ÎW O - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday. December 11 .2002
Editorial
A Different Perspective
The Official Newspaper
o f the City o f Heppner and the County of Morrow
H ep p n er
By Wade A. Smith, Principal, Heppner Schools
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,
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David Sykes......................................................................................... ............ Publisher
K atie W a il
Now» deadline i* Monday at 6 p m.
Ed itor
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School Board
continued from page one
retirem ents from: M ike Stuart,
retiring from his position as lone
School principal as o f Dec. 31;
B e tty R ie tm a n n , fro m h e r
t e a c h in g p o s itio n at lo n e
E le m e n ta ry S c h o o l; K a re n
Cooley, from her “teacher on
special assignm ent for special
education” for 2003-04; D arla
Vandever, Riverside High School
special ed one-on-one assistant.
-ap p ro v e d
in te r im
agreem ents for: M ike Stuart to
c o n tin u e h is a d m in is tra tiv e
position as lone principal from
Jan. 6 through June 30; Betty
R ietm ann to continue in her
te a c h in g p o s itio n at lo n e
Elementary from Jan. 1 through
June 13.
-approv ed termination o f
Daryl Grossman, from his district
o ffic e p o sitio n as co m p u ter
technician I.
-approved employment
o f G e o ff LaPeire as com puter
technician I.
-ap p ro v ed extra duty
contracts for: Jim Swanson, lone
H igh S chool assistan t b o y s ’
basketball coach; Kari M organ,
lone High School assistant girls'
basketball coach.
-approved a policy on
tem porary and standing school
com m ittees and rescinded the
previous policy on advisory
committees.
-endorsed passage o f
M e a s u re 28 w h ic h w o u ld
increase taxes to put more money
into the ailing state general fund
and thereby benefit state school
funding. However, Dr. Crippen
told the H eppner C ham ber o f
C om m erce, Tuesday, that the
cuts facing south end schools are
basically equalization cuts and
even if M easure 28 passes, the
lost south end teaching positions
would probably not return.
-approved a change in
per diem reimbursements which
would reimburse employees for
meals on a per diem basis rather
than by meal receipts.
-approved the district’s
audit report w hich found no
significant items o f interest.
-aw arded a recognition
pin to Rhonda Lorenz who has
been employed with the district
office for 20 years.
-h eard the fo llo w in g
announcements: MCSB/Oregon
School Board Association v-tel
meeting, policy review, Dec. 16,
9 a.m .; w inter break, Dec. 20-
Jan. 5; school resum es, Jan. 6;
next board m eeting Jan. 13,
Heppner Elementary School.
Adoption announcement
Kelly and Laura Sager o f
Lexington are proud to announce
the adoption o f their daughter
N y s s a M a e , b o rn F eb. 18,
2002 and son K o o p e r L ee,
b o rn A p ril 15, 2 0 0 2 . T h e ir
a d o p tio n s to o k p la c e in
Vladivostok, Russia on Nov. 12,
2002. N yssa and K ooper jo in
siblings Darby, Brick and Tegan.
G randparents are Harley and
Bertha Sager o f Hermiston and
Jim and Susan H um phrey o f
Fossil. Great grandparents are
Lee and Patsy Hoover and Abbie
H um phrey all o f Fossil. Great-
great grandm other is Evelyn
Woods o f Southern Oregon.
Willow Creek Baptist has new home
T h e W illo w C r e e k
B ap tist C h u rch has recen tly
rem odeled the gym /education
building o f the Seventh D ay
A dventist C hurch, at 560 N.
M inor, as a place to hold their
Sunday services.
W illow C reek B aptist,
led by Pastor Bud Wenzel, meets
_______Letters to the Editor______
Sundays at 9:30 a.m. for adult
and children bible studies and at
10:45 a.m. for a worship service.
They also provide childcare.
Fore m ore inform ation
you can contact Pastor Wenzel,
at 676-5428.
6/ve a Piece o f H is to ry fo r Christm as
a n d H elp the M u ra l P rq je ct
The m ural depith Heppner's M ain Street
prior to the 1903 flood.
