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
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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-
