TWO-The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday March 29, 1979
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Why not charge for wheat
what OPEC charges for oil?
We enjoyed a Paul Harvey
newscast the other day in which he
outlined a plan that would do
wonders for the United State's
balance of trade deficit with oil
exporting countries. The plan would
also probably receive the support of
Eastern Oregon farmers.
Harvey suggested the U.S.
which produces about half of the
world supply of food grains form a
cartel establishing the base price for
a bushel of wheat.
It wasn't too many years ago
that wheat was $2 a bushel and a
barrel of crude oil cost about the
same. Then came along an energy
crisis, oil embargo and formation of
a Mid-East cartel that started the
price of crude oil moving upward.
This week OPEC announced that a
barrel of crude oil would sell for
$14.54 with surcharges to be added.
In the same number of years wheat
has climbed all the way to $3.60 a
bushel give or take a few cents.
Now if the U.S. and other food
grain producing countries formed a
cartel, when the oil exporting
countries raised the price of crude,
we would raise the price of a bushel
of wheat. If they want $14.54 for a
barrel of crude, we want $14.54 for a
bushel of wheat. A barrel of oil for a
bushel of wheat.
Let them eat cake.
Search for management firm is
positive move by hospital board
I Trishs BEAUTY SHOP
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We support the Pioneer Memor
ial Hospital board with their recent
devotion to solving the facility's
problems specifically in searching
out a management firm which offers
all the services and expertise needed
to make PMH a viable operation.
The board has been meeting
weekly with another session next
Monday evening to sift through
management proposals received
from more than a half-dozen groups
interested in Pioneer Memorial.
Much needs to be done at the
hospital including formation of a
budget for the 1979-80 year but
everything hinges on the manage
ment plan selected by the hospital
board whether it be one of the firms
submitting a proposal or the existing
administration.
At any rate, the public can be
pleased with the progress the
Pioneer Memorial Hospital board is
making.
Lend support to city cleanup
campaign this weekend
Residents of Heppner are pitch
ing in this weekend in an all-out
effort to clean up the town both
public and private property.
If you haven't thought about it
now would be a great time to plan
your own clean-up campaign before
this weekend. Trucks will be moving
through zones in the city on
Saturday and Sunday picking up
tree limbs, rakings and other
rubbish free of charge to all
residents who pile it next to the curb.
Columbia Basin Electric prom
ised the company's chipper for the
effort and all one has to do is call
Karen Palmer at CBEC to notify
crews where limbs are to be
removed.
In addition local stores retailing
paint, fix-up items and lawn and
garden supplies have their stocks in
and specials running on many items
this week.
Join in making Heppner an
attractive place to live. ..join in the
Spring Clean-up this weekend.
Morrow County Sheriff Larry Fetsch had his "watch dog"
mmr 5 l , r 1 leashed to his patrol car door for a few ..linutes downtown
IfXan 8 neSl irient this week. Asked if the pup was a new recruit for the
department Fetsch said the dog would be used for watching
"birds" next fall pheasants and chuckars, not jailbirds.
Fossil member of State Wildlife
Commission disputes reorganization
SALEM A farmer on the
Oregon Fish and Wildlife
Commission doesn't think
much of legislation to change
the make-up of the commis
sion and guarantee spots for
two farmers.
"Being a farmer doesn't
qualify you to be on the Fish
and Wildlife Commission,"
said Commissioner Jack Stei
wer. who is a farmer near
Fossil. He joined about 50
sportsmen who argued
against a bill to change the
geographic representation on
the state commission last
week.
Steiwer said if farmers were
guaranteed spots on the com
mission, then other industries
would also demand special
representation.
Steiwer's testimony drew
applause from a crowd of
more than 100 sportsmen who
crammed into the hearing
room to listen to testimony on
House Bill 2416.
Currently the Fish and
Wildlife Commission consists
of one person from each of the
state's four Congressional
Districts. One person from the
west of the Cascades, one
person from east of the
mountains and one from the
state at large.
The proposed bill, intro
duced by Rep. Denny Jones,
R-Ontario. would provide for
one commissioner from each
of the state's six game
management units designated
by the Fish and Wildlife
Department. The seventh
member would be at large.
The bill also stipulates that
at least two members "must
be directly involved in agri
cultural production."
That provision drew the
most criticism from last
week's crowd. Opponents said
it is aimed at special interests
in the agriculture industry and
they argued that the quality of
individual commissioners is
more important.
But Jones said sportsmen
were ignoring the role played
by farmers and ranchers in
game management.
