TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, March 30, 1978
VIEWPOINT
LETTERS COMMENTS EDITORIAL
Vote Tuesday, April 4 th
Voters go to the polls again next Tuesday to cast ballots
on two special levy requests and at the same time will elect
representatives for several Morrow County School District
and Blue Mountain Community College board positions.
Morrow County schools are asking your approval of a
special levy that will add about 94 cents per $1,000 assessed
valuation to the $7.58 per $1,000 currently paid.
The district's advisory and budget committees and the
district's administration have done a good job of holding the
line on costs with this budget proposal.
Taxpayers here are fortunate in that the amount of
money needed to operate our schools is among the lowest in
the state and even with the building bond issue passed by
voters a couple weeks ago, will remain one of the lowest tax
rates in the state.
To maintain education in Morrow County at the level we
currently enjoy, voters should cast a "yes" vote for the levy.
The importance of the board and advisory committee
ballots is exemplified in the paragraphs above. With good
people on the board and advisory committees, everyone
benefits.
Several positions are open this year and voters should
consider the candidates carefully.
Blue Mountain Community College is asking voters to
approve a levy that would assess a tax of $1.85 per $1,000,
which is a drop of three cents from the current year.
Of prime importance on the BMCC ballot, however, is the
candidacy of Bob Rietmann of lone on the board of directors
for the college.
Rietmann is the incumbent and is challenged by a
Pendleton resident for the position on the seven-member
board. If Rietmann loses his seat on the board it will leave
Morrow County without any representation, although
taxpayers here provide 25 per cent of the district's share of
operating costs.
This points out some real inequities in the BMCC
district's method of electing board members and Morrow
County residents should push for a change in that area.
In the meantime, Morrow County needs Bob Rietmann
on the BMCC board of directors.
Tim Mabry endorsed
Editor,
I am writing this letter in support of Tim Mabry,
candidate for position No. 7 on the Blue Mountain Community
College Board of Directors.
Tim is a young man who is well qualified for the job. One
qualification which stands out is in the area of leadership. As
a Pendleton High School student he served as president of
their chapter of Future Farmers of of America. While a
student at BMCC he was Student Body president and Chief
Justice of the Student Court. During his senior year at the
University of Oregon he served as an administrative
assistant to Rep. Wallace McCrae in the Oregon State
Legislature.
Again Tim would like to involve himself in a position of
leadership. I urge you to vote for Tim Mabry, BMCC Board of
Directors, position No. 7.
Yours truly,
Malachi "Mac" Campbell
Chairman, Blue Mountain
Community College
Board of Education
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LETTERS SHOULD BE addressed to Editor,
Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Ore., 97836.
Letters to the Editor
Rietmann re-election urged
Sifting through
Editor,
As the original representative of Morrow County on the
Blue Mountain Community College Board beginning in 1962
until the end of my third term in 1974, 1 must comment on a
potential situation facing the electors April 4. As Board
Member, I felt I represented the whole district, but being a
resident of Morrow County, I was able to express the unique
concerns and thoughts of that area.
Communication is always a problem, and it becomes
more difficult when the college is located at such a distance
from some of its users. My experience both on the Board and
with the people in Morrow County, convinced me that
Morrow County must be represented on the BMCC Board.
Based upon the present filings, there is a possibility that
this area, Morrow County, will be without representation on
the BMCC Board after June 30, 1978. Bob Rietmann has
represented Morrow County since August, 1975 in an
effective, efficient and conscientious manner. He has
expressed the concerns of this area while doing an excellent
job representing the district as a whole. He is now running for
re-election, but is opposed by a candidate residing in
Pendleton. Beryl Brizendine is opposing Bob for election.
