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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 1996)
Heppner Gazette-Times. Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 4, 1996 • THREE The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County s Hoipe-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. Oregon Office at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone (541) 876-9228 Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times. P.O. Bo* 337, Heppner Oregon 97836 Subscriptions: »18 in Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam and Grant Coun ties; $25 elsewhere April Hilton-Sykes............................................................................................pew s Editor Stephanie Jensen .............................................Typesetting Monique Devin . Advertising Layout it Graphics Bonnie Bennett .......................................... Distribution Penni Keersemaker ................................ Printer David Sykes, Publisher Letters to the Editor Editor’s note: Letters to the editor must be signed. The Gazette-Times will not publish unsigned letters. Please include your address and phone number on all letters for use by the G-T office. The G-T reserves the right to edit. Taxpayers fed up with waste Echo turnoffs have remained dark and silent. I drive this route three-five times per week even in the worst of weather and have never seen these boards operational. They are of no use. At the county level, percep tion is everything. There are many, many hard-working people who never forget that they are there to serve the citi zens that pay their salaries. There are others who don't seem to care and hang around like parasites, infecting even the better public servants. I haven't supported a coun ty bond issue for six years. This is because of the perception of county government which I developed at that time. I had business at the courthouse and went up around 2 p.m., a time of day when most people are working and these offices are open. When I entered the de partment of this elected official and approached the counter, I saw three people at desks, one reading a magazine, one pain ting her fingernails and the third reading a newspaper. None of them rose from their desks to wait on me. The one reading the magazine looked up and apathetically said, "W hat ya want?" It was at this same time the county was begging for more operating money just to keep these offices open. The bond finally passed and the county bought new cars. What hap pened to cutting waste? I saw three salaries that could be cut at very little loss of services. I was sorry to interrupt their work. If they were on a break, they should not be at their desks. Perception is every thing. We desperately need a county jail, but as long as tax- paying voters perceive this kind of waste, there will be no increase in funds. Why isn't it clear to our state and county servants that the taxpaying voter isn't stupid? We see the waste, the self- serving lack of priorities and in efficiency. We remember the inconsistencies and take all of this to the voting booth with us. They must work harder to make government work for the people. (s) Lori Straley Heppner To the Editor: One hears repeated that our students learn as much in four days as they did in five. But our elementary students need re petition to learn, and direct in struction. Additionally, they need to learn good work habits, such as going to school and work daily. I was visiting with Ron Daniels quite some time ago and he said the Blue Mountain Community College diesel mechanics program was threat ened because the incoming Health Dept« The Morrow County Health Dept, lists the following mon thly schedule for blood pres sures and immunizations: Thursd ay, Dec. 5-blood pressures and immunizations, Heppner office, 8:30 a.m .-4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9-blood pres sures and immunizations, Irri- gon annex, 1-4 p.m .; Tuesday, Dec. 10-blood pressures and immunizations, Boardman office, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 12-blood pressures and immunizations, Heppner office, 8:30 a.m .-4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16-blood pres sures and immunizations, lone City Hall, 2-4 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 17-blood pressures and immunizations, Boardman office, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 19-blood pressures and immunizations, Heppner office, 8:30 a m .-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31-blood pressures and immunizations, Boardman office, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. To contact the public health nurse on call (for public health em ergencies) during Dec. 23-27, call 676-5317 or 1-800-460-8027 (Morrow Coun ty Sheriff's office). We Print Business Cards Gazette-Times 676-9228 students could not read the in struction book. Surely we can not wish this upon any of our children. If you feel our schools need five day teaching time, please mail a postcard to the follow ing school board members: Scon Banska 318 Willow Fork Drive Boardman, OR 97318 481-7047 Dwa/ne Carroll Ri. I^Box 1816 Hermislon, OR 97838 567-5757 Bill Doherty P. O. Box 4125 Lexington, OR 97839 989-8113 Gary Frederickson Ri I, Box 73-D 3oardman, OR 97818 481-6225 Scon Johnson Rt. 2. Box 72 Irrigon, OR 97844 922-5131 Russell Morgan P.O. Box 628 Heppner. OR 97836 676-5S82 John Rietmann P. 0 . Box 313 lone, OR 97843 422-7123 Reverend Grace Drake, retired, and her family. Receiving the gift will be Rita Hedman, who is the chair of the Board of Trustees. The message for this Sunday will be presented by the Re verend A1 Trachsel, pastor of the church. His message is titl ed, "W hat Do We Need For Christmas." All are welcome to attend the dedication ceremony and service. The U nited M ethodist Church in Heppner will dedi cate its new stained glass win dow beginning at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 8 during its re gular second Sunday of Advent worship. The dedication cere mony will be led by the Rever end Sue Owen-Bofferding, dis trict superintendant. The stained glass window is a gift given to the church by the Dec. 5: Memorial Services. It will also be Ladies Night. No bingo. Dec. 12: Decorate the Lodge Night, starting at 6 p.m . Lodge to follow. Dec. 