4
community bulletin board/letters to the editor
november13
2012
Upcoming Events
Artisan, Psychic and Wellness Faire, November
17th. 3:00-9:00 PM at the Knights of Pythias Lodge,
31520 NW Commercial Street, North Plains, OR.
Listen to guest speakers, have a reading, massage, or
Reiki Treatment, buy some crystals, a Rune set, or
airbrushed T shirt, have lunch or dinner while you are
learning, experiencing, and having FUN…Admission
of only $3.00
VHS Alumni Volleyball, November 16, 7 PM at the
VHS gym. See past stars take on the 2012 VHS Varsity
team. This is a fundraiser for the Zach Rumboltz
Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Rabies Clinic, November 18, 12 to 3 PM at
Columbia Humane Society, 2084 Oregon Street, Saint
Helens, OR. Registration required for more than 2
dogs (this is not an appt) 503-396-3239. Other cat/
dog vaccines available, and microchipping, too. There
will be a booth for dog/cat supplies and a professional
photographer for holiday photos. For more info, www.
columbiahumane.org or call 503-397-4353
Made in Vernonia Holiday Event, November 24, 10
AM to 7 PM at 805 Bridge Street. Featuring Christine
Marie Studio Trunk Show, Vernonia Coffee Roasters
coffee tasting and holiday-inspired refreshments.
Creatures Grand Re-Opening Celebration,
November 24, 9 AM to 7 PM at 998 Bridge Street.
Door prizes, special sales, goodies and more!
The Spirit of Christmas in Vernonia, December
1, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Something for everyone!
Lighted Parade, Live Nativity Scene, Victorian Carolers,
Cookie Baking Contest, Chili Cook-off, Storytelling,
Home Decorating Contest, Tree Lighting, Spaghetti
Feed, Vernonia Ballet’s Carnival of the Animals, Santa
and Mrs. Claus, Fruitcake Fling and
more!
Ryan and Laura Roberts
Vernonia
To the Community,
Please accept my heartfelt
appreciation to everyone involved with
the Vernonia Community PTA Carnival
& Haunted House event that was held
on Saturday, October 20th. From the
people who dedicated themselves to be
on a committee many months ago to the
legions of cake walk bakers. From the
staff at the school who supported our
efforts to the many students who took
time away from the fun to run a booth.
From those willing to work with months
of notice to those willing to work at a
moment’s notice. From all of the parents
who shopped and donated for the class
baskets to those in the community who
made a donation, regardless of having
a student but who still care about the
success of the school. To everyone who
gave the most valuable commodity of all,
their time. I thank all of you.
Susan Ely
Vernonia Community PTA
To the Editor,
Columbia Humane Society
(CHS) is looking for a few good people.
Animal experience not necessary. Skills
Required: good-nature, opinion, life
Harlem Crowns Basketball, December 8, 7 PM at
the VHS gym. Comedy in motion! Advanced tickets
available at the Sentry Market. This is a fundraiser for
the 2013 Prom.
Weather
Spotter
Training,
December 5, 7:00-8:30 PM at the
Vernonia Community Learning
Center, 939 Bridge St. The National
Weather
Service
welcomes
volunteers with an interest in
severe weather spotting to take the
Skywarn Weather Spotter training.
The training is free and open to
the general public. Please register
for this class at VernoniaSpotter.
DoAttend.com or 503-366-3934.
Christmas in the Country Bazaar,
December 8, 10-5; December 9,
Readers Lend Their Voices...
To the Editor,
Ryan and I want to thank the
members of this great community for all
the prayers, encouragement and support
for us and our family during Ryan’s
illness. There are no words that can
convey how much it meant to us and how
thankful we are for all of you. Many of
you would see me in the store and tell me
you were praying for Ryan or just asking
me how he was meant so much. To know
that people cared helped us immensely.
Ryan received a kidney
transplant on September 8, 2012. He is
feeling great and is already back to work
and doing the things that he enjoys doing.
We feel very blessed to have received this
gift of life for Ryan and also to be a part
of a community that truly cares about
their neighbors. Thank you to all of you!
11-4 at the Vernonia Schools Commons. Handmade
holiday items and much more. Contact Corrie Smith
at vernoniabazaar@aol.com or 503-429-1052 or see
their Facebook page.
experience, and communication is key.
