Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 28, 1979)
TEN The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, June 28. 197 Lawmakers consider rights of elderly, homeowners i By Sean Griffin Eagle Newspapers The interests of property taxpayers, industrialists, vet erans and the elderly seem to be prevailing as the legislative assembly moves toward the conclusion of its 60th session. And despite the headlines nuclear safety issues have generated since the nuclear reactor incident at Three Mile Island, the possibility of a moratorium on nuclear power development appears to be shut down. Following is an update on a number of legislative issues. Taxation. The legislature approved a three-part, $705 million tax relief package. The package is now law, and provides for a rebate of the state's accumulated surplus, payment of 30 percent of homeowner's property tax bills (exclusive of bonded indebtedness), increases in HAARP (Homeowner and Renter Tax Relief) eligibility levels, and increases in the personal exemption on per sonal income tax returns from $750 to $1,000. By the end of this week, more than one million inform Students sought for OMSI summer camp Openings remain in several summer camp sessions for young people at OMSI's Han cock Field Station in the John Day River valley of central Oregon. Camp activities revolve around field and lab studies in paleontology, archaeology, geology, botany and astron omy, with plenty of time for swimming, volleyball, soccer and jogging. Facilities consist of A-frame cabins, three laboratories, a photographic darkroom, lapidary workshop and open-air dining room. A session for campers ages 10 through 16 will be held July 5 through 13. Fees are $145 for OMSI members and $155 for non-members. Junior high students aged 12 through 14 may take part in a camp session August 6 through 16. Fees are $185 for OMSI members and $200 for non-members. The clear skies of the ation packages will have been distributed to Oregon resi dences, detailing provisions of the relief, including the forms necessary to file for relief. Meanwhile, Gov. Victor Atiyeh intends on putting an as-yet unspecified tax plan of his own on the November, 1980 ballot, where it is likely to find competition with a one per cent property tax limitation initiative sponsored by the Oregon Taxpayers Union, Energy More than a dozen separate bills seeking to restrict the development of nuclear energy in the state have floundered in the legis lative mill. Although the House passed a bill in May prohibiting the authorization of future nuclear power plants until the federal government begins construction on a permanent storage facility for the radioactive wastes, the bill failed to survive the Senate's Energy and Environment Committee intact. In modified form, HB 2570 will prohibit siting of new plants until November, 1980, giving pro ponents of a nuclear mora torium a chance to place a nuclear moratorium measure central Oregon desert provide great night sky viewing for a special advanced astronomy session at Hancock August 21 through 31. The session is open to students aged 16 through 18, and fees are $160 for OMSI members and $175 for non members. Overnight trips to areas of interest near the outdoor facility are included in each session. For more information, call OMSI Outdoor Education, 248 5938. All Your in r ; . 11m ww e . GAZETTI-TIMtS 676-9228 This space will carry your menage for $10 a month. PETROLEUM BREEDING CATTLE I OPTOMETRIST 1 I GLENN DEVIN ThU space will carry your LADDFARMS ' H DR. E. K. SCHAFFITZ This Space Will Carry Your 1 Chevron USA, Inc. mewge for $10o month. POLLED HEREF0RDS JU NextToHote. Message For $10 A Month 422-7513 mrm Heppner Entrance FJ Commission Agent I 676-9633 Box 197 lone I 676-9465 Heppner TITLE INSURANCE BULIDING SUPPLIES AUTOMOTIVE I MONUMENTS 1 FURNITURE . . 1 , . 1 Morrow County Abstract TUM-A-LUM LUMBER CO. JONES RADIATOR SERVICE I SWEENEY MORTUARY I CASE FURNITURE & Title Company See us for all your building supplies. I Cemetery, Grave Marker - I Carpet, Linoleum and Laminate TITLE INSURANCE & We feature Boysen Pa ,nts. Servmg all th,S area I Granite, Marble, Bronze I JtM u ESCROW SERVICE Tim Moore, Mgr. tor over 20 years. I 676-9600 or 676-9226 I Fabrics and Accessories HEPPNER BOARDMAN 432 SE Dorion Pendleton 567-6916 I aso Serving one 4 Lexington I Sherwin William Paint MEDICAL SUPPLIES HOME REPAIR j MEDICAL SUPPLIES FLOOR COVERING MEDICAL CENTER PHARMACY HOME REMODELING 3 HERMIST0N DRUG I M & R FLOOR COVERING f F-e Mai, Serv.ce On PrescnponS SPECIALZING 1N ALUMINUM SIDING This Space Will Carry Your I FRFF PP.FSCQIPTIDNI rRapcoCarPef'Lino,eum'Ceramc jj Hospital Supphe. and repair of old siding I SERVICE MKrs Tile, Kitchen Cabinets Mon.-Fri. 9-6 p.m. Sat. 9-1 p.m. Storm Windows and Doors Prime Menage For $10 fl Month I DCK( Q A A, TO 7 0 A, 11 H? Rapco Insulation . I OPEN 9 AM. TO 7 PM. H LJ Located in the Medical Center Windows Small Remodeling Jobs I 1 v Fro Fdimntoc 1 100 Souths Peyton ln Bu I Gifts for all occasions WY tsTimares 276-1531 Kenrrneld fd, i2y 70-5U5I I Heppner ah work Guaranteed on the 1980 general election ballot. Also destined to survive the session are a variety of measures providing tax in centives for individuals and businesses seeking to develop alternative energy resources. Human services Due to the tax plan, which will deplete the state's resources by $704 million, the $800 million allo cated for basic school support and a resolution that would fund the state police and the state parks out of general fund monies (rather than through gasoline tax receipts), the state will have nearly $1 billion less to spend in the next biennium in human services and other areas. Consequently, few new pro April county labor force increases The unemployment picture improved for both Morrow and Umatilla counties during the month of April, declining from 5 percent to 4.3 percent in Morrow County and from 7 percent to 6.8 percent in Umatilla County. The March-April improve ment this year doesn't com pare to the spectacular im provement recorded the same time last year, according to the State Department of Human Resources. In 1978, the March-April rate in Morrow elf are Ky Ken Jernstcdt District 2K Citizens who have been urging a tightening-up in welfare programs will be pleased by the actions of the legislature's Ways and Means Committee. It has reduced the proposed state welfare budget by some $9 million and welfare rolls will be reduced by some 5.000 people on July 1st. Not only will the welfare caseload be reduce . but administrative expenses in the public welfare division also will be cut. New emphasis will be placed on demanding that those who are capable of work are channeled into employ HOME REPAIR UMATILLA READY-MIX Open Every Weekday, , -inH Snturdav & Sunday :( m 00-V4U0 vy-4o grams have been funded and many existing programs have been reduced. Welfare fami lies with 'two unemployed parents will find themselves cut off from existing funds, with the state opted to forfeit supplemental federal funds used in the program in order to force recipients back into the job market. Among the few new pro grams winning approval is a $180,000 cooperative childcare program to explore the feasi bility of alternative means of funding childcare in the state. Also approved is a proposal to establish day treatment cen ters in Polk, Clackamas and Klamath counties for emo tionally disturbed youngsters. Minorities Oregon Project County dropped from 7.4 to 2.2 percent and in Umatilla County, 6.7 to 5.8 percent. Employment in the agri culture sector was up in both Morrow and Umatilla counties during the month of April. Lumber and wood products employment in Morrow County was down again in April where wet forests hin dered work activities. Em ployment was steady in non manufacturing industries. County economic develop ments may increase employ rolls trimmed by 5,000 ment. Henceforth, welfare benefits will be determined on the basis of need, rather than greed. To help with this new thrust , the Senate already has a proved legislation to require that stepfathers who have the capability will be responsible for the needs of their step children. This will remove several thousand people from Oregon's welfare rolls. Taken together, these act ions constitute the most far ranging welfare reform that we have seen in Salem during my 13 years as a legislator. They are steps in the right direction and they provide hope that we will yet be able to get control over programs TUESDAY, Donnas WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY Call for an appointment now! 360 E. Aiken ' i sir Independence, a program to help infirm elderly to stay out of nursing homes, faces a 20 percent funding cut in the next biennium. Senior advocates enjoyed success on other fronts, how ever, especially a measure establishing a "bill of rights" for nursing home patients and a bill requiring the reporting of abuse of nursing home patients. A bill allowing grandparents to seek court orders allowing them to visit with their grandchildren fol lowing the divorce or death of the grandchild's parents seems certain of passage. Homosexuals lost their fight to prevent discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual preference when the ment for 50 people at Gormet Foods. Port of Morrow of ficials are seeking $1.4 million in bonds to fund the expansion. PGE officials have reported the coal-fired generator is about 55 percent completed and total construction hours through March 3 was $3,749,712. Mortgage interest rates in the greater Morrow-Umatilla area and elsewhere reached ll1 1 percent and within last month, the rates have climbed 1 1 of 1 percent or more for 95 which have been run too loosely in years past. The total number of bills introduced in the legislature is 2.397 (1.098 in the Senate, 1.299 in the House), compared to 2.7il(i in 1977. This means 399 fewer bills to deal with than two years ago. The most recent statistics available show that the Senate has passed 403 of its own bills, 70 fewer than at the same time in 1977. Of that number, 199 have been passed by the