13: Dinner for a Toy Night. Bring in a toy for the Giving Tree and nd receive receivi a free dinner. A Dec. 14: Condon Annual. Dec. 19: Lodge Night. Dec. 25: Christmas Day. Lori and I and (s) Meg Murray lone our children wish you a happy and safe holiday. -Exalted Ruler Weather Report _________ By City of Heppner__________ Dec. 31: New Y e a r’s Eve. Food and For the month of October Precip. Low High music at the Lodge. .00 29 51 11/1 .00 28 53 11/2 .00 33 54 11/3 -------- .02 34 52 11/4 676-9181 ’ W here / 'rit'iitls M e c í 142 N . * M • u i • n T 31 54 11/5 I ►####»######»################»###»»##»#»#####»»»»#»####»###»##»< .00 29 54 11/6 .00 34 57 11/7 .00 36 52 11/8 .00 34 63 11/9 .00 31 63 11/10 .00 32 55 11/11 .00 34 55 11/12 .14 38 61 11/13 .04 42 57 11/14 T 38 48 11/15 .04 34 51 11/16 .03 42 50 11/17 .38 34 55 11/18 S u n d a y , D e c. 1 5 \ I 1.70 32 54 11/19 1 2 - 1 : 3 0 p .m . .42 29 64 11/20 .02 27 48 11/21 .11 28 34 11/22 .00 30 36 11/23 .04 25 32 11/24 .08 25 40 11/25 .00 24 S an ta arrives at 1 2 :1 5 p.m . at 49 11/26 T 24 49 11/27 th e H eppner E lks Club .13 37 56 11/28 * .00 30 49 11/29 .00 42 47 11/30 Heppner Elks 358 A & -4 & Hâve lunch and talk w ith S an ta! A £ 4 4 4 A 4^ A S au D aus D ecember 1-21 1996 Cash In On Cenex Values d u r in g O u r J io lid a y Sale! G e t through the w in te r w ith lubricants a n d fluids from C enex! $ B .7 9 1ST pw gallon in I ^J^geHonjuM M 1 8 $3 ______ w e re ? O a iio m 1----------------- — $ £ .7 9 u per quart Platinum D Synthetic M otor O il Outperforms conventional oik for engines in cars and light true Its P . -*c mam ---------1 - C ¿y f WëàCQ kerosene to w e n Y • Lowers Pour Point to 35* F • Lowers cold filte r plugging point to 18* F ' $8 ” 5 galon 4’ 648*i V • Stabilizes stored fuel (262414) 1.19 S holiday activities • • • • • Keeps stored gas fresh indefinitely N o need to dram For easy starting next season Protects engines in storage Far gasoline ond diesel i on bit • C o n ta in s T jb o ^ a dditive * C leans fuel R ectors ► Prevents fuel-filter icing ► Prevents fuel gelling G a llo n s (2624061 M O ** YOUR CHOICE >.S9 7 2oz. (»674*1 or 10 5 o r 1206'721 Quom (262393) $ 1.19 EL ST STAX* f — 1 or propon, gas in your hom. I an «ion* «Aon a potentially harmful Wvel is rochad m u * J$36” 127573 1 L JSS.M .75 ___r Becouse of location u re of facilities or other factors, some items and services odver hsed m this ad may not be available a t a ll participating cooperatives Merchandise may be ordered but pricing may be somewhat higher on these special orders C enex/lond O lakes is not responsible for any typographical or pictorial errors I r ^ l fTVj A & LUNCH WITH SANTA Arts Council plans The Morrow County Arts Council has planned several upcoming weekend events. On Friday, Dec. 6, a dance class recital by the students o f Cheri Westphal will be held at the Heppner Middle School gym (not the high school) at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, Dec. 7, the bus traveling to the yuletide "consort” by Sabella Consort will load at Heppner Elementary School at 5 p.m. and will leave promptly at 5:15. The bus will stop at Lexington at the Morrow County School District office, with loading at 5:30 p.m. The bus will leave Lexington at 5:45. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. at A.C. Houghton Elementary School in Imgon. The events are free to the public and everyone is invited Methodist Church plans dedication J To the Editor: The newspapers lately have contained a great deal of com ment by government officials lamenting the passage of Mea sure 47 and the failure of other tax bonds. There are many beneficial services currently be ing supported and others that are needed. However, the tax- paying voter is fed up. Fed up with the waste and the percep tion that elected officials are in terested only in their pocket- books and doing as little work as possible. At the state level, we see wasteful spending everywhere, from the transportation depart ment to school funding. Do they really think we're blind to the fact that in every depart ment there is wasteful spen ding? Is it any wonder that the voters would like these em ployees to pay for some of their retirement like the rest of us? Aren't they servants of the people? Education must be the priori ty. Our state and county school adm inistrators continue to make cuts that affect our children but they wouldn't dream of working a little harder and getting a lower pay in crease. Our schools are being run at the convenience of the administrators and the Oregon Education Association. We con tinue to see cuts at every level of education, including time. We put up with a four-day school week, time is wasted teaching Spanish, students are excused for sports and other ex tracurricular activities, and they wonder why the students' scores in math, reading and writing continue to drop. The taxpaying voters won't forget these things when it comes to electing a new. school board and deciding on school bond issues. The state must begin to fund schools in a fair and more effi cient manner. The American system calls for education be ing the right of every citizen, not the responsibility of a few to support. Education should be funded in a manner that makes every citizen responsible and not just the landowner. There is nothing worse than standing in the grocery line behind a mother with four school-age children, paying for her steak with food stamps. She pulls out a $50 bill and buys lottery scratch tickets. Meanwhile, I'm behind her with my hotdogs. I don't dare waste money on scratch tickets because my property taxes are due next week. She also rents a home twice the size of the one 1 own and never pays proper ty taxes, never supports schools funds an always votes " y e s " on the property tax hikes. This is fair? The taxpay ing voters have said " n o ." Fund schools with income taxes, a sales tax, and/or lottery funds. But make it fair. The transportation depart ments want more money for train services and road im provements. All worthy of con sideration. But what about the thousands of dollars spent on traffic warning boards along 1-84 and Highway 207? Even in the worst ice storms, the boards on 207 at the Boardman and Students need five day week Morrow County Grain Growers 1-800-452-7396 Lexington, Oregon 350 Main 989-8221
