not be allowed to do this anymore than we should allow an English class to meet in center court during a varsity basketball game even if it would save time. Franks the gas hike might have passed. People simply want to be sure any increase will go to badly needed roads, he said. As Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee with the budget of the Transpor tation Department, he has conveyed this message. He has asked the Department to identify all areas of non-highway use spending so they may examine closely those pro jects and see if they can't , provide more money yet for the roads. The House Transportation Committee heard in testimony Feb. 3 that policies recently adopted for the State Highway Division emphasize the main tenance of Oregon's existing highway system. Representatives of the High way Division told the Com mittee that with the present revenue shortages it is clear that the state can no longer finance major construction projects. "The emphasis at this time must be upon re versing the serious deteriora tion of state roads serving local communities," they said. Rep. Pat Whiting (D-Tig-ard). Chairman of the Trans portation Committee, said, "I understand that because of the failure of the state to raise the highway revenues needed to keep up repairs, many rural roads have become hazardous to drive on." Whiting said, "It is becom ing apparent that the deterior ation of the roads linking our local communities cannot be halted without some increase in state highway fund reven ues. The Legislature must act this session to put a proposal before the people which would ensure that adequate funding is available to halt the deterioration of our system of primary and secondary roads." The Committee continued its hearings at the State Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 8, in a 1:30 p.m. meeting that continued into the evening to accommodate the public. BUDGET OUT OF WD? 7 V. J SAVE MONEY with FARMERS AUTO INSURANCE Be assured of modern,, broad form coverage and fast, fair, friendly service while you save! FARMERS & IMSUilfCE GROUP For information call John Gochnauer Agency 471 N. Main St. 676-5862 home 676-5818 off. Our policy is saving you money. Heppner Elk's Calender Wed., Feb. 9 Senior Citizens, 4 p.m. Pinochle, 7:30 p.m. Boy Scouts, 7:30 p.m. Ihur., Feb. 10 Nomination of new officers Lodge, 8 p.m. Frl, Feb. II Happy Hour, 5-7 p.m. Dinner, 6:30-8 p.m. Dinner, $4 Nelson Duo JL For Elks Only Sat., Feb. 12 Nelson Duo, 9-2 a.m. Tues., Feb. 15 Senior Citizens, 4 p.m. Work night Wed., Feb. 16 Senior Citizens, 4:30 p.m. Pinochle. 7:30 p.m. Boy Scouts, 7:30 p.m. B.P.O.f. No. 3S8lj Inflation being taxed According to the old adage, nothing is inevitable except death and taxes. And most of us have the feeling that we are being taxed to death. One of the bills I am spon soring this session, SB 486, is designed to eliminate the ef fect of inflation on personal slate income taxes. The state now takes more in taxes as inflationary cost-of-living ad- returns due The Morrow County Assessor, Everett llarshnian. would like to remind all owners of Personal Property that their returns must be mailed by March 3rd. Also, any aircraft not registered by Feb. 28th is subject to both regis tration fees and Person al Property tax. justments move people into higher brackets. In effect, inflation alone is being taxed. Some workers actually re ceive less take-home pay after a pay raise. Middle-income workers have really been hurt. In flation is belting their buying power and at the same time the tax on inflation hits below the belt. The state receives more income, but the addi tional income is allocated to additional programs and this causes more inflation. And the cycle begins all over again. The bill would apply to tax years beginning on and after Jan. 1, 1977 and would allow taxpayers to multiply their adjusted gross income by a factor based on the Portland consumer price index, and take the result as a deduction on their state income tax return. We are fortunate to be living in a state with a constitution requiring a balanced budget. Oregon cannot run in the red. This is not the case on the national level and our national debt is staggering. I am a sponsor of a joint memorial asking Congress to call for a constitutional convention to adopt an amendment to the Federal Constitution which would force the federal gov ernment to live within its means, as families and the state of Oregon must. If passed by the Oregon Legis lature, a copy of the memor ial, SJM 2, would be sent to the President, state Governors, and members of Congress. The possibility of an energy crisis looms large on our horizon and this week I attended a meeting addressed by the Director of the North west Power Council. This is a group named by the Gover nors of Oregon, Washington and Idaho to study this area's power needs and production facilities. T rs v ( ir iw - Something New Sunday morning breakfast from 8-11 a.m. West of Willow will be open every morning at 8 a.m. for a coffee hour and Continental breakfast. Quality & quantity guaranteed. Steaks & seafood as always every night at West of Willow. West of Willow Orders To Go Vfe Chicken 8 piece small bucket 16 big bucket Mini-shrimp Fish & chips Prawns Scallops $3.00 $3.00 $4.00 $4.00 THE my fsmf HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES Published every Thursday and entered as a second-class matter at the post office at Heppner, Oregon, under the act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Wil C. Phinney, Advertising Manager The off icia newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Tom Franks. Morrow. Editor G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher Sandwiches to go Call 676-5149 HINTON $2.00 Barbeque beef on French bread, with fries RHEA $2.00 Pastrami and Swiss cheese on toasted rye bread, with French fries and hot mustard $2.00 SANDHOLLOW Lean ground beef on a sesame bun, with French fries JUNIPER Corned beef French fries on rye bread, $2.00 with BALM FORK Moist turkey fries on white bread, $2.00 with WEST OF WILLOW $2.00 Tender roast beef slices in a soft French roll to dip in Jim's sauce, with fries SHOBE $2.00 Ham slices on old-fashioned white or rye bread, with hot mustard and fries BUTTER CREEK $2.25 Ham, pastrami and Swiss cheese on French bread, with hot mustard and fries 12" Pizza to go COLUMBIA $3.00 Tender steak strips on French bread, with fries Call 676-5551 Cheese Pepperoni $3.00 $4.00 Sausage Black olive $4.00 $4.00 Mushroom Combination - -
