FOI R - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 17, 1991
i b__ - g i i s
Clearcut Portland?
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
The following article from Wallowa County Chieftain was submitted by
one o f our readers.
Editor
J O N PA
=5====*
Guest editorial
By E.H. Van Blaricom
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Morrow C ounty’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
Did you ever wonder why rural Oregon has been called upon to make
nearly all of the sacrifices to “ save” our environment and provide the “ open
spaces” and recreational amenities for the urban dwellers in the Willamette
Valley?
The state Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC)
restricts rural development. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(ODFW) wants to own and control all of the water rights in the state. Oregon
Natural Resource Council (ONRC) wants all logging stopped. The Audubon
Society wants agricultural and ranch lands to become wildlife habitat. And
the Sierra Club wants all public lands to be designated as wilderness.
Something is wrong here. What sacrifices are being demanded of city
dwellers? Maybe the stresses on our environment and “ quality of life” are
being attacked from the wrong end?
Let’s take Portland and its satellite communities, for instance. Portland
hasn’t always been Portland; it was once called “ Stump City.” That means
it was once an “ ancient forest,” before it was clearcut.
Since one of the environmental battle cries is “ habitat restoration,” why
not clearcut Portland once again and replant it to a Douglas fir forest?
This sounds preposterous, but it would do more for Oregon’s environ
ment than the 1000 Friends of Oregon could do with 1000 lawsuits!
Of course we wouldn’t want Portland to be totally dismantled. That would
cause undue stress on certain species of bird and animal life that depend
on urban habitat. For example, by leaving a few of the old historical
buildings intact, pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows could continue to
thrive. Another significant exception would be to leave intact two or three
small suburban clusters of houses connected by brushy corridors. This would
ensure the survival of opossums and raccoons who have become depen
dent upon back porch dog dishes for much of their sustenance.
But perhaps the biggest impact on the environment would be from the
electricity that would no longer be needed if Portland were to be clearcut . .
Bonneville and The Dalles dams could be dismantled which would cause
Celilo Falls to reappear on the Columbia River. This might make the In
dian tribes happy, providing they could make the transition from gillnets
back to dip-nets. And what a splendid tourist attraction that would provide
for easterners visiting Orygone!
That’s only the beginning. The huge quantities of water that irrigated the
lawns and flushed the toilets in Portland would be left in the streams to
flow unmolested into the Pacific Ocean Salmon and trout would flourish,
especially when the stream banks were no longer crowded with Portland
fishermen. By the same token, once the armies of Portland hunters disap
peared from the fields and forests, game birds and animals would most cer
tainly become numerous.
Another boon to the ecosystem would occur when all of the area’s golf
courses would become wild grasslands, thus providing excellent habitat for
moles, gophers, and field mice. And since there would be no more need
for new building construction, millions of trees would be allowed to live
out their lives much to the delight of woodpeckers and insects.
By now you are probably wondering where all of these half million or
so people would go if Greater Portland were abandoned. The obvious place
would be back east where populations are in decline. A reverse migration,
as it were.
But wouldn’t that cause drastic social and economic hardships?
Not to worry. Haven’t you ever heard about retraining or welfare pro
grams for those people who fall through the cracks? Besides, adding more
population to the eastern states would help them to send more represen
tatives to Congress, thus assuring the votes to see that the forest that was
once Portland will be ever preserved.
Of course, there would be some pain to be shared by many farmers and
rural people who depend on Portland customers for their livelihood. But
if Oregon is to be returned to simpler times, before high-tech and wasteful
consumerism, who is in the best position to survive?
Rural people who know how to grub a living from the land could go back
to subsistance farming, supplemented by all the wild game and fish which
would become available from the healthy environment after all the
Portlanders are gone.
U S P S 240-420
Published ever) VS ednesdav and entered as second-class nuitter at the Post Office
ai Heppner. Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1874. Second class postage paid
at Heppner. Oregoo. Office at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone (503) 676-9128.
Address communications to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Bov 337, Hepp
ner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $15 In Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam and Grant
Counties: $23 elsewhere.
Joyce H u g h es............................................................ Office Manager. Typesetting
April Sykes ............................................................................................ News Editor
Carol Atherly ........................................................................Graphics Department
Becky Evans ......................................................................... Graphics Department
Monique P a r r e l.......................
Distribution
Penni Keersemaker.........................................................................................Bindery
Bob S m ith ...................
Printer
David and April Svkes. Publishers
Letters to the Editor
It’s going to be a HIT
To the Editor:
For years I have dreamed of a
community theater group in our area
and now it is about to happen, we
hope. I write this letter to everyone
who might want to be part of this
project. I mean everyone, for we
want all ages from pre-school to oc-
togenerians to join us.
We plan to get together Sunday,
April 21, at 3 p.m. in the dining
room o f the Heppner Senior Center
and begin plans for our first produc
tion, perhaps an old-fashioned
“ mellerdrammer” musical to be
presented in June or July.
Actors and musicians are an im
portant part of a show, but equally
important in a top-rate production
are the workers backstage who build
and paint the set, gather the props,
do lighting, costumes, make-up,
sound, publicity, ticket sales, and the
many other jobs that make the play
happen. We need you all.
If your schedule prevents your
coming Sunday but you truly want
to be with us, please call and let me
know, 676-9435.
The name of our group will be the
Heppner Intergenerational Theater,
making our initials HIT. That way
every play we do will be a HIT pro
duction.
See you Sunday, then, and bring
a friend.
(s) Jane Rawlins
Heppner
Weather Report
by City of Heppner
Tues.
Weds.
Thurs.
Fri.
Sat.
Sun.
Mon.
April 9 - 15,
High Low
50
34
49
35
58
30
62
38
68
37
55
38
52
40
1991
Prec Snow
.0
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.0
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.10
Baptism planned at Valby church
Sunday April 21, Pastor Hoobing
will celebrate the sacraments of Holy
Baptism and Holy Communion at
Valby Lutheran Church of lone at 9
a.m. Cory Robert Peterson, son of
Rick and Anita Peterson of lone will
be baptized. Phil and Kathy Carlson
will be Cory's,sponsors.
Service of Holy Communion,will
be celebratedi.pt Mope Lutheran
Church at 11 a.m. A nursery atten
dant will be available for parents
with small children.
Pastor Hoobing will deliver a
children’s sermon entitled “ Speak
With Boldness," based on reading
of Acts 4:23-33. “ The Good
Shepherd” is the theme of the mor
ning sermon based on the reading
from St. John 10:11-18.
Sunday school at Valby starts at
8:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at Hope.
Visitors and tourists are welcome
to attend services.
Rolling Hills run planned
The Heppner Rolling Hills Run
will be held Saturday, April 27
beginning at 9 a.m. at Heppner
Elementary School.
Pre-registration for the five or 10K
walk/run is requested.
The proceeds of the run will go
toward life-saving equipment for the
South Morrow County EMT teams.
Entry fee including a T-shirt and
the post-run breakfast
is $12 each for the first two
members of a family and $8 each ad
ditional member. Registration
without a T-shirt is $8 each for the
first two members of a family, and
Heppner Police
Report____
The Heppner Police department
reports handling the following
business during the past week:
April 1: 8:30 a.m.-Courteous
Driver Award to Timothy G. David
son; 6:36 p.m.-found property: 7:01
p.m.-Motorist Assist; 9:52 p.m.-
citation issued for Wrong Way on a
One Way Street.
April 2: 1:44 p.m.-Assist District
Attorney.
April 4: 10:28 a.m.-Traffic Acci
dent; 1:42 p.m.-Traffic Accident;
5:10 p.m.-report of Suspicious
Items.
April 6: 7:38 p.m.-assist Morrow
County Sheriff s department; 9:34
p.m.-False Alarm, two different
locations; 10:40-citation issued for
Driving Under the Influence of In
toxicants, No Operator’s License.
April 8: 10:23 p.m.-report of
Theft.
April 10: 3:38 p.m.-report of
Traffic Accident; 4:15 p.m.-report
of Blocked Driveway; 5:55 p.m.-
assist Morrow County Sheriff s
department.
April 11: 9-citation issued for
Violation of the Basic Rule, 64 mph
in a 25 mph zone.
April 12: 12 a.m.-Deliver a
message; 7:27 p.m .-report of
Assault; 11; 16 p.m.-report of Loud
Party.
April 13: 11:40 p.m.-request of
ficer for Security Check.
April 14: 12:03 a.m.-request of
ficer for Security Check; 4:30 p.m.-
Animal Complaint
$7 each for each addi
tional member.
Runners should pre-register to
guarantee gening a T-shirt. Registra
tion packets, T-shirts and late
registration will be available from 7
to 8:30 a.m. at the school. Pre-run
instructions will be given at the star
ting line and the race will start at 9
a.m.
“ The course is over rolling hills
and offers variety to both novice and
experienced
ru n n e rs,”
say
organizers. Runners will start at the
school, loop up and back along
Heppner-Pilot Rock Highway and
finish at the Heppner City Park.
There will be two aid stations and
time splits.
Age splits are 0-7; 8-10, 11-13,
14-19. 20-24, 25-30, 31-34, 35-40,
41-44. 45-50, 51-54, 55-60 and 61
and over. Plaques will be awarded
to the oldest male and female
finishers over all. Plaques will be
awarded for first place male and
female in the 5 and 10K runs. Rib
bons will be awarded to the first
three in all age divisions in both
distances. Awards and door prizes
will be given at the post-race
breakfast. Door prize winners must
be present to claim door prizes. Call
676-5152 for registration forms or
more information.
