Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 8, 1995 - SEVEN
Editori al
Commission on Children and
Families to hold workshop
We need school levy - vote yes
There will be two separate issues concerning the education
payer with a 50,000 home payed $500 last year for school taxes.
and welfare of our children up before the voters in the up
This year the same taxpayer would pay $470 a year. There is
coming mail-in election: the school bond levy for construc
no excuse for those who say they care about children to vote
tion of new classrooms, remodeling of current structures and
down a levy because "th ey don't have children in school
technology (computers); and the swimming pool construction
anym ore". Shame on you. I hope that when I am old I still
bond and three-year serial levy. Both issues deserve your yes
care about the welfare of children, and not just the blonde,
vote.
blue eyed, English speaking variety.
The $13,290,000 school district general obligation bond will
4 .South Morrow County, let's face it. Our population is
build 45 new classrooms, remodel, repair and maintain ex
dwindling, and aging. North Morrow County is young and
isting facilities, provide updated communications systems and
growing. We are faced with a school consolidation here in the
will meet federal and state requirements for disabled access
south, because we just don't have the students to justify the
and asbestos removal. There are three reasons to vote for this:
number of teachers and programs we had years ago. "W hen
1. Students in the north end are so crowded that in some
I was a k id ," is not justification. Times are changing. Don't
instances they are holding classrooms in closet space. The area
make it worse and vote against the bond levy because you
is still growing. People in the south who have a grudge against
are mad that your seventh grader has to be in the same school
the north, think of these children as your own. Then how
as high schoolers. As a parent of two high schoolers, I realize
would you vote? Children who do not have the room to learn
that they may look big and scary, but most of them are good
will become a problem to society, a problem that you will end
kids. I cannot see most of them wanting much to do with 7th
up paying for.
and 8th graders and would certainly not want to hurt them.
2. If the bond issue fails, 25 teachers will have to be cut, many
Let's give this a chance. Also, any of you Irrigon residents
in the south end schools. The money that would have been
who are mad because you didn't get your high school, don't
spent on teachers will have to go to pay for repairs,
give up hope. With the growth you are experiencing, I think
maintenance and federal and state mandates. We are already
you may get your high school some day. 1 hope so, but don't
losing 11 teachers. Can we afford to lose any more teachers
take it out on this levy and make things worse.
or programs? No. The kids will suffer if this bond issue fails.
As an editor who has attended many, many meetings over
Remember, this bond issue has nothing to do with teachers'
the years, I question the motives of many boards, greed and
salaries. It has to do with construction and maintenance of
grudges and territorial mudslinging figure in more often than
classrooms.
I would ever want to admit. But not with the school board.
3.
The schools are in their final phase of Ballot Measure 5. You may not always agree with them, but I firmly believe that
The money for operating expenses for education is at its lowest
the school board has the best interests of all the children of
point, $7.50 per thousand assessed valuation. Last year it was
Morrow County at heart. They are doing a good job. Vote for
$10 per thousand assessed valuation. So, even if the bond levy
the construction bond levy.
is passed at $1.96 per thousand valuation, the total amount
April Hilton-Sykes
to be spent on education is still lower than last year. A tax-
Approve both pool measures
We need a swimming pool and this one has something for
everyone. It will have a fan style, zero-depth sloping beach
type pool, which will be ideal for young children and allows
handicap access. Older children and adults will be able to use
the competition lanes and a slide with a deep well will be a
lot of fun for the more adventurous, without the danger and
noise of a diving board. The year-round therapy pool can be
used for physical therapy and water aerobics, 'Htere will also
be a room for meetings and classes, in addition to a dressing
room.
Pool Commission officials say that the entire pool package
is around $1.2 million. But, they did not want to ask the voters
to fund a million dollars. So they kept the bond levy at
$975,000. This will fund the basic pool and dressing room. On
ly if they are able to raise the additional money through grants
and donations will they build the indoor therapy pool.
