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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1979)
TWO The Heppner Gaiette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, October 11, 1979 J OJSTPA Th OHicial Newipapar of the City of Heppner and the ' County of Morrow Oregon Nwipopr The Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES Morrow Coanty $ Awird-Winniiij 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 March 3, 1879 Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. Office and commercial printing plant at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone. (503) 876-9228. Address communications to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon. 978:t6 $8 00 Morrow. Umatilla. Wheeler 4 Gilliam counties; SlOOO elsewhere. Senior Citizen Rate. S5 00 Jerome P. Sheldon. Publisher Jane H. Sheldon, Associate Publisher Eileen Saling, Office Manager Steve A. Powell. News Editor Justine Weatherford. Local Columnist Chloe Pearson, Composition Cheryle Greenup, Advertising. Betty Green, Office, Composition Composition Ron Jordan, Printer The Challenge Whoever becomes the new County Judge should strive to develop a sense of community uniting the north and south ends of Morrow County. Boardman and Heppner are separated geographically. A very natural rivalry has arisen between these two towns within the same political jurisdiction. Yet the gap is not so wide that it cannot be spanned by the goodwill of a newly appointed judge. Democrats, through the nomination of their party's central committee, hope that man will be John Mollahan, a former sheriff, whose name will be forwarded to Gov. Vic Atiyeh. The governor, a Republican, must appoint a Democrat as successor to County Judge D.O. Nelson, but he is not necessarily bound to accept the local selection. Two candidates spoke at the Democratic caucus at the courthouse last week. Actually, there was a third person, Pat Wright, the county public health nurse, who said she also had been asked to bid for the nomination. "Apparently, I'm the token woman. Thank you, Paul, for asking me," she said to Paul Jones, the committee chairman. She proceeded to outline a well thought-out platform, but in the end she declined to be a candidate because, she said, "I feel I cannot devote the time and energy needed to be county judge. I still have a fifth grader at home and I'm a single woman." One point Mrs. Wright did make was that there should be an "integration" of the north and south ends of the county by making available to residents in Boardman and Irrigon employment in county jobs. Because there is no public transportation between these towns and the county seat, car pooling arrangements could be made to transport such workers to the courthouse in Heppner, she suggested. The two men vying for the Democratic Central Committee's favor were the former sheriff, Mollahan, from Heppner, and Dan Creamer of Irrigon, a retired Columbia River tugboat skipper. They gave similar responses to a series of questions from the chair and the audience. Creamer and Mollahan both favored the formation of a south-county hospital district, for example, over a countywide levy for the support of Pioneer Memorial Hospital. In the past year, the north county has defeated specific levies for the hospital because the people generally look to Pendleton, Hermiston or the Tri-Cities area for their hospitalization. Both candidates expressed an interest in youth and civic affairs. Creamer presented a resume which listed such activities as his membership on the road and budget committees and the Morrow County Planning and Zoning Commission and his involvement with the Boy Scouts, Little League and the Peewee Rodeo Association. Mollahan's roots are in Morrow County, which he served as sheriff for 7'2 years. Both men committed themselves to seeking a spirit of unity in the county. Thus, the challenge for whomever succeeds County Judge D.O. Nelson next week. Parking Problem Downtown merchants in Heppner enjoy an advantage their counterparts in other small communi ties across the country have lost. It is that people in the Heppner trading area still come into town to shop. There are no "malls" with their acres of parking lots on the fringes of the city to contribute to the decline of Main Street. With parking meters having been removed, and angle parking on either side of the street, downtown Heppner should attract the shopper and it does, except that merchants contend there is still a parking problem here. The subject came up at a merchants' lunch last week. It seems that some owners and employes of local businesses no names mentioned park not in front of their own stores but in the spaces near other establishments. There is a two-hour parking limit posted along downtown streets. It is honored more in the breach than in enforcement. However, when tickets are issued the fines are nominal and violators may mail in the money rather than face the inconvenience of appearing before a traffic judge. Even with the scarcity of publicly owned parking places, there could be a solution. At least a couple of downtown firms do have large parking lots that are not always fully utilized. Perhaps arrangements could be made, either on a basis of cooperation or for a fee, for employes of local businesses to use these lots. That might open additional spaces along Main Street for customer parking. Sifting through the TIMESf7" y 1929 Drilling began to establish a new water supply in Heppner. The city purchased land from Frank Wilkinson and bids for the drilling were advertised. Heppner High School had the largest enrollment in history with 127. A number of new desks in the high school were required. The superin tendent's office also began sending out warning slips to parents whose students were in danger of failing. The slips were a new idea to keep parents in closer touch with the work of their children so better work would be done by students who may be inclined to lag. David Ely, formerly of lone, was missing in an area where there was a forest fire. During the fire, he and two other boys volunteered to go into the woods and rescue an old man who was trapped in the hazard. When they reached the old man's home, he refused to leave. They all had to dig themselves in the ground near the home when the house caught on fire but they all were saved. The Lions Club held its first meeting ever in Heppner with 20 of the 25 charter members on hand for the celebration. They discussed the aims and purpose of what the Lions were going to do in the town. The county road crew com pleted the Willow Creek Road. The equipment was then going to be moved to lone to build a road from lone to Boardman. The crew was going to start the grade from lone and go to as close to Boardman as the money allocated would allow. Heppner and Hermiston battled to a 0-0 tie in football action. 1954 Paul Brown of Heppner was named the Morrow County Conservation Man of the Year in a contest sponsored by the Oregon Wheat Growers League. Al Ullman, a Democratic candidate for Congress from this district, spoke at a no-host breakfast at the O'Donnell Cafe in Heppner. The First National Bank of Portland in the city of Heppner showed they had received $213,565 more dollars than the year before in deposits from customers and the local bank had loaned out $2,562,248 more dollars than the previous year. County voter registration showed that Morrow County had 1,410 Republicans and 887 Democrats. James J. Farley, exalted ruler of the Heppner Elks Lodge, presented a check for $5,000 to W.C. Rosewall, representing the Chamber of Commerce, in the drive to buy lights for the rodeo field. The Lexington Christian Church was showing a free film which was produced by Rev. Billy Graham, nationally known evangelist. Martin Riggins of Spray was treated in Pioneer Memorial Hospital for a self inflicted gunshot would in his thigh. He went to put the .22 revolver in his belt when it went off accidentally. Not much interest was shown in Heppner in 1954 for city government as the terms Neighbors happy over uater pipe Editor, Recently the City of Hepp ner changed the water piping from the Hospital Hill or Cross Hill reservoir in an effort to increase the pressure to the homes along Fairview Way. The work done by City Foreman Earl Papineau and his crew has surely pleased my neighbors and me. We really appreciate the efforts which have brought our homes a wonderful increase in water pressure. Sincerely, Bob Lowe 880 East Fairview Way Heppner for five members of the city council were about to expire and no one had applied for the positions. Heppner tied Stanfield 7-7 in' a football contest. 1971 An angry Heppner city council blasted the U.S. Corps of Engineers and Congress man Al Ullman for their part in the killing of the Willow Creek Dam proposal and served notice on the Depart ment of Housing and Urban Development of the council's interest to seek a federal injunction. "The Willow Creek Dam is dead and can't be revived," Mayor Jerry Swee ney said. Morrow County Bicenten nial Chairman Marlene C. Peterson of Heppner was given Oregon's Bicentennial Franklin Mint medal. Since the Willow Creek dam project was apparently killed, the Chamber of Commerce set up the Water Control District to aid in flood control. The district was formed to prevent or lessen the impact of flooding in Heppner. Doug Gonty, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Gonty, completed his military basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and he then went to a five week school in security training. Michael J. McElligott, lone High School senior, was awar ded honors by the National Merit Scholarship Corpora tion. He was selected from among one million students on the basis of his high perfor mance on the 1973 preliminary scholastic aptitude test. County extension agent Mike Howell gave out medals to outstanding 4-H Club mem bers. lone beat Wheeler 38-6 and Heppner drubbed Weston McEwen in another football game 26-14. Sherman crushed Riverside 43-7. The Heppner High School athletic staff gave a free class to women on the rules and regulations of football. A Here is Where the Action Is... This community. This town. Newspaper. Nobody, but nobody else, no other publication anywhere is more interested in news of your family, your club, your church, your business , your friends, your government, your schools YOU than this publication. Every week. Look for us The Heppner Gazette-Times has been around for a long time. It's now in its 97th year, having been established in March of 1883 as the Gazette. One of its early editors was Col. John Watermellon Redington, who was on his way home from the Indian wars when he passed through Heppner. On hearing that he was a journeyman printer and had been a reporter for large papers in San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Portland, local businessmen persuaded him to stay and take over the fledgling Gazette. He had only "six bits" in his pocket, so they signed notes for him so that he would get presses, type and paper, and he went to work. In the issue of March 13, 1884, according to a history of the newspaper prepared some years ago, the Gazette claimed in its masthead to be "an Independent Local Paper, owning its soul, paying 100 cents on the dollar, run as a legitimate business enterprise and not as a charity shop or begging institution. It will wear the collar of no clique, party or faction, but will work for the best interests of the people." At the end of five years, Colonel Redington sold his interests to the Rev. Henry Rasmus, a pioneer preacher of Morrow County. But when Colonel Redington sold the paper, it lost its fire and witty editorials for which he became famous throughout the West, according to the historian, CM. Yeager. Before the year was out, the Rev. Mr. Rasmus sold the paper to the Patterson Publishing Co., and the Gazette came under the able editorship of Otis Patterson. Later, he was to move the The Dalles, and in 1900 the paper again became the property of Colonel Redington. In the fall of 1897, meanwhile.a rival to the Gazette appeared on the local scene. It was the Heppner Times, established by E.M. Shutt, whose brother, S.P. Shutt, was editor of the Condon Globe. E.M. Shutt sold his paper, the Antelope Herald, and with the proceeds purchased a brand new outfit from the American Type Founders of Portland, which shipped the equipment direct to Heppner. The first issue of the Times, Nov. 18, 1897, dedicated the paper to "work hand in glove with the schools, churches, fraternal orders and such other organizations as are intended to advance the cause of education, morality and citizenship." The two papers continued under various ownerships, and with various editors, until their consolidation in 1912 by Vaughter Crawford. The Heppner Gazette-Times it has been ever since. The Crawford family controlled the Gazette-Times until 1952, when they sold the business to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Penland, who in turn sold out in 1960 to Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Wildman. There have been other owners since: The Shermans, the Heards, Ernest Joiner, Jerry and Dolores Reed. The present publishers are Jerome and Jane Sheldon. With these changes through the years, the Gazette-Times is one of the few businesses in Heppner to continue under the same name. After almost a century of publishing the news of Morrow County, a bit of introspection may be permissible. Are we doing a good job? Are there areas of the news that we should be covering? What would the readers like to see in the paper? So we have devised a questionnaire and ask our readers to circle the items they would particularly like to see in the pages of this newspaper. Please bring the questionnaire to Gazette-Times office, 147 West Willow Street, or mail it to P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon, 97836. 1. Irrigon-Boardmannews 2. Lexington news. 3. lone news. 4. Heppner news. 5. Sports School and adult. 6. Police and court news. 7. Social and club events. 8. Local government news. 9. State and regional political coverage. 10. Business news. And your comments, please. Something for Everyone National Newtpeper Wtk Oct. 7-13. 197 To subscribe to the Heppner Gazette-Times, fill in the blank below: Plese start my subscription to The Heppner Gazette-Times $8 New or Renewal Subscription $10 Outside Morrow County $8 Student Subscription (8 months) $5 Senior Citizen (Morrow County Only) 11 PAYMENT LJ ENCLOSED Name:. Add ress:. City:, .State: .Zip:. Mail Coupon P.U. Box 337, to: Heppner Gazette-Times Heppner, Oregon 97836 Letters From Readers Editor, On the occasion of National Newspaper Week, Oct. 7-13, I would like to express ' my appreciation to your paper for its many services to the community. As director, lam personally aware and very appreciative of the roleyour newspaper has played in keeping the local community informed on pub lic issues, including news and information concerning veter ans. Of the many services provi ded by your newspaper and the nation's press, one has been the vital role it has played in informing the public about the needs of veterans. In the past year, your newspaper has printed many items rela ting to veterans. As a direct result of this and other support, veterans enjoy iwe free world's most comprehen sive system of benefits. The Veterans Administra tion, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary on July 21, 1980, today operates 172 medi cal centers, more than 400 clinics, nursing homes, and domiciliaries, more than 60 benefits offices and 141 ceme tery sites and locations throughout the nation. I hope you will help us celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Veter ans Administration. Sincerely, R.J. Vogel Veterans Administration Regional Office Portland, Oregon GDlEeQtjqs Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday Call For Appointment 360 e. Aiken 476-5393 676-9909 KM) 1 Kbco M & R FLOOR COVERING FoamerS r.nwt. Linoleum. 422 I'den Woy Ceramic Tile, Kitchen oo-v(0 Cabinets, Rapco Insulation HePPner CASE FURNITURE Heppner Carpet, Linoleum, Counter Tops Installed Beauty Rest mattresses, Fabrics and Accessories, Sherwin Williams Paint Home Remodeling Specklzir " r of old tiding Storm Windows and Doom Prim Windowi Small Remodeling Jobt KnFrfU 676-5051 lu jPjff Jiji Nil TURNER ot a Houx niuxanc ,uti VAN MARTER & BRYANT UtltfJutru 676-9113 L.TTOK1 VuOUATSa. J 1 INSURANCE HOWiiiD .rtant 187 north mam trait mw"". omao ) c MEDICAL CENTER PHARMACY I 14. Fn MaOn Servn On Ptacriptioni Hoil Supplier Moo -Fn 94 fm Set. 9-lp-n Looted m the Medial Ooi 1100 Soathgate Pendleton 276-1531 (J AY WES BUSINESS MACHOIES Service calls every Wednesday in Heppner, lone and Lexington 3)2 S. Main St, Pendleton Telephone Z764441 811 N. Fint, Hennaton Telephone 967-2731 rl ckim nrv i k. i Chevron c.nin ucviin Chevron USA, Inc. s- Commission Agent U TQQJ 3 Morrow County 600 Abttroct L Thi Company 676-9912 "o'once 4 fac-O S'.C1 431.9261;