With a tax-deductible donation of $300,
you w ill receive
a 21"x42" framed print of the mural.
¥fith a tax-deductible donation of $200,
you w ill receive
a 13"x24” framed print of the mural.
P rin ts a re on d isp la y a t Klam ath F irs t Bank.
Call Sharon Harrison, 676-5407,
or Betty Mills, 676-5546,
for more information
or to purchase a print.
Ask about a payment plan
if you would like a print held for you
I
It was last week, while sitting through a myriad o f different
educational speakers at a school law conference, that 1 heard
something so out o f the ordinary, unique, and refreshing that 1 felt that
1 needed to pass it on to my community. Surrounded by hundreds o f
school administrators, state educational employees, and other school
leaders, we were reminded, speaker after speaker, o f the state funding
crises, the PERS financial woes, and the dism al outlook o f our
schools’ budgets in the upcoming years. With little light at the end o f
the tunnel it was difficult not to hang one’s head in shame or throw
your arms up in the air in disbelief like my wife did when San Diego
got stom ped 27 to 7 by O akland last Sunday. However, just when
you could hardly swallow another speaker’s bleak forecast, up came
a gentlem en that pulled us out o f our wallow s o f self-pity and truly
celebrated public education in Oregon. Instead o f focusing on the
negative publicity o f dw indling budgets, he rejoiced in our
achievements. As he relayed, school drop out rates across the state
are the low est ever. Student test perform ance is the highest it has
ever been. SAT scores are up and Oregon kids are competing amongst
the nations best for college adm ittance and winning! Similarly, in
Heppner, we are looking to attain another “exceptional" school rating
from the state, one o f only a handful handed out every year. O ur
local scores on state tests continue to im prove and are above the
state averages in m ost areas. M ore and m ore o f our students from
Heppner are attending four-year colleges and receiving scholarships
along the way. Needless to say, despite our budget problems, it is an
exciting tim e to be in education when so many things are going so
well.
It is not surprising that many voters and legislators across the
state have recently decided against funding our schools adequately. I
believe that an integral part o f this lack o f support is because we tend
to dw ell on the negative rather than applauding the w onderful
accomplishments we have made over the recent years. It is true that
we are in a tim e o f econom ic crises. There is a ballot m easure,
M easure 28, that will be coming to your hom es in January that will
help ease our economic “hit” for this and the next two biennium ’s.
However, if we do not celebrate our accomplishments very few people
will feel com fortable supporting our public educational program. I
believe a lot o f our “PR” problem is due to educators inadvertently
misleading the community. Often we like to paint our scenario as the
“sinking ship” model that must have money to improve. Typically, it
takes the creation o f such a crises to elicit support from our constituents,
whether we are indeed “going down” or not. However, I view this as
a poor way to gain support. W ho in their right minds would want to
“throw” more money at a sinking ship? Let’s paint the picture how it
really appears: a successful program that is working well and needs
the finances fo maintain. Remember, we are not “throwing” money at
the sinking ship o f public education, but rather “allocating” money to
a successful, accom plished, proven system that works and works
well.
—
In the Service
Local son
graduates from
navy training
N avy Seaman M atthew
Dezellem, son o f Jennie Riggle o f
G re s h a m
and R aym ond
Dezellem o f Heppner, recently
g ra d u a te d from th e M K -41
V ertical L a u n c h in g S y stem
O p eratio n and M ain ten an ce
C la ss “ C ” S c h o o l a t F le e t
Training Center A tlantic, Dam
N eck, Va.
For
n e a rly
20
weeks,
Dezellem
received
tra in in g on
how
to
operate,
is o la te an d
r e p a ir th e
U.S. N a v y ’s
m o s t
Matthew Dezellem
a d v a n c e d g u id e d m is s ile
launching system. Dezellem was
also required to study advanced
electronics, computer language,
h y d rau lic fu n d am en tals and
explosives safety and handling.
