Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1978)
FOUR The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, April 20, 1978 vr with Justine father ford Last week I convinced myself that it was a happy thing to pay taxes. Then several persons talked with me about the terrific expense of the Michael Olds trial (total cost $100,500, including attorney fees, $53,000.) All of us shall never forget the last horrible deed, just last year, that this surely deranged man performed because it took the life of a loved and respected citizen of this county, Mary Lindsay of lone. Our state representative is working for the return of capital punishment. Some people feel that the abolishment of the death penalty was a mistake; some are sure it was a step forward. I don't recall reading figures relating to the economics of this matter. I just wonder if the trial, no matter what the penalty, wouldn't have cost about the same? The additional cost of years of imprisonment and public care of criminals is another place where huge amounts of tax monies must go. There are many who feel a grievous mistake was made in the Olds case in the releasing of this man from the penitentiary at Walla Walla and letting him loose to mingle with innocent persons. Winter must really be behind us however, I have been warned not to set out any tender plants for many weeks yet. Aren't the colorful, blooming bulbs around town joyful sights? A few yards I've admired are those of the Gene Pierces, the Bill Rawlins, the Bob Lowes, and the Sherril McDonalds. Maybe you noticed that nobody worked as hard during spring cleanup week as busy Bob Lowe. He worked alone for many hours and worked with youngsters from the , elementary school for hours more. A nice telephone chat with Mrs. Mark Rodgers caught high school friend of daughter Karla. Until almost ten months ago she was Jamie Smith. She and her husband have been here visiting her parents Rose and Kenneth Smith for several weeks. This week (April 18) Jamie and Mark flew to North Carolina to visit with his family before she flies off to Europe. They are both U.S. Army medical technicians and have been stationed at Fort Ord, Calif. Jamie is going to Landstuhl, Germany with the 655th medical company. Mark will join her there after his discharge in about seven more months. Jamie will work on the blood donor team which furnishes all the blood needed for army hospitals in Europe. Since her enlistment in 1973, Jamie has gained an associate degree from Baylor University through the army school program and is now working toward a B.S. which she expects to achieve in about a year and one-half. Jamie says that Heppner seems to have grown some since she was last home and that she finds many unfamiliar faces, but that it has been so good to have a visit here and to get her husband and her own family acquainted. If you have traveled and found strange-tasting drinking water, you have probably come home declaring Heppner's water is dandy. Now I hear that here as elsewhere there is a move to have distilled drinking water in many homes. It seems that stills are a big-selling appliance. Several local people have purchased them recently and feel that they are really helpful. I Social I haven't heard just how well the high school scoreboard contributions are coming in hopefully, plentifully. Now I am interested in helping the Little League Baseball program to which individuals and businesses in the area are contributing through Tom Wilson or Wayne Hams. Some of the contributors will gain advertising on the fence around the Little League field. With income tax reports on their way, the matter of establishing budgets for our cities and county will command considerable attention. We are hearing that both Morrow County and Heppner officials are finding that due to the inflationary spiral it will probably be necessary to ask for approval of levies beyond the six per cent limitation. The only public business I've had a direct experience with since m teaching days has been the Heppner Library. Until July 1, 1976 it was funded, though quite meagerly, by the city with a little building maintenance help from the county. A careful count of patrons proves that one-third of the library users are residents of the areas outside of Heppner, including a good representation from Lexington. It seems that these "outsiders" have enjoyed a facility which was financed for them by town taxpayers. This current year only one citizen has contributed to the basic cost of keeping the library open. Amanda Duvall, who presented the Library-Museum Building to the city and county, gave the city a special fund from which the institution has been operated. A volunteer system was put into action and a fine group of concerned citizens has regularly given time and effort. If you are a library user you have seen Irene Anhorn, Rachel Harnett, Bethel Heinrichs, Martha King, Theta Lowe, Romona Marshall, Elaine Miller, Faye Pierce, Faye Ruhl, Renee Siminoe, Bette Spaulding and several other persons on duty during library hours. They surely deserve thanks for their freewill contribution. Because of added responsibilities that have come to me since my husband's death in December, I have determined that I shall not stay on as librarian after the end of June. During the years that I have enjoyed working in the library I have observed many things about some fellow citizens. Many have been so generous to both the library and museum; they have really made both of these collection spots very special for a town this size. I have been disappointed that so few of our busy city and county officials visit the building or indicate