Heppner gazette-times., March 18, 1998, Page TWO, Image 2

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TW O - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon
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Wednesday, March 18, 1998
lit
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
Editor's note: Letters to the editor must be signed The Gazette-Tim es will
not publish unsigned letters. Please Include your address and phone number
i on all letters for use by the G -T office. The G -T reserves the right to edit.
Heppner
G A Z E T T E -T IM E S
Do what it takes to keep doctor
U S.P.S. 240-420
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,
Oregon Office at 147 West Willow Street Telephone (541) 676-9228. Postmaster
send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times. P O Bos 337, Heppner,
Oregon 97836. Subscriptions $18 in Morrow, Wheeler, Cilliam and Grant Coun­
ties; $25 elsewhere
April Hilton-Sykes.............................•................................................News Editor
Stephanie Jensen ....................................................................
TypesettMg
Monique Devin ............................................... Advertising Layout 6c Graphics
Bonnie Bennett .................
Distribution
Penni Keersemaker .....................
Printer
David Sykes, Publisher
Livestock Grow ers
schedule speaker
Chamber Chatter
The Morrow County Livestock
Growers Board has announced
several upcoming livestock
activities.
The St. Patrick's Committee
Jean Underhill Wilkinson,
surely had the luck o' the Irish executive vice president of the
with the warm sunny weather Oregon Cattlemen's Association
this past weekend.
'Tis a for legal and governmental
blessing with the full moon that affairs, will be in Heppner on
all went well. Now it's wrap-up Tuesday, March 24, at noon at
time, thank-you time, pay bills the Heppner Chamber of
time and on with other activities. Commerce meeting.
Heppner Chamber will not be
Wilkinson will speak about the
having a rose sale this year. Interior
Columbia
Basin
They have been very appreciative
of the opportunity to work with Ecosystem Management Project.
the Pendleton Rotary Club in the (ICBEMP) and will also discuss
past, but are looking at a variety and answering question about
of non-dues projects for 1998. legal and legislative issues facing
Those missing the rose sale are Oregon cattlemen.
MCLG hope to make
encouraged to patronize our local
arrangements so that she can
business.
Looking ahead, the Chamber of continue the discussion with
Commerce is busy as usual. anyone interested following the
Next week, March 24, all Chamber meeting.
The March 24 Chamber
Morrow
County
Livestock
meeting
is during ag week.
Growers, Wheat Growers, etc.
"Chamber
has been extremely
are invited to attend the Chamber
supportive
of
the Morrow County
noon luncheon at Yaws in
celebration of ag week. Jean livestock producers," says Kevin
Underhill Wilkinson, executive Hughes, MCLG president. "It
vice president in charge of legal would be great if we could have
and governmental affairs for the a good turn out to their program
Oregon Cattlemen's Association, supporting livestock issues."
Anyone interested in attending
will speak on the Interior
the
program, is asked to RSVP
Columbia Basin Ecosystem
to
Claudia Hughes at the
Management Project (ICBEMP).
Wilkinson will speak to the Heppner Chamber, 676-5536, by
group for about 40 minutes and March 20.
The Wasco County Bull Tour
th^i will stay to answer
will
celebrate
its
50th
questions following the Chamber
meeting. Persons planning on anniversary on April 9.
In addition to an educational
attending the luncheon are asked
program,
the tour will include "a
to RSVP by Friday, March 20, to
lot
of
history
and fun".
the Chamber office, 676-5536.
LJmatilla County Cattlemen
Let's join together in celebrating
take a bus for the tour. Anyone
ag week.
who
would like to ride on the
Spring is coming and the next
bus,
should call Randy Mills at
community undertaking will be
the
Umatilla
County Extension
the planting of trees and shrubs
office,
278-5403.
on our Main Street, followed by
Cost is $25 for bus and
a
summer
Main
Street
refreshments
if the money is sent
celebration.
Stay tuned.
in
by
April
4.
Late payments will
Celebrate Heppner.
be
$30.
Lunch
and dinner are not
Thought for the week: "Look at
included
in
this
price. Those
a day when you are supremely
who
would
like
to
go, but do not
satisfied at the end. It's not a day
want
to
go
on
the
Umatilla bus
when you lounge around doing
nothing; it's when you've had may call Gary Farnsworth at the
County Extension
everything to do and you've done Wheeler
office,
763-4115,
for the tour
it..." Margaret Thatcher
location and times.
By Claudia Hughes, Chamber Manager
MC Arts and Crafts group to meet
Morrow County Creative Arts
and Crafts Club will meet for
lunch at 1 p.m. on Tuesday,
March 26, upstairs at K ate’s
»»«.V
Pizza.
A short meeting will follow.
Upcoming workshops and the bus
trip will be discussed.
Guests are welcome to attend.
Seeks info on SCF
To the Editor:
I am sure that you will agree
with me tliat our children are our
most precious resource. How our
state
government
handles
families and children in crisis is
one of the most sensitive and
difficult issues I face as a
legislator.
Currently, a Senate sub­
committee is hearing testimony
regarding the oversight of
Services to Children and
Families. I have received many
concerned letters, phone calls
and e-mails regarding Services to
Children and Families (formerly
CSD) and I would like further
input from the public. If you
have had an experience with
SCF, either positive or negative,
I would like to hear from you.
My address is: Senator Gary
George, S-215, Oregon State
Senate, Salem, OR 97310; or e-
mail
me
at
george.
sen@state.or.us.
I hope to hear from parents,
grandparents,
other
family
members, foster parents or
anyone who has been touched by
this agency. I look forward to
receiving comments and 1 will be
happy to notify anyone interested
of upcoming hearings. Thank
you for your help and
participation.
s) Gary George
Oregon State Senator
District 2
Salem
ranches, drive our tractors on our
farms, have a logging business,
or are just driving on a road south
or west of here that worry a lot
about what kind of facilities and
To the Editor:
Morrow County Health Dis­ medical staff we’ll have here in
trict is on the verge of losing their Heppner for us. The “Golden
only full-time doctor. What are Hour” can be used up by the time
the odds of getting another good we’ve even been extricated from
doctor who can handle the intri­ whatever situation befalls us.
It has been pointed out to me
cacies of our situation? (And, no,
that
many family practice/general
the Drs. Berretta are not planning
practice
doctors don’t have a lot
on returning.)
Over my 21 years as a nurse of emergency room experience
and would be overwhelmed by
here, I ’ve seen many doctors
our
isolation to more expanded
come and go-some competent, a
medical
care. It has only been by
few incompetent and a variety in-
This course is for those health
the
grace
of God that we’ve been
The Northeast Oregon Area
between. I’ll leave out the sordid
care professionals who have
fortunate
to
have
the
skill
o
f
Health
Education
Center
(AHEC)
details, but I will say Dr. Atkins
is offering a "Building on Basic some understanding of Spanish,
is kind to the patients-young and someone like Dr. Atkins.
Spanish
for
Healthcare but want to build their skills with
We
have
also
been
very
fortu­
old-and I’ve rarely seen the nurs­
language
to
better
Professionals"
satellite
program the
ing home patients treated on par nate the past year to have a highly at Pioneer Memorial Hospital in communicate with
Spanish
with anyone else as they are by competent nurse practitioner in Heppner, which will air from speaking clients or patients.
Dr. Atkins. He is competent, but Wendy Haack, F.N.P. It seems we noon to 1 p.m. each Monday,
This class is a continuation
never seems to be afraid that he have the perfect combination with Wednesday and Friday from from the earlier class "Basic
will “look bad” if he consults a Wendy and Dr. Atkins, as long as April 20 through May 20.
Spanish
for
Healthcare
specialist, orders tests, etc. He we have a second full-time doc­
A comprehensive
class Professionals".
tor come on board. Wendy says workbook is included with the
The broadcast portion is live,
seems to strike the right balance
she wanted to come to a situation registration fee of $50 per allowing
audio
interaction
with his diagnoses, testing and
like
this,
and
she
does
have
trust
between
students
and the
person.
A
discount
rate
of
$40
treatment of patients.
and
good
communication
with
instructor,
Rafael
Arellano-
per
person
is
available
to
groups
Dr. Atkins has not been a
Dr.
Atkins
and
he
respects
and
Berrera,
president
of
Intercom
of
four
or
more
from
the
same
squeaky w heel, but if he is
organization.
Registration Language School in Portland.
squeaking now, then I say, let’s trusts her.
Also, Mr. Schmidt, Peggy deadline is March 30. For more On-site facilitators will be
give him some oil. If he wants a
Johnson,
R.N., said she had been information call Carole Smith, available to assist with practice
say on policies or credentialing,
sessions.
told
in
a
meeting
with you on Feb. 541-962-3423.
as historically the chief of staff
17,
1998
that
there
“w
asn’t
a
has had, then for God’s sake, al­
need” for an additional doctor and
low him to continue in that role.
yet
at the town m eeting that
We have needed a third pro­
evening
Mr. Reiger said “we are
vider for nearly a year. As Roger
Sunday, March 29.
recruiting.”
