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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 11, 2001)
TW O - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 11, 2001 Editor's note: Letters to the Editor must be signed. The Gazette-T imes will not publish unsigned letters. Please include your address and ph on e num ber o n all letters h r use by the G-T office. The G-T reserves the right to edit. The G-T is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. (Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds H eppner GAZETTE-TIMES under 'C a r d of Thank s ' at a cost of $5.) No vote only penalizes our children 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 o f March 3, 1879 Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon Office at 147 W W illow Street Telephone (541)676-9228 Pa* (5 4 1)6 7 6 -9 2 1 1 E-mail gt@heppner net or gt.u rapidserve net W eb site www heppner net Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P O B o x 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions $22 in Morrow County, $16 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 62 years or older), $29 else where David Sykes ...................................................... Publisher April Hilton-Sykes Editor News deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising advertising deadline is Tuesday at noon Cost for a display ad is $4 50 per column inch Cost for classified ad is 40« per word Cost for Card of Thanks is $5 up to 100 words Cost for a classified display ad is $5.10 per column inch. For Pubiic/legal Notices publc/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m Oates for publication must be specified Affidavits must be required at the time of submission Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required) On the HEPPNER WEBSITE: www.heppner.net • Start or C hange a Subscription • Place a C lassified A d • Submit a N ew s Story • View Real Estate for Sale * City Council & Planning Minutes • Local Businesses • County Park • Willow Creek Park Reservations • Free Digital Postcards • Senior Housing • and morel lone students complete web design project lone's eighth grade technology students and the high school students in the web design class have nearly finished the community project they have been working on. The students in teacher Darlene Manquaidfs classes have created a web page for the city o f lone. The initial page was done by Maiquardt while the students wrote the rest. They have also made links to other web pages for businesses, organizations and individuals in lone. "This project was done as a community service project as well as a learning assignment for the students," said Marquardt. "The students do not use software such as Frontpage or Hotdog to design their pages, but rather have to team the html codes and write the pages from scratch. The students also took i o the Editor: The upcoming bond election for Morrow County Schools will replace the grade school gym in Heppner, and the grade school in lone. Both of these facilities were built over 75 years ago and are not feasible to renovate. The levy would provide facilities in the Boardman and Irrigon area to accommodate future growth. One of the most important things the levy will do is maintenance on existing buildings. The levy will replace failing roofs in needed areas and remove and replace asbestos floor tiles in all schools. It will also update heating and cooling systems and install energy efficient windows where needed to reduce energy costs for the district. These maintenance items have been delayed in an effort to maintain classroom programs. If we do not pass the bond levy these items will have to be done from operation funding, which will again cut in to educational programs at our schools. We all need to set aside our differences over board and administrative decisions that we may not agree with. We need to remember that a no vote on this bond issue does not penalize the school board or the administrators. It only penalizes our most important asset, the children o f our communities. Please join us in voting "Yes For Kids" on the bond levy. (s) Larry & Betty Mills Heppner Land sale detrimental to county transportation and manipulated their own digital pictures." The City o f lone web page may be accessed two ways. Either go to http://ioneoregon.com or go to http://ihs.morrow.kl2.or.us/virtual- ione/city.html. The lone students also help Marquardt maintain the school's web page which may be found at http://ihs.morrow.kl2.or.us. Other student works may be found at http://ihs.morrow.k 12.or.us/student- links.html. Marquardt says they welcome readers to let them know about any lone web pages (businesses, organizations, or personal) as they would like to link it to their site. Let them know by e-mailing Marquardt at marquad@ morrow.kl2.or.us. O f f T he W a ll... R\' AAt i l y u Think of children first Letters