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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 1979)
The Heppner vj?FkLin n 11 mr 11 hfiiiccs) Morrow County's Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper i Drive carefully this weekend VOL. 97 NO. 45 THURSDAY, November 8, 1979 12 pages 20 cents HEPPNER, OREGON vers Dfw f r V. j S x w b um ii 11 in mhm Jl -.. - - - Larry Mills, left manager of the Morrow County Grain Growers, and Ken Kreuger, vice president of the Bank of Cooperatives in Spokane, at the Grain Growers annual meeting Monday at the fairgrounds. tion hit as No, 1 issue Influ About 250 persons attending . ? the Morrow County' Grain Growers annual meeting Mon day night at the fairgrounds enjoyed a very special roast beef dinner, then heard a banker from Spokane attack inflation as the nation's No. 1 economic problem. The dinner was served in the fairgrounds exhibit pavilion by members of the lone Grange. The speaker was Ken Krue ger of Spokane, vice president of the Bank of Cooperatives. Krueger cited the rise of the prime rate the lending rate that major banks give to preferred borrowers to more than 15 percent. "The banks are trying to scramble around to find funds. Some banks have already closed their loan windows to certain types of accounts," he said. Krueger mentioned a 58 point drop in stock market averages "representing a pa-. per loss of $55 billion," and an unemployment figure of 6.7 million, six percent of the labor force. J vi f s n i. Al Bunch, retiring director of the Morrow County Grain Growers, holds the desk pen set with which he was presen ted at the annual meeting Monday. "If I were Jimmy Carter or anyone else, I don't think this is the year to be running," he added. He said farmer-owned co operatives are finding their y costs increasing without cor responding gains in sales. With the full impact of inflation, he said, the coopera tives are faced with higher levels of debt and attaining net income at the expense of capital. Kreuger stres; id the impor tance of cash flow analysis. He said his organization is trying to aid the cooperatives to counteract inflation by in creasing the export market and finding better transporta tion facilities. "You have to know the rate of return and find the hidden costs. You have to analyze the market feasibility. You can't rely on seat-of-the-pants judgement." Krueger lauded the Morrow County Grain Growers as having "exceptional manage ment and an excellent board." Gene Majeske, president, conducted the proceedings. Larry Lindsay, secretary, read the minutes of last year's meeting in which the interna tional wheat market was discussed. Steve Green, C.P.A. of Green & Green, gave the auditor's report as an intro duction to the financial state ment. The statement for the year ending May 31, 1979, reflects a gain of $134,045 in net earnings over the prior year $294,032 compared to $60,987. Larry Mills, manager, re ported on the "golden pile of wheat beside the North Lex ington elevator." He said the speed of the harvest reduced to 15 to 20 days from a former 35 to 40 days resulted in the necessity to store wheat on the ground. Part of the problem, he said, is the lack of terminal storage facilities in Portland because of current market conditions. In the organization's cur rent modernization program, the Hogue-Warner elevator on the Columbia River, between Boardman and Irrigon, is (Continued on Page 2) 'Heroin not dangerous9 Drug committee member gives reasoning for re-classifications The following is the second article of a two-part series on the proposed re-scheduling of drugs by the Controlled Sub stances Committee. Glenda Anderson is a mem ber of the Controlled Substan ces Committee. She gives the reasoning behind the commit tee's recommended changes. Glenda Anderson is the one person from the general public chosen to be on the Controlled Substances Com mittee along with three doc tors and three pharmacists who are all "middle-aged men" she said. Anderson said one member is the Oregon State Board of Pharmacy president and ano ther is from the Oregon State University medical school. "Our task," she said, "was to re-classify drugs not by emotion but by using 1979 information from the scienti fic community on the potential risks of certain drugs. We placed a strong emphasis on science and not emotional opinions. She said all of the u. were looked at under the same criteria for their effects with maximum abuse. "Heroin is not all that dangerous," Anderson said, "as long as nothing is added to it. Statistics say three percent of any population are addicted ! to heroin whether it is controlled or not. "The strict penalites now do not deter the drug users," she continued. "Because the drugs are sold underground, they are high priced and crimes are committed to get the drugs. If the drugs were available in a pharmacy, they would be safer and cheaper for the drug user." Anderson said the public has had bad information about drugs. If the public used reason and logic and they really cared about people with a drug problem, they would see the drug users should not be treated as criminals, An derson said. "We (the committee) do not endorse drugs," she said. "The drug users have a problem and it does not help by making them an outlaw. The users cannot seek help from society because what they are doing is illegal. Jail does not cure the drug addict." She went on to say society should