area news
october11
2011
Columbia County Rider Fare AARP To Offer Free Driver
Increases in Effect as of Oct. 1 Safety Classes
On September 14, 2011,
the Columbia County Board of
Commissioners approved Order 72-
2011 approving an increase in Transit
Fares for the Columbia County Rider
System. In addition there are several
changes in service.
There will no longer be
regular Flex Route service from
Vernonia. Service will now be demand
response and will operate on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 AM
to 5:00 PM. To schedule a ride call
503-366-0159.
One-way rates for Dial-A-Ride from
Vernonia:
$11.00 to St, Helens, Scappoose,
Rainier and Clatskanie
$13.00 to Portland
$2.20 within Vernonia city limits
Fixed Route service will
continue from Vernonia to TriMet’s
Willow Creek Station with scheduled
stops at Stub Stewart State Park,
Staley’s Junction and Willow Creek.
Service leaves Vernonia at 6:15 AM,
12:30 PM and 4:30 PM.
New zones for service are: Zone
1 is North County including Rainier
and Clatskanie, Zone 2 representing
South County and Vernonia, and, Zone
3, any destination outside of Columbia
County
One-way rates for Fixed Route Service
from Vernonia:
$5.00--Zone Base Rate
($4.00--Seniors, Disabled, Students
and Children)
$1.00--Each Zone Crossed
New rates for Monthly Passes:
$75--1 Zone ($60--S,D,S&C)
$130—2 Zone ($110—S,D,S&C)
$150—All Zone (excluding Demand
Response) ($130 S,D,S&C)
Information on the approved
fare increases can be found at www.
columbiacountyrider.com or by calling
503-366-0159.
AARP has announced that a Free
Driver Safety Program (DSP) classroom
course will be offered to all US Veterans
active and retired and their Spouses/
Dependants from November 1 through
November 30. This is a Nationwide Pro-
gram.
Veterans of any age are eligible.
In Western Columbia Counties there are
two classes scheduled in November:
Nov. 15 and 16 from 1:00 PM to
5:00 PM both days at the Clatskanie PUD
Bldg. 495 E Columbia River Hwy (Hwy
30), Clatskanie. To register, call 503-728-
3099 noon to 5:00 PM or 503-338-2408.
Nov. 22 from 9:00 AM to 4:00
PM at the Rainier Senior Center, 48 W
7th Rainier, Oregon. To register, call 503-
556-3889 or 503-338-2408
Pre registration is required for all
of these classes. All seating is on a first
come first served basis and these classes
are open to all. All of these locations
have limited seating so early registration
is urged. Cost for non-Veterans is $12 for
AARP members and $14 for non-mem-
bers. Tuition is payable on the first day
of class. Make checks payable to AARP.
To receive the free classroom
course, veterans and or veterans spouses
must provide some form of military iden-
tification, including but not limited to
Military ID (retired, active-duty, guard,
reserve), discharge papers (DD Form
214) , American Legion/VFW card, de-
pendent ID card, etc. at the first class.
This AARP Driver Safety class is
designed to help educate participants and
provide safe driving strategies to com-
pensate for age related changes that can
effect one’s driving ability.
Participants will learn current
rules of the road, defensive driving tech-
niques, and how to operate their vehicles
more safely. They will also learn adjust-
ments they can make to accommodate
common age-related changes in one’s
vision, hearing, and reaction time.
Insurance companies in Oregon
provide a discount to eligible drivers who
complete this course.
For questions and or registration
regarding this program you may also call
Don Hawley 503-861-1813.
Clatskanie Walking Trail Promotes Good Health
On Friday, September 9, the
Clatskanie Elementary School Parents
Supporting Education Association
(PSEA) hosted––“Walk the Trail”––a
celebration to mark the opening of a
new walking trail for students and their
families, but also for anyone in the
community to use. The asphalt fitness
trail loops the bottom field at Clatskanie
Elementary school and was created in
part by a Nike grant of $20,000.
The trail––which is open to the
community––represents one answer to a
growing health threat in the community.
In Columbia County 64% of 8th graders
and 71% of 11th graders are not getting
the recommended physical activity
each day according to the 2007-08 OR
Health Teen Survey. Physical activity,
with proper nutrition, are the best ways
to combat obesity, but the students at
Clatskanie Elementary simply did not
have enough space to be physically
active. This is why the PSEA prioritized
creating the walking trail and partnered
with the Columbia Health Coalition
to help obtain a grant from the Nike
Community Fund.
“The school has a beautiful
lower field that could only be used a
couple times a year because the rain turns
it into a mud pit. We knew we needed
to make it more usable and a great
place for our students and our families
to get out and move.” said Gretchen
Moore member of the PSEA. The PSEA
received local in-kind support from
businesses to get started on the project.
“We couldn’t have finished this project
without the partnership of the Columbia
Health Coalition and Nike Community
Fund. We knew we needed funding, but
we weren’t sure how to go about getting
it.” Moore.
The
Columbia
Health
Coalition’s mission is to empower the
community to increase opportunities
for healthy lifestyles through initiatives
for policy, systems, and environmental
change. “We were thrilled to help
Clatskanie Elementary turn a muddy
field into a great community resource,”
said Ashley Swanson Healthy
Communities Coordinator with The
Public Health Foundation of Columbia
County and Coalition member. “Our
community is facing a twin epidemic
of physical inactivity and poor nutrition
and that is leading to health challenges
for our children. We saw this community
project as a great way of addressing both
– of finding a positive solution that will
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benefit everyone. ”
The Clatskanie Walking Trail
is one of several projects the Columbia
Health Coalition has been involved
with including Restore, Re-explore,
Rediscover Columbia County – Passport
to Health––the Vernonia Wellness Team’s
work to create and implement the School
District Wellness Policy Administrative
Rules, and helping the Christ Episcopal
7
Church create a community garden. All
the produce from the garden is donated
to Community Meals and the Food
Bank. This is the second year of harvests
from the garden.
If you are interested in becoming
a part of the Columbia Health Coalition
please contact Swanson: aswanson@
tphfcc.org or (503) 397-4651x2007.
