Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 1984)
BESSIE WETZELL U OF ORE NEWSPAPER LIB EUGENE OR 97403 VOL. 102 NO. I Over 100 roast & toast retiring police chief Retiring polk chief Dean GUman and hi wife, Mary Eleanor, have a laugh during a dinner in hit honor held at the Heppner Elks Lodge last Tuesday night. Over 100 people attended the dinner during which Dean was both "roasted" and "toasted" for his 39 years of service to the city. Area lumber mills anxious to learn outcome of lawsuit Kinzua Corporation is one of several lumber mills in East ern Oregon awaiting action on a suit filed by a group of environmentalists asking that road construction and timber harvests be stopped in road less areas in Oregon's national forests. A January 9 article from "The Oregonian." entitled "Mills await court resolution of forest roadless areas" con tains a statement from U.S. Forest Service and industry officials stating that "North east Oregon's sawmills and loggers face economic catas trophe as early as 1985 if the status of the state's national forest roadless areas isn't re solved." The lawsuit, filed in Decem ber, 1983 by the Oregon Nat ural Resources Council, indir ectly affects Kinzua Corp. because the company has tim ber contracts in roadless areas in the Umatilla National Forest. Kinzua's General Manager Harry Kennison said the com pany presently has about 75 million board feet of timber under contract in roadless areas in the Umatilla National Forest. Kinzua has had sever al recent lumber sales from timber in the Umatilla Nation al Forest, and have several other proposed sales in the roadless area "which look very attractive to us," Ken nison said. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court, and according to 'The Oregon ian'i" article, no action has been scheduled on the court's dockets. During 1978, a RARE II (Roadless Area Review Eval uation) study was conducted nationwide the second of two such studies - to determine which areas should be clas sified aa wilderness areas, explains Heppner District Ranger Ben Siminoe. All areas in the Heppner Ranger District were designated for resource development use in THURSDAY. JANUARY It, 1M4 " - ih stead of wilderness, and the environmentalists were not pleased, he said. Siminoe said the same prob lem has been solved in other states through legislation. There have been several wild erness bills for Oregon areas, but none have passed Con gress. Over 52.000 acres of roadless areas in the Heppner Ranger District are involved in the suit: Texas Butte, Hell's Half Acre, Kelly Prairie, Skookum, Potomus and Bologna Basin, Siminoe said. Kennison stated that if the issue isn't resoloved soon, or In the lumber industry's favor, Kinzua will probably have enough lumber to operate for Objections to school closure policy aired at board meeting By JUDY MILLER ENTERPRISE EDITOR Board members were asked to consider a third policy draft on school closures Monday evening at the January Mor row County School Board meeting held at Sam Board man Elementary in Board man. Objections in wording in the draft concerning a public hearing for the board to hear oppositions to a schools closure as well as reasons in favor of closure were made by lone resident, Paul Tews. The board agreed to reorder the draft for greater clarity and to also clarify who might vote in a district straw poll to be conducted before a final closure decision was made. The redrafted policy will again be considered at the February meeting. In other business: The board hear a presenta Morrow County's PAGES another year or year and a half. "But then we're really going to be in a bind." Kennison thinks Congress will have to become involved in the case, and "needs to make a decision on managing wilderness areas so we can get on with life. "The environmentalists don't want any action in wild erness areas. Our position is that the wilderness areas need to be managed properly for all uses: wildlife, lumber and recreation," the manager said. "There's enough public in terest shown that we could come up with a good com promise," he concluded. tion promoting the Umatilla Educational Service District's (E.S.D.) instructional media services. Teaching aids such as films, charts, models, video tape equipment and much more are available to teachers for classroom use through the service. Repair of school audiovisual equipment costing only the price of repair parts is also offered by E.S.D. Equipment and personnel for the benefit of students with special needs can be provided as well. Consensus was the service is worth the $63,500 the district is paying per year. Regarding the proposed four percent state sales tax, Dist. Superintendent Matt Doherty said, "the sales tax issue has received the right number of votes to apiear on the next ballot." Board consideration was given to the question of a CD Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper 25 Cattlemen taking action in response to review Hundreds of calls have been coming to the Portland head quarters of the Oregon Cattle men's Association in reaction to the editorial in the January 8 "The Sunday Oregonian." titled "Ranchers Riding Roughshod Over Public Re sources." according to Donald Ostonsoe. executive vice president of the association. "Our people are furious, angry, and disappointed be cause a distorted, unfair and