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Y2K fears scotch plans for big bash at Medford Armory BY BILL KETTLER The millennium bug has squashed plans for what could have been Medford's biggest-ever New Year's Eve party. Organizers of the "New Millennium Bash" wanted to entertain at least 700 revelers in the Medford Armory on Dec. 31, but their plan foundered when state officials canceled all New Year's Eve permits for National Guard armories. "We just got shot down," said Wayne Whitescorn, who had reserved the Medford Armory for $50 more than two years ago for the big bash. "They sent our deposit back," he said. "They made it very formal." The Oregon Military Department wants the buildings available if problems develop when computers' internal clocks leap from 12/31/99 to 01/01/00. Whitescorn, his wife, Shawn, and electronic publisher Charles McHenry had planned a costume party featuring live music, high-tech lighting and gourmet foods. "I'm bummed," said McHenry. "We've been meeting two hours every Friday for at least a month and a half." State military officials decided to cancel reservations at Oregon's 34 armories after the governor's office asked them to develop a plan to cope with disruptions that might happen when computers leap into the 2000s. They decided it would be prudent to have the armories available for people who might need assistance, said Lt. David Jeske, a public affairs officer. Jeske said he did not know how many New Year's Eve celebrations might have been affected by the decision. But he noted that in many small- and medium-sized towns like Medford and Lebanon, the National Guard's armory is the biggest building in town. Jeske said the current plan calls for having "two or three" soldiers in each armory, monitoring statewide developments and keeping in touch via high-frequency radios. He said there were no plans to mobilize Guard units at this time. "A lot of decisions haven't been finalized," he said. "We don't know how prepared we need to be, or what we need to do to be prepared." Jeske said he has heard few complaints about the decision to close the armories on New Year's Eve. "If you tell people it's a Y2K issue, they seem more willing to understand than some other (explanations)," he said. "That's because they're struggling with (Y2K) too. People seem to be appreciating the fact that we're trying to prepare for this." Wayne Whitescorn said he understood why the National Guard canceled his permit. But he noted there are few buildings in the Rogue Valley that could house the kind of party he and McHenry had envisioned. "Without the facility, we have nothing," he said. Whitescorn said there may not be time to plan an alternative party, and decisions would need to be made now to keep the armory party on track. McHenry said many entertainers already have made commitments for New Year's Eve. "I talked to two different (booking) agents," he said. "One just laughed at me." McHenry said he was still interested in finding a place to stage a party because electric companies' tests seem to suggest current will continue to flow after midnight on New Year's Eve. "The doomsday scenarios are all predicated on a lack of power," he said. "If we have power, we're home free." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA