TW O - Heppner Gazette-Tim es, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 6, 2000
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
H eppner
G A Z E T T E -T IM E S
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
W Willow Street Telephone (541 >676-9228 Fax (541)676-9211. E-mail: gt@hcppner net
or gt(u!rapidserve net Web site www heppner net Postmaster send address changes to
the Heppner Gazette-Times, P O Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836 Subscriptions: S22 in
Morrow County, SI6 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 62 years or older), S29 else
where
David Sykes
...................................................................................... Publisher
April Hilton-Sykes
Editor
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Catholic youth attend
confirmation retreat
L-R back row: Fr. Gerry Condon, Andrew Rietmann, Jeremiah McElligott,
Derek Campbell, Adam McCabe, and Conor Kilkenny. 2nd row: Taylor
McElligott, Colin McElligott, Adrienne Swanson, and Jim McElligott. Front
row: Paula Splcerkuhn, Slbbea Jones, Kelsey Greenup, Kathy Cutsforth-
Fullmer, and Eileen McElligott. On floor: Cayte Krebs.
Youth of St. William's Parish
and St. Patrick's Parish met on
Sunday, December 3, for a
retreat conducted by Fr. Gerry
Condon for students who had
not been able to attend a
previous retreat.
This retreat dealt with the life
of Jesus, his principles, his
miracles and prophesies.
Kathy
Cutsforth-Fullmer
conducted activities and served
a spaghetti meal for the
students. Jim and Eileen
McElligott helped with the
retreat. Faith Healy and Gayle
Arbogast helped with music.
Water meters to be read year-round
The city of Heppner will now be
reading water meters year-round.
This is being done in response to
customer requests and to more
carefully observe the operation of
the water system, according to a
city news release.
Because of the wintertime
readings, it is important to use
proper insulation in the meter
box. Meter readers advise that
the only acceptable insulation is
insulation batting cut to fit,
placed in a plastic bag, and laid
on top of the meter.
This type of insulation will
prevent the cold air from above
the meter getting to the meter
(there is enough heat in the
ground below the meter to keep
it from freezing). Placing
insulation below the meter
would be counter-productive.
With this insulation, meter
readers can also readily move
the insulation to read the meter
and then replace it. Insulation
which is not installed properly
may be removed from the box
by meter readers. Meter readers
are instructed to not replace
insulation not installed properly.
For questions regarding
insulating water meters, call
Heppner City Hall at 676-9618.
Pizza Feed set Dec. 16
A pizza feed has been planned
for Saturday, Dec. 16, from
noon to 7 p.m. during the South
Morrow County Basketball
Tournament. The tournament
begins at 1 p.m. Saturday. (The
tournament gets underway on
Friday, December 15, beginning
at 3 p.m.)
The feed, to be held at the
Heppner High School home ec.
room, will include a slice of
pizza, a brownie and punch for
$3 apiece.
Proceeds will benefit the
Class of 2001 senior trip.
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Letters to the Editor
Editor's note Letters to the Editor must be signed The Gazette-7/mes w ill not
publish unsigned letters. Please include your address and phone number on all
letters for use by the C-T office. The G-T reserves the right to edit. The G-T is not
responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters
Harry Potter... purely magical
To the Editor:
A few weeks ago I was sitting
in church listening to the pianist
playing an especially lovely
song. A friend next to me leaned
over and said, "That is simply
pure magic." I smiled and agreed.
I feel the same way about the
Harry Potter books ...to me they
are simply pure magic. If you are
one of the few people who don't
know about Harry, he's the title
character in a series of novels by
Scottish writer, J.K. Rowling.
Harry is a young boy who finds
out when he is about 11 that he is
a wizard. His parents died m a
tragic accident when he was very
young and he’s been living with
his less-than-loving aunt and
uncle, Petunia and Vernon
Dursley, and their spoiled son,
Dudley. At age 11 he leaves his
"family" for the nine-month
school year, and goes to
Hogwart's, which is a school for
wizards. (By the way, some of
the students at Hogwart's are like
you and me... Muggles, with no
wizard ancestry.)
Over the past few years since
the first book, "Harry Potter and
the Sorcerer's Stone", these
books have been read by millions
of readers, young and old, all
over the world. I love to tell my
students, and any neighborhood
kids that want to listen, the story
of J. K. Rowling and how she got
started with these books. When
she got the idea for the Harry
Potter books, she planned out all
seven books before she ever
started the first chapter. (There
are seven books one for each
year of Harry's education at
Hogwart's.) She charted out the
characters, the plots, the themes,
the climaxes, and the settings
before she ever started the first
book. And the last chapter of
book number seven has already
been written -what a way to teach
young writers about organization.
J.K. Rowling says that it is
actually one story that is a few
thousand pages long. Book
number one was over 300, book
two and three about the same,
and book four is 738 pages long.
I have seen students give up
recesses, trips to the movies and
television to read Harry Potter.
This past week a young reader
who had spent several weeks on
the fourth book (which I am
about halfway through), came
dashing into my room with,
"Mrs. Allen, I only have 25
pages left!" and later in the day
with, Only five more pages!" At
the end of the day she had
completed the book, and
although she was proud and
excited, I think she was a little
bit sad, too. Harry, Ron,
Hermione and Hagnd become
friends as you read the novels.
There has been a big emphasis
in the past few years in reading
instruction to teach the students
about literary elements. These
are the many different tactics
used by authors to make stories
interesting, memorable and
educational. Students have been
learning about the settings of
stories, the characters, the
themes, the use of figurative
language like metaphors and
similes, etc. The Harry Potter
books are absolutely chock-full
of these literary devices.
So... from an educational point
of view, these books are
fabulous. They get kids to read
and gain a love of good literature
that is well-wntten and just plain
fun. Readers talk about the books
with each other and share that
their parents love them, too. I
feel myself lighting up when I
discuss a situation from one of
the books with a student. And I
think it's great to have books that
appeal to readers of all ages. I
must admit, I never got into the
Goosebumps books or the
Babysitter's Club, and I don't
remember discussing Nancy
Drew with my mom. But Harry
is different... literally months and
months on the New York Times
Bestseller list shows that they are
different. Are they kid books that
adults like, or adult books that
kids like? The author laughs and
says she doesn't know. She wrote
them for herself because she
loved the ideas for the stories and
wanted to tell them.
Now, with all of that long
introduction out of the way, I'd
like to address concerns I've read
and heard, concerning what is
called "the evil side" of the Harry
Potter books. When I hear these
comments, I get very frustrated.
Last year I read the first novel
to my reading class. It took us
several weeks to finish the novel,
because while reading the story,
we stopped often to discuss
characters and plots. At different
times throughout the book we
compared
the
bad
guy,
Voldemort (he's responsible for
the death of Harry's parents), to
Darth Vader, the devil and Hitler.
Voldemort draws energy and
power from others, just like
Hitler did in Germany. These
discussions were not only fun
and interesting, but deeply
founded in morals, and what's
right and what's wrong in the
world.
We discussed the meaning of
true friendship, acceptance,
loyalty, the need for compassion
for people who are different,
child abuse (the Durskya aren't
nice to Harry), rsBfmcX for
authority, sticking * up for
ourselves and others when an
injustice takes place and many
other topics. My favorite thought
from one of my students came
when we were discussing the
theme of the book. He thought
about it for a minute and then
said, "I think the theme of the
book is that there's a little bit of
magic in each of us."
Now some people are saying
that Harry Potter books are evil.
The books have been denounced
by many who think it's wrong for
young people to read a story
about wizards and magic. The
young man who made the above
mentioned comment about Harry
is a very strong Mormon. His
mom had been concerned about
the book because of things she'd
heard, so she did the logical thing
and read the book. I am willing
to bet that most people who jump
on the anti-Harry bandwagon
haven't ever bothered to read the
book.
It takes courage to face
something you are unsure of.
One of J. K. Rowling's characters
named
Dumbledore,
the
headmaster at Hogwart's, said,
"Courage in the face of the
unknown is an important quality
in a wizard... very important." It's
also a very important quality for
us Muggles, too.
(s) Jannie Allen
lone
Symphony concert a joy to attend
lady pianist here received several
standing ovations for her
performance in the Eastern
Oregon Symphony concerts? Or
how many know that the
gentleman
directing
the
Christmas
pageant
holds
advanced graduate degrees in
theater?
A famous poet has said,
"Getting and spending we lay
waste our powers." We could add
a line: "There's much more we
could
make
ours"— like
supporting, developing and
enjoying growth in spiritual and
creative activities for all ages.
What special joy there is in being
part of an orchestra or a stage
play.
Indeed, our participation in all
facets of the arts can promote a
richer dimension in both
individuals
and
in
the
community. We can do more "to
make it ours." Let's go.
(s) Jane Rawlins
Heppner
To the Editor,
We all think our area is a good
place to live and we seek to make
it even better. One group helping
to do this is the Willow Creek
Symphony Orchestra. Their
recent concert was a joy to those
who attended and they are to be
congratulated for their work in
making live music a real part of
our lives. Also, how wonderful to
encourage the talent and to
develop skill of all ages, young
and old.
The same can be true of live
theater by the Willow Creek
Valley TTieatre group in the
upcoming stage play, "The Best
Christmas Pageant Ever" in both
Heppner and lone, involving
over 40 children and adults, ages
five to 80.
The fact is that we have an
abundance of local talent which
we are yet to recognize. For
example, even now, are there
some who do not know that a
Wrongly singled
To the Editor:
In November, nearly 75
percent of the voters in Morrow
County voted no on Measure 97
(The Anti-Trap Ban).
Many of us owe a debt of
gratitude to Heppner's Chamber
of Commerce, the voting
majority and all those who did
their part to defeat this far-
reaching and extremely badly
written measure. Harkening back
to the word "egregious", (11/15
Heppner G-T letter to the editor
criticizing Chamber President
Sharon Harrison) I can say with
certainty that The Oxford
American Dictionary's definition
reading, "outstandingly
bad"
more aptly fits measure 97's
wording and design.
Let's be fair. I feel, as do many
folks I have spoken to, that
Sharon was wrongly singled out
in some recent letters to the
editor to both the Gazette-Times
and The East Oregonian.
"Apathy" and "bankrupt
conclusions"? I don't feel Sharon
is guilty of either. On occasion,
when
The
Chamber
of
Commerce takes a political stand
on an issue that could negatively
affect our local economy, a letter
is drafted and the president is the
one to sign it.
The Chamber made a decision
to oppose measure 97 because of
how it would impact ranchers,
homeowners,
the
road
department, rodeo and many
others, not to mention the cost to
taxpayers and all the red tape the
measure would have caused
ODFW.
Let's be realistic, too. I don't
know a single voter who voted
no on 97 who did so because they
are "for" inhumane treatment of
animals. The realities of life are
often cruel. It is cruel when a
cow out on the range trying to
give birth lies helpless as her calf
is ripped out of her by coyotes. It
is devastating to those who raise
sheep to see their lambs dead or
left to suffer and die after a
predator's onslaught.
The anti-trap ban television
ads showing a three-legged cat or
dog caused me to feel pity too. I
hate to see any animal hurt. On
the other hand, I had to take my
very badly tom-up little cat to the
vet after she suffered a vicious
raccoon attack just outside our
house. During her weeks of
recovery, our other cat was
similarly injured. I might add
that I have also had to help
rescue my dog's paw from the
grips of a trap, so I see both
sides.
Nevertheless, there are times
when we do need animal control
and choices must be made. It
seems to me that Oregonians
made their choice with the vote.
I thank God (and reasonable
Oregon "voters) that we-don't •
have to be criminals how (a
$5,000 fine and a year in jail per
animal) for trying to protect our
gardens, golf courses, family pets
or our crops, livestock and
livelihoods.
Kudos to Sharon Harrison and
Heppner's Chamber. These are
people who put in countless
hours of community service for
us all, and I imagine they are
friends of yours as well as mine.
(s) Pam Wunderlich
Member, M.C. Livestock
Growers Board of Directors
Heppner
Cub Scouts learn about health
By Drew Johnson
The Bear Cub Scouts went on a
field trip to the health office.
They learned about the reasons
not to chew tobacco and smoke
cigarettes. They were shown a
black lung, which they were told
was from someone who smoked.
They discussed what cancer was
and got to look in a microscope
to see some cells. They learned
that smoking was bad because it
causes cancer and can kill brain
cells.
Scouts Logan Just, Curtis
Harper, Bryan Holland, Drew
Johnson and Tyler Robinson,
leader Debbie Harper and parents
Kelly Holland and C.J. Johnson
attended.
h e a v e n
Give Teleflora's Crystal
Inspiration Bouquet
'Tis the season of magic. Glowing
lights. And miracles. Radiant arches,
inspired by the grand cathedrals of
Seeks Oregon info
To the Editor:
We are doing state research
reports in my class and I will be
reporting on Oregon. The
reports are due in late January
end cover topics such as what it
is like to live there, history
about Oregon and some places
to visit.
I am hoping some of the
members of your community
would write to me and tell me
about
their
experiences,
traditions and some history or
just about how they feel about
living in Oregon. I know that
things are very different in
Oregon than in Southern
California and would like to
learn a little about Oregon life.
I chose to write to Heppner
because my grandma and
Europe, grace our crystal hurricane
grandpa used to live there. If
any citizens find time to reply, it
would be great if they could
enclose a copy of my published
letter.
I appreciate you taking the
time to ready my request. Any
information would be most
appreciated.
(s) Amanda Anderson
St. John's Episcopal School
30382 Via Con Dios
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
92688
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