Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 1979)
The Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES Editorials o Columns UDEOEPQDCOTi3 Letters From Readers Progress is being made, officials need support of people Less than a week remains before Morrow County voters return to the polls, for the third time this year, to approve or deny a levy request for the operation of county owned medical facilities in Board man and Heppner. : More than $92,000 has been trimmed from the initial medical levy request back in late May and since that time several other important changes have taken place. The Pioneer Memorial Hos pital Board has responded to the dual levy defeats in a positive manner and should be commended for doing so. Hospital Administrator Bob Byrnes has resigned his post a change citizens from throughout the community called for again and again in the past year. A tough decision for the hospital board, however, in that a new planning process and finalization of an important grant application were before the board. Further, the PMH board has formed a community advisory panel to assist in planning and day-to-day communication with the citizenry at large. Two new ambulances one for the Boardman-Irrigon area and a second for Heppner are on their way and should arrive about mid-August. It's the best way to see a county fair; get involved The 1979 Morrow County Fair & Rodeo is just around the corner and again it promises to be two fun-filled weeks of activity for local residents and visitors alike. Fair dates are August 17-21 followed by the annual three-day rodeo the weekend of August 24-26. Packed into those 10 days are many hours of family fun and the real reward for hundreds of exhibit ors. The pavilion will be bursting with displays of crafts, works of art, flowers, foods and clothing. The livestock pens and wheat displays are representative of Morrow County's heritage, and lifestyle today as new generations step in. ' The Rodeo is highlighted by the Friday night Morrow County Show as local cowboys and cowgirls try to tie up a number of trophy buckles and saddles offered by Morrow County businesses in true western tradition Saturday and Sunday's WRA approved rodeos give spec tators a view of some top Northwest rodeo talent. County Extension Agent Birdine Tullis put it best : "Fair & Rodeo has traditionally been a time when rural people get together; see those whom they have not seen for a time and renew acquaintances: a prideful time, where the best of all things receive recognition. Fair & Rodeo is a special event in our fast-moving society with room for everyone to get involved it 's the best way to see a fair." ONPA Oregon Newspaper Publiseri Allocation 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 as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon SUBSCRIPTION RATE J8.00 In Morrow, Unatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County; $10.00 elsewhere Jerome F. Sheldon, Publisher Jane " Sheldon. Co-Publisher Terry M. Hoger, General Manager Jim HackeM, News Editor Eileen Saling, Office Manager Gayle Rush, AdvertisingComposition Melissa Scott, Composition Cindi Dohertyi Qffrce Justine Weatherford, local Columnist The point of all this is that Pioneer Memorial Board mem bersand the County Court should be given a little breathing room to accomplish some of the other changes Morrow Countians feel necessary. The County Court has made clear its intentions to leave opera tions of the county's medical facilities to the PMH board and the board, in turn, has shown a responsiveness to accepting the responsibility. Now the citizens of Morrow County must accept this separation of powers and under stand the art of compromise the fact that you can't please all of the people all of the time. When the only thing thrown their way is brickbats and no roses an excessive amount of time on the part of the court and the PMH board is spent putting out fires caused by a misplaced spark. To that avail, no one wins. The operations of Morrow County's medical facilities are clearly in the hands of the PMH board and the people. The two must merge as a team, capable of communicating and completing the plays needed to win the game. That includes room for a few mistake calls up the middle, but no end runs. tmh a a ; ! -(SvXVh Jug band concert The planned gong show may have gotten gonged at Friday's gong show but the merchant's jug band staged its first live performance. We haven't heard any reviews of the program but it's expected they will be staging an encore performance. LETTERS FROM OUR READERS 'Time to pull together...solve existing problems' Editor: As an individual I have some observations to make concerning our hospital and the upcoming budget vote August 9. In no way does this reflect action or thinking of the hospital board. I have been told by a number of individuals that the dollar amount of the budget is not the determining factor producing a negative vote, that is, in the south end of the county, but a difference of opinion in the policies of operation of that institution. We expect to have a difference of opinion concerning an institution of government such as the hospital. These differences do exist on the hospital board. I can speak for my 4 colleagues that are strong individuals who do their homework. The differences must be resolved by debate, analysis of facts and 'Bellamy most effective,' peer claims Kditor: One of the most effective Republican members in the legislative session which just concluded was, suprisingly, a freshman. Rep. Bill Bellamy earned the respect of the Legislature for hard work, dedication and sincerity. Bill Bellamy represents a district which is the most diverse in the state. His district takes in areas both east and west of the Cascades. It ranges from metropolitan suburban areas to land important to Oregon's agricultural industry. And yet he represents the area very well. To be thrust into the middle of emotional issues such as the nuclear power debate makes some representa iivcs uncomfortable. Not Bill Bellamy. He fought hard to make sure that the Legislature adopted a nuclear power isition whic! was responsible, not a ki,- ;rrk response to a critical situation. hi- -"rvi on the House Committee on Kducaii'ii. uas an important asset to a Legislature wh.ch. at times, seemed to want ' ignore tl. - vital concern. Bill Bellamy, the fighter and the leader, was an important factor in the outcome of the 1979 Legislative session. The people of the eigl,' -ounties which he represents, and all Oregonians, were the better for his service. Oary L. Wilhelms House Minoi .tv Leader then by vote. The majority decision is the decision of the board. Where exercise of judgement is involved differences of opinion are inevitable. In the United States we assume we are able to accommodate dissent. However dissent ers are expected to be broad-minded enough to accept the decisions of governing boards, even though they may not agree with the decision. I have been advised by a representa tive of "Save Our Hospital" group