Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 1993)
B ' S S l F. U CF V E T Z E L Wallowa judge talks about public lands ORE ” E W S l A t ER i. I ? £ U Q £ N E O K & 7 4 ’ 1 VOL. 112 NO. 50 10 Pages Wednesday, December 15, 1993 Morrow County Heppner, Oregon Vandals strike Willow Creek park again The Willow Creek Park van dals are at it again, but this time with more serious consequences. Park district caretaker Vern Keithly said that sometime bet ween 6 p.m. Friday. Dec. 10 and 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, van dals did $1,319 in damage. ‘*1 don’t know how many times I’ve dragged the tables out of the lake,” said Keithly. But this time, they not only threw the tables in the lake, they ripped part of the roof off the restroom, shattered the rain gutters, kicked the wooden panels down in the restroom, cut the screens with knives, tore the toilet seat off, tore down a rail fence, rolled the parking logs down the hill to the bank and tore signs down. The Willow Creek Park District and the Chamber of Commerce are together offering a $200 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible. Punch card winners announced This week’s winners in the Christmas Punch Drawing are: Diane Britt ($25 gift certificate to Morrow County Grain Growers), Scott McMillan (Gardner’s Men’s Wear), Jim Lankford (Court Street Market). Lola Pet tyjohn (Peterson’s Jewelry), Lee Chambers (Country Rose), and Pat Gentry (Murray’s Drug). There’s only one more week to enter the punch contest. On Tues day Dec. 20 six more *25 gift cer tificate winners will be drawn, as well as one grand prize entry where a single person will win *600 in gift certificates. All en tries throughout the four week contest will be entered in the grand prize drawing. Enter the punch contest at any of the 12 participating businesses. Mike McGuire appointed to city council Heppner Postmaster Mike Public lands was the topic for Wallowa County Judge Arleigh Isley when he spoke at the Mor row County Livestock Growers annual meeting held Friday, Dec. 10 at the Heppner Elks Club. Isley said that county state and federal governments all share responsibility for public land and all three should share in the management, maintenance and improvement of it. The government entities, however need the help of ran chers and others who live off the land, because unmanaged rangeland deteriorates rapidly. ‘‘Take away the livestock and you remove the incentive for im provement,” he said. Isley also emphasized that the Constitution guarantees that laws can be enforced. “ If you own a piece of land, somebody else shouldn't be able to tell you how to use that land. But the world is run by people who show up to be heard.” “ We’re at war,” said Isley. “ There’s too much to be lost. But if we don’t want bloodshed, we can work it out through diplomacy. We can’t afford to let them win, or there’ll be blood in the streets when we run out of food. Poverty does not promote conservation. Agriculture has created more wetlands and more multipurpose use of lands than ever before in history.” “ The Bill of Rights belongs to the people,” he said. “ People have laid their lives on the line for rights that we’re letting slip. The Indians learned before we did that the people in Washington aren’t always honest.” Arleigh Isley “ Those rights,” he continued, “ give us the opportunity to preserve our European culture as well as the Indian heritage. We have to stand up for those rights. We must build a coalition to meet common goals.” Fred Otley, Oregon Cat tlemen’s Association president elect, who also spoke during the afternoon program, told the livestock growers that they need to take a leadership role. “ The thing we all need to do is a darn good job at home,” said Otley. “ We waited for the govern ment to come and tell us what to do. We can’t do that anymore,” he added. Otley presented a slide show on resource practices in riparian areas in Central Oregon and the John Day region. Fred Obermiller, Oregon State University professor and Exten sion economist, spoke on Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt's propos ed rules on^grazing and water rights. Because Babbitt’s proposals are so extremely set against the livestock owner, Obermiller said that they may be an attempt to establish more middle-of-the road regulations, once compromises are achieved. Obermiller was also guest speaker at the dinner that evening. Buttercreek ranchers Frank Mader and his daughter Shannon Rust addressed the group on their “ fly-in for freedom” blitz on Washington, D.C. as part of the Alliance for America coalition. “ There needs to be en vironmental impact assessments of government policies that im pact our lives,” Mader told the group. “ Too many people sit on the sidelines until a particular issue ‘bums them’.” Mader also cautioned that too much land is going out of private ownership and the endangered species act threatens to “ regulate us all.” He said that counties should adopt laws to protect the rights of ranchers. During the afternoon business meeting Kevin Hughes, Mark Rietmann, Tom Currin and Bill VanSchoiack were elected to the board of directors. , Following the afternoon meet ing a social hour with hors d'oeu vres was prepared by Wayne Philen for the Oregon Beef Coun cil. The social hour was hosted by Farm Credit Services. The evening dinner featured prime rib prepared by Philen with the help of local cattle women. Burke arrested in shooting incident Vernon R. Burke, 42, 140 S. Chase St., Heppner, has been ar rested in connection with the Dec. 8 shooting of Gerald J. Buckmaster, 36, also of Heppner. Heppner Police Chief Doug .vdthbun said he received a calf at 8:40 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 with a report of shots fired. When Rathbun arrived at the scene, he found Buckmaster, who had been shot in the stomach, lying on the sidewalk at Burke’s residence. According to Rathbun. Burke had fled the scene and hid along Willow Creek. The Morrow County Sheriff s deputies joined the searchassisted by their police dog. Rathbun said that he arrested Burke at 10:30 p.m. when Burke returned to the scene of the crime. Buckmaster was transported to Pioneer Memorial Hospital and is listed in fair condition at Oregon Health Sciences University. Rathbun said that Buckmaster has already undergone several surgeries. Police have not yet been able to talk with Buckmaster because of his condition. Burke, was arraigned Monday, Dec. 13 on charges of menacing and assault III. He is being held in Benton County Jail. Advisory committee supports 7-12 school Willow Creek Park District board member Bob Kahl looks over damage to restroom Bank of EO pays dividends The Bank of Eastern Oregon recently paid a $1.50 per share dividend to owners of record as of December 1, 1993, according