Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 9, 1994 - THREE
Letter to the Editor
Editor’s note: The following
letters to the editor were submit
ted by the Heppner Middle School
students o f Jannie Allen's sixth
grade class.)
Dear Editor:
I think Tonya Harding is guil
ty. But even if she is guilty I think
she should go to the Olympics
because she is a good skater.
Then after the Olympics she can
deal with the authorities. If Tonya
Harding doesn’t go to the Olym
pics America might not get the
gold medal.
Sincerely,
___________(s) Darrin Ployhar
Dear Editor:
Lately the fairgrounds has been
changed and it seems to me it’s
crowded. The rodeo grounds had
been tom down and rebuilt. I lik
ed the way the grandstands were
behind the announcer and have
the grandstands go all the way
around the arena.
The 4-H beef projects have
been growing and it has been
crowded the last couple of years.
The same is true of the sheep and
pig barns. I also think there
should be more fun activities^or
the kids at the fair. We could have
cool games and make more rides
like the Hermiston fair.
Sincerely,
(s) Clint William Bellamy
Dear Editor:
Our town has a very small ac
tivity rate, for teen and pre-teens.
We used to have a swimming
[ttol and a roller skating rink.
Now the pool is broken down and
during the summer we roast. Peo
ple say “ Just go to the lake,” but
who knows, the lake may be
disease infested. Others say, “ Go
to the pool in lone,” but that’s the
catch, lone is 18 miles away and
some parents don’t have time to
go and watch their children.
The roller skating rink was fun
for all ages. It also gave children
things to do and to stay out of
trouble.
Now all we have is the arcade.
Some people don’t let kids to
there because in larger cities most
gang activity is found in arcades,
and it may happen here.
I suggest we keep trying to
raise money for the pool. Hepp
ner doesn’t have enough money
but with the participation of
citizens and children we just
might have more activities for
people of all ages.
Sincerely,
______ (s) Laurie Ann Michael
Dear Editor:
I think the hospital employees
should be recognized more than
they are for their efforts. The
aurses and doctors are very nice
and helpful. Often times people
don't even say thank you. These
’men and women put in countless
hours just to help us nice folks
from Heppner and surrounding
areas.
Many people, don’t even think
what it would be like without the
hospital. We would have to go to
Hermsiton or Pendleton just to
get blood taken or have a
checkup. For instance if a person
from Blake Ranch became
seriously ill, and needed medical
attention fast, one hour and forty-
five minutes is a bit far to go in
a life or death situation. Heppner
would be the closest and that per
son could get medical attention
there, and prevent his/her situa
tion from getting worse. If the
Heppner hospital wasn’t there
that person’s condition could get
very bad.
Thank you Pioneer Memorial.
____________ (s) Corey Miller
Dear Editor:
I think this stuff on Tonya Har
ding is getting old. I think she
should be forgiven and they
should let her on the team.
The reason she is the way she
is, is because her mom abused her
when she was young.
She did not know about the at
tack until after and did not tell the
police right away because she
thought her ex-husband would
beat her as he did before. All
Tonya wants is for people to
believe in her and stand by her
side. She hopes to become a
friend as well as a team mate with
Nancy Kerrigan very soon. All
she is looking for is a little
respect.
Most sincerely,
(s) Casey Ingraham
Dear Editor:
Gang activity is growing today.
People in Heppner are naive
about gangs coming to this com
munity. They are not all aware of
what our youth is doing. Not that
all of our youth is doing anything
wrong. I don’t really think that
there is a gang, but just a lot of
kids hanging out together. If one
does come, be aware.
Sincerely,
__________ (s) Mitch Mathews
Dear Editor:
I am concerned about ESPN
being taken off. It is an expensive
channel but also one of the most
watched. It gives you 24 hours of
sports each day and all the sports
scores and highlights you can
handle a day with Sports Center.
They most nights have double
headers for baseball. Big Mon
day, Super Tuesday and on some
nights triple headers.
