TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 2, 1994
C ounty to m ail inform ation on levy
Morrow County will send a
circular in the mail this week ex
plaining the Morrow County
budget and tax levy.
According to the circular,
residential taxes account for on
ly 11 percent of county taxes,
with commercial and industry
paying 14 percent, farm and
forest paying 16 percent and
utilities paying 59 percent.
“ We’re getting a tremendous
amount of serv ices for peanuts,”
said Morrow County Judge Louis
Carlson.
The circular says that only
$4,540,435 or 25 percent of the
total
county
budget
of
$18,235,732 would be funded by
local property taxes.
Since Morrow County is only
one of 23 taxing districts, it will
receive only a portion of the pro
perty taxes collected, although it
is the tax collecting agency for all
of the districts. The tax monies
collected by the county are
distributed to the various districts
such as cemetery districts, fire
protection districts and the library
district.
The circular further states that
44 percent of the county’s depart
ments have either had no in
creases or have decreased their
staff in the last 10 years. Nine
teen percent have had partial
position increases and 38 percent
hjjye had an increase of at least
one position. Emergency Man
agement increased five positions,
but all were completely federal
ly funded. The Sheriff s Depart
ment increased three positions
with two of those positions fund
ed by 911 revenue. Mental health
has increased one and a half posi
tions. all funded through state
grants. Andrea Denton, executive
secretary to the county court, said
that county departments have
state-m andated staffing re
quirements and if the departments
have to cut staff because of a levy
defeat, they may lose even more
funding in state grants.
While county officials fear
defeat of the levy because of the
uncertain situation at Kinzua,
they stress that a levy downfall
would only compound the situa
tion. “ County government has to
maintain itself,” said Carlson.
“ Otherwise you have anarchy. A
community that can’t maintain its
services will die. As people fall
to these kinds of hardships, they
will look more to government to
give them assistance.” ” lt (levy
defeat) could contribute to a
downward spiral for the com
munity,” added Denton. Services
provided by the county listed in
the circular include services to
delinquent, neglected and abus
ed children, alcohol and drug
treatment, marital counseling,
group and individual therapy,
passports, marriage licenses,
document recording, elections,
criminal prosecution, crime vic
tims’ advocacy, child support en
forcement, immunizations, fami
ly planning, high risk infant care,
small claims and eviction services
and access to a local judge,
emergency procedures for catas-
trophic events such as chemical
release, floods and fires, preser
vation and display of Morrow
County’s historical objects,
assessment and tax collection,
planning services, maintenance of
1300 miles of county roads, law
enforcement protection, ad
ministrative services and access
to local public officials, veterans
services, community activités
through fair and rodeo and
medical and dental services.
Services and programs sub
sidized by the county include Ex
tension, weed control, predatory
animal control. Soil and Water
C onservation, w aterm aster,
Irrigon-Boardman Emergency
Assistance Center, Heppner
N eighborhood C enter and
GEODC.
If the county levy fails, all
county services would operate
until the next election on the cur
rent tax base of $831,986, which
was established in 1911. Carlson
says that if the levy fails, the tax
base “ wouldn’t even fund coun
ty operations for a week.” The
county plans to put a new tax base
before the voters in May.
Bank of EO to award scholarship
The Bank of Eastern Oregon
has announced an agriculture
business scholarship for students
attending lone and Heppner High
Schools.
One $500 scholarship will be
awarded to each high school to a
graduating senior.
The student must plan to enroll
in college in agriculture or
business. Judging will be done on
scholarship, leadership and
citizenship. The bank reserves the
right to select any deserving
candidate.
Applications may be picked up
from a high school counselor.
The application deadline is April
15.
Solar interference to interrupt TV
Heppner TV Inc. subscribers
are being informed solar in
terference will be interrupting
programming again this time of
the year. The occurrence will be
until March 6 between 1:15 and
1:25 p.m. in the afternoon.
Solar interference is an inherent
part of satellite operations and oc
curs in the spring and fall. This
OIL SALE
place when the orbital positions
of the satellite and the sun are in
one line. The earth station then
receives signals from both, but
the more powerful sun subdues
the desired signal, causing a loss
of service for a short period of 8
to 10 minutes. Not all stations are
affected.