D e z e lle m is a 2 0 0 0
g ra d u a te o f R ey n o ld s H igh
School ofT routdale and joined
the N avy in O ctober 2001.
4-H News
Public Clique 4-H
Photography Club
By Emily Rietmann, reporter
The Public C lique 4-H
photography club met at the Fire
Hall in lone on Sunday, Dec. 8.
It was the club’s second meeting
for the new 4-H year.
M e m b e rs
lo o k e d
through inform ation on taking
portraits and went to the park to
practice taking pictures w ith
d iffe re n t b a c k d ro p s a n d at
different angles.
T hey d iscu ssed w hat
they w ould like to do w ith the
m oney they have earned selling
pumpkins and other fundraisers.
M em bers decided to donate to
K evin and W aylon Johnson o f
M ik k a lo , w ho w ere b u rn e d
severely on Thanksgiving morning
and to purchase an animal through
Heifer International.
Members discussed field
trips they wanted to take through
the year and decided to m eet
again on Jan. 12 at the fire hall.
Emily Rietmann provided
snacks. Those present included
Emily Rietmann, Kayla LaRue,
A idan Burt, Kim M orris and
leader Kristy Crowell.
N e w m e m b e rs are
always invited.
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 for 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 letten, expressing thanks w ill be placed in the classifieds
under *Card o f Thanks'at a cost o f $7.)
Businessman offers praise for Sheriff’s
Office and Fire Dept.
To the Editor:
M ost o f this community
is aw are that a rifle was stolen
from H eppner H ardw are the
evening before thanksgiving. As
you w o u ld ex p ect, th is is a
traumatic experience, especially
so s in c e th e r if le w a s th e
C ham ber o f Com m erce raffle
gun which helps to fund chamber
projects. N eedless to say, I had
som e difficulty being properly
thankful the next day. Flowever,
the purpose o f this letter is to
m ake everyone aw are o f the
good I saw com e out o f this
incident.
I w as lucky, in that I
discovered the theft within a few
minutes o f its happening and was
thus able to pinpoint the likely
s u s p e c ts . I c a lle d 911 an d
received an im m ediate answer.
An officer w as dispatched, and
w h ile he w a s e n ro u te , th e
d is p a tc h e r w a s g a th e r in g
information from me and relaying
it to th e o ffic e r. W ith th is
inform ation, the officer m ade a
quick sweep o f the area looking
for the four I suspected, before
com ing to see m e. A bout this
time, a neighboring merchant told
me she had seen these four a few
m inutes before and was able to
tell m e w ho they were. (Isn ’t a
small town wonderful?)
At this time, an off-duty
officer arrived, and with the new
information, the two officers went
to the residence o f the suspects
to question them. I w on’t go into
all the details, but I w itnessed
som e very professional police
work. O ver the next tw o days
(which included Thanksgiving),
the Sheriff’s Dept, continued to
work the case with diligence and
perseverance and an arrest was
made.
A lthough an arrest was
made, the rifle had still not been
recovered, but they had reason
to believe it w as hidden on a
hillside near the suspect’s home.
A t this point, w hich was after
dark, the H eppner Fire Dept,
was asked to help. U sing the
work lights from a fire truck and
c o m b in g th e a re a in a
coordinated search pattern, the
rifle was found.
This is a m uch better
conclusion than I reasonably
could have hoped for. I can’t say
enough good things about the
deputies w ho patrol H eppner
and the Heppner Fire Dept. I am
in their debt.
(s) C liff Green
Heppner
P.S.: Tickets for this rifle are still
available from m any cham ber
m em bers. W ouldn’t you like to
have a rifle with a history?
Justice Court
Report
The Justice Court office at the courthouse in Heppner reports
handling the following business:
Steven Donald Lane, 45,
Bend, E xceeding Bag Lim it,
$207 fine.
Wesley Ryan Martin, 23,
Gresham , Unlawful Taking o f a
Deer, to wit: C losed Season,
$391 fine.
Jym m e
Suzanne
C anham ,
35,
H e p p n e r,
Maintaining a Dog as a Nuisance
( d o g b a r k in g ) , $ 7 9 fin e ;
Telephonic H arassm ent, $207
fine.
Paul Anthony Backman,
33, Hermiston, VBR 75/55, $87
fine.
C harles Lee M atteson,
50, Heppner, Dog at Large, $79
fine.
John A ndrew N elson,
31, H eppner, V B R 70/55, $87
fine.
Giselle Lee Schoonover,
28, Heppner, DUII, $1098 fine,
24 m onths probation, 80 hours
community service, completion o f
alcohol education program , no
alcohol in conjunction w ith a
motor vehicle, and attendance o f
the Victim’s Impact Panel.
Mindy Lee Binschus, 22,
Lexington, Maintaining a Dog as
a Public Nuisance, $79 fine.
C arol Lynn Daley, 42,
lone, M aintaining a Dog as a
Public Nuisance, $79 fine.
D a v id
R ic h a rd
S paulding, 69, Follow ing to
Close, $147 fine.
Jacquelyn F. Burr, 55,
Keizer, VBR 78/55, $132 fine.
Jerry D.A. Pishion, 19,
lone, V B R 78/55, Failure to
Show/Carry Proof o f Insurance,
$132 fine.
Aaron Thom as Brown,
19, lone, VBR 75/55, $87 fine.
Michael David Peterson,
23, V B R 74/55, $77 fine.
D avid P. W inters, 49,
Heppner, VBR 79/55, $ 132 fine.
H arley B. Young, 43,
Heppner, Passing in a No Passing
Zone, $157 fine.
Jerem y Paul C annon,
20, Portland, EMS 91/65, $207
fine.
Lanny Richard Garland,
62,
B anks,
R e c k le s s ly
Endangering A nother Person,
$393.
D e b o ra h
L avonne
W ells, 39, Heppner, Failure to
Y ie ld to a P e d e s tr ia n in a
Crosswalk, $147 fine.
Jason T. L ehm an, 31,
Pendleton, Failure to Immediately
Validate Tag (elk), $ 157 fine.
G a ry L ee W ard, 51,
Springfield, Carrying a Loaded
W eapon (firearm ) on an ATV,
$111 fine.
A lv in L ee D u ll, 51,
Springfield, Carrying a Loaded
W eapon (firearm ) on an ATV,
$111 fine.
V incent J. W ard, 37,
Oregon City, Carrying a Loaded
W eapon on an ATV, $77 fine.
Ja so n L ee L an e, 23,
B oring, A iding in a W ildlife
Violation, $331 fine.
Kacy John Childers, 20,
lone, Careless Driving, $202 and
V BR 69/55, $136 fine.
T re n t B. M o se s, 31,
M eridian, ID, No Insurance and
F a ilu r e to C a rry P r o o f o f
Insurance, $306 fine.
Carolyn Faye Rupe, 30,
Echo, Failure to Carry P ro o f o f
Insurance, $202 fine.
Cheryl Lynn Thom as-
A lston, 51, A shland, D ead or
Decayed Tree, $ 111 fine.
R obert E. B ailey, 43,
Oregon City, Unlawful Taking o f
a C o w E lk , to w it: C lo se d
Season, $157 fine.
Steven M ichael Clark,
19, Pendleton, D riving W hile
S u s p e n d e d a n d D riv in g
U ninsured, $474 fine; D riving
W h ile
S uspended
and
Unreasonable Sound Amperage,
$376 fine; Failure to Pay Fines,
$688 fine.
Pastor’s Christmas
article due Dec. 20
Christmas articles written
by local pastors are due Friday,
Dec. 20 before 5 p.m . A rticles
can be fax ed to: 6 7 6 -9 2 1 1 ;
m a ile d to : P.O . B o x 3 3 7
Heppner, OR 97836; or emailed
to: david@ heppner.net.
A r tic le s
can
be
h a n d w r itte n , i f le g ib le , or
typewritten. It is recom m ended
that you include a title. All area
pastors are invited to subm it an
article.
Any questions call the
G azette at 676-9228.