TWO The Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, November 1, 1979
ONPA
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
' County of Morrow
Gttgon hiawipaptv
Publishers Attocmlton
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Morrow CoiMy's Home-Owned 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 at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone, (503) 676-9228.
Address communications to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner,
Oregon. 9783ti.
$aoo in v 'dw. Umatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam counties: $10.00 elsewhere.
Senior Citizen Rate. $5 .00
Jrromr K. Sheldon. Publisher Jane H. Sheldon, Associate Publisher
Eileen Saling, Office Manager Steve A. Powell, News Editor
Cheryle Greenup. Advertising, Chloe Pearson, Composition
Composition Betty Green, Office, Composition
Upgrade Highway 74 I
If roads are your concernTby all means attend" tHe
Oregon Department of Transporation hearing to be
held in Hermiston Nov. 27.
There is concern in Morrow County over the
condition of Highway 74, which is narrow, pot-holed
and dangerous with heavy truck traffic. When the state
determines the priorities for the next six-year
program, this route through Cecil, lone and Lexington j
should rank near the top.
Morrow County Commissioner Dorothy Krebs said
the county will be represented at the hearing, to be held
in the Recreation Center in Hermiston, starting at 7:30
p.m., on the fourth Tuesday in November. She has
urged that regular users of the road attend the hearing
as well.
Morrow County, in many people's minds, is off the
beaten travel paths. Certainly, the southern end of the
county lacks the freeways and expressways that
traverse the busy corridor extending from Pendleton
through Hermiston and Umatilla to Irrigon, Board
man, Arlington and the west. Perhaps that thought
should be amended to say we certainly are on the
"beaten" path it's too well beaten.
Because of weather conditions, logging traffic,
deferred maintenance, or other reasons many routes in
the county are hazaradous for the motorists.
So, if you want better roads, speak up in Hermiston
on Nov. 27.
It's a Contest
Is the fly season over in eastern Oregon? It would
seem so for the fly swatter in the office hasn't been
used for some time. As newcomers to this region, we
are wondering now if we shall be spared the annoying
buzz of these pests until spring.
We've developed an adept hand and wrist in
combatting the flies. It's a sport to see how many we
can eliminate. Whenever the office door opens in the
summer months an additional few invade our
precincts.
Not long ago in a Hermiston motel, we noticed the
manager using a differnt kind of fly catcher. It was a
clear plastic pan on a handle. The inner surface of the
pan was covered with a sticky adhesive. The motel
manager would spot a fly on the plate glass window
and trap it before the pest could buzz off. Soon the fly
would be stuck, along with dozens of others. When the
pan was full, it could be discarded and a fresh one
attached to the handle.
The system the motel manager was using
eliminated some of the contest that a swatter involves
but at least seemed somewhat cleaner than
old-fashioned fly paper.
Flies, by walking on contaminated objects and, in
turn, people's food, can spread disease. But what is
their place in the natural scheme of things? Perhaps
someone could tell us.
'TtfA Editor's
Wli Y Notebook
If you want to hear good
news, dial the Farmers'
Newsline on a toll-free num
ber, 1-800-424-7964.
We tried it the other night
and heard optimistic reports
on corn, soybean and sorghum
grain production, up overall
by 3 percent from 1978's crop.
The reports are available 24
hours a day, seven days a
week. They change daily at 4
p.m.
The reports are given by a
professionally trained voice,
in this case identified as "Kent
Miller of the Department of
Agriculture in Washington."
Perhaps it's not equal to
dial-a-prayer but at least it's a
diversion.
People from all over North
America converged on Car
son City, Nev., last week just
to whistle.
They were entrants in the
World's Second International
Whistle-Off.
Some whistled while smok
ing cigars, or while dancing,
or to bagpipe music. Sally
Cohn, now of Portland, whis
tled with her fingers. On her
return home from the whistle
off, she was interviewed on
Channel 8 and Irene Anhorn
of Heppner heard the show.
"Where did you start whis
tling?" Sally Cohn was asked,
and she replied, "Oh, when I
was in Heppner High."
Mrs. Anhorn recalled that
Sally Cohn was Harold Cohn's
daughter and graduated from
the local high school about
1945. Her brother, Phil, also
attended Heppner High.
"A patronizing disposition
always has its meaner side."
Eliot
sifting through the TIMEsA
; : y
69 pints of blood given on campus
Sixty-nine pints of blood
were given at the blood
drawing held on the Blue
Mountain Community College
campus, Oct. 23. The drawing
was sponsored by the Associ
ated Student Body at the
college .
1929
Fifty years ago Morrow
County received $7,620.27 in
state highway funds to work
on its roads. Concentration
was made on the road from
Heppner to Spray. The total
state highway fund was
$548,552.82.
Experimental work was
being done on a new spray to
control the growth of weeds
and the county agent, Charles
W. Smith, said it could help
farmers a great deal.
Dry weather continued in
the county and it was causing
an extra molt in many poultry
flocks.
The district convention for
the Order of Eastern Star met
in lone.
