Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 1978)
BESSIE W T 2 E L L U OF ORE NEWSPAPER LIB EUGENE OR 9 7 4 O 3 Ma The Heppner Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper VOL. 96, NO. 46 THURSDAY. NOV. 16. 1978 HEPPNER. OREGON TWO SECTIONS-22 PAGES 20 cents -11 HFjIJbS .. : . . .: . .--V? on! h ' ( &v 1' N ! - ' Hi ' ' J . ' -' i ' t i . 1 -f -r i immiiiiiiiiiiiiyii iinMniiiffliinr in inr 4siia1te tt& 4 f inmAfciiiiaiii t m i ido rf i 1 r Jamalee Curnutt demonstrates the Oriental art form, batik, at her home in Heppner. Batik uses hot wax and dyes to create the design; the finisned product is the inset in lower left corner. Mrs. Curnutt will be one of many arts-and-crafts persons showing their skills and selling their wares at the annual Artifactory scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Catholic Parish Hall. The Artifactory is sponsored by the American Association of. University Women. Morrow property tax increase is steepest in all of Oregon Property tax rates in Mor row County for fiscal 1978-79 showed the sharpest increase of any county in Oregon, according to the Oregon Tax Research organization, zation. Morrow County's property tax rate jumped 46.3 per cent above last year's rate, which was then the second lowest among Oregon's 36 counties. Josephine County registered the next highest increase 30.3 per cent followed by Crook County with 14.1 per cent and Malheur County with 11.2 per cent. Seventeen other counties showed increases of less than 10 per cent, and 15 counties experienced reductions. Douglas County's tax rate plunged 33.4 per cent, followed by Lake County with a 24 per cent reduction, and Coos County with 20.4 per cent. Statewide, property taxes for fiscal 1978-79 rose 1.7 per cent the lowest rate of in crease in a number of years. Experiencing the sharpest increase in the Morrow County tax boost are property owners in Heppner, who can expect to pay $24.25 per $1,000 valuation up from $18.82 last year. The 1.7 per cent statewide increase is only 0.2 per cent higher, on an average basis. Ihiin limitations thai would ha e been imposed had Ballot Measure 6 been passed Santa books Friday and Saturday for season appearance in Heppner Santa Claus and the start of the Christmas season will come to Heppner Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25 as merchants celebrate their annual Christmas Opening. Randall Peterson, Merch ants' Committee Chairman, .said most Heppner stores will open the day after Thanks giving with special customer promotions and a showing of holiday merchandise. Santa Claus will be down town all day Saturday, Nov. 25 with candy for the kiddies. Jolly Old St. Nick will travel from store-to-store, spending time at each one. between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. A special Christmas Open ing issue of the Gazette-Times will be published Tuesday, Nov. 21 and will be in the mail to readers on Wednesday morning because of the Thurs day holiday. Street lights and hopefully, a downtown Christmas tree will be erected. Plans are being made for a special lighting of the Christmas tree, with details coming in next week' paper. Thanksgiving deadlines set The Gazette-Times will pub lish early next week because of the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday. The paper will be out Tuesday evening and will be in readers' mailboxes on Wed nesday morning. Because of the early public ationwhich will also carry the special Christmas Opening section for Heppner merch antsdeadlines for news, and all advertising have eon ad vanced. Classified ad1- will be receiv ed until noon on Monday as will display advertising and late-breaking news. Society news, church news and local interest items should be received at the Gazette Times office by Saturday at noon. For persons unable to come to the office, call 076 9228. Kennedy dropped as Port manager over 'differences of opinion' Rupert Kennedy, the Port of Morrow's only manager since its inception nearly 10 years ago. was asked to resign last week during a regular port commission meeting. Port Commission Chairman Le Roy Gardner of Heppner stated only that Kennedy's resignation was sought due to "differences of opinion" on port policies and procedures. Kennedy also declined to elaborate on the differences between himself and the port commissioners that Jed to his forced resignation. Kennedy stated only that "I have enjoyed working with the Port of Morrow and the people of Morrow County. I have nothing to apologize for and believe the contribution we have made to the port district is the most meaningful in Oregon. I especially enjoy ed working with the port's charter commission." In recent months, Kennedy and several port commission ers had experienced differ ences over several proposed projects, including the com missioners' decision in August to build an airport on Port-'flh-nOu property east of Board man. Kennedy favored im proving and using an existing airstrip that has been used by the Boeing Corp. near Board man. Kennedy's wife. Dorothy, who has served as port secretary, also submitted her resignation during last Thurs day's meeting. The commis sion voted to accept both resignations effective Dec. 1. with severance pay through Jan. 1. The Kennedys' Boardman home, located in what used to be the town's railroad station, has for some time doubled as the Port of Morrow business office. Kennedy offered the Port Commission first right of refusal to the property, and pledged to help during the transition to a new port manager. Prior to 1969, when Kennedy became the port's first full time manager, he worked in the facility's development while serving with the State Economic Development Com mission. Kennedy was instru mental in acquiring and piecing together the original 4,000 acres of land owned by the port. After becoming the full-time port manager, Kennedy was the motivating factor in groundwork that led to Port land General Electric's deci sion to construct its half billion dollar power plant in Morrow County. Stressing multiple