Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 11, 1978)
TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, May 11, 1978 LETTERS COMMENTS Sifting through the TIMESfl EDITORIAL COMMENT Register to vote May 23 Although the May 23 primary election is less than two weeks away, it is still possible to register to vote, providing certain requirements are met. In some instances, it is even possible to register on election day. From now until the election, persons wishing to register to vote must deliver to County Clerk Sadie Parrish's office a completed registration form, and obtain a certificate of registration. If the county clerk receives the application more than ten days prior to May 23, the certificate will be mailed to you. During the last 10 days before the election, the certificate must be picked up in person. The certificates can be issued by the county clerk or her representatives as late as 8 p.m. on election day. When appearing at the polls on May 23, surrender the certificate of registration to precinct officials, and sign it in view of the election board clerk. The signed certificate shall be considered part of the poll book, and your name will appear in the book during the next election. Voters who have obtained absentee ballots for the upcoming election must send them to the county clerk soon enough that they will arrive no later than 8 p.m. on election day. - ..... -. H vX Sig LETTERS FROM READERS Kite flying story kindles memories Picture Credit Potatoes stretch to the horizon in this field near Boardman, symbolizing this year's record Morrow County potato planting. Favorable spring growing conditions have given these plants a head start towards a possible bumper harvest. Editor, That article in last week's paper about the kite-flying day really took me back to the 30's and early 40's when on a new, windy, spring day Stanley Minor would be up on Barratt's hill flying his large kite that seemed to us to be miles up in the sky. We use to climb that hill as fast as we could to watch him unravel the twine to make the kite go higher and higher. As kids, we were so awed by that fantastic feat we used to think that was the best thing that ever happened to our town. People could see that kite for miles around, and we always thought he had to be someone special to do such a grand . Literature on industry, government at library; many books overdue by Justine Weatherford A shelf full of facts about nuclear energy and particu larly about the developments at the Boardman Nuclear Plant and the planning for the Pebble Springs plant has collected at the Heppner Public Library. This week the draft techni cal report on the comprehen sive plan for the City of Lexington joined the technical reports on the cities of lone and Heppner and other mater ial sent to the library by the East Central Oregon Associa tion of Counties (ECOAC). '" All of these governmental reports contaip' diagrams, facts and statistics. Their implementation, writing .and printing is paid for by taxpay ers wno might like to see part of what their money is buying. The Heppner Public Library catalogs four to six just-off-the -press books each month along with copies of selected sub scription periodicals for adults and children. In addi tion several book orders are authorized by the board each year, depending on the state of the funds available. Because the city budget for 1978-79 has carried and be cause a local lodge has generously contributed some money for books, several significant orders should be possible soon, and users of the library service are encour aged to register requests for books they would like to see added to the local collection. Now that the microfilmed listings of the State Library's current non-fiction accessions are available here, patrons are able to obtain more helpful information than previously was available through their library's forwarding of their requests to Salem. In the last five years the Heppner Library has lost more than one hundred books. Probably most of the non-returned books have left this community with people who have moved away. The librar ian has tried to get in touch with the borrowers but finds that their forwarding addres ses are usually unknown. Some of the missing books are undoubtedly right here in this area. It would be very helpful if they would be returned to the library. Per haps people are hesitating to return them because the overdue fines at 5c per day do mount up. It is possible to waive most of the fines due on books that have been missing for long periods. It is most important that any library books be returned to the library. They are public property. Our state law pro vides a penalty for persons who are convicted of "will fully or maliciously detaining materials belonging to a publicly-supported library." thing. As if that wasn't enough, each winter when it snowed we would go to his house and, sure enough, there would be a snow carving of Abraham Lincoln in his yard. It is great to be living in these times, but I am also happy to be able to have such memories. Walter Skuzeski ..f or Atiyeh' Editor, As student body presidents of Portland State University and Oregon State University, we have had the opportunity to observe the political structure of the state. A great many young Republicans feel stongly that it is time we simply selected the best man for the job, and stopped playing personality games. That is why Vic Atiyeh is our choice for governor of Oregon. He has shown over and over that he, is the one candidate who actually knows and understands the issues, and has realistic plans to deal with them. Oregonians want tax relief Vic Atiyeh is an acknowledged expert on taxation. We want less runaway government spending Vic Atieyh has pledged to cut wasteful bureaucracy. We want a better balance between Oregon's environment and Oregon business Vic Atieyh represents that balance. The young Republican voters of Oregon care about the issues. We are tired of political rhetoric and phony promises. It's Time for Atiyeh! John Becker Portland State University Stan McGehee Oregon State University THEi 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 Saling, Officer Manager Elane Blanchet, Reporter Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist Ron Jordan, Printer Elks Calendar Thursday, May 11 Ladies Nite, Bingo & Cards Dinner 6:30 BBQ Spareribs $3.00 Mother's Day Observance Lodge Friday, May 12 District Ritual Contest, Hepp ner 7:00 p.m. Hors d'ouvres 5:30 Saturday, May 13 Luau & Dance Members and out-of District Ritual Contest 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Lunch served 11:30-12:30 Tuesday, May 16 Senior Citizens 4:30 Hors d'ouvres 5:30 Wednesday, May 17 Senior Citizens 4:30 Boy Scouts 7:30 Thursday, May 18 Lodge 8 p.m. Dinner Drawing Fisherman's Nite Hors d'ouvres 5:30 town guests only. The importance of each vote in a local election was driven home with a heavy hammer ten years ago this week, when a front-page headline in the Gazette-Times announced : "Budget Passes by Three-Vote Margin, 285 to 283 County gives Slim Win". Only two precincts out of six Heppner and Boardman approved the Morrow County School District budget in 1968, but tallied enough 'yes' votes to push it over the top by a very slim three-vote margin. The budget approved was 16 per cent higher than the one the previous year. William E. Rawlins, identified by the Times as a prominent lone rancher and horticulturist, was chosen as Morrow County "Father of the Year" this week in 1968. Rawlins, the father of four and active in 4-H leadership, was enthusiastically nominated and supported by the Empire Builders 4-H club for the honor. Food costs, percentage wise, were the lowest ever ten years ago, according to this editorial written by then-editor Wes Sherman: "Consumers today are spending YJlM per cent of their income on food, a smaller percentage than ever before, according to the Agri-Business Council of Oregon. Today's all-time low is expected to drop to approximately 15 per cent by 1970. "While this is good news to the consumer, it's making things tougher on the farmer. In 1945, the farmer received 53c of each dollar spent for food at the retail level. Now this figure has dropped to 32c. The poor profit picture has reduced the number of farms from 59,000 to 37,000 in the last 14 years. "...For many foods, the farmer receives so small a part that if he gave his products away, retail prices would decline very little. As an example, the retail price for a loaf of bread is about 25 c. The farmer receives 3c for his wheat. With free wheat, the bread would still cost 22c. "Agri-Business Council recently conducted a statewide survey in which the majority of Oregonians did not think the farmer was getting his fair share of the food dollar. "These people felt, however, that some mysterious middleman was taking a big chunk of the profit from the farmer. Using the 'loaf of bread' example, there are middlemen. The transportation industry gets its share from moving the wheat several times. A percentage of each dollar also goes for storage and warehousing. The mills get part of the dollar, as does the bakery and super market. Yet these 'middle men' are not mysterious nor are the charges exorbitant. "Who then is taking the profit out of farming? Agri-Business Council contends it is the consumer. The association says. 'The reason the farmer is not getting his fair share is that he is subsidizing the consumer with low food prices.' "Something has to give. Agri-Business Council asserts that food prices must increase and this increase must be passed on to the farmer." While food costs have increased considerably in the ten years, the farmers' slice of that figurative loaf of bread is , even leaner. Morrow County's first road department serial levy was to Jte included on the primary ballot in 1948, following a virtual shut-down of the department after the county budget was defeated. The 10-mill levy was to raise approximately $120,000. The Gazette-Times commented: "An old saying, trite, but true. 'Don't cut off your nose to spite your face, might have some relationship to the current situation affecting Morrow County's roads. It is being bruited about that the voters are saying they will not support the proposed road bond measure unless they know who is going to administer the funds. That's just about as assuring as another saying 'if we had some ham we would have ham and eggs, if we had the eggs.'" "It is rather difficult to foresee who will administer the funds when two members of the county court are to be nominated at the same time the road issue is to be voted on... "If we think the roads are in bad shape now, what will be their condition by the time another year passes or maybe several years unless the attitude changes..." Running for the county judge position 30 years ago were incumbent Bert Johnson, Garnet Barratt, and George Peck, while Russell K. Miller, Oscar Peterson and H.C. Vogler vied for the county commissioner seat. Heppner High School athletes were surely enjoying a peak of success back in 1S2S: "For the second time within the present school year, the Heppner High School athletic teams have tromped off with the championship of the Upper Columbia Athletic League. Last fall it was in football now it is baseball...The Heppner boys proved their mettle by going through the entire season without losing a single game..." Lettermen on that championship squad were captain Gerald Slocum, Robert Turner, Howard Evans, Harold Gentry, Nolan Turner, Jim Monahan and Elmer Hake, Marvin Gammell, "Red" Bramer and Onez Parker also played on the team. Classified printed fifty years ago: "For rent Good pasture with lots of water. $2.00 a month. Troy Bogard, Eight Mile, Oregon." Community BILLBOARD Call 676-9228 Thursday May n Soroptomists, noon, Wagon Wheel Story Hour, 10:30 a.m., Hepp- nerLibrary Friday May 12 Bake Sale, 9:30 a.m., Degree of Honor Bldg. Card Party Luncheon, bake sale, 10 a.m. -2: 30 p.m. Lexington IOOF Lodge Pioneer Memorial Hospital Open House, 2-4 p.m. Community Art Show, all week, Heppner Elementary multipurpose room; recep tion 7-9 p.m. Monday Mayis ! Chamber of Commerce, noon, ! West of Willow M.C. School District Board, 7:30j).m., Lexington Tuesday Mayi6 P.E. Program, 7:30 p.mT, Heppner Elementary gym Lions, noon, W. of W. Heppner Planning Comm., 8 p.m., City Hall Wednesday Mayn County , Court, courthouse 9:30 a.m., Sponsored By" RAY BOYCE INSURANCE ixj 228 N. Main St. Hppner676-62
