Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1996)
The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner G A Z E T T E -T IM E S U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published weekly and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Hepp ner. Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second class postage paid at Hepp ner, Oregon. Office at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone (503) 676-9228. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Bo* 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $18 in Morrow, Wheeler, Cilliam and Grant Counties; $25 elsewhere. April Hilton-Sykes....................................................................................... News Editor Stephanie Jensen...................................................Typesetting, Layout, Distribution Monique Devin ..........................................................Advertising layout & Graphics Penni Keersemaker .............................................................................................. Printer David Sykes, Publisher Letters to the Editor Good comes out of disaster To the Editor: Monday, the 15th of January was a sad day, made so by a devastating fire that put a fami ly of six out on the street. What good could possibly come from such a disaster? Well, actually, I personally witnessed some remarkable things that day. And, I might add, for several days following. People made something won derful happen. Some whom I had never met, some whom I knew, and all that I will never forget. However, these were not or dinary people, rather they were all extraordinary people of Hepper, lone and Lexington. , As fire consumed this home, I witnessed people who came forward and immediately of fered shelter and comforting words to the displaced family. When firefighters brought out salvageable household belongings, a team of people gathered around in the street. Some with towels in hand be gan wiping water and soot off the pictures, furniture, appli ances and other items. Others, with a threat of rain, loaded the items into pickup trucks and hauled them to a storage shed. And this shed was even made available by a “ real'' lady whose “ heart" is bigger than mere words. Later that day (and days to follow), people, businesses and organizations provided shelter, food, clothing and even some cash for this family. Even to day, this family is sharing a home with a friend until an other house is located. What good could possibly come from this disaster? Love, compassion, and actions pour ed from untold numbers of people. Those people, busi nesses and organizations who gave so much are to be com mended. May God Bless You, each one. I hope and pray that this kind of disaster will not occur again. Truth is, we live in the real world. Someday, sometime, someplace, disaster will even tually strike again. Will the community respond again? I believe the people of Heppner, lone and Lexington will band together and defeat calamity, whatever it may be, just as they did this time (and, as I've been told, in times past as well). One more word needs to be said. After having spent 25 years in the fire service, two as a volunteer and 23 as paid pro fessional, I found the Heppner Volunteer Fire Department to be most worthy citizens. From my observations during this fire I noted several things. First, a quick response time. Note worthy, because it's been said that volunteers are slow (not this department). Firefighters made interior and exterior fire attacks simul taneously. I noted many “ steam conversions" occurr ing. When “ steam conver sions" of this type occur, it is a sign of an aggressive interior fire attack. Fire ground com mand, willingness of team work, salvage and overhaul operations appeared well-coor dinated. Fires in old houses with open vertical shafts in walls and without fire stops are most dif ficult to control. Construction with lathe/plaster wall and ceil ings are difficult to penetrate. Hidden recesses and multiple attic spaces are nightmares. Yet this fire crew weathered the storm and won the battle. HVFD-keep up the good work. You're as good as any “ paid professional" fire department. Maybe better; you are an “ un paid professional volunteer fire department” , with distinction. Makes me proud to claim the title of “ firefighter" (retired). (s) Duane Jones Asking for boycott of milk-fed veal To the Editor: Cheers, congratulations and hats off to Yaw's Restaurant and Lounge. Recently they opened up in Heppner a newly improved classic place of business and joined the drive-in, bowling alley, Bud's Pub, Bucknum's, and the Elk's Lodge in offering a healthful variety of interesting menus with no mention of veal for a meal. My most sincere wish is that the New Year 19% will be a prosperous one for all of them and that all of them will enjoy many more great years. 1 challenge other communi ties to come up with such a good record of menus to dis courage the disgusting, im moral raising of tortured, milk- fed veal. To be deprived of the normal life style of baby animals is an atrocious, unexcusable, unac ceptable evil and should be outlawed. Why should they not be allowed to stretch, grow in sunshine, have fresh air, have normal roughage food and water? They should have exercise with other young ani mals. The $ sign is most certain ly the root of this incredible, ob noxious style of farming. A local lady voiced her disap proval of such treatment of the helpless, harmless animals by the experience her family had with them. They bought 20 calves and without their feed being laced with drugs, an tibiotics, etc., they all soon died. They had been throat force-fed by tubes; that pro bably made it impossible to handle food the normal way. Can you imagine how thirs ty the creatures are for a drink of plain water? In some cases, a drip system is provided. When they lie down, their legs must be folded under them. I read a report of a person who quit her job in a veal factory because of the stress it caused her. She had seen chains im bedded in the neck flesh. The actions of our supposed ly civilized, humane race is most questionable at times. I'm sure there would be less factory farm milk-fed veal ordered over the counter and in restaurants if the public knew the true facts. Please help boycott this in sidious, despicable treatment of animals. (s) Lois Winchester P.S.-now we have more good news. Yaw's, per your request, now serve the "O riginal Garden Burger". Letters to the Editor Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, January 24, 1996 - THREE Smith understands critical issues To the Editor: As a former U.S. Senate can didate in the special primary, I have spent hours reading the proposed U.S. budget, the Fed eral Election Commission (FEC) filings of the other candidates and researching issues critical to Oregon's future. Further, I have spoken on the same issues printed in your paper across the entire state of Ore gon. Gordon Smith understands the critical issues. I would sug gest a $262 billion yearly deficit and $5 trillion dollar debt is the top priority Can you give the federal government $18,000 to day, which is your share of the national debt? Can your child ren afford $187,000 in interest payments on the debt? Can you afford the $800 per year to pay interest on the debt? Mr. Wy- den has 15 years of experience creating this debt. Gordon Smith does not have all the an swers but he is accessible, will ing to listen, and make inform ed decisions about our future based on input from every Oregon citizen. Environment, defense, eco nomy, crime, education, wel fare, health care, medicaid and social security are all important issues. The common thread on every issue is the cost in tax payer dollars. Tax and spend days without regard for the future are over. Without a bal anced budget, the federal government will not be able to meet any citizen expectations in the future. Gordon Smith is the leader to represent Oregon's urban, suburban and rural communities in the U.S. Sen ate. If Ron Wyden's metro dis trict want him after six terms, then keep him in the U.S. House of Representatives. The negative campaign ad vertising in this race can be stopped by Mr. Wyden. Call the FEC if you don't believe it. We need a balanced responsi ble leader in the U.S. Senate. We need a U.S. Senator that will keep Washington D.C. off Oregon's back. We need spe cial interests out of Washington D.C. We need local govern ment to work for the people. We need Gordon Smith on Capital Hill to get the federal government out of Oregon's pocketbook and give our com munities a future. Sincerely, (s) Brian J. Boquist Salem Land restrictions must be stopped To the Editor: Our Congressmen, the Presi dent and most of our citizens are concerned about the future of the country because of the unbalanced budget and huge national debt. Our lawmakers are agonizing over means to reorganize our government, to cut and pare expenditures wherever possible to achieve this end. This is a step in the right direction, but a balanced budget cannot be achieved or maintained unless we look to the other side of the equation. It matters not whether you are an individual, a business or a government; a source of in come is necessary to survive. All new wealth comes from the ground. There is no other source. Unless someone har vests a resource (food, fiber, wood, oil or minerals), there can be no business or industry or any job that provides the means of support for people or government. So if we want to balance the budget and bring true prosperi ty back to our country, we must stop curtailing our basic in dustries by restrictive regula tions and the removal of land from productive use. It is nice to have a few special, unique and scenic areas set aside as parks for recreation and viewing, but the never- ending closures of the public land spells disaster for the eco nomy. In addition to our parks and national monuments, a major portion of the public lands have been taken out of productive use by classifying them as Wilderness, Wilder ness Study Areas, where they don't meet the requirements of the former, Wild and Scenic Areas, Wildlife Refuges, pro tection for a never-ending list of so-called endangered species of birds, animals, plants and in-) sects. On top of these, we have even more restrictions on use because air and water qualities might be affected. If no other excuse can be found, roads and trails are simply closed or destroyed to prevent public access. There are limits to all things and these restrictions on public land use must be stopped or our country and its people will be destroyed. Look over the records of our upcoming politicians and make sure the ones who are threaten ing your life and job don't get another chance. (s) Kenneth E. Anderson mining geologist/engineer (ret.) Baker City Wyden cares about Oregonians i the Editor: [n 1991 I was in a hospital ceiving blood transfusions, hile I was in the hospital, Ron yden acquired information at Aids-tainted blood had en released and took imme- ate action to insure this blood as not given to any patient, ailed the Red Cross and also Iked with several people in ithority at the hospital. Upon y release from the hospital, I lied Ron Wyden who met ith me on a Sunday. Only an Wyden would answer all y questions. If Ron Wyden had not taken e actions he did, the Aids- tainted blood would probably have been given to me and other Oregonians. Would an other politician have taken the time to meet with me on a Sun day, answer my questions and talk with me? I feel Ron Wyden is the one candidate in the Senate race who truly cares about the peo ple of Oregon. I will always be grateful to him and grateful for his honesty and integrity. He will always have my (and my family's) vote. Sincerely, (s) Sherryl Augustine Portland Wyden opposes private property rights i the Editor: Oregon's Senatorial race /es Oregon's voters a clear oice if they believe in engthening private property ;hts. Congressman Wyden s had the opportunity to vote i a large number of federal Is that would protect private operty rights. He has, in the st majority of those votes, iposed strengthening private property rights. Oregon voters should there fore take this opportunity to oppose a continuation to Con gressman W yden's votes. Oregon voters should instead vote in favor of Gordon Smith, for private property rights and for the state of Oregon. Sincerely, (s) Donald Oakes Ironside We Print Business Cards Many styles and colors to choose from Gazette-Times 676-9228 State worker against Smith To the Editor: general " k ic k e r " refund. Gordon Smith wants us to Everyone except government vote for him for the U.S. retirees got a windfall. Senate. As a retired state of How much Gordon Smith Oregon worker, I cannot do got is not public information. I that. suggest that your paper ask In his ad, Smith claims that, him how much he got and then as a state senator, he balanced let us all know. If he was the Oregon budget. He did not. motivated in refusing the sug He participated in the con gested solution by a desire to tinued borrowing from retired take credit for the windfall re public employees by illegally fund to thousands of taxpayers taxing their retirement benefits. while he was running for Everyone, even Gordon Smith, public office or by his desire to knows that the millions paid by secure a substantial windfall for retired public employees in himself, only he can answer. state income taxes must be re As a state worker, I have paid, with interest. Among worked in many parts of the those owed substantial sums state, including Eastern Ore are retirees in Morrow County. gon. In April 1995, a solution was I continue to work when call suggested to State Senator ed to, even though the illegal Smith, at least to repay state, taxes continue, but I cannot county, city and school district vote for Gordon Smith for the retirees. It was suggested to U.S. Senate. If money is bor him that the so-called "kicker" rowed from me, and one who money (the funds collected in has participated in the borrow income taxes in excess of 1993 ing will not act to repay it, I will estimates) be used to repay not assist him in his desire for those retired workers, par promotion. ticularly since the "kicker" Many of your readers must would not have been activated be persons retired from public at all were it not for the inclu service. They deserve to know, sion in tax revenues of sums il and their friends and relative legally collected from retirees. ought to be reminded, that one In other words, without the who asks their help now failed taxes that must be repaid, there to help them when he could. would not have been a 1995 re Sincerely, fund to individual taxpayers. (s) John C. Warden Smith declined that suggested Salem solution and opted for the Jan. 28 is "Souper Bowl" Sunday at Hope-Valby Lutheran parish January 28 is “ Souper Bowl" a.m., with Sunday school as Sunday, a canned goods drive part of the service. Sarah Carl for the Neighborhood Center son will accompany the con sponsored by the Hope-Valby gregation in the singing of hymns and liturgy. Coffee hour Lutheran parish. “ It is a time for all Christians will follow the service. Hope Lutheran Church, to share in a simple, yet signifi Heppner, will hold worship cant witness to the love of God service and Sunday school at 11 in Christ Jesus for others,'' said a.m. Dr. Jeanne Berretta will the Reverend Stan Hoobing. play the piano and accompany This Sunday, “ members and the congregation in the singing friends are encouraged to bring of the liturgy and hymns. A either $1 or a commercially-pre coffee hour in the fellowship pared canned good for the Neighborhood Center of South hall will follow the service. Pastor Hoobing will be Morrow County. This gift of preaching at both services and love will be shared with those will bring a message entitled, who have pressing need for “ Blessings of G od", based on food and will demonstrate the the scripture reading of St. love of G od," added Reverend Matthew 5:1-12. Hoobing. Friday School will be held Worship service at Valby Jan. 26 at the Heppner United Lutheran Church, lone, is at 9 Methodist Church. % 100 years old | 1 1 C om e h elp H uston L esley % U c e le b r a te his b irth d a y Feb.% U 10th a t H ard m an C om m uni- £ |\ty C en ter . P otlu ck a t noon.% 4 } ^ The couple requests no gifts and 4 } b no small children please. # ju COAST TO COAST SOURCE YOUR FOR Hardware GoasttoGoast Hrppnrr WF. C A S H U P Y(H » 74 - * « * /