that they are using the budget vote to influence decisions of the county court and hospital board. This policy is certainly courting a disaster for the hospital. We cannot operate without a budget and we cannot go in debt to operate it. In other words a negative vote on the budget will mean the board will make an attempt to salvage some of the program, but at the present moment closure of the institution is likely. The budget debate has already hurt the hospital. Our administrator has resigned. Experienced and qualified administrators who were interested in the position are now hesitant to apply for the job. I received the OMA physicians placement service bulletin yesterday. Nearly all of that group is not available until July or September of 1980. In other words we've pushed solutions of the Heppner pool lifeguards get comendation Kditor: I am writing to commend your lifeguards here at the Heppner Swim ming Pool. We have been here in Heppner for the summer. As I took my children swimming Saturday and watched them. I was amazed at how well the lifeguards watched these children. They not only watc h for swimming safety but took care of little disagreements among the children. I have never felt before that my children were in such a safe place to swim. I would like to say thank you to these lifeguards. Keep up the good work. Verna J. Smith hospital problems well into the future, as these examples illustrate. We've lost a whole year of progress by a three month's delay in voting a budget. It's time to pull together, vote a budget and then get together to solve the existing problems. Frederick T. Martin, A thirty-year citizen of Morrow County, lone On levy vote: 'How quickly we forget' Editor: How quickly we forget. It is definitely clear that the north end of the county does not feel responsible for anything in the south end. However if you will remember, last year when the levy came up for new schools in the north end of the county, it passed on the first vote. We appreciate the fact that your schools are crowded and are willing to help finance them even though our children do not benefit from them. If you want to divide the county, why not do it before the schools are finished? That way if you want the schools and you still think you need them, you could pay for them with your taxes. I personally know that people from the north end of the county do use the hospital in Heppner. Maternity care in Morrow County is much less than in Umatilla County. We realize that taxes are hieh in north Morrow County, but they are also too high in south Morrow County and it is equally hard to buy your own home here. Please, we need this hospital. People of Heppner, lone & Lexing ton, if we band together and vote yes on the hospital levy as did Boardman and Irrigon for their new schools, we will have the hospital that is so needed here. Remember, we are a long way from the nearest hospital, many people could die on the way. Living in Heppner and proud of it, Greg and Janet Greenup Heppner, Oregon More letters from readers on page 8... Sifting through th TIME Fifty years ago, the Gazette-Times reported that Heppner was enjoying a spell of real summer heat for several days and the end was not yet in sight though somewhat cooler today with threatening clouds and an electrical storm pending. Frank Gilliam reported that the maximum temperature was 99 degrees and the minimum, 65 degrees. Miss Evelyn Hunt, police woman from Hollywood, stood in the middle of Main Street for several hours on Saturday, stopping cars going and coming and giving their drivers instruct ions concerning proper observance of traffic rules. The Gazette's comment: "Whether it did any good or not we cannot say but the majority of the drivers seemed rather to enjoy being held up by a pretty little girl in the uniform of a traffic officer." Miss Hunt was accompanied to Heppner by Mrs. H. Hudson of Portland who is chaperoing the young lady on her journey through Eastern Oregon. Mrs. Josephine Mahoney arrived home on Saturday from Portland, having completed her vacation trip which extended over a month of time in travel and included many points of interest in California. Sheriff Bauman returned Monday after attending the convention of sheriffs and police at Missoula, Montana and then gou.g on up into Western Canada and British Columbia to look after some property he and his father have there. Missildine Bros, of Blackhorse are getting well along with their wheat harvest and expect to finish up the coming week. Their wheat is making a yield of 25 bushels to the acre and the grain is of excellent quality. An advertisement from the Heppner Garage advertised a new Buick with 99 horsepower, new Fisher styling, non glare windshield, for $1,235. Buyers couid purchase the vehicle on a time payment plan. "Legion of the Condemned" was being shown at the Star Theater with stars Gary Cooper and Fay Wray. Twenty-five years ago, it was announced that Deanna Steagall would be honored Saturday night at the first of the series of princess dances leading up to the Morrow County Fair and Rodeo. Princess Deanna was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Steagall of Lexington. Ronald Currin, 1954 graduate of Heppner High School won first place in the FFA Better Framing contest for Blue Mountain district sponsored by the Oregon Kiwanis Club. The Gazette ran three photos of "Death Trap Corner" and asked "Why have so many accidents occured there?" reporting that a concrete abutment itself would not seem to be the cause of the death trap. In about 50 percent of the mishaps, the car never reached the abutment. Three possible factors may have resulted: cars leaving Heppner for Condon on the steep grade of Highway 207 are unable to pick up much speed until they begin the curve near the Flying A motel; it is possible that drivers failed to adjust the gas throttle to the changed driving conditions and entered the curve at faster than normal speed, a single right car wheel might be enough to pull a car from its intended angle and send it careening into the abutment. The third factor cited was that drivers might trust the bank turn to the right. Francis Edwin Ostrander, a machin ist at Kinzua Pine Mills died of suffocation when he fell into a sawdust bin at the plant. He was brought to Pioneer Hospital. Fires plagued Morrow County and a fire which occured at the J O. Turner Ranch, burned over 950 acres of grass and stubble and destroyed 35 acres of wheat before being brought under control. Another grass fire occured at the Joseph Hughes home south of Heppner burning an old 1929 Ford car. A third grass fire threatened the George Ely home on Second Street in lone. Hospital Administrator John Erns dorff told the Chamber of Commerce in Heppner the early attempts to get an adequate hospital here and how a small tax levy was started in 1945 to build up a fund for the new building. The Pioneer Memorial Hospital was dedicated in 1950. By 1954, the facility had 641 patients, 95 percent of capacity Continued on page 8 1 ' - ,ig J ji J
