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