St. Pat’s Bed race;
participants
needed
Anyone interested in running a
five member team in the St.
Patrick’s bed race Saturday,
March 19 should call Theo
Greenup, 676-9795 or Kay Pro
ctor 676-9827. The bed race will
be held on Main Street and will
begin at 1 p.m. There will also
be a Calcutta. The $10 entry fee
will be divided up for prizes.
lone community band provides inspiration
i
'
lone Community Band in action during the Heppner games at District Tournament
By Anne Morter
Members of the lone Com
munity Band are this week en
trenched in Baker City, providing
musical motivation for the lone
basketball teams at the State 1A
Tournament.
The band, composed of local
people and a couple of high
school students, generally con
centrate on entertaining the crowd
at home games, but post-season
action has put them on the road.
Two weekends ago, the largely
brass band delighted the crowds
at the Big Sky District Tourna
ment in Hermiston, where they
“ undoubtedly” had something to
do with the thrilling wins by both
the girls’ and the boys’ teams
Last weekend, they shared their
rousing music with Heppner,
playing at Friday’s session of
Cutsforths
award
scholarship
Kraig and Kris Cutsforth have
donated a one-year, full-tuition
scholarship for Blue Mountain
Community College to the Hepp
ner Elks scholarship program.
Dean Robinson, Elks scholarship
chairman has announced.
This is the third year that a full-
tuition scholarship has been
awarded by the Cutsforths.
The Cutsforths donated the
scholarship in memory o f
departed Elks brothers.
4-H clothing project training offered
4-H clothing project training
for M orrow , W heeler and
Gilliam leaders and junior leaders
will be held March 10 from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. at Isobel Edwards
Hall in Fossil.
The training will provide
resources, activities, club enrich
ment, consum erism , textile
science and more, going beyond
sewing by Carol M ichael-
Bennett, Morrow County Exten
sion agent, and Cindy Osterlund,
Gilliam County Extension agent.
Assembling a resource book of
fabric samples and construction
Sale Ends
March 12, 1994
$2000 refundable
drum deposit
A TRIP TO
THE HOTTEST
COUNTRY ON
EARTH.
Get The Low-Down
at the Counter on
Grand Prize Vacation
and Additional In-
Store Prizes!
Morrow County
INC
HttCO 442 5 7 1 '
I IOO -I 24 -71I 5
music.” Their most popular
selections are just “ good old,
hard-driving pep band music,”
says Swanson. The group tries to
practice about once a week, and
with a jam-session atmosphere,
even the practices are fun.
W ith
the
absence
of
cheerleaders, the band has been
instrumental in keeping the crowd
noisily involved in the games. But
as both lone coaches will agree,
the players get the biggest benefit.
“ The girls like it. They say it
helps a lot,” says head coach for
the girls Dana Heideman. “ The
band adds a lot to the pre-game
anticipation,” he adds. Head
boys coach Del LaRue, says his
team’s reaction has also been
favorable. “ The kids really en
joy it; it’s easier for them to get
loose before the game with the
music,” he says. “ One of the
things the kids asked me the night
before district was if the band was
going. It really makes a dif
ference as far as we’re concern
ed,” states LaRue. “ They do
such a good job getting the crowd
going during the game, they get
everyone in v o lv ed ,” says
Heideman. “ We can’t leave
home without them,” he quips.
Playing for Heppner at district
was a new experience, but accor
ding to many band members, it
was a rewarding one. The Hepp
ner fans and players were very
appreciative. “ The boys’ team
came over and thanked us per
sonally,” said Judy Rea.
No doubt about it, playing in
the community band takes a hef
ty time commitment. “ It takes an
awful lot of time but we have a
lot of fun with it,” says Jim
Swanson. “ It’s good for the
school and the kids,” he adds.
And when members see big
groups of kids congregating
around the band at games, they
have to think that their example
and obvious enjoyment might en
tice more young people to follow
in their musical footsteps. In the
short run though, they just keep
on making music and hopefully
the Cards will keep on winning.
V
AQUAMARINE
For
March
OSU president to visit Heppner
4 D ays/3 Nights
for Two,
To Branson,
Missouri
! MM2; I
skill samples will be offered by
Elva Madden, Wheeler County
Extension agent. All materials
will be furnished but those atten
ding should bring their sewing
machines.