What is the truth? Is
Reiger (Adventist Health vice-
The H eppner-Ione High
The team is earning money for
it any wonder we are questioning School softball team plans to col­
presid ent) m entioned at the
team
jackets.
the intentions of our powers-that- lect pop cans as a fund raiser on
board/chamber meeting, there are
be?
many hats the doctor wears, i.e.,
Mr. Reiger is a smooth talker.
medical director of Home Health,
nursing home, Health Dept., When I went to the Feb. 10 meet­
emergency room medical staff, ing, I did not want anything
Morrow County medical officer glossed over. Yet the crowd was
(coroner), etc. Each designation wooed with Mr. Reiger’s funny
requires meetings, paperwork, lines and personal anecdotes, and
he seemed to know how to fill up
etc.
It was interesting that initially the minutes and take up most of
Mr. Reiger only said he had the two hour meeting. I don’t
talked with CEOs of Hermiston know that anyone heard you
and Pendleton hospitals about speak at that m eeting, Mr.
bringing in specialists on a regu­ Schmidt.
Dr. Atkins doesn’t want to
lar basis and then when pinned
down later, he did say there might leave Heppner. He just bought the
be general practitioners involved. house he’d been searching for. He
As a prominent local business­ loves and treats his patients well,
man said at that meeting, we need and, to me, that says a lot for the
an additional doctor to reside man.
Do whatever bending it takes,
here, not to come and go to Her­
miston or Pendleton, or even to meet him halfway or more, be­
stay here a year or two and then cause we know that we can’t af­
go back to Hermiston or Pendle­ ford to lose what we have. After
ton. We have seen the effects of all, if Dr. Atkins leaves because
this type of thing with the Drs. of lack of support and more help,
Berretta, Dr. Gifford, etc. We any provider coming in later
know many patients who already would be facing the same situa­
go out of town for their medicines tion.
(s) Patricia Maben
even when seen locally. These
Morrow
County Health
aren’t the horse and buggy days-
Shannon L. O ’Neill and Mark W. Conklin of Beaverton have an­
District
employee
we are a mobile society. On the
nounced their engagement.
Heppner
other hand, there are those of us
The bride-elect is the daughter of Shane and Gloria O ’Neill of
who do ride our horses on our
LaPine. She is a 1994 graduate of LaPine High School. She is em­
ployed as an office assistant at Contract Furnishings in Tigard.
Conklin is the son of Dale and Linda Conklin of Heppner. He gradu­
ated
from Heppner High School in 1993 and from the University of
everyone to watch a special
To the Editor,
Oregon
in 1997 with a bachelor of science degree in accounting. He
Oregon
Public
Broadcasting
"Binge Drinking Kills College
is
employed
as a staff accountant as Mitron Corporation in Tigard.
senes,
"Moyers
on
Addiction:
Student," the headline shouts.
The couple will be mamed on Saturday, June 27 at Sunnver Com­
Abuse of and addiction to Close to Home" on March 29-31,
alcohol, tobacco and drugs are in followed by "Take a Step" day munity Church in Sunriver.
the news every day. Young April 1. Also, April is Alcohol
people are particularly vulnerable Awareness Month.
We all know or have known
to substance-abuse problems, and
are the most difficult to reach someone with an alcohol or drug
problem. Take time to watch this
with messages.
In late March and throughout important show and discuss
April, we have an opportunity to substance abuse and addiction
increase
awareness
among with your kids. You could be
When Your Feelings Are For Real
people of all ages about the saving their lives.
(s)Doug Rathbun
dangers of substance abuse.
Oregon Together urges
Oregon Together
541-676-9620
Editor's note: the following is a
letter recently sent to Ken
Schmidt, Morrow County Health
District CEO .
Health care Spanish program to air
Softball team plans pop can drive
Engagement
O’Neill - Conklin
Program could save lives
FINE JEWELRY
Offers apology
To the Editor:
I was the cause of the tragic
accident that caused a boy to be
hospitalized.
He was a close friend of mine
and my careless judgement al­
most cost him his life.
I would like to apologize to
Will McElligott and his family.
I would also like to apologize
to my family and the community.
The EMTs and police responded
quickly to help Will. My family,
friends and community have
helped me with their support.
(s) Steven M. Crum
lone
Auction Committee receives late entries
The St. Patrick's Auction
Committee has received a couple
o f late auction entries, which
were not able to be auctioned off
during last weekend's auction.
* Up for auction will be four
tickets to a Portland Power's
game for the 1998-99 season.
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They have also received a ticket
to the Oregon East Symphony to
be auctioned.
The tickets to both events will
be auctioned at the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce lunch on
Tuesday, March 24.
tifi
N.'W.
Special care goes into the
selection of fine jewelry.
7 h a t’s why there s no fin er way to
express your true sentiments than
with a gift offine jewelry.
Jewelers
* 7 M io e