Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 29, 1977)
'I TWO-The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Ore., Thursday, Sept. 29, 1977 f VIEWPOINT ) LETTERS COMMENTS EDITORIAL J Development Center needs help The crisis facing the Heppner Child-Development Center October 1 finding themselves without a roof over their heads is disconcerting. Here we have a community facility, available to all, where children of working parents can stay during the day at nominal cost with the best of care. The social development a child experiences in a structured situation such as the day care center is also important as more and more is expected of the youngster entering school today. Learning to live and play with others outside the family at pre-school age is a proven developmental advance EDITORIAL Equally important is the fact that parents can leave their Children at the Center, confident of excellent care. Representatives of the Center have asked the Fair Board for permission to use the 4-H Annex building at the fairgrounds. While that was certainly not the intended use of the 4-H building, it would be a stop-gap measure to keep the Center operating until suitable housing can be found. We agree with Judge D.O. Nelson's comment this week that if the Fair Board were to allow the Center use of the 4-H building, it would be temporary. One of the things that we think makes the request so viable is that the Center is operating on a self-sustaining basis. They are meeting their expenses on the monies they take in and have offered to pay the county rent for use of the building. We are looking at keeping an important community facility functioning, and until suitable permanent housing can be found for the Center, the Fair Board should look favorably on the request, allowing temporary use of the 4-H Annex for the Heppner Wd Development Center. Local office move opposed The community has learned in recent weeks that plans are already made to move the Welfare, Adult Services and Children's Services joint offices from Heppner to Boardman. The state agencies involved cite the workload differntial between Northern and Southern Morrow County as the reason. They say 65 per cent of the case work is done in the Boardman-Irrigon area, about 45 per cent done in Heppner-Ione-Lexington. That in itself, we feel, is not sufficient reason to move the offices. EDITORIAL Perhaps the agencies, instead of adding a management person as they plan to do when the proposed move takes place, should look at using that person's salary for joint office space in Northern Morrow County, thus having a small office in each end of our growing community. Secondly, we disagree with the manner in which the move was planned. State officials say they discussed the move months ago with then Judge Paul Jones and later with Judge D.O. Nelson. Judge Nelson was rather surprised when he heard of the planned move a couple weeks ago. As the community's newspaper, the Gazette Times was never notified, either by press release or phone of the move. We heard it on the street and called the agencies. One official told us they planned to call and tell the paper when office space had been located in Boardman and the move was ready to be made. Great thinking by that time public remonstrance would have been stiffled because of the implication "it's too late to do anything now because they're already gone." When state agencies are contemplating a move of their offices where the impact on the community will be felt especially moving state offices from the county seat they should be responsible enough to go before the people with their proposal, listen to the comments, evaluate the impact and make their decision. We oppose the move of state offices from the County Seat of Heppner and suggest the agencies involved take a look at their budgets and try to locate small offices in both Northern and Southern Morrow County. We think there's a way. ..if there's the will. 1 1 1 L (J I Li jPS&'MLO' CREK IS -., ' t 1 1 S3 UNqfALTur TOR & sifting through the TIMESjfl" As in years past, hunters in Morrow County and throughout the state are sighting in rifles, checking scopes and stocking up on ammunition this week in preparation for the opening day of hunting season this Saturday. Luckily, recent rainfall ended the possibility of a situation that occured a decade ago then the start of hunting season was delayed for a week by the State Game Commission because of extremely dry forests statewide. Only .25 inches of precipitation had been recorded east of the Cascades since June 22 of that year. Efforts by a local group to artificially induce rainfall were abandoned this week in 1967. The Morrow County Weather Research association announced the discontinua tion of its 'cloud seeding' project because of lack of financial support and the fact there had been very few clouds to 'seed'. A dry summer in 1957 also had deer hunters worried this week, as Gov. Robert C. Homes announced a week's delay in the opening of the season because of parched forest conditions. However, a peek ahead in the Times files shows that Providence took pity on the riflemen and allowed a record-breaking 2.05 inches of rain to fall the day before the regular opening date, causing the governor to rescind his order for delay. In gleaning through issues of the many Times from past decades, it is fascinating