The program is geared toward
clothing phases 1 through 3, but
is open to all clothing leaders and
junior leaders. The class will be
repeated in Morrow County in
November.
For registration information,
contact the Morrow County Ex
tension Service 676-9642 or
1-800-342-3664.
their District Tournament. But
now, it’s onward to the pinnacle
of the Cardinals’ season, the State
Tournament.
A good many of the band
members are alums of lone High
School. Some, like Jim Swanson
and Richard Ladd, furthered their
musical careers at Oregon State
University, where they par
ticipated in numerous band pro
grams. The remaining musicians
are transplants to the area, but as
they found out, anyone willing to
dust off their instrument was
more than welcome to join.
Judy Rea has been with the
band for four years, playing the
alto saxophone. She hadn’t
played since her school days in
lone a few years back. Since that
time, the horn she sold 4-H calves
to buy, has passed through the
generations, being played by a
son, niece, nephew and grandson.
Despite putting the sax away for
many years, she said it all came
back to her fairly quickly. “ The
first year was a little rough,” she
laughed.
The rest of the band includes
Joel Peterson. Tom Bedortha.
Swanson, Rodney Ehrmantraut
and Dennis Stefani on trumpet;
Gregg Rietmann and Bob Baker
play trom bone and Frank
Halvorsen and Virgil Morgan
handl the baritones. Ladd plays
the tuba. Richard Harper the
drums, Marvin Padberg the
keyboard and Dustin Padberg
plays the bass guitar. During the
year, Luke Swanson has done
drum duty and Kristine Bedortha
has played a num ber of
instruments.
The group selects music by
committee. According to Swan
son, one b f the g ro u p ’s
spokesperons, “ A bunch of us get
together and kick around some
1 É 0 IW S 7 7 H K
KIHKTM MESON 471)0
70 h i 387
Oregon State University Presi
dent John V. Byrne will visit
Morrow, Gilliam and Wheeler
County Extension offices on
Wednesday, March 4. Byrne will
share his vision of the new ad
ministrative structure for Oregon
State at the completion of the cur
rent reorganization process.
“ In addition, the president
would like to meet with and thank
petition circulators invovled with
the Morrow County 4-H and Ex
tension Service District forma
tion,” adds Carol Michael-
Bennett, Morrow County staff
chair. Byrne will meet with Mor
row County Extension staff from
8:15 a.m .-9 a.m. and will meet
with volunteers from 9 to 9:45
a.m. in the conference room of
the Pettyjohn office building.
“ V isits from university
presidents to the outreach centers
east of the Cascade range are
rare,” says Michael-Bennett.“ !
realize the time of day may be
difficult for some, but hope as
many volunteers will be able to
take advantage of this opportunity
to give President Byrne an
Eastern Oregon welcome.”
Byrne’s itinerary for the day
also includes visiting volunteers
at the Condon and Fossil exten
sion offices.
Afghan raffle to benefit pool
An afghan and matching rug
crocheted and donated to People
for the Pool, by Nella Britt of
Heppner is displayed at Heppner
TV where chances may be pur-
chased for $1 each or $6 for $5.
Proceeds from the raffle will go
towards a swimming pool in
Heppner with around $11.625
raised to date.
If you w ere born in March and w anted to go prospect
ing for your birthstone, w here should you go? Here in the
United States, you might find a few aquam arines in San
Diego County or in Riverside County in California; also
in M aine, C onnecticut, and N orth Carolina. However,
your best bet w ould be the state of M inas G erais in
Brazil. Aquamarines from there tend toward the lighter
colors. A nother im portant producer of aquam arine has
been Sverdlovsk on the east side of the Ural M ountains
in R ussia. P ro d u c tio n th e re w as su ffic ie n t to m ake
Sverdlovsk a major cutting center. The gem rich island of
Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa, produces some
of the finest aquam arine in the world. The color of some
of the best material is so deep that it could be m istaken
for blue sapphire. In fact, some gem dealers call all deep
blue aqua stones Madagascar Aquamarines’ as opposed
to lighter blue stones called “Brazilian A quam arines’.
i
M em ber
Jewelers ol Amenca, Inc
Peterson’s
Heppner
I