allow less consequen ces on these people with a problem. "Let's not make criminals out of sick people," she said. "The criminal justice system cannot handle this medical problem because it is inade quate," just like the medical system should not handle a criminal justice problem. Anderson said Oregon was the first state to decriminalize less than one ounce of mari juana in 1973. The result, she said was fewer people in jail and no noticeable increase in the use of marijuana so people should not necessarily worry that down-classifying other drugs will increase their use. "To lock in ignorance is no way to solve the problem," Anderson said. "It's like hiding your head in the sand." Anderson said use of the drugs will still be illegal but the penalites will be reduced. She said programs like the use of methadone, to help heroin addicts kick the habit, may be used to help other drug users. She added that law enforce ment officials should concen trate and enforce more impor tant laws like rape, robbery and murder. Federal laws will still rule supreme, according to Ander son, even if the committee's recommendations do become state law, but in practical use, the federal organizations will not have time to prosecute drug cases in federal courts so the state law will be the one that is used. "Most of our (the commit tee's) support has come from private citizens," Anderson said. "The D.A.'s (district attorneys) have been the most negative and that is under standable because strict laws make their job easier. "But to pursue the drug users is not what we should want," she said. "We want to help those sick people with their medical problem." r 4' ft ,i :s. mi, ,1111 V I Jf" k X Denny Smith will seek the Republican nomination for congressional representative from this district. Republican hopeful faces Rep. Ullman Local rescuers aid wounded hunter A Redmond man was shot last week while hunting 25 miles southeast of Heppner and he was in critical condi tion for awhile but nurses at St. Anthony Hospital in Pen dleton say now that he is going to be all right. Norman L. Garbutt was shot by his hunting partner acci dentally and he probably would not be alive today if it weren't for the efforts of some local people, according to Sheriff Larry Fetch. Garbutt was shot while he Property taxes due later than usual The Morrow County tax assessor's office is loaded with work because of the legisla ture's new tax relief program and therefore taxpayers will have until Dec. 15 instead of Nov. 15 to pay property taxes. According to Greg Sweek, county assessor, statements will not be mailed out until the end of November because 1,100 Morrow County property owners have applied and filled out the new tax relief forms. The assessor has to work out a separate tax rate for those applicants which, "almost doubles our tax load," Sweek said. Sweek added that of the 6,000 county accounts, 2,000 were eligible for the new tax relief program and 1,100 applied for it. He said the relief is strictly for homeowners who own and live in their own home. The state will pay 30 percent of the applicants tax bill because Oregon has collected a surplus in the past from income taxes so the state is giving home owners a tax break and giving the money back to the people, Sweek said. The assessor said the relief package will be computed on the fall tax statement. The relief program was approved by the Oregon legislature and will be in effect for two years, he said. Voters will decide whether to extend the pro gram in next year's general election. GarDutt was shot while he was riding through brush on horseback by his partner, Edward Elwin Barnes, also of Redmond, who thought Gar butt was an elk. The bullet entered his lower right back and emerged from his left thigh. Seven U.S. Forest Service employees who had talked to Garbutt only minutes before, were there to help the victim. Carolyn Davies, Terri Allred, Linda Carmichael, Al Burt, Bob Heiden and Kevin Saxby were in the area marking timber for sale when Garbutt rode by. The Forest Service workers radioed for help at 2:30 p.m. and the ambulance left Hepp ner to go get him at 3 p.m. The Forest Service em ployes gave first aid to Garbutt while they waited for the Heppner medical team. The medical team arrived at 4:20 and administered IV's to the victim. They left the scene of the accident at 5:15 and they hiked through the wind, fog, snow, darkness and heavy brush two miles back to the ambulance. They got to the ambulance at 6:45 p.m. They all switched positions carrying the stretch er to make it easier on the rescue team. They got to Pioneer Memor ial Hospital at 7:40 p.m. and Garbutt was transferred to St. Anthony Hospital where he is still recovering but is now out of critical condition. He was operated on that same night. The members of the medical team were Betty Curnutt and Carmen Bjella from Pioneer Memorial Hospital. Dan Mc Bride of the search and rescue team also went as did Chuck Holt, of the Heppner city police department and Harry Oakes, a deputy at the sheriff's department who was off duty that day. Sheriff Larry Fetch and Sergeant Donald McGee aided in the rescue. Denny Smith has announced that he wil seek the Republi can nomination to the U.S. House of Representatives in the second congressional dis trict in Oregon. So far, he is unopposed on the Republican ticket and wold face Rep. Al Ullman, the incumbent Democratic con gressman, in the 1980 