Heppner ES Site CBEC passes along savings
Council meets
The
first Heppner
Elementary/Middle School Site
council meeting was held
October 6.
New board members
introduced were Cindy Doherty,
Lome Fox, Sharon Moms, and
Jean Strange. Officers for the
year were elected as follows:
president, Kay Chinen, publicity,
Kelly Boyer, distributer, Sandy
Mathews, and secretary, Jean
Strange.
The council met again for its
November 3 meeting. Topics
discussed were updates on vision
screening, which was completed
by site council members and
parent volunteers.
Future
discussions on levels testing will
be made in the spring when state
wide assessment test scores have
been compiled. Tests and test
grading schedules will help
clarify HES student placement
compared with the rest of
Oregon's educational system,
said a council spokesperson.
The next Site Council meeting
will be held the first Monday in
December at 6:30 p.m.
HEPPNER
imes
VOL. 116
N O .47
8 Pages
Wednesday, November 19,1997
MorrowCounty, Heppner, Oregon
"N ight Chills" to be presented at lone High School
Legion,
Auxiliary plan
meeting
American Legion and Auxil
iary members will meet Monday,
Nov. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Meth
odist Church basement in Hepp
ner for their Thanksgiving pot-
luck. Turkey will be furnished.
Members are asked to bring the
trimmings.
Unit 87 reached their member
ship goal by Oct. 15. Four new
members were w elcomed into the
organization.
It was reported that the food
sale was very successful and pro
ceeds were sent to The Dalles
veterans’ home.
Gifts are being collected for the
Christmas gift shop. People do
nating gifts are asked to bring
them to the potluck or leave at
Clayton Sweek’s home.
A poppy wreath was placed at
the mini-park in memory of our
veterans on Nov. 11. Many Le
gion and Auxiliary members at
tended the “very impressive”
Veterans' Day commemoration.
By Merlyn Robinson
The status of electrical coop
erative industries was the focus
of the 53rd annual meeting of the
Columbia Basin Electric Coop
erative (CBEC), which was held
in Condon on Nov. 6.
Co-op customers also experi
enced a welcome rate reduction
during this past year That reduc
tion became possible after
Bonneville Power Administration
(BPA) lowered the cost of whole
sale power, hence a savings of
$360,000 was passed along to all
customer classes.
And in spite of a past season
of weather-related maintenance
problems, the co-op experienced
a significant profit margin this
past year. The board of directors
authorized a retirement of
$350,000 in'capital credits to pa-
trons-the largest amount to be re
tired in CBEC history.
But beyond CBEC’s present
wholesale power rate contract
with BPA that expires in 2001, the
future of rural cooperatives could
see drastic changes. Change in the
form of deregulation is sw eeping
this industry.
Legislation to deregulate the
industry in Oregon was defeated
this past session. “But the issue
isn’t going to go away,” said
speaker Sandra Flicker, the pub
lic affairs director for Oregon
Rural Electric Cooperatives As
sociation, Salem.
“It’s all about money,” said
Flicker. Retail electrical custom
ers would be able to shop around
and choose a power supplier
Tax statements in the mail
The 1997-98 tax statements for
Morrow County are finally
headed to the mail. They will be
delivered to the Post Office on
November 2 1. The statements
are late this year due to the
implementation of Measure 50.
Taxpayers will have until
December 15 to pay and still
receive the three percent
discount.
Tax bills are down for most
taxpayers, according to a news
release from the Morrow County
Assessor's Office. This is due to
Measure 50, which rolled
assessed values back to their
1995 value less 10 percent and
reduced operating levies for most
taxing districts. Measure 50 also
BEO "Christmas Cash"
has first taker
Jeremiah McElligott, Erin Crowell and Cory Bennetto
By Nova Rietmann
"Night Chills", a triad of plays
based on stories by Edgar Allen
Poe, will be performed by the
lone High School Drama Club,
Saturday, November 22, at 7
p.m. The three plays are entitled:
"The Fall of the House of Usher",
"Murders in the Rue Morgue"
and "The Tell-Tale Heart",
directed by Jim Raible, assisted
by Kara Miller, Lela Gribskov
and Nova Rietmann. Admission
is $2 for adults $1 for students
and senior citizens and children
Entry forms
out for Parade
of An Lights
entry form to enter the first
Heppner Parade of Lights is
included in this week's issue of
the Gazette.
