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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2013)
in other words/community Creature Comforts ~ What To Do About Kittens By Michal Smith Kitten season is over-NOT! Creatures pet store is full with kittens with many waiting for a spot. It’s not a surprise I’m sure that many of our babies have been caught from feral moms. It’s been reported, and realized, that after the flood, many a cat was lost or left behind by severely affected home owners. Many of these cats have procreated over the years and it seems like some neighborhoods are quite over-run with cats and kittens. This has put many of us at a loss of what to do. Enter: Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO). This organization has already helped some folks locally in providing traps for folks to catch feral cats then once transported to the FCCO, the cats are spayed or neutered, given vaccinations, flea treatment, ear mite treatment and other minor medical care as needed. This is all at no charge to the person bringing them in. Once this procedure is completed, the cats are typically returned to be released where they were but unable to keep making babies!! If this service can help control the cat population where you live, call the FCCO at 503-797-2606 or find them on the web at feralcats.com. Aside from the “kitty kraze”, Creatures would like to give a shout out to the Vernonia Ridge Riders for inviting us to set up a booth at their annual Poker Ride! We were excited to network with the many local riders and out-of-towners who enjoyed Vernonia and the awesome trail that the Ridge Rider club forged through the forest above Anderson Park- nice work! Another “shout out” to Eileen Williams and Mandy Prasad for hosting the Dog Obedience and House Manners Class over the months of June and July! WOEC Current: Upcoming Meetings By Sarah Rossi The West Oregon Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, August 17th at the Vernonia Scout Cabin. Registration begins at 10:00 AM and the meeting will be called to order at 11:00 AM. All members are welcome to attend the annual meeting, but please RSVP so that we know how many people will be attending for planning purposes. You may call the office at 503-429-3021 or email sarahr@westoregon.org to RSVP. You should receive your official annual meeting notice and ballot in the mail the last week of July or the first week of August. Please take the time to read the candidate information and fill out the ballot, so that you can cast your vote for the Directors in Districts 2 (Mist, Apiary, Birkenfeld) and 5 (Timber, Buxton). As a member-owned electric utility, this is your chance to be an active part of the Co-op through your vote for representation on the Board of Directors and by attending the meeting to hear reports on the financial status, operations, and management of your cooperative. We look forward to seeing you, and welcome the opportunity to interact with our members and make sure your questions and input are heard. Please join us for a great meeting, lunch, and fun door prizes. We are also holding special district meetings in August and September so that you may meet with your board representatives. The following is a list of the days, times, and places for those meetings: District 7 (Manning, Hagg Lake, Yamhill County) August 29th 7:00 PM Yamhill City Hall (205 S Maple Street, Yamhill) District 5 (Timber, Buxton) September 3rd 7:00 PM WOEC Boardroom (652 Rose Ave, Verno- nia) District 6 (Chapman/Scappoose, North Plains) September 9th 7:00 PM Scappoose Library (52469 SE 2nd St, Scap- poose) District 1 & 2 (Mist, Apiary, Birken- Member Meeting – Rate Change feld, Jewell, Elsie, and Hamlet) August 8th 7:00 PM Elderberry Tuesday, September 17th at 6:00 PM Inn (44601 HWY 26, Seaside) WOEC Boardroom ~ 652 Rose Ave., Vernonia, OR District 3 & 4 (Vernonia, Keasey) The Sounding Board: Quick as a Blink By Jack Phillips Quick as a “blink” ! One year since “Power of One” first asked WOEC questions. What’s hap- pened? Rates increased; and will increase, again, Oc- tober 1 st . What is a solution? For one, “Power of One” has a write-in candidate for this year’s election. It is HEATHER JOHANSEN for District 5. She is a native Vernonian; she went to Vernonia schools and gradu- ated from Pacific University in 1974, married and re- turned to Vernonia with her husband. They raised five children. Many of you know her. She is experienced, committed and wants an effective electrical coopera- tive. Her telephone number is 503-804-6997. Give her a call. The Bylaws require a candidate to live in the District represented but all members within WOEC can vote. If you still have your ballots, you can write her name in for District 5. Or you can wait and vote at the annual meeting. Either way, a large vote for Heather Johansen will create change and a successful coopera- tive. Obviously, as members, we need to do some- thing. We need to vote in new directors, contact mem- bers area-wide, engage professional help, inspect, re- search and do the hard work of organizing solutions. It took us a while to realize this; our experience in the last year showed us that just objecting to high rates, writing to the newspapers, and attending board meet- ings accomplished less than expected. We learned that to create effective change we have to contact others, person-to-person, and inspire them to do the same. Members talking to members (networking) is the key. Further, we need critical information in order to craft solutions for our highest-electric-rates-in-the-state co- operative. That has been a learning experience fraught with resistance and foot dragging from WOEC. We are now better prepared to proceed. What we need most is for members, with all points of view, to realize they, as Debit/Credit now accepted 5x10 $39 10x10 $69 10x20 $99 RV Storage $149 Outside storage available Totally fenced and gated Padlocks Available 5 Participants ranged from 15-60 pounds with endless energy which was all properly channeled and all are now on their way to becoming much improved young pups. New in the store is the Seresto flea and tick collars for dogs and cats. The collar claims to last up to 8 months! Also, check out our consignment saddles both Western and English styles as well as tack to go with! Store hours are 10-6 M-F; Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-4; call 503- 429-PETS (7387). A work day is being planned on August 17 th to help with sprucing up the landscaping at the new Vernonia School. We have only one employee, Mark Brown, that is in charge of maintenance and grounds. It is impossible for one person to keep up with all the weeding and other work. Many of you are supporting the school through your tax dollars, but your help is also needed in keeping the grounds looking nice. A lot of you have disagreed with the new school—how it is run and other issues and concerns- but the fact is, it is a reality. Please put those feelings aside and for our kids sake come out and help keep their new school looking nice. We will be working from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Please bring hand tools for weeding, trimming bushes and more, as well as containers for debris. individual rate payers, can make a difference; to talk to us, work with us, to experience their own ‘power-of- one” in lower cost electricity. We have regular meetings on the first Thurs- day of each month at 7:00 PM at the New Hong Kong restaurant. Our mail box is P.O. Box 51, Vernonia, OR 97064. Power of One’s telephone numbers are 971- 202-2316, 503-429-8089 and 971-207-0198. Sally Harrison’s is 503-429-8425. We need you; people who can contact others, by telephone, email and Facebook; people to do research, keep records; to do the spade- work needed to get things moving. We intend to have fun and some good food while working for a more ef- fective co-operative. We would like to hear from you and/or see you at our next meeting at the New Hong Kong restaurant. Remember to vote. Write in and check the box for Heather Johansen. START RIGHT. START HERE. SM Need more room? See us for the lowest prices GUARANTEED! 2013 Can You Give a Helping Hand? Boardroom (652 Rose Ave, Verno- nia) August 13th 7:00 PM WOEC august1 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 10-6 Tue-Sat 12-4 Sun Summer is here! Toys • Lawn Chairs Camping Supplies • BBQs Batteries • Fishing Supplies Sporting Goods • Coolers Family owned & operated for over 40 years 834 Bridge St., Vernonia (503) 429-6364
