TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 23, 2001
Letters to the Editor
The Official Newspaper
o f the City o f Heppner and the County o f Morrow
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David Sykes..........................................- ..................................................................Publisher
April Hilton-Sykes ....................................................................................................... Editor
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Obituaries
Chuck Henry Vertz
Monument resident Chuck Henry
Vertz, 73, passed away on Saturday,
May 12,2001, at Pioneer Memorial
Hospital in Pnneville.
Memorial services were held
Saturday, May 26, 2001, in the
"Heritage Chapel" o f the Pnneville
Funeral Home. Pastor W jllard
Fenderson officiated.
Mr. Vertz was bom December
11, 1920 in Little Bear, Wyoming
the son of Samuel and Ava (Tucker)
Vertz. He was raised in Canby, later
moving to Brooks, Oregon.
He married Dolores L. Ramey
in February 1948 in Vancouver,
Washington. The couple moved
to Salem where Mr. Vertz owned
and operated two Richfield Service
stations. He also worked for several
auto .dealers in the Willamette
Valley and in Hermiston. The couple
later moved to Terrebonne where
Mr. Vertz worked as a mechanic
for Central Oregon Irrigation District
until he retired in 1989. The couple
then moved to Monument. '
Mr. Vertz was a member o f the
Service Employees International
Union #503. He enjoyed hunting,
fishing, camping and rockhounding.
Mr. Vertz is survived by his wife,
Dolores Vertz o f Salem; son, Dennis
Vertz o f Stayton; daughter, Sharon
Combs o f Vale; sister. Hazel Gilbert
o f Portland, M arian Davidson o f
San Pablo, California and Dorothy
Skyoon o f W hale Cove; two
grandchildren and four great
grandchildren. Mr. Vertz was
preceded in death by his parents,
two brothers, one grandson and one
great-grandson.
Memorial contributions in Mr.
Vertz’s memory may be made to
the American Cancer Society.
Pnneville Funeral Home was
in charge o f arrangements.
Howard William Chance
Howard W illiam Chance, 84,
o f Boardman, died Thursday, May
17, 2001, at his home.
A celebration o f life service was
held Monday, May 21,2001 in the
chapel at Bum s M ortuary o f
Hermiston. Private burial followed
at the Willamette National Cemetery
in Portland.
He was bom May 24, 1916, in
Portland, to Jam es and Annabell
W ade Chance. He was raised in
Portland and attended schools there.
He joined the Army, serving as
a medic in England during WWII.
He married Janice Luchak. The
couple lived in the Portland area.
Mr. Chance designed and built
custom homes throughout the
Colum bia Gorge, all the way to
Pendleton. The couple moved to
Boardman in 1982. Mrs. Chance
died in 1989.
On June 8, 1990, he married
Priscilla G am er in Im gon.
He was a m em ber o f the
Hermiston Seventh-day Adventist
Church, Veterans o f Foreign Wars
and the American Legion.
He helped to build the Im gon
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
enjoyed gardening, studying history
and aviation.
Survivors include his wife,
Pnscilla Chance of Boardman; sons,
Michael Chance, Bill Chance and
Tim Gamer, all in Oregon; sister,
Jean R. Shibley o f Vancouver,
Washington; and four grandsons.
He was preceded in death by his
parents; his first wife, Janice
Chance; and brother. Dr. Russell
Chance.
Memorial contributions may be
made to 3 ABN, Voice o f Prophecy
or ADRA in care o f Bums Mortuary
o f Hermiston, P.O. Box 289,
Hermiston, Oregon 97838.
Sign up now for
soccer league
Anyone 4-1/2 to 14 years
old interested in playing soccer
this fall is urged to call Tina
Edwards or Darrell Raver, 676-
8710, as soon as possible. Those
interested
should
leave
a
m essage on their answering
machine with their nam e and
phone number.
Although the signup
deadline is past, Edwards said
that if there was enough interest
a league is still possible.
However, she added that as o f
now, not enough children have
signed up.
Practice would begin
around the first o f August, with
the first game som etim e after
August 25 and the last game
around the end o f November.
Edwards said that money
will be refunded i f not enough
children sign up. In the event that
the league is not started up, those
with enough interest m ay join the
Hermiston or Boardman leagues,
she said.
HHS sports
dessert postponed
The
H eppner
High
School sports dessert has been
postponed to M onday, June 4, at
7 p.m. at the High School.
The
dessert
was
originally scheduled for Monday,
May 21.
To the Editor;
The superintendent of the Morrow
County School District proclaimed
to the East Oregonian newspaper
that board member Keith Lewis does
not reside in the school zone which
he represents. He made this
statement even though the district's
board had decided to hold a special
m eeting on June 6 in order to
determine the facts o f this matter.
Who is nght? Is the special board
meeting on June 6 a session in which
a serious consideration o f this matter
is to be m ade? Or, does the
superintendent know something
that we, the public do not know?
Perhaps this is to be another sham
m eeting o f the directors like that
held in February 2000 when the
board pretended to listen to our
comments then immediately voted
to cut 17 teaching positions. Perhaps
this too is a fait accompli.
I question both the moral and
the legal authority o f the board to
invalidate the election o f this board
m em ber and also that o f Bamey
Lindsay. The board has certified
the election o f Keith Lewis and his
eligibility to serve. The board
certified Bamey Lindsay's election
and eligibility, not once but twice.
These two people have received
thousands o f votes between them.
I would hope that the remaining
board m em bers have learned
something from our former Vice
President's vain attem pt in Florida
to overturn an election. I hope that
they understand the priceless nature
o f our right to vote and honor the
results o f these elections.
W e will see if the board is
sincerely interested in decency when
making a decision in this matter.
I fully expect there to be a complete
and fair hearing o f fact and law with
regard to these matters.
Please attend the meeting at the
district office in Lexington on June
6 at 7 p.m. and express your support.
(s) M ike Armato
Heppner
Boardmembers' treatment unfair
To the Editor:
At last week's Morrow County
School Board meeting, something
happened that I believe the residents
o f Morrow County should know.
Two individual board members.
Bamey Lindsay and Keith Lewis
were intentionally singled out and
were not aware o f a situation that
involved them directly. The
superintendent and other board
members were not only aware but
handled the situation purposely to
surprise, and, I believe, to embarrass
them.
The situation arose when the
school district received a complaint
that board members were not living
in the correct zone. (Morrow County
School District is divided up into
seven zones with board members
representing each zone.) The district
investigated the complaint and found
Bamey Lindsay and Keith Lewis
were not residing in the correct
zone. The chairm an o f the board
announced at the beginning o f the
meeting that a complaint had been
received. The lawyer representing
the district explained their votes
may come under scrutiny. Neither
board member was notified about
the possible zone violation before
the meeting and both were stunned
that the superintendent, board
members and lawyer were prepared
with the information to share with
everyone.
Both Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Lewis
filed for their respective school zone
position, both won the election, the
county clerk's office certified their
winning and the school district
accepted the results. The school
district is responsible to the voters
to make sure the candidates for
school board positions are in their
correct zones. The whole county
votes on school board members and
both Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Lewis
were elected by an overwhelming
majority.
At a special meeting scheduled
on June 6, the five school board
members will now decided if the
two elected board members will
remain.
I served on the Morrow County
School Board for eight years, was
chairman for two years, worked with
three different superintendents and
worked alongside three o f the
current school board members.
During this time, there was never
a situation involving a board
member that was handled like the
present situation. It is unprofessional
and unethical in my book to treat
elected officials in this matter.
Everyone deserves to be treated with
respect; isn’t that what we teach our
children?
Most people may not be aware
that the current board members don’t
always agree on issues, but this is
not the way to treat or get rid of
board members. It is simply unfair.
(s) Marcia Kemp
Lexington
Support "virtual" bucket brigade
To the Editor:
I appreciate you giving your
support to the farmers and ranchers
in Northern California and Southern
Oregon. Your response has been
absolutely phenomenal.
We have received m ore than
10,000 nam es o f individuals and
businesses. But, we need more...
This week we published our first
list o f the Virtual Bucket Brigade
and will be publishing a second list
in next week's edition o f the Pioneer
Press. This m essage needs to be
heard m Washington, D.C. and every
start capitol, where we intend to
deliver thousands.
If you haven't already, please
consider sending out a request to
everyone in your e-mail address
list and ask them to send their name
and city to mailto:pioneerp@
sisqtel.net if they support the
ranchers and farmers in their fight
for water.