prejudicial picture has been painted of the way cattlemen are earning their livelihood." said Ostensoe. The Oregon Cattlemen's Association, representing more than 3.000 ranchers of the cattle industry, generates more than $1 billion to the Oregon economy, he added. The cattle industry is the largest seg ment of the state's number two industry, agriculture. "The Oregonian" article re views a book written by Den zel Ferguson titled. "Sacred Cows at the Public Trough." Ostensoe said that for a nm- d ber of years Ferguson has been carrying on. not too factual or accurately, a ven detta against Western ranch ers, making allegations which are unsubstantiated and inac curate. In part, the article states: "Ten years of research on the effects of livestock grazing on public lands in the West gave the Fergusons this pic ture of the stockmen's legacy: "billions of tons of topsoil needlessly washed from fed eral land, prompting massive taxpayer investments to con tain the damage. - "destruction of fish and waterfowl populations through cattle-caused water pollution and loss of ground cover. - "poisoning of public land with thousands of tons of herbicides paid for by taxpay ers to kill sagebrush thought to interfere with cattle. - "a publicly financed war against the original inhabit ants of the range that in one 36-year period claimed the policy to include a salute to the flag in opening ceremonies of school functions. Consesus was flag salutes cannot be mandatory but are preferred. No action was taken. - Concerning the make-up of the 1984-85 school calendar, the board chose not to include Martin Luther King day as a school holiday. - Board members Bob Bird of Irrigon and Pat Wright of Lexington were appointed as a study group to consider the need for an additional bus to transport special activity students in the morning. Re commendations will be brought to the board next meeting. - There was unanimous agreement to hire Gordon Orr as custodian in Heppner fol lowing the promotion of Paul Warren to a head custodial position. HEPPNER. OREGON lives of 23.903 bears. 7.255 mountain lions. 477.104 bob cats and Iynz. 2.8 million coyotes. 50.283 red wolves and 1.574 lobo wolves, Ostensoe said the associa tion wouid offer a full response concerning this article to "The Oregonian" editorial page presenting the cattlemen's point of view. The Oregon cattle executive said. "I regret The Oregon ian' has chosen to defame Oregon's cattle industry dur ing a period of severe depres sed cattle prices and. for some, a financial crisis which already has forced hundreds of family cattle operations out of business. The majority of Oregon's ranchers are shock ed, dismayed, and disappoint ed in 'The OregonianV position." An executi-ve committee meeting will be held in Port land on Friday, Jan. 20. At that time a response to the article will be discussed and v Emitted to "The Oregon ian." according to Wayne Evans of Heppner. second vice-president of the O.C.A. Results of A.S.C.S. Comm. election announced Results of a December 5 election of the Morrow County A.S.C.S. committee persons for 1984 have been announced by Judy Buschke, county exe cutive director of the A.S.C.S. office in Heppner. Named to committee posts in the mail balloting were: Douglas Drake, Heppner wheat rancher, committee member elected to a three year term; Steve Hill, Lexing ton area wheat rancher, elect ed to a one year term and will serve as vice-chairman; and George W. Miller, who was elected last year for a three year term will serve as chair man in 1984. Also elected this year were Clint Carlson, first alternate, and John Kilkenny, lone school plans Parent - Community Day lone Junior-Senior High School will be holding its annual Parent-Community Day on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Parents and members of the community are invited to at tend school that day in place of students in grades seven through 12. Shortened classes will be held through the morn ing and early afternoon, fol Urban growth workshop slated There will be a workshop on urban growth for City Plan ning Commission members Drama production postponed By JUSTINE WEATI1ERFORD The group of local citizens interested in producing dramas for the enjoyment of Morrow Co. residents have agreed not to offer their first show, "The Thurber Carni val." this Thursday and Fri Weather by the City of Koznek, Co. Court negotiate clinic's rental agreement By MARY ANN CERULLO The controversy over Hep pner's South Morrow Medical Ginic's rental agreement may have been settled in Morrow County Court last Wednesday. Dr. Clair Koznek, physician at the clinic, and his wife, Doris, came before the court in response to a letter from county council, informing them that the clinic's rent was increasing to $600 in February. Koznek is currently paying $450 per month. "One of the reasons we are here is that we feel the jump from $450 a month to $600 a month is excessive," Koznek told the court. He went on to explain that he had understood that the rent was to be renegotiated in January before any changes were made. "I had hoped that I would get the same arrangement as Dr. Gifford had had. It was also my . understanding that the building (clinic) was there to attract a physician," said Koznek. second alternate. Buschke said farmer com mittees are in charge of local administration of national