opinion
february6
2014
Voices From the Crowd: Columbia County at a Crossroads
By Randy Sanders
There was a time in America
when partisan politics had limits.
Republican President Ronald Reagan
lay motionless in his hospital bed
after losing half the blood in his body
from an assassination attempt that had
pierced his lung, leaving the bullet
lodged an inch from his heart. The
first person the President received was
Speaker of the House Tip O’Niell; a
Democrat and staunch liberal. Taking
the President’s withered hand, O’Neill
knelt at the bedside and recited the
twenty-third Pslam, “The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want,” as the
President whispered the words along
with him. Once finished, the Speaker
kissed the President on his forehead and
left the room; tears welling up in the big
man’s eyes. It’s sad to admit this, but
it’s unlikely such an encounter would
happen today.
Columbia County is at the
crossroads of an issue swept under the
rug for almost a decade; public safety.
This is an issue that should unite both
sides of our partisan divide. Voters have
repeatedly denied the funding necessary
to operate a safe and effective sheriff’s
office, including the jail. Each time
the levy has failed, no one who voted
against it has stepped forward to provide
solutions. I respect those arguments
claiming money is already in the county
coffers to pay for the jail; however, you
must explain “where” and “how.”
We all knew this preverbal can
was being kicked down the road; now it’s
reached the dead end. Our jail will close
by early summer. What exacerbates
the problem are the employees who
currently work there, leaving, to seek
stable employment. Having to refill
those positions by removing patrol
officers from the road makes us less safe
and creates more issues.
I believe any reasonable tax
payer will agree we need a stable
public safety program including a jail.
I have created a group called Columbia
County Works Together do put this
issue directly into the hands of us, the
citizens. Conservatives and liberals can
leave all their personal issues behind
and work together on only one problem:
funding for the jail. It’s high-time we
take ownership, and solve this.
Get ready, because without a
jail, we will be under a media assault
that only advertises to every drug dealer
and gang-banger that we are ripe for
the taking. This will do nothing for our
home values, employment/business
opportunities, or our image.
Rural communities all over
Oregon are re-focusing their efforts after
a devastating recession. It’s an exciting
time for small tech, internet retail,
organic farms, micro brews, wineries
and more. Folks like the Carver family
in Central Oregon have elevated their
little sheep farm into a Ralph Lauren and
Loggerbots Get Ready
lot of help from their volunteer men-
tors-community members who coach
the team and help them figure out de-
sign strategies. All the mentors from
last year’s success have returned and
the team has even recruited several new
mentors this year, including school liai-
son Eric Urban.
The Loggerbot squad is made up
of fourteen students, including a couple
of Middle School students again this
year, and meets weeknights and Satur-
days to work on their project.
According to Jeff Ely, a parent/
mentor, the team is way ahead in the
electronics and computer programing
aspects of their project, using their past
knowledge to speed up that work this
year. Ely says the team is still working
out the design of how to launch and di-
rect the ball towards their intended tar-
gets.
Ely says the team has been able
to scavenge parts from their past two
robots, which has allowed the team to
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Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Contributors
Susan Ely
Steven Leskin
Stacey Lynn
P.J. O’Leary
Jack Phillips
Gayle Rich-Boxman
Sarah Rossi
Randy Sanders
Michal Smith
Sonia Spackman
Grant Williams
Photography
Nikita McCord
Gayle Rich-Boxman
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You can contact Randy Sanders at
ColumbiaCountyWorksTogether@
yahoo.com or read about the campaign
at columbiacountyworkstogether.blog.
com
continued from front page
“buy” a 3D printer with some of their
credits. The 3D printer has been re-
ally fun and interesting for the students
to work with and learn about. “It’s all
part of learning technology and science,
which is what this program is all about,”
says Ely.
Ely says fundraising and spon-
sorship has been very important this
year. In past years the team has been
required to raise $5,000 just to compete,
plus additional funds for parts. This year
the team needs $5,000 to go to the Dis-
trict competitions and another $3,000
to go to the Regional competition, plus
parts and other ancillary expenses.
Aubrey Leach is a seventh grad-
er, who has recruited her parents and a
grandparent to help mentor the team.
Leach has been learning to solder and has
been working on the electrical compo-
nents of the project. Leach says she ap-
proached the company where her father
works, Aamcon, who agreed to sponsor
the team with a $2,000 donation. If the
• Specialty hamburgers
• Draft beer & mixed drinks
• Pool tables & satelite TV
• Special live music events
• Free Wi-fi
Team USA wool supplier. Meanwhile
in Columbia County -- with our vast
riverfront property and fertile farmland
-- we cannot even fund a jail! Certainly
any plans of luring business or seeding
our current family businesses are out of
the question. Giving free passes out to
criminals wanting a place to sell drugs,
steal or set up illegal operations is not
a place successful entrepreneurs can
operate.
I am just one guy, one tax payer,
one citizen who has seen enough. The
recent 100-mph chase of the alleged
Florida gang-related folks through the
heart of our community are not the
kind of customers I had in mind when I
imagine bringing business to Columbia
County. I can’t watch this sad story
unfold without a fight.
I am extending a hand, to
liberals and conservatives alike to find
a solution before it’s too late. One issue,
one focus point, one goal. Leave issues
that divide us at home, just bring your
ideas for only this one issue. If you’re
a liberal, you certainly don’t want hate
crimes going unpunished. If you’re a
conservative, you want citizens solving
problems, not government; well, here’s
where we can work together.
3
Sunday, Feb. 9
2:00 pm
Lions Club
Texas Hold Em
Benefit for
David Spackman
Beer & Kegs to go
Fri - Sat 11 AM - 2:30 AM
• 503-429-9999
team qualifies for the Regional compe-
tition, Leach says Aamcon has pledged
www.VernoniasVoice.com
another $2,000, and has told the team
to come back for more funding if they
the Christmas Lighted Parade and dem-
advance to Nationals.
onstrating their robots on several other
Ely says the team has also been
occasions.
pretty active this past year, marching in
Community Garden to Hold Plant Sale
The Vernonia Community
Garden (VCG) is currently planning its
first fair and plant sale for May 10th.
This will be an annual event providing
fresh plants to Vernonia area gardeners.
Vendors are currently being recruited
to sell farm and garden merchandise.
The VCG staff will have 1000 tomato
plants for sale, all varieties are hand-
picked to thrive in our less than ideal
growing conditions.
The Vernonia Community
Garden is a non-profit group whose
mission is to provide a gardening
experience
though
education,
mentoring and volunteer participation
promoting a local source of organic
fruits, vegetables and flowers for area
residents of all ages, building upon
the community’s heritage of self-
sufficiency and sustainability.
The plant sale will be held at
the Vernonia Schools on May 10th from
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in the commons
area. Space is limited, interested
vendors should contact Penny Costley
at 503-429-0196 for more information.
Cedar Side Inn
Open Mic Night
Saturday, February 22nd
Karaoke
Every Friday Night
Taco Tuesday
from opening until 9pm
3 hardshell or 1 softshell $4.25
iheck our Facebook page for daily specials and upcoming events
756 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-5841