If you are not going to keep
ESPN then hook us up to another
station that gives us the same
coverage. Give us the same kind
of coverage around the world.
Try to get a station that gives you
sports like ESPN. I don’t think
that you will find one, so let’s
keep ESPN.
Sincerely,
___________ (s) Ben Goodyear
gangs lately. Well, if we have
more teen and pre-teen activities
then if gangs do move in to town
not so many kids will join, or
maybe none at all. And you know
that if kids keep busy they are less
likely to get into trouble.
Sincerely,
______________ (s) Abby Kahl
Dear Editor:
On January 14 the sixth graders
threw me a party. It was very ex
citing. I got balloons and stuffed
animals. The reason they threw
me a party was that I was going
to Seattle for radiation treatments
for two weeks.
I want to give thanks to all the
sixth grade and to the people who
gave me cards and balloons.
Sincerely,
____________ (s) Heidi Turrell
Dear Editor:
I’m dearly amazed that kids
join gangs when they know it is
not very safe or responsible.
Haven’t they seen some real life
stories on gangs? I realize that
some of that stuff isn’t real, but
it scares me enough that I won’t
join one.
Why do kids want to be in a
gang? Because they think it might
be cool or something. The reason
I think they join them is because
of their home lives or that their
parents don’t care enough to tell
them the dangers of gangs.
We all should be aware that
gangs are moving to smaller
towns and we shouldn’t think that
it could never happen here either.
___________ (s) Amy Papineau
Dear Editor:
What has happened to our teen
and pre-teen activities?
That is the question many kids
have been asking since the pool
closed and also the roller skating
rink. Some people complain that
kids have been getting into trou
ble a lot lately. Probably about
half the kids that do get into trou
ble would behave if they had an
activity to do. I understand that
things like a pool is so expensive
Heppner can not afford it. Well
I was thinking that if anyone had
an activity in mind for the kids of
Heppner to enjoy, speak up. Tell
someone if you do have an activi
ty Heppner can afford. You
might want to try contacting the
school or the Parent’s Club.
_________ (s) Kimberly Hansen
Dear Editor:
The pool is a problem we can’t
ignore. Now we have to travel 18
miles to lone to go swimming.
The people of the pool are do
ing a great job raising money. We
needed $1.2 million dollars for
the pool they have selected and
we have collected $11,000
already. The people of the pool
have a donation bucket at Central
Market. They are working on
grants. They also want to thank
people for the money that has
been donated.
The pool is a four lane, 25 yard
lap pool. It has a water slide and
zero deep fan. The pool is located
outside but there is a therapy pool
that is 20 by 20 feet that is located
inside. It is two to three feet deep.
The main pool will be open in just
the summer, but therapy all year
around. The location of the pool
is still undecided and they hope
Dear Editor:
to have it done by the summer of
The seventh and eighth grades
'95.
are moving up to Heppner High
If you have any questions or
School. The details of this issue
donations get a hold of George
have not yet been totally decided
Naims, Skip Mathews or Kay
but it will not happen until the fall
Proctor. Donations are needed.
of 1995. There is also a bond
______________ (s) Macy Rhea
issue that is to be voted for in
March. In this issue there is
Dear Editor:
money
to build onto the grade
I am writing this letter to tell
school.
They still do not know if
you what probably needs to be
they
are
going to tear down the
done for kids’ benefit. For in
middle
school
or not. When the
stance, I asked most of the kids
seventh
and
eighth
grades are
I know and all of them said they
moved to the high school a new
wanted something to do.
gym and cafeteria will be built in
If we could all work hard
the middle school area. The high
together we can maybe get
school was built to hold people
enough money to start on the
with the seventh and eighth
swimming pool. There is going
grades we will have only about
to be a long time before we save
85 more people. If the seventh
enough money to get it started
and eighth grades are moved they
again, but the longer we wait the
will be kept apart from the ninth
longer it waits, right? So why not
and 12th grades.
start right now.
I feel that this will be very ex
From,
citing and I’m looking forward to
______ (s) Kimberly L. Marvin
the change.
Dear Editor:
Sincerely,
I would like to thank all the
____________
(s)
Trisha
Adams
coaches and referees for
Dear Editor:
volunteering their time to help
In Heppner very little is issued
Colt basketball. I think it was nice
for kids to do.
of them to give up their Saturdays
Fixing the pool is a great idea.
to help pre-teens have fun while
With our old pool every day it
promoting team work, physical
was packed full of kids and
fitness and improving skills. I ap
adults. A new pool would give
preciate them all.
kids something to do and in the
Sincerely.
future keep them off the streets.
_______ (s) Matthew Van Liew
Roller skating is another activi
Dear Editor:
ty
that is no longer available.
It seems that there are not as
R
oller
skating is fun for
many teen and pre-teen activities
everybody,
kids and adults.
anymore. Ever since they closed
Kids
in
H eppner need
the pool, there is a hole in kids’
som
ething
to
do.
Any
summer activities. I, for one got
suggestions?
bored this summer. But when the
Sincerely,
pool was still open I was not
________________
(s)
Jake Roy
bored. Sure a summer camp will
keep the ones who can afford to
go busy for a week or so. But Dear Editor:
The down town sidewalks need
when that is over what do we do?
to
be made more handicapped ac
The sooner we can build a new
cessible. By the B.P. station there
pool the better.
is a curb. I always go to the car
Roller skating was something
ramp but that’s dangerous. There
that all of my friends and I all
should be a ramp. By Coast to
looked forward to almost every
Friday. Since they are talking Coast there is another curb, only
about remodeling the fairgrounds there is no car ramp close by.
Sincerely,
then why don’t they build a new
______________
(s)
Eric
Rollis
exhibit hall and then use the old
one for rollerskating?
People have been talking about
Dear Editor:
of this, teaching a child to use
I have heard that the new
Apple He’s is kind of useless ex
owners of the Kinzua Mill might
cept for the experience in typing.
close it. I think this would be a
I suggest the school replace
bad idea because most of the peo
their Apple He’s with powerful
ple in Heppner work at the mill.
PC’s or Macintoshes. A lot of
Also the mill helps with taxes and
people like Mac computers
school money. If the mill is clos
because they are user friendly and
ed less kids would go to school
don’t have a whole lot of pro
here so teachers could ge fired.
blems. However the amount and
Then the stores would quit an
variety of software (programs)
Heppner would become a ghost
available for Mac computers is
town. They could also just lay off
much lower than that available
some people. I don’t know if
for PC’s. Also if you want to
that’s true, but if it is, it’s bad
copy a program file on a Mac you
news.
have to buy a special copy pro
Sincerely,
gram where as on a PC all you
___________(s) Chris Bowman
have to do is type the copy com
mand. The major downfall of a
Dear Editor:
PC is their incompatibility with
What happened to all of the
some programs and different
teen and pre-teen activities? Did
brands of hardware. A multitude
they all just vanish? Will we ever
of errors can occur when you buy
get them back? An even better
new products for your PC. Fix
question, when will we get them
ing it usually teaches you a lot
back?
about your computer and when
Adults say that kids get into
trouble too much. Well, one of you do get them fixed they work
very well.
the main reasons is because
My personal favorite is a PC.
there’s nothing else to do. If there
I think it would be worth it for
was something to do we wouldn’t
be getting into as much trouble.
the school to spend the money to
An example of the vanishing
purchase better computers and
activities has to do with the roller
educate kids to what they really
skating parties which used to be
will be using as they grow up. I
held once a year and now not
encourage you to try to persuade
even then. It makes money so
the school to buy new computers
why not have it?
for the middle school. After all,
Another example is the swim
what is the school going to do
ming pool. I know that some
with all the money they saved on
money has been made but let’s
the new lunch program anyway?
hurry it up and get that pool fix
(s)_______ Matt_______Jepsen
ed up and open again.
It would be nice if somebody Dear Editor:
I’m writing to inform people
who has some extra time would
organize a sporting activity like what will happen when the
seventh and eighth grades move
tennis, soccer or badminton.
All we are asking for are one to the high school. I’ve been told
or two activities. So why can’t the work won’t be all finished un
people
take
this
into til fall of 1995 or 19%. The mid
dle school building will probably
consideration?
_____________(s) Leah Denton be tom down. The high school is
built to hold 250 people. Now
Dear Editor:
Being a kid in Heppner is pretty there are only 150 people in the
boring. Now that the swimming high school. If they move the
pool is closed kids have nothing seventh and eighth grades to the
to do in the summer. Most of us high school there will be enough
are at the age where we’re too room to hold the extra students.
young for jobs and too old for The seventh and eighth grades
playing with dolls and toy trucks. will be on separate levels than the
We are in great need of some fun nine-12 grades.
There will be more rooms built
activities.
on
to the elementary school. Also
I asked some of my classmates
if
they
tear down the middle
if they had any ideas and most of
school
building
they will build a
them said we should have roller
new
gym
and
cafeteria
where the
skating back. Some other ideas
middle
school
was.
Also
fifth and
were maybe having a kids' golf
sixth
grade
will
have
rooms
built
ing league where we could have
on
in
the
elementary
building.
golf lessons and then games. Lots
I think it would be a good idea
of people even said we should
to
move the seventh and eighth
have intcrmural sports like
grades
to the high school because
kickball and badminton. One of
the
middle
school is so old it
the most liked ideas was to have
would
collapse
if there happen
colt volleyball and football like
ed
to
be
an
earthquake.
basketball. Please help because
If you vote on this issue in
we’re bored.
March
I suggest you think of our
Sincerely,
_________(s) Stephanie Clough safety if there happened to be an
earthquake. I hope you will vote
Dear Editor:
on this issue wisely.
I am writing concerning com
Sincerely,
munity safety. This is a problem
____________ (s) Lindsay Greif
not only in big communities like
Portland but also in small com Dear Editor:
The Heppner seventh and
munities like Heppner and Lex
ington. What I am trying to em eighth graders will move to the
phasize and point out is that it high school in 1995 and the gym
really is a problem. I think that and middle school knocked
this problem exists most at night. down. I have concerns and joys
I feel scared to walk home from about this project. My concern is
about the money situation, where
a friend's house at night hours.
Because of there being no one is the school going to get enough
around I feel really helpless and money to knock down two
that something might happen to buildings and rebuild onto the
me like what happened to Polly grade school? My joy about this
is that the kids will be safer in the
Klass.
high
school if an earthquake
I feel that there should be more
should
happen.
police officers driving and walk
Sincerely
ing the streets at night because
______________
(s)
Amy
Drake
there are people out there that
take kids and sadly the people of Dear Editor:
My concern is about the teen
America finally figured it out
and pre-teen activities. What hap
when Polly Klass turned up dead.
Maybe it sounds like I'm being pened to the pool? The roller
really ridiculous about all this and skating? My friends and I were
am being paranoid, but Polly saying to each other that “ We
Klass did live in a small town like need more activities for kids
ours. I know everyone is sick of especially in the summer.”
The pool has made about
hearing that we need more police.
But maybe something can be $7,000 to $10,000. Why can’t we
done to protect the people of have some more fund raisers for
Heppner and Lexington. And the the pool?
The roller skating, why did that
law should do something to help
shut
down? That was something
get some of these people off the
enjoyed by many kids and like the
streets.
pool it was something for families
Sincerely,
_____________ (s) Kim Pointer to do.
People say that kids get into too
Dear Editor,
much
trouble. But maybe things
I am writing to state my opi
will
be
different if we have more
nion about the Heppner Middle
activities.
School’s computers. The com
Sincerely,
puter lab upstairs has mostly Ap
_________
(s)
Kristen
Marshall
ple He’s. Now these computers
weren't that bad about 10 years
Dear Editor:
ago. Today many o f your
I don't think the law really puts
children will grow up to use com
down their foot to people like
puters in their work and they will
child molesters, murderers, or
be using PC's (IBM compatible)
rapists. What I mean by that is
or Macintosh computers. Because
like Wesley Alan Dodd who kill
ed two small children in Van
couver, Washington and another
one in Seattle, Washington. He
had been in trouble all of his life.
Or like when 12 year old Pol
ly KLass was literally taken from
her home and strangled to death.
These criminals were both repeat
offenders but nothing was ever
done to them until they did
something terrible to innocent
people. Polly Klass’s murderer
will probably be let out of prison
in about four years and hie will
just do it again, and I don’t think
that’s right.
I mean some of my friends
have recently told me they are
afraid to go outside after dark for
the simple reason of being kid
napped, stalked, or even
murdered. People don’t realize
that that’s what our world is com
ing to.
Sincerely,
_____________(s) Ashely Ropp
Dear Editor:
The idea of the seventh and
eighth graders going to the high
school really surprised me at first.
I was wondering why the seventh
and eighth grades had to leave
middle school, then I found out
the reason why, to save money.
I went to one of the school
board meetings where Mr. Starr
was talking about the seventh and
eighth graders going to the high
school. He talked about how this
would save money and then he
said there would be teachers jobs
cut to save money.
Just think, the seventh and
eighth graders would have no
place for recess and they can’t
drive down town. The high
school teachers might expect
more from the seventh and eighth
graders since they are used to
w orking with high school
students.
Sincerely,
____________ (s) Justin Nelson
Dear Editor:
As an Oregonian and a sports
fan I would not want Tonya Har
ding to represent our country in
the winter Olympics. I think
Tonya Harding is guilty because
she called Kerrigan’s hotel and
asked what room she was in. If
she goes to the Olympics, I don’t
think the judges will forget about
the incident when she skates. I
don’t think she can live in the
same house with her ex-husband
and not know what’s going on. It
would also be bad for Harding's
career to end like this, but it
seems the right thing to do.
(s) Michael Schonbachler
Justice Court
Report
The Justice Court office at the
courthouse annex building in
Heppner reports handling the
following business during the past
week:
Richard Dean Baker, Jr., 28,
Echo-Truck Speeding, 67 mph in
a 55 mph zone, $253 fine;
Jam es Earl M orris, 45,
H eppner-Sw itched License
Plates, $223 fine; Driving Unin
sured, $223 fine;
Marvin Robert Padberg, 49,
Ione-Truck Speeding, 65 mph in
a 55 mph zone, $65 fine;
Cynthia Faye Poppe, 22,
Portland-Violation of the Basic
Rule, 41 mph in a 55 mph zone,
$37 fine;
William Joseph Kuhn, 42,
Heppner-Exceeding the Max
imum Speed Limit, 70 mph in a
55 mph zone, $97 fine.
Births
Sh een s L orrissa M oore
Sager-a daughter Sheena Lorrissa
was born to Vida Melinda Sager
of Boardman on January 25. 1994
at Good Shepherd Community
Hospsital in Hermiston. The baby
weighed 5 lbs. 12 oz.
Logan Greer Wanous-a son
Logan Greer was bom to Leatitia
and Gordon Wanous of Heppner
on January 29, 1994 at Good
Shepherd Community Hospital in
Hermiston. The baby weighed 7
lbs. 4 oz.
Aleck Janies Harsin-a son
Aleck James was bom to Olivia
Gavin and Brad Harsin of An
chorage Alaska on February 1,
1994. The baby weighed 8 lbs. 11
oz.
Grandparents are Jim and
Karen Gavin of Heppner. Great
grandmother is Maxine Cox of
Lexington. Great-great grand
m other is E lisie H uston,
Heppner.