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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1995)
T PESSIE WE T Z E L L U OF GRE N E W S P A r R r. «. M r •• r n O lone family all in it together L l 8 o 7 4 o ■» HEPPNER schooling, Rick will have a bachelor of science degree in liberal studies in business and psychology. “We're going to go in debt," said Rick. "It's extremely scary for someone who lived in a lunch pail all of his life. But the time was right." “We would have postponed it a year if Lynde wanted to stay," added Pam. Both Rick and Pam agree that completing their education will enable them to have more rewarding and interesting careers. “ We'd like to come back here," said Pam "But it depends on where the jobs are." The family also agrees that their spirituality is a big part of what keeps them going. “ If it wasn't for our spirituality, we wouldn't be able to make this m o v e,'' added Lynde. “ There's nothing else to fall back on. In 1991 when Rick went back to BMCC the Bisbee Fund at All Saints Episcopal Church, of which the Minsters are members, offset the cost of transportation. The Minsters' biggest regret is that Crystal isn't going to go to Eastern with the rest of the family. "I wish Crystal was go ing with u s," said Pam. “ But it's going to be fun having Lynde." Crystal says that its fun hav ing parents who are also in col lege. “ I'd call and complain about a test," laughs Crystal. “ And they'd say, 'I had one of those.' There's no pressure about grades. They're like my friends." "O ur kids have been very supportive," adds Pam. “ It's fun being in it together. It's go ing to be an exciting year." The Minster family (L-R): Rick, Lynde, Crystal and Pam unes VOL. 114______ NO. 37______ 8 Pages Wednesday, August 30, 1995,______ Morrow County Heppner, Oregon Yes vote will fund school activities By April Hllton-Sykes Ballots will be mailed this Thursday, Aug. 31, to ask voters' approval on a Morrow County Unified Recreation District three-year serial levy at $450,000 per year. Ballots must be returned to the Morrow County Cour thouse by Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m. If passed, the levy will fund all school sports and co- curricular activities, such as drama and other school clubs. If the levy fails, all school co- curricular activities county wide will end after the fall quarter. The recreation district's serial levy tax rate is estimated at 53 cents per thousand dollars of valuation. A homeowner with a $50 thousand home will pay $26.50 a year; a business owner with a $200. thousand business will pay $106 a year; a farmer with a $1 million farm will pay $530 a year. According to Morrow Coun ty Assessor Greg Sweek, utilities pay approximately 57.86 percent of the tax burden in Morrow County, farm owners approximately 16.33 percent; homeowners around 12.38 percent; industry around 10.64 percent; businesses around 2.4 percent; and forest owners around .39 percent. The Morrow County Recrea tion District was created by concerned parents and other individuals following the Mor row County School District's decision to eliminate school sports and other co-curricular activities from the school district budget because of budget shortfalls. The school district now receives less money from the state than in previous years because of Ballot Measure 5 and a revised state school funding formula. Ballot Measure 5 reduces school districts' taxing limit to $5 per thousand assessed valuation for the 1995-% school year. All other governm ent taxing authority is limited to $10 per thousand combined. While the tax rate is the same for rural residents as it is for city dwellers, city residents in Mor row County have reached their $10 per thousand cap and will not see an increase in taxes. In addition to cutting sports and co-curricular activities from the school district budget, the school district also took other money saving m easures— cutting teachers, eliminating some educational programs, moving to a four-day student week, trimming the food ser vice budget and consolidating Heppner junior and senior high schools. The school district says if the recreation district levy passes, the school district and the recreation district will form an intergovernmental agreement. The school district will run the co-curricular programs, pro viding staff, equipment and transportation, and then bill the recreation district for expenses as specified in the agreement. Each student participating in sports or other activities will still pay $50 per activity up to $150 per student or $200 per family a year to participate. The pay-to-participate monies and gate receipts will offset the recreation district budget. The recreation district will also provide community ac tivities and is seeking input to identify the activities desired by the communities. Supporters of the recreation district say that a vote for the serial levy is a way to return local control that was taken away with the passage of measure 5. They also stress the importance of co-curricular ac tivities for the physical, mental and social well-being of our youth. “ Some kids sole pur pose in staying in school is for sports, drama or musical per formance,” said Cyde Estes, Morrow County Unified Recreation District represen tative from the Heppner area. Morrow County School Superintendent Chuck Starr echoed that sentiment, saying, “ There is no question that our co-curricular program con tributes educationally. It (the co-curricular program) is a laboratory for many things we teach." Starr went on to say that co-curricular programs are a microcosm of society, teachingVompetition, the value of preparation, and teamwork. Starr added that the activities teach “ not only how to prepare to win, but how to accept los ing." Supporters also stress the im portance of school activities to the communities. School foot ball or basketball games or school plays, for example, are a vital part of small com munities with few other oppor tunities for entertainment. Rick Minster, Morrow Coun ty Unified Recreation District representative from the Ione- Lexington area, said that while in previous years it may have been possible for communities to support their schools' co- curricular programs on their own, the cost for funding is prohibitive. “ Historically peo ple that contribute, can't keep contributing year after year," said Minster. According to Estes, the sports programs must be continued through the schools in order to be recognized by the Oregon School Athletics Association. She said that without member ship in the OSAA there would be no district or state sports playoff tournaments. New area code to begin Nov. 5 Oregon telephone customers outside of the Portland area will have a new area code, 541, beginning November 5. To ease the transition, callers may use either the current 503 code or the new one through June 30, 19%. After that date, the new 541 