"You are not remembering
who provides feed for the
animals, and your access to
hunt them," he said.
Jones said landowners con
tribute between 55 and 60 per
cent of the feed for big game
animals in Oregon.
The present Fish and Wild
life Commission has four
members from the Portland
metropolitan area.
The terms of two of the
commissioners expire in July
and opponents of the bill to
change the representation on
the commission said Gov. Vic
Atiyeh would appoint new
members to balance represen
tation on the body.
Atiyeh allocates $40 million to finance road repair
SALEM Responding to pressure for
more money to fix Oregon's deteriorating
roads. Gov. Vic Atiyeh announced a $40
million road repair program without
dipping into the surplus promised the
taxpayers.
The governor wants $170 million in
surplus general funds to be refunded to
income tax payers. However, the poor
condition of the state's roads has inspired
some legislators to question whether that
surplus would be better spent patching pot
holes.
Atiyeh stuck to his promise and still
supports giving that money back. But he
found more money for the state's roads.
The $40 million will come from
increased revenues and revised estimates
of available highway resources. It includes
$17 million from the general fund, $11.8
million expected from rate increases now
being considered by the Legislature, and
$10.4 million from revised highway fund
resource estimates.
The additional $40 million will add
about $30 million to the state highway
fund, $5.7 million to counties and $3.5
million to cities.
A State Transportation Department
report said that more than half of the state
road system, 4.400 miles of pavement,
shows moderate to extreme deterioration.
Atiyeh's boost to the highway fund will
repair an additional 110 miles for a total of
250 miles. It costs an estimated $200,000 a
mile to reconstruct badly damaged roads.
About $8 million will be added to the
maintenance budget to hold together
moderately damaged roads with potholes
patching and other surface repairs.
The money set aside for counties and
cities is enough to repair, an estimated 46
miles. How the money is spent will be left
up to local governments.
Atiyeh said that in addition to the $40
million, he would commit any future
increases in surplus funds or General
Fund reversions to fixing the roads.
"This is an investment we must
protect," he said. But he emphasized that
he would continue to support the return of
the $170 million as a direct taxpayer
rebate.
"This money was paid by taxpayers
ONPA
Oregon Newspaper
Publishers Association
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Published every Thursday and entered at second-class matter at the Post Office
at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage
paid at Heppner, Oregon
SUBSCRIPTION RATE
J8.00 In Morrow, Unatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County; $10.00 elsewhere
GM Reed, Publisher
Terry M. Hager, General Manager
Eileen Saling, Office Manager
Melissa Scott, Composition
Justine Weatherford, Locol Columnist
Delores Reed, Co-publisher
Rick Steelhommer, News Editor
Gayle Rush, Composition
Cindi Doherty, AdvertisingOffice
Ron Jordan, Printer
Public Officials
U.S. Sen.
Mark O. Hatfield
Husscll Somite Olhi'e Bldn . Wiishinxlon.
DC. aij mi. Member of Appropriations
Commillee. Interior Committee. Kules Com
mitlee. ;ind Indian Policy Review Commis
sion Portland office. Pioneer Courthouse.
Km. in:. Mil S Morrison. Portland. Ore.
!72(H. phone 2Ll-:i:!Kii
U.S. Sen.
Bob Packwood
Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.. Washington.
DC. 2115111. Member of Finance Committee
and Commerce Committee. Portland office,
nxrj VK. Holladay. Km. 7ik (P.O. Box .1621 1.
Portland. Ore. 9720. phone 233-4471 .
U.S. Rep. Al UUman,
Of The Second District
House Office Bldg.. Washington. D.C.
20515. Member of Ways and Means Commit
tee. Salem office. 530 Center St .Rm 330 (P.O.
Box 247i. Salem. Ore. 97308. phone 399-5724.
Gov. Vic Atiyeh
Stale Capitol. Salem. Ore. 97310. phone
378-3100.
State Sen.
Ken Jernstedt
i Morrow, (iilliam and other counties).
Si ale Capitol. Km. S317. Salem. Ore. 97310,
phone 378-K.ln.
State Sen.
Robert Smith
(Wheeler. Grant and other counties)
Stale Capitol. Km. S323. Salem. Ore. 97310
phone 378-8 17(i.
State Rep.
Bill Bellamy
i Morrow. Gilliam and other counties).
State Capitol, Km. H364. Salem. Ore. 97310.
phone 378-8853.
State Rep.
Max Simpson
(Wheeler. Grant and other counties).
Stale Capitol. Rm. H481. Salem. Ore. 97310,
phone 378-8789.
