Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current, April 17, 1996, Page THREE, Image 3

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    Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oreoon Wednesday, April 17, 1996 - THREE
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
Missionaries speak at Nazarene
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 llepp-
ner. Oregon. Office at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone (503) 676-9228
Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337,
Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $18 in Morrow, Wheeler, Cilliam and
Crant Counties; $25 elsewhere.
April Hilton-Sykes................
........................................News Editor
Stephanie Jensen...................
Typesetting, Layout, Distribution
Monique Devin ...................
. . Advertising layout & Graphics
Penni K eersem aker............
................................................. Printer
David Sykes, Publisher
Engagement
McElligott — Tevault
Martha McElligott of Portland and Scott Tevault of Seattle an­
nounce their engagement to be married.
Martha is the daughter of C.R. and Loa McElligot of lone. She
will graduate from the University of Portland this spring.
Scott is the son of Dick and Ida Mae Tevault of Poulsbo,
Washington. He is a graduate of the University of Washington.
The couple plan a May wedding in Portland, and will make
their home in Seattle.
Letters to the Editor
W ork together to improve schools
To the Editor:
For two years now the four-
day week has kept sharp sand
in my shoes. For lack of fund­
ing, drastic cuts had to be
made. We had to accept that.
To retain extra-curricular acti­
vities, a recreation district was
formed and we voted taxes to
support
mainly
sports
($380,000 of a total of around
$416,000).
When news came of state
support of over $800,000,1 was
delighted, knowing that we
could now return to a five-day
week and restore art, music
and living skills courses to the
curriculum.
But, no; I read in the GT that
the board had voted four to
three to keep the four-day
week.
At the April meeting, a group
of us went, hoping to change
the mind of just one board
member who had opposed the
five-day week. We were told to
be brief. I pled there for kin­
dergarten through third grad­
ers, that crucial time that deter­
mines success in school at the
higher levels. The statement
that a kindergartner or first
grader who boards a bus at 6:30
a.m. and doesn't get home un­
til almost 5 p.m. is doing "ju st
fine" seems to me wishful
thinking. The stress that child
is subjected to may damage
health, learning behavior and
attitude toward learning, not to
mention attaining initial basic
skills. Surely finance couldn't
be the reason because changing
to the four-day had saved only
$150,000, no colossal amount.
Also in this time of unstable
family life, don't teachers need
time for parenting for some
children to prepare them for
readiness to learn?
Others reported an increase
in homework, an increase in
shoplifting and that a serious
ramification of the four-day
week without music and art
classes has been the possible
loss of two doctors who have
done so much for health care
here. Would other doctors or
educated people with children
want to come here?
Those in favor of four days
most often mention time for
athletics on Friday, time for
recreation with the family or
more time for teachers to do
their homework. Parents say
they can't always help their
child with the increased home­
work and need teachers' help.
So it goes. Parents fault
teachers; teachers fault parents;
some fault administrators or
the board. It seems that
everyone wants to blame some­
one else.
They are both right and
wrong. True responsibility rests
with everyone in the district
working together. I say all be­
cause all children are our
children. The purpose of edu­
cation is to teach the concepts
of the culture to our young.
This means we must focus on
children, on every individual
child. Our schools will be as
good as we want them to be.
Let's get real. We must give
more time and attention to our
schools, become informed, at­
tend board and budget meet­
ings, communicate and listen to
each other and seek answers to
questions such as:
1. What happens to our
children on Fridays? We know
two churches have sponsored
"Friday School" from 9-3, with
Dr. Jeanne Berretta assisting
with music and singing, but
they can serve only a fraction
of the children.
2. On Mondays, is more
reviewing and reteaching
needed?
3. Exactly what was in the
survey that favored the four
days, to whom was it circulated
and how was it evaluated?
4. What are the basic skills re­
quirements for high school
graduation?
5. Is our academic program
damaged by over-balanced em­
phasis on sports?
6. Why do we need three
more administrators?
In short, we must cooperate
in setting standards of expecta­
tion and in requiring them. If
we do this and do it well, our
children will have the oppor­
tunity to reach their potential.
Apathy, ignorance and blam­
ing others will not do it.
(s) Jane Rawlins
Heppner
So it's the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rat. Surely this
doesn't have any connection to this presidental election year.
Yet from now through November, we'll continue to see politi­
cians shoot themselves and others in the foot.
Presently the ratty issue is the on-and-off again spring weather.
Cold nights don't encourage early garden produce unless you
have a greenhouse. And speaking of cold, like some other folks,
for over two weeks I suspected that what little gray matter I had
upstairs was surely leaking out through my nose. It's difficult
to accomplish anything when one hand is busy wiping the nozzle.
Better late than never, a new farm bill has finally been signed
into law which seems to have some gray areas also. But the new
legislation does provide production flexibility and a declining scale
of contract payments to grain growers. Wheat will be subsidiz­
ed at approximately 92 cents in 19%, declining on a sliding basis
to around 46 cents in the year 2002.
Right now with a worldwide shortage of wheat, prices are high.
Some people predict that should wheat prices once again drop
due to a worldwide glut, the lack of a viable safety net would
put some farmers out of business.
Yes, everyone would like to have a guaranteed livable wage,
good benefits and pursue the occupation of their choice. Risk
takers in food production seldom have such guarantees. Fruit
crops, particularly cherries, have been hit by hard freezes and
vegetable growers are experiencing a loss of contracts due to a
backlog of frozen veggies.
Although as a nation, we enjoy a cheap food policy, meat at
the supermarket hasn't taken a nose dive in accordance with the
price of live cattle. Some blame overproduction. Yet the meat
packers have a stranglehold on the market through pricing by
contract and formula selling, and are making big profits. Mean­
while, the producer and feedlot operators are holding on by their
teeth.
Now preservationists are roaming the halls of Congress tell­
ing our representatives that grazing on federal land jeopardizes
wildlife conservation and habitat development. There's no men­
tion that many wild animals survive each winter because of food
they get off private land. It's been proven that wildlife habitat
is enhanced through livestock grazing because big game avoids
stagnant, old-growth grasses.
Then there's the clean water issue that will impact everyone.
Managing our natural resources through the ballot box is a distur­
bing trend. Urbanites are hardly in a knowledgeable position to
cast a 'best-interest' vote. And the population centers have the
ability to out-vote rural areas.
There's also research concentrating on where windblown dust
originates due to the 1990 Clean Air Act that regulates allowable
concentration of pollutants. So don't throw that shovelful of dirt
in the air or stir up the mud in the creeks, the air and water quality
cops are sure to impose fines. Perhaps we need to pass legisla­
tion that requires everyone to wear dust masks.
Zastrow appointed to committee
Anda Kay Zastrow
Anda Kay Zastrow of BEO
Financial Services, a division of
the Bank of Eastern Oregon,
has been appointed to the Gil­
liam County Investment Ad­
visory Committee, announced
Leanne Durfey, court manage­
ment assistant.
The appointment to the
three-member committee took
place at a regular court meeting
held April 3. The other
members of the committee are
Doug Wilson and Dennis
Bruneau, both of Condon.
"By state statute, each coun­
ty must appoint a committee to
T he P erfect W ay T o
S how A ppreciation
From 1981-91, Dr. Swanson
served as a pastor of the Col­
lege Church and later as visit­
ing lecturer in Old Testament
at Nazarene Theological Col­
lege.
In January 1991, the Swan­
sons were assigned to Euro­
pean Nazarene Bible College,
in Busingen, Switzerland,
where Dr. Swanson was the
academic dean and lecturer in
Bible and Mrs. Swanson was
the college librarian.
Last August, the Swansons
transferred to Asia-Pacific
Nazarene Theological Semi­
nary, where Dr. Swanson is an
associate professor of Old
Testament.
The Swansons have three
children: Nicholas, Allison and
Rachel.
Everyone is welcome to at­
tend the program.
Math contest winners announced
The 19% Morrow County
School District Elementary
Math C ontest was held
Wednesday, April 10 at Sam
Boardman Elementary School,
with many county participants.
Fourth grade winner was
Johnny Collins, from lone Ele­
mentary School. Fifth grade
winner was Doug Orwick,
from Heppner Elementary
School. Sixth grade winner was
Shelley Rietmann, also from
Heppner.