The parade, which will be held
the night of Dec.4, is open to all
individuals or businesses who
can decorate a vehicle and maybe
win a cash prize.
The Christmas decorated
vehicles will drive down
Heppner main street, and the
parade will begin at 6p.m.
There is no charge to enter the
parade and anyone who is
interested should contact Bob
Kahl at Van Marier and Kahl
Insurance in Heppner.
Completed parade entry forms
can be dropped off at Van
Matter and Kahl, Murray Drugs,
or The Heppner Gazette-Times
Other activities planned for
Dec. 4 include holiday snacks at
local businesses, a visit from
Santa Clause, lighting of the
downtown Christmas trees, and
Christmas singing and music.
Everyone is invited to come
downtown for the activités.
which would be delivered by a
local utility. Since the Northwest
has the lowest hydro-electric
power rates in the nation, the large
industries could purchase this
power at reduced rates.
Those in favor of status quo for
local co-ops over investor-owned
utilities cite local personalized
service, dependability and local
control over rates versus more
government regulations at both
the distribution and transmission
levels.
The impact of deregulation on
CBEC could reduce revenues
which are used for maintenance
and administrative costs should
customers choose alternative
power suppliers. About 50 per
cent of CBEC revenue is derived
from residential accounts with ir
rigation, commercial and indus
trial usage providing the other
half.
Nevertheless, an improvement
to provide stability to the system
will be implemented, said man
ager Fred Toombs. The co-op has
negotiated with BPA to obtain an
additional point of delivery at the
north end of the system near Ar
lington. This will increase elec
trical dependability in the event
that the current point of delivery
near Boardman should fail.
Directors re-elected to the
board for three year terms were
Bill Jaegar, Condon, and Herb
Wright, Fossil. Jim Hayes, Hepp
ner, was also re-elected for a one
year term. Entertainment and
door prizes highlighted the din
ner meeting.
are free.
In the "Fall of the House of
Usher", Rodrick Usher (Cory
Bennetto) is watching his sister
Madeline (Enn Crowell) die and,
being sick himself, begins to feel
the need to settle his estate and
calls on his friend Andrew
(Jeremiah McElligott) to come
and help him.
Madeline
unfortunately falls to her death
and the house of Usher is slowly
fading away. Other members of
the cast include Nikki
McElligott, Brandi Brantley and
Katie Bacon.
In "Murders in the Rue
Morgue" Madame L'Espanye
(Niki Sullivan) and her daughter
Camille (Sybil Krebs) are
brutally murdered in their
created permanent tax rates for
all taxing districts. In the future,
operating taxes for a district will
be calculated by multiplying
their permanent rate by the
district's assessed value.
Taxpayers within the city of
Heppner will see an increase on
their tax statements. Heppner tax
bills increased due to a general
increase in real market value of
all types of property. Unlike the
rest of the county, Heppner is
still under Measure 5
compression
for
local
government taxes. This means
that the $10 local government tax
rate limit, times the real market
value, determines the operating
taxes for the property, said the
MCAO.
Total tax bills for properties
located within the state fire
district may be higher. This is
due to the increase in the fire
patrol assessment portion of the
tax statement, which is certified
by the state. The property tax
portion of the statement is lower.
The appeal deadline has been
extended to 46 days past
December 15, which would be
January 30, 1998. Taxpayers
concerned about their values or
how their taxes were computed
should contact the Morrow
County Assessor's Office.
Appeal forms are available from
the Morrow' County Clerk..
apartment. Chief Detective
Monsieur Dupin (Nathan
Rietmann) and his assistant
Robert Roche (Kory Morgan) try
to solve the case. Others include
Kara Miller, Camie Burnght,
Ryan Bennetto and Cory
Bennetto.
