Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current, October 11, 2000, Page SEVEN, Image 7

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    Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - SEVEN
Maintenance crews receive awards
Re-elect Ferrioli
Letters to the Editor
Editor's note Letters to the Editor must be signed. The Gazette-Times w ill not
publish unsigned letters Please include your address and phone numt>er on all
letters for use by the G-T office The C-T reserves the right to edit The C-T is not
responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters.
Task force not effective
"Æ
Heppner crew
The Heppner and Spray
Maintenance Crews received
safety awards from the Oregon
Occupational Safety and Health
D ivision
(OR-OSSA),
Consultation and Services
Section, 'the awards were
presented September 28 at the
Heppner Maintenance Station by
George Vorhauer of Oregon
OSSA.
Only 48 of 80,000 employers
in Oregon have been recipients
of the Oregon OSSA SHARP
Award.
The awards are provided
through the Safety and Health
Award Recognition Program,
(SHARP). This program provides
incentives for Oregon employers
to work with their employees to
1 find and correct hazards, to
develop and implement effective
safety and health Programs, to
continuously improve and
become self-sufficient in safety
and health.
The overall goal is to reduce
injuries and illnesses and to
provide a means for showing
other
employers
that
occupational safety and health
can work for everyone.
The Heppner crew includes
manager Jim King, Scott Strouse,
Paul Arbogast, Frank Osmin,
Larry Heath, Shawn Wilson,
Charles Grabeel, Rick Sanford
and Dan Metz. The Spray crew is
Dave Humphreys, assistant
supervisor, Diane Petersen, Ralf
Graham, Ginger Cromwell, Stacy
Robinson and Zion Jacobson.
The Heppner and Spray crews
are responsible for 500 lane
miles. Their duties include
paving, ditch cleaning, installing
and repairing guard rail and
delineators, building and blading
shoulders and snow removal and
sanding operations.
Successful SHARP candidates
must ultimately achieve a safety
and health program effectiveness
rating of 75 percent or better out
of a possible point value of 100.
SHARP recognizes employers
who find and correct hazards,
and who implement effective
safety and health programs.
Heppner/Spray Maintenance
Stations do not use any one
particular safety management
system. Heppner uses a variety of
different systems, choosing the
portions of the programs that best
fit their employees and operating
styles.
Below are some of the
qualities of the Heppner/Spray
maintenance station employees
and manager that set them apart
from our states transportation
industry standards.
• All employees take
ownership for their personal
safety, as well as, ownership of
ODOT's safety and health
programs and standards.
• If a potential hazard is
identified, regardless by whom,
the employees have the authority
to correct the hazard or eliminate
the potential for employee
exposure.
• Formal monthly/weekly safety
and health meetings are held, as
well as informal "tailgate talks"
to address day-to-day safety
concerns,
• Various safety signs are posted
though out the shop to affirm an
internal commitment and to
display that commitment to
visitors and customers.
Exchange student attends HHS
In Germany Christian lives
with his mother, Gabriele, a
homemaker, and father, Karl-
Dieter, a TV journalist. He has
two older sisters, Andrea and
Ulrike.
At home, Christian says he
enjoys being with his friends,
playing soccer and rowing. Since
his arrival in Heppner, Christian
is trying out football, which, he
says, is "fun."
Christian, who has studied
English for six years, says that he
experienced only a "little bit" ot
shock at his arrival in Heppner.
T£
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I O
'
IJiU(
Weather Report
Christian Möller
There's a new student at
Heppner High School. Christian
Möller, a 16-year-old from
Germany, is now a junior at
HHS. Christian comes from
Ettlingen, a "little town" of
around 34,000 near Karlsruhe, a
city of over 200,000 in
southwest Germany.
Christian's host parents are
Kari and Michael Keown of
Heppner.
A J t iQ
Jill
jll
By1 the City of Heppner
For the month of Se
High Low
50
9/1
75
49
64
9/2
67
42
9/3
43
9/4
63
68
43
9/5
70
50
9/6
45
9/7
72
49
82
9/8
45
9/9
70
47
72
9/10
67
53
9/11
54
80
9/12
56
86
9/13
55
9/14
88
58
88
9/15
51
81
9/16
9/17
51
76
55
86
9/18
64
9/19
85
48
78
9/20
84
45
9/21
31
55
9/22
28
55
9/23
30
60
9/24
69
30
9/25
40
73
9/26
77
43
9/27
49
80
9/28
51
80
9/29
56
75
9/30
Meeting set on
soccer program
An informational meeting for
those interested in learning
about or helping organize soccer
teams will be held upstairs at
Kate's on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at
6 p.m.
