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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2013)
4 community bulletin board/letters to the editor february7 2013 Columbia County Veterans Stand Down Auction Sat, February 9, 2013 7:00 PM Elks Lodge 350 Belton Rd. St. Helens, OR All proceeds go directly to “Honoring Our Heroes” Calling All Columbia County Veterans “Honoring Our Heroes” Sat, February 23, 2013 9 AM-5 PM St. Helens Olde School 251 St. Helens St. St. Helens, OR All Active Duty National Guard and recent returnees are most Welcome! Come by for: Hot meal, Clothing, Personal care items, Health care, Employers, Legal aid services, Flu shots, VA benefits experts and much more! For more info on either of these 2 events contact: Pam Daniel at 503-366-6591 Readers Lend Their Voices... To the Editor, I have had several concerns about social security for some time, so when Senator Ron Wyden was here I got to ask him my questions. The first question I asked was why there was a cap on employee social security taxes withheld. Currently when you reach $113,000 in wages they no longer withhold social security taxes. His answer was that by continuing that tax, it prohibited employers from hiring more people. My second question was why, when someone started to receive social security, any children under eighteen year old would also receive money from social security. I did not get an answer for that one. He went on to explain that if you went on disability your children could receive money and also children of a deceased parent were eligible for social security. Senator Wyden is a perfect example of my question; if he were to start taking his social security, his three children, six year old twins and new born daughter, would receive benefits from social security. I would really like an answer to this one, as I can not in any way see the reasoning for this entitlement. They chose to have children at an older age and they chose to retire and draw their social security. At a time when they say social security is going broke, I still ask why is the government responsible for these children? Delores Webb Vernonia To the Editor, The Vernonia Seventh-Day Adventist Church would like to say thank you to all the community members and businesses that helped make our Christmas auction a success. All proceeds made will go towards the repair of our church building built in the 1930s. It is truly a blessing to be a part of such an amazing community. We look forward to serving you for many years to come. May God Bless you ALL. Sincerely, Members of the Vernonia SDA Church To the Editor, While I was at the courthouse in St. Helens recently I picked up a copy of your paper. I had no idea what it was and found it to be a delightful and informative community newspaper. How I wish St. Helens and Scappoose had one just like it. Good work! Mariel McMullen Deer Island, OR 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. Need more room? See us for the lowest prices GUARANTEED! Debit/Credit now accepted 5x10 $39 10x10 $69 10x20 $99 RV Storage $149 Outside storage available Totally fenced and gated Padlocks Available Authorized U-Haul Dealer Boxes and Supplies Available We can make your reservation Pick up here or anywhere 58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292 Vernonia, Oregon 97064 (503) 429-7867 10-5 Tue-Sat 12-4 Sun Director of Vernonia Cares Food Bank, Sandy Welch received a $500 donation from Toni Barton of Bridge Street Mini Mart. Rose Avenue Project Gains Momentum continued from front page Electric Cooperative headquarters that is large enough to house all three facilities that are considering relocating. The City and the three stakeholders need to create a joint site plan, negotiate a lease agreement for use of the land, and settle several other significant details before the project is ready to move forward. All three groups have expressed interest in exploring the possibility of the project and the City Council and staff also appear willing to try to work together to make the project a reality. There may also be room on the site for at least one additional structure. At the workshop Council heard from Jim Tierney of Community Action Team (CAT). CAT has been hired by the Senior Center and Vernonia Cares as their project manager. CAT had been working with both groups in 2007 before the flood to build a new facility. Council also heard from City Administrator Bill Haack who gave an update on the project and the needs of the City in the process. The Vernonia Health Board is moving forward quickly with their plans to construct a new Health Center building and have hired Scott Edwards Architecture to create predesign drawings and to act as their project manager. The Health Board has been informed that they will be the final project to receive FEMA funds as part of the December 2007 Vernonia disaster event. The Health Board is expected to receive a buyout for their old building, which will then be required to be demolished, similar to the old school campus. The Health Board also has funds being held for them by Providence Health which were donated following the flood. The Health Board announced to the City Council that they would be starting a Capital Campaign in early February to raise the additional funds they would need to construct a new facility slightly larger than their current clinic, with the hope of beginning construction in May of 2013. Total cost for the project is estimated to be around $600,000 or $700,000 with $420,000 already in hand. The Health Board says they will approach private foundations for the balance of the money. The Council also heard from Sandy Welch, Director of Vernonia Cares and Sykes Mitchell representing the Senior Center. Both groups updated the Council on their current expectations for the size and design of their facilities. The possibility exists that the two groups could construct a building together to house both their facilities. One of the issues that has slowed down the development of the Rose Avenue Project is the availability continued on page 14 Bethany Lutheran Makes Changes to Quilt Show Bethany Lutheran Church is shaking things up a bit for the 2013 Quilt Show. South Columbia County’s premier quilt show (normally held in February) will be held this spring on May 3 and 4, 2013. Come prepared to carry on a quilt show tradition, enjoy some old favorites and ring in a new era when Bethany Lutheran Church unveils a new name and welcomes first time featured quilter Wynette Cate. After 33 years, this long- standing quilt show is making some changes but will continue the tradition of showing old, new, unique, rescued, and heirloom quilts. Bethany plans to keep old favorites, such as their famous homemade cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, soups, pies, bake/book sale and quilt raffle. Some new attractions are daily story times for kids, gift basket raffle, old and new consignment items like ‘bag of rags,’ (quilt scraps), handmade quilts and crafts, plus some new items, like ”Angel Flakes” (homemade laundry soap). Proceeds from the quilt show go toward quilting projects, community service, and church operating expenses. Watch for invitations in the mail or posters around town. Or, visit Bethany’s website: www.bethany- lutheran-church.org. So save the dates Friday, May 3 rd & Saturday May 4 th, to join in the festivities. For more information: call 503-397-5701 or 503-397-6316.