Fill out a Volunteer Application and
we’ll get you started. This is a good
place to earn your stars. CHS is looking
for Volunteers and Volunteer Board
Members. Just a few options: Clerical,
Data-Entry and/or Grant-Writing skills;
the out-going personality for Marketing,
Volunteer Coordinating or Fundraising;
Care Giving is your nature and you want
to learn how to foster. We Need You!
www.columbiahumane.org/volunteer.
php or 503-397-4353
To the Editor,
October was Domestic Violence
Awareness Month and the Columbia
County Women’s Resource Center
(CCWRC) is here for all survivors and is
working to reduce and prevent violence.
This fall you can have an impact;
share the message that Violence is Never
OK, bullying and disrespect have no
place in our schools or communities. This
school year we are working to spread the
message that everyone deserves love and
respect.
Domestic and sexual violence
services do more than respond to
crime—we also help prevent future
violence. Domestic violence services
reduce re-assault by up to 70%; reduce
homelessness; save millions in medical
costs; increase the effectiveness of
substance abuse programs; reduce the
need for self-sufficiency payments and
child welfare intervention and foster care;
help child victims succeed in school; and
help adult victims stay in jobs.
As you go to vote you can send
the message that public safety spending
must prioritize the needs of victims.
Our state is spending more and more
on prison and corrections costs, without
investing more in victim services. Yet,
there is hope. Policy makers are deeply
concerned about what they can do to
protect the most vulnerable Oregonians,
and there is a growing understanding of
the severity and prevalence of domestic
and sexual violence in our communities.
We have an opportunity to elect leaders
that will do their best to think long-term,
and invest as wisely as possible.
Investments in prevention and
safety services for those fleeing violence
saves lives and money. It’s the right, and
smart, thing to do. Our public safety
spending must prioritize the needs of
victims.
You can help. This fall stand
with CCWRC to share the message that
Violence is Not OK in our Community!
Rachael Barry-Dame, Executive Director
Columbia County Women’s Resource
Center
To the Editor,
POWER-OF-ONE (Pwr/1) was formed
to address inquiry into the high cost
of electrical energy by West Oregon
Electric Cooperative (WOEC). Original
inquiry was made at the 2012 Annual
Membership Meeting. Following are the
questions Pwr/1 would like the Board to
consider and provide answers* to:
1. AUDIT: Pwr/1 has asked for a
performance audit outside of the required,
annual audit obtained by WOEC. For
many years, WOEC has had the highest
electricity rate per KWH in Oregon.
That is the reason for this request.
Admittedly, major FEMA-type disasters
have influenced these increased costs.
However, the high costs prevailed before,
during and after these disasters.
The most direct, effective
solution to the question of having the
highest costs per KWH is to conduct
an audit by a neutral, non-affiliated,
professional third party to produce a clear,
transparent picture of what has occurred
for all members to see. An audit of this
type would show needed efficiencies or
lay to rest member concerns.
The Question: What steps will WOEC
take to provide an independent, outside
performance audit as requested?
2.
SOLAR:
Bonneville
Power
Administration is the current, single
electricity provider for WOEC. By
providing access to or providing for
green alternative energy, WOEC could
mitigate the problem of having BPA as its
only source of energy. With this in mind,
preliminary steps already taken are:
•
Pwr/1 has asked WOEC to
research green alternative energy and
has referred Solar City, Inc. to WOEC
to discuss installing Solar Energy for
WOEC members
•
WOEC Manager, Marc Farmer,
recently visited Consumers Power Inc.,
in Corvallis, specifically to discuss
Consumers’ operational Solar Program,
which has 108 participants.
•
Marc has stated plans to engage
PNGC (Pacific Northwest Generating
Cooperative) members in a round-table
discussion about alternative energy.
•
It is acknowledged WOEC has
a 1% interest in a Corvallis methane
generation plant, a proposed wave energy
project and a Eugene-based solar project.
The Question: What immediate steps will
be taken by WOEC to provide detailed
information on and access to energy
generation from solar, wind and micro-
hydro?
3. BILLINGS: WOEC presently provides
a KWH Bar Graph showing total KWH’s
used for the billing month and for each of
the last 12 billing months. This generates
an incorrect energy use picture because
each month is not 30 days long. Many
utilities, in order to produce a more useful
Bar Graph, calculate Average Daily
KWH use. They divide the exact number
of days, in a given month, into the total
KWH’s used. The Daily Average is then
comparable to other months and allows
members to effectively analyze and
control energy costs.
The Question: What steps will WOEC
take to change to Bar Graphs utilizing
continued on page 6
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: scott@vernoniasvoice.com or mail to: Letters, PO Box
55, Vernonia, OR 97064.