october25 2011
free
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
volume5 issue 20
A Tale of Two Houses After Losing Almost Everything in the Flood of
2007 the Eyrrick Family Finally has a New Home
By Scott Laird
On
December
3,
2007
everything changed. Large portions of
the town of Vernonia were flooded, and
friends, families and neighbors could
do little to help those around them.
Businesses, government infrastructure,
and community resources were effected
in various ways. But most of all, the
Flood of 2007 impacted the people of
Vernonia. The families that call this
town home.
The flood left a wake of
destruction in the personal lives of
many of the citizens, damaging homes,
destroying memories, damping holiday
spirits, and leaving numerous families
with a trail of red tape and paperwork
and severely limited options about how
to go about rebuilding their lives. The
devastation was great and recovery has
taken a long time;
continuing even
today, almost four years later.
The flood damaged all three
schools, key components in the
community infrastructure including the
headquarters of West Oregon Electric
Cooperative (WOEC), the Vernonia
Cares Food Bank, the Senior Center,
and Health Clinic. Businesses were
damaged, including the Sentry Market,
the only grocery store in town and
the Bridge Street Mini Mart, the only
supplier of gasoline.
The recovery over the last three
and a half years has been varied—new
schools are in the process of being built
and WOEC just completed construction
and opened the doors of their new
headquarters facility. Most businesses
quickly cleaned up and got back to
serving customers; the Sentry Market is
currently putting the finishing touches
on a flood wall around their building to
protect their property. Many families,
who had access to resources, including
flood insurance, have repaired their
homes and were able to quickly put their
lives back together.
Columbia County Flood Relief
(CCFR), a locally organized relief
agency which has
helped identify
funding sources and offered counseling
to the community through the recovery,
assisted many families who chose to
lift their homes or go through a buyout
process-- two options that have taken
considerable time, effort, energy and
stamina.
The Eyrrick family, Brandon
and Camrin and children Jacob and
Health Care Town Hall
October 27th, 6 PM at VCLC
to discuss the future of health care
in Columbia County
inside
10
vhs
homecoming
10
vhs
sports
15
my trip
Camrin, Brandon, Jacob and Kaitlyn Eyrrick in front of their new home in Vernonia.
Kaitlyn, who lost almost everything on
December 3, are just one of several
families who have spent the years since
that day negotiating the hurdles of the
recovery process in an attempt to put
their lives back together. On September
23, 2011 their long journey came to an
end when they moved into a brand new
home--a home that is safe and out of the
way of future flooding.
***
***
Brandon and Camrin Eyrrick
purchased and moved into their new
home in Vernonia on Juniper Street
in April of 2007 after renting in the
continued on page 8
“Voices of Rural Oregon” Hosts Forum
for 1st District Congressional Candidates
By Jill Hult
On Tuesday, October
11, 2011 a forum with Columbia
County residents and four out
of the 11 invited Congressional
Candidates for Oregon’s 1st
District was held in Scappoose,
Oregon. The event was hosted
by Columbia County Citizens
for Human Dignity (CCCHD),
the Rural Organizing Project
(ROP), and the Working
Families Organization (WFO),
along with MoveOn.org and Rebuild
the Dream.
A Special Primary Election
will be held on November 8, 2011
followed by a Special General
Election on January 31, 2012
to replace Oregon District 1
Representative David Wu, who
resigned.
Over 125 citizens attended
the event which was structured as
a “Kitchen Table Conversation”
between the candidates and five
citizens representing participating
organizations. Each representing
citizen asked the candidates questions
covering issues such as the economy;
education; public infrastructure;
social security; health care; and
immigration. Audience members
were asked to submit questions
which were asked and answered
immediately following the “Kitchen
Table” segment.
The four attending candidates
were Oregon Labor Commissioner,
Brad Avakian; State Senator Suzanne
Bonamici serving Oregon’s 17th
District; Delinda Delgado-Morgan,
an International Union of Operating
Engineers, Local 701 member; and
State Representative Brad Witt,
serving Oregon’s 31st District.
Audience member questions
were: whether the candidates
supported Oregon becoming a Right
to Work State; what they believe the
effects of NAFTA have been on the
State and economy; how they would
solve FEMA’s financial crisis; if
they support the “Occupy” Portland
protesters; and if they supported a
National Anti-Discrimination Law
that includes the LGBT community.
Many concerns centered
on the economy as it affects other
issues mentioned such as health
care, immigration, education, social
security, and the rights of every
citizen. All of the candidates spoke
passionately about the need to keep
jobs in America mentioning that
we need to educate the population,
invest in small businesses, manage
for forest health, and cut down on
waste.
