FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 24, 1996
Letters to the Editor
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
Editor's note: Letters to the
editor must be signed. The Gazett-
Times will not publish unsigned
letters. Please include your address
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
U S P S 240-420
Initiative damaging, scary
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner,
Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid at Heppner,
()regon ( >ffice at 147 West Willow Street Telephone (541) 676-9228. Postmaster
send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P O Box 337, Heppner,
Oregon 97836 Subscriptions $18 in Morrow , Wheeler, Gilliam and Grant Coun
ties; $25 elsewhere
April Hilton-Sykes...................................................................................... News Editor
Stephanie Jensen ............................................................................................ Typesetting
Monique D evin............
................................... Advertising Layout & Graphics
Bonnie Bennett ...............................................................................................Distribution
Penni k e e rse m a k er...........................................................................................
Printer
David Sykes, Publisher
Stop smoking classes offered
Morrow County Behavorial
Health Services (MCBHS) will
offer a smoking cessation class
starting in August during the
noon hour. The program will
consist of seven sessions to be
on Wednesdays. Class size is
limited to 10.
The fee is $20 for adults and
$10 for youth. Payment plans
can be worked out if necessary,
said Marilyn Bader-Nesse,
MCBHS. "This is an intense,
self-motivational type pro­
g ra m ," said Bader-Nesse.
"This program offers educa­
tion, resources with a variety of
natural-based techniques and
healthy support systems. This
is a gift that you not only give
to yourself, but to all the signifi­
cant others in your life, as well
as those who have yet to come
into your life."
To sign up, for more informa­
tion, call 676-9161.
This program was developed
by the following agencies:
American Cancer Society;
American Lung Association of
Oregon; Centennial School
District; Kaiser-Permanente
Adolescent Chemical Health
Program; Kaiser-Permanente
Center for Health Research;
Multnomah County Employee
Health Promotion Program
Multnomah County Primary
Prevention Program; and
Pacific University, Graduate
School
of
Professional
Psychology.
4-H fair registration due July 26
County 4-H members plann­
ing to participate in the 1996
Morrow County Fair must have
their registrations into the Mor-
Morrow County Health
Dept, will be available at
Pioneer Memorial Clinic
for immunizations (MMR,
Hepatitis B, and Tetanus
booster) both days of
sports physicals, on
Tuesday anb Wednes­
day, July 30 and 31,
4:30-6:30 p.m.
row County Extenion office,
Heppner, or the North Morrow
Annex, Irrigon, before 5 p.m.,
Friday, July 26.
All 4-H members must pre-
register their exhibits and con­
tests by this date. No excep­
tions will be made. For more in­
formation call the 4-H office,
Morrow County Extension,
P.O. Box 397, Heppner OR.
9783Ç, ¿-$30-342-3664. or (541)
676-9642.
JUL\ ¿LEAR/IIVCE !
FINAL DAYS!
Short Sleeve $ 1 0 0 0 off
Western Shirts " s t
Polo Shirts ^10®® off
by Grand Slam
5
W rangler $ 0 0 »«
Tee Shirts Boys Re9",5K"4"
Men’s
Wrangler Jeans
* 19 ”
Levi Dockers
I •
$ 1625 t 0 $ 26 95,
Cowboy Cut Denim 38 length 2195
Classic Fit
To the Editor:
An initiative has received
enough signatures to be plac­
ed on the ballot to be voted on
this coming November, 19%.
This is one of the most damag­
ing and scary proposals to the
owners of livestock and proper­
ty bordering certain rivers and
ponds designated as water
quality limited. It is called the
"Clean Stream Initiative".
What this means is it could
create a lawyer's bonanza. The
so-called "Clean Stream Initia­
tive" will promote lawsuits and
legal harassment for the farm­
ers, ranchers and landowners
of Oregon while destroying
cooperation and management
solutions that protect and
enhance the water quality of
Oregon. Lawyers and environ­
mental extremists will be the
true financial beneficiaries of
this law, at the expense of our
environment, recreational op­
portunities, family farms and
ranches and our economy.
Farmers and ranchers are the
best "stewards of the land".
They manage the lands and
waterways to enhance produc­
tion. They raise the vegetables,
meat, dairy products, crops
that supply the markets and
grocery stores for the consumer
to purchase to fulfill their nutri­
tional needs. If these dedicated
people are forced to sell or go
broke and lose their property
because of a needless initiative
proposed by uninformed peo­
ple, where do they plan to get
the food needed to sustain life?
Import it from other countries-
-is that the answer? Think of
the cost.
You (collectively) say the
price of meat, fish, dairy pro­
ducts and groceries are too ex­
pensive; just wait until these
environmentalists get their way
and the "Clean Steam In­
itiative" does pass. It could
give everyone with property
bordering rivers, creeks and
ponds the opportunity to go
broke and deprive them of the
right to earn a living that would
benefit each and every one of
you.
The cost of fencing the rivers,
streams, etc. would be so cost­
ly that the average rancher-
farmer could not afford it. The
cost would be $5,000 per mile
for one side of the river, etc. If
the landowner owned proper­
ty on both sides of the river,
stream, etc., the cost would be
$10,000 per mile and would
cost ranchers and farmers $1
million for every 100 miles.
The sponsors of the initiative
claim a "tax credit" will help
ranchers, etc. pay for fencing.
In reality, a rancher, farmer or
private property owner can on­
ly receive a tax credit for 25 per­
cent of the cost. But the truth
is the tax credit is only good if
the farmer-rancher, etc. earns
a profit and owes state income
tax.
Who is liable to provide the
cost of upkeep and repair of
these fences that will take 100
feet of property on both sides
of the water? Are the environ­
mentalists going to maintain
the fences? Are the organiza-
ns going to maintain the
Tee
Shirts
*5
by Nike, Union Bay and Qucksilver
Jeans * 16 » V
By Blaze and Wrangler
Reg 3 3 " to 5 1 "
00
We will be revising
our Hallmark department
on Thursday and Friday,
August 1st and 2nd.
We apologize for any
inconvenience this may cause.
'
1
Other card brands will be available
in the main part o f the store.
99 ”
THANK YOU!
#
Gardner’s
193 N Mam St
off
676-9218
MEN’S
WEAR
Heppner
fences? What about fences in an
area that floods, will they main­
tain and replace them every
year as needed? Of course not.
It will be up to the landowner
to provide that service at his
own expense.
By fencing the water away
from domestic animals, it
makes me wonder how wildlife
will profit from all of this. How
are they going to get to the
water that is life sustaining for
survival with fences blocking
their access?
Let's define animals con­
sidered to be "livestock". It in­
cludes horses, mules, sheep,
ostrich and emu, poultry, pigs,
goats, llamas as well as cattle.
The part of this initiative that
is completely unjust and unfair
is if any livestock is found in­
side the fenced-ofif riparian
area, it permits any person to
commence a civil action in state
court against any landowner
alleged to be in violation.
It doesn't have to be the land­
owner's livestock either. If the
livestock belongs to a neighbor,
and someone, like a fisherman,
sees the animal and files suit
against the landowner, the
landowner is liable for his own
legal defense to prove the
animal did not belong to him.
For our own protection, out
of fear of lawsuits and legal
liability, landowners would
likely be forced to restrict access
to their private property if this
initiative were to pass.
Carefully written into the law
is the provision that the court
may award the cost of bringing
the lawsuit to the plaintiff
whenever the court feels it is
appropriate. This means the
livestock owner has to pay the
person bringing about the
lawsuit for their attorney fees,
court fees, and expert witness
fees on top of any monetary or
injunctive relief already given
to the plaintiff. Should the ran­
cher win, there are no attorney
fees, court fees, and expert
witness fees if they can prove
the lawsuit was "frivolous". In
almost every case, even if the
farmer, rancher or private pro­
perty owner is successful in
defending the lawsuit brought
against them, they will not be
allowed to get their cost of
litigation back. Is this fair to the
farmer, rancher or private pro­
perty owner?
Your help is needed to help
prevent a law that would re­
strict the management of the
rancher, farmer and private
property and also take the food
off your plates and out of your
mouths. Help us to encourage
cooperation and consider sup­
porting efforts to oppose the
livestock exclusion initiative.
Contact the Oregon Agriculture
Education PAC 3415 Commer­
cial Street SE in Salem, Oregon
97302, for more information
and with donations, and vote
no at election time in Novem­
ber. Let's not make Oregon the
first state to outlaw livestock
grazing.
(s) Arlene Guerin, president
Coos County Livestock
Association
Mrytle Point, Oregon
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••a
Reg 3 2 " to 3695
Ladies
and phone number on all letters for
use ty the G-T office. The G-T
reserves the right to edit,
^
M uM OIJ'i DAW)
217 North M«*in
Heppner
676*9158
First Heppner rodeo
a crowd pleaser
By Merlyn Robinson
Headlines from the October
3,1922, Heppner Herald week­
ly newspaper proclaim "Hepp-
ner's First Rodeo Won the Ap­
plause of Thousands". This
year's 19% Oregon Trail Pro
Rodeo, August 16-18, will again
be a crowd pleaser, living up to
a colorful 71-year history.
Rodeos were not held for four
years during World War II.
This event is a legacy from
the days when hardy pioneers
in this area used four-legged
horsepower for transportation,
pulling power and to herd cat­
tle and sheep. Today's rodeo
events emulate that rugged
cowboy life when bucking
broncs were fanned and riders
pitted their horses against
others over rugged terrain.
This year's Grand Marshal
Gerald Swaggert rode race
horses in that era. He remem­
bers when bucking horse
events were held before there
were any sanctioned rodeos.
Buttercreek ranchers would
gather loose horses so that
cowpokes could test their
rough rider skills.
Such bucking horse events,
once held at the lower edge of
Main Street, inspired local
businessmen to promote a
scheduled rodeo. L.V. Gentry
donated a field at the edge of
town that continues to be the
rodeo site. Poles and posts
were cut and hauled from the
mountains to build fences and
bleachers were built along the
oval race track bordering this
large arena.
It was reported that the
bleachers were filled during
that first show with the arena
surrounded by parked vehicles
and an estimated crowd atten­
dance of 4,000 people. A band
from The Dalles provided
musical atmosphere during the
performances. After the dusty
arena competition and the hot­
ly contested races were held,
there was no shortage of night
life. Dances were held each
evening at the large round
pavilion that once stood at the
lower edge of town. A crowd­
ed bar and gambling games
were provided by the local
American Legion Post.
Winner of that first rodeo's
bucking horse contest was J.D.
Bellingbrock who bested Jack
French. Yet French proved to
be the top hand when it came
to riding bucking mules. Win­
ners of horse races were Vic
Eads, George Cason, M.N.
Kirk, Frank Swaggert, Antone
Cunha and Barney Ward. Ed­
die Sheriden placed over
French in the calf roping. And
Ralph Reid beat French and
Howard Lane in the steer rop­
ing event. Then there were the
boys' pony races with success­
ful winners including Don
Boyer, Billy Hill, Harold Gen­
try and Rolan Snyder.
According to newspaper ac­
counts "th e track and arena
were in splendid condition,"
thanks to the work of * that
rodeo committee plus a well-
timed rain that fell prior to the
first performance. In those days
of no bucking chutes and lap
and tap starts, there were no
serious accidents to mark this
show. However "the bucking
bulls and some of the bucking
horses gave riders all they
wanted in rough treatment."
The stock of that first show
mostly came from local ran­
chers who brought their
"meanest critters" to town.
One dozen outlaw horses, in­
cluding W histling Anne,
Lightfoot and John Day, were
borrowed from the Pendleton
Round-Up stock for this event.
One of the town fathers and
a promotor of this first rodeo
was Charles Latourell, an en­
terprising local car dealer. He
arranged to bring a touring
Ford Exposition to town for
four days during that first
rodeo. That caravan consisted
of 26 trucks and tractors carry­
ing or towing additional farm
and construction equipment.
There were also Delco light
plants, an innovative way to
provide electricity for ranches.
Plus there were pumping
systems, hoists and other small
tools and accessories that were
considered modern conve­
niences. This entourage featur­
ed a five-piece jazz orchestra,
nightly movie shows and a
modern marvel of a radio
broadcasting set.
The written details of this
rodeo are sketchy, but there are
some people still around that
remember those times. Hepp-
ner's Eva Padberg Griffith,
queen of the 1923 show, can
add many colorful details. This
year's Grand Marshal Gerald
Swaggert was 12 years old at
that time. He is being honored
for his years of serving on both
the fair and rodeo boards and
his family's'Involvement in
past years. Like his father,
Frank Swaggert, he rode race
horses in flat, relay and pony
express heats. He also demon­
strated his riding skill by racing
horses roman style by standing
on the back of two horses. It's
that kind of heritage that is be­
ing handed down to succeed­
ing generations that keeps
rodeo a leading sport.
4-H fair cleanup day set for Aug. 3
Cleanup day at the Morrow
County Fairgrounds has been
set for Saturday Aug. 3, the day
4-H members get the livestock
areas ready for fair.
Parents and members are all
invited to help. Work will start
at 8 a.m. at the fairgrounds in
Heppner. For more informa­
tion, call Bill Broderick at the
Morrow County Extension of­
fice, 1-800-342-3664 or (541)
676-9642.