to note how controversial past topics are still of concern today. Thirty years ago this week, the Times editorially supported two measures which . still haven't become actualities. The first is the adoption of an Oregon sales tax: "How many opponents of the sales tax have ever stopped to think that they have been paying sales taxes for many years? There seems to be something about the name sales tax thatcauses a ruffling of feathers among certain groups and individuals Yet, day after day, they go along paying sales taxes under other names and, while they don't enjoy parting company with the extra toll, they have been conditioned to believe that Uncle Sam needs the money and rich and poor alike have learned to refrain from grumbling. ...Property owners should know that your property taxes would be reduced about twenty-two per cent if the sales tax measure is adopted..." Oregon is now one of the few states in the country without a sales tax. Of local concern, the second 1947 editorial pushes flood control : "Flash floods such as the one which resulted from a small water spout a few miles south of Heppner last Thursday afternoon are a warning of what could happen if a large water spout struck in the area above the town. We may be entering another cycle of bad storm years.. ..and it might be well to keep in mind the proposed Heppner flood control dam and inform the army engineers that we believe such protection not only is desirable but essential. ' And the status of flood control in Heppner today? As hot oil and rock were speedily thrown into place, Heppner neared completion of its street surfacing program 40 years ago this week. City improvement was contagious, as many property owners took advantage to purchase gravel at low prices for covering of curb approaches, alleys and garage driveways. Heppner could also boast of three surfaced tennis courts as a result of the work, two at the school and one at the residence of Dr. A.D. McMurdo for his private use. In other news that week, W.F. Pettyjohn and Charles H. Latourell completed negotiations to become Dodge Plymouth agents here and signed a five-year lease on the new Ed Dick garage building. In 1927, the big news this week was an early morning robbery of almost $150 in cash from a blown safe in the Gilliam and Bisbee' store. The crooks were apparently after funds from the Morrow County Rodeo which had wrapped up the day before. It was logical to assume they might be in the safe since Leonard Gilliam was secretary of the rodeo association and was known to handle some of the money. An expert from a Portland intelligence office was called in to investigate and he expressed the belief that experienced cracksmen did the work. They wore gloves and used powder to blow the safe, the first such job he had seen in many months. "ONLY A DREAMER" All are dreamers. A dreamer are you. I am a dreamer,too. Dreams are designs; a plan, The very "Makins" of man Only a dreamer, folks say. Dreaming his time away. Dreams weave the fabric of life. are the lift that carries us on. Till life's last goal is won, Ah yes, A dreamer are you, I am a dreamer.too, Dreams design the fabric For that last curtain call: Dreaming, ever dreaming. Comes that call ThenNo more dreams at all Katherine R. Farrar Aug. 29th 82nd birthday Obituaries Eugenia Huston Eugenia Huston, 88, died in Heppner Sept. 19. She was born Oct. 7, 1888 near Heppner, the daughter of Jacob Smith Young and Mar tha Hooker Young. She was a member of Rhea Creek Grange, the Degree of Honor and San Souci Rebekah Lodge. Funeral services were Thursday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. at the First Christian Church, Heppner, with the Rev. Edwin Sikes officiating. Sacred selec tions were sung by Carl and Betty Marquardt. Concluding services and interment were at Heppner Masonic Cemetery with Message to farmers (EDITOR'S NOTE) The following is a condensed version of a speech made by Don Peterson of Valby, Oregon President of the National Farmers Organization, during last week's NFO state convention held in McNary. '.. I would like to share with you some of the experience and progress we have made this year. . .The national convention in Milwaukie. Wise, in December of '76 was a chance for me to visit with national officers, staff and farmers from around the country. From that experience the feeling of national unity of purpose, to achieve cost of production plus a reasonable profit, was realized. A mechanism of triggering enough commodity into committed blocks has been developed. However, the reluctance of farmers to change their marketing habits contributes to slow progress. . .During the year I attended two events that relate closely to our public image and overall influence. One was a habitat forum in San Francisco where I presented the farm economic picture. The other event was a gathering of Lutheran farmers in Kansas City, where we talked about grain reserves. We had our greatest difficulty agreeing on a price level. I promoted the Oregon cost study which has 14 as a reasonable price level. What became obvious was that costs vary between areas and farms. Here is where the opportunity our procedure offers, to vote for price levels, will fill an important need. ..At this point I would like to comment on the works of Arnold Paulson. He puts out a newsletter, is president of the National Organization for Raw Materials (NORM) and is presently in Washington D.C., lobbying for parity prices. I urge you to support his efforts. One program we'll work on is to have Mr. Paulson come to Pendleton and up on an in-depth economic study. Look for this and be ready to help. . .Our state board has the responsibility for political action and public relations, how have we done? Well, I say. Prejudiced as that is. Our lobbying group has been active and our public relations efforts are off the ground. ..We have contacted many State legislators as our program indicates, as well as the national legislative offices. The National legislators have yet to call us for advice but they know we are here. ..Our national lobbyist, Chuck Frazer is our spokesman in Washington. I informed Mr. Frazer of our payment limitation problem out here because of drouth disaster payments and have discussed with him a few times, some of our concerns. . .We have contacted commodity groups and the ag-econ department of Oregon in our effort to find ways to work together. It is my feeling that efforts to work together will be much more productive than criticizing one another's programs. . .We have worked closely with the State Dept. of Agriculture and have participated in the coalition of farm groups in weekly meetings in Salem, while the legislature is in session. There will be a gathering of this group on Oct. 12. . .Today we are making a call to action, asking your help. We have worked hard to develop a worthwhile program and are happy to announce we are ready. You are the key, all of you, to what we together do about the current economic ruin in rural America. . .You've all heard about the 20 per cent or so of farmers that are likely to be forced out of business this year. What about next year if the current trend continues? I think it will, unless agricultural people, allied businesses and local government officials work together and use all of the tools available. . .Our structure is filled with experienced people ready to work for the farm community, whether it be county, state or national. We ha ve two documents or contracts that are key to our program. One is the membership agreement and the other is the contract for sale. Both must be activated before your commodity is in position for sale by the sales department for you. ..Our three year membership agreement or contract spells out where you as the member elect your county, zone and marketing area representatives to coordinate the program. . .Our contract for sale enables you to determine on an individual basis when you want your commodity sold. Either daily or preferably by block for more clout in the market place. ..I've come to believe that farmers are very lax in their use of contracts and have relied on others to handle their business affairs. I feel that contracts through NFO. specifying commodity for sale, binding contracts they are, are the key to building reasonable price levels. . .The hour is late for the majority of family farms unless we block our production together to establish reasonable price levels. The ability of large corporate units to raise long term capital and enjoy tax incentives we can't use contributes to largeness, I feel if carried to the extreme will change the whole social structure of America toward individual serfdom. . .The solution is group action, so that our blocks of production are needed by the ever larger and fewer buyers. Lets work for income, for profits rather than financial integration, which is right around the corner if we don't generate some profits. Lets not kid ourselves, we are the economic problem of the world, because we don't price our product at profit levels. Lets generate earned income rather than deficit financing and inflation. ..And so in our call to action today we solicit your dues, your financial support, your encouragement, your signed production and your well wishes. Don Peterson, President Oregon State NFO Sweeney Mortuary in charge of arrangements. Casket bearers were Wilbur Worden, Tom Huston, Myron Huston, William Rill, Cecil Rill and Tom Rawlins. Mrs. Huston is survived by a .daughter, Velma Parker, Pas co, Wash.; and a sister, Fay George, Portland. Her hus band, Clive, preceded her in THE G. ETTE-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. The official newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow. G.M. Reed. Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher , Terry M. Hager, Business Manager Jim Summers, Editor Eileen Saling, Office Manager Justine Weatherford, Local News Laura Craig, Composing Patti Saling, Composing death in 1962. Contributions may be made to the Pioneer Memorial Hospital Fund. John Franks John W. (Shorty) Franks, 93, Heppner, died Sunday, Sept. 25 in Heppner. He was a retired millworker and ranch hand and had been a resident of the area for forty years. , Mr. Franks was born Aug. 13, 1884, in Cambridgeshire, England. Funeral services were con ducted Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m. at Sweeney Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Kenneth Miller of All Saints Episcopal Church officiating. Betty Mar quardt played sacred selec tions. Concluding services and interment were at Heppner Masonic Cemetery. Casket bearers were Ernest Ertz, Clifford Morris, Vern Nolan, Hubert Wilson, Leo Pankey and Robert Morris. r. .. 0 wAm. -ar---
