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TWO • Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, January 2, 2002 Letters to the Editor The Official Newspaper o f the City o f Heppner and the County o f Morrow Editor's note letters to the Editor must be signed Ihe Gazelle- Times w ill not publish unsigned letters Please include your address and phone number on all letters for use by theC -Toffice The G-7 reserves the right to edit. TheC-T is not responsible lor accuracy o f statements made in letters. I Any letters expressing thanks w ill be placed in the classifieds under "C ard of Thanks'at a cost o f $5.) H ep p n er GAZETTE-TIMES U S P S 240-420 Current library small, crowded Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper P u b lis h e d w e e k ly a n d entered as p e rio d ic a l m aile r al the Post O ff ic e at H e p p n e r, O re g o n under ihc A c t o f M a r c h 3. 1874 Periodical postage paid at Heppner, O re g o n O ffic e at 147 W W illo w Street. T elep ho ne (5 4 1 ) 6 7 6 -4 2 2 8 F a x (5 4 1 ) 6 7 6 -4 2 1 1 E - m ail gtiu hep p nei net o r g tijira p id se rv c net W e b s it e w w w h eppner net Postm aster send address ch a n ge s to the H ep p ne r G azette-Tim es, P O B o x 337. Heppner. O re g o n 47836 S u b s c r ip t io n s $ 2 2 in M o r r o w C o u n t y , $ 1 6 se n io r rate (in M o r r o w C o u n t y o n ly ; 6 2 ye a rs or old er), $ 2 4 elsew here D a s id S sisc s A p r il Ililt o n - S y k e s P u b l is h « E d ito r News deadline is Monday at 5 p m For Advertising advertising deadline is Tuesday at noon Cost tor 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 C ost tor a classified display ad is $5 10 per column inch For PuDiic'Legai Notices pubiic/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p m Dates 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 H'EBSITE: wh ’H'. heppner. net • Start or Change a Subscription • Place a Classified Ad • Subm it a News 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 Septem ber 11 from page one they're not going to let anything happen. You can't let it bother you or you'd just stay in your room and feel insecure. No place is com pletely safe." W hile not downplaying the tragedy. Van Liew says that being there at the time o f the attack provided him "the opportunity o f a lifetim e." Van Liew says that his m other was concerned, but not overly so. "She thinks it's (going to school in New York) an opportunity. She doesn't seem to be too worried about it." Van Liew left Friday to return to school where he is a sophom ore in the civil engineering program. A 2000 graduate o f Heppner High School, he is the son o f Sandra and Dan Van Liew o f Heppner. The smoke from the devastation clouds M anhattan. Film on Harry Potter planned St. in Heppner. Ihe Heppner Chnstian Life Center The video will exam ine the church invites the public to a question, "Is the witchcraft contained showing o f the video, "Harry Potter, m the Harry Potter books simply V\ itchcratt Repackaged," on Sunday, innocent reading?" Jan. 6. at 6 p.m. at 535 W. Morgan Everyone is welcome to attend. 98tk Aiww&usany : C leanauce Sale \ A e r o s o le s • M o o t s ie T o o tsie - S a lt W a t e rs - fe rze e s - Fruit o f the L o o m - Jefferies | | s ¡ (Hollomon's 26 th year anniversary) R E D W ING W O R K B O O T S ---------------- 1 Men's 8” lace-style »404 & M407 S I QC jj 25 % O ff f S N O W B O O T S ------------------------------- 25 % O ff t W O M E N ’S D R E S S B O O T S --------------- o %. S U P P E R S -------------------------------------- | Men s - Women 's - Kids 1 j 5 ----------------------------------$ 1 00 p a ir £ S W E A T P A N T S & S W E A T S H I R T S --- 30 % O ff F L A N N E L S H I R T S -------------------------- 30 % O ff pa n t yh o se Jf (Some fleece lined) M | \ 1 -2 J 30 % O ff A L L C H R IS T M A S F A B R I C -------------- 40 % O ff > M ED IU M -W EIG H T F L A N N E L F A B R IC - 30 % O ff I B R A W N Y F L A N N E L F A B R IC ----------- 3 ftioHij olket uHodvetiued dale U cma s and ou t S ALE R A C K S la check oul! f f OFFICIAL OUTLET FOR HEPPNER I ] HIGH BOOSTER CLUB ITEM£I i | Clearance Sale: January 2nd through January 12th | .se » SHOE BOX TALK - N - TOPS • FABRIC’S ETC. 143 N. Main Street • Heppner • 676-5241 M ountain M ist Rhino Second W ind Lee W estern Chief - Coets ft Ctarti - O tto To the Editor: I have to be fair and say I agree with the letter in the Dec. 19 Gazette- Times by Pete McElligott. Pete sure told it like it is. It was an informative letter, very good. The last paragraph was a little sharp. Having the ATV thing inside o f Heppner is still ridiculous. Why can't the state license ATVs to use public roads except for freeways and state highways? The ATVs don't need to race on any road. I'hey should operate at a safe speed, although it’s been proven speed is not the cause o f accidents. C arelessness is the cause o f accidents. If you are careless, you had better slow down. If the ATVs w ant to race, let them go to a race track. Ih e U S. Forest Service is supposed to m anage forest lands owned by the public. I see a lot o f green gates. Forest Service padlocks, berms pushed up by bulldozers and many signs prohibiting further access. These things are a little difficult for me to put up with, after driving all over it most o f my life. There are a lot o f special places I plan to see again someday. It makes me wonder how m any more restrictions the public will put up with. The people have power to change things, they only need leadership. M aybe they should organize and let their em ployees know who is in charge. It seems as though county road closures are getting som ewhat contagious. In fact, it’s more like epidem ic. How do you go about closing a county road that has been open and used by the public since year one ? I should hope you should have to take it to a vote o f all registered voters in the county. This should include all roads everywhere that have been open for the last 30 years, regardless ofbeing maintained by the county or not. Once the public has used a road for a long time, it’s just not right to close it. As least it’s in poor taste. Seriously, why can't street-legal ATVs be licensed the sam e as autom obiles and carry insurance required by the state? They should go by traffic laws and by doing so it would eliminate the log truck or cattle truck hazard. How about letting the ATVs buzz around on all gravel and dirt roads between Heppner-Spray Highway and as far east as Ditch Creek. Lots o f good area and it won't cost 1.2 million. There's strong possibilities here that by staying on the gravel and dirt roadways betw een Highway 207 and Ditch Creek it would solve the traffic, weed and fire problems. M ake it clear if they get o ff the roadways onto any private or public land they are to give up all rights and will be prosecuted by the state. Safe drivers would help prevent accidents. Food for thought: the Zellers in lone are wonderful people, so are Bert and Kim o f Heppner's Red Apple, Cliff Green's Hardware and Murray's Drug. I wish we could get something together to help everyone. How would you like to drive to Hermiston for a dozen eggs? I think we should support our good neighbors. Let's work together and com e up with a plan. (s) Mel Piper Heppner OWGL to increase educational efforts 25 % O ff I jp I A S S O R T E D S O C K S -------------------------- 50 % O ff * s 1 | materials. The age o f the current facility has created infrastructure (heating, air conditioning, lighting, plumbing) challenges for many years. Since the early 1990s the library has made computers available for patrons to use for Internet research and fore-mail. Between March 14 and April 26 this year 470 computer log-ins were recorded. People use the com puters for many varied purposes. Senior citizens write letters or use e-m ail. Tem porary construction workers and visiting family members, including those briefly taking care of elderly parents, use the Internet to stay in contact w ith family and business m atters at their homes. The current city hall also is extremely crowded. There is not a room in which to hold small meetings or conv ersations. The space reserved for city council m eetings is inadequate. Storage space is limited. Do we need a new library/city hall building? Probably so. (s) Barbara Hayes Heppner Alternative ATV plan f 30 % O ff | • Men’s - Women's - Kid's To the Editor: Do we need a new' library and city hall? The library has been located in the current facility since the end o f May, I960. At that time the library only loaned books. In addition to books, the library now keeps large print books as well as audiotapes and videotapes on shelves for people to check out. Between 1,000 and 1,200 children’s books, adult books, m agazines and tapes have been loaned each month during the past year. The branch aiso borrows 20 to 40 materials from other libraries every month. The library space is so small that there is no adequate place to sit to browse through a book or magazine or to preview a tape. Fifty new books were recently purchased by a grant. The one small couch had to go live elsewhere. There is only a closet for an office or work space for processing new m aterials to be shelved or for repair o f "injured" The Oregon W heat Growers League will increase its educational efforts and also work to increase membership. Those goals were set out in action plans approved by the membership at the OW GL's 75th annual convention held recently. One o f the new efforts calls for "convention scholarships" to be offered to outstanding college ag students in Oregon. "These would pay all their expenses to attend our convention," said Judy Rea, lone, a past president o f the OWGL and current Oregon WTieat Commission member. Some of the action plans endorsed by the OWGT membership include the following: - Involve youth organizations such as 4-H and FFA to promote family involvement; -Make a safety check list poster available for members; - Secure a seat on the Oregon Ag lone Council Plans meeting The lone City Council will hold its regular m onthly m eeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. at lone City Hall. Ihe time has been changed from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nan Hall from Heery International will be present to review the proposed site plan for the new school building. For more information, contact lone City Hall at 422-7414. Legal Foundation board; -Research and develop model conservation com pliance plans; - Seek an Extension position to focus on niche markets; -Closely monitor final rules for the Pesticide Use Reporting System; - Seek funding to establish long term experim ental plots; -Take part in the advisory com m ittee on the release o f Clearfield varieties; -Support passage o f Trade Promotion Authority. County court discusses disbursem ent o f forest funds By Doris Brosnan At the Dec. 26 m eeting o f the Morrow County Commissioners, Morrow County Treasurer Gayle GutieiTez reported the receipt o f the National Forest ftinds, to be divided among the road departm ent, the general fund and the schools. Commissioner Dan Brosnan noted that the Oregon State Legislature had indicated that school funding would go to the state, to be distributed under the school-funding formula, so Gutierrez agreed to find out why the school portion was included in the funds to the county. Administrative assistant Andrea Denton reported that expenses for the city o f lone's bike path project had exceeded the tippage-fee award. Judge Terry Tallman explained that lone Mayor Betty Gray had contacted him to say that the asphalt costs had exceeded the verbal estimate. After a lengthy discussion, the court approved the original tippage-fee am ount and agreed to invite the mayor to the next meeting to discuss the balance. Morrow County Behavioral Health director Kelly Sager updated the court on the department's issues. He reported that the departm ent still has a need for an office for the office manager, as well as two more offices. The court awaits a report from the Extension Service about a possible relocation, which could favorably affect this need. Sager reported that the department's growth continues at the north end o f the county and includes two hours o f counseling service in the schools each week for Oregon Health Plan students. Space continues to be an issue at the north end. Sager said, and he proposed using some carryover funds for resurrecting plans to remodel that office. Sager reported that W heeler County is breaking ground on a new office building in Fossil. A Com munity Developm ent Block Grant is funding that project. In Grant County, Sager said, they have not yet been able to recruit an assistant director. He pointed to a very low salary scale in Grant County as the problem in recruitment. He has notified the Grant County commissioners that failure to recruit could result in canceling Morrow County's contract with them when this one ends in June. Sager reported that a department survey has been com pleted and results are being tabulated. He reported that Shen Gregory has been hired as a secretary, to begin on January 2. He also explained to the court that a new rule requires that professionals with master's degrees, not associates with bachelor's degrees, do assessm ents. He requested the court to consider financial assistance to help employees to get the professional degree because his department has had problem s recruiting professionals. He also reported on a pilot program for which Morrow County was chosen, an innovative treatment program in which a client's psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, physician and school are involved. Sager and the court discussed his desire to allow staff one hour monthly for performing volunteer services. C om m issioner Dan Brosnan, while agreeing that volunteerism is im portant to communities, expressed opposition, noting that tax m oney pays them to perform specific services to the public; if they are being paid for their time, the work is not volunteer; and union and precedent problems could ensue. Commissioner John Wenholz said that he is also opposed. Andrea Denton suggested allowing em ployees to flex schedules and participate in volunteerism during times that do not coincide with their work schedules. Sager requested the court to give the issue more thought. Planning director Tamra Mabbott * again appeared to discuss the proposed Farm Agricultural Building Agreement. Tallman and Wenholz said they found the language confusing, so M abbott suggested some changes which may ciarify the issues. The court and Mabbott discussed the agreement in detail and the court approved the agreement in principle, noting that M abbott will complete checking on related issues and finalize the wording. C ounty assessor Greg Sweek approached the court about adding an appraisal position to the department in the next budget. He explained the costs, some o f which would be paid by a grant. The court had several questions for Sweek, who said that the department is not able to handle the demands with just one appraiser, citing the need for appraisals in the Imgon area as one example. Public works director Burke O'Brien reported the following: the crew continues blading on Strawberry, Kemp and Stock Drive lanes and Valby, M eadowbrook, Bert Peck, Cemetery Hill, Kinsfather, Lloyd and Lindsay roads. They are replacing old asphalt on Homestead with gravel. They have plowed and sanded on North Fork and Willow Creek Road. O'Brien introduce a petition to vacate a portion o f Third Street West in Imgon. He indicated that he would com plete research and make a recommendation with the planning director at the next m eeting. Tallman and OBnen both reported having been asked by different parties if the county could be hired to grade private roads. The court discussed the issue in length but did not make a determ ination. The court also approved membership in "Community Oregon" and approved the behavioral health carryover report. WE P R IN T COM PUTER FORM S Heppner Gazette-Times 6 7 6 -9 2 2 8 Prescription Profiles for insurance or tax purposes available on request HAPPY NEW Y earî m m ^ ” M 217 North Main 'i D m < J J Lexington A Ione Jfave \fou 3-CearcCJAhout 'The 'Bank o f Tastern Oregon’s Christmas CCuh J COME IN AND FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE CLUB! B ank o f Arlington, Boardman, Condon, Heppner, lone. Irrigon M ember FDIC