House and 114 signed into law by the Governor. The House has passed 389 of its own bills, 87 fewer than at the same time in 1977. Of these, 169 have been passed by the Senate and 83 signed by the Governor. BEAUTY PARLOR Senate Energy and Environ ment Committee refused to "untable" a bill that would do that. The fate of a bill stripping the state Wage and Hour Commission of its authority to establish a sub-minimum wage for teenagers was still uncertain at press time. The measure passed the House but must still gain approval from the Senate and Governor Atiyeh. Veterans Oregon voters will decide at the polls next year whether to standardize eligibility requirements for the veterans home loan pro gram. Currently, different eligibility requirements exist for Vietnam, Korea and World War II-era veterans. percent conventional loans or those loans not backed by a federal agency. In April, 1979, there were 5,300 persons employed in the vivilian labor force compared to 4,830 in April, 1978 and 5,120 in March, 1979 with 240 persons unemployed. There were 14 new single family dwellings built at a total cost of $619,700 (the average cost $44,264 and no multi-family units for April, 1979. I have felt for some time now that the session will end at the end of this month, and I see no reason to change my mind now. Hearing slated on pesticide usage The Department of Agricul ture will hold a hearing on the use and control of heptachlor- treated grain seed on irrigated farmland in Umatilla and Morrow counties, 10 a.m. at Thompson Hall, Umatilla County Fairgrounds. LAUNDROMAT HEPPNER LAUNDROMAT MAIN ST. HEPPNER Open Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-9p.m. . Sun VV 12:30p.m. 9 p.m. Another veterans bill, al ready signed into law, re stricts to two the number of homes veterans may purchase under the program while raising the maximum loan limits. Veterans may now borrow up to $58,000 toward County hears of blowing dust Cont. from page 1 admitted there may be a dust problem but said "There is not much difference living there and in downtown Boardman." Problems from crop spray ing is a civil matter between landowners, Glenn said, and there have been cases involv ing spraying 35 miles away referring to the spraying of 2-4-D herbicide in forested areas. He also said trespass ing and vandalism were civil problems and argued there may be more vandalism in sparsely populated areas for lack of permanent inhabi tants. Glenn conceded that there would be heavy traffic on the narrow road but said it could be widened and use by 18 additional dwelling units would be "relatively insignifi cant." The U.S. Navy may already be creating a noise problem in the area through its use of the Bombing Range. "The purchaser will just have to take his lumps.", One of the property-owners, Dewey West, said the dev elopers are now required by law to provide prospective owners full disclosure of problems which they may encounter. Regarding future dog prob lems, Glenn said, "Dog con trol is a civil problem and should be controlled through that context rather than through the planning context. He told the board that it may be uneconomical to provide water to the farming area because of its size and topography and suggested alternative uses of the land besides the current potatoe farming such as grape-growing. West also told the court that the proposed subdivision land had been offered for sale to Braat but the two were unable to agree on a settlement. SHERRELL Cosed Holidays Complete the purchase of their first home and $50,000 toward the purchase of a second. Veterans' spouses may now purchase mortgage cancel lation life insurance, an option previously available only to veterans. Braat said before the' deci sion, he might issue an appeal to the State Land Conserva tion Development Commis sion; after the session, he said he might sell the property. County Commissioner War . ren McCoy and Judge Nelson said they may encounter further problems between subdivisions and agricultural spraying. Mick Tolar has resigned from the North Morrow Vec tor Control District and Max well Jones Jr. appointed by the Morrow County Court to fill the vacancy. In other actions, the court accepted petitions from Har old Wright and Shirley Rugg for vacation of Canyon and Toll Rock Roads. Acceptance of the petitions does not mean granting of the vacation request and before making the decision, the county court will hear a report from Acting Roadmaster Don Ball, hold a public hearing on the petition and decide whether they desire a final public hearing to consider action on the matter. An intergovernmental agreement between the county and Morrow County was postponed until a meeting is arranged with the various town officials. One change proposed in the cooperative law-enforcement sreement is that the District attorney's office would not be handling traffic cases for the cities. The court also discussed allocation of funds within the budget to allow for maintain ing the Paul Smith Rd. (Wilson Rd.) near Boardman. 1 AUTOMOTIVE CHEVROLET INC. Sales & Service
