Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 1978)
BESS t E WETZEL L U OF ORE ' ".;i-c'i:,r,v NEWSPAPER LIB EUGENE OR 07403 i . mm mmmm W jg jgr mm VP flb CSZZM Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper VOL. 92 NO. 24 HEPPNER, OREGON 16 PAGES 20c Queen's coronation Saturday Put on your dancing duds this weekend and plan to attend the coronation of Donna Palmer as Queenof the 1978 Morrow County Fair Rodeo. The coronation and dance begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 17, in the rodeo arena at the fairgrounds in Heppner. Donna, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Palmer of lone, will be crowned by Mary Ann Proctor Munkers, queen of last year's fair and rodeo. Attending the new queen will be princesses Laurie Childers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geo Childers and Kim Pettyjohn, daughter of Paul Pettyjohn Jr., all of lone. Something new to the Queen's Coronation this year s a big slate of entertainment in addition to the dance and "Country Revue".v Vocal selections will be resented by Laurel Beach of Portland, the Sweet delines singing group4 and by the Marquardt family f Lexington. Gene Rietmahn of lone wil accompany le vocalists on the piano. Bob Stevens of Heppner will esent a violin solo. "I'm really looking forward to the entire summer promoting the Morrow County Fair and Rodeo," jeen Donna told the Heppner-Morrow Chamber of wnmerce during an apearance there last Monday, nit Saturday night is really special and I hope we tve a large turnout for the coronation and dance." No stranger to the fair court, Queen Donna and her vin sister, Debora, were princesses last year. Before lat the girls were penant bearers for the court for two ears. ( Donna's skill in horsemanship probably stems torn the fact that she has been riding since she was old enough to sit on a horse. An avid rodeo fan and participant, Queen Donna's horse is Johnny Jo, a mount she's had since the horse was a year old. The 18-year old blonde is a business student at Blue Mt. Community College, having just completed her freshman year. Donna does bookkeeping for Rietmann's Hardware in lone and fills in during the summers swathing and baling hay, driving wheat truck and moving sprinklers on her father's farm. Queen Donna has two sisters besides Debora, Anita who is a freshman at lone High School and penant bearer for this year's court and Barbara Gutierrez, a beautician in Hermiston and former court member. BMCC Next year's tax rate to support Blue Mountain Com munity College will actually be less than this year's, if voters approve the $2,067,897 levy appearing on the June 27 ballot. The lower tax rate is the result of a May 31 meeting of the college's budget commit tee, called after the school's proposed levy was defeated for the second time in the May 23 election. The committee-consisting of the seven members of the BMCC Board of Education and seven community repre sentatives removed the golf and cross-country track pro grams from the sports offer ings, cut most of the opera tions of the college museum, and eliminated a full-time instructor replacement from the English department. Those cuts, along with budget slices in equipment, supplies and other operating expenses, brought a reduction in the tax levy of $43,859. The board also accepted the committee's recommendation of using interest earned from a state building reimburse ment account to lower the previously-approved levy to pay off bonded indebtedness. Applying the interest low ered the bond debt rate from 22 cents per $1,000 true cash value to 14 cents per $1,000. The net result is a proposed tax levy of $1.84 per $1,000 assessed valuation, compared to $1.88 this year, both based on 1977 valuations. levy levy budget cut; rate lowered College President Ron Dan iels said that the rate will actually go lower when the 1978 assessed valuation of Morrow and Umatilla Coun ties is known. Committee members gener- Free swim Saturday The Heppner Municipal Swimming Pool will open this Saturday, June 17 at 1 p.m. with a free day of dipping for area residents, according to Pool Manager Deborah Byrnes. After Saturday however, admission will be charged and season tickets stack up as the best deal for swimmers. Season tickets go on sale at City Hall Friday, June 16, priced as follows: Family, $40; Adult, $20; Student, $15; Daily rates are 50-cents for those 14 and under and $1 for 15 and older. Pool hours are 1-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 1-5 p.m. on Saturday and 1-4 p.m. on Sunday. The pool will be closed on Monday. Miss Byrnes said swim lessons will begin June 27 and run for two weeks. Registra tion for the lessons will be held June 20-21 from 1-5 p.m. at the pool. Hours of instruction are 9-10 a.m. for beginners and intermediates and from 10-11 a.m. for advanced beginners L mMMMiMIIIPlMil Queen Donna Palmer 1978 Morrow County Fair & Rodeo The 1978 Fair & Rodeo court has made appearances at Arlington, Spray, the Jr. Rodeo in Heppner, and the Umatilla Sage Riders Rodeo in Hermiston. The 1978 Morrow County Fair and Rodeo has been stretched over two big weekends this year: August 18-22 for the fair and August 25-27 for the rodeo. ally attributed the levy defeat to a "tax revolt" and dissatis faction with the now-concluded faculty contract negotia tions. Terming the final faculty contract "a very good working V " Laying it down agreement," Board member Bob Rietmann of lone said, "It should be known that the board came up with a very satisfactory conclusion 78-79 salaries." for Joan Warren of Heppner watches for traffic as crews from the Highway Division's Heppner Maintenance District repair the road between lone and Lexington. Recent warm weather has been ideal for surface repairs. THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1978 Election June 27 Inflation pushes county An attempt to catch up with inflation is the major reason why Morrow County will ask its voters on June 27 for permission to exceed the six per cent budget increase limitation for the first time in more than a decade. The county budget proposed for the coming fiscal year is basically a no-frills affair, which generally continues programs already in exis tence. There are no provisions for new major construction programs on new projects to be launched. Passage would basically mean that county business would continue pret ty much as usual. The County Court's general fund would rise to $246,655 above the six per