Following are the winners
from each grade:
Fourth grade-first Johnny
Collins, lone Elementary (IES);
second Lyndon Hirai, Sam
Boardman Elementary (SBE);
third Tony Hallock, A.C
Houghton Elementary (ACH);
fourth Zach Baker and fifth
Landi Busey, both SBE; sixth
Jeff Grigsby, ACH; seventh
Luke Murray, Heppner Ele­
mentary (HES); eighth Natalie
McElligott, IES; ninth Paul
Neiffer, SBE; 10th, a tie bet­
ween Erica Hancock, SBE, and
Billy Gates, IES.
Fifth grade-first Doug Orwick
and second Daniel Jepsen, both
HES; third Nick Armstrong,
fourth Sarah Miller and fifth
Allyson Bums, all ACH; sixth
David Harris and seventh
Thomas Bauska, both SBE;
eighth Sally Calvert, HES;
ninth Tracy Griffith, IES; 10th
Marcy Miller, HES.
Sixth grade-first Shelley Riet­
mann, second Jesse Gutierrez
and third Jodi Carlson, all HES;
fourth Colin McElligott, IES;
fifth Olivia Sagely, sixth Julie
Proctor and seventh Jon Ben­
nett, all HES; eighth Salli
McElligott, IES; ninth Meghan
Bailey, HES; 10th Adam Mc­
Cabe, IES.
Come Share With Us
at
Willow Creek Baptist Church
Bible Study for all ages 2 p.m.
Worship Service 3 p.m.
Meeting in the
7th Day Adventist Church
560 North Minor
"Did you hear the one about
the big bank that offered
" free" checking?"
National Sacratarlaa’ Weak
April 21-27, 1996
Th ou gh often unsung, the secretary is frequently the one who
saves the day around the office. Show your appreciation for your
secretary with this arrangement o f beautiful, contrasting colors.
A F S 96-SW1
A F S “Secretines Week" Bouquet
• Spring Vase Arrangements
recommend how county funds
should be invested," explain­
ed Cenia Byrd, Gilliam Coun­
ty treasurer. The committee
will also be responsible for de­
veloping an investment policy
for the county, Byrd said.
A native of Arlington, Zas­
trow has been employed as
financial advisor for BEO
Financial Services since June
1994.
Dr. Dwight Swanson, and
his wife Katherine, Nazarene
missionaries in the Philippines,
will speak at the Heppner
Church of the Nazarene on
Monday, April 22, at 7 p.m.
Dr. Swanson, the son of a
Nazarene pastor, calls Col­
orado his home. He earned
B.A. and M. Div. degrees from
Nazarene institutions and a
Ph.D from Manchester Univer­
sity, England, in Dead Sea
Schools studies.
Katherine Swanson, a native
of Colorado, became a register­
ed nurse in Manchester and
worked in acute leukemia care.
The Swansons, who are on
furlough this spring, pastored
churches in Colorado and Kan­
sas (the latter while in Semi­
nary in Kansas City, Missouri)
before moving to Manchester.
>
• Coffee Mug Arrangements
• Coffee Mug Balloons & Candy Gifts
• Secretary Balloons
• G ift Baskets
• Espresso Bar Gift Certificates
Enjoy our Espresso Bar
• Coffees
• T eas
Our young friends are right to be amused. There is no such thing as a fr e e
checking account. Furthermore, if you were unlucky enough to have one of
those accounts and wanted to wire money to a friend, get traveler's checks
for your vacation, stop payment on a check, or just use your ATM card to
get some cash—you'd be in for an expensive shock. Their fees for these and
most of their other services are among the highest in Oregon.
At Bank of Eastern Oregon we operate under a completely different
philosophy. For 51 years we have been quietly providing the people and
businesses in Eastern Oregon with honest and caring banking services.
What makes us different is that Bank of Eastern Oregon is locally-owned.
Oh, by the way, if you stop in and open up a checking account with Bank
of Eastern Oregon, you'll find that our service fees are among the low est in
Oregon. And with a $10 annual fee, you won’t be charged another penny
for the unlimited use of your Bank of Eastern Oregon Cash Car<P! Any
time, anywhere.
But isn't that what you'd expect from your own local bank?
• Sodas
Bank of Eastern Oregon
• F resh Pastries
• Fruit Juice
"Around the corner, not around the state.”
^ Country Rose
676-442«
233 N Mam
Htppoft
We Deliver
Arlington
Condon
Heppner
lone
454-2636
384-3501
676-9125
422-7466
UemberFOK