No doubt Ms. Brizendine would be a good Board
Member; however, Bob Rietmann deserves re-election both
on the basis of his performance as a Board member and to
maintain proper communication between the Board and the
residents of Morrow County. Pendleton is presently well
represented by two Board Members residing within its city
limits. The addition of Ms. Brizendine would mean that on a
seven member board, three would be residing in one small
area. Additionally, based upon the candidates running for the
other board positions, it is possible that four of the seven
board members could be from the Pendleton area. From my
experience on the board, the college is best served by a board
representing all areas of the college district and I feel it is
crucial to have a representative from Morrow County.
I am asking your support for Bob Rietmann, Bob is
interested in education generally and BMCC particularly. He
has done an excellent job during his term of office and I urge
'his re-election.
Sincerely yours,
BobAbrams
Experience qualifies Broadbent
Editor,
Three years of experience on the Morrow County School
Board qualifies Ken Broadbent as an experienced candidate
and well qualified for re-election to the Board.
Ken has an excellent record of attendance and
participation on the Board.
He is concerned about the education of all the children in
the school district and listens sympathetically to the
concerns of people throughout the district.
He has been a member of the Board through a period of
Error noticed
Editor,
I noticed a mistake in last week's Gazette concerning the
man who owned the Thompson ranch in the hills above the
Kilkenny place. Press Thompson lived in those hills. He had
several bands of sheep and in those days they made money.
His money helped to start the first bank in Heppner. He was
among the first to establish the Mason Lodge and he gave
land to help build a school up in those hills.
But he did keep money on hand at the ranch and someone
found the most of it. He tried so hard to tell his brother,
Alexander Thompson, its location, but he couldn't speak for ,
days.
Now I know all these stories because Pres Thompson was
my husband's (Ralph Thompson) uncle. I would like you to
change the name in your story of the gold.
I have been a reader of the Gazette so many years and .
even if I live away from Heppner and I am sure I don't know
the many newcomers, I still have many old time friends.
A long time reader,
Mrs. Ralph Thompson
Pendleton
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the March 16 edition of Sifting Through
the Times, Press Thompson was Incorrectly identified as
Press Thomas. We thank Mrs. Thompson for calling the
error to our attention.)
Peck supported for
Advisory Committee
Editor,
April 4th is the date of the School Budget election and the
Heppner-Lexington Advisory Committee election.
One of the Lexington Advisory positions is currently held
by Virginia Grieb, who is not seeking re-election. A
Lexington resident, Steve Peck, is running for this position.
Steve feels the Advisory Committee plays on important
role in our children's education, but could have a stronger
voice in the decisions made by the Administration of Morrow
County Schools.
He twice represented a group of concerned parents in
Lexington during the recent controversy over the assignment
of Lexington children to schools in the district. Steve has
shown his interest by being involved and if elected, we can
trust him to keep us informed of issues that concern our
children's education and the wisest use of our property
taxes.
Vote for Steve Peck and become better informed about
our schools in Morrow county.
Susan Johnston
THE
'GAZETTE - TIME
The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner .
and the County of Morrow
Published every Thursday and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under the Act
of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon.
- G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor
Jim Summers, News Editor Eileen Sating, Officer Manager Elane Blanchet, Reporter
Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing Justine Weatherford , Local Columnist
Ron Jordan, Printer
considerable growth and understands the problems and
needs created by this.
This kind of experience is needed in order to have a good
board member.
Ken's enthusiasm, dedication and experience make him
a worthy candidate for re-election to the Morrow County
School Board on April 4. ,
Sincerely,
Delmer Hug
Broadbent deserves vote
Editor,
Kenneth Broadbent has served on the Morrow County
School Board since 1975.
During this time he has an excellent attendance record at
all regular and special meetings of the School Board and has
taken an active part in all, Board activities. Ken has been on
the Board during a period of rapid growth and has been a
part of solving problems created by this growth.
He works closely with his area Advisory Committee and
tries very hard to listen to the concerns of those in his local
community as well as patrons of the total School District.
Anyone who becomes a ' public officer grows with
experience, Ken Broadbent has that experience as well as the
necessary dedication to continue to do a good job.
He deserves your vote for School Board Member on April
4.
Jerry Peck
Vote for Rietmann
Editor,
Blue Mountain Community College is fortunate in having
Bob Rietmann as a board member. He is an honest,
fair-minded and dedicated man who undertakes his duties
with total commitment. Since August 1975 he has been a
board member. During that time we have held 48 board
meetings. Bob has attended 45 of these despite driving a
distance of 140 miles round trip.
The people of Morrow County are a very important part
of BMCC in providing-both students and a large share of tax
dollars. It is, therefore, extremely important that these
people be represented with a board member. This can only
take place through the election of Bob Rietmann to position
No. 1, as all board members are elected by a district wide
vote.
Let's vote for Bob Rietmann and give Morrow County a
board member.
Mac Campbell
Chairman, Blue Mountain
Community College Board
of Education
The Winds of Time
March, the month of winds, I've heard say;
But I've seen winds in many a place, on many a day
Blow in a wayward way.
The wind has a wayward mind;
Is a thing of many moods.
Today, touches the cheek gentle as a baby's kiss
Tomorrow, I'll run with the wind A good wind at the back,
As the Irish say, gently walks behind.
So I breeze along with a cheerful mind.
There's the wind "Maria" of the sailor's song,
He cries to her to strongly blow, so his ship may safely
homeward go.
Another day, the gentle winds are gone
An angry raging winter wind in her ermine robe of ice and
snow,
Strikes head on, stays our stride;
We face this mood too.
Gather courage; push on through
There's always a gentle wind on the other side
Yet they change from day to day.
Those angry hurricane winds with the pretty ladies' names
Play the most devastating games,
Then off and away to another place, another day.
We meet each wind's wayward way.
The winds of time? We meet them all
Ours to challenge
We must face them all
Ours to answer the call.
by Katherine Rozelle Farrar
TIME?
Lilt' B. il-HJtt-yW,
In an editorial published in the Gazette-Times this week
ten years ago, Editor Wes Sherman presented the idea of
hiring a full-time coordinator for projects which might affect
future development of Morrow County:
"Probably never in the history of Morrow County have
there been so many projects in the talking stage things that
would bring tremendous development to the county. Just a
few of them are: The Columbia Southside project (potential
irrigation), the thermal nuclear plant-irrigation combina
tion, industrial plants (such as the one being considered by
Dow Chemical) for lands of the Port Commission, the Willow
Creek Dam project, proposed fish impoundments in the
mountains, private irrigation projects that may develop on
recently sold BLM land, and the offering of Boeing lands to
other industries.
"...There is a definite need to focus the efforts of all these
groups (Morrow County Court, Chamber of Commerce, etc.)
towards tying down some of these potential projects. There is
a widespread feeling that these 'dreams' can become
realities, but this cannot be accomplished by merely hoping
they will come to the county or asking them to come.
"There is a rather acute need for a skilled person, hired
for the sole purpose of promoting the county and its
economy.. .A good promoter may bring dividends to Morrow
County a thousand fold."
The Times reported this week in 1958 that a Korean
orphan named Clayton has just arrived in Heppner, via the
Harry Holt "babylift". The youngster was to make his home
with his new parents Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Wilson and sister
Rogenia. The seven-week old baby was to be joined later by
another Korean orphan, six-month old Juanita, delayed
across the sea because of chickenpox. Today, Clayton Wilson
is a second-year student at BMCC and Juanita is serving in
the Navy, stationed in San Diego.
The princesses of the Morrow County Fair and Rodeo
Court were announced 20 years ago this week. Joining Queen
Patricia Steagall on the court were Ann Bell Coleman,
sponsored by the lone Grange; Karen Valentine, Rhea Creek
Grange; Joann Brosnan, Lena community; and Wanda
Forthman of Boardman, sponsored by the Tillicum Club.