So, what is this going to cost you? A person with a $50,000
home will pay around $30.50 a year to fund both the pool con
struction bond and the three-year operating levy; one with
a $500,000 business will pay around $305; and one with a $1
million ranch will pay $610. Both the pool construction bond
measure at 45 cents per thousand and the three-year operating
levy at 16 cents per thousand must pass. The Kinzua Corp.
grant program has pledged $45,000 toward the pool effort if
the bond and serial levy pass. The People for the Pool have
raised around $15,000. The therapy pool and handicap access
aspects of the pool may avail the project to other grants.
Yes, the pool will give the kids a fun summer activity, im
portant in these times of threatened school activities, but it
will also provide a safe activity. Children will once again be
able to take organized swimming lessons, and, just as impor-
Great Decisions group to meet
The "Great Decisions" dis
cussion group will meet on
Thursday, March 9. Everyone
curious about the program is
invited to drop by. This week's
Health Dept*
The Morrow County Health
Dept, lists the following mon
thly schedule for blood pres
sures and immunizations:
Thursday, March 9: blood
pressures and immunizations,
Heppner office, 8:30 a.m.-4:30
p.m.
Tuesday, March 14: blood
pressures and immunizations,
county office, Irrigon, 1-4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 15: blood
pressures, senior center, Hepp
ner 11 a.m.
Thursday, March 16: blood
pressures and immunizations,
Heppner office, 8:30 a.m.-4:30
p.m.
Tuesday, March 21: blood
pressures and immunizations,
lone city hall, 11 a.m.-noon;
Boardman city hall, 1:30-4 p.m.
Tuesday, March 28: blood
pressures and immunizations,
county office, Irrigon 1-4 p.m.
Thursday, March 30: blood
pressures and immunizations,
Heppner office, 8:30 a.m.-4:30
p.m.
topic is the future of the United
Nations. The informal discus
sion begins at 7 p.m. at the
book store next to city hall.
Justice Court
Report __
The Justice Court office at the
courthouse annex building in
Heppner reports handling the
following business during the
past week:
Corey Patrick Sweeney, 21,
Heppner-Violation of the Basic
Rule, 52 mph in a 35 mph zone,
$117 fine;
Kirsti Winters, 21, Lexington-
Violation of the Basic Rule, 50
mph in a 35 mph zone, $95
fine;
Philip William Wirth, 35,
Monument-Truck Speeding, 70
mph in a 55 mph zone, $95
fine;
Cheri Alston, Heppner-
Maintaining a Dog as a Public
Nuisance, $58 fine;
Myron Williams, Heppner-
Discharging a Weapon in City
limits, $92 fine;
patrick T. Aulton, 40,
Gresham-Hunting Prohibited
Area, Shooting From Road,
$112 fine.
tantly, may not be as tempted to swim at Willow Creek Lake.
The lake is a tragedy waiting to happen. Let's not wait for
a child to drown before we do something. The algae choked
water at certain times of the year is not too appealing either.
There are people who say that the pool should be self sup
porting. It has never been self supporting and few, if any com
munity pools are self supporting. Pools are normally funded
through municipalities or recreation districts.
Some rural residents say they don't use the pool or it's too
far to bring their children in and so they don't feel they should
have to pay for it. Their position is understandable, but the
previous pool was tax supported by residents of the city of
Heppner. However, everyone, city or rural dweller, was
welcome to use it. And anything that gives children so much
joy has something going for it.
Some people are still saying "W hat was wrong with the old
pool?" It had serious structural problems that could have been
dangerous, serious filtering problems and heating problems.
Repairing the pool would have been exorbitant and like put
ting a bandaid on a gaping wound. On top of it, the city was
hard hit by ballot Measure 5 and in no position to fund repairs
or construction of a new pool.
The pool is one more thing that will help attract people to
Heppner. Believe it or not, some people are reluctant to move
to the area. It's too far from shopping malls, movies, colleges,
the freeway, etc. Let's not make it too far to the nearest pool.
A yes vote for the pool construction bond and operating levy
will be a yes vote for our children and our community. You
must vote for both for either to pass. A pool cannot be built
without money to operate and operating monies are no good
without a pool. Vote yes on measures 25-13 and 25-14.
______________________ _
April Hilton-Sykes
In the Service
Navy Firem an Erik T.
Jorgensen is more than halfway
through a six-month deploy
ment to the Western Pacific
Ocean and Persian Gulf aboard
the destroyer tender USS Cape
Cod.
Jorgensen is one of more than
1,800 sailors aboard the 645
foot-long repair ship, which
departed San Diego in October.
Jorgensen's ship can perform a
wide-range of shipboard main
tenance and also provide
logistics support to Navy units
in remote areas. Equipped with
high-tech electronics repair
equipm ent, sophisticated
machine shops, and divers
with underwater welding
equipment, USS Cape Cod is a
floating
repair
center.
Jorgensen and his fellow crew
members spent a month in
Yokosuka, Japan, where they
completed more than 2,000
repair jobs in support of Navy
ships deployed to the Western
Pacific ocean.
Jorgensen and the Cape Cod
crew also have been providing
fleet repair services for ships in
the Persian Gulf, which have
been working in support of the
no-fly zone over southern Iraq.
He is the son of Don
Jorgensen, Irrigon and grad
uated from Riverside High
School in 1994. He joined the
Navy in July.
Still time to
The Morrow County Com
mission on Children and
fam ilies will be holding
technical assistance workshops
for project proposals. The first
workshop will be March 13 at
10 a.m. at the Children's Ser
vices Division conference
room, 101 SW Kinkade, Board-
man. The second workshop
will be held March 16, at 10
a.m. at Columbia Basin Electric
Conference Room, 171 W.
Linden, Heppner.
An estimated $195,422 will be
available during the 1993-95
biennium to help Morrow
County children and families.
The local commission ad
ministers funds from Great
Start, Juvenile Services, Stu
dent Retention Initiative, Child
Care Block Grants and Oregon
Youth Conservation Corps
programs.
Among programs currently
funded county wide are DARE,
Hands on Science, Gang In
tervention Task Force, Cross
roads (a shelter home pro
gram), Client Specific, Juvenile
Department assistant, Sex
Abuse Program, Responsible
Adulthood Workshop, Parent
Training, and the summer
Oregon Youth Conservation
Corps program. Adopt-a-Cop,
Columbia Youth Basketball,
Youth Assistance Services,
Boardman Child Development
Center are all based in Board-
man. The South Neighborhood
Center Summer Project Hepp
ner Daycare, Drug/Alchol/
Tobacco Education, Parent/
Child/Teacher Video Program
are based all in Heppner and
Creative Care Preschool in
lone. Start up funding for the
Irrigon Latchkey program was
also provided.
All proposed programs must
be consistent with the goals of
the commission and address
the benchmarks that have been
identified in the Commission
Comprehensive Plan. Proposal
packets wil be available at both
Technical Assistance Work
shops or by contacting the
Commission office at 471 N.
Main, Heppner, or calling
676-9675.
St. Pat's celebration 10 days away
Come rain or shine the 13th
annual St. patrick's celebration
in Heppner is only 10 days
away. "Even wild horses
couldn't keep us away from the
1995 Wee Bit 'O Ireland cele
bration said co-chairpersons,
Claudia Hughes and Rene'
Devin. This is Hughes' fifth
year in the position of co-chair
and Devin's second. Many
volunteers faithfully put in long
hours in preparation for the
Irish event, Bob Kahl who
chairs the parade every year;
the Catholic and Methodist
church members, seniors,
firemen, and O' Golfers who
cook the food; the auction
workers; the Lamb Cookoff,
coffee hour, and sheep dog trial
organizers; the pageant volun
teers, and neighbors Ted
Smith, Joe McLaughlin, Scott
Sager, Mike Duffy and the
Doherty family. The list goes
on and on. "A glimpse at the
schedule of events show that
even with leprechauns about,
it doesn't happen in just a
twinkle of the e y e ," says
Hughes. The dedicated com
mittee makes it happen.
A big change for 1995 will be
the Sunday auction in conjunc
tion with the lamb barbecue at
the fairgrounds. Following
Saturday's activities, it is hoped
that everyone will kick back on
Sunday to enjoy the lamb
barbecue sponsored by the
South Morrow Scholarship
Trust and the indoor auction
which keeps the event ongoing
from year to year. Auction
chairpersons Doris Brosnan,
John and Ann Murray and
Diana Ball are collecting some
terrific items and still welcome
contributions. Also on site at
the fairgrounds on Sunday will
be O' Barrel Racing and Rop
ing events. There will be
something for everyone.
Dallas McKennon to entertain
Sat. during St. Pat's celebration
Dallas McKennon, a well
known actor from Portland,
will be coming to Heppner for
the St. Patrick's Day celebra
tion. McKennon will provide
entertainment on Saturday
night, March 18, at the Hepp
ner Junior High Auditorium at
7:30 p.m..
Tickets will cost $4 for adults
and $2 for children under 12
and will be available at Murray
Drugs, the St. Patrick's infor
mation booth on Main Street
enter parade
and at the door.
Segments of the "Erin Came
to County Morrow" pageant
will be performed by local
talent with McKennon's help.
"Erin Came to County Mor
row " is a pageant written by
Jane Rawlins specifically for the
St. Patrick's celebration. The
pageant was performed in its
entirety twice. This year certain
segments will be performed
during McKennon's show.
Children "young and old” will
be entertained by Dallas
McKennon.
Arts and Crafts club to hold sale
There's still time to get
entered in the big St. Patrick's
Day parade. This year's parade
includes categories for Irish
floats, the best Irish characters
and Irish groups, antique autos
and machinery, bands, musical
groups, dance and drill teams,
civic groups, bicycles and
more.
For those Irish lads and
lassies, age 12 and under, the
Kids and Pets division of the
parade will again be looking to
give out a little o' the green to
those who come as either the
best (Irish) dressed kid and pet,
have the best behaved Irish pet,
the most talented Irish pet or
the best looking Irish pet.
The St. Patrick's Day Parade
will be Saturday, March 18
right after the bed race at 1 p.m.
Check in time is 11:30 a.m. in
front of Green Feed and Seed
store.
For more information or en
try forms contact Bob Kahl
676-9113 days or 676-5422 even
ings or stop in at Van Marter &
Kahl Insurance in Heppner.
Morrow County Creative
Arts and Crafts club members
are reminded to bring all items
they might like to offer for sale
to the Les Schwab showroom
for the St. Patrick's celebra-
tion
Food items are welcomed this
year and the group needs lots
of white elephant item s.
Everything should be priced.
"Now is the time to pick out a
^ew things that you no longer
use'
someone else might
like to buy to raise funds for the
an^ to c*ean UP
own
clutter, said Peggy De -°ete.
The club also needs cookies
from each member to help
welcome visitors. The show
W*U t”1111 fr°m 10 a m- until 4
P m-
nex* meeting will be
Monday, March 22 at 1 p.m. at
Kate's Pizza.
Big green booth has the answers
Need a schedule of events, a
ticket to the evening entertain
ment by Dallas McKennon, a
lucky collectors button? Want
to know where to catch a ride
on the O'Schooner wagon or
who won the O'Ducky race?
Find all the answers you need
at the information booth by the
Post Office.
The members of Soroptimist
International of Heppner will
be on hand to greet visitors, sell
tickets and give information on
Saturday, March 18. Also
available will be Irish envelopes
for purchase for those wishing
to mail a greeting with the first
issue Wee Bit O 'lreland
cancellation stamp. Postmaster
Mike McGuire will begin offer
ing this stamp Friday, March 17
and Saturday, March 18.