This is a start-up meeting to
discuss the basics of organization
of teams within the communities
of Heppner, Lexington and lone.
For more information, contact
Tina Edwards, evenings: 676-
8710, or Darrell Raver,
weekdays, 676-9125.
FAX
increased sharply. Ahhh what
motivation there is in an election
year.)
1 have photocopies of the
OUCR's (Oregon Uniform Crime
Reports) from Morrow County
for 1999. That is the first full
year Mr. Denton was operating in
the capacity of sheriff. Looking
at the drug-related offenses, it is
respectable at first glance. There
were roughly 23 suspects
charged with 31 different
offenses. The problem is, that
only one suspect was arrested by
the task force. The other arrests
were made by patrol officers who
were doing their jobs.
I have a problem with that. I
do not feel that we are getting
our fair share for the investment
of over 2000 hours of employee
time.
Yes. Morrow County does get
funds from asset forfeiture. But
is that the correct goal to have? It
is my feeling that the average
citizen on the street feels as I do.
Let's w ork on both ends of the
problem.
Do I think we should arbitrarily
pull out of the task force. . .the
answer is no. But it needs to be
made clear to the board that
oversees the task force that we
expect and deserve our fair share.
If that stance does not gamer any
satisfaction, then maybe we
should look at other options. I am
sure that if the tables were
reversed, the other agencies
involved in the task force would
expect nothing less. The current
sheriff was the "executive board
chairman for the Blue Mountain
Drug Task Force" last time I
heard. Maybe he would have a
means to take that concern to the
board.
I wholeheartedly agree with
Mr. Miller on the issue of
personnel. I feel that there is a
great team of deputies working
for the sheriffs dept, now. There
have been people who "did not
work out" but all agencies have
that problem. It is an unfortunate,
but integral part of building a
quality agency.
(s) Steve Myren
DA's Report
Morrow County District
Attorney David C. Allen reports
the
following
business
conducted:
Carl Allen McKim plead
guilty to Theft I-Class C felony.
He was sentenced to 36 months
probation and w as ordered to pay
S7.374 m fines, fees, assessments
and restitution and complete a
drug and alcohol package.
Michael Hammons plead guilty
to Assault IV-Class A
misdemeanor. He was sentenced
to 180 days in jail, suspended,
with 24 months probation and 80
hours of community service and
was ordered to pay $559 in
assessments and complete an
anger management treatment
program with Morrow County
Behavioral Health.
Lloyd Arthur Costello plead
guilty to Attempting to Elude a
Police
Officer-Class
A
Judge seeks
court position
To the Editor:
My name is Paul DeMuniz. 1
am a judge on the Oregon Court
of Appeals and a candidate in
November for an open position
on the Oregon Supreme Court.
My respect for the
independent role of the judiciary,
my more than 10 years of
experience as a judge, and my
commitment to fairness are
among the reasons why I am
running for this position. More
and more, Oregon courts are
asked to resolve conflicts
involving critical issues such as
individual rights, property rights,
criminal procedure, state
regulation, and complex state and
federal constitutional questions.
1 have over a decade of
experience in resolving exactly
these kinds of issues.
I believe a Supreme Court judge
should be experienced, honest,
fair and willing to work hard. I
believe it takes a person who is
grounded in family, community,
and common sense. I am
qualified and ready to serve on
the Oregon Supreme Court.
I hope to earn your vote in
November.
(s) Paul DeMuniz
Salem
misdemeanor. Driving Under the
Influence of Intoxicants, Failure
to Perform Duties of a Driver,
Giving False Information to a
Police Officer and Reckless
Endangerment of Highway
Workers. He was sentenced to 24
months probation, 180 days in
the Umatilla County Jail, with 30
days credit for time served and
Births
150 days suspended, one year
suspension of his Oregon driver’s
G racie Robin Crum-a
license and was ordered to pay
daughter
Gracie Robin was bom
$1,824 in fines, fees and
to
Rosanne
Baker and Steven
assessments and complete an
Crum of lone on September 19,
alcohol package.
2000 at Good Shepherd Commu­
nity Hospital in Hermiston. The
SCRATCH P / n S - $ 1 lb .
baby weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz.
Gazette-Times ■ 676-9228
PAPER
Heppner Gazette-Times
STATEM ENT O F NONDISCRIMINATION
Eas
Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative, Inc. is the recipient of
federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Services, an
agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the
provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide
that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, or handicap shall be excluded from
participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or
otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of this
organization’s programs or activities.
The person responsible for coordinating the organization’s
nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Jerry Healy, Manager.
Any individual, or specific class of individuals, who feels that this
organization has subjected them to discrimination may obtain
further information about the statutes and regulations listed from
above and/or file a written complaint with this organization; or the
Secretary; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
20250; or the Administrator, Rural Utilities Services, Washington
D.C. 20250. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the
alleged discrimination. Confidentiality will be maintained to the
extent possible.
I
To the Editor:
Comments
on
Drug
Investigations
I worked for the Morrow
C ounty Sheriffs Dept, from July
of 1989 to August of 1998 during
which time I had the chance to
watch the evolution of the Drug
Task Force.
First, let me say that I have a
lot of respect for task force
members past and present. But,
unfortunately, Mr. Miller's
arguments are not well taken.
Back in 1989, drug arrests in
Morrow County were truly
impressive. 1 marveled at how
often we were doing search
warrants and making cases in our
county. As time went on
however, drug investigations
began to shift towards the larger
cities with the theory being that
if the task force concentrated on
the "bigger fish" in those areas,
the "minnows" that are prevalent
in our area would have their
source of drugs interrupted. . . I
am sad to say that I have never
seen that part of the equation
work out as planned. In fact, 1
ask you as citizens, have you
noticed a decrease in activity at
your suspected neighborhood
drug house?
During the last few years of
my employ with the sheriffs
department. Sheriff Drago, (prior
to his retirement) would have to
rattle his saber every once in a
while, threatening to pull our
representative out of the task
force if there was not some
increased drug investigations in
Morrow County. This usually got
results for a time, but the focus
would eventually drift back to
the larger population areas.
Do not misunderstand my
point, the entire purpose of a
drug task force is to share
resources with other smaller
agencies thereby increasing the
overall ability to perform these
investigations. My point is that it
has not been happening. I feel
that we need and deserve our
"fair share". (Within two weeks
of my filing for election in
Morrow County, task force
activity in Morrow County
To the Editor:
We are asking that the voters of
this district re-elect Senator Ted
Ferrioli when they cast their
ballots.
Senator Ferrioli has gone above
and beyond his responsibilities
with compassion for our family
and determination to see a
difficult situation come to the
right conclusion.
In early May when there were
two fatalities in a crosswalk on
Highway 281 /12th St in Hood
River, one of them our father, he
(Ferrioli) responded to letters
from our family for help with
ODOT officials, helped us figure
out a way to get some action and
is still working on the final phase
of the safety project for Highway
281.
His resources and contacts are
great and he is not afraid to use
them.
It is rare in government today
to find an official who will
respond and act on a problem
w hich may seem to many to be
small, in a small community, but
this is exactly the kind of person
Senator Ferrioli is and the kind
of voice we need in Salem.
Please join us in re-electing
Senator Ted Ferrioli.
(s) Lynn Rasmussen
(s) Dollie Rasmussen
Hood River
Member FDIC
on
Call us for all o f your
PURCHASE, REFINANCE
and CONSTRUCTION Needs
• Rapid Closings
• Local Processing
• Flexible Programs
• Fast and Easy Pre-Approval
• Competitive Rates and Terms
Melissa Lindsay
Mortgage Manager
Phone: (541)676-9884
Fax: (541) 676-5075
l
WE WILL BE CLOSED
ALL DAY SATURDAY
OCTOBER 14th
TO REPLACE CARPET.
WE WILL BE OPEN
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16th.
J
oi AxTwnc*. Inc
Peterson’s
* 4
Heppner
Jewelers
676-9200