cent figure, if the budget is approved. "This will go towards cover ing increased costs due to inflation, generally mater ials and supplies that have gone up in price," said Judge D O. Nelson. A certain amount of precar ious fiscal juggling had to be performed in past years in order that the county budget would remain beneath the six per cent ceiling. "In the past, deral) revenue sharing funds had been used to offset Fair premium books sent to residents Premium books have been issued for this year's Morrow County Fair, to be held August 19-22. About 600 of the books have been mailed to former en trants and other interested parties. Persons who may not have recieved the premium, books may obtain them by contacting Fair Secretary Liz Curtis at 676-9454. After Aug. 1, the books will be available in county post offices and at the Coast-to-Coast store in Heppner. Changes in this year's fair program include an earlier date for the 4-H Horse Show, to be held on July 9. The county open-class horse show will be "O .-0.., . 1 - ... 3 :.l taxes," Nelson said, a prac tice that has annually resulted in a reduction of revenue sharing funds received by the county. In addition, several salaries for county court employes had been taken from the county road fund. "We're trying not to do this sort of thing this year," Nelson said. The county court figures it will also need extra money due to recent law decisions that broaden indigent defen dants' rights to free legal counsel. "We expect our court appointed attorney fees to go up, since the state has expanded their responsibili ties," Nelson said. The county will also need $125,000 to make up for money paid back to farmers who were overtaxed for their pivotal irrigation systems. The county had been listing the systems in the improved property tax bracket, but a state tax judge recently ruled that the irrigation systems must be taxed as farm equipment, hence the proper ty tax rebates. State courts had upheld the county's taxing method on the pivotal systems prior to the tax judge's ruling. Nelson has estimated that inflation has devalued county held in early August. In this year's art show at the fair, the public will be able to choose winners through spe cial "people's choice" awards to popular exhibits. Art work will also be awarded ribbons based on opinions of judges. Another new feature at this year's fair will be a tobacco spitting contest. This year's fair will be held during a weekend, the first time it has been so scheduled since the 1960s. It begans earlier than it has for several years so that the rush to move exhibits to Salem for the Oregon State Fair will be minimized by its earlier completion. .-I W&t. -i.-fWWfi,. --V! income by about 10 per cent. The total county budget in cluding a $195,000 road serial already approved by voters will come to $776,093 for the coming fiscal year. According to figures from Assessor Everett Harshman's office, the budget increase would mean that county property owners would have to pay an extra 68 cents per $1,000 of real property over last year's rates. Last year, property owners paid a total of $1.55 per thousand dollars in property to underwrite the county budget. Under the proposed budget, the amount would climb to $2.23. The millage rate may ac tually be less for the new budget, since funds antici pated to be recieved through News Briefs Sen. Ken Jernstedt to visit chamber 9 Lions State Senator Ken Jernstedt of Hood River will be a guest at next Monday's Chamber of Commerce forum and Tuesday he will give a program on the legislature for Heppner Lions at their noon meeting. Both luncheons take place at 12-noon, West of Willow Restaurant. Jernstedt represents Morrow and other counties in the state legislature. Alternating days sought for watering Lawns Because water demand increases as the summer sun burns hotter, the City of Heppner this week suggested that residents use alternating days for sprinkling yards. City Foreman Randy Krueger said there has been an increase in water consumption and to insure adequate supplies of water at all times for fire protection, residents are being asked to join in a voluntary sprinkling program. "Those living on the east side of Main Street should water on the even-numbered days of the month and residences on the west side of Main should water on odd-numbered days," said Krueger. "With everyone's cooperation during the peak irrigating season, we shouldn't have any trouble keeping adequate supplies of water in the reservoirs," said the city foreman. Real Estate firm opens office in Heppner Robert W. Harris, formerly of Toledo, Oregon, announced this week the establishment of Far Western Real Estate in Heppner. A real estate broker for the past 18 years, Harris said he has been coming to Heppner for a number of years to enjoy the hunting. Seeing the need for a realtor he began making plans to move his office here. Harris said he will handle commercial, residential and farm real estate and property management. Although he hasn't located an office yet, Harris said he plans to open one on Main Street within a few weeks. Harris and his wife Luella are living in Heppner and persons interested in contacting Harris should call 676-9015. Elks picnic Saturday at Cutsforth Park The Annual Heppner Elks Picnic will take place at Cutsforth Park Sunday, June 18, according to Gene Hall, chairman. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. and continue all day. The Lodge will furnish beverages and hot dogs and picnic goers are asked to bring a salad and dessert in addition to their own table service. There will be games for both adults and children. Weather by Don Gilliam budget timber offset money were not subtracted from the $776,093 total budget. Harshman noted that the average county millage rate has dropped over the past five fiscal years, from $21.30 per thousand dollars in property in 1973-74, to $12.27 in 1977-78. Compared with increases in everyday costs, such as food, shelter, and medical care, Harshman stated that county government costs to taxpay ers have been "a pretty good bargain," since they have failed to rise proportionately. County leaders have ap peared, and made plans to appear before public meetings in lone, Boardman, Lexing ton, Rhea Creek, Irrigon and Heppner to lobby for passage of the proposed budget. Hi Low Pre. Wed., June 7 83 52 Thurs.,June8 88 46 Fri.,June9 75 50 .02 Sat., June 10 65 48 .09 Sun., June 11 80 47 Mon.,Junel2 77 52 .10 Tues., June 13 72 50 .27