The Lexington Lodge of
Oddfellows was given a new
lodge hall when Mrs, E.D.
McMillan donated the Leach
Bros, store to the organiza
tion. Her former husband, was
was the principal owner of the
store, had been a lodge
member before he passed
away.
The Heppner Lions Club met
and decided to send a letter to
the state highway commission
saying more money was
needed to improve the Hepp
ner to Spray road.
Heppner High School beat
Lexington in a football game
13-0 and the team continued its
efforts to win the Upper
Columbia Athletic Association
football pennant.
Armistice Day was going to
be celebrated by all the
patriotic citizens with a foot
ball game against Hermiston
and a dance.
lone beat a light and
scrappy football team from
Fossil 42-0.
An ad from the Heppner
Planing Mill and Lumber
Yard said: "Will you be one of
the unfortunates to awake
tomorrow morning after Hal
loween and find your gate
missing and the pickets
knocked off your fence? We
sympathize with you, but
there is only one thing to do
about it order the lumber
you need to make the needed
repairs. Of course, we have it!
Sudden services at reasonable
prices too!"
1954
Twenty-five years ago elec
tions were in the news as local
voters turned out to support
their favorite candidates.
Morrow County voters seemed
to differ in opinion compared
to the rest of the state. In the
senatorial race between Rich
ard Neuberger and Guy Cor
don, Cordon beat Neuberger in
Morrow but Neuberger was
the overall winner.
About 53 percent of the
registered voters voted in the
election.
The closest race was be
tween Democrat Bruce Lind
say and Republican Harold
Becket. Lindsay won by 31
votes, 788-757, to obtain the
seat of county clerk.
Republican Charles Allen
Tom easily defeated Mrs.
Gladys M. Zell to retain the
22nd district state representa
tive seat.
Alan Case won the only
contested city council seat
261-222 over Jack Bailey.
Mrs. Mary Van Stevens
became Heppner's first wo
man mayor as she ran
unopposed and collected 406
votes.
The Heppner Library Board
met and elected Mrs. James
Thompson, president; Mrs.
Marie Clary, vice-president;
Mrs. Lucy Rodgers, secretary-treasurer;
Mrs. Ted.
Smith, librarian; and Mrs.
Ted Smith, Mrs. Harold
Becket and J.O. Turner,
trustees.
About 125 young people
gathered on Halloween night
to participate in the hayride
which was being sponsored by
the Soroptimist Club and the
Lions Club in Heppner. Skits
were given by all the classes
and the seventh graders won
the first place prize of $7.50.
The sophomore class was
second with $5 and the senior
class third for $2.50.
1974
Five years ago a 'Rap
Session' was held at the
Heppner elementary school
and students, law enforce
ment officers, attorneys and
members of the council on
druc abuse from Umatilla andf
Morrow counties were prA
Approximately $10,000
worth of heavy equipment had
been sabotaged. The construc
R.A. Chambers and Associ
ates contractors who were
working on the Valley View
Estates. Persons had put
sugar into the crankcases of
two large caterpillar trac
tors, two backhoes and a
forklift.
Terry Hirni was named to
be the new mental health di
rector. Jim Ployhar and Jeannine
Hammons were starring in the
Heppner High School play
"The Ten Little Indians."
Heppner Auto Parts
234 N.Main neppner 66-yiZJ
(Tuesday, Wednesday, i jf1 "r i
Friday Donna's nJjTj? I
Call For appointment ' I Q Mr I
360 e. Aiken 676-5393 676-W(fl - J
unlinirii rnirffrH
Legislative Report from the State Capital
EXCLUSIVE to Oregon's Weekly Newspa
pers from Associated Oregon Industries.
Salem Scene
Caution urged in shoplifting law
By Jack Zimmerman
Why would a statewide
organization of retailers
work diligently for enact
ment of an anti-shoplifing
law and then caution mer
chants about using the new
statute?
That appears the position
of the Oregon Retail Coun
cil division of Associated
Oregon Industries regard
ing Senate Bill 893, which
provides civil procedures
against shoplifters.
Introduced at the request
of ORC, the bill passed
during the 1979 regular
session of the Oregon
Legislature in Salem and
became effective Oct. 3.
But ORC representatives
now are urging retail
merchants to think twice
before utilizing what has
been described as an effec
tive weapon in the fight
against an increasingly
significant crime.
Law Adequate
"Our attitude has no
thing whatsoever to do with
adequacy of the law itself,"
answers Otto J. Wilson,
ORC director. "The law
contains precisely the pro
vision we sought during the
legislative session. It is not
flawed in any way that we
are aware.
"We just want to make
certain merchants in parti
cular fully understand pro
per procedure for its use
before they take advantage
of its provisions."
Wilson went on to explain
a statewide educational
program for store owners
and operators has been
under way for nearly two
months and likely will
ontinue for many months to
come.
"Our education program
conducted in cooperation
with Chambers of Com
merce throughout Oregon
was a basic part of our
presentation to the Legisla
ture," he explained. "Al
though not a part of the bill,
a thorough education of
those eligible to utilize the
statute is essential to its
successful application in
' our state."
May Seek Damages
The law, patterned
largely after a similar
two-year-old statute in the
State of Washington, per
mits retail victims of
shoplifters to seek dam
ages and penalties from
shoplifters.
"The new law is not a
substitute for criminal pro
secution," Wilson detailed.
"The criminal law still
exists and remains another
weapon against shoplift
ing." The reason for seeking
the new civil law, he said,
is because for many valid
reasons the criminal pro
cedure was sufficiently
effective by itself. Experi
ence in as many as eight
other states led ORC and a
majority of Oregon law
makers to agree the new
civil procedure is neces
sary if the crime that costs
Oregonians as much as $80
million a year is to be
controlled.
"Many people don't com
prehend the difference be
tween criminal and civil
legal procedures," Wilson
said, "and that is the first
hurdle we must overcome
in educating merchants."
Apprehension First
For instance, merchants
must still apprehend shop
lifters, call police to make
an arrest and make char
ges against the individuals
involved.
"This much of the pro
cess is identical whether
criminal or civil proce
dures are involved," Wil
son continued.
Once these steps have
been properly completed,
criminal proceedings are
brought by local prosecu
ting authorities. As often as
not however, local authori
ties have been reluctant to
prosecute. The reasons
may range from the size of
the theft involved, over
crowded court dockets, the
volume of more serious
crimes against persons and
so on.
"In other words," said
Wilson, "existing criminal
statutes haven't provided
the certainty of punish
ment so important if the
crime of shoplifting is to be
discouraged."
Appropriate Consequences
The new civil procedure
properly utilized can
provide the certainty that
appropriate consequences
await those who steal from
stores.
It permits merchants to
send a demand letter to a
shoplifter asking payment
of actual damages, a pe
nalty equal to the retail
value of the goods in
question and an additional
penalty of not less than $100
or more than $250.
Amounts of damages and
the initial penalty may
vary in every case, accord
ing to Wilson, depending on
the cost of the merchan
dise, whether it is reco
vered, age of the shoplifter
and other circumstances.
If a merchant receives no
response from the demand
letter, he sends a second.
And if that request also is
ignored, the shoplifter can
be taken to small claims
court.
"Major reason for enact
ing this new civil proce
dure," Wilson said, "is to
prevent crime. It is not
meant to be used to harrass
the innocent or to alienate
anyone.
"And it must be used
properly to achieve proper
results."
Proper Utilization
The Retail Council has
published material that
explains proper utilization
of the new law and is
conducting workshops with
local Chambers upon re
quest. Wilson said ORC is
committed to this program
as long as the need exists.
"While the law appears
simple," he said, "there
are many applications of it
that have been time-tested
in other states. For in
stance, we recommend
waiting 24 hours after a
shoplifter is charged before
sending the first demand
letter. There are time
schedules to be followed
regarding the second letter
and small claims action.
Wording of the letters is
important.
"And it is vital that
merchants use a great deal
of common sense when it
comes to demanding dam
age and penalties."
These are some of the
reasons sponsors of SB 893
are urging merchants to go
slow when it comes to using
the new civil procedure.
"If everyone under
stands how to use it and
uses it properly, shoplifting
in Oregon will be checked
maybe even reduced," Wil
son concluded. "Most im
portant many would-be
shoplifters will be dissua
ded from engaging in this
so-called beginning crimi
nal activity in the first
place."
Letters From Readers
Grocery coupon outdated
11 million crimes cited
during '78 in FBI report
Editor:
Please be a lot more careful
about checking the dates in
the advertisements you run.
Last week's paper, dated Oct.
25, carried a large ad for
grocery specials in Hermis
ton. At the top it states
"Prices effective We., Oct. 24
thru Tues., Oct. 30," but the
one item I was most anxious
to buy, a coupon sugar offer,
says in small print "good only
on Oct. 24" which made me
sad because I didn't read it
until the afternoon of Oct.
25 and couldn't get into
Hermiston immediately, any
way. Sincerely. Ida Farra,
Heppner
More than 11 million Crime
Index offenses were reported
to law enforcement agencies
in 1978, two percent more than
in 1977 and aine percent higher
than in 1974. Attorney General
Benjamin R. Civiletti announ
ced recently.
The 1978 total represents an
average of 5.109 offenses per
each 100.000 persons residing
in the United States, accord
ing to the slatistics compiled
by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
The violent crimes of mur
der, forcible rape, robbery,
and aggravated assault,
which collectively represen
ted 10 percent of the total
volume of Index offenses,
increased five percent. The
more voluminous property
crimes of burglary, larceny
theft, and motor vehicle theft
were up two percent.
1 1
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Cemetery, Grave Markers 676-9600
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pg
1 BUSINESS
I MACHLMES
v1 " 1
Service calls every Wednesday
in Heppner, lone and Lexington
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8U N. First, Henniaon Telephone 567-2731
(Chevron GLENN DEVIN
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Commission Agent
676-9633
Heppner
Morrow County
Abrrrcct & Thi Compear
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