december27 2011
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
Vernonia Welcomes Home
Miss Rodeo America
free
volume5 issue 24
Vernonia Celebrates & Gives
Vernonians gathered on December 17th for Gymnasium. Carr
a reception to welcome home their newest celebrity, described her week at
the pageant and showed
a video of her ride
in the Horsemanship
competition. On
Monday
December
19 Carr appeared on
television as a guest
on AM Northwest.
Carr is the
daughter of Alan and
Barb Carr of Vernonia,
Oregon. She was a
2008 graduate and
Valedictorian
of
Vernonia High School,
as well as a nine year
member of Columbia
Vernonia children had a chance to make gifts at the Celebrating Families 2011 event
County Horse 4-H.
December 20-22. The Community Giving Tree at US Bank helped provide basic health
Continuing her
care items, coats & shoes for local families. For more photos see page 15.
involvement with the
Columbia County Fair
design.
and Rodeo, Carr served as one of the 2007 Columbia
In winning the title of 2012 Miss Rodeo
County Fair and Rodeo Princesses and Queen in America, Carr receives a $20,000 college scholarship;
2008. In 2009, she went on to represent the Northwest she won an additional $5,500 in scholarships for
Miss Rodeo America 2012, Mackenzie Carr.
Professional Rodeo Association as their Miss NPRA. In winning individual categories. She will also receive
Ms. Carr, aged 21, was crowned in Las Vegas July 2010, Carr won the prestigious title of Miss Rodeo a wardrobe of Wrangler wear, Justin Boots and Bailey
on December 10th at the MGM Hotel and Casino, at Oregon. As Miss Rodeo Oregon 2011, Carr traveled Hats. At her reception, Carr modeled another of her
the culmination of the week-long Miss Rodeo America over 30,000 miles throughout Oregon, the United prizes, a new beaver coat. Also on display were her
Pageant held in conjunction with the Wrangler National States, and Canada promoting the great state of Oregon MRA Chaps as well as two saddles she received, one
Finals Rodeo.
and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. of them the coveted Silver Saddle for winning the
At the 2012 Miss Rodeo America Pageant, Carr
In her spare time Carr enjoys riding her horses, Horsemanship competition. She will also receive a
won individual honors for Horsemanship, Personality, giving riding lessons to children, and spending time in the MRA Belt Buckle made by Montana Silversmiths
Appearance, Speech, Scrapbook and received the great outdoors. Carr previously attended Oregon State and will wear the MRA crown for the year.
Raeana Wadhams Spirit Award.
University for two years studying Civil Engineering,
As Miss Rodeo America, Carr will be an
Carr was joined on December 17 th by family, and will be transferring to earn an Architectural degree, ambassador promoting the Professional Rodeo
friends, admirers and rodeo royalty from around the with a minor in Speech Communications. She hopes to Cowboys Association and America’s Western heritage
region at her reception at the Vernonia High School focus on interior architecture and commercial building at over 100 rodeos during the coming year.
inside
8
senior
stars
10
vhs
sports
15
school
construction
Cooterville City Hall: One Man’s Junk...
By Scott Laird
Have you ever won-
dered what happened to the
old sign that used to hang
on the post at Staley’s Junc-
tion—the old florescent
sign that was a landmark at
the junction of Highways 26
and 47 and marked the turn-
off to head north to Verno-
nia?
Well that old sign
resides in Cooterville now,
sitting right outside the
Cooterville City Hall.
Can’t find Cooter-
ville on your Oregon road-
map? Well that’s because
Cooterville isn’t really a
town, it’s just a place where Chuck,
The Old Coot, keeps all the stuff he
buys and sells.
Maybe you’ve noticed
Cooterville City Hall as you’ve trav-
eled the Sunset Highway and passed
through Manning—it’s kind of hard
to miss. But have you ever stopped
to take a look inside? If you haven’t,
then you don’t know what you’re
missing.
Chuck—who considers him-
self the Mayor of Cooterville—has
been buying and selling stuff for
over thirty years. (Yes, he bought
that Staley’s sign and yes, it is for
sale!) As you can see from the view
of the store from the parking lot,
there is a little bit of just about every-
thing here. And step inside and there
is much more. Much, much more!
“They say one man’s junk is another
continued on page 7