to bank president E. George Kof- fler. The dividend paid was $219,000. This dividend represents one of the largest paid in the bank’s history, Koffler said. “ Due to the increased demand for Bank of Eastern Oregon bank stock there is currently no stock available through BEO Securities, Inc. Because of the bank’s strength and earning power the stock has been in great demand,” Koffler reports. Craft fair set at Cecil Store By Anne Morter An open house and “Christmas Memories” Craft Fair will be held this weekend at the Cecil Store December 17-19. Hours for the open house are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Refreshments and door prizes will be featured as well as many local crafts people displaying their beautiful Christmas crafts. Alumni tourney set Dec. 1-Jan. 2 The Heppner Alumni Basket- ball/Volleyball tournament will be held Dec. 31-Jan. 2 at the Heppner junior high and high schools. Basketball competition will begin Friday afternoon. Dec. 31, at 1 p.m. at the high school. Women’s volleyball will begin at 10 a.m. at the junior high. A special evening is planned for Saturday with a dinner and live entertainment at the Elks McGuire was appointed to the Heppner city council at its regular meeting Monday, Dec. 13. McGuire will serve the re mainder of the term vacated by former councilmember LoRayne Bowman, who moved to the Portland area. Her four-year term will expire Dec. 31, 1994. Bowman resigned Oct. 31. There’s still time to purchace Heppner city manager Gary your oranges and grapefruit from Marks said that McGuire has the Heppner Lion's Club/Sorop- previous council experience, ser timist fruit sale. ving on the Amity city council. Anyone wishing to purchase The Heppner area school district advisory board voted Monday, Dec. 13 to recommend a proposed grade 7-12 configura tion for Heppner Junior High and High School. If the plan is approved by the school board and funding is ap proved in the March 1994 elec tion, the plan could be in effect for the 1995-96 school year. Under this proposal, grades seven and eight, now schooled at Heppner Junior High, would move up to the high school. Grades five and six, now in the same building on a different level, would move to new classrooms at the Heppner Elementary School building. In addition to building new classrooms at the elementary school, the move would probably necessitate building a new cafeteria/kitchen at the elemen tary school and adding on to the gym and art room at the high school. Blocking off the street separating the elementary and junior high schools and between the high school and vo-ag/woods building may also be necessary. The present middle club. Proceeds from the basketball tournament support Heppner youth activities and scholarships. This past year the alumni associa tion supported the Hilda Yocom scholarship fund, Mike Currin scholarship fund, HHS trophy By Anne Morter case fund, and a basketball clinic The Creative Care Preschool for Heppner youth. will offer one final Saturday of The public is invited to attend Christmas gift wrapping on all alumni events. Saturday, December 18 at the lone City Hall. Gifts will be wrapped in festive holiday paper designed and created by the children of fruit should call Steve Rhea at Creative Care Preschool. Hours Van Marter and Kahl Insurance are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 676-9113 or Joyce Hughes at the service is free but donations are Heppner Gazette-Times gladly accepted. 676-9228. Oranges and grapefruit still available lone preschool offers giftwrap school/junior high school would probably be demolished and turn ed into additional playground space. However, HMS teacher Barb Orwick suggested keeping the kitchen/cafeteria at the present site and using the second and third levels for storage, thereby avoiding destruction of the building, built around 1913. District superintendent Chuck Starr said that the proposed changes would probably cost in the neighborhood of $500 thou sand, as opposed to the $2 million required to build a new junior/middle school at the pre sent site. With a new building, bond figures were estimated at $19.5 million. Advisory board member Wayne Evans said he felt voters would not have approved the $19 million figure. Most of the members, .the board and the audience were favorable to the plan. However, some concerns were raised about potential problems that may oc cur when seventh and eighth graders are placed in a high school setting. HHS principal Steve Dickenson said that while lockers for 7th and 8th graders could be separated from those of the older students and lunch periods staggered, intermingling really can’t be prevented. “ The classroom configuration would make total separation really dif ficult,” he said. Offsetting class time (having different class times for 7th and 8th graders) would create a noise problem with some students in class while others are passing in the halls. Offsetting lunch periods would be possible, but would create longer lunch times and increased labor for the kitchen staff, and. as a result, in creased costs, said Dickenson. Starr said that another option is to build a community kitchen, and transport the food to the schools in the community. Starr also outlined a proposal for staffing the 7-12 configuration which would result in a loss of six fulltime teachers, from 23 to 17. Cuts would be based first on seniority and then on compenten- cy. He said that because of budget constraints caused by Ballot Measure 5, the district faces loss of staff whether or not the 7-12 proposal is approved. He said that he anticipates $800 thousand less in the budget because of reduced revenues and increased costs. Similar 7-12 proposals have been made for both Boardman and Irrigon. Many Irrigon residents have indicated that they want their own high school. Ir rigon and Boardman high school students now attend Riverside High School in Boardman and junior high students attend Col umbia Junior High School in Irrigon. Because of a growth in student numbers in Boardman and Ir rigon, additional classrooms would be built at both sites, along with other additions and remodeling. Boardman-Irrigon schools together now employ 47.5 full time equivalent teachers. The projected needs would require 1.5 fewer teachers. Classified employees would suffice with additional custodial time for the new rooms. There would be a possible increase of required activity supervision at both Irrigon and Boardman. However, the increased cost may be covered by a reduction of ac tivity travel, both local and in the league. Since the high school population would be split, they would be moved from class 3A to Class 2A ranking, the same league as Heppner High School. Under the new proposals. Irrigon and Boardman schools would each have around 335 students and Heppner 227.
