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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2014)
may15 2014 VERNONIA’S volume8 issue10 www.vernoniasvoice.com free reflecting the spirit of our community The Farm Table: Plans Unveiled for $1 Billion Catering and Events in the Country Investment in Clatskanie Three friends have come together in Vernonia to start a new and exciting business. Robyn Warren, Jennifer Draeger and Rebecca Riddell are all collaborating on a new venture called The Farm Table Cater- ing and Events. The newly launched business will be based from Warren’s sixteen acre farm on McDonald Road where the company can host events. They will offer catering, featur- ing farm fresh foods, along with the cakes and other baked goods that Draeger and Riddell are quickly becoming locally famous for. “The whole idea that’s different about this catering company is that it’s very organic and farm fresh,” explained Warren at the com- pany’s first catered event in early May. “It’s all about the farm. We have organic vegetables that we will be using. The meat we’ll use for our events will be free range beef and pork. People will be getting a different experience- they know where the food is coming from. But it’s going to be affordable. It’s going to be much different than what most other compa- nies offer.” The Warren Farm is a working farm with a spectacular 180 degree view. The unique site can host weddings and other parties, mak- ing use of the historic barn and the massive covered arena. There are animals, along with vegetable and flower gardens, fruit trees and a pumpkin patch. “It’s going to be a country chic concept,” says Warren. Warren and her family moved to Ver- nonia from Cornelius last August and have quickly become a part of the commu- nity. This spring they hosted a glow- in-the-dark Easter egg hunt on the farm, which was attended by about 300 people. Warren, who also sells real es- tate, has a degree in culinary arts and has worked in all aspects of hospitali- ty management and banquet service. She is operating the business under a personal chef’s license. Draeger and her family moved to Ver- nonia ten years ago. Draeger is a self-taught cake baker and decorator, although she says she does have a background in interior design from an art college. “That sort of plays into it,” says Draeger. “I have some sculpture background and some drawing background.” Her artistic and creatively designed cakes have quickly become local favorites for children’s parties as well as weddings and other special occasions Riddell also moved to Vernonia over ten years ago from Forest Grove. She and her husband are raising a family here and like small town life. She has been learning about cake decorating from Draeger, but says she intends to focus more on pastry baking for the busi- continued on page 9 inside 9 9 11 12 14 cota book signing schaumburg benefit vhs forestry competitions vhs sports county spelling bee Over eighty community leaders were in attendance in Clatskanie for a presentation given by NW Innovation Works, LLC on Tuesday, May 6. The presentation focused on the major industrial project the corporation is planning at Port Westward, about seven miles from Clatskanie on the Columbia River. The event was hosted by the Columbia County Economic Team at the recently re-opened Humps Restaurant. NW Innovation Works, a multi-national partnership, is currently looking to develop plants in three locations in Oregon and Washington: Port Westward, Port of Kalama and the Port of Tacoma. State Senator Betsy Johnson greets executives from NW Innovation Works at Hump’s restaurant in Clatskanie. NW Innovation Works will invest one billion dollars at each plant and will produce methanol from natural gas which will be shipped to Asia - including China - where it will be used to produce the key compound employed in the manufacturing of everything from plastic water bottles, cell phone cases, nylon carpets and more. Each new plant will provide 1000 jobs during construction, along with 120 permanent family wage jobs once the initial phase in completed. During a planned second phase a second plant will be constructed which will double the size of each complex. A lease agreement has been reached between Port Westward and NW Innovation Works. The proposed time line for the project calls for engineering and permitting to take place over the next twelve to eighteen months, with construction beginning by the end of 2015, and production beginning in 2018. Port Westward is a 1700 acre energy focused marine industrial park managed by the Port of St. Helens. The United States Environmental Protection Agency characterizes methanol as a biodegradable and non-carcinogenic chemical. Major investors in NW Innovation Works include PPE, a joint venture between CECC and Dalian Xizhong Island Petrochemical Vernonia US Bank Wins Award continued on page 13 The Vernonia Branch of US Bank has received an award for win- ning the Regional Gridiron Campaign. Branch manager Josh Johnston says the Gridiron Campaign is the larg- est yearly sales campaign for US Bank. The local Vernonia Branch earned 248% of their goal, earning them first place in the Columbia Pacific Region. Even more impressive than their first place finish regionally, the Vernonia Branch placed second nation- ally among all US Bank branches in the contest. “The top spots are usually won by the bigger branches in places like Portland,” said Johnston. “Our Teresa Brucken, Josh Johnston, Margy Prout and Davia Smith won the branch really pulled together, let the Regional Gridiron award for the Vernonia brank of US Bank. community know we were competing ing deposit accounts, loan accounts, new finance and in this contest and really brought the customers in.” refinance accounts, auto loans, business accounts and The branch employees were recognized at a din- more. “Basically it’s getting non customers to come in ner banquet in Beaverton in April. “We received recogni- and become customers,” says Johnston. tion throughout the country,” said Johnston. “It’s a pretty “We definitely couldn’t have done it without the big deal.” community’s help,” added Johnston. Johnston says the result in the competition was Congratulations to the entire team at US Bank the best performance the Vernonia branch has ever ac- Vernonia Branch. complished. The contest is based on the branch’s grow-
