Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (July 12, 2011)
4 community bulletin board/letters to the editor july12 2011 Vernonia Open Air Market Vernonia Open Air Market is a combination of local farm products, crafts, food and more held every Saturday June through October 1st from 9 AM - 1 PM, downtown Vernonia. Vernonia Library Summer Reading Program—Special Family Events Fitness Center in St. Helens wants to help keep kids safe and active this summer. Enroll today in their summer recreational camps for kids ages 8-13. Camp is July 26-Aug 25. Tues & Thrs from 1-4 PM. Outside activities, rock climbing, healthy snacks, sports drills. For more info 503-396-5605. 2011 Summer Canning Class PM—July Schedule 6:00-7:30 13, Jugglemania; July 21, Chris Leebrick—Storyteller; July 28, Knights of Veritas. All programs are free of charge. For more info contact the Vernonia Library at 503-429- 1818. Christian Concert at the Cota’s July 16 –at Ray and Shelley Cota’s 60621 Flack Road, Vernonia. This will be a potluck featuring the Hill Road Band playing at 2:00 PM... Awesome music, Swimming Pool, horseshoes, golf toss, bean bag boards, playing in the creek, kids area, fire pit etc. Plan to come for an hour or spend the whole day, Camping for anyone interested, More Bands may be added. Cowboy Day at Stub Stewart Experience a taste of cowboy life at Stub Stewart State Park on July 16 starting at 10 AM. Come and play for the day: Cowboy Skills Challenge, Dancing Horses, Oregon Mustangs, Cowboy Memorabilia and more. For more info go to www. oregonstateparks.org Summer Recreational Sports Program The Vault Climbing Gym & Have you thought about learning to can fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies or fish or game this summer? Are you an experienced canner who would like an update on the latest USDA recommendations? Then plan to attend one or more of the canning classes offered by the Columbia County Extension Service. Classes will be held at the First Lutheran Church, 360 Wyeth St., St. Helens (on the corner of N. 4th St. and Wyeth St.). Each class will cost $20.00 or $70.00 for all four. A small number of scholarships are available. Payment must be made in advance to hold your spot. Class size is limited. All classes are held on Tuesday’s form 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. August 2nd, Canning Jams & Jellies August 9th, Canning Fruits and Pie Fillings August 16th, Pressure Canning Vegetables & Meats August 23rd, Canning Tomatoes and Salsa For more information and to register for classes, please call or visit the OSU Extension Service office at: 505 N. Columbia River Highway, St. Helens, OR 97051, 503-397-3462 Summer Woodland Tour Comes to Keasey Farm Columbia County Small Woodlands Association and Oregon State University Extension Service are co-sponsoring a Summer Woodland Tour & Lunch on Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 at 9:00 AM at the Keasey Tree Farm near Vernonia. The educational walking tour will focus on streamside management and restoration, tree species selection and performance, and upland timber management on a property that has been in family hands for over 100 years. There will be speakers from the OSU Extension Service, Upper Nehalem Watershed Council, and Farm Services Agency. All woodland owners are welcome and encouraged to attend. A BBQ lunch will be provided (donation requested from non-CCSWA members). Please RSVP to Bill & Lydia Stennick at 503-556-2014 or bill45lydia54@msn.com by July 15th. Directions to the site provided upon RSVP. Readers Lend Their Voices... To the people of Vernonia who have taken it upon themselves to comment on so many recent issues.... Everyone has differences of opinion--- it doesn’t make one person better than another--just different. As far as I can tell this community is full of people who say they care about the future of Vernonia and it’s citizens, if this is true then why so much hatred? Why, after we have suffered so much together and accomplished so much together should we allow petty differences to destroy us from the inside out? “A house divided against it’self cannot stand.” Now is not the time to focus on the differences --now is the time to focus on the similarities---the main one being our love for this community. If we are to move forward, we must lock arms and move toward this common goal, lest all our hard work be in vain, we have already lost so much ground---let’s not call in the dump trucks..... Public perception is not fact, opinions are not fact, rumors are not fact, interpretation is subjective--if you want to know what someone’s intent is- --ask that person---not your neighbor, not the bartender, not the grocer, the baker, or the candlestick maker-the person. Be prepared---no one is going to be able to agree with everyone, all the time, over everything---if everyone agrees --no one really cares--and no one is thinking for themselves, everyone has to give a little bit---expecting everyone else to give and only being willing to take shows a lack of character and maturity. What do the banners say in the middle school? “Be Safe” “Be Respectful” “Be Kind” --how can we expect the youth in our community to follow these admonitions if we aren’t willing to do the same? What kind of example are we setting for future generations? If we show our youth that focusing on the negative is the way to process difficulties in life, we are ensuring that same pattern in theirs. It’s time to break the cycle of hate, time to bury all respective hatchets, HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opinions and ideas. Please include your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300 words or less. Vernonia’s Voice reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted. We will print letters, space permitting. Deadline is the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Email to: scott@vernoni- asvoice.com or mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064. Upcoming Events Columbia County Fair and Rodeo, July 13-17—at the Columbia County Event Complex, 58892 Sausler Road, St. Helens. 4-H Competitions, Rodeo, Live Music, Children’s Activities, Carnival and Midway and much, much more! Meet the Authors at Grammy’s Used Books, July 27, 6-7 PM--Ken Scholes, local author of critically acclaimed series, “The Psalms of Isaak” will be at Grammy’s Used Books, 2250 Columbia Blvd, St. Helens, along with another local author, Dean Nichols. KOHI broadcasting live. Stop in and meet the authors. Vernonia Friendship Jamboree and Logging Show, August 5-7 Camp Wilkerson Day Camp, August 8-11—All Vernonia school age children are welcome. Register now—forms available at Sentry Market. Volunteer parents and student councilors needed. For more info contact Katie Poetter at 503-429-0700 or Robin Dennis at 503- 429-0370 Birkfest, August 12-13—at Riverbend 202, Highway 202, past Birkenfeld. Live Music with 13+ bands including Jimmie VanZant, and Peace Frog. Camping, Vendors, Rat & Rod Revival, Bike Show and more. Tickets available at the Birkenfeld Country Store and online at thebirk.com. Bear Creek 10K/5K Walk/Run, August 13, 8:00 AM—at Anderson Park Pavilion in Vernonia. Registration at 8:00, race starts at 9:00 AM. Sign up at www. signmeup.com/75917. For more info contact Race Director Kellie Murray at 503-429-3021. This is a benefit for Vernonia Cares Food Bank. let the proverbial water run under the bridge--it’s time to put the big girl/boy pants on and set a better example--it’s time to learn to work together for the future of Vernonia. Esther Nicks Vernonia To The Editor, Citizens of Vernonia, now is the time to finish the task at hand. It’s not a pleasant task to have to recall from office the very people we put our trust in, but do it we must. The reason is clear. It is a matter of no confidence. When this unpleasantness is finished we can get back to the business of rebuilding our city. I’m sure you are all aware of the list: Sewer, Schools, Health Clinic, Vernonia Cares, Senior Center, FEMA buyouts, Economic Development, plus so many other areas of concern like maintenance of our parks, the development of the airport and the Learning Center and the growing concerns of the cemetery. In order to complete these projects we have needed the assistance of our friends at the county, state and federal levels. It is imperative we restore their confidence in our ability to take care of ourselves by making wise decisions. We have so many intelligent, willing citizens who can fill the vacated council seats, persons who are aware of the importance of the projects on the table and able to hit the ground running. I have always believed in the strength and resilience of Vernonians. We have not only survived disasters; we have found a way to make things better. We, Vernonians, always pull our socks up and get things done. It’s what we do. Sally Harrison Vernonia To whom it may concern, I called 911 on Tuesday June 28 th at 12:30 for my Aunt. I had called from my place of work, because my Aunt had called me because she was having a difficult time talking and breathing. I gave them all the information that was needed, address, telephone, condition and so forth. The 911 operator proceeded to tell me that I shouldn’t have called for her, that she should have called herself. I told her that she was having difficulty talking and breathing, the whole time I just wanted her to get the ambulance to her and get her help. When I got to the hospital to see her, my mother told me that the 911 operator called her after I had talked with her and told her to call 911 for herself from now on. I really took offense to this because what if the person was unconscious and couldn’t call for themselves. I just thought that I needed to voice my concern about the attitude of this individual that works for 911. Tina Brewington Vernonia
