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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (July 26, 2011)
4 community bulletin board/letters to the editor july26 2011 2011 Summer Canning Class Schedule required. $10/15/20/25 to enter (1, 2, 3, 4 or 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 Vernonia Has Talent! Here’s your chance to be on the stage or come see the show, “Talent Show Fundraiser.” Friday, August 5th at 7 pm in the Washington Grade School gym. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for youth; proceeds benefit the Vernonia Schools Foundation and Vernonia Community Theater (a program of Hands-on Art). Do you have a talent so share? Do you sing, dance, perform comedy or drama? Pre-screening is more people. Contact Lee Anne Krause on Facebook, by email to leeannkrause@gmail. com or by telephone to 503.816.9810. Volleyball Skills Clinic For girls entering sixth through ninth grades in the fall, the VHS coaching staff, along with selected returning players, will help athletes develop and improve overall performance, self-esteem, confidence, and knowledge of the game. Improve serving, passing, serve reception, setting, blocking, attacking, and all around play. Mon.-Wed. August 15-17, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the VHS Gym. $30.00 per player. Pre-Registration required by Aug 1st to receive a Free Camp T-Shirt. For more information please call Head Coach Teresa Williams at 503-799-3424 or email fitnessbytw@netzero,com. 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 on Madison Avenue south of Bridge Street. “Old Grads” Picnic The annual picnic of the Vernonia Society, VHS “Old Grads” and Oregon American alumni will be held Sunday, August 21st, at Anderson Park in Vernonia. Bring your own picnic lunch or buy a hot dog and soft drink on site. Coffee will be provided. Registration begins at 10 am. All former and current Vernonians are welcome. Readers Lend Their Voices... To the Editor Since my words have been twisted and taken out of context, I wasn’t sure there would be any value in writing this. Some people tell me, all they hear is what has been written in the paper but they want to hear from me. I’ve spoken to everyone who wanted to talk to me and I will continue to talk to people. I have spoken about City Council being kept in the dark on issues detrimental to Vernonia through denial of executive sessions. About great sums of money being handled irresponsibly. And attempts at keeping people from educating themselves outside the inner offices of the Pro Tem City Administrator. My agenda is nothing more than getting people involved in the decisions made about our community and not turning it over to just one guy. It comes from years of sitting in meetings and watching those decisions being made without the input of the people, or their input being disregarded entirely when they were the ones being affected. I may have made a motion to discontinue a contract but the actions of some special interest people through hype and hysteria have divided and torn this town apart. They have damaged our businesses, friendships and our community’s image with their irresponsible behavior. I have been physically threatened, my employees harassed, and my business has been picketed and boycotted. I am not a different person. I am still the same person that deeply cares about Vernonia. I believe Vernonia can overcome this. The choices we make today can begin the healing process to make a better Vernonia for the future. I believe this with all my heart and I am willing to commit to it. I ask you to please vote NO on the recall. Willow Burch Vernonia To the Editor Recalls are a double edged- sword and I do not believe it is the answer. Is the sacrifice of two councilors who have invested and given tremendously to this community worth the trade-off of an individual who is not vested in this community, will not suffer consequences of decisions, and will only be around a few years? Three new councilors may come with a new set of issues, then what? Is the current behavior the new precedent for how we treat one another when we differ in opinions? I have been threatened, had an attempted break-in to my business, been boycotted, and a multitude of untrue, hateful things said about me and to me. Are those the rewards for volunteering one’s time to the community? “We don’t want you”, “Too late”, “You’ve ruined Vernonia” are a few of the comments I have heard. Is “hate” the new color being worn now? Mercy, grace, and forgiveness are only afforded to a select Upcoming Events Vernonia First Friday, August 5, 5-8 PM at the Scout Cabin Vernonia Friendship Jamboree & 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. VRFD Golf Benefit, August 13—at the Vernonia Golf Club. 4 Player teams, 9 holes, BBQ lunch, lots of prizes and competitions. For more info call Randy Carlton at 503-791-8309. 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. Vernonia Night Out, August 24, 4:30 PM—at Anderson Park. Come join friends and neighbors in support of local public safety agencies. St. Mary’s Annual Quilt and Craft Fair, September 15-18— Admission still only $1!, Lunch served daily at 11AM. At St. Mary’s Church, 960 Missouri Ave. Follow the signs. Vernonia’s Community Garage Sale, September 17, 9 AM-5 PM— Approximately 40 locations to shop! All residents and businesses who wish to be included on maps—contact Helen Bateman at 503- 429- 6203. Maps available Thursday before the sale. few? Volunteers have to be perfect and agree with you or they are out? I have read a lot of comments about my personal agenda. Funny that the ones speaking to it have never asked me. My only agenda has been to make educated decisions that would be best for ALL Vernonians. Not an easy thing to do. There will be those who twist, take out of context, contradict and deny what you say. I have experience and evidence for what I have said. So I will continue to take the time for those that come to me and ask. Our common ground is our love and concern for our community. That’s a great starting place for moving forward. Please Vote No on the recall. Marilyn Nicks Vernonia To the Editor My husband and I moved to Vernonia after a two year search and we love the sense of belonging here, the kindness with which we’ve been welcomed and the way the people in Vernonia care about the community. I’ve never lived in a town where there are so many people giving of their time and energy in so many ways: supporting the arts, the children, the community organizations, the small businesses and the less glamorous, but immensely important, matters of the city. My father worked in town government and so I know from experience, that serving a community in that capacity is a tough job and frequently becomes personal, versus simply public. Being new to Vernonia, I don’t know Marilyn or HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Willow or Kevin; I couldn’t Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opinions and ideas. point them out on the street Please include your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300 if I had to. I don’t know words or less. Vernonia’s Voice reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for the histories of the issues a response to letters submitted. We will print letters, space permitting. Deadline that have led to the recalls is the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Email: scott@vernoniasvoice.com or other than what I’ve read in the papers and so I lack mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064. knowledge of the nuances that others are perhaps well aware of. There are certainly strong feelings about the actions these three people took as city councilors and thank goodness we have a political system that gives us some recourse. We don’t need to tar and feather them or run them out of town on the rails! We have the opportunity to exercise our political will with respect and integrity, with care and sensitivity to each member of our community including Kevin, Willow and Marilyn. Few of us are good at everything we do and it seems clear that the citizens of Vernonia disapprove of the job done by these councilors. That’s our right and our responsibility to address. At the same time, we can be generous to them as members of our community and they can continue to belong to us as business owners, parents, volunteers, friends, and neighbors, a wide variety of valuable roles that I’m sure they fill. That too is our right and responsibility. Diana Peach Vernonia To the Editor: In recent months, we have heard the cry that law enforcement doesn’t care about the rural areas of Columbia County. We complain a lot about non-response to our calls for help to C-COM or 911. But who or what is to carry the blame for this? Imagine for a moment that you are a property owner in rural Columbia County with a complaint about loud music and noise because of a party at neighboring property. Or imagine that you are the officer on call and proceed to investigate the complaint to find that there is validity to it. There is a RAVE party going on with several hundred people in attendance. You and possibly one available deputy are expected to continued on page 8