The "Tale-Tell Heart" features
two traveling hardware sales
women Jess and Loma (Nova
Rietmann and Chanssa Gates)
who have been asked to stay the Faith Healy. Heppner. the first person to take advantage of the
It's time for the annual
night at a locals home. Jess finds Christmas Cash program offered through the Bank of Eastern Oregon,
Christmas
punch.
gold in the cellar of the house prepares to spend a little bit of that cash at Lott's Electric.
Shopper
s
can now pick up their
and plans to kill the owner
punch
cards
at participating
(Miranda McElligott). Others Symphony to perform Saturday businesses, have
their cards
include Allison Halvorsen,
punched
when
they
shop, and
The concert will be held at the
Shelby Krebs and Cory Bennetto.
The Arts Council of Morrow
then
enter
to
win
SI400
in gift
newly-constructed
acoustical
Because of content, the play County will present the Oregon
certificates
to
be
given
away.
shell.
may not be suitable for young East Symphony and Chorale
There will be five lucky $25
Admission is free.
"Vistas, Visons and Voices" on
children to watch.
winners
week until
The concert is funded by the Christmas, each
Saturday, November 22, at 7:30
and
all
entries
p.m. at the Heppner old middle Morrow' County Unified will be included in card
the
grand
Recreation
District.
All Saints hosts Thanksgiving dinner school gymnasium.
prize drawing for $700 in gift
like to bring something, it would Greens Workshop to be held Dec. 6 certificates to be given away to
All Saints Episcopal Church is be
one extra lucky person on Dec.
welcomed, but it is not
again hosting a traditional necessary
29.
for
them
to
do
so
in
Heppner
Garden
Club
will
designs.
Thanksgiving dinner on order to participate, said the
Pick up your punch cards at
offer their annual holiday greens Wire rings, wrapping wire,
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, spokesperson
these
participating businesses:
November 27, at the church "There is no charge and all are workshop Saturday, December 6. ribbon bows and miscellaneous Gardner's,
Coast to Coast, Les
from
9
a.m.
to
3
p.m.
at
the
decorations will also be available Schwab, Peterson's
parish hall.
welcome
to
come
share
in
Morrow
county
Fair
annex
at low cost, said a club Yaw's Restaurant, Lott's Jewelers,
Dinner will be served at 1 p.m. thankfulness
Electric,
for
God's
building.
spokesperson
but the hosts invite guests to blessings," they said. Those who
Shoe
Box,
Central
Market,
Green
The club supplies free greens
Those wishing to purchase Feed, Pettyjohn's, MCGG,
come early and stay late for plan on attending are asked to
and
cones
to
anyone
wanting
to
wreaths or swags made by Bucknum's Tavem. Court Street
visiting and companionship. call 676-5376 or 676-9970.
make
wreaths,
swags
or
other
garden club members should
There will be games for all those
designs. Club members will help place their order by calling 676- Market, Murray Drugs and
who are interested and T.V. for
to show how to make these 9446 by Saturday, November 22. Country Rose.
those who want to watch the Artifactory
football game.
The annual Christmas
"This is truly a community Artifactory
crafts sale, sponsored
event with many from the by
Soroptimist International of
community contributing food and Heppner,
be held early this
time," said a church year The will Artifactory
'Jhutedcuf,, ftouembe/i 27tit
will be
spokesperson.
November 22,
The Bank of Eastern Oregon held Saturday,
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
cJ/aae a
has furnished the turkeys for the from
Morrow
County
Fairgrounds
and
last seven years. Members of All
Saints and other congregations will feature 40 tables of crafts,
items,
handmade
bring salads, desserts, etc. If wood
those who come as guests would ornaments baked goods and
Lexington 989-8221 1-800-452-7396
furniture.
Christmas Punch
starts this week
W ill Be Cl&Led
doù day,/
RROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS