Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1993)
TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 28, 1993 Oregon Trail programs to take us ‘back in time’ j I 1 g f f , the Wall ^ MWyn Botwi«on The cost of doing business at the national level is mind boggling. The system is also out of balance at state and county government levels. Oregon, once called a rich state, struggles with funding programs as private sector taxpayers hope to be able to stay in business. State employees’ average age of retirement is about 58 years of age compared to 64 in the private sector. According to Dave Moss, director of AOI-PAC, if the taxpayer contribution to the pension system were lowered from 16 to six percent of the payroll, as pro posed by HB 2717, the government pension system would still be richer than the average 4.6 percent contribution from those private employers who can even afford a pension plan. If the public retirement system were reformed for all employees hired after July 1, 1993, during the next biennium the state general fund could save nearly $12 million. Combined with budget savings from schools and local government, the 1993-95 savings would be nearly $100 million without adversely affecting the soundness of the retirement system. The Oregon PERS system employer-paid pension contributions are three times higher for state employees than for private employers. And that excludes many private employers who cannot afford to pro vide any pension benefits. Change In Average Full-Time Employee Pay* 1 8 0 0 ’s Historical Consultant Ricia and others model historical clothes The dust swirls around in smothering clouds, clinging to swishing skirts and shuffling feet. It stings the eyes and coats the skin. Life goes on the Oregon Trail isn’t easy, but the thought of a better life urges the emigrants on. These are the thoughts that Ricia, living history specialist, will evoke in her two programs offered in Morrow County this week. “ A Glimpse of Life on the Oregon Trail in 1843” is a free program that will be offered at Riverside High School, Board- man on Friday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. and “ Looking the Part,” a historic clothing workshop, will be given at Heppner Elementary School on Saturday, May 1, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Carpol Michael-Bennett. Mor row County Extension agent comments that the educational programs will be wonderful op portunities for families to develop interests and hobbies that build family strengths. “ Researching our history gives us a feeling of self-worth and pride.” “ Preparing for historical celebrations is a great way to get children involved in history,” M ichael-Bennett continues. “ When families are active in 1980 historical pageants and re enactments, such as Orgon Trail activities, the whole family can spend time together.” At “ A Glimpse of the Past,” on Friday evening, Ricia will ex hibit clothing from hoops worn during the civil war era to the bonnets and dresses that so clear ly marked trail travel. She will also make suggestions for ap propriate costuming for Ses- quicentennial activities. Students that enroll in "Look ing the Part” workshop on Satur day May 1. will receive specific information about planning a costume. They will learn short cuts such as how to restyle pat terns they already have, and creative “ make-do’s.” Participants are encouraged to bring accessories, fabric or costume parts they already have for questions and “ trouble shooting” . The cost for the workshop is $10 for registrations received by April 28. Registra tion forms are available at the Morrow County Extension Of fice, 420 Linden Way, Heppner 676-9642 and at the Morrow County Museum, Main Street, Heppner 676-5524. Day care kids hop to fight MD m MILLER & SONS EXCAVATING Licensed and bonded septic systems installed or repaired diversion ditches and terraces built gravel or rock hauled and spread large and small crawler tractors building sight development large and small backhoes ponds built and cleaned stream bank restoration for your guarantee of a job well done phone 676-9613 HEPPNER Construction contractors Board #72395 Children at the Heppner Day Care Center earned $500 to help in the fight against muscular distrophy. Fifteen day care children hop ped as much as they could dur ing a two-minute period on April 17 and received either pledges for the number of hops or a donation. Proceeds went to the Muscular Distrophy Association. Organizers of the event were Sue Norton and Teresa Baker. Heppner Garden Club to meet 1-800-452-7396 Lexington, Oregon 350 Main 989-8221 “I t ’s nice to have you aboard! All of us here at Alloway would like to welcome your dealership to our ever-growing National Dealer Network. When we think about the progress and growth we've ex perienced over the years, we realize it is because we have such good friends and quality dealers who are so very important to the continuing success of our company. Since we began as a small, family-owned shortline ag equipment manufacturer back in the mid-50's, our company has grown to include this complete line of agricultural implements: • • • • • • • Also on May 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the club will be sponsor ing a gardening clinic for the public and a town plant exchange in the senior center dining room. Anyone having plants to share, wanting new plants, or with gardening questions, is invited to attend. The Heppner Garden Club will meet Monday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Patrick's Senior Center. Each member is to bring a flower arrangement from the design book “ Visions of Beauty” or one of her choice. The pro gram will be critiquing these floral designs. FR A lloway * Corporate Headquarters (701) 282-7014 1990 $6,000 $ 5,000 $ 4,000 $ 3,000 $ 2,000 $1,000 $0 State 6 Local Govt Private Sector *AJjusteJ For Inflation Government Education Government Non-Education Source: American Legislative Exchange Council Rising federal and state regulations add to production costs for agriculture and other private businesses that are the heart of our economy. Voters have the right to choose the level of service, but it shouldn’t handicap private business. A local homeowner might pay around $500 in property taxes for police and fire protection, streets and sidewalks. In addition, that person must pay for utilities. Compare that to the owner of 5,000 acres with innumerable buildings that can add up to $5,000 or more in property taxes. That rural owner expects to have a navigable road to his holdings and he may be located in a rural fire district. In case of theft, the sheriff s office can be called. But if that thief were to be injured on the owner’s property, the owner could be sued, which leads to liability and other insurance costs, also a major expense. Fair share should mean that rural residents also pick up costs of a library district or a bond issue to build a new swimming pool. But that’s a mere drop in the bucket compared to financing school buildings and improvements in the district. Unions were designed to protect wage earner's rights, not dictate management terms. The Oregon Education Association was aware that measure five would severely impact school financing and lead to cutting back on programs and even the numbers of teachers. However during the recent county teacher negotiations, the union lobbied for higher salaries and benefits. At the threat of a teacher strike, the school board was coerced into granting those demands. Starting teachers aren’t overpaid, but according to the salary schedule, those with tenure are receiving salaries and benefits in the $50,000 bracket during nine months of employment. And the district projects that it will take another quarter of a million just to cover those salaries and benefits at about the same level next year. As voters ponder on the county operating levy vote in May, it’s time to consider the inequity of salary benefits between county employees, that are paid by taxpayers, and the real world of the private employer. There’s no guarantee that a private business will make enough to cover a cost-of-living raise or provide any profit margin, let alone retirement benefits. It’s up to that employer to pay his own benefits or that of his employees, if he can afford them. It's said that without adequate compensation the quality of govern ment workers would decline. In our area especially, the trade-off is job security, the local quality of life and lower standard of living costs. As suggested by the budget committee, the first cuts would have to be taken in non-mandated programs that represent a small portion of the total budget. As higher energy costs impact everyone, it’s time we faced that concern. Wage and benefit freezes are not out of line at the federal, state and county levels. Remember . .. Mother's Day Sunday, May 9th!! Many new arrivals in our fragrance dept, including: Phantom o f the Opera • Red • Bill Blass Wild Heart • White Linen - Estee Lauder Muguet des Bois • White Diamonds - Liz Taylor Bridal Tables Kristine Fishburn & David Dye Grain handling equipment Precision Row Crop Cultivators Sugarbeet equipment Seedbed preparation tools Sprayers and Band Incorporators Snowblowers Shredders We're proud of our company, our people, and the superior products that have made Alloway a leader in the industry. Welcome to the family! It’s nice to have you aboard! • Wedding - May 1, 1993____________ Lisanne Kaye Crowley & Stephen James Curriti Wedding_- May 1, 1993____________ Janet Plocharsky & Dennis Stefani by Classic Portraits ■ w flU i- B F 1 ' All Ages-lnfants to Adults Families A Couples Welcome This tree portrait is given to you with the com plim ents of this store and is limited to one tree portrait per family Additional portraits may be pur chased at reasonable prices M inors must be accom panied by parents Central Red Apple Sunday, May 2 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wedding - June 19 Kristi O ’Brien & Richard Casey Reception May 1, 1993____ Melanie Gates & Kevin Troxell May 15, 1993 M umuj ’ j D/tug 217 North Main Heppner 676-91 5B