farm programs. At least one committee .member and two alternates are elected each year. The faimer receiving the largest number of votes is elected to a three-year term, second largest, a two-year term if the position is vacant; third largest, a one-year term if the position is vacant and fourth and fifth largest, one year terms as alternates. Buschke said that last year more than 75 percent of all farmers in the county partici pated in one or more of the programs administered by the A.S.C.S. committee. lowed by time for conferences with teachers. Lunch will be available. Pre-registration materials will be mailed to parents the week of January 23 and will be available to the general com munity at the school and at local businesses, said spokesperson. a and City Council members. It will be held on January 23, at 8 p.m. at Heppner City Hall. day nights. The group of enthusiasts who have been practicing rather regularly met early this week and reached the decision to put off the pro duction. If they are able to make arrangements for a lat er date, it will be announced in the Gazette-Times. Heppner "As it stands, the cost of $600 is not in line ... I don't think that any other physician occupied that building and paid any more than $450 a month," he continued. "The equity established in the clinic by Dr. Gifford should be taken into consider ation," said Doris Koznek. "Are you interested in pur chasing the clinic?" asked Judge Don McEUigott. The interest is there, I won't say it isn't, stated Koznek. He explained that because of finances, including the ad dition of a new physician's assistant the purchase of the clinic cannot be immediate. McEUigott suggested that the rent for the clinic could be put toward purchasing it. "I wouldn't be opposed to applying part of the rent to ward purchasing it (the clinic)," commented Com missioner Irv Rauch. "We were told that the county court would be gen erous, and a rent of $160 per month was overly generous ... but then it jumped to $450 ... No repairs had been done to the clinic when we moved in," said Mrs. Koznek. McEUigott admitted that repairs should have been made. "Obviously we have to com C.B.E.C. warns customers of high electric bills Columbia Basin Electric Co op this week warned of a large number of customers that may receive unusually high power bills in the month of January. The high bills are the result of an extremely cold period during mid and late Decem ber. The bills for this period are not mailed until February 1 because cf meter reading dates. Baby where The first baby to be born at Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner in 1984 has yet to make an appearance. No one knows who he or she will be New officer joins local police department V ! - i ' " ' ' f Mdi i ill inlli-ri finil)lHiiiii).in;.jnliuJ Gary E. Bingham A new police officer, Gary E. Bingham. 32, has joined the Heppner City Police Depart ment. Bingham, who started his new job January 12. comes to Heppner from North Bend on the Oregon Coast. There he High Low Preclp. Sncv Tues.,Jan. 10 51 30 .13 Wed.. Jan. 11 47 28 Thurs..Jan. 12 39 28 Fri..Jan. 13 30 15 .03 1" , Sat.. Jan. 14 28 12 V Sun.. Jan. 15 32 14 trace ? Mon..Jan. 16 26 10 trace " promise," stated Rauch, "If we raised the rent to $500 could you live with it?" "Well, if forced to," Koznek said. McEUigott then offered to bring the clinic "up to snuff" in addition to the $500 a month for a year. "We do consider you an asset to the community," the Judge told Koznek. After taxes, the return on the clinic would be $345 at $500 per month, figured Commis sioner Warren McCoy. A tenative agreement was made between Koznek and the court with a time limitation to be settled at a later date. The agreement is to include Koz nek providing the janitorial services, the county to up grade the clinic's interior, and the rent will be raised to $500 a month. "Joe Gifford had built up equity in it (the clinic). AH I want to do is pay on what's owed,'?- stated Koznek after the meeting. "If I can just buy the thing we can get this entire problem out of the way," he concluded. In other business, Tom Wel burn of Blue Mountain Electric met with county court to discuss a billing statement for rewiring work he is doing for the County Road Depart ment. Fred Toombs, C.B.E.C. manager, states that review of individual accounts tied with billings for wholesale power , from Bonneville Power Ad ministration indicated that almost all bills will be higher than normal. In addition to the cold snap, all users are reminded of the rate increase that went into effect with the December bil ling, Toombs said. are you but one thing is for sure, P.M.H.'s first baby of 1984 will be welcomed by many gifts of cash, gift certificates and other prizes. was a reserve police officer for almost four years, the last three as sergeant. He also worked as a part-time dis patcher in North Bend. The new officer was born in Coos Bay and has always lived in the bay area, except from 1970 to 1976, when he was in the U.S. Army. Later he ser ved with the National Guard for four years while in Coos Bay. Bingham's family, his wife Jenny, and daughters SherryT eight, and Joann. four, plan to move to Heppner in a few months. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, camping, bowling, golf, softball and racquetball. "I really like it here." he said.