Spring cleaning, an age-old tradition, was being engaged
in in a big way by the City of Heppner in the spring of 1948:
"Heppner's streets have been undergoing a series of
cleanings in recent weeks under the supervision of
Commissioner Pat Mollahan. What with good top soil
washing down from the hillsides and all but burying the
roadways...therehas been much work for the street cleaning
department, but Pat seems determined to win out against the
elements, and he, being a son of the old sod, it is safe to place
your money on the idea he will accomplish his purpose."
And a comment on spring weather by the Times 30 years
ago: "March was a rugged month, giving us all of the 57
varieties of weather. While sub-normal temperature
prevailed most of the time, crops made a good growth and
there are some beautiful fields for this time of year. Trees
have started budding and the willows along the creek have
assumed a definite green hue. Sunday was all that could be
asked by Easter crowds, and Monday brought one of the
nastiest wind and dust storms seen in these parts in recent
years. Little boys are playing marbles and flying kites, and
the muse is stirring in the poetic breast. It must be spring at
last."
The Heppner Garage offered these enticing deals on used
cars in 1928: "1927 Ford Tudor Sedan Guaranteed first class
condition, $150 down payment takes it. Terms on balance;
1924 Ford Enclosed Touring, a-1 condition, good tires, runs
fine, Pay $45 down and take it away; 1918 Buick
Touring Runs fine, five good tires. Full price $50."
Small-town weeklies traditionally try to report all the
news in their communites, the personal as well as the larger
politically-oriented stores. Here's a sample of the Rhea
Creek correspondent's report, containing some familiar
names, published in the Gazette-Times this week in 1928:
"Last Sunday was the birthday anniversary of R.E. Allstott.
A large number of relatives gathered to wish him many
happy returns of the day. A new Star sedan recently
purchased by Mr. Allstott added to the pleasure of those
present.
"In spite of the disagreeable weather a good sized crowd
attended the Grange dance last Saturday night, though a
number of the usual attendants went to a school
entertainment at Rocky Bluff given by the pupils of Alice
Keithley." -
OBITUARIES
Mildred Clowery
Mildred Cecilia Clowery, 88,
Hermiston, a former Heppner
resident, died in Hermiston,
Saturday, March 25.
She was born June 11, 1889 in
Remington, Indiana, the
daughter of James and
Katherine O'Connor Clowery.
She was graduated from St.
Joseph's Hospital School of
Nursing at Tacoma, Wash.,
and was a registered nurse at
Fort Lewis, Washington in
1914. She c$me to Heppner in
1920 and tor many years
operated a nospital with Dr.
A.D. McMurdo. In 1975 she
moved to Hermiston, residing
at the Good; Samaritan Nurs
ing and Retirement Center
until her death.
Recitation of the Rosary
was Wednesday, March 29, at
7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick's
Church, Heppner. Funeral
Mass will be today, Thursday,
March 30, at 10:30 a.m. at St.
Patrick's Church, with the'
Rev. Raymond Beard of
Milton-Freewater officiating.:
Sacred selections will be
rendered by Sister Regina
Frances. Concluding services
and interment will be at
Heppner Masonic Cemetery,
with Sweeney Mortuary in;
charge of arrangements. Cas-!
ket bearers are Harry 0'Don-
nell, Larry Lindsay, Francis
Doherty, James Farley, Dick'
McElligott and Bill Kenny, j
Miss Clowery is survived by
a sister, Mary J. Lewis,'
Englewood, Ohio; two nieces, j
Sister Michael Catherine, St.f
Anthony's Hospital, Pendle-;
ton, and Mrs. Hugh Savage,!
Englewood, Ohio; a nephew,'. '
Albert Pearson, Corvallis;,
and a cousin, Helen Rayburn,:
Beaverton.
Polling Correction
For the Blue Mountain
Community College levy and
director election on April 4,
the correct voting location for
Irrigon residents is the Mor
row County Office Building,
Irrigon, not A.C. Houghton
Elementary School as listed in
the sample ballot which ap
peared in last week's Gazetted
Times.
4
if-