use plan ning for industry during his tenure as port manager, Kennedy saw to it that the power plant complex would also aid agriculture. A huge cooling reservoir for the Carty plant will provide irrigation water for nearby farm de velopment. He had hoped to develop a means by which steam produced at the power plant could be used for cooking potatoes in the port's food processing plants. It was Kennedy who drafted plans for the port's food processing park, now a multimillion dollar component of Morrow County's economy. "I think we have the finest food and energy project in the United States." said Kennedy. He also expressed pride in his role in bringing about the "siting of the first public utility plant in Morrow County, which will pay more than half our taxes when it comes on line, and also provide for the multiple use of irrigation water." The food processing plant, as well as future energy development, "will continue to expand, there's no doubt about it," he said. "Morrow County has a beautiful future it just boggles my mind." Kennedy has been a driving force behind efforts thus far fruitless to force the Navy to vacate its practice bombing range near Boardman. He recently received notice from Sen. Mark Hatfield's office that new legislative action is being planned to once more mount a drive towards ousting the Navy. The outgoing port manager stated that he had no plans for his future after Dec. 1 severance date. "I can't retire," he said, indicating that he hadn't planned for that possibility at this date. "I've been out of private business for 25 years and that's when you're on a retirement pro gram." Whether he will re main in Morrow County is "questionable," he said. Port officials "have talked to some people" about a replacement for Kennedy, Gardner said. "We'll be look ing around for some time and decide by December first." Another resignation was received by the port commis sion last week, this one from commission member Frank Anderson. Anderson stated in his letter that his resigna tion was prompted by the fact that he would be gone from the area for much of the upcoming months, and therefore be unable to keep up with port business. Gardner said an appointment to fill Anderson's vacancy would probably be made during the next Port of Morrow meeting. Measles outbreak prompts county shots program The State Health Depart ment has recomm ended that all local health departments in cooperation with local school districts begin a pro gram of mandatory measles immunization for all school aged children as soon as possible. All pre-school age children should also be immunized. The immunization program was deemed necessary by the health department due to numerous outbreaks of measles throughout the state and the extensive interming ling of students from other schools. All children should be vac cinated who: Have had the measles disease but cannot provide documented proof; have had measles vaccine before they were 12 months of age; received a measles shot be fore 1969; cannot provide documented proof of past immunization. Notices will be going home soon with Morrow County students. The Morrow County Health Department seeks co operation in meeting require ments, so that school clinics can be held soon. Weather Date Wed.. Nov. 8 Thu., Nov. 9 Fri.. Nov. 10 Sat.. Nov. 11 Sun.. Nov. 12 Mon.. Nov. 13 35 Tue.. Nov. 14 36 High Low Pre 64 43 ,o5 30 T 14 3 9 13 Blazing paddles! r Ping-pong showdown is Saturday Tl , o nm i Beiween nam a inananapros It 's all happening this week end as Heppner becomes the 1978 Ping Pong Capitol of the World for a day, with teams representing Haiti and Thai land playing off for the world professional title. Sponsored by the Heppner Elks Lodge, BPOE 358, the world championship match will get underway Saturday, Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. in the Heppner High School gym. Seating for 1.600 people will be provided and Elks manager Jackie Jensen says that he expects a near-sellout crowd. In addition to Saturday's ping pong match, the Elks have planned a Hawaiian Luau. complete with roast suckling pig. baked salmon and much, much more on the buffet table for Friday even ing beginning at 6 p.m. Featured entertainment for the luau will be Tiki Lights, a dance band and show group, who will also play at the Club on Saturday night. Tickets for the events can be purchased in Heppner at Murray's Drug. Cole's House ol Fashion. Heppner Family Sav ings and Black Ml. Repair, and the Elks Club. Luau tickets (available to Elks members and out-of-town V Zoltan Pataky Haitian Team Leader (.Micsis only) go for $12.50 per person. For the ping pong match, choice reserve seats are $2;. dress circle seating is $15 and general admission is $8.50 Profits from the match will be used tor capital improve ments at the local lodge, which raises and donates thousands of dollars annually to charities both at home and throughout the state. Sanctioned by the Inter national Table Tennis League, the Haitian and Thailand teams will square off in the world's only professional ping pong championship. Six play ers will arrive in Heppner Friday and will be special guests of honor at the luau that evening. "People won't believe the moves and the speed that these professional players have." said Jensen. Along with the table tennis players and their crews, Jensen said he has received confirmation from the Assoc iated Press and a Portland television station, who will be in Heppner to cover the bout. A profile on each of the table tennis players follows. Kumuth Lienghirasit Kumulh Lienghirasit is 28 years old, single, 5'3V tall and weighs 115 lbs. and currently resides in Bangkok, Thailand. Before turning professional, he was Thailand's junior champion three years in a row, 1965, 1966 and 1967. He was ranked in the top five men in Thailand. He also repre sented Thailand in 1972 and 1973 in the Peoples Republic of China championships for Asian table tennis and the Afro-Asian championships in which his team took ninth Cont. on page 8 Kumuth Lienghirasit Thai Team Leader