Persons wanting information on bills,
hearings, and other doings of the
Oregon Legislature may call,
toll-free, 1-800-452-0290
because of the heated up economy," he
said. "It should not be used for anything
except a rebate."
Under the House tax plan, now being
reviewed by the Senate Revenue Commit
tee, only $100 million is set aside for direct
tax rebates.
The Senate Transportation Committee
is touring the state this month, listening to
tales of road problems in different parts of
the state. The committee will also be
listening to hear how taxpayers want to fix
those roads.
Several proposals are being consider
ed in the Legislature this session including
new gasoline taxes which would be tied
increases in inflation, increased rates and
fees for highway users, and a proposed
constitutional amendment to shift funding
for state police and other agencies out of
the highway fund to the state general fund.
CLASSIFIEDS
WORK FOR YOU
676-9228
Sifting
through
the TIMES
Work on the Willow Creek Market
Road moved into full swing 50 years ago
this week, with county road crews placing
a bed of crushed rock from Heppner to the
forks of Willow Creek.
According to the Gazette-Times,
"Heppner people, as well as the residents
along Willow Creek, will rejoice to have
this road put in shape, and should the
means be available, they will rejoice
further when it is completed to the
timber."
Heppner's American Legion post,
suffering financial troubles, announced
that it was considering not opening the
Legion's swimming tank for the summer
of '29. The swimming tank, built by the
Legion, had not become financially
self-sustaining, as hoped. Heppner's
Patron-Teacher Association indicated it
was interested in lending support to keep
the tank open to youthful swimmers.
Heppner City Police, disgruntled over
the public's lack of compliance with the
town's newly installed stop signs, bought
public notice space in the Gazette-Times 50
years ago to complain about the situation.
Many motorists took the signs "to be a
joke, and pay no attention to them,"
according to the public notice. "From now
on, anyone passing them up will be given a
tag and sent to the city recorder to explain.
The signs say STOP, not slow down, so
take warning."
W.H. Padberg of Lexington was
advertising for the return of two mules,
"one black and one brown, each branded
with Catholic cross on jaw."
Heppner barber E.E. Clark traded his
hair clippers for sheep shears a more
lucrative proposition during this week in
1929. While the Heppner barber was up to
his wrists in wool at a Cecil area sheep
operation, Guy Cason of lone assumed
temporary management of Clark's Barber
Shop.
Thirty years ago this week, members
of the Heppner Church of Christ greeted
their new pastor, Glenn Warner, who
replaced retiring pastor John Runyon.
Turner, Van Marter & Co. was selling
a new, seven-room home in Heppner for
the price of $4,500.
During the same week in 1949, the
county extension office reported that for
some reason, "attendance from Morrow
County was very poor at the Cricket
Control Association meeting at the
Vendome Hotel in Arlington."
Twenty-five years ago this week, the
Gazette-Times noted that the Oregonian's
"Prep Patter" column had "compliment
ed the lone High School basketball team
for their personal appearance at the recent
tournament in Salem." Oregonian writer
Bob Swan had written that "teams at the A
tournament still have to go some before
out-classing the natty appearance lone
presented in the B tourney in Salem. The
lone club was really snappy in street attire
of bright red letterman sweaters, white
shirts, bow ties and finely pressed slacks."
Patti Healy and Larry Pettyjohn were
in the news 10 years ago this week, when
they were named winners of the Heppner
Elks' scholarship award. During the same
week in 1969, Marianne Pettyjohn of lone
was named queen of the Arlington Rodeo,
and Heppner's Becky Fulleton was named
to the Spray Rodeo court.
Five years ago this week, Reo Russell
of Lexington was reunited with his son,
Ronald, for the first time in more than 25
years. Both Russells were unaware of the
other's whereabouts, following the elder
Russell's divorce in 1949. Ronald was
placed in his mother's custody following
the divorce, and was told in subsequent
years only that his father's name was Reo,
and that he might be living somewhere in
Oregon . Ronald and his mother had moved
to California.
Reo, aware that his ex -wife was living
somewhere in California, wrote to
California's then-governor Ronald Rea
gan, seeking his aid in locating his son.
Reagan's office located Ronald Russell in
Sacramento, where he was working as a
stock clerk in a hospital.
Reo Russell then wrote to the address
supplied by the governor's office, seeking
a reunion with his son. When the younger
Russell received the letter, he and his wife
packed up their new baby and left
immediately for Lexington.
The reunion proved to be a happy one,
with Ronald stating that he was consider
ing moving to Lexington to get better
acquainted with his father.
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