real interest and pride in what goes on there. Each year when the budgeting struggles are going on, I feel sympathy for those persons who must try to please all the community with allocations. I believe in the swimming pool, too, and am so glad that the fine program offered there is so popular. It is sad to see the pool and the library seeming to compete for city funds. It seems that both of these community assets should have support from outside the city as neither rejects serving residents who come into the city to use them. Perhaps in these times of revenue sharing monies from both the federal and state coffers some share of this returned tax money from all the people can be funnelled to the support of the swimming pool and the library. Lankf ord - Ployhar engagement told Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ployhar, Heppner, announce the engagement of their daughter Joan Marie to Steven Dale Lankford, Heppner. The bride-elect is a 1977 graduate of Heppner High School and is presently attending Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. The future groom attended Baker High School and is now employed at Kinzua Corporation in Heppner. No wedding date has been set. Garden Clubs at District meeting v. ) J Members of the lone and Heppner Garden Clubs parti cipated in the spring meeting of the Blue Mountain District of National Federated Garden Clubs in Pendleton Wednes day, April 12. District chairman, Dorothy Heard, Milton-Freewater, for merly of Heppner, presided over the meeting which was attended by four state offi cers, Mrs. Carl Krauspe, president; Zeltha Lyman, first vice-president; Mrs. A.H. Mason, Willamette National Cemetery chairman ; and Mrs. McKinley Adams, Blue Star Marker Chairman. Jean Nelson of lone, district awards chairman, presented special awards to Jeuit Par rish, 86-year-old member of the Stanfield Iris Club, and to Karl Urban, BMCC botany insturctor. As district junior gardener chairman, Pat Pet tyjohn of the lone club, gave plaques to the winners of the Smokey Bear-Woodsy Owl and conservation poster contests. lone Garden Club member Helen Martin, district chap lain, conducted a brief memo rial service for members who died in the past year. Other lone gardeners attending the bi-annual meeting were Loree Hubbard and Delta Huber. Delegates representing the Heppner Garden Club were Alberta Johannes, president of the group, and Adelle LaTrace. Joan Ployhar and Steven Lankford Rhonda Sargent to marry David Winters Mr. and Mrs. Dick Sargent of Heppner announce the engagement of their daughter, Rhonda Lyn, to David Paul Winters, son of Mrs. Fred Breeding of Heppner. A June 10 wedding date has been set. Roger Martin believes. ..like most of us do...that while government is necessary it should have a limited role. RogerMartin w FOR GOVERNOR Paid By The Roger Martin For Governor Committee, Morrow County, S.K. Peck Box 4010 Lexington Rhonda Sargent Elks April 20 Calendar Thursday Lodge $500 Drawing $50 Give-away Friday, April 21 Happy Hour 5-7 Dinner 6-8:30 Live Music Saturday, April 22 Dinner 6-8:30 Live Music Tuesday, April 25 Senior Citizens Dinner 4:30 Wednesday, April 26 Senior Citizens Dinner 4:30 Boy Scouts 7:30 p.m. Pinocle 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27 Lodge Kitty & Dinner Drawing Initiation Security changes announced Recent legislation added a new concept the year of retirement method to the social security program which will be important to workers who are now retiring and those who will be retiring in the future. This change provides that, except in the year of retire ity benefit will be reduced $1 for each $2 of earnings above the annual limit without regard to what months the person worked. The 1978 annual limit is $4,000 for people age 65 and over, and $3,240 for people under age 65. The year of retirement is the first year during which there is a month the person is both eligible for monthly social security benefits and neither earns more than the monthly limit in wages nor performs substantial services in self employment. The 1978 monthly limit is $334 for people age 65 and over, and $270 for people under age 65. Thus, a person can receive a full social security benefit for any such month during the year of retirement regardless of how high his earnings may be for the year. Only during the year of retirement can a person receive benefits based on the monthly measure. After the first year of getting benefits, the special monthly retire ment rule no longer applies and benefit payments will be based only on annual earn ings. Those interested can get more information about the annual earnings limit at the Pendleton Social Security of fice at 714 SE Court. 1tlk if. r.itL, 1 Talk TTnib TaHh.rTiDklaPlr.TM IT PJ1 LfU Jz3LriLI i i 7 IT SI cm 5 PM TO 10 PM WEEKDAYS AN0 SUNDAYS. Call cross-state at midday and youH pay $5.62 for a 10-minute call. Call after 5 P.M. and you can talk for about three extra minutes for the same price. Save 25 from the midday rate when you call during this period. 8 AM TO 10 PM SATURDAY 8 AM TO 5 PM SUNDAY Call cross-state and you pay $3.65 for a 10-minute conversation. That's a $1.97 saving over the midday rate. Or nearly 14 minutes of talk for the price of a 10-minute midday call. Save 35 when you call during this period. ' 10 PM TO 8 AM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. At 10 PM you pay the 10 minutes-for-$l rate. After 11 P.M. the 50 discount (from the midday rate) takes effect. During this period you'll be charged either the 10-for-$l rata or the after-11 rate whichever is cheaper. When you dial direct without operator assistance. Pacific Northwest Bell
