City meets country in student swap
HEPPNER
35C
Heppner’s seventh graders and Centennial’s eighth graders learned how to plant trees on
one of their many field trips during the week.
imes
VOL. 113
NO. 17
8 Pages Wednesday, April 27, 1994
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
Jason Halvorsen killed in accident
An lone boy, Jason Halvorsen,
16, was killed following a head-
on collision around 7:30 p.m.
near Echo Sunday, April 24.
Jason, the son of Frank and Cathy
Halvorsen of lone, was pro
nounced dead at the scene of the
accident.
Jeramy Ashbeck, 15, critical
ly injured in the crash, was
transported to Good Shepherd
Hospital in Hermiston and then
transferred to Oregon Health
Sciences University. Ashbeck,
Echo, who sustained head injuries
in the crash, was listed in critical
condition Monday morning. His
condition was listed as serious
Tuesday night. Jeramy, the son
of Jerry and Norma Ashbeck of
Echo, is a sophomore at lone
High School
According to police reports,
Halvorsen and Ashbeck were
passengers in a 1989 Chevrolet
four-door driven by Bridger
Baker, 18, of lone. The vehicle
was traveling westbound on
Highway 320 when Baker at
tempted to pass another vehicle.
The vehicle driven by Baker col
lided head-on with a 1989 Ford
pickup driven by Noel G. “ Gay”
Harshman. 60, of Echo. Har-
shman and Baker were admitted
to Good Shepherd Hospital for
observation. B ridger was
discharged Monday afternoon.
Harshman was listed in stable
condition at the hospital Tuesday.
Funeral services for Jason were
scheduled for Wednesday, April
27, at the lone High School gym.
lone parents, counselors and
teachers, them selves grief-
stricken, attempted to console
grieving students Monday and
Tuesday.
Candidates visit Heppner
Jason Halvorsen
The city kids didn’t seem to
miss the malls, their stereos or
Nintendos as much as they
thought they would and most
were happy as clams in their
“ total immersion” experience
with country life.
For the past 14 years eighth-
graders from the Centennial Mid
dle School in the Portland area
trade places with eighth-graders
at Heppner Junior High School.
The Centennial students were,
however, impressed with the
distances rural kids must travel,
as they spent many long hours on
the bus, visiting farming and pro
cessing operations in north county
and wheat and cattle operations
in south county.
A generally cheerful lot, the
Centennial students had really on
ly one complaint-the school food.
Not enough. “ I miss my
girlfriend, the phone and the
food,” said Chris Campanella,
15, of Centennial. Chris said that
eat at
up at the
home of his host family, Cara and
Frank Osmin. Chris said that he
liked the animals and living on the
farm. At home Chris lives with
his mother, Lori, who is a dental
assistant, his 16 year-old sister
and 14 year-old brother.
“ It’s a lot of fun,” said 14
year-old Megan Cassingham.
“ I’ve always liked farms. The
branding is the best. 1 liked to
push the cows into the chute, ex
cept when they kicked me.”
Megan lives in Portland with her
mother. Penny, who works at
Portland Adventist, and her 11
year-old sister. Megan stayed
with the Bob and Pam Worden
family.
Sho Ikeda. 14. said that he real
ly liked the “ freedom to go
anywhere” without being afraid.
“ I don’t miss anything,” said
Sho. “ I wish I could stay another
week.” Sho’s only complaint was
that the prices were “ a little
high” at Heppner stores. Sho
lives in Portland with his father,
Ike. his mother, Elizabete. and
his 11 and six year-old brothers.
His Heppner hosts were Steve
and Kathi Dickenson.
Jaime Prouty, 14, did admit to
missing her dad, Tony, but was
enthusiastic about her experience
riding horses with the Wrangler
riding club. Jaime said that she
had ridden only once or twice
before. Although she hated the
long bus drives, Jaime says she
will miss her host family, Tim
and Kathy Rankin and hopes to
return to the area on a hunting trip
this fall. Jaime lives in Portland
with her dad and mom. Chris and
her 17 year old brother.
Nicole Lanning, 15, said that
she liked going on the Field trips
and to the Merlin Hughes ranch
during her stay in the Heppner
area. Nicole, who is handicap
ped, said that it was a little harder
to get around in Heppner,
especially at the Heppner Middle
School, which has three levels.
The Centennial school is all on
one level While getting around
was harder, Nicole says that
school work is easier here. “ I
kind of want to go back to our
school,” said Nicole, “ but I kind
of don't.” Nicole stayed with the
Joyce Hughes family. Back at
home she lives with her father.
Matt, who works with US West,
and her three step-brothers, 17,
7 and 5 years old.
Terry Nunn, 14, Gresham, said
that he had the best time at the
home of his host family. Butch
and Mary Knowles He also en
joyed the trip out to the Hughes
ranch. Terry missed the sports at
home, commenting that it was
“ pretty easy” playing basketball
with the Heppner kids. He said
it was hard getting used to the
school, compared to Centennial
which has around 855 students.
Terry lives with his mother. Lin
da. who is a city bus driver for
Tri-met, brothers. 27. 26 and 2 1
and sister, 19. Terry says that he
will miss a certain girl, “ Holly ',
when he goes back to the city.
Mill to re-open soon
Job placement office opens
A career center and job place
ment office is now open two days
per week at the Forest Service of
fice building in Heppner.