Port o f Portland
Stands In The
Way
IV i
■tv
Former State Senator Mike Thome
tlVi
faces the greatest challenge of his life.
The Pendleton wheat rancher is now
director of the Port of Portland-captain
.1.*
of a sinking ship.
o
For years Mike has represented
r>
Eastern Oregon interests in the Oregon
legislature. Sometimes he was able to
forge an effective bridge between the
two major parties to settle a battle in
By Ed Glenn
the persistent war between liberal
Western Oregon and conservative
Eastern Oregon. Generally a conser
vative democrat is ignored by both parties, but Mike often used his party
status and his political orientation to assemble an effective coalition.
Now, at the Port of Portland, Mike has a new set of dual alliances. To s3
promote the interests of the Port of Portland, Mike will necessarily be work
ing against the interests of his Eastern Oregon homeland. Eastern Oregon’s
best interest lies in dismantling the Port of Portland. Watching his work
reveal his true loyalty will be great sport in years to come.
The Port has long been Oregon’s ocean freight connection to the rest
of the world. Even in the days of tall sailing ships, ocean freighters toiled
up the 100 miles of Columbia River to Portland to bring foreign goods
from distant ports. Lumber and wheat were then and are now the main
goods that filled the holds on the return trip.
For the past 100 years, the Columbia River, upstream from Portland
has played a key role in the import and export of Inland Empire goods.
Wheat mostly, finds its way down the Columbia to the Pacific and ports
around the Rim. Eighty percent of the Pacific Northwest’s soft white wheat
is exported to Far Eastern ports of call.
In recent years, containerized freight such as alfalfa, frozen and dried
potato products and a whole host of others from east of the Cascades have
found their way to Pacific ports for export. But not necessarily by way
of the Columbia and Snake River barge system.
Mike Thorne’s Port of Portland stands in the way. Why?
Ocean going freights have grown bigger and faster. They now find the
grind from Astoria to Portland slow, dangerous and limiting. That 100
miles takes about 12 hours one way. The channel is both narrow and
shallow. That means a ship slightly out of the channel runs the risk of
running around. And once at Portland, some ships cannot load to capacity
because the channel is not deep enough for the fully loaded draft.
The alternative for most ocean lines is to call at Seattle. While negotiating
Puget Sound takes them about as far out of the Pacific as Portland, the
sound is faster, deeper and a full cargo can be accommodated. That alter
native is so desirable that two steam ship lines have stopped calling at ■ra
m
Portland in just the last year, leaving only three lines that do. More and
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more cargo from Eastern Oregon and the rest of the Pacific Northwest
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is shipped overland to Seattle because of the greater selection of ocean
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carriers. In fact, the Port of Portland loads a great deal of upper Columbia
ip
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River freight aboard rail cars bound for Seattle to be loaded on ocean
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freighters there. That additional overland freight cost is bom by the ship W
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per, of course, making wheat, alfalfa, potatoes and lumber all worth less
.1.
to the producer.
Another alternative exists-rcsistcd by the Port of Portland for purely
selfish reasons. Development of an effective port at Astoria would restore
the Columbia River to a major transportation link to the Pacific.
A port at Astoria would have several advantages over both Portland and
Seattle. It is much closer to the main ocean shipping lanes than either.
Mi
It would have no practical limits on draft. It would easily join with Col-
iti
HI
umbia/Snake River barge traffic.
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The practical disadvantage is that Astoria has neither suitable
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rail links to the rest of (he state.
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The political disadvantages is that development of a port at Astoria would Hi
mean an even faster demise of the Port of Portland. Now you see the ■
ri,
challenge Mike Thome faces. We’ll be watching to see where his real loyal
II!
ty lies.
AS I
SEE IT
X
Pre-school, day care receive
teaching materials
All Saints plans Italian dinner night
All Saints Episcopal Church will
host an “ Italian Dinner Night” on
Friday, May 10.
Dinner will be by reservation on
ly. There will be two serving times
5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
To make your reservation and to
purchase tickets call Marsha Ander
son, 676-5182, Suzanne Jepsen,
676-9850 or Geri Martin, 676-9970.
Strolling musicians will entertain
during dinner.
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TIME FOR
TUNE-UP
Photo by Pam Minster
L-R: Betty Carlson, Debbie Holtz and Betty Rietmann display
new teaching materials for pre-school.
The Morrow County Children and
Youth Services Com m ission
presented the lone Pre-School and
Heppner Day Care with teaching
materials from American Guidance
Services, Inc. The materials include
story books, teacher manuals for ac
tivities and song books and tapes to
promote good health, build self
esteem and help make friends.
The materials were purchased
with a grant for drug and alcohol
education. The two centers will
share them through the year.
B&C REPAIRS, INC.
422-740H
4 2 2 7418
IONE. OREGON
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