I would love to see this list grow
to 100,000 nam es. Every name
counts.
Daniel W ebster
Pioneer Press
Fort Jones, Calif.
W e would like to take
this opportunity to thank
all of the wonderful people
who helped with the
Blatant attempt to silence
board members
To the Editor:
The latest attempt by the Morrow
County School Board and its
administration to silence the views
o f voters o f Morrow County should
not be tolerated.
At the last school board meeting,
an attack was made on board
members Bamey Lindsay and Keith
Lewis, alleging they do not comply
with residence requirements to serve
in their respective zones. This attack
was listed on the agenda under the
title o f "chairm an's inquiry" and
had obviously been previously
discussed by the remaining board
members (agenda packets mailed
out five days previously) and gave
no notice to Bamey and Keith that
these charges would be made.
This unethical treatment o f our
duly elected board m em bers is
clearly, obviously and blatantly an
attem pt to silence the two board
members who have dared to oppose
the administration in the past. After
the charge was m ade at the
beginning o f the meeting, it was
suggested that those members should
immediately be prevented from
voting that night and should be
removed from the board.
Bamey Lindsay was elected four
years ago and his residency issue
explored and legal opinions written
and sent to the board. It was
accepted and he was certified. He
was recently re-elected from atl
areas o f the county, but before doing
so had the same issue checked out
again, was advised, re-elected and
again certified.
Keith Lewis who lives in and
represents Heppner, asked the
district office before the election
and was told he was eligible to run
from Zone 4, which he did, was duly
elected and his election certified.
Bam ey and Keith have since
represented our interests and have
spoken up on issues when the other
members continued to rubber-stamp
the superintendent's proposals. They
have stood up against cutting
teachers and long-standing programs
such as vo-ag. (Recall num erous
articles in papers last year regarding
infamous February 2000 meeting
when the beard voted 5 to 2 to cut
17 teachers against the wishes o f
hundreds o f parents.) They have
devoted countless hours at these
lengthy meetings to represent the
views and interests o f the whole
county. We have elected them to
represent us and want to see them
continue to do so in the future.
Does the board and administration
want them o ff so they may appoint
the members they want to replace
them until the next school board
election in M arch 2003? For two
years we would lose elected
representation to m embers chosen
by the current board. Is that what
you want? They have called a special
m eeting on June 6 at 7 p.m. to
resolve this issue. Let them know
how you feel.
(s) Ann Murray
(s) John Murray
Heppner
Nursing home workers give seniors
a special day
To the Editor:
I recently attended a Mother's
Day tea given for the Pioneer
Memorial Hospital nursing home
women at the Heppner Elks Lodge.
The women had been pampered all
day with new hairdo's, painting of
nails and generally getting ready
for their evening out.
Tea was served with a large
variety o f desserts to chose from.
Wonderful music was provided by
Nancy and Amy Jepsen and Julie
Howard. Victor Vanderdoes made
an excellent waiter.
Pennie M iller and her crew did
a wonderful jo b o f m aking the
arrangements and putting on this
exciting event. My m other and I
am sure all o f the residents greatly
enjoyed their 'evening out'.
One woman expressed some
regret that the men were being left
out o f the festivities, but Pennie
assured her that "their day was
coming."
The care these people at the
hospital give the nursing home
residents is unmistakable and they
do a great job. Keep up the good
work.
(s) Diana Balt
Heppner
Salii McElligott selected
as Girls State rep
Salli M cE lligott
Salli McElligott, a junior at lone
High School has been selected by
The lone American Legion Auxiliary
Unit # 95 to be a delegate to Girls
State. Salli is the daughter o f Paul
and Chanty McElligott of lone. Salli
is an honor student and is active
in all sports at lone High School.
She is also active in FBLA. the lone
Youth Group and St. W illiams
Church in lone.
G irls State will be held at
Willamette University on June 17-
23. This is the 41th annual session
o f Girls State. Holding Girls State
at Willamette University will allow
them to utilize the state capitol and
surrounding state offices for a fun
and educational.
Sponsors for this year are:
M orrow County Grain Growers,
Les Schwab and Columbia Basin
Electric Coop. lone Legion
Auxiliary is the organization that
selects the girls and prepares them
for G irls State.