Local people can file for
unemployment or check job
listings throughout the state at the
newly-opened office, according
to Marlyn Stolz, manager of the
Hermiston Employment Dept,
office.
The office is open from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Tues. through Thurs.,
and is ‘open to any interested
persons.
Depending on the situation at
the mill, the office will be open
until June 30, said Stolz.
Heppner TV receives rate increase
Heppner TV Inc. has received
recently substantial rate increases
from two of its most significant
signal providers. Western Tele
communications Inc and ESPN.
The Heppner TV board of
directors say the company cannot
absorb these increases at the pre
sent subscriber rates. “ Due to the
economic status of the town, the
company cannot predict the
number of subscribers in the
future,” said a Heppner TV
spokespserson. The matter will
be the main item for discussion
at the cooperative’s annual
meeting in June. Alternatives are
rate increases or reduction in
programming.
“ It is important for members
to understand that Heppner TV
pays for the signals for each chan
nel as well as for receiving and
retransmission equipment.” said
the spokesperson.
Joan Silver
Lynn Lundquist
Candidates for Oregon’s 59th
congressional district, vacated
after one term by Michael Payne,
were in Heppner Tuesday, cam
paigning for votes.
From Kimberly came Joan
Silver, a Democrat, who says the
state is not in as bad a financial
state as some people may think.
A former corporate accountant
who, along with her son. is now
doing some ranching (including
ostriches). Silver says she doesn't
think we’re on the verge of finan
cial catastrophe because of
measure 5.
She is not in favor of the sales
tax or a general business tax. but
thinks we need “ somewhat more
revenue” . She thinks government
should work more efficiently and
says there is room to cut some
“ sacred cows” in Salem.
Living on the ranch with her
son. Silver says there needs to be
more dialogue with people from
the western part of the state to
have them better understand how
we, on the eastern side, use
natural resources.
On the Republican ticket, Lynn
Lundquist. a Powell Butte ran
cher. says he has the experience
dealing with Salem to get things
done if elected.
A former two-temi president of
the Oregon Cattlemen’s Associa
tion. Lundquist says he has dealt
with the legislature on behalf of
the OCA enough to have some
experience on how the legislature
operates. He says he will bring
that experience to bear when
building coalitions with the west-
side legislators.
On the budget side. Lundquist
says Oregon has financial pro
blems, but he doesn’t think
Oregonians want any new taxes.
“ We need to prioritize spending,
and I think education should be
at the top of the list.” he says.
A 260 percent increase has
The average citizen doesn’t been passed on by Western Tcle-
understand the magnitude of the Communicationns Inc., which
funding problems we face, says has provided micro-wave service
Lundquist. “ There will need to into Heppner since 1965. WTCI
be serious cuts in the human transmits four Portland television
resources sector. I believe I have stations: KATU-Channel 2,
the business background to make KOIN, Channel 6; KGW-
those hard decisions.”
Channel 8 and KPTV-Channcl
12. The last rate increase was in
1985 to $385 per month. The new
rate is $1,000 per month. WTCI
provides all necessary receiving
equipment at the Heppner T.V.
Inc. headend.
The cooperative has still not
signed the new ESPN contract
and has until May 17 to do so.
Upon receipt of the contract, the
board learned the NFL pre
season and regular season games
had become a required compo
nent of the agreement. This
results in a substantial rate in
crease. 52.5 percent increase for
1994 and within the next three
years, an 85 percent increase.
ESPN is Heppner TV’s most ex
pensive satellite channel, ex
cluding HBO and the Disney
Channel.
About 85 percent of the hour
ly jobs at the former Kinzua
sawmill will remain when the mill
re-opens next month, mill general
manager Frank Pearson said
Tuesday.
The mill will be taking applica
tions for hourly positions on Fri
day, April 29 and Monday, May
1. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. He said
the majority of the management
staff has already been rehired.
Pearson
says
Pioneer
Resources, new owners of the
mill, hope to have a tentative start
up of a portion of the mill on May
9. with the balance starting up
May 16. The mill’s co-gen plant
will not re-open under mutual
agreement between Pioneer and
P ortland G eneral E lectric.
However, the boiler side will still
be running to create steam to dry
lumber. The turbine side will stay
down, Pearson says.
Pearson says the log supply at
the mill is also of concern with
about one and one half months
supply of logs still in the yard.
But he said the mill has log
volume “ lined up to deliver to the
mill as soon as feasible for con
tinuing operation.”
The company still owns 130
thousand acres of timberland w ith
good volume still left on those
lands, he said. “ It may be more
difficult (to operate without the
previous amount of timber Kin
zua had), but its not insurmoun
table,” Pearson said. He says he
has met with the new owners and
they are receptive to ideas. Two
of them have mill operating
experience.
The company now has a new
phone number 676-9000
District math contest May 4
The annual Morrow County
School District math contest will
be held May 4 at Columbia Junior
High School at 6:30 p.m.
The public is welcome to
observe the district contest.
Sharon Leinweber is in charge of
arrangem ents
at
CJH
Refreshments will be served
following the competition.
Men’s Key Jeans
4874 41
$I0 9S ea.
Morrow County Crain Growers
Lexington. OR * 989-8221 » 1-800-452-7396____________