TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times. Heppner, Oregon Wednesday,
February
21, 2001
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 number on all letters lor use by
theG-T office The C-T reserves the right to edit TheG-T is not responsible for accuracy
of statements made in letters <Any letters expressing thanks w ill be placed in the classifieds
under “Cardof Thanks'at a cost o f $5.)
Hopes Cupid shoots race track
proposal straight through the heart
To the Editor,
After attending the town hall
m eeting last night in Boardman,
I came home with a sickened feeling.
1 could see all the reasons I live in
rural America being ripped away,
driven out by the smell o f money.
1 saw the fear in my neighbors' eyes
when they talked about 160,000
people exiting the speedway for
12 hours after a race, the skies being
filled with com m ercial airliners
landing on the new airstrip, the
thunder o f revv ing engines and the
exhaust blowing in the Columbia
wind.
We love our quaint lifestyle. Our
days are filled with Little League,
4-H, fishing, school and community
activities. My son rides his bike to
practice and friends’ houses. We
see five people we know at the post
office and there's no line. The
grocery store owners actually live
in town and we know them.
I have to wonder, what on earth
could our com m unity leaders be
thinking. They talked about our
property values increasing, which
is good if you want to sell, but
maybe you like it here; besides
someone has to live here. Our own
mayor commented on his experience
with race tracks. He said," We could
rent our houses out for $2000 a
weekend and leave town." And our
com m unity leaders call this
progress? Very few answers were
given to how 160,000 drunken
people were going to be
accommodated in a town where you
can't buy a pair o f socks.
M aybe ruining our family's
Valentine's Day with a town hall
m eeting wasn't so bad after all.
Standing up for our values and loved
ones on this day was kind o f fitting.
We can hope Cupid will shoot this
preposterous proposal straight
through the heart.
(s) Kelly Doherty
Boardman
Letter a hoax
Editor's note'.
The G azette-Tim es has
learned that a letter to the editor
in the February 7 new spaper
signed
"The
Rev.
Don
M cElligott" and postm arked St.
Paul, M innesota, was a hoax.
The letter was not written by
Don M cElligott o f lone.
The Gazette screens its
letters to the editor to prevent
such
an
occurance,
but
occasionally a fraudulent letter is
overlooked. We regret the
oversight.
Vote for John Renfro
To the Editor:
This letter is an endorsem ent
o f John Renfro for a position on
th e M o rro w C o u n ty S c h o o l
Boand. His qualifications:
- Former elected mem ber o f the
Oregon City School Board.
- Form er elected C lackam as
County Sheriff.
- Possesses a m aster’s degree
in education and served part-tim e
as an instru ctor at C lackam as
Community College.
After serving in the Army, John
w o rk e d fu ll-tim e fo r the
Clackamas County S h e riff s O f­
fice while also attending Portland
State University full-time. After
graduation, he w orked for the
Clackamas Juvenile Court system
until elected sheriff. During his
years as a counselor for the court,
he had extensive experience with
teenagers.
He would bring understanding
o f adm inistrative po licies to a
school board position. He realizes
the differing procedures govern­
ing public and private entities. He
also understands the viewpoints of
both students and teachers.
I believe he would bring ac­
countability to our school system.
Please vote for John Renfro.
(s) Jahe Rawlins
'H eppner
Stop the special deals
To the Editor:
To The Honorable Congressman
Greg Walden, US House o f
Representatives
Dear Congressm an Walden:
As I am sure you are aware,
Oregon electric cooperatives (co­
ops) purchase the majority o f their
power from the Bonneville Power
Adm inistration (BPA) as public
preference customers. BPA has
proposed rate increases for some
o f our members as high as 250
percent or more, beginning October
1 , 2001 .
These rate increases would
adversely impact 250,000 consumers
- m any o f whom are your
constituents - served by our 17
member systems throughout rural
Oregon. There is a way you can help
increase power supply and help
stabilize rates.
This rate increase can be directly
attributed to BPA over-subscribing
by 3500 megawatts to other non-
preference customers, such as direct
service industries (DSIs). This has
forced BPA to augment its supply
for preference custom ers, like
electric co-ops, by purchasing power
on the open m arket at exorbitant
rates. To add insult to injury, the
DSIs remarketed this power back
to BPA at a profit o f $1 .8 billion
this past year.
It is totally unconscionable to
think that electric co-op customers
would be subjected to enormous
increases in their electricity bill so
that DSIs can resell this federal
power at a profit. The original
purpose o f public preference is to
ensure the output o f the federal
Columbia River Hydro System is
for custom ers o f not-for-profit
utilities. Federal power was never
intended to be used as a "get rich
quick" scheme.
We strongly encourage you to
stop the "special deals” for the DSIs
by not allowing remarketing rights.
This action will at least eliminate
one contributing factor to this
unacceptable rate increase.