Salli, the 16-year-old daughter
o f Paul and Chanty McElligott of
lone, attends lone High School
where she is a junior. She is a
member o f National Honor Society
and is on the A-honorroll. The past
three years she has been a member
o f the varsity volleyball team, the
varsity tennis team and basketball. ,
Her volleyball team was the 1998 t
and 1999 Oregon State 1A
champion.
She has been a m em ber o f the
school annual staff in the past, as
well as FBLA. She was freshman
and junior class president and is
a student representative to the
Morrow County Parks District. She
has also been active in the lone
Youth Group for the past three years.
Salli has been in 4-H since her
fourth grade year and was the 2000
All-Around Cham pion swine
showman. She represented her
county as a M orrow County Fair
and Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
Princess in 2000.
In addition to school and
extracurricular activities, Salli has
a summer job babysitting for Bink
and Lynn Dee Ramos o f lone.
Although Salli is only 16, she
is considering taking courses in
politics in college. Salli's family
includes her brother Jeremiah. 18.
a senior at IHS, and sister, Diana,
15, a sophom ore at IHS.
Juan G. Elguezabal
Memorial Dedication
IT’S TIME ¿ 5 FOR THE
IONE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
3 9 t h ANNUAL
A U C TIO N A B A R B E C U E
DRIVE
TO WILLOWS GRANGE HALL
IONE, OREGON, on SATURDAY, JUNE 2nd
COUNTRY STORE OPENS AT 10:00 a .n .
AUCTION BEGINS AT 10:30 «.m. BY TRIAD AUCTIONEERING
SILENT AUCTION BEGINS 10:15 a.m. - BIDS OPEN 12:20 p.m.
A N T IQ IJ E S
-
CRAFTS -
H A N D M A D E IT E M S -
H O M E - B A K E D F O O D IT E M S
N E W TO Y O U -
F IS H P O N D -
BOOKS -
SN AC K SH A C K
TOYS
PIT BARBECUED BEEF DINNER AT 1 2:30 p.m.
ADULTS $ 6 .0 0 * 6 - 1 2 YEARS $ 3 .0 0 • PRE-SCHOOL FREE
Receiving donations and for pickup, phone:
Laurel Cannon at 422-7165 * Bill Rietmann at 422-7296
*»
at the Bob Kilkenny Field.
First of all. we would Hke to thank Dave Fow ler and Darcy Robinson for
their talents and organizational skills; w ithout their dedication, this B IG project
w ould not have come together. A big thank you to the Heppner Little League
for authorizing the site. Thanks to Mr. Allen and Mr. Anthony fo r their opening
w ords of wisdom at the dedication. Thanks to Kyie Robinson, Larry Mills. A n
drew Johnson and John W ight for their advice and expertise on where and
how to dig and where and how to place the drip lines.
Thanks to Virginia Grant. Coech Lindsay Harie and her softball team for
donating one tree and supplies and their hard w ork in planting the trees and
landscaping the site. T o Dale Adlard of D $ L A u to Parts and Repair for donat
ing the metal for the bench. Thanks to Dave Fow ler and his family for all their
w ork ^nd for donating the w ood for the bench. Thanks to Brandon Young who
built the frame for the bench.
Thanks to Heppner High School StafT and Student Body for donating one
tree, supplies and pitching in to help dig and plant! Thanks to H H S Technology
Education Departm ent and Manufacturing Construction Class taught by Dave
Fowler for their w ork on the concrete and bench. Thanks to Valery Campbell
and Jean Strange for the arranging, organ izin g and printing on the wood. Thanks
to Adam D oherty for his hard w ork in burning the letters into the wood.
W ith everyone's special talents, time and hard w ork, the trees, bench and
landscaping have not only left our tow n m ore beautiful, but it has once again
left us with a real feeling of what it means to be part of a wonderful community.
T rien & th ip it the o n ly cem ent th a t en ti ever h o d the w o rd together. "
Fam illa Elguezabal
Now you C A N have a new home
in beautiful Heppner, Oregon.
Heppner’s newest home
OPEN HOUSE
Saturday through Monday
May 26-28, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
8 7 5 Lakeview Drive, overlooking W illo w Creek Lake.