to the Editor The Official Newspaper o f the City o f Heppner and the County o f Morrow iis o ii fin áis a ’ take ft ft&Ai those in the k n w ^ 'c b m p o st^ o ffh e following could be labeled a "believe it or not" column. Your choice probably depends on which part o f the state you call home. Portland mayor Vera Katz, "aka Meathead,” proclaims meatless days to save the environment from an overpopulation o f those messy cows that dump on the land and pollute the water. Meanwhile, a power failure knocked out a pump causing four million gallons o f raw Portland sewage to dump in the Willamette River. That insignificant little blip was barely mentioned on a back page of The Oregonian, since during winter months Portland sewage overflows typically run as high as 2.8 million gallons. Seems strange that Portland received only a $14,000 fine by the EPA while an Eastern Oregon cattle rancher was fined $50,000 for his cattle accessing the Wallowa River. Portland sewage must be cleaner or somehow doesn't affect fish because Willamette Valley people who fish or stick their fingers in the water were told to "wash their hands" after coming in contact with that river water. Sage scientists are debating the amount o f water to be spilled this spring from dams on the Columbia River to help migrating salmon as the Northwest faces a drought situation. Barging o f fish is ludicrous they say. How about this fall when the water situation becomes even more critical, not only for fish but for hydroelectric power? Never mind that the number o f returning salmon have greatly increased this year. If we don't run out o f high-priced, imported fuel perhaps they'll have to barge water upstream this fall, replacing those spilled gallons, to aid fish or human summer survivors. As to a new daylight savings time proposal, supposedly to save electricity, it's suggested that in May the clocks be again moved forward one more hour. The "clock watchers" prefer to mess with clocks every year, as it appears it is impossible to change business hours. Perhaps that would be too much o f a mental strain if one had to get up at four a.m. instead of at six in order to be on time for work. However candles could be an early morning energy saver, cause who needs good lighting for enhancing the current "messy is better" hairstyles. A commentator suggested that the best way to achieve that look is to use hair spray when you first get out o f bed. People, particularly children, aren't getting enough sunshine or exercise, it's reported. So a health-minded, energy-saving decision could be turning o ff TV and forcing youngsters outside to breathe a city's polluted air. Too, it's claimed that sitting for long periods clogs arteries in the legs. Like seat belts, perhaps we need a law to protect people from themselves, requiring sitters to jum p up every hour and run around their building. There's also the problem with airline passengers sitting too long in cramped positions. Perhaps, along with serving cocktails, there needs to be a requirement that passengers rotate seats frequently and kick-box in the aisles while changing seats. Too, I worry about prisoners whose rights are being violated by being locked up in sunless places as they spend several hours a day on computers trying to figure out sentencing appeals as a way out. They are also required to sit motionlessly in front o f television sets to improve their minds as a form o f rehabilitation. For more noteworthy decisions, it's about time they inducted "Silly Putty" into the national toy hall o f fame. This World War II accidental creation has bounced off many a wall. There has never been a more "conveniently-toted" small toy with so many uses. It not only bounces and stretches but also can be used to lift images from things like newspaper comics. Our children even tried using it for facemasks. As a long-time chauffeur o f children, it's hard to describe that feeling when this cold, gooey stuff slides down one's neck. It is definitely less messy than play dough, especially in a vehicle. Too, it was less threatening to an endangered driver than having a secretly pocketed frog suddenly progress downward underneath a person's shirt collar. These are some o f the many sage conclusions affecting our day-to-day lives. You have to get up early to stay in tune with such note-worthy proclamations. Or it might be better to stay in bed and catch up on your sleep-deprived soul, a hazard that is said to be affecting both the body and the m ind~or perhaps it just affects those making "mindless" decisions. To the Editor: I am writing to express my concerns o f a land transaction involving R.D. Offitt Co. and the State o f Oregon. I feel this land sale which involves a total of93,000 acres, of which includes a 23,000 acre tract, that is a long band approximately 20 miles long by two miles wide to be held by the Nature Conservancy is cutting Morrow County in half and is detrimental to long-term Morrow County transportation. We are asking for a road easement across a small section o f this property. Preventing this easement is the ODFW s listing o f the Washington ground squirrel as an endangered species. The land in question has been bombed, farmed, gazed, hunted and has had several private and county roads on it in the past and present. The squirrels are still presently flourishing. This is really a common sense issue. ODFW must use a reasonable and common sense approach in the implementation o f this "hard stand" they seem to be taking, on an issue that could involve the closing o f a community. K -r that 2 Vi miles o f re a d ju st 18 acres or (.08 percent) o f 23,000 acres, across a thin section o f land is going to affect the squirrel population or any wildlife in the slightest manner. Not having a road easement to link the fast-growing north end job availability( i.e. Offutt, Tillamook, PGE, racetrack. Port o f Morrow, etc ...), at a reasonable distance with a south end work force deters growth and stability o f economy in south Morrow County. There were roads here prior to WWII before the bombing range was created; there are roads here now and there should be a road here in the future. The time is now for common sense to take heed and not let rural Oregon to be held hostage by extreme environmental groups from the west side o f the state. The lone and Heppner communities have excellent schools, as rated by the State o f Oregon. Currently shrinkingenrollments, resulting from the closing of a mill, poor agriculture economy and ever increasing farm size jeopardizes our great school system. These communities provide excellent livability. They just need access to available employment. We do not want to stop the land sale. We do not want an "in lieu o f' proposal. We do not want funding. We do not want a road built What we do want is an easement for a 2 Vi mile road, that does not break up or harm anything, which would give access to a possible 1200 future jobs. community concerned for its schools and rural way p fjife. Twenty-two thousand, nine hundred and eighty-two acres for squirrels. Eighteen acres for schools and community. Very simple. (s) Darrin Padberg lone Com X V X V X V X V X V X v Stocks/Bonds Mutual Funds Annuities Estate Planning Life & Long-term Care Insurance E a s te rn / <9re#orv fcvm ilC e^ Call for information or appointment 1 800 777-9062 - - email jennifer@nrcgeenet.com McGee F in a n cial S trateg ies, Inc. A Registered Investment Advisor 12455 S W 68th Ave. • Portland, O R 97223 Securities offered exclusively through R aym on d Jam es Financial Services, Inc. Member N ASD /SIPC tV¿ 6* \* > o 7 'TfS X V IRA’s/Roths j fi>. a O Please drop by for punch and cookies! 236 N orth Main, H «ppn«r 676-5093 X V Retirement Planning This nice, well-kept one level home has four bedrooms, two baths, a large living room, a fireplace insert and wood cupboards in the kitchen. The home is located on 3.67 acres and has a great view o f Heppner. 6RAND OPENING! V the Shad Hisler field. For more information, call Craig Gutierrez, 676-5160. Great View O f Heppner! . v : rvx. >x: Monday, April 16th, 10 a.m. to 3 p. include new roofs, asbestos removal, heating systems and energy-efficient windows. If the construction bond doesn't pass, the board o f directors will be forced to use operating funds to perform these maintenance items and operating funds will continue to be in short supply. Public schools are the cornerstone o f all our communities. Kids are the P sb lo o d o f our future. Please vote "yes" on the Morrow County'school construction bpn*l- " ’ (s) George Koffler Heppner Financial Advisor The lone Public Library has > Also, the library has recently received 120 new books, the base received a number o f new books for library for the book leasing plan. its permanent collection, including , Many different types o f books are many selections from the Oprah Book i covered in the core selection from Club. Regular hours are Mondays and > popular fiction to nonfiction to self- Wednesdays, from 3-5 p.m. i help. CJteti’ a How To the Editor: Next month, the citizens o f Morrow County will be voting by mail on a school district bond for construction o f schools and maintenance o f existing buildings. In the north end of Morrow County, new buildings are needed to ease overcrowding to help the educational process. In the south end o f Morrow County, we will be replacing two old buildings that have outlived their q'seful life 'm ao/\ In additidh, theffe arê à nihtibèr’ o f maimertance items, deferred maintenance, that will be done. They Jcmiifcr Currin Gutri&gc on the second floor o f the building. Heppner Elementary students must cross the street for lunch during a busy traffic time. Improvements to these schools shows concern for the safety o f our children. As our facilities continue to age and deteriorate, normal maintenance and repair costs will go up. These costly repairs to our schools are paid out o f the district’s operating budget. The operating budget is limited by the amount the state provides each year. As maintenance and repair costs go up, less money is available for educational programs. This bond measure, if approved, will maximize the funds available for operations and programs. Please vote "yes" on May 15. It's the right thing to do for our community, our children and our future. (s) Sandy Tallman "Yes" For Kids chairman Boardman :v/l child in that old grade school during an earthquake? If you live in North Morrow County, you should support the bond issue for the following reasons: 1 ) You have the growth and we need to stay ahead o f the curve. 2) Not all cuts would come from the South, the North could also face program cuts if we have to pay for all necessary maintenance projects and additional classroom space out o f general operating funds. Please vote "yes" for a balanced district-wide bond that will help all o f our communities. Let's vote yes for all o f our kids and fight about operating budgets some other day. Jerry Rietmann lone Vote yes on school construction bond Heppner Little League T- ball tryouts will be held this Thursday, April 12, at 4 p.m. at lone Library receives new books ' to poor quality instruction. Plus we all know that temporary classrooms never really go away and that deferring needed maintenance usually results in more costly problems later. We need to think o f our children first and pass a bond now. If we pass the bond measure we will show some vision and prove we care about our children. This bond will result in major maintenance in every portion o f the district and will free up operating funds this next year that can be used for better instruction for our children. If you live in South Morrow County, you should support this balanced bond issue for the following reasons: 1) If we don't keep up with the real growth in North Morrow County, we will pay with even larger cuts to instructional programs in the South. 2) In Heppner, every day that your children cross the street to have lunch, the chance o f a child being struck by a car goes up. 3) In lone, would you want your T-ball tryouts set April 12 Vote yes for our community, children and our future To the Editor: As a taxpayer, parent and community member, I would like to thank the Morrow County School Board for developing the bond measure to go before the voters on the May 15 ballot. The board members have come up with solid, sensible solutions for our aging, overcrowded schools and managed to maximize our taxpayer dollars. In Boardman and Irrigon, student enrollment has increased 25 percent in the last five years and is expected to increase another 25 percent in the next five years. The current number of kindergartners in Irrigon is 82 with 72 in Boardman. A new elementary school in both Boardman and Irrigon shows sensible planning for the future o f our children. In addition to overcrowded schools, the school board has addressed the issue o f safety. Currently, lone Elementaiy does not have a fire escape door in the library which is.located To the Editor: Recently you published a letter by Meg Murray that was in opposition to the Morrow County School District bond for needed maintenance and for new grade schools. Mrs. Murray seems to think that the glass is always half empty. If Mrs. Murray’s point o f view were to be taken seriously, we should, in the interest of providing the best education possible for our children, build just one monster high school in Bend. This would give our children the most possible curriculum choices and therefore, if Mrs. Murray is correct, the best education. Also, Mrs. Murray seems to not be able to separate operating funding from a bond measure for buildings and maintenance. The true story is that North Morrow County is growing rapidly and the number o f children about to enter the grade schools both in Boardman and Irrigon will overwhelm those schools. As I see it, if this bond fails, the school district will have two choices. First, they could load up buses and ship children around the county to locations that have the space and low teacher to student ratios to handle them. This, from a budget point o f view, would be the most cost effective option since the state reimburses a large portion of transportation. However, this would be a truly poor choice for families and children. The second option is to purchase temporary modular classrooms and put off major maintenance projects. The associated costs for this would come out o f general funds and we all know that the majority o f these cuts would have to come from South Morrow County. This would lead $ 1 6 5 ,0 0 0 Contact David Sykes, Agent H eritage L a n d Co. www.heppner.net 1-800-326-2152 toll free (541) 676-9228 days, (541) 676-9939 evenings j » Q J.