(s) Sandy Flicker,
Executive Director
Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative
Wheat Commission plans meeting
A regular meeting o f the Oregon
W heat Com m ission will be held
on M onday, Feb. 26, at the Best
Western, 112 West 2nd Street, The
Dalles, at 1 p.m.
The Oregon Wheat Commission
will hold a research review meeting
on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at the
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center,
5000 Discovery Drive, The Dalles,
at 8:30 a.m.
The commission m eetings are
open to the public.
SPRING WHEAT SEED
CLEANED , TREATED and READY TO LOAD.
ALPOW A
PENEW AW A
W IN S O M E H A R D W H I T E S P R I N G
Are we moving toward fascism
To the Editor:
The 2000 elections have led some
to see that our democracy may be
moving in the direction o f fascism.
The fascist philosophy o f
governm ent comes "typically
through the merging o f state and
business leadership". American
voters have been aware for at least
20 years that our political campaigns
have been increasingly financed
by big business and other special
interests to elect legislators and other
top officials who will protect their
interests. This is one reason why
many voters are "turned o f f ' (we
have the lowest percentage o f voters
o f the other democracies). We've
heard people say,"Why vote? Big
business controls Congress. They're
all corrupt."
In the 2000 election, campaign
funding rose to three billion dollars,
with 71 m illion on the New York
senator race alone. Thus, we already
have a merging o f business and state
leadership. Our president and vice-
president come from CEOs in the
oil business, and immediately after
the Supreme Court stopped the
ballot-counting in Florida, they
called a huddle behind closed doors
in Texas o f the CEOs o f the largest
corporations in the U.S.
At the sam e time, we see the
merging o f large corporations,
increasing their power and profit
while
lim iting
com petition
(example: W al-m art vs. small
business in our area) which may
lead later to higher prices for
consumers.
The large com m unications
corporations are also merging (CNN
with TimeWamer, and then Time-
Wamer and AOL). Those spending
night and day with CNN during the
campaign could easily recognize
their preference for Bush, Jr. The
pharmaceuticals openly sponsored
their segment "Campaign 2000".
This was accom panied with a
plethora o f ads for tobacco (showing
the compassionate philanthropy o f
Phillip Morris) and pharmaceutical
corporations claiming their research
to be on the edge o f cures for major
dread diseases (when in reality, most
breakthroughs have come from
individual scientists and medical
schools).
The question to ponder: what
happens to democracy if the media
is increasingly controlled by big
business and special interests? In
fascism the media is controlled by
the governm ent party. Are we
moving in that direction?
A larm ing is the fact that both
Democrat and Republican parties
are equally guilty. Even more
alarming is that they may both be
merging into one party (an essential
to fascism).
Two senators becam e aware o f
the growing danger o f the merging
o f state and business. Senators
McCain (Republican) and Feingold
(Democrat) co-sponsored a bill that
would curb campaign financing by
special interests. For five years
Leader Lott, a far-right conservative,
has prevented that bill from coming
to the senate floor.
Believing in his cause so deeply,
McCain then ran for president in
the prim aries. Saying, "The
Republican Party has lost its way,"
he prophesied that nothing can be
more important to America's future
than getting the money o f special
interests out o f politics. Far
outspending him, Bush, Jr. defeated
McCain with dirty tricks and lies
in South Carolina and went on to
the presidency with overwhelming
special interest funding.
Now, the election past, McCain
and Feingold have the strength o f
character, vision and courage to
pursue their effort to bring their bill
to a vote. Lott again blocked it in
the first two weeks even though
there was not other legislation
requested for that period. But these
two prophets are not giving up and
are gaining some recognition,
promising to take this issue to town
meetings throughout the country.
Thus, Eisenhower is joined by
two prophets today, seeking to warn
against the lost o f our precious
democracy. What as the people can
we do?
(s) Jane Rawlins
Heppner
Renfro for school board position
To the Editor:
Are you worried that the Morrow
C ounty School Board and
administrafionhas stopped listening
to parent’s concerns? Does it bother
you that the educational needs o f
M orrow C ounty students are not
being addressed and m et by the
policies o f the current school board
and adm inistration?
In February o f 2000 one o f the
largest crowds to ever assemble at
a school board meeting pleaded with
the school board at Boardman not
to implement the program developed
by the superintendent w hich cut
17 teachers and stopped vocational
education programs. The majority
o f the board turned a d ea f ear to
the crowd. Instead, over the course
o f the past year, the board has
adopted policies o f advancing
administrative spending over that
of
educational
program s.
Adm inistrators drive to w ork in
district cars and have these cars at
their disposal while educational
opportunities dim inish for our
students. A nother direct and
devastating result o f recent school
district policies is the various
com m unities in M orrow C ounty
have stopped working together for
the betterment o f all Morrow county
students.
If you have had enough and want
a positive change, vote for John
Renfro for the M orrow County
School Board. John has extensive
experience in education and
education administration. He knows
students and teachers com e first.
He will listen and work with parents.
He understands that by recognizing
the educational needs o f students
first, you can get all o f the parents
or Morrow County to unite behind
common goals. Rubber stamping
the policies o f the adm inistration
is not the answer. John has the
courage and ability to ask the right
questions and take the right action
to m ake the adm inistration
accountable to the people they were
appointed to serve, the parents and
students o f M orrow County.
Vote for a change for the better.
Vote to make the school board and
administration accountable to the
people they serve. Vote for meeting
the educational needs o f all our
students by increasing curriculum
and teaching resources. Vote for
John Renfro for the Morrow County
School Board.
(s) W illiam Kuhn
and Annetta Spicer,
Heppner
The M orrow County Clerk's
office reports issuing the following
m arriage licenses:
Jan. 29: Jorge Luis Lopez, 23,
Boardm an; and
Maria H. Zuvala, 20, Boardman.
Jan. 30: Antonio Ricardo-Rivera,
29, Irrigon; and
M aria Leon, 23, Irrigon.
Oscar Am ador N avarro-Bnto,
31, Boardm an; and
Eusebia
Hernandez,
29,
Boardman.
Feb. 2: Jose M elchor Gamboa,
III, 36, Herm iston; and
Santa M artha Perez, 23,
Hermiston.
Feb. 7: O ctavio Estrella, 23,
Boardman; and
Ma. Guadalupe Lezama, 31,
Boardman.
G A Z E T T E -T IM E S
U S P S. 240-420
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lone Site Council discusses
school im provem ent plan
The lone Site Council, at their "Action Research Plans."
February 14 meeting, discussed the
The National Honor Society has
lone School Im provement Plan.
academ ic pins that will be
Principal M ike Stuart advised distributed to those who earned
that staff m embers will submit them. To receive an academic letter,
reports detailing their activities in a student must take a minimum o f
order to meet the goals developed. five graded classes and achieve a
Stuart reviewed reports from several grade-point average o f 3.80 or
teachers.
higher for the semester. If a student
Stuart
com m ented
on has already earned a letter, then a
im provem ents to the gym. The pin will be awarded.
Booster Club is still accepting
Stuart noted that 73 percent o f
donations for the gym mats. The lone m iddle schoolers achieved
students in shop class have been between a 3.0- 4.0 grade point
working on repairs to frames for average and 76 percent o f the 73
bracket boards. John M arick and percent had a gpa over 3.5. In the
Monica Swanson were recognized high school, 85 percent o f all high
for their efforts towards the project. schoolers were between 3.0 - 4.0
State testing for third, fifth, grade point average and 79 percent
eighth and 10 th graders took place o f the 85 percent had between 3.5 -
Feb. 5-7. Steve Schaber reported 4.0 and 40 percent o f those had a
that the students took the testing 4.0. One hundred percent o f the 11
very seriously and worked very hard, graders were between 3.0-4.0 point.
with some taking up to 2-1 /2 hours
It was reported that Allison
to com plete the test.
Halverson, Cory Bennetto and
Counselor M ona Hardman
Shelby Krebs won Elks Club
reported that 24 students are
scholarships. Ashley Carm ack is
m em bers o f OSSOM (Oregon
one o f three finalists in the Wal-Mart
Student Safety on the Move). They scholarship com petition.
will elect officers at their- next
The boys' basketball team won
meeting. An all-night conference
second place in the Big Sky District
will be held Apnl 7-8 in Hood River. Tournament.
Parents interested in helping with
Dean Robinson was recognized
this overnight trip are welcome.
for being nam ed the educator o f
OSSOM has in the past been
the year at the Town and Country
funded by licensing fees, however,
Awards banquet. Duane Neiffer's
due to a "constitutional technicality",
wife, Linda, was also named
the funding will no longer be
an educator o f the year.
available. The state OSSOM
Billy Gates and Nick Christman
organization will be looking for
were profiled in "Who's W ho in
alternate funding after June 30.
Youth League Baseball" 2000 Babe
Parents who would like to help with
Ruth League All-Star Edition.
this program can reach Hardman
by
e-m ail
at
hardman@
morrow.kl2.or.us. The group plans
to meet with middle school students
and instruct them on prevention of
alcohol and drug use as well as other
safety issues.
The site council was pleased with
lone's rating o f exceptional in the
Try-outs for the 2001 Morrow
school report cards issued by the County Fair and Oregon Trail Pro
state.. lone received the highest Rodeo C ourt will be held this
rating in the district and is one o f Sunday, Feb. 25, starting at 1 p.m.
only a few in the entire state to rate at the Morrow County Fairgrounds.
exceptional. These rates are based
The public is invited to attend.
on school improvement attendance,
All applications are due in the
dropout rates and test scores.
Fair Office by Thursday, Feb. 22,
A presentation was made on at 11 a.m.
Fair & Rodeo
court tryouts
slated
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