general election. Smith made his announce ment in a series of 13 airport news conferences throughout his district on Monday and Tuesday. He cited "taxes, inflation, and government spending as the main issues in the upcom ing campaign. "It seems as though Congress proposes new programs each year to solve these problems, but the pro grams never work," said Smith. "The reason for these failures is that government refuses to face the real cause of inflation it's own deficit spending." Smith, from Salem, chair man of the board of Eagle Newspaper, a chain of week lies, stated he felt his business background and common sense would help him deal with the economic problems that are now facing the country and must be dealt with by Congress. "Government must learn to live within a budget just like the rest of us," Smith stated. "Congress cannot continue spending money year after year that just isn't there." Smith blasted Rep. Ull man's value added tax as nothing more than a national sales tax that would add at least 10 percent to the cost of all goods produced and pur chased by Americans. In the coming year, Smith feels that it will be his task to focus the voter's attention on the differences between Ull man and himself. He feels that the difference is that he believes government should be put on a fiscal diet while Ullman believes that govern ment should spend more and tax more. County fair rates 'good' New administrator Umatilla man of year A.K. "Lucky" Felt, who has assumed direction of the Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner, was named recently as Umatilla's Man of the Year at a Chamber of Commerce banquet. Felt was recognized for the four years he served as administrator of the Umatilla Hospital, the position he resigned to come to Heppner. He was also chairman of the Umatilla City Budget Com mittee. Felt and his wife observed their 36th wedding anniver sary on the day of the award. In addition to Felt, the Umatilla PhnnnJw h,rnrnH the community's Woman of the Year. Anna Puddy. a retired school, teacher invol ved in civic activities: Young Man of the, Year. Larry Clticas. banker and city coun cilman: F.ducatorof the Year. School Supt. Bud Lippold: and Businessman of the Year. Logan Beam, owner of an auto parts store. Prior to taking over man agement of the Umatilla Hospital. Felt had been in merchandizing in Hermiston and other eastern Oregon communities He became ad ministrator of the Pioneer Memoriji! Hospital effective Nov I Studded tires now okay . Motorists on Oregon's high ways may now use studded tires, the Oregon Transporta tion Commission voted at its meeting in Ontario last week. Normally, the effective date for studded tire use is Nov. 1, but because of heavy snow in the mountain areas, and the start of the hunting season in eastern Oregon, requests were received to move the date ahead. The commission asked that persons not subject to hazar dous driving conditions caused by ice or snow to forego the use of studs until they are needed because of the damage studs cause to dry pavement. The Morrow County Fair has received good marks in the 1979 Merit Ratings pre pared by the state's County Fair Commission in Salem. The inspection of the fair this year was by Margaret Fry of Hillsboro, secretary treasurer of the commission, who noted, in summary, that the annual show here was "a very small fair," with no "eye catcher" to attract attention from the road, but that it had a "a nice, little park area, places to rest, eat and visit indoors and out. (There were) many booths in the exhibit area." The report was received this past week by Delpha Jones of Lexington, chairman of the local fair's advisory commit tee. The fair scored 711 out of a possible 1.049 points in various categories rated by Fry. Her scores and comments were entered in the 1979 Merit Rating Workbook, one of which was prepared for each of the 36 county fairs in Oregon. At the outset Fry noted there were "great people working on and at the fair," and that because of a flood the grounds were wet and muddy. As a consequence of the flood, she further noted, the clean-up work took all the time, money and effort for this year. Fry lauded the community participation in the fair as represented by such organiza tions as the Cow Belles, Wheat League, churches, Lions Club, American Field Service, Epsi on Sigma Alpha, the Granges, Women for Agriculture, and the Garden Clubs. Major exhibits, in particular those of the Umatilla National Forest and Heppner Ranger District, Pioneer Memorial Hospital, Columbia Basin Electric Association and Kin zua Corporation received a total of 55 out of a possible 60 points. These organizations were commended for their support of the fair premium book in addition to their exhibits. "The 4-H end of the building is exceptional," Fry said. "Other indoor exhibits are above average; outdoor live stock exhibits below average and those in the big barn are good. "(There is) a fine assort mentof general exhibits." The fair rated high nine out of 10 points for its exhibit theme, which was "Down a Country Lane." With regard to the adequacy of signs directing traffic to the fairgrounds. Fry noted that it was "about the best adver tised rodeo from town adver tising, windows, banners, etc., in the state!" Eating facilities were noted as being "adequate," and in other notes, Fry said the breakfast served by the 4-H snack bar as "the best buy in town." J ' N4. 1 i:
