University of Oregon
Library
Eugene, Ore. /74C3
NYSSA
70th Year 31st Issue
f JOURNAL
The Sugar City
Nyssa, Oregon
Thursday, July 29, 1976
Thunderegg Capital
15’ Per Copy
Nyssa Newcomer Has Been A
Town
Rockhound For Over 40 Years
Crier
By AI m Abbey
On ■ shelf in the living
room of John Stewart's Nyssa
home sits a glistening geode
with a clock set inside it.
which he built. To its right
sits a dark blue piece of
petrified dinosaur bone. Ste­
wart points to the yellow
chips sprinkled about the
surface of the bone and says,
"They're uranium. When
they first found the dinosaur
bones they were going for
uranium.*
Before his visitor can
respond. Stewart wheels to
his sit and commands the
visitor to pick up a craggy
brown rock. The visitor
responds and is surprised at
the unexpected weight. "Its
pure copper ore." Stewart
explains
Stewart continues to show
his visitor the numerous
rocks he has collected in his
40 years of rockhounding.
Finally, the viaitor gets in a
question "How did you get
started rockhounding?"
Stewart pauses a second
before answering.
He used to take a deaf
mute rockhoundtag and even­
tually became more and more
interested In it himself. He
used to fish and rock hound
on alternate weekends. After
a while, the fishing became
less and less frequent and
rockhounding more and more
frequent He finally joined a
club-- and was hooked
He finishes the story. "If
you don't watch out the rocks
get acquainted with you," he
warm. "They each have a
different beauty.”
He tells about his back
ground. He was born in La
Grande and lived In Bend for
many years where he worked
for the Central Oregon File
Company. His rockhounding
brought him to Arizona In
the Phoenix area he deve­
loped Kock Part—a huge
part devoted to rocks, gems
and minerals. It had small ca
sties, bridges and moats built
from Western gems and
rocks. It had a huge display
of polished rocks and jewelry.
There was one display of
plume agates from Madras.
Oregon, which Stewart re­ killed me"
membered especially. "Chas
Sitting in his cluttered
les Chapman, a millionaire garage are two diamond-•
and rock collector dropped tipped rock saws, piles of
Si.000 on the table. I was camping, hunting and trap­
afraid because if I touched it ping gear, tools and two
he'd take the display. He "Tote gotes."
came in for a whole year and
Tote gotes are little three­
kept offering me SI,000 in wheeled motorized vehicles
SI0O bills." Little mineral which can just about go
flowers grow inside plume straight up a cliff, according
agates and slices of the rocks to Stewart One day he was
appear to have little flower demonstrating them at Rock
gardens in them. But the Park and went straight up
delicate bouquets and ar­ one side of a steep incline
rangements are completely and over the top. However,
natural.
the other side was even
Stewart let Rock Park go steeper on the way down. He
and went back to Bend. One couldn’t jump off «’tat cut
of his first trips to Nyssa was killing himself so be dug his
for the first Thunderegg heels into the ground and
Days. "I didn't want to set up tried to slow up his perilous
a table. I just wanted to take descent. When he reached
it easy and go on the rock the bottom his heels had
hunts, but friends of mine been burned off and his shoe
knew I was around and set up soles were smoking.
a table of my stuff." He
Almost buried in the
laughed as he remembered garage is a large piece of
the trick that kept him from petrified gingko wood—the
going rockhounding.
oldest type of tree in the U.S.
Four years ago he moved and very rare.
to Nyssa. "I came to Nyssa
For a hobby, rockhounding
because no one can raise has come to take up a lot of
tomatoes in Bend." he says. Stewart's time. "1 spend
Laughing, he points to the three to four days a week
long rows of large tomato solid sawing and grinding
plants in his backyard. "Look rocks. I spend one day a week
over here, the tomatoes are hunting rocks. I take in 10-12
getting into the com." The shows a year. In the winter I
seven foot stalks are strong trap and when I get tired of
and straight. "Last year the rocks for awhile I go
com was 12 feet high." It fishing.”
was a mock oAmplamt He
Stewart has an amazing
seems to have'tMhble keep­ amount of curiosity, and it is
ing the corn from growing too essy to see how he got drswn
high.
so deeply into rocks. "The
There were other reasons more you study rocks, the
for moving to Nyssa. He more you study the area.
wanted to stay in Oregon so Then you learn the forma
he could continue his fishing, tions and you look at the
hunting and trapping. He different forms of the strata.
had gone to the Boise rock Then you study the Indians
shows for years and of who were once on the land.
coarse. Nyssa is right near The mote you look at It the
the thunderegg beds and more you see."
much rockhounding.
Stewart will be at Nyssa's
Stewart has as many upcoming Thunderegg Deys,
stories to tell as he has August 4 through 8. If you go
ammunition boxes full of to see his exhibit, the more
rocks—an entire garage full. you look at it. the more you
He explains how all-encom­ will see and the more you will
passing a hobby rockhound­ learn.
ing can be. "I dug quartz
The visitor finally leaves,
crystals during the Battle of entranced and dazzled The
the Bulge when I should have visitor also leaves with a
been digging foxholes. The piece of petrified California
guys in my platoon almost redwood.
JOHN STEWART OF NYSSA shows one of
his boards of cut and polished stones and
gems. Each piece on the board has been
photographed on a different color slide and
filed for insurance purposes. Stewart will
have this board and many others on display at
Nyssa's upcoming Thunderegg Days.
Journal Receives
Excellence Award
Nine Oregon newspapers
were recognized for overall
excellence at the 89th sum
mer meeting of Oregon
Newspaper Publishers Asso­
ciation. July IS-17 at Salishan
lodge.
The Eugene Register-
Guard received the Charles
A. Sprague Award of Excel­
lence for daily newspapers.
The Springfield News and
Polk Sun of Monmouth won
the Elmo Smith Awards of
Excellence for weekly news­
papers. The announcements
were made at a Friday night
banquet.
Second place general ex­
cellence awards went to the
Nyaaa Gate CHy Joernal
Willamette Week of Portland
and Albany Democrat-Herald
Third place winners are Lake
County Examiner. Valley
News of Eugene and Cor­
vallis Gazette-Times.
Winners in 16 other Better
Newspaper Contest catego­
ries were announced Satur­
day at an awards breakfast.
The winners represent 43 of
the newspapers in the Ill-
member state press associa­
tion. Judging was done by
the Kansas Press Association
The Eugene daily placed in
11 categories in addition to
the prestigious general excel­
lence division
The Journal was also
awarded second place for
Best Editorial for weekly
newspapers.
Speeds Remain
At55MPH
Continued support of the
fuel conservation 55 mile-
per-hour speed limit in
Oregon was voted by the
Oregon Transportation Com­
mission today. The commis­
sion acted on a request of
Senator Vern Cook to lift the
limit if there was no shortage
of fuel.
* WEATIIER "
Date
84 ax.
Julv 21 92
lull 22 93
July 23 95
July 24 99
July 25 92
July 26 99
Julv 2? 90
July 2h
Mln.
64
56
57
58
59
57
58
54
Free.
.06
.11
Owyhee Reservoir Storage
>8 ’f, 549.800 V r. i cet
' ’M ■■ AS'
•
By Pat Savage
I was simply elated at the
show of enthusiasm and
hometown love and concern
demonstrated Friday night
for the homecoming of Shan
Moss, Miss Oregon. She will
have many memories during
her reign as Miss Oregon,
but one of the warmest and
happiest will be knowing that
she lives in a small town
where people know her by
name, kids want her auto­
graph and her townspeople
cared enough to give her
their fullest support and best
wishes. Many, many thanks
to all who helped in any way
to make Shan's special day
such a big success.
•
•
As usual when 1 open my
mouth I put my foot into it—I
forgot to mention last week
when 1 was naming Miss
Malheur County'sof the past,
that Linda Ballou, now Linda
Ady of Rohnert Part, Calif,
was one of these lucky ladies
in 1968. Also wearing the
crown of the first official Miss
Malheur County was Nancy
Skeen in 1959. She is Nancy
Mulder now and lives in
Scottsville, Arizona. My apo­
logies for the oversight.
THERE WERE NO PARENTS in the entire state of Oregon
who could have been more proud of their daughter than Mr
and Mrs Don Moes were last Friday night. Here they stand at
the South Park with Shan, who changed into her gown after
the parade through town. Shao and a few other people,
including Miss Idaho. Rene Petarson, spoke to the crowd of
200 at the park. Shan thanked everybody who had helped her
and spoke of her affection for Nyssa and it’s people Many
people gave her gifts. After the short ceremonies and a
prayer, the crowd dug into a delicious potluck chicken dinner.
•
•
Adrian School Levy
•
Election on Aug. 10
the district
3. The property can pro­
vide an area for fctuz* expan
sion - buildings,
houses,
parking, etc.
4. The ac’rage can also be
utilized for
eaperimental
FFA Projects.
5. It could provide an area
to house FFA Chapter
animals.
6. Due to the fact that this
eight acres lies within the
boundaries of the Adrian city
limits, and with the installa­
tion of the new water and
sewage system, the value of
this property will increase at
a rapid rate, making it a good
investment for the district.
7. This acreage is the only
logical way the district could
expand in the future
For the present price of
$27,500, the Board and Su­
perintendent feel it is an
opportune time to purchase
the property Therefore. Su­
perintendent Heppner urges
the voters to exercise their
constitutional privilege and
vote on August 10, from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Adrian
Elementary School.
Committee Studies
Street Improvements
Members of the Nyssa’s
Citizens Committee for In­
volvement who were ap­
pointed by Planning Commis­
sion Chairman. Carl Burning­
ham. designated priorities
for chip sealing to be done
under the city’s limited
maintenance budget.
Mayor Don Oldemeyer
headed the group composed
of Don Sloggett. Joe Seward,
and city manager Henry
Schneider. Glenn Marcum,
fifth member of the group,
could not attend.
The group visited each of
12 proposed street repair
areas and discussed con­
struction which will amount
to an estimated $9.568.00.
Chip sealing will entail
two coats of fine gravel with
an oil binder in each of the
selected areas which are:
Fifth Street, between Part
and Emison; Third Street
south of King; approximately
six hundred feet on Locust
Avenue; Ninth Street be­
tween King and Thompson
Avenues; Second Street be­
tween Good and the alley;
Eleventh Street at Main
Street intersection; and a
road at the Sewage Treat­
ment Plant.
The Committee deleted
sections at the River Part.
Post Office Alley and Second
Street at the City Shop.
The Committee's recom­
mendations will go to City
Council for final approval.
Blitz Advertises
Nyssa Thunderegg Days County Taxpayers
Blitz-Weinhard Company
is helping focus attention this
Bicentennial Year on com­
munity events throughout
"Blitz Country" by including
information of activities, pla­
ces and dates inside its bottle
caps.
Altogether more than 200
community events, festivals,
county fairs, etc., are fea­
tured in the unique bottle
cap "bill boards" on an
estimated 43.000.000 caps in
circulation throughout the
Northwest this summer and
fall.
Included in this different
kind of advertising is Nyssa's
Thunderegg Days. Inscribed
inside the bottle caps, one of
which was received Wednes­
day by the Journal, is
"Thunderegg Days. NYSSA,
Aug. 4-8."
County Receives Highway Funds
The State Highway Divi­
sion has distributed $14,017,-
219.73 in highway-user funds
to the 36 counties of the state
during the period January I
to June 30. 1976. it was
announced today by H. Scott
Coulter, state highway en­
gineer.
The allocation is based on
the statutory 20 percent, with
the appropriation being made
to the counties on a monthly
basis as a result of legisla­
tive action during the 1975
session
II» I iii
v,i|.<> join the
following sources, motor
vehicle registration and ope­
rator's license fees, gasoline
tax. use fuel tax. motor
carrier fees, and fines and
penalties collected for viola­
tions of the size and weight
statutes from citations issued
by the Highway Division
weighmasters.
The allocation to each
county is based on the
number of vehicles regts
tercd in it during 1975. The
alhxation for Malheur Cou­
nty is $233.445.91 based on
9 N'Wt registered vehicles
•
It sure looks nice to see
some of the weeds cut down
from around some of the
Main Street sidewalks. I
know this is a fulltime job in
the summer, but to those of
us who walk over, around and
finally through the same old
weeds week after week it's a
real treat to be able to see
where you are putting your
feet.
MISS OREGON, SHAN MOSS, just after receiving a
bouquet of rotes from Henry Schneider, city manager The
presentation of the races officially began last Friday night s
parade and celebration in her honor
Voters in Adrian School
District 461 will be asked to
vote on a aerial levy on
August 10. with polls open
from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The
levy will run for a period of
six years, and coat the
taxpayers of the district an
extra 20 cents per Si,000.00
of assessed evaluation above
the 6% limitaboo as imposed
by taw.
The purpose of the serial
levy is to purchase 8 seres
and a nice two bedroom home
lying north and adjacent to
the present school property.
The rationale for the pur­
chase, as explained by Supt.
Robert Heppner, has many
advantages to the district.
They are:
1. Part of the present
baseball field lies on this
property and could be an area
of concern in the future if the
district doesn't own the
property.
2. It will provide an extra
house, giving the opportunity
to house sn additional em­
ployee of the district. Plus,
the rent on the house would
provide an extra income to
a
Receive Tax Refunds
Malheur County Assessor,
Oscar Bratton, said that
information compiled by the
Department of Revenue for
the year 1974 shows that
535,145 Oregon homeowners
and renters received 46% of
their local property taxes
refunded to them under
O.R.S. 310.640 (Homestead
tax refund program). The
homeowners numbered 300.-
544 with $122,453,025 in
property tax levied on their
residential property receiving
refunds of $52,078,339.
Bratton said that in Mal­
heur County 4,516 home­
owners and renters filed for a
refund on property tax
amounting to $1,290.197 and
received $666,767 or 51% of
their property tax refunded to
them. Bratton said that of the
4.516 homeowners and ren­
ters 1,946 or 43.1% received
the entire amount of their
propertv tax refunded.
Bratton explained that the
refund program is one of the
state income tax forms
received by most persons
filing an income tax return. If
a person's income is so low
that they are not required to
file a state income tax return
they should secure an appli­
cation form and file if they
meet the other requirements.
Briefly the requirements for a
homeowner are a household
income of less than $15.000
and residing on the property.
In the case of a renter -
paying rent where they live
and the income limitation of
$15.000. Renters who receive
17% or more of their rent
refunded are considered to
have received the entire
property tax refunded.
Bratton said that if you
believe you qualify and are
not presently taking ad­
vantage of this program you
should contact the local
Department of Revenue of­
fice for more information.
•
a
To those who read the
article last «reek about the
missing mama cat and the
other cat in the family too’
over nursing not only her
kittens but the abandoned
ones as well. You will be
happy to know the missing
mama was found. She was
exceedingly happy to be
home with her family. How­
ever, she apparently felt the
adopted mother was doing
such a fine job of house­
keeping that she moved in
too. Both mamas and kittens
are doing fine, not only
sharing the same box, but
also nursing each others
kittens. Sounds like a purr­
feet situation.
•
a
a
When coming home the
other evening (after 10 p.m.)
1 was amazed to see or hear a
tennis game in session on the
courts tn the South Part. I
later found out that this is a
frequent happening. This
particular part is posted to be
closed and cleared by 10 p.m.
each evening. This is done so
that mischief in the park is
held down to a minimum and
those persons who live next
to the park can be assured of
a quiet night's sleep. Per­
haps my tennis score would
improve on a court with no
lights on a dark night. Who
knows?
•
•
•
This will be my last column
for two weeks as I will be out
of the office on my vacation.
Don't forget to attend
"Thunderegg Days” coming
up next week.
Rep. Ullman
Here Thursday
U. S. Representative Al
Ullman (D-2nd Congressional
District) will meet with the
public Thursday. July 29 at 8
p.m. in Room W 10 in the
Weese Building at Treasure
Valley Community College.
Representative
Ullman,
the Chairman of the House
Ways and Means Committee
is touring the eastern part of
the congressional district.
Following a few brief intro­
ductory comments Represen­
tative Ullman will answer
questions from the local
media and the public at the 8
o'clock meeting.