area code must be used or the call will not go through. Like many area codes around the country created recently to deal with an extraordinary demade for service. Oregon's new area code features a dif ferent format, a middle digit other than “0“ or “ 1“ . Certain business customers may need to reprogram or upgrade their PBX, electronic telephone sets, auto-dialers or other specialized systems and should consult their equipment vendor or agent about specific requirements and capabilities. Now is a good time to sug gest to those who call you from outside your local area to check with their own long distance company, local phone com pany and telecommunications equipment or service providers to confirm whether calls to 541 can be completed, said a news release from US West. M an cited for church damage Richard Ellis Pettyjohn, 37, Heppner, was cited for failure to perform duties of a driver and property damage in con nection with an incident at the Church of the Latter-Day Saints in Lexington. According to a Morrow County Sheriff's report, a vehi cle had run into the Mormon church, tearing up the yard and fencing. By April Hllton-Sykes The family then moved to Most families are anxious for Moses Lake, WA, where Rick school to start. The Minster eventually became an in family of lone is no exception. surance agent for Farmer's In But in their instance it's not just surance. In the meantime, he the kids who are going back to worked at a series of jobs-for school. Mom and dad are off to a circle irrigation company put college too. ting up circles, for a construc Rick and Pam Minster and tion outfit building potato their daughters, Crystal and sheds, and for a private con Lynde, will all be enrolling in tractor helping build houses. college this fall. The elder Their second daughter, Lynde Minsters will be renting out was bom in 1977 in Wenatchee, their home near lone and will WA. live in an apartment at , In 1978, the family was back LaGrande with their younger in the lone area visiting friends daughter. when they spoke to long time Crystal, 20, a 1993 graduate area resident Walter Jepsen, of lone High School, is enroll now deceased. When Jepsen told them he was ready to sell ed at the Inter-Collegiate Nur his place, Pam said, ''We'll take sing Education Center at it," and the family returned to Spokane, WA, which is af Morrow County. After their filiated with Washington State return, Rick worked for Eric University. She attended Gon- Anderson, Dobyn's Pest Con zaga for a year and a half and then transferred to Blue Moun trol and Allen Anderson before tain Community College to get going back to Kinzua in 1988. her nursing pre-requisite “ Kinzua was responsible for classes. Sometimes taking 18-20 me returning back to school," credit hours per term, Crystal said Rick. “The management had an education policy where qualified for the president's list. ’She also obtained her certified they would pay books and tui nurse's aide training at BMCC. tion. Kinzua was a good Crystal will go on for her organization to work for. They bachelor of science degree in were very supportive. I nursing and then will put in wouldn't have done it without another two years to become a i their support.'' Rick was work- : j ; J ‘ (T nurse practicioner. ing swing shift at the time, so Lynde, 17, is skipping her he drove back and forth to senior year at lone High School BMCC at Pendleton five days to enter college at Eastern a week for four terms to finish Oregon State College at his college algebra classes. He LaGrande. In addition to a high received his associate of arts grade-point average and SAT degree in the summer of 1991. scores, Lynde was required to Pam also took a college algebra take her GED test, submit an class that summer term. essay, pass an admissions Rick's work schedule chang board and provide letters of ed and he quit college for a recommendation to be admit while. By then, Pam applied for ted to college a year early. and received a scholarship from Besides all of her hard work, the Rural American Scholar Lynde credits the “ excellent ship Fund. Because of the high school teachers" at IHS, scholarship, which covered especially science and math part-time tuition, she was able teacher Dale Holland. Lynde to take classes from Eastern at will be majoring in bio no cost. The first year she took chemistry with plans for a chemistry at Eastern, but the career in genetic research. rest of her classes were at The college path for Pam, 45, home. Last year she started and Rick, 46, was not quite as part-time, but ended up a full straight. In fact it was time student through an exer- downright circuitous. nal degree program. "Pam got Pam and Rick both grew up up at 4 a.m. and maintained a in Eugene and attended college 3.87 grade point average," says for a year before getting mar Rick proudly, adding that his ried. After they married, they wife is a very organized person. attended college for another During this time Pam also year. worked at lone schools as an Pam then attended business educational assistant. She has college and worked in different now reached a point where she offices. Rick got a job at Lane has to go to school on campus Plywood. to finish obtaining her degree In 1973 they moved to Keck in elementary education with a Canyon and Rick went to work minor in business. She is tak for Kinzua Corp. working on ing a year's leave from her job. the green chain. He then went Rick went to school last year to work for a wheat farmer and through the external degree decided he wanted to become program on a scholarship a farmer. He began working for through the Job Training Part Allen Anderson, a wheat nership Act. He left Kinzua farmer near Olex, and worked during the sale of the mill and there for a year or two. It was obtained his scholarship during this time that their first because of his displaced worker daughter, Crystal, was born. status. When he finishes his News deadline September 1 The Heppner Gazette-Times will be closed Monday, September 4, for Labor Day. The deadline for news items for next week's paper will be 5 p.m. Friday, September 1. Electric company schedules outage All Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative customers receiv ing electric service from the Bonneville Power Administra tion Boardman Substation will be without electric power from 11 p.m. Thursday, August 31 to 6 a.m. Friday, September 1, for Bonneville Power Administra tion maintenance. The following general areas will be affected: Heppner, lone, Lexington, Ruggs, Olex, Ce il, Morgan, Hinton Creek, Will jw Creek, Rhea Creek, Rock Creek, Shutler Flat, Lo cer Willow Creek, Mikkalo, Clem and Ajax. GRAIN SEED TREATMENT COATINGS New Dividend Seed Treat & Pro-sized seed Colarant Now available 1 gallon container Vitavax - RTU - Thiram Smut Control 3 oz.’s to bushel, 2'A gal. units Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 1-800-452-7396
